American Literature - Dr. Swift
November 2012
The Great Gatsby: Background Research Presentations
The assignment:
 a powerpoint / keynote presentation (about 5 min.)
 an annotated bibliography (at least 3 sources).
To provide some context for The Great Gatsby, this assignment asks you to research a
topic related to the time period and present the results of your research in class. If you
work with a partner, preview the topic/resources together and then divide the topic
into two complementary parts, so that each of you researches and presents a distinct
part of the whole. All of the topics focus on the 1920s and, if relevant, the period
leading up to this time.
Topics:
 the booming American economy, from the end of WWI to the stock market crash
 the rise of consumer culture, the birth of advertising, the growth of retail
 prohibition (18th amendment) and temperance
 bootlegging and the rise of organized crime
 technology and how it changed daily life (e.g. radio, television, airplanes, etc.)
 cars: the rise of the automobile, its meaning and impact on American life
 F. Scott Fitzgerald: highlights of his life; his themes and importance as a writer
 the Eugenics Movement in America
 popular culture: fads, crazes, games, pastimes
 flappers and the “New Woman” (changing roles, behaviors, and fashions)
 women’s suffrage - the 19th amendment and its impact
 Margaret Sanger, birth control, its impact on women and society
 sports - women and sports in the 1920s; the 1919 world series
 music and dance (especially jazz and jazz-influenced dance) in the 1920s
 art and architecture of the 1920s
 1920’s resurgence of the KKK
 politics in the 1920s
Presentation Guidelines
 Choose content effectively
o Introduce and give an overview of the topic
o Identify key sub-topics/ points
o Explain the significance of information
 Be organized
o Use headings on each slide
o Follow a logical order in presenting each slide
 Limit the amount of content on each slide
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o Not too much – don’t overwhelm the viewer
o Each slide should be uncluttered and easy to grasp
o Balance words, images, and space in a visually engaging way
Use your own words on the slides
o very limited use of very brief quotes
 only when specific words are so powerful, vivid, or memorable
that you can’t paraphrase or summarize
Don’t just read what’s on the slides
o explain/comment/expand on what the viewer sees
 make written notes for yourself if need be
o speak effectively and with confidence; be aware of eye contact, pacing,
emphasis and expression
Credit all sources of information (including visual images, graphs, etc.)
o include bibliography at end
Stick to the time guidelines
Total points: 20