1. Wealth and Poverty (the gap between the rich and the poor, class structure, redistribution measures and policies, microcredit, sustainable development, etc.)
Objectives of the SWIM Cross-cultural Portfolio
Efrei Paris students are required to study or undertake work experience overseas through the SWIM program (Study or Work International Mobility). In light of the travel restrictions linked to the Coronavirus pandemic, all M2 students (promo 2022) who have not yet completed an international mobility experience exceptionally have the opportunity to validate their SWIM this year by completing a cross-cultural portfolio.
The aim of the SWIM cross-cultural portfolio is to develop and demonstrate your cross-cultural awareness and understanding by reflecting on, preparing for and writing about your own cultural identity as well as the cultural identity of others.
As the Russian writer Tzvetan Todorov puts it, cross-cultural analysis and awareness function like a mirror of oneself in so far as: “It is by becoming aware of yourself that you can understand others. Cross-cultural encounters teach us the simple lesson that if you ignore yourself, you will never get to know others and that understanding others and understanding one’s self is the same thing.”
As an Efrei Paris student, you have had the opportunity to study abroad at least once – an experience which will have helped you gain in maturity, self-reliance and self-awareness. We hope that this cross-cultural portfolio will also be a fruitful and enjoyable exercise.
Ultimately, your SWIM cross-cultural portfolio will enable you to:
- Acquire cultural knowledge of different aspects of two countries (geographical, political, economic, cultural, ). One country will be assigned by the Direction des Relations Internationales. You are free to choose the second country.
- Understand the cultural worldview of two cultures
- Compare how these two societies are organized and how their value systems differ
- Analyze comparable aspects of these two cultures
Summary of Portfolio Contents
All articles and visual documents must be in English and the report needs to be written entirely in English.
You will need to find 10 documents in total: 4 visual documents (for example, photos, cartoons, paintings, drawings, posters or advertisements) and 6 different articles in English of between 1-3 pages (sourced from newspapers, blogs, journals, etc.). The visual documents and articles must be included in the body of the report. Please do not provide links.
Your report will need to include:
- A portfolio cover page
- A color copy of 4 visual documents
- Visual commentary (6-8 pages)
- A copy of 3 articles for the article synthesis
- Article synthesis (6-8 pages) of the articles selected for the article synthesis
- A copy of 3 different articles for three article summaries and an argumentative essay
- Three summarized articles as mentioned in point 6 (the word count allowed for each text is 20% of the total number of words of each text, list the word count of the original article and the summary)
- Argumentative essay (8-10 pages) incorporating quotes and ideas from the articles selected for the argumentative essay
- Bibliography
Portfolio Layout Specifications
- The portfolio must contain a cover page with your full name, year group, the title of your subject, the Efrei logo, an illustration (for example, a photo) and the department (International Relations and Language Department) and the date
- The pages must be numbered
- A contents page is to be included
- Type size: 12pt
- Font: Times New Roman
- Lines to be double-spaced
Step-by-step Instructions for Constituting the Portfolio
Please note: Any plagiarism from the internet, books or other students/ex-students results in 0/20 (c.f. règlement des études)
- Select two countries: One country will be assigned by the Direction des Relations Internationales. You must write about this country. You are free to choose the second country. Do some research on countries that interest you in order to gain general knowledge and understanding. Select a country that is relevant to your
- Choose a theme: Look at the list of themes in Appendix A and choose a theme that interests
- Define a subject: Based on your preliminary research, define a specific subject related to your theme, to the countries and to the cultures you are We encourage you to define a subject which is controversial or at least debatable. In any case, you absolutely need to define a subject which lends itself to opposing viewpoints. Make sure it is not too general.
