ENGLISH 104: COMPOSING RESEARCH
Section 8: 8-9:15 Tuesdays and Thursdays, LA 18S
Section 121: 11-12:15 Tuesdays and Thursdays RB 106
Laura Romano
[email protected]
Office number: Robert Bell 263
Office phone number: x0032
Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 9:30-10:30
ENG 104: Composing Research (3) Applies the fundamentals of rhetoric to the research process:
methods of research; the rhetorical nature of research; elements, strategies, and conventions
common to research writing, including multi-modal presentations of new knowledge. Prerequisite:
ENG 101 and 102; or ENG 103; or appropriate placement.
COURSE GOALS:
• Create and complete research projects. This involves generating a research question,
engaging in critical/analytical reading, developing an argument with evidence collected
from both primary and secondary research, and documenting sources appropriately.
• Align research questions with appropriate research methods
• Employ critical thinking in evaluation, speculation, analysis, and synthesis required to evolve
and complete a research project.
• Use a variety of strategies to gather and organize information appropriate for the context
and persuasive to the intended audience.
• Use the university research library to forward their research agenda.
• Engage in collaborative research.
• Employ format, syntax, punctuation, and spelling appropriate to various rhetorical situations
in a stylistically sophisticated manner.
• Collect, analyze, and organize research information in verbally and visually compelling ways.
• Take initiative for the development and completion of individual and joint research projects.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
The Bedford Researcher. Mike Palmquist. Bedford/St. Martin's. 4th edition. 2012
BallPoint: http://goo.gl/nMnnb
ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW AND GRADING SYSTEM:
All assignments are to be turned in to the instructor as hard copies. They must be double-spaced and written in 12-point font.
Writing Project 1: Oral History Interview Transcript and 3-5 page Research Memo (100 points)
You will choose a topic that interests you and that you would like to research. Choose carefully, because you will be working with this topic in all of your writing projects this semester. Your first task will be to conduct an oral history interview.
You will choose an interviewee who in some way intersects with the research topic you have chosen. This may be a person related to your topic in any way, and the participant may be of any age. You will interview this person for a 15-minute period of time. The interview will be video recorded. You will then transcribe the interview and write a research memo from your data.
Writing Project 2: 3-5 page Bibliographic Essay (150 points)
You will research your chosen topic in light of the data collected from your oral history interview. You will gather 15-20 sources, and you will narrow this number down to 8-10 sources which will become part of your essay.
Writing Project 3: 8-10 page Argument Construction (200 points)
You will construct an argument, extrapolating information from your oral history interview and your bibliographic essay. You will synthesize this information in a way that makes an argument; remember that this is, indeed, an argument and not a report.
Writing Project 4: Multimodal Project and Presentation (350 points)
You will pull from each of your earlier projects this semester to create a multimodal project which you will present to the class. Suggestions include a five-minute podcast, a video or series of images, or whatever you think is most conducive to conveying meaning from your interview and research.
This will not be a simple transcription or video clip. You will have to edit and annotate the final text. We will be sharing these renderings in class. Deliverable: original interview footage and finished project.
Freewriting exercises (in class): 100 points
Class participation and attendance: 100 points
TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE: 1000
GRADING SCALE:
950-1000= A
900-940= A-
870-890= B+
840-860= B
800-830= B-
770-790= C+
740-760= C
700-730= C-
670-690= D+
640-660= D
600-630= D-
590 and below= F
NOTE: In order to fulfill the University's Core Curriculum requirement in Writing Program courses,
students must earn a minimum grade of C to pass; a grade of C- is not considered acceptable.
Writing Program courses may be repeated as many times as necessary to meet the requirement
but:
• The first and all other grades will show up on the transcript.
• All grades except the first will be used to compute the GPA.
• A grade of W will not replace a previous grade.
• Course credit hours apply only once to graduation requirements.
• Students who do not successfully complete ENG 104 before earning 90 credit hours will not
be able to take the Writing Proficiency Exam. These students will instead need to take an
additional writing course [WP 393] after completing ENG 104.
LATE ASSIGNMENT POLICY:
All work is due on the date indicated on the syllabus. If you are aware that you will be absent, work must be turned in during the class prior to the absence. Late class work will not be accepted for any credit. For paper drafts, five points will be deducted for each day the draft is late.
