1. You may write a traditional book review of about 500 words
(about two, typed double-spaced pages). Your review should
clearly focus on the main point (or thesis) of the book as you
understand it. You should then relate that main point to the
study of African history which you are currently undertaking;
that is, you need to place the book--and the author's main idea--
in the context of what you are learning in this course. A book
review must be submitted typed or printed in its final form.
2. You may prepare a work of art which illuminates, illustrates,
or symbolizes the main idea you learned about African history
when reading the book. The work of art might be a small
painting, a short musical composition, a drawing, a poem, a
ceramic piece, a weaving, even a short story; these are example,
not an exhaustive list of possibilities. Check with the
instructor if you have ideas or questions. The artistic work
must be intended to convey your interpretation of the book, and
you should be prepared to discuss that aspect of your creation
with the instructor.
3. You may write a character study of one of the main characters
in the book. This study should be about 500 to 700 words long
(about 2-3 typed, double-spaced pages). It should briefly trace
the development of the character, indicate how the character fits
within the main theme of the book, and explain how the character
helps you better understand African history. A character study
must be submitted typed or printed in its final form.
4. You may submit a reading diary for the book. This requires
that you make a substantive entry for every reading session and
for every chapter of the book. Your entries should not merely
recount what you read. Rather, they should record your reactions
as you read, including questions about the book. Your comments
may be very personal; they may also be very academic, relating to
how various episodes in the book relate to your study of African
history. You may have a variety of entry types, but each should
include the date, times, and duration of your reading and the
page numbers you read. There is no specific length requirement,
but as the purpose of the diary is to explain your ideas and
reactions as you read, it will likely be considerably longer than
either of the formal reports (formats 1 & 3). Since this is a
record of your reactions as you read, it likely will be submitted
handwritten.