ATS2000: From Freud to Friends
Semester 1, 2025
1


Assignment Two: Proposal/Bibliography





Due: Friday 9 May, 11.55pm
Length: 500-word proposal + 500-word annotated bibliography = 1000 words total (+/-10%)


What’s the task?
1. Develop a proposal for Assignment 3 focusing on representations
of race AND/OR ethnicity in some form of popular culture.
2. Compile five scholarly sources that will underpin your research,
and write a 100-word summary of each source.
3. Try to choose a group with which you do not identify.

What are the aims of this assignment?
1. To help prepare you for assignment three.
2. To develop your research skills
3. To investigate how the concepts of race and/or ethnicity are
shaped by their representations in popular culture

What will Assignment 3 be?
A research essay of 2000 words OR an (un)essay (a creative project plus
a 1000-word paper that explains the creative project and its
significance).

What exactly is an (Un)Essay?
An (un)essay is a project that does not have a written paper as its major
focus. An (un)essay could be fiction; short story; an imagined ‘private’,
‘primary source’ (letter[s]; diary entry/ies); movie poster; poem/song;
graphic story/comic strip; zine; children’s book; board game; painting;
fictional podcast interview; craft project.
ATS2000: From Freud to Friends
Semester 1, 2025
2



What do I actually need to submit?
The 500-word proposal for an essay should include:
• A research question that you want to answer
• A contention/hypothesis of what you expect your essay will argue
• An overview of your paper and its structure

The 500-word proposal for an (un)essay should:
• A research question you want to answer
• Define the genre/medium your (un)essay will take and how it will help
answer your research question
• Give an overview of what you imagine the project to be, what is its
aim, who is the target audience.
For all assignments, the annotated bibliography should include:
• Full bibliographic details of five secondary sources from outside the
course readings.
• Secondary sources could include scholarly books and journal
articles.
• A 100-word description of each source and its relevance
• NB. The 100-word description DOES NOT include the
bibliographic details of the source.
• NB2. Please avoid online encyclopedias.


What topic should I choose?
Anything that is relevant to the unit! You can choose something that we have
discussed, or something that you are eager to investigate in greater depth that
we haven’t covered. Try to think about what you are passionate about and
what might have piqued your interest and start there.
Some starting points might be: does popular culture reflect the reality of race
and ethnicity in our societies? What impact does representation of
race/ethnicity have on us and our communities? What does it look like to
effectively represent race/ethnicity? What are examples that are problematic
and why?
If you’re not sure about what to write about, you can consult with me or your
tutor to help narrow it down.
Note: You cannot write your final project using a media source from the
unit as your main focus. Ie: you can’t write an essay that focuses on
Coming to America, Crazy Rich Asians, Princess and the Frog etc.
ATS2000: From Freud to Friends
Semester 1, 2025
3


Rubric

Proposal (out of 50) Needs
Work
Good
start
Good Very
Good
Super
Have you clearly identified a question that you
want your project to address?

Is your preliminary argument clear and logical?

Is your proposal achievable or too ambitious?

Have you narrowed your topic appropriately?

Is your proposal grounded in the research and
reading you have done?

Bibliography (out of 50)

How relevant are the sources you choose?

Have you shown their importance to your topic?

Does your description clearly and concisely
summarize the source and its relevance?

Have you used a citation system consistently and
correctly?

TOTAL:

学霸联盟