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
BSU and the Department of English consider class attendance essential to your learning. You may miss three class sessions without any penalty, but after three absences 10 points will be deducted from your class participation grade for each class missed. Please note that if you are more than ten minutes late to class you will be considered absent for that day. The department does not award passing grades to students who miss more than 20 % of class meetings. Therefore, if you miss more than six classes, for any reason, you will fail the course.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
It is your responsibility to give credit where credit is due and know how to cite your sources appropriately. Using someone else's ideas or words as your own on any assignment is plagiarism. It is a violation of the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities as defined in the student
handbook (or at www.bsu.edu/sa/dean/stucode/) and will be treated as such. If you are
concerned about inadvertently violating this policy, please see me before completing the
assignment. We will review MLA documentation in this course, and you are always welcome to come to me with any questions or concerns. Please note, however, that plagiarism and/or academic dishonesty (such as turning in work that is not your own) has severe consequences and can result in failure of the assignment, failure of the course and/or expulsion from the university.
DISABILITY STATEMENT:
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have
emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in
case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as
possible. My office location and telephone number are: Robert Bell 263, x2250.
CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS:
This classroom will be a place where all ideas, opinions and voices are welcome. Therefore, any disrespectful, threatening or discriminatory behavior will not be tolerated. Also, please do not bring cell phones to class. You may bring an iPad or laptop for note-taking purposes. If I suspect, however, that you are checking email or surfing the web during class you may be considered absent for that day.
THE WRITING CENTER:
Want extra feedback on your papers? The Writing Center is a community of Ball State
students who value writing. Come and collaborate with one of our trained peer tutors on
any project for any major. The Writing Center is a comfortable, supportive environment fo
writers from all communities and backgrounds. We are located in RB 291. Our hours are Monday through Thursday 10am-8pm and Fridays from 10-2. To make an appointment go to ballstate.mywconline.com.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:
Week 1:
Tuesday, January 8: Introduction, syllabus review, course overview
Thursday, January 10: Introduction to Writing Project 1, Why do we conduct research? Due: Bedford introduction XV-XIX
Week 2:
Tuesday, January 15: Getting started, understanding the research writing process. Due: Bedford ch. 1
Thursday, January 17: Choosing a topic
Week 3:
Tuesday, January 22: Exploring a topic. Due: Bedford ch. 2 and Writing Project 1 topic
Thursday, January 24: Focusing on an issue
Week 4:
Tuesday, January 29: Peer review workshop with mini-conferences. Due: Draft of Writing Project 1, bring two hard copies to workshop
Thursday, January 31: Library Orientation. Due: Writing Project 1
Week 5:
Tuesday, February 5: Developing a research question and proposal, introduction to Writing Project 2. Due: Bedford ch. 3
Thursday, February 7: Due: Research proposal draft. Class discussion of drafts.
Week 6:
Tuesday, February 12: Reading critically. Due: Bedford ch. 4
Thursday, February 14: Evaluating sources. Due: Bedford ch. 5
Week 7:
Tuesday, February 19: Managing information and taking notes. Due: Bedford ch. 6
Thursday, February 21: Due: Writing Project 2. Introduction to Writing Project 3, Group brainstorming.
Week 8:
Tuesday, February 26: Searching for information with digital sources. Due: Bedford ch. 8
Thursday, February 28: Searching for information with print sources. Due: Bedford ch. 9
Week 9:
Tuesday, March 5: NO CLASS. SPRING BREAK.
Thursday, March 7: NO CLASS. SPRING BREAK
Week 10:
Tuesday, March 12: Field research methods. Due: Bedford ch. 10 and Charmaz ch 2
Thursday, March 14: Developing a thesis statement/Developing an argument. Due: Bedford ch. 11 and 12
Week 11:
Tuesday, March 19: Using sources effectively. Due: Bedford ch 15
Thursday, March 21: Revision and editing. Due: Bedford ch 17
Week 12:
Tuesday, March 26: Peer review workshop. Due: Draft of Writing Project 3, bring two copies to workshop
Thursday, March 28: Grounded theory. Due: Writing Project 3 and Charmaz ch. 6. Introduction to Writing Project 4
Week 13:
Tuesday, April 2: Basic design principles. Sign up for final project presentation times. Due: Bedford ch 18
Thursday, April 4: Designing documents and presentations. Due: Bedford ch 19
Week 14:
Tuesday, April 9: CONFERENCES
Thursday, April 11: CONFERENCES
Week 15:
Tuesday, April 16: Peer review day for Writing Project 4. Due: Draft of Writing Project 4, bring two hard copies for peer review
Thursday, April 18: Documenting Sources. Due: Bedford ch 20
Week 16:
Tuesday, April 23: Writing Project 4 presentations
Thursday, April 25: Writing Project 4 presentations
Note: Writing Project 4 is due during the scheduled final exam period.
