University of Rhode Island

College of Human Science and Services

TMD 402L: Seminar
Spring 2006: Made in China                           

Students who are registered for one credit must prepare a summary of each weekly speaker and of the student presentations at the end of the semester. Paper summaries must be word-processed.  Hand-written summaries will not be accepted.  Students registered for two credits must complete two additional assignments: 
1) identification of relevant web sites, and 2) in-depth research reports.

Summaries:
Summaries each week should be no more than one page in length, single spaced. Take notes as the speaker is presenting, and keep tabs on anything you find confusing: ask a question if you have the chance. When you write the summary, have an introduction and a conclusion.  Break your summary into several paragraphs.  The style should be clear and concise: do not clutter the summary with a lot of phrases such as "the speaker said that...."  "there was a diagram that showed that......".  Avoid spelling and grammar errors.  Use spell check!  
The summaries provide you with a chance to develop skills in synthesizing information presented orally. It is a bad idea to write them word-for-word from your notes.  Speakers will not provide information at the right pace for you to be able to judge what is important and what is not. Writing them soon after the seminar is a good idea, since it is likely that you will remember more about what the speaker said than if you wait until the night before the next class. Poorly written summaries will receive a grade of S-. “Poorly written” means content is inaccurate and/or quality of writing is lacking. Numerous spelling and grammar errors will result in a grade of S-.

M graduate assistant can help you if you are having problems with writing.  Reach her via e-mail to make an appointment.  URI’s WritingCenter is another source of assistance.  It is located in Room 313, Independence Hall.  There, you will work with writing tutors on specific issues that will help you with your assignments such as paragraphing, sentence clarity, sharpening thesis statements, documenting sources, using appropriate evidence, or understanding and practicing specific grammatical concepts. URI's WritingCenter tutors will not edit or proofread for you; rather, they will teach you proofreading strategies you can use yourself.  Their goal is to help you become a better writer, and this requires both time and effort on your part.  Appointments are encouraged (call them at the Writing Center: 874-4690).

In-depth research report:
Two-credit students will investigate a specific topic related to China and textile and apparel industry.  Topics should not duplicate information provided by seminar speakers.  No two students may select the same topic. You may concentrate on any part of textiles and apparel industry (fiber producing, apparel manufacturing, retailing, outsourcing, logistics, etc.). Examples of possible research areas include: Chinese consumers, Manufacturing (outsourcing) in China, Trade policies in China, Retailing in China, Trade between the US and China, Textiles and apparel industry in China, Impact of China on third world countries, Ethical issues in manufacturing in China, etc.  Directions for this project will be discussed Feb. 1^st.  Presentations to the class will occur on April 19^th , 26^th and May 8^th (3:00 to 6:00) Number and range of sources is important for a successful market report. Fifteen to twenty sources are expected. Written versions of the project are due on the day of the presentation. 
Grading for the written paper will be as follows:  100 points

30 -choice of topic, good introductory statement, pertinence of material as foundation for conclusions, accurate conclusion       

15 -neatness, spelling, evidence of careful proofreading, double-spaced, 11 font, Arial, margins 1" all around, pages numbered, pages in sequence, title page

15 -bibliography in correct form (APA style), current references, range of sources, sources properly cited

30 -organization, logical sequence of topics, use of subheadings, quality of writing, evidence of editing and integration of material, quotations only when necessary

10 -paper handed in on time. For every day the paper is late, 10 points will be deducted from the score.

Presentations to the class should:
            *be interesting                 *be well-prepared                    *be organized
            *use appropriate visuals (PowerPoint required)
              *be well-timed (15-20 minutes plus 5 minutes for questions)

Return TMD 402L course description