English 104: Composing Research
Spring 2012
Section 104-67: 3:30-4:45 p.m., RB 115
Section 104-75: 5:00-6:15 p.m., RB 113
Instructor: Tess Evans
Office: RB 255
Email: tmevans@bsu.edu
Office Phone: 285-8017
Office hours: Wed. 3-5 p.m. and by appointment
Required Texts and Materials:
· Laptop computer
· FieldWorking: Reading and Writing Research, 4th Ed. (Bonnie Stone Sunstein & Elizabeth Chiseri-Strater)
· www.bedfordstmartins.com/fieldworking (This is a free and open resource)
· Notebook
· Binder/Folder to organize class papers and research material
· Two-pocket folder for submitting Major Writing Projects
· Flash drive or some other method to back up and transport files
· Ballpoint online: Go to the English Department Writing Programs Page @ http://cms.bsu.edu/Academics/CollegesandDepartments/English/Academics/WritingProgram.aspx and click on the Ballpoint icon
Ball State University Writing Program Course Rationale & Goals:
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: English 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.
Course Content and Format
The content and format of ENG 104 are designed to enable students to achieve the course goals:
The content and format of ENG 104 are designed to enable students to achieve the course goals:
- Discuss, analyze, and respond to texts composed in a variety of media that develop an argument by relying on different kinds of research and that are addressed to diverse academic audiences
- Analyze the connections among research questions, research methods, audience, and style
- Design various research projects that involve generating a question, collecting data, analyzing data, and interpreting the analysis
- Conduct research projects that rely on various means of gathering data, including but not limited to fieldwork, online research, and library research
- Analyze data collected through a variety of methods
- Compose proposals, progress reports, and final research reports for individual projects
- Compose final research reports that are persuasive and appropriate for the intended audience and context
- Compose research reports in multiple drafts, involving peer feedback, self-reflection, instructor’s written comments, and teacher-student conferences
- Reflect regularly on the choices available and the decisions made in the creation and completion of research projects.
Requirements
As an outcome of the course content and format, which enable the accomplishment of the course goals, students in English 104 are required to complete:
As an outcome of the course content and format, which enable the accomplishment of the course goals, students in English 104 are required to complete:
· Four or more research projects that address different audiences, contexts, and data collection/analysis processes
o One project will take the form of a Research Proposal and Annotated Bibliography
o One project will culminate in a research driven, academic essay of 8-12 pages; appropriate works cited is additional
o One project will take the form of a Research Proposal and Annotated Bibliography
o One project will culminate in a research driven, academic essay of 8-12 pages; appropriate works cited is additional
· Reading assignments for discussion, analysis, and response including texts created through a variety of media
· Informal writing assignments (such as journals, reading reflections, in-class writings, or smaller pieces intrinsic to major research projects)
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.
(Please see Ball Point for a more complete explanation of these policies.
Grades for English 104
| Assignment | Percent of Final Grade |
| Attendance and Class Participation | 10 |
| Research Portfolio | 10 |
| Major Writing Project 1: Interview Essay | 10 |
| Major Writing Project 2: Research Proposal and Annotated Bibliography | 20 |
| Major Writing Project 3: Research Essay directed to academic audience | 30 |
| Major Writing Project 4: Multimodal Project directed to a general audience, including an Individual Reflective Essay | 20 |
| TOTAL | 100* |
*A (95-100) A- (90-94) B+ (87-89) B (83-86) B- (80-82) C+ (76-79) C (70-75) D+ (65-69) D (60-64) F (59 or below)
Writing Projects will be evaluated based on the BSU Writing Program Rubric: http://cms.bsu.edu/Academics/CollegesandDepartments/English/Academics/WritingProgram/GradingRubric.aspx
Plagiarized work will earn a final course grade of F. Presenting the words or ideas of others as your own violates general ethical norms and specific university policies. Please see me if you have concerns about inadvertently violating this policy.
If you want to know what your grade would be before the final project is due, make an appointment with me. Bring your organized working folder, and I’ll go over it with you to let you know your grade if I had to give you one at that time.
