Research Writing Methods - 3345
Wayland Baptist University, San Antonio
Summer Term -- May 27 - August 10, 2002
                      Mondays, 6:00-10:10 p.m.  OR  Wednesdays 6:00-10:00 p.m.  - San Antonio Center, Room 104

                                              Mrs. Nelda Andrewartha, Instructor                                                 
 Phone: 830-980-2404                email: nandrew@stic.net

   I.  Catalog Description:

Provides instruction in formulating research topics, conducting research, and writing papers, which marshal support from secondary sources.  Students will learn to read and understand research reports, to analyze and interpret results, and to develop in-depth, research-based papers centering on topics in their academic disciplines.

  II.  Textbook and Materials: 

Hacker, Diana. (1999). A Writer's Reference: Fourth Edition Updated with MLA's and APA's 2001 Guidelines.  New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, Press.
Dictionary and Thesaurus
Highlighters

  III.  Course Outline: 

            Organization and Development of Scholarly Writing
            Research Skills, Application, and Presentation of Information Gathered  
            Preparation and Submission of Formal Essays with Documentation
            Assessment and Revision Strategies
           Improvement of Language Skills

   IV.  Course Objectives:  Students will:

          Develop, apply, and refine written communication skills of exposition, argumentation, and persuasion.
           Read critically from a variety of research sources, interpret author's ideas, and evaluate credibility of sources.
          Integrate information from research resources accurately and responsibly in both written and oral communication, giving proper    attribution for all sources used.
          Apply APA documentation style accurately.
          Produce scholarly written and oral products using the conventions of English grammar, usage, mechanics, and spelling.
          Evaluate the writing of others for content, organization, development of ideas, and the conventions of English.
          Self-assess one's writing and set goals for improvement.
 

V.  Course Requirements and Evaluation:

Categories

Explanation

 Weighting
Attendance Based on attendance: absences, partial absences, and tardies affect this grade.

5%
Reading/Writing Workshop Includes class activities, such as  prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, reading, discussion, in-class essays, conferences, self and peer assessments, quizzes, exercises, research skills, grammar, usage, and mechanics.  There is no makeup for work completed in the workshop that is graded.
     

15%
Formal Essays

  Includes four polished  pieces of writing:

           Editorial (10%)  
           Research Proposal (15%)  
           Review of the Literature (20%)  
           Documented Argumentative Essay (25%)  

70%

Semester Exam

  Oral Presentation based on research that includes:            

            Synthesis of essential information  
            Visual representation  
            Optional format  

10%

Grading Policy:

All work is due on the scheduled due date.  Failure to meet that deadline will result in a penalty of one letter grade.  No work will be accepted later than one week after the due date.  The research process has three separate but related papers; therefore, the research proposal 

                               WBU Grading Scale

   A    90-100
   B    80-89
   C    70-79
   D    60--69
   F      0-59

Availability of Instructor:  The instructor will be available for conferences at 5:30 before each class meeting.  Students may also contact the instructor by email.

   

 Addendum

The University has adopted an absence policy that applies in all cases in all classes, as follows:

            Students enrolled at Wayland Baptist University should make every effort to attend all class meetings.  All absences must be explained to the satisfaction of the instructor, who will decide whether the omitted work may be made up.  When a student reaches that number of absences considered by the instructor to be excessive, the instructor will so advise the student and file an Unsatisfactory Progress Report with the campus dean.  Any student who misses twenty-five percent or more of the regularly scheduled class meetings will receive a grade of F for that course.  Additional attendance policies for each course, as defined by the instructor in the course syllabus, are considered part of the University's attendance policy.

                                                                                                        Wayland Baptist University Campus, 2000-2001, p. 77.

 

   ADDENDUM AND COMMENTS

Please do not assume that you can miss 25% of the class meetings with no penalty at all.  Very few students can be absent that much and still pass the course.  Almost inevitably, students who miss class perform less well than they expect, and their grades are lower.

Note that there is no such thing as an excused absence from any class.  If you are not in class, you are absent.  The reason for your absence is not relevant.  If you are obviously ill, especially if your illness may be contagious, please stay home until you have recovered.  Anyone who is ill 25% of the time probably needs to drop the course and rest to get well.

The philosophy behind this policy is twofold:  We believe that attendance in class indicates that you are serious about getting a quality education, and that such attendance greatly increases your chances to succeed.  On the other hand, tuition covers only about one-third of the cost of delivering a course to you.  Since we have to find the other two-thirds from the gifts and offerings of the Baptist people of Texas and friends of the university, we have twice the investment in you that you have in us.  We want to see you succeed.

So there will be no doubt, 3 weeks of a course lasting 11 weeks is more than 25%.  Notice that the attendance policy does not make exceptions.  Attendance in a class means being in class from the time it is called to order until it is dismissed by the instructor.  Leaving before class is dismissed counts as a pro-rated absence.  Leaving at break time means being absent for half the class.  Two such half-absences equal one week's absence.

   

 IT IS UNIVERSITY POLICY THAT NO OTHERWISE QUALIFIED DISABLED PERSON BE EXCLUDED FROM PARTICIPATION IN, BE DENIED THE BENEFITS OF, OR BE SUBJECT TO DISCRIMINATION UNDER ANY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM OR ACTIVITY IN THE UNIVERSITY.