Summative Project Workshop (January 24, 2011)

Professors Jim Kincaid, Shilarna Stokes, and Dean Susan Kamei discussed the summative project process, including role of the chair and committee and the 585 workshops.

Specifics of summative are on the MLS website, available here: http://dornsife.usc.edu/mls/summative-projects/

· Use penultimate semester to prepare abstract, have that approved, identify committee

chair and two other members, get the faculty agreement to serve on your meeting, develop your reading list, and convene your committee. You need to spend time your penultimate semester doing research and reading. Otherwise, you will not be ready to start writing by the time your 585 semester begins.

· You spend your last semester writing, revising, meeting with your committee

· You cannot register for 585 in the summer semester (faculty not available)

Keep journal/reading list of what has interested you in class (articles, novels, etc.). Keep a list of topic ideas. There is no such thing as a “bad idea.”

Summative Project Committee

· Will help identify resources and ways to structure your project. They will support you. The faculty should come from among those who have taught in MLS but you may have a Dornsife professor outside of MLS if needed

· Kincaid-think of it as writing 7 or 8 chapters (short pieces/sections)

· Talk to your committee!

· What is chair’s responsibility? Kincaid: He is the flexible being with hopes! There to help give your project size and shape.

How LBST 585 works:

· Weekly meetings led by Shilarna to help you revise your drafts

· Will help you get ready to give your presentation during 12th week of the semester

· Then you have 3 weeks to incorporate your committee’s comments at your presentation into your final draft, due at the end of the semester (week 15).

· Before the end of the semester, you will prepare for the Colloquium (presentation right before Commencement for the MLS community, your family, and friends).

· What is a good idea? Come and talk to Shilarna and Dean Kamei.

· Look at Confluence journal for examples of topics, approaches, styles.

Lee Crystal and Young Miller both just completed their projects. They shared how they developed their topics, tips and advice (tip: take very good notes and write down pages of your references/footnotes as you go!)

Dean Kamei talked about the “elevator pitch”—imagine you’re in an elevator and you only have a short time to explain your summative topic; this means you need to practice communicating/explaining your topic in a clear and concise manner (enough for you to make this elevator pitch!)

Have a reading and writing plan; make an appointment with Sara Tompson with USC Libraries ().

Check with library regarding research strategy, resources

Upcoming MLS events:

· Tuesday, January 31st: Kincaid speaks in the USC Mortar Board Society “Last Lecture” series

· Monday, March 5th evening with Bill Handley