Why are they an ideal candidate to learn about this cultural group.

CASE STUDY PAPER
This assignment has 2 parts: case study draft is 15% of final grade and case study final is 20% of final grade.
Below are instructions for the case study draft paper only.
What is this and how does it help you learn?
Case study paper is a 2-part, semester long assignment. This assignment increases your understanding of intercultural conversations by talking to people from other cultures. You will get to explore and understand the ways in culture influences the way we think, perceive situations, communicate, and form relationships with others. In terms of FSU requirements, they help you to achieve cross-cultural awareness (X series) and fulfill writing requirements (W or E series).
For the project, find someone from a completely different cultural experience than you to interview. Ideally, your interviewee should have be born and brought up in a different country, have spent majority of their life in that culture, and should not have been in the U.S. for more than 5-7 years. If you cannot find someone like this, you can interview someone from a different ethnicity, race, religion, class, gender, or sexual orientation from the United States.
Before you interview them, you will write a case study draft paper with library research on the aspect(s) of the culture you are interviewing them about. This aspect(s) of culture should match the concepts covered in class. You will also write 10 interview questions that you want to ask them. These questions must relate to the aspect(s) of culture you researched and want to learn more about.
After your case study draft paper is graded, you will review the feedback, change your questions and research if needed, and you will interview the candidate. After doing the interview, you will summarize the findings, analyze the differences and similarities with the research you completed, and compare them to your own cultural group. You will also make all revisions I ask for in the draft paper.
How is this a research paper?
In research papers you present a hypothesis, find ways to prove or disprove it through research & experiments, and analyze the results. Your hypothesis will be based in library research about the country or cultural group, your experiment is the interview, and your comparisons are the analysis. You can also question if an experience really made you think outside the box or not.
So…where do you start?
Choose an interviewee who fits the profile above. Don’t interview your parents, grandparents, or partners. These are what we call biased research subjects.
Figure out what aspect(s) of their culture you want to study and how these aspect(s) directly relate to the concept(s) covered in class.
Reach out to them and ask for their permission to be interviewed. You can set a date based on when the final paper is due.
Once you have their permission, start working on researching their cultural group using library resources and credible sources of information listed on your canvas homepage.
Follow the instructions for the draft paper and final paper on how to prepare for and conduct the interview, and then write 2 papers.
The next headings cover instructions for the length, content, format, and writing advise for the case study draft paper. This step will help you prepare for the interview.
After that, you will find a link to the case study final paper. Click on the link to continue with the paper after you have gotten feedback and are ready to complete the interview.
CASE STUDY DRAFT PAPER (15% OF FINAL GRADE)
This paper should be written before you interview the candidate since it helps you prepare for the interview.
This paper should be about 5 pages in double space.
The interview should be conducted after your case study draft paper is graded and you have received feedback on it.
Ready to work on the case study draft paper? Here are the content instructions.
Divide your paper in the following in the following way. Name each section like mentioned below. You can use sub-headings to write even more clearly.
Introduction:
Paragraph 1: Explain the purpose of your paper, aspect(s) of culture, and concepts from the class are you studying.
Paragraph 2: Provide information on the cultural group you will study to examine the aspect(s) of culture and concepts from class.
Paragraph 3: Explain what your expected findings are. E.g., if you expect to find the culture to be collectivist, write that as an expected finding.
Cultural profile: this section will be completed using FSU library or with one of the credible sources of information listed on your canvas homepage. Use up to 4 different credible, scholarly sources that present multiple arguments for the same topic.
Paragraphs 1 and 2: Provide a brief description of the country and/or cultural group your interviewee belongs to. Take care in mentioning major historical events.
Paragraphs 3 and 4: Provide information on the aspect(s) of culture you are studying. Explain how this aspect(s) will tell you more about the concept(s) covered in class. For example, LGBTQ identification in Japan is the aspect to better understand the concept of gender as a social construct. Then, this portion of the paper would provide a summary of gender roles in Japan in one paragraph and the LGBTQ population in the second.
Paragraph 5 (optional): If you are interviewing a migrant or immigrant, include one paragraph on this migrant group’s history and current condition in the host country. For example, if your interviewee is Vietnamese American, write about the migration history of people of Vietnamese heritage in the U.S.
Interviewee background: This is the first time you should provide information about your interviewee in the paper.
Paragraph 1: Give us their name (or a pseudonym to protect their privacy), their age, and what they do.
Paragraph 2: Why are they an ideal candidate to learn about this cultural group. You can also provide their cultural identity here.
