Academic Research and College Writing Syllabus
Fall 2016
Contact: drcowinjxxx
Academic Research and Writing is a University Preparation (UP) course offered on a rolling basis. The UP program prepares students for successful entry into US Universities and Colleges.
Course Description
Academic Research and College Writing: 3 blocks at 80 minutes per week plus 30 minutes/bi-weekly individual conferences.
This course introduces students to Academic Research and College Writing strategies through close reading, textual analysis, writing, and revision. PowToon:, students develop their critical thinking skills and a to the fundamentals of college-level research. Students will spend time in individual conferences, collaborative learning activities, presentations and peer review.
Prerequisites to take this course are:
- Passing the entrance exam for UP program
- Passing the language assessment exam for the UP program
- Enrollment in the UP Program
- Successful completion of the SAT, and Toefl courses
Time and place of course meetings:
xxxxxxx
Room xxxxx, Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday from 2 pm – 3:20 pm
Contact Information
Office Location: Room xxx Academy Hall
Phone number: xxxxxxx
Email address: xxxxxx
Office hours: Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday xxxx
WhatsApp: All students are required to be part of the Academic Research and College Writing group on WhatsApp. This group will be used for instant communication, collaboration between class members and me. Assignments, reminders of due dates, and general questions will be posted on both WhatsApp and the Assignment Share Document.
DO NOT WHATSAPP DURING CLASS!
Required Texts
Students are asked to secure a copy of either:
“The Elements of Style,” by W. Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White, any edition ISBN13: 9780205309023, Amazon.com, $9.95
or
“The Chicago Manual of Style,” by The University of Chicago Press Staff, any edition.
ISBN13: 9780226104201, Amazon.com, $37.70
Also, this course will work with Open Educational Resources
Resources:
Our Department has multiple computer labs and copiers available for your use. Please consult your School App for details.
Information on Assignments:
All assignments are due on the stated date. They must be shared via Google Docs with me. All emails and Google docs should have in their subject line: Last Name, First Name, UP Program, Academic Research & Writing.
FAQ: Do I need to print out my papers?
ANSWER: No, instead of printing you will export your final paper into a PDF file and email the PDF file to me.
FAQ: How will I know what to revise?
ANSWER: Revision suggestions will show up as comments on your Google document.
Requirements and Regulations at our School
The UP program has a rigorous attendance policy for students. Success in this class depends on regular and punctual attendance. Failure to adhere to the UP-attendance regulation will result in your inability to receive a UP Diploma.
The UP Programs policy for multiple section courses such as this one is:
- UP students need an attendance rate above 90% to remain in the program. This is the total attendance required for all courses.
- Students in classes that meet three times a week may miss no more than three (3) sessions per semester.
- Four or more (4+) absences are grounds for failure.
- Missing 10 minutes of class, arriving late, departing early, or leaving during class, will be noted as “Late.” Three (3) lates per week, this includes other classes in your section, constitute one (1) absence. (3 lates = 1 absence)
- LATE SHOWS lower your attendance percentage!
Grading Policy:
Academic Research and College Writing includes four formal writing assignments: two formal papers of 3-6 pages and an annotated bibliography assignment that assesses, vets, and analyzes 3 – 5 sources. All formal papers in Academic Research and College Writings will be written under “revision” conditions. A Gmail account is necessary, as is Google Docs. Drafts will be shared for feedback on content and organization by fellow peers and me, your UP facilitator.
Two formal papers 40% of the final grade
Paper 1 20%
Paper 2 20%
Annotated bibliography assignment Paper 1 10% of final grade
Annotated bibliography assignment Paper 2 10% of final grade
Observation journal 10% of the final grade
Blog 20% of the final grade
Participation and elevator pitch 10% of the final grade
Academic Integrity Statement and Plagiarism Guidelines
http://Plagiarism Guide by OWL
It is acceptable to build on others ideas in your work, but you must give them credit. The final product must be predominantly the result of your work. All academic integrity violations in Academic Research and College Writing will result in an F on the assignment, and/or, a failing grade in the course, plus a referral to the Head of the UP Program.
Course Goals
Students successfully completing this course will have engaged in and practiced the skills necessary for the clear delivery of information via the written word. This course will activate and/or develop critical reading and thinking skills necessary for successful writing performance in both a professional and academic setting. It will do this by engaging students in a review of reading and writing as a purposeful act of observation, reaction, analysis, planning and execution. The best way to understand writing is through reading, so students in this course will engage in frequent reading and writing assignments, and through this will discover and use the process of writing to better express themselves and their ideas in both their professional and academic life.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Describe the four elements of writing (purpose, audience, thesis, supports).
- Use a selection of tech tools in your research, writing and presentations: such as Diigo, WordPress, Citation Machine
- Describe and demonstrate examples of the four primary types of writing (narrative,
persuasive, expository, descriptive). - Demonstrate examples of primary styles of writing such as essay writing, blog writing, concise, emails, writing for the media, writing for the web, writing a research report,
- Successfully create, write and deliver an elevator pitch
- Demonstrate the use of drafting, analysis, and revision to improve weaknesses in
writing. - Read and listen critically and analytically, including identifying an argument’s major assumptions and assertions and evaluating its supporting evidence.
