{"id":175,"date":"2022-01-13T11:30:11","date_gmt":"2022-01-13T18:30:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/briancroxall.net\/w22dh\/?page_id=175"},"modified":"2022-01-12T14:56:24","modified_gmt":"2022-01-12T21:56:24","slug":"peanuts-paper","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/briancroxall.net\/w22dh\/assignments\/peanuts-paper\/","title":{"rendered":"Peanuts Paper"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rationale<\/h2>\n

During the second half of the semester, we will be using computational methods to try to analyze all of Peanuts<\/em>. Put very broadly, we\u2019re hoping that the computer will find some patterns that would be hard for us to see at the scale of 50 years of comic strips.<\/p>\n

That said, humans are really<\/em> good at spotting patterns that computers cannot. Our brains don\u2019t need everything to be described in exact and discrete terms to find connections; they are simply wired to do this. So, we needn\u2019t leave everything to the computers. We should see what we can find by doing our own search for patterns, followed, of course, by our attempts to interpret them.<\/p>\n

As we (eventually) take both approaches at the same time, we can let our readings of individual strips shape what and how we are using computers; and our exploration of Peanuts<\/em> at a large scale can feed back into our individual, small-scale readings. Working in such a centaur-like fashion may help us get further in research than we could ever get by taking either path exclusively.<\/p>\n

Nitty Gritty<\/h2>\n

For this assignment, you will write a six-page-minimum paper<\/strong> (more is fine!) that compares and contrasts Peanuts<\/em> from the 1950s with that of the 1970s. Of course, you can’t compare\/contrast everything<\/em> between these two decades of the strip; you’ll need to pick an angle. You could consider the visual element of the strip, the representation of sports (or cooking or make-believe), the personality of a particular character, the range of political issues that Schulz appears to be responding to, or any number of other options.<\/p>\n

It is important to remember that you are making an argument<\/strong>, something that you will need to persuasively demonstrate. You should draw your evidence for this argument via \u201cclose reading,\u201d an analysis of the language and techniques present within the strips. You must marshal evidence to support your claims<\/strong>, and that evidence should be specific<\/strong>. Do not rely on generalizations about the strips; draw on particular strips in detail.<\/p>\n

You not only need an appropriate amount of evidence but you must also spend an appropriate amount of time demonstrating and explaining<\/strong> how your evidence adds up to your interpretation. Help your reader understand how the dots connect in your argument. What this means is that when you use evidence from the strip, you must also take the time to make clear how that evidence relates to your larger argument. This is not as simple as it sounds.<\/p>\n

I have three general tips for writing papers, which I will be happy to explain in class. But as a reference, here are the short versions:
\n– what does it mean? how do you know?
\n– the rule of “although”
\n– not A \u2192 D, but A \u2192 B \u2192 C \u2192 D<\/p>\n

I anticipate that you will draw from the two volumes of The Complete Peanuts<\/em> that we are reading in class. However, you are welcome to consult the other volumes that are on reserve<\/a>. You are not<\/em> required to use external sources for this assignment, although you may do so if you would like. Whether or not you use external sources, you will need a Works Cited list in correct, MLA 9th edition style<\/strong>. Feel free to use EasyBib<\/a> to make this process easier.<\/p>\n

Papers must be submitted as a PDF via Learning Suite<\/a> no later than Friday, 1 April at 11:59 pm<\/strong>. Please name your file \u201clast name\u201d-peanutspaper.pdf (e.g., croxall-peanutspaper.pdf). The paper must be in 12-point Times New Roman font and double-spaced. It must have a title and 1″ margins on all sides.<\/p>\n

Grading<\/h2>\n

This assignment is worth 150 points. I will grade the papers simply with letter grades. A+ = 100%; A = 95%; A- = 92%; B+ = 88%; etc. I will use a rubric<\/a> that will focus on a few discreet things:<\/p>\n