University of New South Wales
ARTS 2455 Gender in China Assessment Brief
Term 3, 2023
1. Presentation plus transcript 25% (Due date: 4pm on presentation day)
Students will present their understanding about a self-selected case (related to the weekly
discussion topic). This assessment can be delivered in diverse and creative formats, including
PPT, Prezi, short video, poster, interview and/or website. Length: 5-10 minutes for individual
presentation and 10-15 minutes for pair presentation, excluding Q & A.
The case can be sourced from the media, such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio,
advertising or social media. Examples may include but not limited to migrant women’s life in
Chinese cities, China’s masculinity crisis, same-sex weddings, or sex education camps in the
PRC. You are encouraged to check with your teachers about the case selection before the
presentation. The selected case should not be a replica of the lecture content.
Students will be asked to prompt discussion for their peers during and after the presentation.
Use at least two academic sources for the case study. This can be either the weekly readings
and/or additional materials.
The aim of the presentation is to allow you to (1) communicate your understanding of the
weekly topics through a case study and (2) generate intellectual discussion among your peers
to further/reinforce the class’s understanding of the key concepts/ideas of the topic.
Please upload both of your presentation file and the transcript to Turnitin via Moodle by 4pm
on your presentation day. Presentation submission without transcript will not be marked.
Students who use PPT could edit the presentation/transcript in PPT and save it as a PDF file
for final submission.
Feedback will be provided via a Rubric for Presentations currently in use in Asian Studies
courses
2. Quizzes 25% (Due date: Tuesday Week 5 lecture & Week 10 lecture)
Students will complete two quizzes, each with 20 multiple choice questions. The test will be
held in week 5 and week 10 of the term. The questions are based on lecture content, tutorial
discussion, and the weekly readings. The first quiz will cover content from week 1 to week 4
and the second quiz will cover content from week 5 to week 9.
Length: Students will be given 25 minutes for each test. Only one attempt is allowed for each
test.
Correction will be provided following the quizzes in Moodle.
3. Writing task 50% (Due date: 4pm Friday week 10)
You have two options for this task.
Option 1 Research Essay. Students will be asked to select ONE research question from the
essay topic list below. Their task is to gather research materials, construct a clear and logical
argument for the research question, buttress this argument with evidence and communicate in
a clear written fashion. The evidence will be presented in formal academic notation and
documentation. Word count: 2,500 words, excluding footnotes and references.
Essay topic list:
1. In recent decades, China has witnessed a surge in feminist awareness, exemplified by
the #RiceBunny campaign, the activism of the 'feminist five,' and the controversies
surrounding comedian Yang Li's 'average-yet-confident' remark. What are the driving
forces behind this phenomenon, and how does it reflect the evolving dynamics of
gender in contemporary China?
2. In recent decades, a growing number of brides have been trafficked from Southeast
Asian countries to China. What are the causes of this problem? What can the PRC
government (and other international organisations) do to curb the international bride
trade?
3. What transformations have occurred in China's beauty ideals over time, and how do
these changes impact gender dynamics and perceptions in contemporary society?
4. What factors have contributed to China’s declining marriage and birth rates and
increasing divorce rates? And how do these trends shape China’s gender and social
relations?
Option 2 Critical Reflection. This task is equivalent to the research essay in terms of word
length. Students will write FIVE 500-word critical reflections by the end of the term to
demonstrate their understanding about the weekly topic and the readings.
Below is one outline that you could borrow to frame the critical reflection:
1.What? What have you learned from the weekly topics? Did this change your previous
understanding of gender in China? if so, how?
2. So what? Demonstrate that you have understood the topic at a deeper level (e.g., through
the ideas you gained from the lecture, in-class activities, case study presentations by peers,
the readings, tutorial discussion, and other scholarly literature). Demonstrate your
understanding of the topic/issue from multiple perspectives; formulate your thesis/argument in
this paragraph.
3. Now what? Now what? how will you apply what you have learned (i.e., theory, concepts,
knowledge) to learning in other subjects and/or in real life?
*Note: The outline is adapted from the link below, on how to write a critical
reflection: https://uwaterloo.ca/writing-and-communication-centre/critical-reflection
Task requirement:
The writing task shall not be simply descriptive, it should have a thesis statement that is
supported by evidence and a discernible analysis. You are expected to use at least 6
academic sources, including scholarly peer reviewed academic journal articles, and may also
use academic books and chapters. The paper shall be Times New Roman 12 typed, 1.5-
spaced, including citations, and a reference list.
There is no specific requirement for referencing in this course. Please refer to
http://student.unsw.edu.au/referencing for details.
The marking rubrics for this assessment task can be found in Moodle.
Submission: please submit the research paper by uploading an electronic copy to Turnitin via
Moodle by Friday 4pm in week 10. A School Assignment Coversheet (downloadable from
Moodle) must be attached, with your contact details and signature filled in. Late submission
will attract penalties, see link for details: https://www.unsw.edu.au/arts-design-
architecture/student-life/resources-support/protocols-guidelines )