Interview Process

For this interview, I would like to know the culture of different countries. I like travelling and I have already been to several countries. The interview is a good chance to know the custom of different culture before I travel. The landscape and the food is the things which interests me most. The other objective is that this interview can narrow the gap between the students in this class since we have not enough time to communicate with each other. We can know each other better after the interview.

1. Write objective list of the interview.
2. Write all the questions which may be asked in the interview on a paper.
3. Pick out the core questions
4. Range the questions from the most inportant to the least important.
5. Talk to students in the classroom.
6. Choose people to interview and explain what I need from them.
7. Let the people to have a look the question paper to see whether they agree to be interviewed.
8. Discuss the time and place of the interview.
9. Exchange the contact information.
10. Reserve a room in Media Center.
11. Prepare a recorder to record the converstion during the interview.
12.Check the recorder whether it can run or not.
13. Making a phone call to confirm the interview in case of emergency.
14. Review the question paper again to make sure I am familiar with the questions.
15. Go to the preplanned room a little earlier to show sincerity and test the equipments again.
16. Start the interview when the interviewee is coming.
17. Turn on the recorder.
18. Ask questions slowly and be patient to let the interviewee think for a while.
19. Transcribe the interview.
20. Turn off the recorder when the interview ends and thanks for the interviewee.
21. Listen to the recorder again and finish the report.
22.Post the interview transcript and country report on my blog.

Prioritized Core Interview Questions

1. What kind of government is in charge of your home country, how did it affect your life and how has democracy in America been a change?
2.Can you describe a typical day for a child in your country?
3. What religious holidays or other cultural events do you or others celebrate; can you explain your traditions for each?
4 Do you have any daily rituals in regards to your religious beliefs?
5. What are the typical greetings in your culture and what do they mean?
6. What different modes of transportation are used in your country?
7. Which country`s food do you like the most? What are the similarities and differences between it and your own culture`s food?
8.  How would you describe famous sports in your country?
9.  At what age do you start school? Are you under a lot of stress in school?
 10. Could you tell me a secret about yourself that very few people here know about and that shows us well, who you are and what you stand for?
 11. What could SCSU do to make your stay on campus better?  

Library Research Assistance

APA Style   here


Chicago Style here


MLA Style


MLA style is a commonly used citation and formatting style established by the Modern Language Association. It is typically used in humanities disciplines.

General Format

• Type on white 8.5” x 11” paper

•  Double-space everything

• Use 12 pt. Times New Roman font (or similar font)

•  Leave only one space after punctuation

• Set all margins to 1 inch on all sides

• Indent the first line of paragraphs one half-inch

• Header with page numbers in the upper right corner

• Use italics for title

•  Endnotes go on a separate page before your Works Cited page

Formatting the 1st Page

• No title page

• Double space everything

• In the upper left corner of the 1st page, list your name, your instructor's name, the course, and date

• Center the paper title (use standard caps but no underlining, italics, quote, or bold)

• Create a header in the upper right corner at half inch from the top and one inch from the right of thepage (include your last name and page number)

Formatting Section Headings

• Headings are generally optional
• Headings in essays should be numbered
• Headings should be consistent in grammar and formatting but are otherwise up to you

In-Text Citations: the Basics

• MLA uses parenthetical citations
• Parenthetical citations depend on the medium (e.g. Print, Web, DVD)
•  Parenthetical citations also depend on the source’s entry on the Works Cited page
•  Signal word in the text is the first thing in the corresponding entry on the Works Cited page

Here is a way that how to add and omit words

In-text Example for Adding Words:

Jan Harold Brunvand, in an essay on urban legends, states: "some individuals [who retell urban legends] make a point of learning every rumor or tale" (78).

In-text example for Omitting Words:

In an essay on urban legends, Jan Harold Brunvand notes that "some individuals make a point of learning every recent rumor or tale . . . and in a short time a lively exchange of details occurs" (78).

11 core questions

1. What kind of government is in charge of your home country, how did it affect your life and how has democracy in America been a change?

- The Communist Party is in charge of China. There is only one political party in China. So almost everything in China is decided by the Communist Party. I am envious of the democracy. People in USA can decide event together while everything is controlled by the Communist Party. 

2.Can you describe a typical day for a child in your country?

-   Students in China are all under a lot of stress. There are too many people in China which let students try to do better than others to get a good job. Student may get up at 6:30 and they have to reach school at 7:30. The class is over at 4:30. After supper, they need to do the homework for about 3-4 hours, then they go to sleep. The typical day is simple but busy and boring.

3. What religious holidays or other cultural events do you or others celebrate; can you explain your traditions for each?

