G30 Spring AY2022

First Year Seminar B
Undergraduate / Graduate

Undergraduate

Registration Code0051521

Course Category

Basic GE, 1Y Seminar

Credits

2.0

Term (Semester) / Day / Period

G-II (1st year, Spring Semester) / Mon. / 5 (16:30～18:00)

Instructor

OGAWA Shota

Contact e-mail of the Instructor
sogawa@nagoya-u.jp●T e e of irst ear Se inar
This course introduces students to contemporary topics in cinema studies, notably at the intersection ofglobalization, cinema, and cultural criticism. Through exercises, discussions, and essays, the course will also
assist students to improve their skills in writing, reading, and speaking in academic contexts (in thehumanities), and to foster critical communication skills (which include the skills to ask hard questions and toexpress disagreement). By the end of the course, students will have acquired the skills and the habit of “closereading” films (primary source) as well as critical essays (secondary source). The course assigns two sets ofreading materials (on methodology and on assigned films). Students are expected to take notes during film
screenings, and to prepare for each class with discussion questions.
●Goals of the Course
Students in this class will develop basic skills in academic composition, critical reading, and exchanging ideas
with their peers through a diverse set of assignments such as short essays, critical reports, presentations, andreading responses (annotated bibliography).
●Objectives of the Course
This course offers a practice ground for students to turn embodied, personal, immediate aesthetic experiences
into structured academic writings and presentations. Written assignments include a review article, a criticalessay, and a term paper.
●Course Content or Plan
Week 1: Course Orientation
Week 2: Reading Movies
Week 3: Movies as Primary Sources / film viewing
Week 4: Discuss: Themes and Narratives / Movie Review due / Library Orientation Presentation
Week 5: Reading Movies through a Global Lens / film viewing
Week 6: Discuss: Mise-en-scene / Critical Essay due
Week 7: Scene Analysis / film viewing
Week 8: Student Presentation
Week 9: Contemporary filmmakers
Week 10: Finding Sources / Proposal due
Week 11: Summarizing Sources/ film viewing
Week 12: Discuss: POV / Annotated bibliography due
Week 13: Exploring and Condensing Arguments / film viewing
Week 14: Peer Review
Week 15: Final Presentations / Term paper due●Course Prerequisites and Related Courses
Basic Seminar A●Course Evaluation Method and Criteria
The final grade for the course will be determined by the accumulated points in the following categories:
attendance and discussion participation 30%; Paper 1 (Movie Review) 10%; Paper 2 (Critical Essay)
15%; Presentation 1 10%; Presentation 2 10%; Annotated Bibliography 5%; Final Paper 20%.
Letter grade conversion: 94-100=A+; 80-93=A; 70-79=B; 60-69=C; 0-59=F

G30 Spring AY2022
Students need to notify the instructor in order to withdraw from the course. Being absent from more than 5class meetings (including film viewing sessions) or receiving an overall evaluation of 59% or lower will resultin a “F” grade unless you withdraw with a notification.
●Study Load (Self-directed Learning Outside Course Hours)
In addition to the class duration (90 minutes), students should expect to spend an average of three hours oncovering assigned readings, taking notes, finishing any outstanding viewing exercises, and completing
assignments.
●How to Respond to Questions
Students are encouraged to email the instructor and the TA for any questions. Most questions will be answeredin emails within three days.
There is no single textbook for this course. Students will be given a list of readings
Textbookmaterials in the first week of class.
Reference Book

Each student will build a list of reference books throughout the course.