Semester 2 Extra Credit

Guidelines: You may earn up to 20pts of extra credit per semester by completing the following tasks. The points will be added to the homework category. All written portions of the extra credit assignments must typed with the proper MLA heading and formatting. Performance assessments MUST be approved by me; please check in with me before starting a large project to make sure it is scholarly and falls within the academic objectives! Note: Extra credit is intended mainly for those who need a small boost to supplement their efforts; it is not intended to replace the normal credit of what’s assigned. If you are missing several homework assignments, or your average for the class is 91% or higher, you should speak with me before embarking on these additional assignments.

Option A: Blogging
Similar to last semester’s Oratory presentations, you may post a comment on the class blog for extra credit.

For Blog Responses, you will read through a lecture on the blog and write a ½ page reflection synthesizing the information. You should generate critical questions, and/or highlight stimulating points of interest and relevance to you. Also, you should directly respond to any questions posed in the blog.

Blogs must be free of grammatical errors and in the ballpark of 200-250 words for credit. Each posting is worth 1pt. You may complete up to ten (10) this semester, for a total of 10 points. You are, however, limited to responding once per blog entry (so, in other words, you cannot do more than one response for the same blog).


Option B: Performance Assessment
This project is designed to give you another opportunity to refine your public speaking skills. Alone or with a partner, you will work independently to bring awareness to a cultural issue or an aspect of your culture that is important and relevant. This may range from analyzing current world events, to exploring and sharing your own heritage, to examining a subculture here at school. There are no limits to that topic, with the only expectations that you focus on the cultural significance. For your presentations, you will be required to do the following:


Presentation: You must present your finding to the class in 2-3 minutes. Each team member must have equal presentation time (2-3 minutes each). This must be “live” (no word-for-word readings or videos). However, you MAY create a short film, skit, dance, etc., as long as you are able to speak to the class briefly about your project and discoveries.
Summary: When you present, you will need to turn in a 1- to 2-page summary of your project. First you should describe what you decided to do, and how you approached the task. Then, you should describe your discoveries and what conclusions you arrived at. This should have the tone of a lab report: describe your initial hypothesis, your approach and findings, and how it relates to the “bigger picture.”

The project will be worth up to 10pts, and the write-up will be worth up to 5pts; you may complete one (1) performance assessment per semester for a total of 15 points. NOTE: These projects must be approved by me ahead of time!

* As most places of business do, I reserve the right to “refuse service” on project proposals. Moreover, “up to” means that project completion is not an automatic guarantee of points; the project must still be of high quality.