Due to unusual circumstances, test two will be a take home examination consisting an essay question. Some of the material on vegetative and floral morphology will likely appear on the final examination.
Type up your essay and either leave it on my computer at my office desk OR email it to me at dleeling@comfsm.fm by 5:00 P.M. on Friday 15 April 2005. Some of your email addresses are unrelated to your name, make sure your name is on your paper!
On the essay question keep your writing clear and legible. Take your time and do your best to use correct spelling and grammar. Think carefully and plan your essay. Be reflective, support your statements with specific examples where appropriate. Refer to the grading rubric at the end of this paper for guidance on the grading scheme which will be used. The essay should be on the order of 250 to 300 words.
Many traditional cultures, including those of Micronesia, have generally abandoned their traditional material cultural practices. Traditional homes have given way to cement cinder block houses, canoes have been replaced by fiberglass outboard motor boats and airplanes, and few young Micronesians tattoo themselves from head to foot. While people hold on to their language, their traditional medicinal plants, and their traditional foods, material culture seems to be intentionally jettisoned.
Young men wear stylish closed foot athletic shoes, women adopt western clothing, and everyone wears sunglasses. Rope (pwehl) making has been replaced by rope buying at a hardware store. Traditional roofs are produced only for special cultural huts or tourist hotels, people live under corrugated steel or cement roofs. Of all the areas we study during the term, the loss of knowledge and the extent of the adoption of foreign ways is most evident in material culture. As none of the students come to class in ancient traditional wear, or walk to the college from town, arguing that material culture is important would be specious.* The daily choices made by Micronesians indicate that material culture is being abandoned and forgotten.
Construct an essay that addresses the following issues:
If there are other issues or perspectives that you feel need to be included in your essay, then add them in.
*Specious: Apparently attractive, apparently true, or correct but not actually correct, actually false.
The essay will be worth up to 25 points. The essay score will be divided by 2.0 for entry into the grade book.
| Syntax | |
|---|---|
| 5 | No errors of grammar or word order. |
| 4 | Some errors of grammar or word order but communication not impaired. |
| 3 | Errors of grammar or word order fairly frequent; occasional re-reading necessary for full comprehension. |
| 2 | Errors of grammar or word order frequent; efforts of interpretation sometimes required on reader's part. |
| 1 | Errors of grammar or word order very frequent; reader often has to rely on own interpretation. |
| 0 | Errors of grammar or word order so severe as to make comprehension virtually impossible. |
| Vocabulary | |
| 5 | Appropriate terms used consistently, clear command of vocabulary, no misspelled words. |
| 4 | Occasionally uses inappropriate terms or relies on circumlocution; expression of ideas not impaired; or a few misspelled words. |
| 3 | Uses wrong or inappropriate words fairly frequently; expression of ideas may be limited because of inadequate vocabulary. |
| 2 | Limited vocabulary and frequent errors clearly hinder expression of ideas. |
| 1 | Vocabulary so limited and so frequently misused that reader must often rely on own interpretation. |
| 0 | Vocabulary limitations so extreme as to make comprehension virtually impossible. |
| Organization | |
| 5 | Material exceptionally well organized and connected. |
| 4 | Material well organized; links could occasionally be clearer but communication not impaired. |
| 3 | Some lack of organization; re-reading required for clarification of ideas. |
| 2 | Little or no attempt at connectivity, though reader can deduce some organization. |
| 1 | Individual ideas may be clear, but very difficult to deduce connection between them. |
| 0 | Lack of organization so severe that communication is seriously impaired. |
| Cohesion | |
| 5 | Consistent choices in cohesive structures. |
| 4 | Occasional lack of consistency in choice of cohesive structures and vocabulary but overall ease of communication not impaired. |
| 3 | 'Patchy', with some cohesive structures or vocabulary items noticeably inappropriate to general style. |
| 2 | Cohesive structures or vocabulary items sometimes not only inappropriate but also misused; little sense of ease of communication. |
| 1 | Communication often impaired by completely inappropriate or misused cohesive structures or vocabulary items. |
| 0 | A 'hotchpotch' of half-learned misused cohesive structures and vocabulary items rendering communication almost impossible. |
| Content | |
| 5 | Fully complete and thorough answer to the task set. |
| 4 | Relevant and adequate answer to the task set. Answers of less than 200 words will be penalized by dropping the score by one point from what would be appropriate for a full-length script. |
| 3 | For the most part answers the tasks set, though there may be some gaps or redundant information. |
| 2 | Answer of limited relevance to the task set. Possibly major gaps in treatment of topic and/or pointless repetition. |
| 1 | The answer bears almost no relation to the task set. Inadequate answer. |
| 0 | No evidence of assigned task. |
You must cite any sources used. Failure to cite sources, or copying and pasting information and not putting it in quotes with a citation will cause one to receive zero points for this test.