Section 8: 8-9:15 Tuesdays and Thursdays, LA 18S
Section 121: 11-12:15 Tuesdays and Thursdays RB 106
Laura Romano
[email protected]
Office number: Robert Bell 263
Office phone number: x0032
Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 9:30-10:30
ENG 104: Composing Research (3) Applies the fundamentals of rhetoric to the research process:
methods of research; the rhetorical nature of research; elements, strategies, and conventions
common to research writing, including multi-modal presentations of new knowledge. Prerequisite:
ENG 101 and 102; or ENG 103; or appropriate placement.
COURSE GOALS:
• Create and complete research projects. This involves generating a research question,
engaging in critical/analytical reading, developing an argument with evidence collected
from both primary and secondary research, and documenting sources appropriately.
• Align research questions with appropriate research methods
• Employ critical thinking in evaluation, speculation, analysis, and synthesis required to evolve
and complete a research project.
• Use a variety of strategies to gather and organize information appropriate for the context
and persuasive to the intended audience.
• Use the university research library to forward their research agenda.
• Engage in collaborative research.
• Employ format, syntax, punctuation, and spelling appropriate to various rhetorical situations
in a stylistically sophisticated manner.
• Collect, analyze, and organize research information in verbally and visually compelling ways.
• Take initiative for the development and completion of individual and joint research projects.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
The Bedford Researcher. Mike Palmquist. Bedford/St. Martin's. 4th edition. 2012
BallPoint: http://goo.gl/nMnnb
ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW AND GRADING SYSTEM:
All assignments are to be turned in to the instructor as hard copies. They must be double-spaced and written in 12-point font.
Writing Project 1: Oral History Interview Transcript and 3-5 page Research Memo (100 points)
You will choose a topic that interests you and that you would like to research. Choose carefully, because you will be working with this topic in all of your writing projects this semester. Your first task will be to conduct an oral history interview.
You will choose an interviewee who in some way intersects with the research topic you have chosen. This may be a person related to your topic in any way, and the participant may be of any age. You will interview this person for a 15-minute period of time. The interview will be video recorded. You will then transcribe the interview and write a research memo from your data.
Writing Project 2: 3-5 page Bibliographic Essay (150 points)
You will research your chosen topic in light of the data collected from your oral history interview. You will gather 15-20 sources, and you will narrow this number down to 8-10 sources which will become part of your essay.
Writing Project 3: 8-10 page Argument Construction (200 points)
You will construct an argument, extrapolating information from your oral history interview and your bibliographic essay. You will synthesize this information in a way that makes an argument; remember that this is, indeed, an argument and not a report.
Writing Project 4: Multimodal Project and Presentation (350 points)
You will pull from each of your earlier projects this semester to create a multimodal project which you will present to the class. Suggestions include a five-minute podcast, a video or series of images, or whatever you think is most conducive to conveying meaning from your interview and research.
This will not be a simple transcription or video clip. You will have to edit and annotate the final text. We will be sharing these renderings in class. Deliverable: original interview footage and finished project.
Freewriting exercises (in class): 100 points
Class participation and attendance: 100 points
TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE: 1000
GRADING SCALE:
950-1000= A
900-940= A-
870-890= B+
840-860= B
800-830= B-
770-790= C+
740-760= C
700-730= C-
670-690= D+
640-660= D
600-630= D-
590 and below= F
NOTE: In order to fulfill the University's Core Curriculum requirement in Writing Program courses,
students must earn a minimum grade of C to pass; a grade of C- is not considered acceptable.
Writing Program courses may be repeated as many times as necessary to meet the requirement
but:
• The first and all other grades will show up on the transcript.
• All grades except the first will be used to compute the GPA.
• A grade of W will not replace a previous grade.
• Course credit hours apply only once to graduation requirements.
• Students who do not successfully complete ENG 104 before earning 90 credit hours will not
be able to take the Writing Proficiency Exam. These students will instead need to take an
additional writing course [WP 393] after completing ENG 104.
LATE ASSIGNMENT POLICY:
All work is due on the date indicated on the syllabus. If you are aware that you will be absent, work must be turned in during the class prior to the absence. Late class work will not be accepted for any credit. For paper drafts, five points will be deducted for each day the draft is late.
