Module 1:Sample Paper #1

Module : Papers and Presentations

Sample Paper #1
Refer to the course syllabus for the overall picture.

Overview

I have two sample papers from former students that have given me permission to use their work in this manner. Each of these papers have at least received an
"A-". Notice how the two papers are based on the same novel, yet about very different topics. My comments are bolded after different interesting passages.

Cover Page/ Introduction:
Cultural Differences Between Chinese and American Society
based on the book: Bone by Fae Myenne Ng

FACS 150

Paper #4

Nice title page. I like that it has a real title and not, "Paper #1"

Fae Myenne Ng's novel, Bone(1997) This paper didn't originally have the date. I especially look for the name of the author and the date anytime you make a citation. You must cite and place the book we are reading at the time in your reference section.

, reveals the tensions between two generations of the Leong family. Told from the oldest daughter's standpoint, Leila shares her feelings that brings us into her life and into her family's life, which includes a lot of stressors and emotions. I believe the role of culture and socialization in the functioning of the Leong family played a big part in what caused the tension between them. Chinese culture provides a good example of the effect of social and environmental differences on human behavior (Fong & Wu, 1996).

This first paragraph summarizes the book and introduces the topic being discussed in the paper. A very good introductory paragraph.

The Chinese are one of the fastest growing non-European ethnic populations in the United States and represent the largest percentage of the Asian American population---22.6 percent (U.S. Bureau ofthe Census, 1990). It is difficult to provide a satisfactory characterization of Chinese families both because of the rapid changes that have occurred in Chinese society throughout the 20th century and because Chinese families do not fit into a single mold. (Stevenson, Chen & Lee, 1992). Chinese culture has been dominated by Confucianism, which emphasizes principles of interpersonal relationships. The most important is filial piety, which dictates how children behave toward parents, how younger people behave toward elders, and how the family members behave toward one another (Fong & Wu, 1996). The expectations set up by filial piety affect parent socialization of children.

Good, quick intro into Chinese American culture.

The Body

The goals of socialization in the traditional Chinese orientation are somewhat different according to gender and sibling order (Fong & Wu, 1996). Having boys in the Chinese culture is considered a blessing and beneficial to the family name, however, being that the Leong family consisted of three girls, they were known as "a failed family" (ng, 1997, p. 22). When you have a quote, you need the author, date, and page #.

The above couple sentences have a good sequence that I want to point out. Notice how first an outside reference is used to introduce the idea that gender and sibling order is important in Chinese American Families. Then the next sentence is a direct reference to a passage in the Bone that refers to the fact that there were only girl children.

General goals of the socialization of children are to bring honor to the family name, to be respectful to the elder generation, and to be obedient and responsible to the parents' household (Fong & Wu, 1996). Daughters are socialized to be virtuous women and to marry well. These situations and pressures sometimes causes Chinese American children to experience frustration, alienation, and situations of self-doubt and low self-esteem (Huang & Ying, 1990). From the information regarding assimilation and acculturation that I have read, I can understand how the pressures can make Chinese American children feel these emotions. I believe these factors contributed to why Ona, the Leong's middle daughter committed suicide.

Nice set up. In this paragraph, the writer discusses the pressures on Chinese American daughters, then the writer ends with a comment about that pressure and the daughter who committed suicide.

When Chinese immigrate to the United States, there are several factors that interfere with the maintenance of filial relations. First, there is the absence of structural and institutional support (Lin & Liu, 1993). In modern society, many unique structural features supporting filial piety are disappearing. Professional training displaces private property as a source of income. Modern society is innovative, and the elderly are hence rendered obsolete (Lin & Liu, 1993). A good example of this in the book was the issue of Leon needing to apply for social security. "He was holding off because he was still hoping to land that perfect job or find that perfect business" (Ng, 1997, p.55). Also, the older Leon got I think he felt the less he'd be needed and thus forgotten, like many of his friends.

The second half of the above paragraph had another good sequence with an outside quote followed by a Bone reference.

