Final Paper Assignment
Due in class on May 13, 2009
12-15 pages including bibliography, double-spaced, 12 point font.
Final Paper
Given the readings and class discussions, do an analysis of at least one of the films we have watched in class. You are expected to justify your approach to the film (i.e. audience reception, contextual reading of the film in relation to the historical moment, textual analysis, etc). You may use a combination of several approaches.
You may choose to concentrate on one film or write about a series of films. You may include Japanese films not shown in class, but you must include at least one film shown in class in your discussion. You may find it useful organize your essay around a theme such as landscape, subjectivity or sexuality especially if you are covering more than one film.
You are encouraged to use the reading from the course packet but are also required to do research beyond our class readings. You must use appropriate academic sources and properly cite sources you use. Plagiarism will be dealt with severely.
Follow a recognizable bibliographic method (Chicago Manual of Style, MLA, etc). The York Library homepage offers useful research tips: http://www.library.yorku.ca/ccm/Home/ResearchAndInstruction/index.htm
All assignments must have your student name and number, and course title and number clearly indicated on the front page. Do not slip assignments under doors. Ensure that you keep hard copies of all submitted work. In case of lost assignments you are responsible for a replacement.
No papers will be accepted after 9am May 18. If you are unable to turn in the essay in class make sure you hand in a copy of the essay in the drop box outside of CFT225 by 9am May 18 and e-mail a copy to hayashi@yorku.ca with FILM3610 in the subject line.
Paper Proposal (optional) due by April 29, 2009
If you would like me to look at a proposal for your paper please e-mail me a proposal as an MS Word file by April 29. It should be around 500 words (2 pages, double spaced, 12 pt font) plus a preliminary bibliography. The proposal is an opportunity for you to test out your ideas and get feedback from the professor and is designed to help you organize and think through your final paper before your write it. It should discuss the major themes you intend to tackle and reasons why you have chosen certain films and readings (included on the syllabus and from other sources). It should indicate what you intend to write about, any ideas you already have on the subject, and how you intend to go about writing your paper. Explain why the subject interests you, and try to propose some preliminary questions that you hope to answer through research and analysis. I expect the paper to be related to the class and take up an issue, a writer or a theory that we have dealt with. You should try to demonstrate to me that you have learnt something from this class, and that you have something original to say about the films you have chosen.