3 page term paper of comparison and analysis between 2 movies
Term Paper Requirements
First, your paper must be comparative; namely, choose to compare 2 of these films:
“Plunder of Peach and Plum”, “It’s My Day Off”, “Ermo”, and “Suzhou River”. You may focus on a similar theme, a shared critical problem, or a combination of some of them.
“Plunder of Peach and Plum”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrdVIzKFL98
“It’s My Day Off”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbp0D4iFOz8
“Ermo”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDX123dgcS0
“Suzhou River”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GISSDqFU-5w
*** Choose 2 out of 4 movies to do the comparison!
Second, your paper must be researched; namely, citing what critics have said about the directors and/or films you are discussing and indicating how you respond to their interpretations. You must use at least 4 print sources assigned in the syllabus. Each article in an edited book counts as one source, but merely listing sources without incorporating them in analysis does not make your paper a researched one.
*** The critics sources are attached in files. Remember, you have to use at least 4 sources
“Plunder of Peach and Plum”: Chinese National Cinema -Yingjin Zhang.pdf
(Chinese National Cinema covers all 4 movies, just search the name in the pdf)
“Ermo”: “Fu Ping on Ermo.pdf”
“It’s My Day Off”: “YZ on My Day Off JCC 2018.pdf”
“Suzhou River”: “Zhen Zhang phantom sisters Urban Gen 2007.pdf”
Third, your paper must be critical; namely, examining texts in detail and engaging different arguments in relation to the issues you are addressing. This also means that you have to maintain your own line of arguments while moving between primary and secondary sources. A summary of narrative plot or biographic information is descriptive rather than critical.
• Citation and lengths:
You must give full bibliographical citations at the end of your paper on a separate page (exclusive of the page limit), and make sure your style is consistent throughout the paper.
Papers must be typed, double-spaced (not 1.5 spaced), with one-inch or larger margins on all four sides of the page. The length is limited to 3 pages, excluding references. Most students do better writing a carefully edited three-page paper than writing a longer paper that is sloppy. Papers not meeting these specifications will be returned without grading. Faulty spelling, grammar, punctuation, and format style will cost you points, so proof-read your writing carefully.
• Grading
The term paper itself counts for 35% of your course grade. You will be graded on your mastery of the relevant facts and arguments, your originality in developing analysis, and the effective way your paper is organized and written. Specifically, originality = 2 points, analysis = 8 points (i.e., 4 points each film), writing = 15 points (i.e., legitimate title = 1 point, 4 listed key words = 2 points, structure = 2 points, transition = 2 points, grammar = 2 points, spelling = 2 points, in-text reference = 2, etc.), use of 4 sources = 10 points (i.e., logical incorporation = 1.5 points each, complete citation = 1 point each).
