Drawing on Sources

Computers Help Unite Campuses but Also Drive Some Students Apart by Trip Gabriel
Drawing on sources. Consider the role that computers play on your campus. Is there adequate access for all students? Is there a campus policy regarding what students may or may not view or post on campus e-mail or visit on the Web? How does your campus compare with other campuses in your state? For information, check the appropriate student handbooks and go to Yahoo Internet Life's annual list of America's most "wired" colleges, a link to which can be found at www.yil.com/features/index.asp.

On Being the Target of Discrimination by Ralph Ellison
Drawing on sources. Jim Crow laws, instituted in the 1880s and allowed to continue into the 1960s, were state laws-upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court-that created race-based segregation. The laws allowed segregated restaurants, hospitals, buses, schools, public institutions, water fountains, and other public and private facilities.
Assume that you have been asked to contribute an essay on the Jim Crow era ot a local high school newspaper in honor of Black History Month. Your audience will be young people who may not be familiar with this period of American history, and your purpose will be to bring the experience of African Americans under Jim Crow laws vividly to life. There are many websites rich in narratives, pictures, and historical information about Jim Crow and the fight for civil rights. An excellent place to start is the Library of Congress African American Odyssey website at http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aointro.html. You might also check Africana or The Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History in your campus library.

What I've Learned From Men: Lessons for a Full-Grown Feminist by Barbara Ehrenreich
Drawing on sources. For two or three days, observe the way male and female students behave in the classroom. Pay attention to such things as how they speak, what they say, how many questions they ask, how often they are called upon, where they sit, how they interact with the instructor, and how they interact with classmates. Then write an essay that notes and gives examples of any striking similarities in and differences between the way male and female students behave in the classroom.

The Word Police by Michiko Kakutani
Drawing on sources. The Center for Campus Free Speech (www.campusspeech.org) offers a news archive and recent news on campus freedom of speech. Consult the website and read about two or three instances of free speech debates. Has there been a similar instance of debate over "appropriate" or "harassing" speech on your campus? ("Speech," in this case, can include websites, music, and even student organizations supporting unpopular political causes.) Based on what you learn from the website, how would you propose resolving the issue on your own campus?

Untouchables by Jonathan Kozol
Drawing on sources. Pick a particular group of people to which you do not belong (for example, athletes, international students, adult learners, a particular minority, part-time students, or student employees). Interview at least three members of that group and then write an essay that explains what life is like for group members. Use examples to illustrate your points.