Another factor interfering with the maintenance of filial relations is the generational differences in the pace of assimilation (Lin & Liu, 1993). We saw the frustration and resentment Leila felt with her parents because they couldn't speak English which forced her to be their translators. Also, with Leila's job we saw how some of the children's parents didn't want to be involved with their child's education because "that's your job--in China, the teacher bears all responsibility" (Ng, 1997, p. 16).

Cultural differences between Chinese and American society, including the American emphasis on independence versus the Chinese value of interdependence is another interfering factor (Lin & Liu, 1993). In the United States, we place great emphasis on the importance of the individual and on the development of an independent, self-directed, self-motivated child. The situation is very different in China. Raising an independent child is not a major concern; more importance is given to establishing interdependent relations between the child and other members of the family (Stevenson, Chen & Lee, 1992). Contributing to this is the fact that the American population is highly mobile, making family stability difficult to maintain, which is a very important tradition in Chinese culture (Lin & Liu, 1993). In Bone, we immediately learn that the family is already separated because Nina, who is the youngest daughter, lives in New York. There are numerous reasons why Nina chose to live so far from her family in San Francisco. Chinese people in all environments place a high value on children and put great burdens and expectations on them (Fong & Wu, 1996). I think Nina wanted to detach herself emotionally and financially from her parents. Nina wanted to have her independence and escape the cultural between her and her parents, as well as wanting to escape her parents own problems, especially those stemming from her sister's death. Nina wanted to live her own life, the way she, not her parents, wanted to live it.

Another factor of modern society in America is that productivity is high and individuals, including the elderly, are no longer dependent on families for economic activity (Lin & Liu, 1993). This is also so because there is no family beyond the immediate family to depend on. Even though mutual help between generations still exists, especially in the working class, most parents do not expect their children to support them (Lin & Liu, 1993). This is apparent in Bone, as Mah had worked hard her whole life to support her family, including her husband after he moved out into the San Fran. This was one of the few things Mah didn't make Leila feel guilty about.

Another good sequence.

Conclusion/ References

In conclusion, because of reading Bone and researching and learning about information about Chinese culture, I feel educated and more empathetic toward the struggles any immigrant faces when trying to adjust their entire lives to live in America. I felt I could relate to Leila and the pressures she felt just by being the oldest daughter and how that automatically puts you in a specific role.The experience of writing this paper was enlightening and enjoyable.

Nice, personal ending paragraph. But that last sentence was a bit much.

Fong, R. & Wu, D.Y. (1996). Socialization Issues for Chinese American Children and Families. Journal of Social Work in Education, 18, 71-83.

Huang, L., & Ying, Y. (1990). Chinese Arnerican children and adolescents. In J. T. Gibbs, L. Huang, & Associates (Eds.), Children of Color: Psychological interventions with minority youth (pp. 30-66). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Lin, C. & Liu, W.T. (1993). Intergenerational Relationstips Among Chinese Immigrant Families From Taiwan. In H. P. McAdoo (Ed.), Family Ethnicity: Strength in Diversity (pp. 271-286). Newbury Park: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Ng, F.M. (1993). Bone. New York: Harper Collins.

Stevenson, H.W., Chen, C., & Lee, S. (1992). Chinese Families. In Roopnarine, J. L,. & Carter, D.B. (Eds.), Parent-Child Socialization in Diverse Cultures: Advances in Applied Developmentul Psychology (pp. 17-33). Norwood: Ablex Publishing Corporation.

U.S. Bureau ofthe Census. (1990). Statistical abstract of the United, States. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.

A very good reference list. Let's take stock of it. The writer remembered to include Bone. A journal article, VERY good. Important statistical information was obtained right from the source, census. And there were other chapters from edited books that are relatively recent. A good range of sources. This is ideal.

Questions and Comments

Submit questions or comments to the Bulletin "Questions" Forum or send private e-mail to me.

