EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Capstone project is intended to be a chance for you to apply the style of analysis and critique you have practiced so far through

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Capstone project is intended to be a chance for you to apply the style of analysis and critique you have practiced so far through Essay #1 and the Midterm Essay, whereby you utilize (ONLY) assigned articles from this course to explore the deeper ideological and thematic messages present in a film or television series.

The key for the Capstone project will be to focus on one grand theme (sex, gender, race, religion, class, ideology, hegemony, etc.) and use all of the articles in the syllabus that touch on this topic as your primary research.

You will then apply an analysis and critique to a film or television show THAT IS NOT ONE OF THE REQUIRED FILMS. Another way to think of it is that the Capstone is an extended version of the Midterm Essay. Rather than an essay of 500 to 700 words, the Capstone is 1,500 words.

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The Capstone Outline is a snapshot of your intended term paper/capstone topic and resources. In order to effectively complete the outline, it will be necessary for you to read over ALL of the requirements for the term paper listed in the Capstone Assignment. While you will likely have not read all of the required articles yet, it is important for you to browse through those pertaining to your area of focus (race, class, gender or sexuality) before completing this assignment. You will need to turn in a one-page, properly formatted (see below) outline. This assignment is here to help you begin the process of organization for your capstone paper and to allow me the opportunity to give you some directional advice before you start writing. If you are unclear on the expectations, be sure to contact me in advance of the deadline.

You must include:

A formatted heading (1 pt)

Working Title (“Capstone” is not sufficient) (1 pt)

Film (1 pt)

Aspect working within (2 pts)

Working Thesis (In complete sentences): This will NOT be the exact thesis of your term paper. It is a more generalized description, an overview, of the direction of your paper. However, it still must be a narrow, clear direction that includes the social implication. (Simply saying “She’s the Manquestions gender roles” is NOT enough.) The thesis for the term paper will include the direction, as well as the specific points you will touch on (10 pts)

Brief Outline (In complete sentences): This is where you will lay out your three main points or arguments for the paper. Again, this may change, but you must have a clear direction or argument to support your thesis. (Saying, “Viola dresses as a man to get on the soccer team” is NOT an argument, but a plot point. Saying, “Emotional detachment, one of the components of masculinity, is discouraged in the film through the characters of Duke and Sebastian” is an argument.) Any listing of plot points will not be accepted. You must draw a conclusion about the plot point, which is your argument. The support scene(s) are those (max 3) which support your claims. These may change and are not the only ones you can use in the final paper. This is just the starting point. (20 pts)

A complete bibliography of ALL relevant Required articles (those on Canvas) you MIGHT use in your paper (even those that just sound like they may have something you might use). It should have a minimum of 4. This should be in MLA format. Though the actual Works Cited for the final draft will likely have some differences, this is a list of ALL possible articles. The articles should be alphabetized by last name. You can also include 1 Belton citation in lieu of a 4th article. You must include the film citation as well (for a total of 5 citations). (15 pts)

Your thesis and outline should show how you plan to structure your argument. It does not need to be perfect and will likely change as you continue writing. However, it should demonstrate initial progress (i.e., you should have already completed a critical viewing of the film prior to submitting this assignment). This is just your starting point for your paper. As you continue to research, your thesis CAN and likely WILL change. Your works cited page is also a starting point. As you find more relevant materials in the articles we read, you can add and subtract from this as well.

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