Why is Critical Pacific Islands & Oceania Studies important for everybody to know, not just Native Hawaiians & Pacific Islanders?

Academic Blog Post 

Length: at least 800 words (not including references) 

What Makes a Strong Blog Post?

• Funny or interesting title 

• An initial paradox, controversy, anecdote 

• Common, typical experience as evidence, with some insightful, unusual twist

• Credible evidence supporting your claims, with links to journal articles and other sources 

• Relevant photos/video clips/visual images of data 

• Evidence provided tactfully and without suffocating your own argument 

• Your VOICE: a unique argument building upon your perspective 

• A clear position and perspective

• Organized logic (between paragraphs and within paragraphs) 

• Active voice, concise sentences 

• Clear, well-edited writing

What Do I Do? 

Answer the prompt: Why is Critical Pacific Islands & Oceania Studies important for everybody to know, not just Native Hawaiians & Pacific Islanders? In other words, what significance does this field have to you (personally) & your studies (academically), and/or to other people like your family, friends, or colleagues at CSUB? 

1. Your academic blog must address the prompt above. How? You must write about the connections from any 2 “key concepts” we’ve studied (and cite at least 2 different readings from the class that talk about those key concepts), with the “modern world” in a way that demonstrates its relevance to the modern reader. 

1. Pick two different key concepts to write about. Make sure you cite at least 2 different readings from class to talk about those key concepts. 

2. For example, you can write about the connections to contemporary issues of (in)justice happening in the world, or pop culture, TV, film, books you’re reading in your other classes, social media, news, etc. 

3. As you’re writing, don’t think about me, but think about why should your reader (who has never taken this class or knows nothing about CPIOS) care about what you’re writing about? 

4. Closely read and carefully discuss the 2 “key concepts” and the 2 different readings that talk about those key concepts. 

1. You must include 3 different pieces of multimedia intentionally and thoughtfully. Any pictures, video clips/links, memes, etc., need to be on topic, integrated into your post. Make sure the multimedia files you are using are not copyrighted. Include photo captions when necessary to identify subject matter and/or cite the course/owner of the image. 

1. Include a works cited section written in APA format at the end of your blog post (This is where you’ll include the 2 readings from class as well as any other relevant multimedia sources). One advantage of digital formats is that you can insert links to other online academic resources anywhere in your post

Sample Blog Posts 

• Student sample: Megan Kollitz, “Islamaphobic Rhetoric in Chaucer: Not Just ‘A Thing of the Past'” 

• Student sample: Natalie Weber, “Teaching the Canterbury Tales in the Alt-Right Era”