- Demonstrate research skills using appropriate technology, including gathering, evaluating, and synthesizing primary and secondary sources.
- Support a thesis with well-reasoned arguments, and communicate persuasively across a variety of contexts, purposes, audiences, and media.
- Formulate original ideas and relate them to the ideas of others by employing the conventions of ethical attribution and citation.
Course Outline of Assignments and Activities
Reading critically and being able to articulate feedback is vital to your success as a writer so that you will engage in active discussion and review of your classmates’ work. It is often easier to identify specific strengths, weaknesses, and strategies for improvement in other people’s writing, something we will practice accordingly. As you become better at analyzing the effectiveness of other people’s writing, you will learn to more efficiently analyze your own.
Tech Requirements:
- Install Chrome and Google Apps
- Download and install WhatsApp on your cell phone
- Create a Gmail account: Last Name, First Name, Academic Research Fall 2016.This email address should look like this (with your name!): Example: smithjohnacademicresearchfall2016@gmail.com
- Create a free account on WordPress WordPress.com: Create a free website or blog
- Create a free account on SlideBean Slidebean: Presentation Software, Online Presentation Tools
- Create a free account Padlet Click here for Padlet Link
- Create free account on Diigo: Your personal Diigo library for research
- Create a free account on Powtoons PowToon : Online business presentation software to create free, cool …
- Install Citation Machine for your citations
Assignment Breakdown:
Guided and unguided discussion forums
Homework assignments
Observation Journal – WEEKLY
Demonstration of writing types
4 Critical readings
Style Guide Review
Annotated bibliography assignment
Reverse Outline
Email practice
Elevator Pitch
WordPress Blog Creation
Blog Posts
Project 1
First Draft
Peer Review
Final Draft
Project 2
First Draft
Peer Review
Final Draft
Academic Research and College Writing Timeline*:
Week 1: Introductions and discovering the four basics (purpose, audience, thesis and supports).
Discovering writing styles: narrative, descriptive, expository and persuasive
Tools to support your writing (style guide review) Tech Tool: Padlet
Workshop: Grammar review
Workshop: Writing Styles 1- narrative
Observation Journal
Week 2: Annotated bibliography assignment Tech Tool: Diigo and Citation Machine
Basic Steps to put together a research project
Workshop: Writing Styles 2 – descriptive
Mini Workshop: Running a Boolean Search
Mini Workshop: Similes and Metaphors in writing
Observation Journal
Choice activity: Take a selfie at the Library and post to WhatsApp
Week 3: The reverse outline
Start project research
Describe research project/Paper 1 Tech Tool: SlideBean
Workshop: Writing Styles 3 – expository
Workshop: Vetting research, creating a bibliography, narrowing your topic.
Mini Workshop: Creating strong topic sentences, adding details and staying focused.
Observation Journal
Choice Activity: Class Google Hangout Discussion Party 1 with me/evening Time: TBA
Week 4: Writing effective emails (five sentence process)- describe research project/Paper 1
Annotated bibliography
Outline paper 1
Workshop: Writing Styles – persuasive
Mini Workshop: How to use closing punctuation. How to use commas in a series.
Observation Journal
Reflection
Week 5: WordPress Blog Creation Tech Tool WordPress
Posting Annotated bibliography for Paper 1 on your blog Tech Tool WordPress
Workshop: Writing for a blog
Mini Workshop: How to create charts and pies. How to insert charts and graphics
Observation Journal
Critical Reading 1
Week 6: Writing an elevator pitch about Paper 1
Workshop: Creating a good elevator pitch
Choice activity: Google Hangout Discussion Party 2 with me/evening Time: TBA
Delivering, capturing and posting elevator pitch on blog about Research Paper 1
Observation Journal
Critical reading 2
Week 7: Peer Review Paper 1
Revision paper 1
Workshop: Common revisions needed, revision checklist, constructive feedback
Observation Journal
Critical reading 3
Week 8 – 9 Paper 1 submission – PDF File!
Paper 2 – describe research project Tech Tool Padlet
Annotated bibliography
Writing outline Paper 2
Observation Journal
Critical reading 4
Choice activity: Google Hangout Discussion Party 3 with me/evening Time: TBA
Week 10: Paper 2:
Blog post: description of project (5 sentences) Tech Tool WordPress
Elevator pitch presentation: Paper 2
Annotated bibliography Tech Tool Diigo
Workshop: Analysis of Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail
Click this link for MLK Letter
Observation journal
Choice Activity: Go to a lecture as an EF group with me TBA/evening/NYC
Draft 1, Paper 2
Week 11: Draft 2, Paper 2
Peer Review Paper 2
Choice activity: Google Hangout Discussion Party 4 with me/evening Time: TBA
Observation Journal
Reflection
Week 12: Blog on Paper 2 Tech Tool WordPress
Submission Paper 2 – PDF File!
Class Evaluation REQUIRED: via Survey Monkey: Follow the link and answer all the questions
Class Presentations Paper 2 Tech Tool SlideBean or PowToons
Reflection and wrap-up
*Please note that this timeline is subject to change per student need.
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