Anthropology
INeal
Instructions_CH.pdf
ANT 111: Introduction to Anthropology Writing Assignment Guide
1. Introduction
-briefly get the reader interested by starting broad and getting increasingly narrow
-thesis statement in the below (or similar) format:
“I argue that ____________ because of _________, __________, and ____________.”
-last sentence should lead the reader into the next few paragraphs – tell them what to expect in the rest
of your essay (“preview” sentences)
2. Body paragraphs
-depending on your essay structure, you may wish to include a paragraph after the introduction that
reviews the basics (and cites important material) before getting into your argument
-the subsequent paragraphs should discuss first, second, and third “because of” reasons in the order you
list them
-start every paragraph with an overview topic sentence, present your data and evidence (with citations),
and end with a concluding sentence
-transition as best as possible between body paragraphs
3. Conclusion
-last paragraph should re-state each line of evidence (each “because of” reason) succinctly and clearly
-re-state your thesis sentence in a new, different way
-provide a few sentences to show how and why this topic matters in anthropology; relate to the
concepts we are learning in the course
-provide a sentence to show how and why this topic matters in everyone’s lives – why should we care?
Proofreading checklist:
I have a title page that includes my name, the professor’s name, and the course
Page numbers are on every page except the title page
My essay is double-spaced with each paragraph indented
I am using a standard font (Calibri, TNR, etc.) at 12 pt, with 1” margins
Every sentence has a noun, verb, and main idea
Every reference in the bibliography is cited in the text
Every citation in the text is listed (in alphabetical order) in the bibliography
I have followed the Chicago citation style (for in-text citations and bibliography)
Every direct quotation is cited with a page number
I have no quotations longer than two full lines of my paper
If I sent Dr. Landau a draft to read, I have incorporated her comments into this new draft*
o Points will be deducted for comments NOT incorporated in a subsequent draft
I have read over and corrected any common grammar mistakes (listed in the hand out)
o I have not used any contractions (e.g., “cannot,” not “can’t)
o I have not used sloppy words such as “things,” “pretty ____” etc.
I have re-read the comments on my previous essay(s) (for Essays 2 and 3), and incorporated
those ideas in this essay.
My essay is a minimum of three full pages, or a maximum of four full pages
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Essay 1, due September 16: the Amish and the anthropological concept of culture
Write a 3-4 page double-spaced essay with 1” margins and standard font that analyzes some aspect(s) of
Amish culture by observing how Amish and non-Amish teens interact with each other. Relate to
anthropological concepts of cultural relativity, ethnocentrism, intersubjectivity, ways of knowing, or
other themes.
Class materials (cite all):
Park, Michael Alan. 2014. Introducing Anthropology: An Integrated Approach, 6th edition. New
York: McGraw Hill Companies, Inc.
Hostetler, John. 1993. Amish Society, 4th edition. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
Beney, Harry, director. 2011. Amish on Break. Washington, D.C., National Geographic.
https://cosmolearning.org/documentaries/amish-break/1/
[[FYI, for your in-text citation, cite these as “(Park 2014),” “(Hostetler 1993),” or “(Beney 2011)”]]
Additional materials (available at Alma Library, cite if you’d like):
Huntington, Gertrude E. 2001. Amish in Michigan. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press.
Wagler, Ira. 2011. Growing Up Amish: A Memoir. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Cates, James. 2014. Serving the Amish: A Cultural Guide for Professionals. Baltimore: Johns
Hopkins University Press.
Redekop, Calvin W. 1989. Mennonite Society. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
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Essay 2, due October 16: Race and Racism in the United States
Write a 3-4 page double-spaced essay with 1” margins and standard font that takes a stand on (a)
whether “race” is a useful concept, (b) the place of Confederate monuments in society today, or (c)
some combination of the two. Relate to anthropological understandings of race, in cultural, forensic, or
biological contexts.
Class materials (you must cite Park, Welsch and Endicott, and at least two others)
Park, Michael Alan. 2014. Introducing Anthropology: An Integrated Approach, 6th edition. New
York: McGraw Hill Companies, Inc.
Welsch, Robert and Kirk Endicott. 2013. “Is Race a Useful Concept for Anthropologists?” In
Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Anthropology, 5th edition, pp. 2-14. New York: McGraw-Hill
Education.
[[FYI, for your in-text citation, cite these as “(Park 2014)” or “(Welsch and Endicott 2013)” ]]
Choose two of these four:
Goodman, Alan. 2005. “Three Questions about Race, Human Biological Variation and Racism.”
Anthropology News (September): 18-19.
