Lesson Report:
**Class Summary Report**
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**Title:** Preparing Thesis Proposals: Frameworks, Citations, and Rubric Review
**Synopsis:**
The focus of today’s lesson was to provide students with guidance and clarification for their upcoming thesis proposals, which are due the upcoming Tuesday. The session was dedicated to ensuring that students have the necessary sources, most importantly theoretical frameworks, historical background, and empirical research, to incorporate into their proposals and eventual theses. The lesson also reviewed best practices for citations and completed with a thorough walkthrough of the grading rubric for the thesis. Finally, students were encouraged to critically engage with their material and clearly demonstrate how their theoretical arguments would be used to analyze and explain their research topics.
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**Attendance:**
– **Present (In-person):** Elina, Danaya, Bobur, CBOB, Emrebek, Akhtar, Marked
– **Present (Online):** Hathasa, Mesra, Sana, Masiha, Farkunda
– **Absent:** Tuba (late arrival), Rashad, Assel, Sobir (absent during activity review), Hamdan (arrived late)
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**Topics Covered:**
1. **Reminder: Thesis Proposal Deadline**
– Reaffirmed that thesis proposals are due on **Tuesday** without the possibility of an extension, due to departmental regulations. This was reiterated several times throughout the session as a critical action point.
2. **Review of Three Source Types**
– Recap of the three essential types of sources required for the thesis proposals:
1. **Theoretical Frameworks:** Students were reminded that they need to incorporate theoretical frameworks throughout their thesis and not just mention them superficially. These frameworks must serve as a foundation to analyze their chosen topic.
2. **Historical Background:** Students were advised to set a clear historical scope with justified starting and ending points of their specified timeframes. It is vital for them to focus on a concise, meaningful historical narrative.
3. **Empirical/Recent Research:** Students were guided through ways to access the most recent data and scholarly consensus. An example was given of **Bobur’s project on Turkey and Uzbekistan**, detailing the use of empirical research to assess the Turkish AK Party’s foreign policy stance.
3. **In-Class Source Analysis Activity**
– Students engaged with their previously identified sources within their Google Drive folders. They were asked to answer specific questions for each source about the theoretical framework, its application, and how it could be used to explain their topic:
1. What is the main theoretical framework explored in this source?
2. How does the author use the theory to explore political phenomena?
3. How can this theory help the student’s personal exploration of their thesis topic?
4. **Group Review of Source Progress**
– **Bobur**: Presented his findings on neoclassical realism in Turkey’s foreign policy. The professor encouraged deeper analysis of defensive realism and its application to the 2015-present period, with focus on principles guiding Turkey’s actions.
– **Oktan**: Discussed integrating social movement theory with securitization theory to analyze pro-Palestinian protests in the U.S. Both theories were noted as key for explaining protest dynamics and securitization processes.
– **Tuba**: Explained offensive realism and regional security theory but needed more focus on applying these frameworks directly to Afghan-Central Asia relationships, particularly at the borders.
– Many students still had minimal progress documented in their shared Google Docs, prompting additional concern about lack of readiness for the upcoming deadline.
5. **Citations: Best Practices**
– Highlighted the misconception that students fully understand citations, as many tend to make recurring small mistakes that can affect the quality of their submissions. This brief segment covered common pitfalls of inaccurate citation and reinforced the importance of following citation guidelines meticulously.
6. **Thesis Proposal Grading Rubric**
– Walkthrough of the grading rubric for the proposal, emphasizing its importance as a guide to score the highest possible points. Students were encouraged to familiarize themselves with the rubric and align their proposals accordingly, available on the class e-course.
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**Actionable Items:**
1. **Thesis Proposal Deadline (High Urgency)**:
– Proposals due **Tuesday** without possibility of an extension. Students should focus on integrating correct theoretical frameworks, historical scope, and empirical data into their documents.
2. **Completion of Source Analysis (High Urgency)**:
– Several students’ Google Docs are incomplete or haven’t been updated since last week, causing concerns over the proposal quality. Students need to develop their analysis of theory and its application in their documents immediately.
3. **Follow-up on Citations (Medium Urgency)**:
– Despite the professor’s confidence in students knowing the citation process, the need for reviewing citation details will be important to avoid recurring mistakes. A brief citation workshop or supplementary material on common citation errors might be necessary.
4. **Rubric Review (Medium to Low Urgency)**:
– Students are advised to re-read the grading rubric on the e-course to ensure their proposals meet all the requirements listed. No need for extensive action if the rubric is consulted alongside proposal completion.
5. **Class Follow-Up – Borderline Projects (Medium Urgency)**:
– Projects like **Tuba’s** still require better linkage between chosen theories and real-world examples. Individual feedback or additional time to work on connecting theory to topic will be crucial before submission.
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This class was primarily focused on ensuring preparedness for the fast-approaching thesis submission deadline, emphasizing timely completion while addressing theoretical clarity.
Homework Instructions:
NO HOMEWORK
No concrete homework was assigned during this lesson. The professor explicitly mentioned preparing the students for their thesis proposals during class time and working with materials collectively throughout the session. The line, “I know that I had mentioned at the very end of class that I was going to structure this homework assignment. I realized afterwards that it’s just going to be more effective if we do it in class,” confirms that what could have been a homework assignment was completed in class instead.