- Select visual documents for an analytical commentary: For each country find two visual documents (photos, cartoons, paintings, drawings, posters, advertisements, etc.) which are relevant to your countries, theme and Make sure you choose visual documents that are sufficiently rich in cultural content to enable you to produce an interesting commentary. Make sure all text connected with visuals is in English. All of the images should have common points which will enable you to compare and contrast them. Be aware also that images have different levels of complexity in terms of the message being delivered, consciously or unconsciously by the author. Some images are rather poor in terms of cultural content, for example a simple portrait of a public figure versus a caricature or an artistic representation of this figure. Remember that when you produce your visual commentary, the images you choose must lend themselves to two levels of analysis: first, you will need to describe literally what is on the image, and then, secondly, you must analyze the intentions of the creator of the image or the social, cultural, or political message that is being conveyed by the image. When you choose your visuals, avoid images that would not be culturally complex enough, and therefore would not help you to produce a rich and interesting analysis. For instance, if you intend to analyze the impact of Nelson Mandela on South African culture, it would be more appropriate to choose a mural depicting Mandela on the wall of a township, than a simple portrait of him published in the press. In another example, it would be more interesting for your commentary to choose a caricature of President Trump, rather than a photo of him taken at a press conference.
- Write an analytical commentary of your visual sources: In this analytical commentary, you will need to describe, compare and contrast the visual documents. You must also argue their relevance to your theme and subject, analyze their specific cultural component and explain how each one enriches the viewer’s cross-cultural vision of the The analytical commentary must contain evidence of critical analysis and be well
organized. Avoid analyzing the visuals one-by-one, and try to organize your essay thematically. 6-8 pages for the analytical commentary of visual sources.
- Select articles for your synthesis: Select three articles (between 1-3 pages) which are relevant to your countries, theme and Make sure that your articles provide you with sufficient material for your synthesis. Be sure to find articles that contain similarities, differences, contradictions and oppositions.
- Produce a synthesis of the three articles related to your subject and countries. In this synthesis, you will need to present the articles you selected and justify their relevance to your subject. Crucially, you will need to identify the key themes/points present in each source and their relation to one another in terms of similarities, differences, contradictions, oppositions. You must also provide your own opinion on the subject treated. As with the visual commentary, DO NOT SUMMARIZE the articles one-by-one. Instead, organize your synthesis by key themes or points. 6-8 pages for the article synthesis and see Appendix B for guidelines on how to write a synthesis (these are the guidelines you were given in L3/L3 NEW).
- Select articles for your summaries and your argumentative essay: Select three different articles (between 1-3 pages) which are relevant to your countries, theme and subject. Make sure that your articles provide you with sufficient material for your argumentative Be sure to find articles that contain opposing arguments. When selecting your articles, keep in mind that you will need to develop a thesis!
- Produce a summary of each article. The word count allowed for each summary is 20% of the total number of words of each Indicate the word count for the original text and the summary in your portfolio. See appendix C for guidelines on how to write a summary.
10. Produce an argumentative essay, examining the subject you have selected in relation to the two cultures and countries you are comparing. In this essay, you will need to
- Present your theme and subject and the reasons for selecting them
- Situate the theme and subject in each country, set up your arguments and outline your thesis. A thesis statement is a sentence which announces what you are going to prove in your
You MUST have a thesis statement! No thesis statement = 0/20 for the argumentative essay.
- Analyze and develop your arguments and counterarguments. The goal of the argumentative essay is to select a controversial topic related to your theme, present two opposing viewpoints related to this topic, and take a position. You must provide evidence to support your point of view and refute the opposing point of view.
- Include arguments and viewpoints from the three articles you have chosen for your argumentative You are expected to quote directly and paraphrase from your articles.
- Provide your own point of view on the subject in relation to yourself and to your culture
- Structure your essay in a way that your arguments will support your thesis. You need an introduction, main body and
8-10 pages and see Appendix D for the guidelines on how to write an argumentative essay.
- Write up a bibliography. See Appendix E for guidelines on how write up a
- Prepare a cover page and get your portfolio spiral bound and hand it in before the deadline.
- Hand in a hard copy to the reception before the deadline: July 25, 2022 (This is the date that the report must be received, NOT the postmark date).
