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AK/ADMS/WMST
3120 Section A Gender Issues in Management
Essay Assignment, Winter 2010
This is a
quasi-essay assignment. Read about
Good Writing.
On one
page, write the introductory paragraph and after you have
completed page 2, come back and on page 1 also write your
conclusion.
On a second
page (and on only one page), create an outline of the body of
the essay as you would write it
I.
A.
1)
2)
B.
II.
A.
etc.
III. A.
B. etc.
I, II, and
III will be the three main points you will make in your essay to
support your thesis statement (each of these is therefore in
essence a thesis statement for each paragraph). Include as the
last item in each paragraph the sources from the online course
material and your discussions that you would use to support your
argument. Do not do outside research for sources. I am more
interested in how you think and how you put your quasi-essay
together.
Topic Instructions:
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The topic of how business women are
portrayed in the media is always a popular one in this
class. For your essay, choose a fictional television show
(not-real) that in some way portrays women or a woman in some kind of
business role. (The show does not have to be primarily about
a business woman; she might be a minor character). If you
are not a TV watcher, you may use a film. Use only one TV
show or one film.
Consider the different
issues raised relating to Socialization in the course so far, as presented on
the course website, discussed in the Discussion
Group, and
in your own thinking and discussion with others. Then use
the three main topics from the first Unit (Language, Sports,
Military) and consider how each one is illustrated in some
way in the TV show you chose and what the implications are
for women working in or aspiring to management jobs.
You must relate this to issues of
MANAGEMENT, not just to
women in general or in their private lives.
Be sure
to include both an
epistemological showdown
with direct and
specific reference to course materials and “i statements”,
statements that make it clear how you feel about a
particular issue. Read the two links here to be sure you are
doing what you are supposed to be doing. In particular, an "i"
statement does not just mean putting the words "I believe"
before any old statement.
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Writing the Paper
When writing the paper, do not use broad generalities, but use
instead the language and terminology of the area you are studying. Be sure to refer to
relevant readings/class discussion/postings.
All of this constitutes
the "epistemological
showdown" part of your assignment. Note that you must
do more than just refer to readings; you have to make meaningful
reference to them in order to earn credit for referring to them. Your assignment also must
include your own personal reactions to and feelings about the
subject ("i" statements).
Your
epistemological showdown need not include reference to outside
sources (i.e.: you are not expected to do outside research for
this essay: I am more interested in what YOU think and how you
put your thoughts together). When
you refer to things you have read that are course materials, you
do not need to make formal reference (APA, etc.) since they are
course materials and we have all read them; just refer to them
by name (e..: "Hill to Die on" in Unit X). Read about
writing a
proper
essay.
The course syllabus tells
you that you must be able to write an essay to take this course.
In marking, I start with the expectation that you can write an
essay and part of your mark is for essay format.
Note that beyond these
instructions, unlike what you may have experienced in high
school, you do not get a sheet detailing exactly what must go
into the assignment. At the university level part of the
learning process is for you to figure out what to put in, what to emphasize,
and what to leave out.
The number of pages may appear short to you,
but
one of the major skills you can learn in a University education
is how to express yourself succinctly. Anyone can make a point
given a thousand pages; the well-educated person can make a
point in few words. You are not writing a full essay; that
is why the assignment you hand in will be only two pages long.
How to Prepare Your Document When
preparing the paper to hand it in, ensure that all pages are
double-spaced, in black type in not less than
11-point font (Times New Roman is best, and use only one font), with not less than 1 inch margins all
around, in portrait format not landscape, in single column
format, keeping everything as simple as possible - no fancy
graphics, no charts, no pictures, no colour - just
writing. Write no more than the number of pages specified and
as specified. Note that if you choose a font larger than 11, you are still
restricted to the set number of pages.
Do not put your name on any page other than the
cover page so that I may mark fairly, without knowing whose
paper it is, and be sure not to put
individual student numbers on group work.
Use the
Cover Sheet for the Office of
Computing Technology and e-Learning Services,
following directions at this link. Do not use an additional
title page.
If handing it in in person, use ordinary typing paper
(no coloured paper, no watermark, no expensive rag bond, no
stiff paper, no laminated pages, nothing enclosed in plastic); staple the paper; do not bind it in any
other way (no cover).
Follow instructions strictly; you lose points for failing to do
so.
Submitting Your Assignment
Send
the assignment by the deadline listed on the
Course Syllabus
to the
Upload Website for the
Office of Computing Technology and e-Learning
Services.
Timing
This first assignment is due early in the term
to help you pace yourself, so everything does not come due at
the end; it also means you will know a good part of your mark by the
drop-without-failure date. Do not leave this assignment until the last
minute; you generally won't be able to do it well in a short period of time.
If you do have to write it on the last night, do NOT tell me!
Part of being a good procrastinator is learning to write so well
that the professor never suspects you wrote your assignment in
only a few hours (take it from someone who knows; I've been a
life-long procrastinator).
Sources
I know students are pressed for time
these days with so many having to work to pay fees. Where in an
ideal world you would have hours to spend in the library poring
over outside sources, in the interest of lightening your
workload, I am now suggesting only that you refer to course
materials and knowledge you may have from elsewhere. Do not use direct quotes; I want to hear YOUR
WORDS. If you do refer to something unusual and need to
tell me where you got it, just put the name of the source in
parentheses; you do not have to prepare a References or
Bibliography sheet.
Possible Extension
This paper is due as described on the
Course Syllabus. You may submit this assignment up to one
week late for a grade of not more
than that earned by the person/group that scored the lowest mark
of those papers handed in on time.
You do not have to request this extension and I really don't
want to know what your excuse is; just email me your paper at
lripley@yorku.ca. If you fail to
submit the paper on time, do not doubt the value of handing it
in late; a mark of zero in one assignment can bring a final
grade of B down to a D+ whereas a mark equaling that of the
lowest paper (in this example) would bring it down only to a C+.
For the rationale behind this policy, read about
The Level
Playing Field.
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