Greetings, 2008-ers, to the land of Intro to Folklore II!

For those who missed the class and thus the question when asked, you can find it here: I am presuming that you, or a loved one, died or nearly died, otherwise you would certainly have been in class.

Identify something that you do that is 'traditional' (and, explain what it is that makes it 'traditional').

Read Chapter 10 of the Introduction for next class (Wilson's "Documenting Folklore"). Today was another fun-time cavalcade of figuring out what this crazy thing called folklore is.

Feel free, while (if) you're here, to snoop around and look at some of the things from last year: it may give a sense about where the class is going, for those who are still frightened by all the rambling.

HERE IT IS: The Final Cheat Sheet (not the last cheat sheet, implying ones previous: rather, the cheat sheet for the final. Capice?)

Reminder:

The final is set for April 20th, from 9:00 until 12:00, in room CE-261 (that's the big classroom in the corridor off of the Great Hall). I have two other times available, both on the 10th: 9:00 until 12:00, and 2:00 until 5:00. You must let me know by April 9th if you want to write in one of these time periods.

Follow this link to a pdf of a cheat sheet: it explains the format and gives you guidelines for how to study, but (oh, how can I reiterate this enough) it is not a substitute for regular attendance and doing the readings.

And here's even more basic guidelines:

• write in pen (blue or black) if possible: I don't read things you cross out, so you don't need to erase anything, so you don't need pencil, so there;
• double space, unless your writing is particularly neat: I will do something good for the environment later to compensate, I promise;
• bring extra pens;
• bring cough suppressants that aren't in crinkly packaging;
• bring a bottle of water;
• be on time;
• pee beforehand.

As a general rule, people can be late, but no one is allowed in after the first person leaves.

Lastly, you may bring a translation dictionary, but you should remember that for definition questions you are expected to provide an explanation of how a folklorist uses the term. (That is to say, they will help for the essay component, but not really for the short answer component.)

Material Culture is alive and well and living in Pleasant Bay

Pleasant Bay, Katie Grist, March 2007

Revised date for final asignment

Because I am so awesome, and although you do not deserve me, I have extended the deadline for the final assignment to absolutely, positively, without a doubt, crossing the line of death should it be violated, categorically, unquestionably, definitely, poke a needle in my eye should I lie, NO LATER than Midnight, Atlantic Standard Time, April 10th, 2007. There is a heapin' mess of you little ingrates this year, and I need time to plow though them all.

Those of you who submit later will be confined to the fiery pits of hell.

• Printers can not have run out of toner...
• Disks/jump drives can not be 'I dunno, something just happened'-ed...
• People cannot not be available for interviews...
• Stores can not be out of paper...
• Ankles can not be twisted...
• Grandparents can not die...

And so forth.

As always, there are three acceptable delivery methods:

1. Putting it right in my hot little hands
2. E-mailing it to me as an attachment (in something sensible like Microsoft Word or WordPerfect, preferably not Works or something crappy like that, and definitely nothing bizarro other-world like WordStar or PageMaker)
3. Slipping it under my door in a large envelope

You are all grown-ups, so I won't insult you by telling you to make sure your name is on it. but you know i want to

This is it: the final question of the week

... and oh what a question it be!

Give me a short question for the final exam. And give me the answer to it.

While not every question will be used, you may be able to give yourself a leg up with a question that (a) is based on readings and/or class discussions, (b) is challenging enough that it isn't a freebie, and (c) is easy enough that it doesn't require a photographic memory to answer it.

Not that I'm whining, but it is rather difficult setting an examination, and short answer questions are more difficult to write than the questions for essays, both because they are specific and because you have to think of so many of them. The general effect I am looking for is that, when you first pick up the exam paper and read each question, you should say to yourself "Right, I should know this." It falls between "This question is an insult to my intelligence," and "Who does he think I am, Alan Dundes?" (Note: When you have studied, you will find this joke frickin' hilarious.)

And, lest you think me soft, I won't post your responses to the blog until after the exam.