I’m stuck on a Writing question and need an explanation.
Assignment:
SUBJECT CHOSEN FOR ASSIGNMENT: HATSHEPSUT
Women Power in the Ancient World: Digital Museum Exhibit (750-900 words total) – 30% In the first assignment you were able to interview a living person about their experience, strategies, and success (or lack therefore) navigating the power dynamic. For social historians and archaeologists alike, reconstructing past power dynamics is a bit more complicated. Instead of living people, we must interrogate the material remains and written record left behind in order to understand how past societies were structured. These artifacts, writings, and in some cases, architecture are then housed in museums across the globe to present a glimpse into the past for the general public. In this assignment, we will collectively work to build a digital museum exhibit titled “Women and Power in the Ancient World.” Note that this assignment has both individual and collaborative components. During Week 5, you will sign up for a group based on the region you are interested in researching. Individually, your job is to select a woman from that region who was able to achieve the highest position of power in her society. Conduct a research investigation into her life and how she came to obtain power in society. You will need to consult at least 4 primary and 4 secondary sources. You will then look through museum catalogues and select three artifacts that you feel best reflect or shed light into her life as a leader. These artifacts do not need to be personally associated with her—they can also be thematically related to her challenges specific to her assumption of power—but they must be relevant to her social location (time and place). You will need to select one artifact for each of the following categories: 1) How she came to power; 2) What she accomplished in power; 3) How she was remembered after her tenure was over. After you select your three artifacts, you will write a museum label for each one consisting of 250-300 words. Use the following questions to guide you in your analysis: 1. Rise to Power: When did your person reign? In what region of the world? How was the society traditionally structured? How was your woman able to subvert the status quo and obtain her position of power? How does your artifact reflect this? 2. Power Accomplishments: How long was she in power? What did she do once in power? How did she maintain her position? How does your artifact reflect this? 3. Cultural Memories of the Dead: How did the society remember her after she was dead? Was she honored as a true leader? Did later generations look back on her with disdain? Was she glorified? Demonized? A cautionary tale for why women shouldn’t be in power? How does your artifact reflect this? Collectively, you and your group members will compose a short (300-400 word) introduction to your region’s exhibit that highlights the ways in which women rose to power, accomplished power, and were remembered as powerful (or perhaps not-so-powerful) leaders in your specific region. This means you should look for patterns across case studies. Your group must then put together a digital exhibit of your region that is publicly available online. This exhibit can be in blog format (e.g., WordPress), a digital presentation such as Prezi—feel free to get creative! Just keep in mind that your audience is the general public—thus, you should not assume that someone looking at your museum exhibit has prior knowledge of that region or ruler. All artifacts from the course will be presented on a webpage by region in an online exhibit titled: “Women and Power in the Ancient World.” Individually, you will need to submit the following to Turnitin.com in one document • An image of each artifact, its title, where it is currently housed, and its accession number (this is for citation purposes) • A museum label consisting of 250-300 words for each artifact • A bibliography of all sources you consulted to write your exhibit labels (at least 4 primary and 4 secondary sources) • Group introduction to region (300-400 words) In order to prevent overlap, when you sign up for your region you will also list the woman you plan to research. Note that only one woman is allowed per region (i.e., five people cannot write about Cleopatra). It is thus recommended you sign up early! (See TA website for sign-up sheet). Once you have selected your figure, you will need to begin your research on her. Please see your TA for research resources. After you have a general understanding of her ascension to power, her achievements, and her cultural memory, begin to peruse the various museum collections. *Note that each artifact does not need to be directly related to your figure (e.g., something she owned, had commissioned, something depicting her image, etc.), but it does need to reflect something about the system within which she lived and how it reflects an aspect of your figure’s power narrative (i.e., one of the three categories listed above).
