Assignment

Main Topics

• Academic Motivation: Miscommunication
• Promoting Language and Cultural Interaction through Group Work
• Unethical Behavior / Cultural Perspectives on Unethical Classroom Behavior Related to Academic Work
• Cultural Attitudes toward Gender Diversity: Sexual Orientation
• Religion in a Multi-cultural Society / Racism, Prejudice, & Stereotypes
• Interacting with American Peers inside and outside the Classroom
• Cross-Cultural Perceptions on Binge Drinking and Drug Abuse
• Cultural Miscommunication / Cultural Expectations / Culture Shock

Listed above are the main topics we covered during our semester together.

Of course, we discussed many variations of these topics, such as correct classroom behavior in the American university, how to interact with professors, details about language that can cause confusion (or embarrassment/laughter), and reactions to some very strong events that are happening in our world today.

You attended interesting events designed specifically to promote diversity of all types of our campus; interviewed members of the CSUSM community; got many opportunities to speak, write, read, and give class presentations; and, I hope, opened, your mind to new ideas and experiences, friends, and good academic habits through this class.

We have also had to refresh our practice of certain advanced elements of grammar and U.S. academic essay formatting which are the minimum expected requirements most professors on this campus will expect from you.

To complete your final essay assignment for this course, you must follow an APA style format. I have provided an example of this on our Cougar Course. We will review the major elements today. For example, one of our class topics covered "Religion in a Multi-cultural Society / Racism, Prejudice, & Stereotypes"; some spin-offs of this topic included discussions about current events, such as tragedies in Paris and San Bernardino. We also discuss Gender Diversity, and many of attended events related to this topic. I want you to choose topics that were meaningful for you, that have impact on your way of thinking and/or made you aware of how you can be true to your own values while living in a society where a wide range of opinions and lifestyles are accepted, but in which many things could still be improved.

Next, you will choose a minimum of three major topics-directly from the list above, or an offshoot of one of the topics we covered in class-and research some sources that support and substantiate your ideas.

Your basic thesis will involve the following: What topics have impressed you most? Which would you like to learn more about? Can we, as world citizens, solve some of the challenges that impact our society so strongly in these times? If so, how?

We will start planning the thesis today. Then, we will look over main stylistic elements.

Essay- 3-5 pages long (not counting title or references pages), formatted in APA style.