The Individual Presentation: 10% of the Final Grade
The purpose of the individual presentation is for you to present in some depth on a topic related to our course. You will have approximately (and no more than) ten minutes to introduce, define, and then explain to us how your topic relates to our course work and readings. The goal here is to find something of particular interest to you about your topic, and explain that “something” to the class.
Your presentation needs to incorporate information from at least 3 authored, scholarly secondary sources, and should have a clear beginning, middle and end. You will be surprised at how quickly the time will go by. Typically, about four double-spaced pages will be enough writing to take you through the allotted time.
The presentation should include visual aids, and will be graded on the following 10 standards:
1: Your speaking speed and diction (are you talking slowly enough so we can all understand you) (1-10)
2: The general quality of your writing (are you simply reading quotes, or have you found a good way to contextualize information) (1-10)
3: Your choice and use of sources (1-10)
4: The complexity of your argument (are you making a case for some fact or position)
5: Your physical appearance: Are you presenting yourself in a professional manner? (1-10)
6: Your ability to use your allotted time. (1-10)
7: Your ability to both raise and answer questions about your subject (1-10)
8: Your ability to tie your presentation content to class content (1-10)
9: The quality of your visual aids. (1-10)
10: Your ability to field answers about your topic (1-10)
Current available topics and dates:
Christopher Columbus’ Life and Times
Dante’s Life and Times
Dante’s Inferno
Geoffrey Chaucer’s Life and Times
Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales
Geoffrey Chaucer’s Prologue to The Canterbury Tales
Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Knight’s Tale
King Henry (the VIII, not the V)
John Milton’s Life and Times
John Milton’s Paradise Lost, Book One
The Early History of the Novel
Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe
A Comparison of Christopher Columbus’ writing and Dante’s writing
A Comparison of Dante’s writing with Chaucer’s writing
A Comparison of Christopher Columbus’ writing with Geoffrey Chaucer’s Writing.
February
2
A: McGary Dante’s life and times .
B
4
A
B
6
A Stewart: The Life and Times of Daniel Defoe
B
9
A Porter: King Henry
B Kennedy: Dante’s Inferno
11
A Randall: Henry the VIII
B Dow: Dante’s Life and Times
13
A Beckwith: Daniel Defoe’s Life and Times (2)
B Commette: Chaucer’s prologue to the Canterbury Tales
16
A Peterson: Queen Elizabeth
B Ashley: Dante’s Inferno
18
A: Albert: The Wife of Bath’s Tale
B RadKliffe: The Knight’s Tale
C: Matte: Comparison of Christopher Columbus’ writing and Dante’s writing
20
A Thibodeau: Christopher Columbus’ Journals and Writing
B Gomes: The Early History of the Novel
C: Tim: Dante Life and Times
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