Project Comps

The Project Comps option, which may be undertaken individually or collaboratively, offers a multidisciplinary opportunity for the Senior Integrative Exercise, allowing students to integrate their work as English majors with areas of expertise in another field. The aim of Project Comps is to produce original work of significant critical, analytical, and/or aesthetic interest through a synthesis of the literary history and critical analysis typical of the English major and work in music, science, digital or visual arts, performance, computer science, or other fields.  Arguably the Project Comps options is the most difficult because it involves logistical requirements, a degree of synthesis of literary interpretation with other media, and a level of independence that are more challenging than the demands of other options.

A. Prerequisites for Project Comps include:

1. The student must have attained all necessary theoretical, technical, and artistic skills and background from coursework in and beyond the English department and relevant experiences outside of coursework;

2. The student must have a conversation with an English department faculty member (and with other faculty if relevant) during Spring term of the Junior year to discuss the project under consideration, its appropriateness, feasibility and logistics.

B. In Fall of the Senior year, students must submit a written proposal consisting of:

1.      A completed English Department Project Comps Proposal Form (downloaded from the web).

2.      A one-paragraph summary (Abstract) of the project and how it will be completed, included on the proposal form.

3.      A detailed description of the project, the goals associated with it, its feasibility and logistics:

a.       What are its goals?

b.      What finished product do you envision?

c.       What methods and materials will you use and how will you access these?

d.      What timetable have you laid out?

e.       For projects involving visual and material art objects, the description should offer a specific account of the nature of such objects, their material features, and plans for exhibiting them.

f.       For performance projects, the description should offer a specific account of the nature of the performance, its specific features, and plans for production (who, where, how – you need to have set a schedule and made appropriate reservations of space).

4.      A persuasive case for the project’s appropriateness as a Senior integrative exercise in the English major, demonstrating that you have thought deeply and thoroughly about the work proposed, showing that you have adequate preparation for it, and revealing how the proposed project is related to specific literary, critical, or theoretical questions encountered in the English major.  How will it demonstrate your literary interpretive skills? Why is this the best form in which to offer your interpretation?

5.      An annotated bibliography of relevant materials (primary and secondary) indicating which of them you have already consulted and which you intend to consult, to demonstrate mastery of relevant criticism and to indicate where you expect your project to fit in the interpretive literature.

The proposal should be about five pages long, excluding the abstract and the bibliography.  Do not put your name on the proposal itself but only on a cover sheet that includes your name and the title of your Project, as proposals will be read anonymously.  Students may be asked to revise their proposals.

C.  The Final Project will consist of the following:

    1. The finished work, publicly shared in winter term;

    2. An interpretive essay of 10-15 pages that places the project in relevant critical or literary historical contexts, linking it to issues, authors, genres, and/or theoretical questions engaged in the curriculum of the English major, including a bibliography of literary works consulted;

    3. A post-performance or -exhibition public presentation about the work at the English Comps Symposium in the spring term.

NB:  For collaborative projects involving the vision and labor of more than one student, each person involved must submit an individual proposal and interpretive essay.  Where appropriate, certain aspects of any proposal for a collaborative project may be shared among all proposals for that project, but each student involved in such a project must write an individual interpretive essay.

CALENDAR & DEADLINES 

JUNIOR YEAR

Spring Term: 
           Conversations with English department faculty and maybe others about the project to be proposed in the Fall.

SENIOR YEAR

Fall Term: 

         Noon, October 1, 2012 (beginning of 4^th week):  Proposals due: an electronic copy emailed to <emckinse@carleton.edu> and a paper copy left in Laird 208. These will be read anonymously so do not put your name on the proposal itself but only on a cover sheet with name of project as well.  Revisions of the proposal may be required.

        Later in Fall Term: Students will be assigned an advisor and are required to meet with the advisor before leaving for winter break.

Winter Term: 

          January 17^th (Thursday after 2 weeks of classes):  10-page project report due to advisor, including sketches, portion of script, or whatever best represents progress on the particular project at this time.            

          February 13^th (Wednesday of 6^th week):  Partial draft of the interpretive essay due to advisor.

         Monday, March 11, 2013 (last day of classes):  Final project (i.e., performance or exhibition) must be completed and an interpretive essay is due in the English office by 5 p.m. (2 copies).

Spring Term: 

           Students receive evaluations of their work.  Revisions, if required, due at noon on April 29, 2013 (the beginning of 5th week). 

          Saturday, May 11, 2013:  Each student will give a public presentation at the English Comps Symposium. 

                                                                                    5/23/12 for 2012-2013