FACS150
February 8, 1999
California State University, Sacramento

Module : Papers and Presentations
Sample Paper #1 Refer to the course syllabus for the overall picture.
Overview	I have two sample papers from former students that have given me permission to use their work in this manner. Each of these papers have at least received an "A-". Notice how the two papers are based on the same novel, yet about very different topics. My comments are bolded after different interesting passages.
Cover Page/ Introduction:	Cultural Differences Between Chinese and American Society based on the book: Bone by Fae Myenne Ng FACS 150 Paper #4 Nice title page. I like that it has a real title and not, "Paper #1" Fae Myenne Ng's novel, Bone(1997) This paper didn't originally have the date. I especially look for the name of the author and the date anytime you make a citation. You must cite and place the book we are reading at the time in your reference section. , reveals the tensions between two generations of the Leong family. Told from the oldest daughter's standpoint, Leila shares her feelings that brings us into her life and into her family's life, which includes a lot of stressors and emotions. I believe the role of culture and socialization in the functioning of the Leong family played a big part in what caused the tension between them. Chinese culture provides a good example of the effect of social and environmental differences on human behavior (Fong & Wu, 1996). This first paragraph summarizes the book and introduces the topic being discussed in the paper. A very good introductory paragraph. The Chinese are one of the fastest growing non-European ethnic populations in the United States and represent the largest percentage of the Asian American population---22.6 percent (U.S. Bureau ofthe Census, 1990). It is difficult to provide a satisfactory characterization of Chinese families both because of the rapid changes that have occurred in Chinese society throughout the 20th century and because Chinese families do not fit into a single mold. (Stevenson, Chen & Lee, 1992). Chinese culture has been dominated by Confucianism, which emphasizes principles of interpersonal relationships. The most important is filial piety, which dictates how children behave toward parents, how younger people behave toward elders, and how the family members behave toward one another (Fong & Wu, 1996). The expectations set up by filial piety affect parent socialization of children. Good, quick intro into Chinese American culture.
The Body	The goals of socialization in the traditional Chinese orientation are somewhat different according to gender and sibling order (Fong & Wu, 1996). Having boys in the Chinese culture is considered a blessing and beneficial to the family name, however, being that the Leong family consisted of three girls, they were known as "a failed family" (ng, 1997, p. 22). When you have a quote, you need the author, date, and page #. The above couple sentences have a good sequence that I want to point out. Notice how first an outside reference is used to introduce the idea that gender and sibling order is important in Chinese American Families. Then the next sentence is a direct reference to a passage in the Bone that refers to the fact that there were only girl children. General goals of the socialization of children are to bring honor to the family name, to be respectful to the elder generation, and to be obedient and responsible to the parents' household (Fong & Wu, 1996). Daughters are socialized to be virtuous women and to marry well. These situations and pressures sometimes causes Chinese American children to experience frustration, alienation, and situations of self-doubt and low self-esteem (Huang & Ying, 1990). From the information regarding assimilation and acculturation that I have read, I can understand how the pressures can make Chinese American children feel these emotions. I believe these factors contributed to why Ona, the Leong's middle daughter committed suicide. Nice set up. In this paragraph, the writer discusses the pressures on Chinese American daughters, then the writer ends with a comment about that pressure and the daughter who committed suicide. When Chinese immigrate to the United States, there are several factors that interfere with the maintenance of filial relations. First, there is the absence of structural and institutional support (Lin & Liu, 1993). In modern society, many unique structural features supporting filial piety are disappearing. Professional training displaces private property as a source of income. Modern society is innovative, and the elderly are hence rendered obsolete (Lin & Liu, 1993). A good example of this in the book was the issue of Leon needing to apply for social security. "He was holding off because he was still hoping to land that perfect job or find that perfect business" (Ng, 1997, p.55). Also, the older Leon got I think he felt the less he'd be needed