- Upload an electronic version of your report to Moodle (Remise rapport et documents d’évaluation SWIM).
before the deadline: July 25, 2022
- In case of problems or questions, contact the SWIM Coordinator at swim@efrei.fr
Evaluation Grid
| Portfolio Contents | Details and Criteria | Grades and Comments |
| Part 1: Format Specifications | ||
| Portfolio cover page | Name, year group, title, Efrei logo, illustration,
date, department, etc. |
…../1 |
| Formatting specifications | Respect of guidelines | …../1 |
| Portfolio bound | Respect of guidelines | …../1 |
| Copy of four visual documents | Relevance of choice, variety, etc. | …../3 |
| Copy of three articles for the
synthesis |
Relevance of choice, quality of articles, variety,
etc. |
…../6 |
| Copy of three articles for the
argumentative essay |
Relevance of choice, quality of articles, variety,
etc. |
…../6 |
| Bibliography | Respect of guidelines | …../2 |
| Total for part 1 …../20 | ||
| Part 2: Analytical commentary of visual sources (6-8 pages) | ||
| Structure (introduction, main body, conclusion, appropriate use of topic sentences and linking
words, cohesion of text, appropriate length.) |
…../6 | |
| Contents (quality of description and analysis,
etc.) |
..…/6 | |
| Language (grammar, vocabulary, punctuation) | …../8 | |
| Total for part 2: Analytical commentary of visual sources …../20 | ||
| Part 3: Article synthesis (6-8 pages) | ||
| Structure (introduction, main body, conclusion, appropriate use of topic sentences and linking
words, cohesion of text, appropriate length.) |
…../6 | |
| Contents (pertinent emphasis of key themes/points, identification of similarities, differences, contradictions and oppositions) | …../6 | |
| Language (grammar, vocabulary, punctuation.) | …../8 | |
| Total for part 3: Article Synthesis …../20 | ||
| Part 4: Three summaries, one of each article (articles selected for the argumentative essay) | ||
| Structure (word count of each summary not
over 20% of the total number of words). |
…../6 |
|
| Content (main idea given, but details, examples
and formalities are left out) |
…../6 |
|
| Language (grammar, vocabulary, punctuation) | …../8 | |
| Total for Part 4: Article summaries …../20 | ||
| Part 5: Argumentative essay (8-10 pages) | ||
| Structure (introduction, main body, conclusion, appropriate use of topic sentences and linking
words, cohesion of text, appropriate length.) |
…../6 | |
| Contents (thesis statement, presentation and development of arguments and counter- arguments, critical analysis, etc.) | …../6 | |
| Language (grammar, vocabulary, punctuation) | …../8 | |
| Total for Part 5: Argumentative essay…../20 | ||
| TOTAL OF PARTS 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5 (………../100) / 5 =………………………………………….. /20 | ||
Appendix A: List of Themes
- Wealth and Poverty (the gap between the rich and the poor, class structure, redistribution measures and policies, microcredit, sustainable development, )
- Multi-cultural Societies (immigration, integration, racism, communities and communitarianism, )
- Work and Leisure (principles, values, ways of life, legal aspects, )
- Education Systems (objectives, organization, institutions, cost, internationalization, )
- Business Practices (business cultures, markets, sectors, employment practices, corporate law, )
- The Arts: Visual Arts, Music and Theatre (music history, art markets, relative importance and status, )
- Gender Differences (employment practices, expectations, developments, )
- Religion (faith and belief systems, worship rituals, trends and developments, )
- Language (uses, education, impact, regional dialects, vocabulary, pronunciation, )
- Urbanism (population distribution, urban versus rural dwelling, quality of life, etc.)
- Architecture (characteristics of buildings, interior design, materials, restoration and heritage, )
- Transport (public versus private, investment and development, costs, etc.)
- Environment (environmental issues, dangers and protection, government subsidies, )
- Life Rituals (birth, marriage, maturity, employment, retirement, death, and how these are treated)
- Diet and Nutrition (unusual dishes, staple foods, malnourishment versus obesity trends, etc.)
- Values (attitudes to family, money, honesty, superstition, nature, animals, )
- Rules of behavior (unspoken/unwritten ways of doing things, rules of etiquette, tipping, treating others, )
- Science and Technology (innovations, research, markets, investment, collaboration, )
- Historical Events (wars, invasions, revolutions, famines, natural disasters, )
- Legal and Political systems (law and justice, prisons, dictatorships versus democracies, monarchies, structure, political interest and change, )
Appendix B: How to Write a Synthesis
Features of a Synthesis
- Paraphrasing is used to convey the correct meaning of the text while maintaining its integrity.
