East Asian Studies (EAST) 321 - Lecture 01
Introduction to Calgary's Chinese Community
Winter 2007
W 14:30-16:30  

Instructor:	Dr. Lloyd Sciban
Office Location:	SS 316
Office Phone:	220-2813
E-Mail:	sciban@ucalgary.ca
Web Page:	http://www.ucalgary.ca/~sciban
Office Hours:	M and F 11:00-12:00, or by appointment.

Additional Information

Class location: Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre, 197 1st St. S.W., Rm. 227

Course Description

This course provides direct learning and experience of important aspects of Calgary’s Chinese community. These include its general history, its past and future development, and important public and private organizations within it. This learning and experience is presented in the context of the history of Canadian racial relations and the vitality of Chinese culture. Note: the course is held off-campus and requires some walking.

Objectives of the Course

Course goals are to increase participants' awareness of Calgary’s Chinese community, to acquire knowledge of some of its important aspects, to understand the history of relations between Chinese Canadians and the Canadian mainstream, and to understand some of the values of Chinese culture.

Textbooks and Readings:

Moon Cakes in Gold Mountain: From China to the Canadian Plains, J. Brian Dawson (Calgary: Detselig Enterprises Ltd., 1991), and Chinatown : An Illustrated History of the Chinese Communities of Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax, Paul Yee (Toronto: J. Lorimer, 2005).

Assignments and Evaluation

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.

1. Mid-term exam, 20%; Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2007, open book, based on lectures, activities, suggested readings, and films to date.

2. Registrar-scheduled, final exam, 40%; open book, based on the term's lectures, activities, suggested readings, and films.

3. Essay proposal, 5%; due Wednesday, Mar. 07 in class.

4. Essay, 35%; due Wednesday, Apr. 11 in class.

5. Option, 20%; students may participate as a volunteer in one of the organizations in Calgary’s Chinese community and be assigned a grade based on written submissions and performance as a volunteer.

6. Penalties: deduction of a letter grade (e.g., B to B-) for essays and .5 for essay proposals for every day late. Note: Please submit assignments directly to the instructor if possible. If it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS 110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox. No electronic submissions will be accepted.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination: Yes

Please note: If your class is held in the evening, the Registrar's Office will make every attempt to schedule the final exam during the evening; however, there is NO guarantee that the exam will NOT be scheduled during the day.

Policy for Late Assignments

See above.

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.

If you wish help with your writing at any stage, including drafts, you are invited to contact the Writing Centre, SS110, 220-7255.

Grading System

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

A+ (96-100); A (92-95); A- (86-91); B+ (81-85); B (77-80); B- (71-76);
C+ (65-70); C (62-64); C- (59-61); D+ (55-58); D (50-54); F (0-49)

 

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course, and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people’s words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS110) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

Additional Information

Elaborations on Evaluations

I. Essay proposal, 5%; due Wednesday, Mar. 07 in class. Length: one page double-spaced. Your essay proposal should clearly identify your topic and describe the structure of your essay. In addition to the one page, the proposal should include a bibliography of sources, which may be printed, electronic, or personal observations.

II. Essay, 35%; due Wednesday, Apr. 11 in class. Topic: the essay should be about some aspect of the Calgary Chinese community; for example, part of its history, an important figure, an important organization, or an unusual and significant situation. Given the lack of familiarity with Calgary’s Chinese community, it is acceptable to write a descriptive essay. The more difficult task of proving a thesis in a critical essay is also encouraged. Criteria of evaluation: a. Depth of research: this involves an accurate general perspective; command of detail on your specific topic; understanding of strong evidence, if any, against your view; and suitability and strength of sources. b. Organization: this includes clarity, logic (there should be a logical connection among the points developed in your essay), unity (maintenance of the same theme throughout the whole or a large section of the essay), coherence (a smooth link between minor sections of the essay), and correctness of form (e.g., having foot or endnotes, a bibliography, the use of proper grammar, etc.).

III. Option, 20%; students may participate as a volunteer in one of the organizations in Calgary’s Chinese community and be assigned a grade based on three pieces of writing and the organization’s evaluation of their performance. The Faculty of Communication and Culture values community service learning, which generally is learning through practice within a course offering. For example, within EAST 321, students would be allowed to do volunteer work for an organization within the Calgary Chinese community. A more specific example of this would be teaching English at the Calgary Chinese Elderly Citizens' Association. It is expected that a student would spend an average of about ten hours, including preparation, in volunteer work. It is expected that the volunteer work would be intellectually demanding and draw on one’s skills as a university educated person. The instructor could attempt to arrange for the opportunity, but the student could also arrange their own. The volunteer service will be evaluated mostly on the basis of the written academic component and to a lesser extent on the organization’s evaluation of the student’s performance. The academic component is composed of three pieces of work: a service proposal (suggested length, 250-500 words, after consultation with organization and instructor), a log (of service hours and activities, which would be forwarded to the organization), and a reflection after the completion of service (suggested length, 500-800 words) that attempts to draw generalizations from the service experience. The organization’s evaluation will consist of confirmation that they are satisfied with the service provided. Students choosing this option will be allowed and encouraged to incorporate their volunteer experience into the writing of their essay. .

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.