CSOn4006 MIGRATION, TRANSNATIONALISM AND THE CITY
Autumn 2024
Discussion Paper Guidelines
This class deals with complex ideas that require regular and thorough completion of reading and
engagement with ideas. To ensure that you do the reading, you are required to complete
discussion papers on course readings, to be posted in the homework vaults of the IS page for the
class.
Language Usage:
The quality of your use of English is not part of the grade, but you must write the discussion
papers at an adequate level of language use such that they are understandable. Your papers
should express your own ideas (see the section on Academic Honesty in the syllabus). You may
NOT use AI tools such as Grammarly to correct your English!
Guidelines for the reading responses are as follows:
• They should be a minimum of 350 words in length, but no more than 500 words.
• They are due by WEDNESDAY at 11:00 before each session with compulsory
reading, but don’t hesitate to send your paper even if it is late.
• These writings can be quite informal, but thoughtless or cursory thought pieces will not
receive credit. They must be in your own words, and must respond to the readings.
• The writings must include:
o The main argument of each text, preferably summarized in 2-3 sentences.
o At least one, but preferably several, discussion questions, which you can present
in class to guide our joint exploration of the topic(s) for the session. It must be
a question that allows us to enter into a discussion on the text, not just some
clarification question. Often such question can contain a critique of the text.
o Connections to something you have seen in the media, or your surroundings.
• Please name your file as following: Surname_Discussion paper_session X (i.e. number of
the session 02/03/04/05/06 instead of X)
• These writings will be graded 1-5 points, according to the guidelines below. This is to
provide you with some idea about how I expect you to engage with the readings.
(4-5 points): An excellent paper. You clearly understand and engage with the readings
and focus on major points/arguments from them. You are able to cohesively tie the
readings together (if there is more than one). You make sophisticated connections from
the readings to the real world. This is reserved for truly excellent responses that provide
thoughtful discussion questions.
(2-3 points): A good paper. You make a good attempt to engage with and understand the
readings, to tie them together and to address major arguments, or points of interest. You
may also make good connections from the readings to the real world. But your analysis
remains more of a surface reading/summary and you may have forgotten to provide
discussion questions.
(1 point): A weak paper. You seem to have done some of the reading but do not
demonstrate a clear understanding of the major points/arguments. There may be some
factual errors/misunderstandings that could have been avoided from more focused
reading. You don’t really engage with the reading or provide discussion questions.
• Penalties are set as follows:
o Late submission of discussion paper, i.e. later than 11:00 on Wednesday but still
before the class: minus one point;
o Late submission of discussion paper, submitted after class: maximum 2.5 point
can be attributed;
o Discussion paper is significantly shorter than 350 words: minus one point;
o These penalties can be cumulated.