FRE 2720-001, The Contemporary French, W 2004 - French Watch Log Guidelines
Developing the French Watch Log
The French Watch Log provides students with an opportunity to
explore current events of all sorts in contemporary French culture
and to apply the information and insights gleaned in class and
from the textbook to some ongoing events.
As is evident from the syllabus, the grading for the French Watch Log is twofold: every four weeks, students will turn in their current log as it exists up to that point, and this developing document will contribute to the participation grade for that period of the semester (along with other factors). At the end of the semester, student will turn in the final French Watch Log, and this final document will constitute 10% of the course grade.
Here is a general approach to this assignment:
1. During the first three weeks, you read from different sources
(print, televisual, and online) in order to locate different stories
- political, social, economic, cultural - that strike you as interesting
and possible to follow over the next 10 weeks. If you have questions
about different topics that you read or hear about, consult with
Prof. Stivale. As you note topics, you should keep track of these
in your log, and note also why they are of interest. At this point,
you need not be overly descriptive, but at the same time, your
notes need (eventually) to be comprehensible to the reader (Prof.
Stivale) who certainly will not understand any shorthand code.
Also, you might look at the chapter headings in Nadeau/Barlow
to see what topics we will be considering as a way to orient yourself
toward types of stories. For example, chapter 12, "Strong
Language," deals with the importance of the French language
for French people; this topic might orient you toward finding
examples and issues related to linguistic expression. Chapter
13, "Élite Education," deals with the hierarchies
in French higher education, another topic of comparison and always
with great currency.
2. After these opening weeks, you should select at least two stories, or more, that you find sufficiently interesting to follow in detail. You can look at French press (in English or French) as well as American and British press accounts. If you note discrepancies in coverage, so much the better: try to take stock of these differences. If you get bored with a topic or, for some reasons, it peters out, find something else. At every step, take notes on what you are reading, your impressions, and try to relate these back to the material we are discussing in class.
For the second and third Logs you will turn in on the Work Days, you should have developed these reflections more consistently. Regarding the question of how many times to consult news sources, the minimum should be twice a week, accompanied by a concise attempt at reflection in relation to the material considered. More consultation is better, because ultimately you will turn in a Log (or constitute a Web Log) that will have multiple entries on several different subjects.
3. You should record these on your computer in a word-processing program AND BACK UP YOUR ENTRIES/FILES FREQUENTLY AND MULTIPLY. The length of each will depend on what you find and on what kinds of responses you wish to make. As a rule, the responses will get longer, or should get longer, as you get more involved in following particular stories.
4. At the end of the semester, your final French Watch Log should be presented as follows: 1) An introduction that you will prepare before turning in the final Log, in which you provide a short overview of what you looked at, what changes and developments occurred in the process. 2) Then you will have the entries in your Log that you have accumulated throughout the semester. If I have made comments at each step to reorient your Log development, you can make notes in brackets on how you responded to these comments. 3) A concluding section, of one to three paragraphs, should constitute your final reflections on the material. Here you might make final comments with opinions about the events, differences you have noted with American (or other national) practices, and even speculation on how you foresee events unfolding in the coming months. Please take time to read your response and edit it for clarity.
Again, should you have trouble developing this Log for any reason, please consult with Prof. Stivale, directly or via email. Prof. Stivale will develop his own Web Log on different stories, at http://www.langlab.wayne.edu/CStivale/Courses/FRE2720W04/WatchLog.html, not so much as a model, but rather as a way to experience your activities in developing a French Watch Log.
Please note that the French Watch Log and your review of events may also feed into one or two of the Semester Projects. That is, in following a story line, you may wish to develop particular aspects into short reports that correspond to the Project assignments. Should you do so, please make note of these developments in your Log, not reproducing the same material, but indicating that these aspects of the topic(s) you are following have their separate development in course Projects.
French Watch Log Assignment Schedule
Log part I, due on Work Day I, Thursday, Feb. 5
Log part II, due on Work Day II, Thursday, March 4
Log part III, due on Work Day III, Thursday, April 8
Final French Watch Log, due final day of
class, April 22, or by noon, Monday, April 26