Understanding Cultural Differences

After reading all chapters that have been assigned through this week, after watching the movie “Gung Ho” (available through Youtube.com for rent), and after reading the Background section on p. 575 of your text, complete the discussion questions on pp. 575-576 in your text. NOTE*  The minimum length for this response has been increased significantly.

To complete a discussion appropriately, you will meet the following criteria:

1. Think of discussion boards as mini-essay papers. We want to keep them focused and integrated.
2. Choose points that you find interesting/important and elaborate on those points in your discussion.Do NOT describe or restate the content of the discussion reading or video.
3. A minimum response is 500 words. Discussion boards are an all or nothing assignment. If you get everything correct, you get full credit. If you do not fulfill each and all of the requirements, you will receive zero (0) credit for your work. 
4. Every initial response is required to include, minimum, two scholarly or peer-reviewed resources to support your response. Our library allows you to choose these settings to help you find appropriate research to support your work.
5. Do NOT use Wikipedia.com, wiki-anything, about.com, how.com, answers.com, blogs, or any other generic answer base, because you cannot verify the accuracy of the information on the website. Instead, search our extensive library databases to find articles that contain verified information to support your discussion. If you find a blog from a notable source, you can include that information, but the blog will not count as one of your scholarly references.
6. There are several articles and videos in Course Documents and Web Links that you can, and should, use as references to support your discussions.
7. Every response must be completed in APA style. That includes all citations, both in text and reference. This includes indented paragraphs, font size, and other particulars that you will find specified in the APA manual. You will find an example of a paper written in APA style in Course Materials. Also, the APA style manual is a supplemental text for this course. Discussion boards do not require cover pages, tables of content, and other front matter, and can be copied and pasted from a draft document, such that attachments are not necessary.
8. You must respond to, at least, two (2) other students in class in their discussion boards/threads as well as any questions and comments from the professor and other students. Your responses to others in their threads are due by end of day, Saturday, of the due week. Your responses to everyone in your discussion board is due by end of day, Sunday, of due week. You are required to actively communicate with other students in this class as well as the instructor.
9. The initial post for each week’s discussion board is due by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m., of every week that a discussion board is due.
10. Each discussion board is worth 40 points toward your final total points.
11. Technique counts, so be sure to proof read your posts for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other technical issues that can impact communication quality. If you are not a strong writer, you can contact the Writing Center for help toward improving your work.
12. I always suggest that students write their discussion board posts in Word or other word processing software rather than directly into Blackboard. This allows you to save your work and to make corrections before you post your work publicly. Blackboard has, regrettably, been known to eat some thoughtful and insightful responses simply because the response did not load correctly.
13. Below, you will see a checklist that will help you insure that your work meets graduate standards and decreases the likelihood that you will suffer oversights.