- The key themes/points from the different sources are organized in a structured way that reflects unified Your synthesis should be organized by key points rather than by presenting each article one-by-one.
- The relevance, validity and context of each source are analyzed to help the reader understand the sources in greater depth.
Preparing to Write Your Synthesis Essay
You first need to identify the key themes/points of each source. Then, you will need to explore different ways of organizing this information depending on what you want to demonstrate or place your focus on in the synthesis. A good idea would be to construct a brief outline before you start writing your synthesis. This will help you to determine how many paragraphs you will need and will help you to form links between paragraphs to enhance meaning.
The Structure of Your Synthesis A. The Introduction:
The introduction states the sources of the texts, the authors, the publication dates and gives a concise outline of the key themes/points and focus of the synthesis. It may also provide relevant background information about the authors and the sources of the texts.
For example:
The focus of this paper is to understand and evaluate the process involved in applying for university in the UK. In the article, “Some students are more equal than others”, published in the Guardian Unlimited, on the 16 January 2003, Polly Curtis deals with the theme of student inequality in English universities. The article addresses the question of whether or not positive discrimination policies implemented in UK universities are resolving issues of student inequality………
- The Main Body of Your Synthesis:
The organization of the main body of your synthesis will be determined by the key themes/points present in each source and their relation to one another in terms of similarities, differences, contradictions, oppositions, etc. You must choose the most effective structure to represent the focus of your synthesis. Remember to organize your synthesis by key themes rather than discussing each article one-by-one.
Make sure that each paragraph:
- Begins with a topic sentence that informs readers of the purpose of the paragraph and summarizes the main idea of the paragraph
- Develops only one idea. Avoid discussing multiple ideas in one paragraph
- Is no longer than 5 or 6 sentences
- Uses linking words (however, on the other hand, in addition, moreover, ) to establish connections between the paragraphs and transition from one paragraph to another
|
- Incorporates appropriate quotes, with the sources of the quotes clearly identified You must also make sure that:
- The Conclusion
The conclusion provides a final perspective that reflects the focus of the synthesis and allows for independence of thought. You must give your own opinion!
Appendix C: How to write a summary
Features of a summary
A summary is an overview of a text. The main idea is given, but details, examples and formalities are left out. Used with longer texts, the main aim of summarizing is to reduce or condense a text to its most important ideas. Summarizing is a useful skill for making notes from readings and in lectures, writing an abstract/synopsis and incorporating material in assignments.
How to summarize
- The amount of detail you include in a summary will vary according to the length of the original text, how much information you need and how selective you are:
- Start by reading a short text and highlighting the main points as you
- Reread the text and make notes of the main points, leaving out examples, evidence
- Without the text, rewrite your notes in your own words; restate the main idea at the beginning plus all major
- When you summarize your articles, DO NOT copy text word-for-word from the
Source
https://student.unsw.edu.au/paraphrasing-summarising-and-quoting
Appendix D: How to Write an Argumentative Essay
Argumentative writing: clearly taking a stand, considering all sides of the issue and writing as if you are trying to persuade an opposing audience to adopt your beliefs or opinions. The goal of the argumentative essay is to choose a controversial topic related to your theme, present two opposing viewpoints related to this topic and take a position. You must provide evidence to support your point of view and refute the arguments of the opposing point of view.
Key Features of an Argumentative Essay All argumentative essays must:
- contain a thesis statement, which is in effect the author’s opinion; it announces what you are trying to prove
- include both the author’s ideas and facts from outside sources that support the author’s arguments;
- discuss and rebut the opposing (to rebut means to point out problems and limits with the opposing side’s arguments).
Preparing to Write your Argumentative Essay
In order to prepare your argumentative essay, it is necessary to research the topic, identify different arguments regarding the issue, take a position and develop a thesis. Make sure you use a variety of sources, properly citing them if you quote or paraphrase from them. It is recommended that you prepare an outline of your essay to organize your ideas, paragraphs and the overall structure of your paper.
