Dr. Karen U. Fulton, Professor
Tel: 271-4317(work) 1-660-582-8830 (home)
e-mail: fulton@griffon.mwsc.edu
Office: 304A JGMurphy Building
Office Hours: 9-10 MW, 2-4 M, 2-3 W; other times by appointment
Ballenger, Bruce. The Curious Researcher, 2nd edition (revised). Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1998.
Gould, Stephen Jay. The Mismeasure of Man, revised. New York: London, 1996
Keneally, Thomas. Schindler's List: A Novel. New York. Simon and Schuster, 1993.
Our initial reading is of two full-length books: Stephen Jay Gould's The Mismeasure of Man and Thomas Keneally's Schindler's List. Both books challenge a reader and force a rethinking of what research is. Keneally's text is a "novel," but it is clearly the result of in-depth research. Gould's book is difficult to categorize; it presents scientific citation and documentation, but unlike most scientific texts, it argues forcefully for a certain point of view. Both books raise questions about what happens when we marginalize people or see them as "other". Both books make us think about objective/subjective research, of research presentation, and of truth. Finally, both books force us to question what it means to be human.
A research handbook in your discipline will enable you to follow the sourcing and documenting style of your major. The English department uses Writing A to Z (which contains MLA and APA guidelines). The Ballenger text contains guidelines for both MLA and APA as well.
ENG 112: Honors Composition and Rhetoric is a one semester course designed to fulfill the English requirement at Missouri Western. As such it covers the goals of ENG 104 and those of ENG 108. In addition to the common goals of the two courses, the two courses differ in the emphasis on "formal distinctions [between] different prose genres" in ENG 104 and the ENG 108 emphasis on research skills stated as "ideas are property in our culture and must be correctly attributed to their sources."
This class will fulfill the ENG 108 writing description, in that the emphasis is on research projects, one based on Gould, one researching the issues in Keneally, and the third on an area of the student's own interest. In addition, the self-reflective essay of the portfolio is of a research nature.
See http://www.missouriwestern.edu/eflj/genstud.aspfor full objectives and means for ENG 104 and 108.
Student will acquire knowledge to think critically and reason analytically and to write clearly and effectively, two goals stated on under the MWSC catalog description of the General Studies Program.
I believe that everyone can write and that everyone has something unique to say. Research in this class will not be "cut-and-paste" or xerox machine research. Instead you are asked to become "curious" researchers (hence the choice of the Ballenger book).
We will learn and practice the research conventions (distinctions between primary and secondary sources, use of such sources, footnoting and bibliography forms, etc.) through this personal research rather than on predetermined or assigned topics.
I believe in a process approach to writing, but I don't teach or expect each student to follow my process. I do, however, expect students to learn and use generating strategies as part of a project's development.
I believe that the best teacher of writing is another writer; I will write with you on projects (particulary the first two) and will share my materials with you when they are being drafted.
It is expected that all students will produce their own work. Student work which does not meet this criterion will be assessed under the penalties in the Student Handbook.
It is the responsibility of the student to make known to the instructor any disability which might prevent maximum performance in the course (a hearing loss for example). The instructor and the student will then work out procedures to accommodate the student.
Class attendance is critical; I do not record absences every day. I consider 3 recorded class absences reasonable; more than 3 absences (excused or not) will result in penalty to the overall grade. More than 6 recorded absences will place a student in jeopardy of failing the class. A student who is not prepared for class is considered absent and will be so recorded.
Mid-term grades
The mid-term grade will be based on the responses and quizzes which will test your comprehension and completion of the reading assignments. This grade will constituted 20% of the final grade.
Final grade
The other 80% of the course grade will be determined on the basis of a portfolio dueNovember 15, 2000. This portfolio will consist of at least three finished pieces of writing (not counting the self-reflective essay). One piece must come from class and demonstrate your ability to integrate and present research, as well as your mastery of research apparatus.
During the first two weeks of class, more detailed portfolio specifications will be handed out and previous portfolios will be brought to class. The week prior to portfolio submission, we will make minimal adjustments in the scoring rubric.
On November 20 and 21, I will meet individually with each of you to grade the portfolio. Therefore, class will not meet on November 20 (the Monday prior to Thanksgiving). You have the option of revising and resubmitting the portfolio at the class final session (December 2).
You have only one opportunity to resubmit.
The Gould and Keneally projects raise issues of truth,objectivity, and humanity. These ideas can be combined with your own research interests to create a portfolio theme as a natural extension of the researching and learning you did this semester.