Interview questions:
Write 10 original questions that are directly related to the aspect(s) of culture and concept(s) you are studying. Sample questions are provided on your canvas course site under ‘sample papers’.
The questions must be detailed, direct, and should use the research you did for your cultural profile section.
Don’t ask questions like their name, age, favorite color etc.
Ask questions about the culture / cultural group, and not individual experiences.
Does writing matter for the case study draft paper if you will revise it anyway?
Yes! Writing well consistently is key in any getting, keeping, and moving head in any kind of paid job you will do. Plus, this assignment will help you fulfill the W requirement. These things are important to follow when writing your papers:
Write in a formal (dry, boring, non-emotional) language. Academic papers should not read like an email, text, or conversation between friends.
Avoid common writing mistakes. These could include capitalizing mid-sentence, using texting language (LOL, OMG etc.), writing incomplete sentences, and using wrong terms for countries and cultures (like Columbia instead of Colombia or Islamian instead of Muslim, and labeling everything outside of the U.S. as third world).
Have an outline (i.e., the sections and paragraphs mentioned above) and stick to it throughout the paper. Try not to repeat yourself too much.
This assignment gives you an opportunity to prepare for the interview and ask good questions that broaden your cultural understanding. Take it seriously and put your best foot forward.
Use at least 4 different, credible, scholarly sources using the FSU library or list of credible sources listed on your canvas page.
Collect sources that present opposite views, so you understand all sides of a story. This will help you stay focused on facts and unbiased.
Does formatting (how the paper looks) matter?
Yes! Well written business proposals, policy papers, ideas fare better in the world of work than poorly written ones. So,
Have a title page with your name, assignment name, course name and section, and the citation style followed.
Use Calibri font in 11pt (default) font size.
Write with normal margins (1inch on all sides).
Write in paragraph format, not in bullet points.
Use double spacing so I can write feedback clearly.
Cite your sources, both in-text and at the end of the paper, using the same citation style you listed on the title page.
This is a lot to digest. What kind of help is available in completing these assignments?
Use the assignment template to write your paper.
Use these sample papers as a guide.
For short technical questions, you can email me, come early, or stay after class to ask them.
For longer discussions and feedback before submitting the paper, please meet me during office hours and bring your paper to the meeting.
How are you graded for the case study analysis draft paper?
Quality of content (up to 9 points)
Excellence in writing (up to 3 points)
Attention to formatting (up to 3 pts.)
– The research on the cultural group matches the aspect(s) of culture and the concept(s) you want to study.
– Ten originalquestions are on the aspect(s) of culture and concept(s) you want to study.
– The researched portion uses FSU library resources, or the list of credible sources listed on the canvas page.
– 4 or more credible, scholarly sources of information are used for writing the cultural profile/ research portion of the paper.
– The credible, scholarly sources argue different sides so you may stay unbiased.
– Any claims made about the situation, people, and group at hand are supported by data, sources of information, and in-text citations.
– Data tables, figures, or any graphics used are clearly labeled and explained in the paper.
– The paper is coherent such that one idea ties well to the second and so on. That is, it flows well.
– The paper is free of grammatical errors. Grammar includes verb tense, punctuation. For example, avoid using texting language (LOL, OMG etc.) and writing incomplete sentences.
– The paper is free of spelling errors. Spelling errors include oversights like using boarder instead of borders, or capitalizing words mid-sentence that are not proper nouns.
– Common cultural mistakes like using wrong terms for countries and cultures is avoided. For example, Columbia instead of Colombia, Islamian instead of Muslim, and referring to all non-western countries as third world.
– The outline provided in content instructions is followed.
– Headings and sub-headings are used to help the reader understand the flow of the paper.
– Paper has a title page with your name, assignment name, course name and section, and the citation style followed.
– Paper is written in Calibri font, 11-pt size, 1-inch margins, and double space.
– In- text citations are provided in the body of paper whenever a scholarly source is used.
– Works cited/ list of references is provided at the end of the paper.
– One kind of citation style is consistently followed throughout the paper.
Any papers in violation of the Academic Honors standards will get 0 points and will be reported to Office of Academic Integrity.
Case study draft papers submitted past the deadline will be graded at 10% lesser for each day of delay. Assignments will not be accepted 1 day past the deadline.
Submit all assignments through Canvas. I don’t accept assignments sent through email.
CASE STUDY FINAL PAPER (20% OF FINAL GRADE)
Click on the assignment name above for instructions on the case study final paper.

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