and thus forgotten, like many of his friends. The second half of the above paragraph had another good sequence with an outside quote followed by a Bone reference. Another factor interfering with the maintenance of filial relations is the generational differences in the pace of assimilation (Lin & Liu, 1993). We saw the frustration and resentment Leila felt with her parents because they couldn't speak English which forced her to be their translators. Also, with Leila's job we saw how some of the children's parents didn't want to be involved with their child's education because "that's your job--in China, the teacher bears all responsibility" (Ng, 1997, p. 16). Cultural differences between Chinese and American society, including the American emphasis on independence versus the Chinese value of interdependence is another interfering factor (Lin & Liu, 1993). In the United States, we place great emphasis on the importance of the individual and on the development of an independent, self-directed, self-motivated child. The situation is very different in China. Raising an independent child is not a major concern; more importance is given to establishing interdependent relations between the child and other members of the family (Stevenson, Chen & Lee, 1992). Contributing to this is the fact that the American population is highly mobile, making family stability difficult to maintain, which is a very important tradition in Chinese culture (Lin & Liu, 1993). In Bone, we immediately learn that the family is already separated because Nina, who is the youngest daughter, lives in New York. There are numerous reasons why Nina chose to live so far from her family in San Francisco. Chinese people in all environments place a high value on children and put great burdens and expectations on them (Fong & Wu, 1996). I think Nina wanted to detach herself emotionally and financially from her parents. Nina wanted to have her independence and escape the cultural between her and her parents, as well as wanting to escape her parents own problems, especially those stemming from her sister's death. Nina wanted to live her own life, the way she, not her parents, wanted to live it. Another factor of modern society in America is that productivity is high and individuals, including the elderly, are no longer dependent on families for economic activity (Lin & Liu, 1993). This is also so because there is no family beyond the immediate family to depend on. Even though mutual help between generations still exists, especially in the working class, most parents do not expect their children to support them (Lin & Liu, 1993). This is apparent in Bone, as Mah had worked hard her whole life to support her family, including her husband after he moved out into the San Fran. This was one of the few things Mah didn't make Leila feel guilty about. Another good sequence.
Conclusion/ References	In conclusion, because of reading Bone and researching and learning about information about Chinese culture, I feel educated and more empathetic toward the struggles any immigrant faces when trying to adjust their entire lives to live in America. I felt I could relate to Leila and the pressures she felt just by being the oldest daughter and how that automatically puts you in a specific role.The experience of writing this paper was enlightening and enjoyable. Nice, personal ending paragraph. But that last sentence was a bit much. Fong, R. & Wu, D.Y. (1996). Socialization Issues for Chinese American Children and Families. Journal of Social Work in Education, 18, 71-83. Huang, L., & Ying, Y. (1990). Chinese Arnerican children and adolescents. In J. T. Gibbs, L. Huang, & Associates (Eds.), Children of Color: Psychological interventions with minority youth (pp. 30-66). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Lin, C. & Liu, W.T. (1993). Intergenerational Relationstips Among Chinese Immigrant Families From Taiwan. In H. P. McAdoo (Ed.), Family Ethnicity: Strength in Diversity (pp. 271-286). Newbury Park: SAGE Publications, Inc. Ng, F.M. (1993). Bone. New York: Harper Collins. Stevenson, H.W., Chen, C., & Lee, S. (1992). Chinese Families. In Roopnarine, J. L,. & Carter, D.B. (Eds.), Parent-Child Socialization in Diverse Cultures: Advances in Applied Developmentul Psychology (pp. 17-33). Norwood: Ablex Publishing Corporation. U.S. Bureau ofthe Census. (1990). Statistical abstract of the United, States. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. A very good reference list. Let's take stock of it. The writer remembered to include Bone. A journal article, VERY good. Important statistical information was obtained right from the source, census. And there were other chapters from edited books that are relatively recent. A good range of sources. This is ideal.
Questions and Comments	Submit questions or comments to the Bulletin "Questions" Forum or send private e-mail to me.
FACS150	February 8, 1999 California State University, Sacramento