American Anthropological Association. 1998. “AAA Position Paper on Race.” May 17, 1998.
www.americananthro.org/ConnectwithAAA/Context.aspex?ItemNumber=2583 Accessed [date].
National Trust for Historic Preservation. 2017. “Statement on Confederate Memorials:
Confronting Difficult History.” June 19, 2017. https://savingplaces.org/press-center/media-
resources/national-trust-statement-on-confederate-memorials#.WlfPFqinGUl Accessed [date].
Joyce, Rosemary. 2017. “Losing the Past or Changing the Future? Archaeologists and Modern
Monuments.” Berkeley Blog, August 17, 2017. http://blogs.berkeley.edu/2017/08/16/losing-
the-past-or-changing-the-future-archaeologists-and-modern-monuments/ Accessed [date].
[[FYI, for your in-text citation, cite these as “(Goodman 2005),” “(AAA 1998),” “(National Trust 2017),” or
“(Joyce 2017)” ]]
Additional materials (cite if you’d like)
Handler, Richard. 2017. “The Ku Klux Klan and the Value of Shame.” Sapiens, August 2, 2017.
https://www.sapiens.org/language/ku-klux-klan-glorifies-racist-past/ Accessed [date].
Dubenko, Anna. 2017. “Right and Left on Removal of Confederate Statues.” New York Times,
August 18, 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/18/us/politics/right-and-left-on-removal-
of-confederate-statues.html?_r=1 Accessed [date].
For “Accessed [date],” you must insert on what date you consulted the source.
For example, “Accessed August 21, 2019.”
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Essay 3, due November 16: Anthropology in the Media: The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis
Write a 3-4 page double-spaced essay with 1” margins and standard font that analyzes how the Sapir-
Whorf Hypothesis is used in the film, Arrival. Be sure to identity which version of the Hypothesis the
main characters discuss, and evaluate their conversations in light of linguistic anthropology. In your
conclusion, broaden this case study to show how anthropology is represented in popular media.
Class materials (cite all):
Park, Michael Alan. 2014. Introducing Anthropology: An Integrated Approach, 6th edition. New
York: McGraw Hill Companies, Inc.
Deutscher, Guy. 2010. “Does Your Language Shape How You Think?” New York Times, August 26.
https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/29/magazine/29language-
t.html?fbclid=IwAR10vORcS3wGiFPfImK4j64K8EgRzFGcGEUWZwEHFAVLYS1RPCqF%E2%80%A6
%201 Accessed [date].
Villeneuve, Denis. 2016. Arrival. Film. Paramount Pictures.
[[FYI, for your in-text citation, cite these as “(Park 2014),” “(Deutscher 2010),” or “(Villanueve 2016)” ]]
Additional materials (cite at least two):
MindfulThinks. 2017. “Science Behind Arrival: Can Language Determine the Way We Think?”
YouTube, posted February 21. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtisHuJPo0o Accessed
[date].
Al-Sheikh Hussein, Basel. 2012. “The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis Today.” Theory and Practice in
Language Studies 2, no. 3 (March): 642-646.
Martinelli, Marissa. 2016. “How Realistic is the Way Amy Adams’ Character Hacks the Alien
Language in Arrival? We Asked a Linguist.” Slate, November 22, 2016.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2016/11/22/a_linguist_on_arrival_s_alien_language.ht
ml Accessed [date].
Livingstone, Josephine. 2014. “Relatively Speaking: Do Our Words Influence How We Think?”
The Guardian, January 29. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/jan/29/how-words-
influence-thought Accessed [date].
Sheridan, Kate. 2016. “A Translator for E.T.” McGill News: Alumni Magazine, October.
http://mcgillnews.mcgill.ca/s/1762/news/interior.aspx?sid=1762&gid=2&pgid=1344 Accessed
[date].
Nordquist, Richard. 2017. “The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis.” ThoughtCo, October 27.
https://www.thoughtco.com/sapir-whorf-hypothesis-1691924 Accessed [date].
Panko, Ben. 2016. “Does the Linguistic Theory at the Center of the Film ‘Arrival’ Have Any
Merit?” AskSmithsonian, December 2. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/does-
century-old-linguistic-hypothesis-center-film-arrival-have-any-merit-180961284/ Accessed
[date].
Science vs Cinema. 2016. “Science vs Cinema: ARRIVAL.” YouTube, posted November 28.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzEPU2PTjT4 Accessed [date].
For “Accessed [date],” you must insert on what date you consulted the source.
For example, “Accessed August 21, 2019.”