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
BSU and the Department of English consider class attendance essential to your learning. You may miss three class sessions without any penalty, but after three absences 10 points will be deducted from your class participation grade for each class missed. Please note that if you are more than ten minutes late to class you will be considered absent for that day. The department does not award passing grades to students who miss more than 20 % of class meetings. Therefore, if you miss more than six classes, for any reason, you will fail the course.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
It is your responsibility to give credit where credit is due and know how to cite your sources appropriately. Using someone else's ideas or words as your own on any assignment is plagiarism. It is a violation of the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities as defined in the student
handbook (or at www.bsu.edu/sa/dean/stucode/) and will be treated as such. If you are
concerned about inadvertently violating this policy, please see me before completing the
assignment. We will review MLA documentation in this course, and you are always welcome to come to me with any questions or concerns. Please note, however, that plagiarism and/or academic dishonesty (such as turning in work that is not your own) has severe consequences and can result in failure of the assignment, failure of the course and/or expulsion from the university.
DISABILITY STATEMENT:
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have
emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in
case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as
possible. My office location and telephone number are: Robert Bell 263, x2250.
CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS:
This classroom will be a place where all ideas, opinions and voices are welcome. Therefore, any disrespectful, threatening or discriminatory behavior will not be tolerated. Also, please do not bring cell phones to class. You may bring an iPad or laptop for note-taking purposes. If I suspect, however, that you are checking email or surfing the web during class you may be considered absent for that day.
THE WRITING CENTER:
Want extra feedback on your papers? The Writing Center is a community of Ball State
students who value writing. Come and collaborate with one of our trained peer tutors on
any project for any major. The Writing Center is a comfortable, supportive environment fo
writers from all communities and backgrounds. We are located in RB 291. Our hours are Monday through Thursday 10am-8pm and Fridays from 10-2. To make an appointment go to ballstate.mywconline.com.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:
Week 1:
Tuesday, January 8: Introduction, syllabus review, course overview
Thursday, January 10: Introduction to Writing Project 1, Why do we conduct research? Due: Bedford introduction XV-XIX
Week 2:
Tuesday, January 15: Getting started, understanding the research writing process. Due: Bedford ch. 1
Thursday, January 17: Choosing a topic
Week 3:
Tuesday, January 22: Exploring a topic. Due: Bedford ch. 2 and Writing Project 1 topic
Thursday, January 24: Focusing on an issue
Week 4:
Tuesday, January 29: Peer review workshop with mini-conferences. Due: Draft of Writing Project 1, bring two hard copies to workshop
Thursday, January 31: Library Orientation. Due: Writing Project 1
Week 5:
Tuesday, February 5: Developing a research question and proposal, introduction to Writing Project 2. Due: Bedford ch. 3
Thursday, February 7: Due: Research proposal draft. Class discussion of drafts.
Week 6:
Tuesday, February 12: Reading critically. Due: Bedford ch. 4
Thursday, February 14: Evaluating sources. Due: Bedford ch. 5
Week 7:
Tuesday, February 19: Managing information and taking notes. Due: Bedford ch. 6
Thursday, February 21: Due: Writing Project 2. Introduction to Writing Project 3, Group brainstorming.
Week 8:
Tuesday, February 26: Searching for information with digital sources. Due: Bedford ch. 8
Thursday, February 28: Searching for information with print sources. Due: Bedford ch. 9
Week 9:
Tuesday, March 5: NO CLASS. SPRING BREAK.
Thursday, March 7: NO CLASS. SPRING BREAK
Week 10:
Tuesday, March 12: Field research methods. Due: Bedford ch. 10 and Charmaz ch 2
Thursday, March 14: Developing a thesis statement/Developing an argument. Due: Bedford ch. 11 and 12
Week 11:
Tuesday, March 19: Using sources effectively. Due: Bedford ch 15
Thursday, March 21: Revision and editing. Due: Bedford ch 17
Week 12:
Tuesday, March 26: Peer review workshop. Due: Draft of Writing Project 3, bring two copies to workshop
Thursday, March 28: Grounded theory. Due: Writing Project 3 and Charmaz ch. 6. Introduction to Writing Project 4
Week 13:
Tuesday, April 2: Basic design principles. Sign up for final project presentation times. Due: Bedford ch 18
Thursday, April 4: Designing documents and presentations. Due: Bedford ch 19
Week 14:
Tuesday, April 9: CONFERENCES
Thursday, April 11: CONFERENCES
Week 15:
Tuesday, April 16: Peer review day for Writing Project 4. Due: Draft of Writing Project 4, bring two hard copies for peer review
Thursday, April 18: Documenting Sources. Due: Bedford ch 20
Week 16:
Tuesday, April 23: Writing Project 4 presentations
Thursday, April 25: Writing Project 4 presentations
Note: Writing Project 4 is due during the scheduled final exam period.