Assignment: Watch the documentary film NOVA: Secrets of the Parthenon and write a
summary and response paper about it.
This film is available to stream free through Kanopy at the following link:
https://ferris.kanopy.com/video/nova-secrets-parthenon (Kanopy is provided by FLITE library.
You will need your Ferris ID and password to sign in and access the film.)
Remember that documentaries of this sort are secondary sources that use primary sources (and
sometimes other secondary sources) to provide a historical analysis.
Your paper should clearly address the following:
• What is the overall thesis (main argument) of the film?
• What main points did the film make about the subject matter? (This will help you
summarize the film.)
• What kinds of sources are used to communicate the main points? (Consider how the film
was constructed: a narrator, experts (such as archaeologists, art historians, and architects)
speaking, participants speaking, images, animations, sounds/music, editing, etc.)
• Did you find some elements or sources more effective or convincing than others?
• How does the film relate to what you have learned from other sources on this subject
matter?
• What is your overall reaction to this film? Be specific in your personal response.
Format of the Paper
•Paper should be 2-3 pages in length to receive full credit (double-spaced).
•The paper must be typed, in 12 pt. font, with one-inch margins on all sides, and double-spaced.
•Using the first person is recommended in sections of the paper where you are describing your
own reaction and response to the film.
• Plagiarism (taking credit for words and/or ideas that are not your own) will result in a failing
grade for this assignment. Be sure to cite any sources that you use to write your paper, and if
you are using direct quotes, be sure to signal those with quotation marks.