Overview of Assignments for English 104
Required for English 104 are four major writing projects and other assignments that support the overall objectives of the course. Work presented in standard essay format should be written in Microsoft Word using a 12-point font, 1” margins, double-spacing, with name, assignment, and date in upper left-hand corner. Work presented in electronic formats or other non-standard formats should use readable fonts and also include name, assignment, and date. Required page/word counts do not include works-cited pages or annotated bibliographies.
Use a two-pocket folder to submit final projects and/or research. Include all drafts, but make it clear which draft is the final version.
Photocopy or print out any sections from your sources that you quoted or paraphrased. Highlight sections to indicate the quotes or information you used. Be sure to include the publishing information: For example, print out the first page of a .pdf journal article with the title, author, and publishing information, and then just the pages you actually used. For a book, photocopy the pages with the title, author, and publishing information, and then just the pages you use…and so on. Include these pages in your folder with Major Writing Project 3.
Major Writing Projects:
1. Interview Essay (1,000 words minimum or 4-6 pages): You must interview someone from a generation or culture/sub-culture other than your own.
2. Research Proposal (750-1,000 words or 3-4 pages) and Annotated Bibliography of 15-20 sources. Must include books and peer-reviewed academic journals.
3. Academic Research Essay of 15-20 primary/secondary sources (2,000-3,000 words or 8-12 pages).
4. Multimodal Essay presented during the final exam period. You will take some aspect of your research from Major Writing Project 3 and reshape it for a general audience in a new format. Includes reflective essay (750-1,000 words or 3-4 pages).
Research Portfolio: You will be required to complete a number of informal writing activities over the semester, using assigned readings and textbook activities as a starting point. These activities are building blocks for your Major Writing Projects.
Drafts of Work-in-Progress: You are required to submit a draft for each major writing project on the day it is due. I will respond with suggestions for revision. The draft itself will not be graded; however, if you do not submit a first draft, you will not receive a passing grade for your final draft.
Conferences: During the semester you will meet with me individually to go over your work in progress. Class will be cancelled to accommodate these appointments, so come to your scheduled conference: A missed conference is the equivalent of two absences.
Peer Reviews: You will work in a small group, not only to get feedback on your writing, but also to develop your ability to analyze and critique your own work and the work of others.
All assignments are due on the dates indicated on your course schedule. No late work is accepted.
Attendance and Participation
Your grade for attendance and participation is based on my estimation of your positive contributions to this class, and you must be present to contribute. You cannot make up missed class activities. Each absence counts against your grade, and by the time you reach five absences, you will have lost 10 percent of your final grade.
After 6 absences, you will fail the course (department policy). If you signed into the course late, your missed classes count toward the 6 maximum allowable. For grading purposes, I will consider official documentation (university field trip form, doctor’s note) depending on how well you are keeping up with assignments—but all absences count toward the 6 maximum allowable.
You will be expected to sign in each class period: Your signature is proof of your attendance in class.
Emergencies: Let me know ahead of time about any unusual circumstances that might prevent you from attending class. Your best chance of reaching me outside of class is during my office hours or through email. For last-minute emergencies, contact The Writing Program Office at 285-8370.
Classroom Etiquette
Your behavior in class counts toward your participation grade. You can lose points from your participation grade for arriving late, leaving early, refusing to participate, being disruptive, or being disrespectful to your classmates or me. Focus on class activities: Turn off electronic devices. Eat before or after class.
Be considerate when critiquing the research and writing of your classmates, but remember that also means being honest about what you think is working or not working. When your own work is being reviewed, accept criticism gracefully. It is never pleasant to be told that a piece of writing needs work, but that is part of the writing process, even for professional writers. The point of peer review and instructor feedback is to help you before your work is submitted for a grade.
Special Needs
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.
Research & Writing Resources
Bracken Library: Get familiar with the library facilities and the website at http://www.bsu.edu/library —our librarians are able and willing to help you. Contact them by chat, email, phone, or in person. You can even make an appointment to get individual help with your projects.
The Writing Center in RB 291 offers free one-on-one conferences to improve your writing. Tutors are familiar with the types of assignments you will be working on in English 104. The Writing Center is open 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday-Wednesday and 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Make appointments online at http://writingcenter.weebly.com/index.html