-    Chinese celebrate Chinese New year by letting off fireworks, visiting relatives and eating spring rolls. Chinese celebrate Mid-autumn festival by watching full moon and having mooncakes. Chinese celebrate Lantern Festival to having dumplings with family. Chinese celebrate Dragon Boat Festival by racing dragon bosts and having zongzi. Chinese celebrate the Double Ninth Festival by climbing mountains and having double ninth cakes.
 
4 Do you have any daily rituals in regards to your religious beliefs?

-    I do not have any  religious beliefs. 

5. What are the typical greetings in your culture and what do they mean?

-   In China, people usually shake hands when they meet. Shaking hands is the most common way of greeting.  In order to show special respect, such as to elderly people or government officials, a slight bow might be given. The elderly people may pat the children's shoulder or cheek to show their affection. 

6. What different modes of transportation are used in your country?

 - In China, bicycle used to be the most popular mode of transportation. Nowadays, there are more and more cars which makes the transportation be very crowded. Many people choose subway because it's fast and people can control the time how long they may take. Motor bike, electromobile, bus and magnetic suspension are also be used.


7. Which country`s food do you like the most? What are the similarities and differences between it and your own culture`s food?

-  I like Japanese food best. Chinese food and Japanese food are similar because of the similar culture background.    The staple food are both rice. The major difference is Japanese food has fresh sashimi while most Chinese food is cooked before eating.  Japanese food is very exquisite and delicious. This is why I like it.

8.  How would you describe famous sports in your country?

-    In China, table-tennis may be the most famous and popular sports. Each sports facility may have a table-tennis room. Elderly people and children all play it. I trained for table-tennis for 7 years. I sometimes play it now when I am free. My father is also good at it. We often play it together.

9.  At what age do you start school? Are you under a lot of stress in school??

-    I started school when I was eight years old. Students in China are all under a lot of stress. There are too many people in China which let students try to do better than others to get a good job. Students do a lot of homework every day. They may have extra homeword given by their parents. They do not even have much time to have a rest during the weekend.

10. Could you tell me a secret about yourself that very few people here know about and that shows us well, who you are and what you stand for?

-   I always feel lucky about myself. My grandpa is an orphan. He was abandoned on the street when he was a baby. He was raised by a kind couple. If no one helped him, I may not come to this world. 


 11. What could SCSU do to make your stay on campus better?

-  I prefer a dormitory having a large room. The dormitory on campus is small as far as I am concerned. The Internet is not very stable. Sometimes, the computer can not even be connected to the Internet. There is only one kitchen on each floor which makes it very crowded at the meal time. It's a little bit unconvenient.
 

Priority List

Background/Upbringing/Family

1. Where did you grow up?
2. Were your parents strict to you since you were a child? 
3. Did you have pets growing up? Were they considered part of your family?
4. What was your favorite thing to do as a child?
5. What is a typical day like?
6. What is the typical family size in your country?
7. Who is the decision maker in the family?
8. How many people lived in your household? Who were they all; immediate, extended?
9. Who is the responsible for the family income? Is it the father, mother, or every own on their own?
10. Do your parents still give you economic support when you are over 18?
11. Do adults live with their parents after they get married?
12. What is the average age a person gets married?

Three questions

Family/backgroud information

1.       How many people lived in your household? Who were they all; immediate, extended?

2.       Who is the responsible for the family income? Is it the father, mother, or every own on their own?

3.       Do your parents still give you economic support when you are over 18?

Process for Writing a Summary

The topic I chose was how to write a good summary. Though this is my second semester, I have already been asked to write summaries for many times. As an international student, it's a little difficult for me to catch the main idea and summarize a long article into a few words. LEO helped me solve this problem.


1. Read the article carefully with no notes and marks at the first time.


2. After you finish reading, write down in one sentence the point that is made about the subject. Then look for the writer's thesis and underline it. 


3. Underline the major points supporting the thesis and key transitional elements which show how parts are connected.


4. Begin writing your summary. Start with a sentence naming the writer and article title and stating the essay's main idea.


5. Conclude with a final statement reflecting the significance of the article. 

6. Read your summary and check for accuracy. 

7. Correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors 

Interview questions (raw)

Family
1. How many people are there in your family? (live togrther)
2.What's the average number of kids in your homecountry?
3. Mostly, who makes the final decision?


Food
1. What's the most popular food in your country?
2. What's your favourite food?
3.Does the food in your country mostly be imported or be grown locally?


Education
1. Do the students have much pressure when they are in primary school and secondary school?
2. What's the proportion of people who can enter university?
3. Does your country require a high education to look for a job?
4. How many grades are required to take for students?
5. Does the education cost a lot in your country?


Sports
1. What's the most popular sports in your country?
2. Are there enough  public sports facilities for people in your country?