For the record, grading is the most thankless task for us teachers. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy reading your work. But quantifying the value of your effort in a number is difficult. History is tricky. Unlike biology or math, we don't ask you to memorize stuff or get one "right" answer. Instead, we ask you to think deeply about what has happened, try to make sense of it, and articulate those thoughts. I provide the following comments to help you think more about your answers.
The average grade was a 3.2, a high B.
I don't grade on a curve, but there were scatter of 4.0 answers (not very many)
I have three general comments -
1. Analysis as well as Description. Many of you pointed out interesting and insightful details about Chaplin's Modern Times (the assembly line, feeding machine, surveillance of the boss, even the ladies fashion) - but the best answers use those observations as a means to an end. E.G., "For audiences in the 1930s, the little tramp's fall into insanity reflect what many workers might have felt with the revolutionary changes in Fordism, combined with the Great Depression." It's filling in the blanks that demonstrate thoughtfulness, comprehension, and synthetic thinking.
2. The balancing act of Specificity and Breadth. All of these questions invite answers that incorporate multiple materials from our class. It is particularly effective to reference specific examples and evidence when crafting answers. That specificity should be balanced with breadth. Can you utilize lots of materials in your answers? Just because a question mentions a particular document doesn't mean you can only discuss that one. In considering Mae Ngai's discussion of immigration, you might consider how to incorporate Monica Sone, Frederick Douglas, etc.
3. There are a number of instances where your answer might be "correct," but just not fully developed. A few thoughts about how to do that: The first is thinking about the big picture. I include a thesis statement at the beginning of every class for a reason. If you line up all those statements, it provides a narrative of the big picture and the most important themes from class. Otherwise, we can get lost in the flurry of names and dates. However, names and dates do matter sometimes. Here, you just have to pay careful attention and write fast and furious. While I hope that you enjoy the lectures in class, they are not provided for mere entertainment. Ultimately, a college class is about comprehension, but also synthesis. Consider the question about Sone's two heads. You can read that passage and understand it. But can you look through your notes and pick out other items that intersect with this concept? One central topic of class is the question of citizenship. How might you marshall Ozawa and Thind for this answer. Or even the experience of African Americans during Reconstruction.
With the final exam still on the horizon, consider my comments and remember that demonstrating improvement is always rewarded. But I am happy to talk with you individually about what you wrote and how to improve.
The average grade was a 3.2, a high B.
I don't grade on a curve, but there were scatter of 4.0 answers (not very many)
I have three general comments -
1. Analysis as well as Description. Many of you pointed out interesting and insightful details about Chaplin's Modern Times (the assembly line, feeding machine, surveillance of the boss, even the ladies fashion) - but the best answers use those observations as a means to an end. E.G., "For audiences in the 1930s, the little tramp's fall into insanity reflect what many workers might have felt with the revolutionary changes in Fordism, combined with the Great Depression." It's filling in the blanks that demonstrate thoughtfulness, comprehension, and synthetic thinking.
2. The balancing act of Specificity and Breadth. All of these questions invite answers that incorporate multiple materials from our class. It is particularly effective to reference specific examples and evidence when crafting answers. That specificity should be balanced with breadth. Can you utilize lots of materials in your answers? Just because a question mentions a particular document doesn't mean you can only discuss that one. In considering Mae Ngai's discussion of immigration, you might consider how to incorporate Monica Sone, Frederick Douglas, etc.
3. There are a number of instances where your answer might be "correct," but just not fully developed. A few thoughts about how to do that: The first is thinking about the big picture. I include a thesis statement at the beginning of every class for a reason. If you line up all those statements, it provides a narrative of the big picture and the most important themes from class. Otherwise, we can get lost in the flurry of names and dates. However, names and dates do matter sometimes. Here, you just have to pay careful attention and write fast and furious. While I hope that you enjoy the lectures in class, they are not provided for mere entertainment. Ultimately, a college class is about comprehension, but also synthesis. Consider the question about Sone's two heads. You can read that passage and understand it. But can you look through your notes and pick out other items that intersect with this concept? One central topic of class is the question of citizenship. How might you marshall Ozawa and Thind for this answer. Or even the experience of African Americans during Reconstruction.
With the final exam still on the horizon, consider my comments and remember that demonstrating improvement is always rewarded. But I am happy to talk with you individually about what you wrote and how to improve.
