LTEA 120C Hong Kong Films
Hong Kong Cinema Through a Global Lens
Spring 2024
Optional Analytical Paper Writing Workshop and Peer Review:
May 29 June 6, 2024
When evaluating your fellow students paper, use the following guidelines and write them a letter explaining your critical feedback about their work, both positive and negative:
1. Read entire the paper carefully.
2. Read the argument / thesis set out in the introduction of the paper and evaluate the following:
o Does the introduction feature a well-defined and well-rounded thesis that can actually be argued? In other words, would it be possible to argue against the argument? If the answer is yes, then it most likely is an actual argument?
o Does the author clearly state the primary sources he/she will analyze in this paper, and are these sources properly introduced (giving the title, author, year of publication, and other necessary contextual information)?
o Does the author present a clear road map for the reader in the introduction, which will allow the reader to understand the purpose, argument and methodology of the paper?
3. Read and evaluate the analysis of primary sources / films in the paper:
o Does the author present a careful, well-organized critical reading of the primary
sources, in order to prove the central argument laid out in the introduction?
o Does the author provide textual evidence and citations from the primary sources,
and are quotes properly analyzed and discussed?
o Does the author critically examine the content and ideas within a given text, as
well as the narrative and/or cinematic techniques that are used in the literary
and/or visual text under discussion? In other words, does the author focus on the
what as well as the how of a text?
4. Evaluate the engagement of one or more secondary / scholarly sources in the paper:
o Does the author engage with ideas or concepts in at least one secondary source?
Please note that this may be a scholarly article or book from our syllabus or
another source that the author found by him or herself.
o Does the author properly cite this secondary source, and attribute ideas to the
author of the source?
5. Read and evaluate the conclusion of the paper:
o Does the paper have a clearly-defined and well-organized conclusion?
o Does this conclusion present a concise overview of the central argument and the
textual evidence revealed in the paper, to underscore that the argument has been
substantiated?
6. Evaluate the overall format of the paper:
o Does the paper have an effective title and a cover page stating the authors name
and course title?
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o Does the paper use correct MLA or Chicago Manual of Style format to give intext citations or footnote citations?
o Are in-text citations / quotations properly formatted? Are longer quotations
indented and single-spaced?
o Does the paper include a properly formatted bibliography of all primary and
secondary sources used?
o Has the paper been proofread and spell-checked?
o Does the paper have page numbers, which should begin on the first page of
written text, not on the cover page?
o Does the paper have proper margin, font and spacing?
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LTEA 120C Hong Kong Films
Hong Kong Cinema Through a Global Lens
Spring 2024
Final Analytical Paper and Optional Peer Review (25%)
This assignment is an opportunity for you to showcase the knowledge you have acquired
in this course as well as your strengths in research; critical thinking; and articulate,
concise writing.
Choose a topic that you are interested in and craft an essay of about 1000 1200
words (4-5 pages double-spaced in length using Times New Roman Font Size 12) in
which you present a central argument and close reading of a limited body of primary
sources (Hong Kong films). Your essay should be based on research you have done about
your chosen topic, and you are welcome to study and write about any of the films we are
examining in this class. Your paper should present a clear thesis and sufficient proof to
substantiate your argument. You must present a close analytical reading of at least one
film and engage at least one secondary source in your paper.
You may choose from a broad variety and options of paper topics, depending on what
you are most interested in. You may trace a key idea or theme in several films of your
choosing. Or you may choose to focus on only one film and carefully explain one or
more key elements within it.
As part of this assignment, all students are highly encouraged, but not required, to
participate in the Optional Peer Review process, during which you will give and receive
constructive criticism from one of your classmates.
There are three steps you should follow in completing this assignment:
1. Write a good, complete draft of your analytical paper by May 27 at the latest.
2. Participate in the Peer Review Writing Workshop May 27 June 3 and swap
your paper draft with a classmate to receive feedback on your paper prior to final
submission. You will be matched with a peer review partner.
3. Write, revise and submit your paper by Monday, June 10 on Canvas. I highly
recommend you follow all guidelines stated in this assignment sheet and make use
of all resources posted on Canvas regarding good research and writing skills, as
well as the posted sample papers.
In order to write a strong and successful research paper, do the following:
1. Look on the syllabus and Canvas, and choose a topic you find interesting and
would like to learn more about. This can be a topic/session we have already
studied in the course, or one that we will study in the coming weeks.
2. Spend some time researching and reading about your chosen topic by using
the resources posted on Canvas, the materials on course reserves, and other
resources, such as JSTOR.
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3. Choose a imited number of texts and/or films you wish to analyze in your
essay. You may choose to focus on only one text, or more than one.
4. Craft a central thesis / argument about your chosen topic that can be
substantiated with evidence from the primary text(s) you are focusing on.
5. Organize the essay by presenting a clearly-defined introduction, body and
conclusion.
6. Present a careful, rigorous analysis of the primary source(s) you are focusing
on. Rather than merely citing or paraphrasing the story or plot of a given film,
analyze the ideas you want to highlight in the film and show how they substantiate
and strengthen your central argument / thesis.
7. Choose at least one secondary scholarly source and engage with the ideas in
this text while citing it correctly. If you wish, you may also read another
secondary source that is not on our syllabus, and engage it in your critical reading
of the primary text.
8. Utilize correct citation format, using either the MLA or Chicago Manuals of
Style.
9. Provide footnotes (if needed) and a correctly formatted bibliography at the
end of your paper. Clear guidelines regarding the format for direct quotes,
paraphrased text, footnotes and bibliography can be found in the section entitled
How to Write Excellent Papers in the Assignments folder on the Blackboard
course web site.
10. Always write in your own voice and never appropriate another scholars texts,
ideas or points as your own, as this is a form of plagiarizing. Whenever you cite a
primary or secondary source, it is always important to give appropriate credit to
the author of the work.
11. Carefully spell-check and proofread your paper so as to avoid spelling or
punctuation mistakes.
12. Provide a cover page that features the title of your paper, your name, the date
and the title of the course.
Your analytical paper will be graded according to the following criteria:
1. The content, substance, accuracy and depth of your argument, discussion and
analysis.
2. Your analysis of at least one primary source, as substantiation of your central
thesis / argument.
3. Your citation and critical engagement of at least one secondary scholarly
source in your essay
3. The organization and structure of your essay overall, as well as the clarity, style
and format of your work.
The paper will be due by the end of the day on Monday, June 10 on our Canvas
website. Points will be deducted for every day that you are late in submitting it. Good
luck and enjoy this process of exploration, study and critical analysis!
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