Biocultural Analysis

Preparation
This research paper is due in the last week of the course. Be sure to read the instructions now so that you will know what to expect and have plenty of time to ask questions. Students who submit a rough draft of the assignment early will receive preliminary feedback from the course SIA. Contact the course SIA for details and feedback deadlines.

Goal
Explore biocultural aspects of humanity through an analysis of your chosen movie, series episode(s), book, or graphic novel.

Instructions
Students will analyze the biocultural component(s) of a story of their choosing (suggestions provided below) in a 4-5 page paper (1000-1250 words) comprised of the sections outlined below. You do not need to follow APA structuring rules for a research paper (APA applies only to the References), but you should include an introductory and concluding paragraph, as well as section headers. Please download and use the Biocultural Analysis TemplatePreview the document in its current format for your paper. This assignment has a grading rubric to help guide you.

Media summary:
Who are the main characters, what is the setting/context, is there an important backstory, and are there any key cultural or technological parameters? What significant events occur in the story?
This section should be limited to half or less of your paper. This assignment is a critical analysis of a biocultural phenomenon(s), not a book/movie report.
Biocultural phenomenon explored in the story:
The story chosen should have an underlying moral or running theme that explores a biocultural phenomenon of humanity. Biological components may be physical or mental, microevolutionary or macroevolutionary. Cultural components may be prehistorical, historical, contemporary, or hypothetical. This section should define the term biocultural, and go into detail explaining how these biological and cultural factors are interconnected.
Real world implications:
What does the story have to say about the human condition in the present and near future? What lessons or warnings might be gleaned from its content? Are there any current or recent events which might give the original intent of the story new or amplified meaning? Support your conclusions with credible sources.
Evaluating Sources for Credibility (Links to an external site.)

Point Values
Formatting and use of required template: 10 points
Introduction: 5 points
Media summary: 15 points
Biocultural phenomenon: 30 points
Real world implications: 25 points
Conclusion: 5 points
References: 10 points
Word count: Up to 15 points off for each page short of the minimum
Suggested Media
Here is a short list of some of my favorite stories which have biocultural components. You do not have to adhere to this list, nor does your story have to be science fiction in nature (I just happen to love science fiction).

Movies:
Soylent Green (1973) – What does the other side of global warming look like?
Logan’s Run (1976) – What happens when you regulate society’s reproduction and death?
Gattica (1997) – What happens when society develops a class of genetically modified elites?
Idiocracy (2006) – Are we evolving to become less intelligent?
Enemy Mine (1985) – Is it biological or cultural differences that separate us?
The Congress (2013) – What happens when digital imagery replaces people and drugs replace reality?
Elysium (2013) – What happens to humanity when the gap between the rich and the poor is amplified?
Sleep Dealer (2008, Spanish) – What happens when we can get our human labor virtually?
Oblivion (2013) – How do we know our understanding of reality is real?
Avatar (2009) – What happens when we discover a new people?
Total Recall (1990) – What might a Mars colony look like?
Wall-E (2008) – What happens to humanity when the planet is completely trashed?
Chappie (2015) – Is the human condition unique to humanity?
Warm Bodies (2013) – Can desire or despair determine our fate?
TV or Web Series:
Black Mirror (Netflix) – Amplifies contemporary culture in stand alone episodes.
The 100 (CW) – Envisions a post-nuclear war society.
Star Trek (Original or The Next Generation Series) – Examines moral, cultural, and technological issues of humanity.
The Walking Dead (AMC) – Explores the line between civility and savageness.
Humans (AMC) – Examines discrimination, consciousness, and what it means to be human in a world with human-like androids.
Books
Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth’s Children Series), by Jean M. Auel – Envisions life in ice age Europe.
The Eye of Minds (Mortality Doctrine Series), by James Dashner – Envisions a future where humans spend more time in a virtual reality the in the the real world.
Divergent Series, by Veronica Roth – Explores whether or not we can we segregate, compartmentalize, and control humanity’s personalities.
Next, by Michael Crichton – Considers the ramifications of genetic technology.
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams – Examines humanity from an otherworldly perspective.
1984, by George Orwell – Considers the human condition in a hyper-controlled world.
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury – Explores the consequences of a society where information is completely controlled by the government.
Graphic Novels
Bitch Planet, by Wilson, Peter, and Cowels – Envisions a future where women are banished to another planet for noncompliant behavior.
March, by Lewis, Aydin, and Powell – Tells the story of the civil rights movement from Senator John Lewis’ perspective.
Formatting Requirements
All assignments must be double spaced, Arial 11-point font, 1 inch margins, and submitted in .doc, .docx, or .pdf file formats. Completing assignments on smart phone or tablet devices is not recommended as this may cause formatting issues. If you do not have access to a computer at home, you may access the computers in the GWC or Public Libraries. Don’t forget to put your name, the date, the course, and title including the assignment number. Be sure to edit (Links to an external site.) and spellcheck your work!

Reference Requirements
You must cite sources used in a References section at the end of your assignment. This should include the course textbook (to support the terminology used in your analysis), the story being analyzed, and whatever sources you use to support your real world implications (e.g., news publications, recent scientific journal articles, etc.). Follow the citation guidelines outlined in the APA Style Guide (Links to an external site.) (note that APA formatting applies only to the References section; you do not need to include a Title Page or Abstract). In-text citations are not required unless a direct quote or close paraphrase is used.

Need Microsoft Word?
GWC students have free access to Microsoft Word (Links to an external site.). If you need assistance downloading this packet, please contact the GWC Help Desk at 714-895-8389. If you do not have access to a reliable computer, use a GWC or Public Library computer.

Paraphrasing and Plagiarism Notice
Assignments will be analyzed by the TurnItIn plagiarism checker. You must write in your own words, and use quotes sparingly, if at all. Plagiarized assignments will be given a 0 and reported to the college. If you need help paraphrasing or writing assignments, please contact the GWC Writing & Reading Center (Links to an external site.) or visit plagiarism.org (Links to an external site.).