The portfolio contents should demonstrate your mastery of research apparatus, incorporation of sources, and college level writing.
In order to pass (grade of "D") the class
Most classes begin with a short fastwriting (see Ballenger page 1 and 2). These are used to warm up. Frequently, the writing will focus on the reading assignment but sometimes the writing will be without focus. In all cases you will know how long you will be writing and with whom you will be sharing. Freewritings are not graded; however date and keep each freewriting for use in preparing the portfolio.
The fastwrite will be followed by a quiz or response. I am experimenting with several types this semester (short answer, muliple choice, developed paragraph, etc.) Responses will be in answer to specific questions about the reading. These will be collected, read, and graded. See mid-term information for more information.
In order to facilitate publishing and peer feedback, all drafts of papers (including any early drafts) must be word processed.
It is your responsibility to have material ready (i.e. proofread, spell-checked, edited, etc.) by deadlines assigned.
Project #1: Gould paper due September 15, 2000
Project #2: Keneally paper due October 6, 2000
Project # 3: Individual research project (IRP) due October 27, 2000
Portfolio due November 15, 2000
Papers are scheduled so I can do three readings of your work and return the work to you at the next class period. If the work does not come in at the time assigned, it may not be returned to you until the end of the semester.
Credit will not be given until the instructor has commented on the work.3
No letter grades are given on these projects. Instead feedback is given by way of:
- an audio-tape contains my spoken on your paper,
- a ranking by thirds of your paper in comparison to the other papers submitted on the assignment (upper, middle, or lower).
These indicators are not convertible to letter grades. I welcome conferences with anyone who has questions about the paper, the tape, or how the paper might fit into the final portfolio.
The project will be returned unread and uncredited if
- required materials (especially the audiotape) are not submitted correctly; and
- correct word-processing and spell checking have not been completed.
- peer responses are not completed if the class elects this.
M August 21 Class meets for the first time, information gathered, syllabus distributed
W August 23 Come to class having prepared Gould, pages 51-61 and the syllabus. There will be a quiz over both of these today.
F August 25 Come to class having prepared Gould, pages 62-104.
M August 28 Come to class having prepared Gould, pages 105-141.
W August 30 Come to class having prepared Gould, pages 142-175.
F September 1 Come to class having prepared Gould, pages 176-204 (through Goddard)
M September 4 Labor Day (No classes)
W September 6 Come to class having prepared Gould, pages 204-263.
F September 8 Come to class having prepared Gould, pages 264-326. (stop at Thurstone).
M September 11 Come to class having prepared Gould, pages 326-366
W September 13 Peer response for paper #1
F September 15 Paper #1 due. Begin discussion of Keneally.
M September 18 come to class having prepared Keneally, pages 9-115
W September 20 come to class having prepared Keneally, pages 116-224
F September 22 come to class having prepared Keneally, pages 225-263
M September 25 come to class having prepared Keneally, pages 264-333
W September 27 come to class having prepared Keneally, pages 334-397
F September 29 Read Ballenger, Ch. 1 (The First Week), specific areas will be targeted.
M October 2 Web Research (see Ballenger on "Befriending the Internet")
W October 4 Peer response on Keneally paper
F October 6 Paper # 2 due
M October 9 Columbus Day --No classes
W October 11 Come to class having prepared Ballenger, Chapter 2, with special focus on pages 97-104.
F October 13 Surveys due.
M October 16 Surveys distributed and taken.
W October 18 Come to class having prepared Ballenger Chapter 3, with special focus on plagiarism, notetaking techniques and conducting surveys.
F October 20 Come to class having prepared Ballenger Chapter 4, with special focus on pages 173-180 and 184-189.
M October 23 Come to class having prepared Ballenger Chapter 5, with special focus on Revising for Purpose and Revising for Language.
W October 25 Peer response of paper # 3.
F October 27 Paper # 3 due
M October 30 Portfolio work begins
W November 1 The self-reflective essay as research writing
F November 3 MLA style and guidelines (which will be required in portfolio)
M November 6 Developing the self-reflective essay
W November 8 Revising existing papers for portfolio inclusion.
F November 10 Peer response to self-reflective essay
M November 13 Finalizing of portfolio scoring rubric and sign up for individual conferences.
W November 15 Portfolio due
F November 17 Mop up of portfolio issues. Written response to the process overall.
M November 20 No class. Individual grading conferences on portfolio.
Tuesday -- 4 pm Thanksgiving Break
M November 27 Evaluation day.
W November 29 Evaluation day.
F December 1 Last day to resubmit a portfolio.
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