EASIA 202R – Chinese Culture and Society 1 Requirements for Book Review (Final Essay) After reading a book from the reading list provided (see p2), you should create a 4-5 pages (Double-spaced, Font Size 12) review/critique
of the text following the rubrics provided (see p5). The three parts
that must be included in the review are as follows: Summarize the main points of the book and critique them. Demonstrate your understanding of this book by exhibiting connection between the Chinese and North American cultures & societies, or, with your personal experiences. Reflect upon and describe what you have learned from reading the book. You
should finish reading at least half of the book and write an outline
following the format and rubrics provided below (see p3 and p4) at the beginning of March. The outline of book review (10%) is due on Mar 2, 2022 (Wednesday). And the final essay (25%), which is a review of the whole book, is due on Apr 4, 2022 (Monday)). The final essay may deviate from standard APA format in that
you may write in the first person pronoun. All citations, however, must
be made using APA format (requiring a cover page, in- text citations, and a works cited page). You should follow Purdue OWL: APA Formatting and Style Guide. All submissions should include
a title page with the student’s name, student ID number, date of
submission and title, along with the numbered pages of the essay. You need submit both the outline and book review into the drop boxes set up on LEARN. Important dates: 1. Due date for the book review outline: Mar 2, 2022 (Wednesday). 2. Due date for the book review (final essay): Apr 4, 2022 (Monday). EASIA 202R – Chinese Culture and Society 2 Reading List 1. Buck, Pearl S. (1931) The Good Earth 2. Chang, Eileen (1945) Written on Water 3. Chang, Eileen (1943) Love in a Fallen City 4. Chang, Leslie (2009) Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China 5. Fallows, Deborah (2011) Dreaming in Chinese: Mandarin Lessons in Life, Love, and Language 6. Gifford, Rob (2008) China Road: A Journey into the Future of a Rising Power 7. Huang, Yasheng (2008) Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics: Entrepreneurship and the State 8. Hessler, Peter (2013) Strange Stones: Dispatches from East and West 9. Hessler, Peter (2010) Country Driving: A Journey through China from Farm to Factory 10. Hessler, Peter (2007) Oracle Bones: A Journey through Time in China 11. Hessler, Peter (2006) River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze 12. Johnson, Ian (2017) The Souls of China: The Return of Religion After Mao 13. Li, Yan (1998) Daughters of the Red Land 14. Lin, Yutang (1935) My Country and My People 15. Lu, Xun (2009) The Real Story of Ah-Q and Other Tales of China 16. Osnos, Evan (2015) Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth, and Faith in the New China 17. Starr, John Bryan (2010) Understanding China 18. Tan, Amy (2006) The Joy Luck Club: A Novel 19. Yu, Hua (2011) China in Ten Words 20. Zhang, Jung (1991) Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China EASIA 202R – Chinese Culture and Society 3 EASIA202R: Outline of the book review (format) Book Title: Thesis: Body Paragraph 1 Topic Sentence 1: Quotation 1: Explanation/Analysis: Body Paragraph 2 Topic Sentence 2: Quotation 2: Explanation/Analysis: Body Paragraph 3 Topic Sentence 3: Quotation 3: Explanation/Analysis: Note: Your explanation/analysis should include no more than three sentences. Be concise. EASIA 202R – Chinese Culture and Society 4 Outline of Book Review Evaluation (10 points) Category Excellent 10 Proficient 8 Adequate 6 Unsatisfactory 4 Score Thesis (1 point) Insightful thesis that clearly states the main point Somewhat insightful thesis that states the main point Simplistic thesis that somewhat states the main point Incomplete or unclear thesis that does not state the main point Topic sentences (2 points) Topic sentences clearly and concisely state a complex connection between the text and the thesis Topic sentences clearly state a connection between the text and the thesis Topic sentences state a simplistic connection between the text and the thesis Topic sentences state a partial or unclear connection between the text and the thesis Quotations (3 points) Quotations strongly support the thesis Quotations support the thesis well Quotations support the thesis adequately Quotations do not support the thesis o
r support the thesis weakly Explanation/ Analysis (3 points) Explanation of quotations thoroughly and insightfully explains their significance and connection to the topic sentence Explanation of quotations explains their significance and connection to the topic sentence Explanation of quotations explains their significance and connection to the topic sentence but needs more depth of analysis Explanation of quotations weakly explains their significance and connection to the topic sentence Grammar, structure, and word accuracy (1 point) Sentences well constructed which convey the ideas clearly and accurately, with one or no error Most sentences well constructed, which convey the ideas effectively, with 2-3 errors in grammar or character accuracy. 4-5 errors in grammar or character accuracy that distract the reader from the content. Most sentences have similar structures. More than 6 errors in grammar or character accuracy that distract the reader from the content. Sentences lack structure and appear incomplete or rambling. EASIA 202R – Chinese Culture and Society 5 Book Review Rubric (25 points) CATEGORY Excellent 25 Proficient 20 Adequate 16 Unsatisfactory 14 Score 1. Summary (3 points) Summary consists of an in- depth discussion of major themes, ideas, and characters. It combines ideas from the book into well-organized sentences using your own words. Summary consists of a discussion of major themes, ideas, and characters. It combines ideas from the book into new sentences using your own words. Summary consists of a discussion of major themes, ideas, and characters. It combines ideas from the book into sentences using your own words. Summary is mostly an outline of the book and does not discuss themes or major ideas of it. There may be one or two direct quote “thrown in” for effect. 2. Quotes (6 points) Explanation of 3 excerpts from the work with detailed insights into why you chose them. Explanation of 3 excerpts from the work with insights into why you chose them. Explanation of 3 excerpts from the work. Lacks detail or in- depth analysis into why you chose them. Less than 3 excerpts from the work without explanation. No insight as to why you chose them. 3. Connections (6 points) Provides detailed, insightful discussion of personal or cultural connections between the work and your experience. Provides limited discussion of personal or cultural connections between the work and your experience. Discussion of connections is limited or does not cite strong evidence for the connections made. The discussion of connections is vague or missing, and lacks detail. 4. Reflections and Reactions (6 points) Critique consists of thoughts, responses and reaction to the book. The reviewer reacts to the theme, the author’s aims or intent, the subject of the book, how well it is written and overall success or failure of the book. Critique consists of thoughts, responses and reaction to the book. The reviewer may discuss only limited aspects, for example, theme and the writer’s style. There is not a thorough review of various aspects. Critique consists of thoughts, responses and reaction to the book. The reviewer may discuss only one aspect of the book, for example the theme. The review lacks a critical eye. Critique consists of a basic opinion based on personal feeling of “I liked it” or “I hated it” and is not considered a critique because it does not focus on the theme, author’s intent, or writer’s style. 5. APA Format (2 points) 0-2 errors in APA formatting. 3-5 errors in APA formatting. 6-8 errors in APA formatting. 9 or more errors in APA formatting. 6. Grammar, structure, and word accuracy (2 points) The writer makes 0-3 errors in grammar or character accuracy that distracts the reader from the content. All sentences are well- constructed with varied structures. The writer makes 4-6 errors in grammar or character accuracy that distracts the reader from the content. Most sentences are well-constructed with varied structures. The writer makes 7-9 errors in grammar or character accuracy that distracts the reader from the content. Most sentences are well-constructed but have similar structures. The writer makes 10 or more errors in grammar or character accuracy that distracts the reader from the content. Sentences lack varied structures and appear incomplete or rambling.