Assignment #5 In-Class Writing “One Hundred Percent American”

Task:

Today we will write an in-class reflection essay on the article provided, “One-Hundred Percent American (1937) by anthropologist Ralph Linton. After the period is over (12:45 p.m.), you will submit it to an assigned classmate (listed below) who will give suggestions for you to revise. The peer must return suggestions to you by 11:59 p.m. Thursday, November 11, hopefully earlier. You will revise your essay and submit it to the IU Northwest Writing Center [ https://www.iun.edu/english/writing-center/writing-centeronline.htm ] for either an online chat or Zoom call consult. Based on the consult, revise and submit the final copy to your instructor by 11:59 p.m. Friday, November 20.

“One-Hundred Percent American” (1937) by Ralph Linton.

Terms for Article

Instructions (Read and Follow Carefully for an "Acceptable" Grade)

This is an open-book assignment. You can refer back to the article as much as you please, and you should also refer to your Assignment #2 Cultural Daily Life log as an aid to reflect on your local cultural connections.

Organize your essay in six parts:

1. Summarize what the article is about in one paragraph.

2. Use one or several paragraphs to discuss some of the kinds of foreign influences in Linton’s morning routine, and your reaction to finding out about these.

3. Can you think of how other cultural influences affect your daily life beyond what Linton mentions, such as friendships, relationships, food, dress, rituals, and functions in your daily life? You may refer to your Assignment #2 Cultural Daily Life Log you did in Week #2. Alternatively, how has your cultural heritage affected American life?

4. Taking part 3 a little further, how would your life be different without those influences in your life?

5. Apply this 1937 article to the 21st Century. What kind of ethnocentrism* do you see in your daily life in Northwestern Indiana? It could also involve insensitivity toward people different from you, not just foreigners. Or do you see ethnocentrism in current public issues in the United States? For example, a nationally known news commentator stated in 2018 that immigrants make “our own country poorer and dirtier and more divided.” Can this article be used to either support or challenge that claim? Or apply this article to any current public issue involving relations between native-born Americans and those of diverse cultural backgrounds, such as status of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), undocumented migrants, etc.

6. Conclude by discussing how we can define if there is a real “America” if we borrow so much from other cultures, especially those toward which we may have ethnocentric attitudes? Write this as your introductory paragraph, cut and paste it at the beginning of your essay. This should be the first paragraph in your submission.

* Ethnocentrism: belief that one's culture is the only normal and natural one and others are inferior or "wrong;" belief in superiority of one's culture

How to be successful:

Follow the above instructions carefully. Do not number your paragraphs according to the order listed above. Just write the paragraphs in the order provided without numbering each. The instructor will also consider grammar, spelling and sentence structure.

Turn in:

Submit to your student peer for suggestions; both of you should return your comments to each other by 11:59 p.m. Friday, November 11.
Submit your revision for a consult to the IUN Writing Center [ https://www.iun.edu/english/writing-center/writing-centeronline.htm ]. You may do this online or by a Zoom call consult.
Submit to instructor by 11:59 p.m. Monday, November 30 as an ordinary Word text document with your name on it as an attachment to the Canvas messaging tool or instructor’s e-mail szolvins@iun.edu.

Grading Guidelines:

The only grade for assignments is acceptable or unacceptable. To be judged acceptable, your assignment must be typed, readable, and must meet all the requirements listed in the “Task” description.

Points

0

Peer-review partners

Exchange your essay among the following classmates:

Abram, Jasmine &

Zambrano, Evelyne

Fallon, Trinity &

Repko, Charlize &

Regeski, Zachary

Arndt, Isabel &

Petersen, Arial

Gengnagel, Jared &

Zurzolo, Ian

Chittenden, MaKayla &

Kelley, Sky

Tinoco, Cearra &

Zettler, Grace &

Tolliver, Jordan

Fouch, Ariston &

Jones, Justyn

Ramirez, Robert &

Banek, Aubrey