*****I CHOSE TO DO THE PROJECT ON HATSHEPSUT****
ATTACHING RUBRIC BELOW
2 PAGE PAPER PLEASE READ INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY
Digital Museum Exhibit The components of this project are weighted as follows: Individual Labels 75% Bibliography 10% Group Introduction & Presentation of Digital Exhibit 15% Note that if one aspect of your project is weak, it will impact the other parts. For example, if your bibliography has inappropriate sources, then that will impact your labels and your group’s ability to write an effective introduction. Individual Labels (250-300 words) A-range: Museum label successfully articulates in 250-300 words how the artifact reflects a certain aspect of the figure’s power narrative (i.e., rise to power, achievements, and cultural memory). Label also successfully articulates how the artifact reflects something specific about the power structure in that society. The artifact selected is appropriate and the label description aids the viewer in understanding something deeper about the power dynamic in society. Student effectively engages with the intended audience for this assignment. Student has a clear understanding of the society within which this woman lived. B-range: Museum label articulates how the artifact reflects a certain aspect of the figure’s power narrative (i.e., rise to power, achievements, and cultural memory) but does not meet all requirements. The artifact selected is somewhat appropriate but may be a bit of a reach for the category it represents. Student appears to understand aspects the society within which this woman lived but label could be stronger in its analysis. Student demonstrates an understanding of the assignment’s intended audience. C-range: Museum label attempts to articulate how the artifact reflects a certain aspect of the figure’s power narrative (i.e., rise to power, achievements, and cultural memory) but does not meet most requirements. The artifact selected is a reach for the category it represents. Student has a minimal understanding of the society within which this woman lived. Analysis needs improvement. Student struggles to engage with the assignment’s intended audience. Below C: Label is problematic. It does not meet the minimum requirements. Student struggles with explaining how artifact reflects a broader aspect of the power structure and their figure’s relationship to it. It is apparent the student did not conduct sufficient research into this figure, nor does the student understand the intended audience for this assignment. Bibliography/Works Consulted A-range: All sources are cited appropriately. Students uses at least 4 primary and 4 secondary sources. Sources are appropriate and provide context for student’s labels. B-range: Most sources are cited appropriately. Student uses at least 4 primary and 4 secondary sources. The majority of sources are appropriate, but one or two may be a reach and/or not provide context for student’s labels. C-range: At least four sources are cited appropriately. Student uses at least 4 primary and 4 secondary sources. Some sources may be inappropriate for this case study. Below C: Student does not cite sources appropriately. Student uses less than the minimum requirement of primary and secondary sources. Sources may be inappropriate given student’s case study. Group Introduction (300-400 words) A-range: Group clearly collaborated to discuss how case studies in region highlight the power structure/social system. Label successfully integrates case studies to highlight patterns in society. In instances where there was a social change (e.g., shift from city states to empire, change in religion, etc.), label addresses how these changes affected the gender dynamic. Label meets all requirements as stated in the prompt and effectively addresses the intended audience of this project. Museum exhibit is easy to navigate and visually stunning, and group has chosen an appropriate digital medium for this assignment. B-range: Group collaborated to discuss how case studies in region highlight the power structure/social system. Label integrates case studies to highlight patterns in society for the most part, but some parts of introduction could synthesize case studies more effectively. In instances where there was a social change (e.g., shift from city states to empire, change in religion, etc.), label gives a cursory overview of how these changes affected the gender dynamic. Label may be missing some requirements from the prompt or not always engage with the intended audience. Museum exhibit is easy to navigate, and group has chosen an appropriate digital medium for this assignment. C-range: Group struggled at times with discussing how case studies in region highlight the power structure/social system in that region. Either the label relies too heavily on case studies and thus repeats what is in the artifact labels, or it provides an overview of the region but doesn’t address patterns across case studies. Label could have been more in depth with regard to how social change in region affected the gender dynamic, and struggles to engage with the intended audience of this assignment. Museum exhibit appears to be hastily thrown together and/or the digital medium is inappropriate for this assignment. Below C: Group did not coordinate and there is no introduction to the region. Label does not integrate case studies nor provide viewer with a clear understanding of that region and power was structured. Museum exhibit is difficult to navigate and appears to be hastily thrown together and/or the digital medium is inappropriate for this assignment.
