Complete a research portfolio based on Brother I’m Dying (BID) and Haiti.
Explore BID and/or Haiti through some topic/theme/major/meta-major.
Review the “Points of Entry” document to either choose a topic related to your intended meta-major or to spark your creativity while you create your own topic. Remember – Mr. Hobson must approve all topics.
Find examples or some aspect of a topic/theme/major/meta-major represented in BID and conducting research about that topic/theme/major/meta-major and how it relates to Haitian culture, etc. For example, a Human Services major might explore the impact of religion/Voodoo or Christianity on BID and Haitian culture while a science meta-major might explore the history of deforestation that has occurred in Haiti and how that might have affected a community like Bel-Aire in BID and even America. Some basic questions to ask yourself after you have chosen a topic/theme/major/meta-major and start doing your research are:
– How is this topic/theme/major/meta-major represented, mentioned, referenced, or historicized in the text, BID?
– What have experts in the given field said about the topic/theme/major/meta-major and Haiti?
– How does this information gleaned from the primary text, BID and secondary sources help you and potentially others to understand Haitian culture, immigrant culture, American Othering, and humanity in general?
– What did you learn? Does this research challenge the thoughts that you had prior?
– Does any of your research reveal opposition to any power structure or sphere of influence? (capitalism, colorism, racism, industrialization, leadership, etc…)
– What is your opinion or thesis?
This portfolio should be written in APA format unless otherwise stated by Mr. Hobson. The research portfolio should include the following items:
• Research Portfolio Outline (1-2 pages)
• Annotated Bibliography (2-3 pages)
• Research Paper (4-6 pages)
• Works Cited Page (1-2 pages)
Advice
Please make sure that you have read Brother I’m Dying. Then, revisit the text by specifically looking for aspects, moments, and chapters directly and indirectly related to your topic/theme/major/meta-major.
Reminders
The paper should be typed and include the following:
• A good title
• At least five-to-six secondary sources from the IRSC database.
• APA style to cite texts and provide information on your sources.
• Times New Roman size font 12.