The Structure of your Argumentative Essay
- The Introduction
The introduction is meant to attract the reader’s interest, to introduce / explain the topic of the essay and give the author’s opinion on the topic. It is often organized by giving the most general ideas first and then leading to the most specific idea, which is the author’s opinion, otherwise known as the thesis statement. In the introduction, we do not typically ask a question or write an outline (which is quite common when writing in French).
For example:
Marijuana is illegal in most countries around the world. However, in most of these countries there are people who are trying to change the law. For example, voters in California had the chance to vote on legalizing marijuana in their state last year. Similarly, there are people in France who would like to legalize marijuana because they believe that it will reduce crime and help earn money for the state. Yet, marijuana should not be legalized in France because it will cost more money to control it and increase the number of accidents at work and on the road.
Writing a Strong Thesis Statement
In an argumentative essay, the thesis statement is the sentence that gives the author’s opinion about the topic and announces what you are trying to prove. It should state a position that can be supported using ideas and facts. It should not state two sides of an argument equally. The thesis statement always gives the author’s opinion and may give the reason for this opinion and / or include the opposing viewpoint.
For example:
Sexist language in college textbooks is harmful because it reinforces negative stereotypes about many groups and individuals. (opinion + reason)
Although some people think that curfew laws will help control teenage gangs, they are wrong for several reasons. (opposing viewpoint + opinion)
Despite claims that the death penalty prevents violence and crime, this punishment constitutes a violation of human rights. (opposing viewpoint + opinion + reason)
- The Main Body of your Argumentative Essay
The main body paragraphs support your thesis with reasons and rebut the opposing side’s arguments in an organized and logical way. How you structure your essay will depend on the topic but the following chart shows two ways which can be used as a guide:
| Block Pattern | Point-by-Point Pattern |
| 1. Introduction
2. Body Block 1 – Summary of the other side’s arguments (1 paragraph) – Rebuttals of the arguments (1 rebuttal per paragraph) Block 2 – Your arguments (1 argument per paragraph) 3. Conclusion |
1. Introduction
2. Body – Summary of the other side’s 1st argument, rebuttal, counterargument – Summary of the other side’s 2nd argument, rebuttal, counterargument – …. 3. Conclusion |
Make sure that each paragraph:
- Begins with a topic sentence that informs readers of the purpose of the paragraph and summarizes the main idea of the paragraph
- Develops only one idea. Avoid discussing multiple ideas in one paragraph
- Is no longer than 5 or 6 sentences
- Uses linking words (however, on the other hand, in addition, moreover, ) to establish connections between the paragraphs and transition from one paragraph to another
- Incorporates appropriate quotes, with the sources of the quotes clearly identified
- Contains an OPPOSING argument, followed by a REBUTTAL of that argument.
- Conclusion
The conclusion restates or gives further commentary on ideas discussed in the essay. This can be done by summarizing the main points of the essay, restating the thesis (using different words), making a final comment about the essay’s main idea and / or emphasizing an action that you would like the reader to take. Do not introduce new ideas in a conclusion that were not discussed in the main body.
For example:
To summarize, cloning humans is clearly dangerous and unethical. It is one thing to clone a mouse, sheep, or pig but quite another thing to duplicate a human being. Even though scientists claim that their only purpose is to help humanity, ethical people must demand an end to such experiments now.
Appendix E: How to Write a Bibliography
Listing your sources
Each bibliography entry should be in the following order:
- The title of the article
- The author
- The reference: book, magazine, newspaper, website (complete URL) in which it was found
- The page numbers (except on websites)
- The date of the publication, (in the case of websites, it is sometimes difficult to identify the date of the posting)
Entries will be grouped in a coherent manner (thematically or by categories of reference as shown in the example below).
Examples of bibliographical sources
Sources
Oshima, A & A. Hogue Writing Academic English (Pearson Education, 2006)
- Zemach & Rumisek Academic Writing From Paragraph to Essay (Macmillan, 2005)
