1. ENGLISH 102
Major Essay Assignment 2: Exploring Community on Site
ASSIGNMENT: First, you will need to seek out and explore a community (group) that values a
perspective or lifestyle different from your own. This community may differ in gender, generation,
place, race, politics, religion, sexuality, class, social group, etc. We will brainstorm in discussion. Then,
you will conduct fieldwork which consists of observing this group in action and interviewing one or
more of its members.
I expect each of you to approach your chosen community with as open a mind as possible. I ask you to
challenge yourself-to choose a world view about which you may have opinions, but perhaps little
firsthand knowledge-but not to extend beyond your own personal limits of tolerance. Do not choose a
perspective against which you are so passionately opposed that you won't be able to listen. Do not
attack. Instead, as Tannen suggests, use "methods of investigation that focus more on integrating ideas
and exploring relations among them than on opposing ideas and fighting over them."
Write an essay that investigates your chosen community (group) . Explain why you were initially
interested in immersing yourself in this group and discuss any preconceived notions you might have
had. After studying the community, report to your readers what this community stands for. What are its
values, characteristics, habits, or rituals? How does one " qualify" for membership in this group? Was
this community formed by choice or necessity? Is the line between voluntary and involuntary
membership clear? What did you learn from this experiment? How has this experience shaped your
opinions about your own communities? Will this experience affect your life in any way beyond this
writing situation? If so, how? If not, why not?
EVIDENCE: As you prepare for this assignment and compose the essay, adopt Barbara Ehrenreich's
research methods in "Serving in Florida" and compare your evolving views on your chosen community
to Peter Marin's outlook on the homeless in " Helping and Hating the Homeless: The Struggle at the
Margins of America."
One of the goals of this assignment is to effectively incorporate both personal narration and researched
data. Therefore, this essay assignment requires the incorporation of at least three sources,
properly documented according to MLA style. At least one of your sources must be an interview.
Additionally, depending on your distinct vision for this assignment, you may incorporate class
readings; selections from library books; articles from newspapers or magazines; online sources; and/or
surveys. The goal is to present a variety of reliable sources that you clearly relate to the purpose
of your essay.
CHECKLIST
___ give your essay a title;

2. ___ double-space everything, using a standard 12-point font;
___ use MLA format to properly cite any quotations or paraphrases;
___ append a Works Cited page to your essay;
___ and proofread for grammar and spelling mistakes.
___ due October 21st by midnight
EVALUATION: This essay will make up 25% of your final grade.