Assignment:
Identify one African American hip hop song from the 1980s or 1990s and provide a link for it so that your group members can listen to it. Pick out specific lyrics from
the song and explain how it fits into one or more of the three step process as part of the blues or the three step process Craig Werner associates with the gospel.
These are identified in Chapter 1, in your book Understanding African American Aspects in Hip-Hop Cinema. Share with your group additional interpretations of how the
lyrics relate to issues in the course. Be focused, detailed and use short quotes.
Guidelines:
Remember the essays should contain citations and are practice for the final course paper. However they are also an opportunity to start less formal conversations and
responses among group members. You must complete both aspects, so be sure to respond to at least one of your group members about what they found and/or to the comments
of others who respond to your post. This assignment counts toward class participation. Copy and paste or type your discussion/essay in the discussion area and submit
your EXACT SAME file to the dropbox for a plagiarism check.
What should be included in your essay(for more detail look at the rubric in the content section and in the dropbox:
600 or more words for initial post for Discussion/Essay
At least 3 proofs to support the thesis
two from course materials
one from your own academic or primary research
Use of in text citations with page numbers
Works cited with webpage links or full printing press information
Good Grammar
Discretionary points for Excellence
Essay Format:
This is generally the format of what your essay should look like.
Paragraph 1 — introduction to tell me where you are going. This paragraph includes or starts with a specific distinct thesis that states exactly what you plan to
argue. It does not say “I will discuss…” Instead, state your argument and move on to prove it. If I have to wait until the end of the paper to figure out what your
point is, you have already failed. Some students put the thesis sentence in italics or bold it. If you want to do this that’s fine. It helps me zero in immediately on
what you will argue and may help you keep track of your focus.
Paragraphs 2-5 — justifications. Each subsequent paragraph proves some part of your thesis. They start with and include sub assertions. These sub assertions introduce
related bits of evidence and are in effect a mini thesis that makes a refined point about SOME aspect of the thesis. In other words, it pinpoints a specific part of
the thesis and explains why the information you present is relevant. After the sub assertion, include your evidence — an example, quote, and citation, for example.
You must include examples from the narrative. You can combine justifications in paragraphs as long as they relate to the sub assertion, which on a larger scale
connects to the thesis. Start each new paragraph with new sub assertions and justification that highlights a another different part of the thesis. Continue until all
parts of your thesis are illustrated and justified. Adjust your thesis if need be.
Final Paragraph — add some deeper insight. You started with a thesis — what additional intellectual points can you add that both reflects the original thesis but
seems to carry your initial concept further?
Under no circumstances are you to attack anyone personally. Thoughtfulness, creativity and clarity will work in your favor. Simply repeating what someone else has
previously said will not work well in this area. You will not get credit if you do not respond in a scholarly way.
