For Monday, Aug 26, by 6:00 pm

For this assignment I want to emphasize the two types of research you will be performing, both primary and secondary. I also want you to perform the role of observer and analyst. So, given these two objectives, this Extracts will have two parts.

First Part: Primary

For the first part of the assignment, you will go to the coffee shop in the bookstore and play the part of observer. For twenty minutes you will treat the coffee shop -- its environment, its transactions, its contents -- as a text, as something to be read and noted. As we discussed in class, you will be writing this assignment in a state of "Not-Knowing." Open your eyes to significant details and take notes. Then think about the significance of those things and write about them. Try not to make value judgments; just write about what you see. However, also be aware of how you structure your writing. This is not just a list, but a composition. Your writing should reflect a relationship between the details (think about McFee's research, which acts as a kind of observation of basic information yet still has a narrative quality). Again, 250 words.

Second Part: Secondary

For the second part you will review the bibliography from the required reading (the Counihan Introduction), and make a list of sources that you're interested in. Be open but also be sensitive to your natural inclinations. Make a list of these sources, writing down the author and title (don't worry about the other publication information for now). After listing the sources you find interesting (based solely on the title) see if there are any patterns that emerge. Write a short paragraph analyzing your choices. No length requirement for this second part.

Requirements

Publish this assignment as a single post, divided (as I've done above) into two parts. Make the parts obvious, so I can tell them apart. As always, this assignment is due by 6 pm the day before class. If there are any questions, please let me know by commenting on this post.