The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. Marcel Proust
The UCSD experience encompasses academic as well as social learning. Therefore, we learn not only from our courses, but from the people we meet on campus and the experiences we have with them. Life is a journey of self-discovery. As individuals, we are constantly seeking to determine who we are and where we belong in the world. Throughout this process, language is both a bridge and a barrier to communication and human growth. The general subject matter for this essay is language or language communities. The source of your information will be what you observe and hear by listening to others. The goal is to do a project based on what our own minds can comprehend from diligent observation, note-taking, and reasoning. You should arrive at a reasoned (not emotional) conclusion. The conclusion/result of your experiment is your thesis and should be presented in the opening paragraph in one sentence. Secondary material should not be brought into this essay. Thus, this is not an essay that needs to be the result of academic texts or online sources. The research is what you see and how you interpret what you see and hear. It will be up to you to determine what particular focus your essay will take and wahat meaning you wish to convey to your reader. Do the exploratory writing activities on pages 73-76. These activities will guide you through an analysis of some of the reflections you completed in the first part of your book. Once you determine your focus, you will use the information you have already gathered and additional information you will research to clarify your ideas and provide evidence for the points you wish to make.
If you prefer a more direct prompt, the suggested topics listed below might be helpful to you. Choose one of the following topics to establish a focus and direction.
1) From your observations and conversations, what assumptions and stereotypes do we make about people based on language and behavior? What did you learn from the experiment?
2) You may examine body language as well as verbal language. Explore nonverbal communication in a group. What conclusions can you come to regarding the group based on nonverbal behavior?
3) Did you observe language differences between men and women here at UCSD Notice the ways in which men and women treat one another. Observe the language you hear on campus.
How do women greet one another? How do men greet each other? Do not just note the similarities or differences. Explain and interpret the information.
4) Observe and identify a code language on campus, on your job, or in your personal arena. How is language used? Is it effective? Analyze.
5) Have you become keenly aware of code switching? Who utilizes this language? In your observations and conversations, did you find code switching to be an acceptable form of language? What are the risks and bias? Analyze.
If these topics are not helpful, then develop your own.
Your finished essay should consist of strong opening and closing paragraphs, and three to four body paragraphs. The tone of your essay should be objective. The general approach is analytical. This means that you present your material as a detached observer and that you examine the parts of your topic as the parts relate to the whole. You will utilize major writing skills such as: description, dialogue, definition, persuasion and analysis. Try to be specific, concrete, and descriptive. Use the actual dialogue when appropriate as your examples. Also, you may interview one or more subjects and incorporate parts of it in your writing. If you wish to attach the complete interview for reference, you may do so. Staple it to the final draft.