Sample Writing-Intensive Course Proposals

HIST 201: Latin American Revolutions Date first offered: Sp ‘05

Molly Wood (History) / Miguel Martinez-Saenz (Philosophy)

Assignments

a) What kinds of writing will be assigned in the course? What purposes will they serve (e.g., developing fluency, generating discussion, promoting critical thinking skills, reporting or summarizing findings, evaluating)? Estimate the length of each assignment.

This course will employ a variety of writing assignments in order to aid in the development of clear and effective written communication skills (such as the evaluation and interpretation of historical evidence and critical/analytical thinking). Written assignments will also be used to stimulate discussion of specific issues. Formal papers (a variety of lengths from 1-3 pages) will ask students to respond with a clear argument (thesis) to a specific historical question or problem based on class reading assignments. Students will also be asked to interpret and critique a variety of primary and secondary historical writings (either in class or formal out-of-class writing assignments). Informal in class assignments will be used to encourage students to work collaboratively in class to produce effective analyses. We are planning to have our students submit something in writing each week: brief response papers, reading notes, Web CT responses, in-class quiz or a brief formal essay. These assignments will be used to promote better knowledge of the subject, to generate questions and discussion, to promote critical thinking, and to encourage the students to think about writing with clarity in order to explain their ideas.

b) What percentage of the final grade in the course will be determined by grades on written assignments (e.g., papers, journals, essay exams, lab reports, informal writings)?

At least75-80% of the class grade will be based on the completion of a variety of written assignments.

c) If you have already designed any course materials related to writing (e.g., explanations of assignments, syllabus with assignments, sample papers, critique sheets), please enclose copies.

See attached. Since I have not decided on specific writing assignments for HIST 201 yet, I am enclosing materials from my current HIST 135 (Latin American Civilizations) course. Guidelines will remain the same. Some of the assignments will be similar in content.

Process

a) How will the various assignments be sequenced to encourage the development of writing skills (e.g., short to long, single skill to multiple skills, summary to analysis, simple to complex understanding)?

I do make an effort to sequence assignments from the more simple to the more complex assignments (focusing at this level on description and analysis). For example, students are asked to respond to a series of progressively more complex questions and topics and to learn to use a variety of historical sources and evidence. Paper assignments also generally become longer in the second half of the semester, though none of the assignments for this class will consist of papers longer than 3-4 pages.

b) How will you prepare the student to write (e.g., oral and written explanations of assignments, class discussions of the topic or of writing, group or individual brainstorming, informal writing)?

I will be using A Writer’s Reference in all my WI courses (as a reference and resource for students). In addition, I maintain class websites that include a standard handout on “Writing History Papers”(see attached) that students in my classes use on a regular basis (including basic information on organization and structure of papers, tips on writing style and substance). I encourage, and in some cases require, my students to go to the Writing Center. I also set aside class time to talk about the writing process before all writing assignments. Students will be given explicit instructions for each paper (guidelines are always available on the class website) and we discuss in class the nature of the assignment and the topic to be addressed.

c) How will you help students with the process of writing (e.g., meeting with individual students, responding to drafts, providing models of good writing, promoting peer response)?

See answer to question above for help with writing process. In addition, students are encouraged (and sometimes required) to submit drafts of papers for my comment. I generally do not hold required individual conferences on the writing process at this level (and class size), but students are always encouraged, at any stage in the process, to come to talk to me about their papers. Modeling and peer review are also both strategies I have used in class, as well as continued class discussion on the writing process (and opportunities for students to ask questions and raise issues as they work on their papers).

d) How will you respond to the finished product (e.g., required or optional revision, conferences, marginal comments, grades, class discussion, publication for class)?

I respond to the finished product by returning a graded paper, with marginal comments (sometimes extensive comments), to the students. On the day papers are returned, I spend some class time talking about the papers and making general comments on paper strengths and weaknesses or areas of possible improvement. Students have various options for revision and resubmission (outlined on my class website). Students who are having specific problems are required to visit the Writing Center and to make an appointment for a conference. I also explain to students that I am looking generally for improvement in their papers over the course of the semester, and that I take into account this improvement at the end of the semester when I am calculating grades. As always, students are encouraged to come talk to me about their papers.

COMM 301 Critical Methods: Communication Criticism

Dr. Catherine Waggoner (Communications)

Assignments

a) What kinds of writing will be assigned in the course? What purposes will they serve (e.g., developing fluency, generating discussion, promoting critical thinking skills, reporting or summarizing findings, evaluating)? Estimate the length of each assignment.

The purpose of this course is to foster skills in critical analysis as applied to a wide variety of discourses (e.g., speeches, texts, advertisements, news reports, television programs, films, songs). Students will learn and practice contemporary methods of communication analysis (e.g., Neo-Aristotelian, Narrative, Pentadic, Semiotic) in 3 essays, each developed through a required draft. They will learn the assumptions of each critical method in such written applications. Essays will be 6-8 pages, with the final essay 10-12 pages.

b) What percentage of the final grade in the course will be determined by grades on written assignments (e.g., papers, journals, essay exams, lab reports, informal writings)?

Approximately 70%.

c) If you have already designed any course materials related to writing (e.g., explanations of assignments, syllabus with assignments, sample papers, critique sheets), please enclose copies.

Each essay applies a different method to an artifact of the student’s choice (e.g., piece of discourse such as speech, text, film, television program, song lyrics, print ad). The final essay develops one of the previous essays in to a longer and more substantive essay by applying the method in a more sophisticated fashion and offering more supportive evidence for the claims. Here, students may integrate elements/insights from other methods, as well, so that they final essay represents the culmination of the student’s learning about critical methods, rather than a more narrow application of one method.

Process

a) How will the various assignments be sequenced to encourage the development of writing skills (e.g., short to long, single skill to multiple skills, summary to analysis, simple to complex understanding)?

While each assignment basically asks students to do the same thing—apply a critical method to an artifact—I will in the beginning of the semester have students apply methods that are less complicated and then progress to those more complicated. The final essay will add a layer of complexity, asking students to revise an existing essay into a more substantive one by integrating what they have learned from the course, adding elements from other methods where appropriate.

b) How will you prepare the student to write (e.g., oral and written explanations of assignments, class discussions of the topic or of writing, group or individual brainstorming, informal writing)?

Students are required to submit a draft of each essay before the final version is due. I grade those drafts, providing extensive written comments (and oral ones if student desires those,), and designating a hypothetical grade for the paper. Additionally, we will do spontaneous in-class analyses of various artifacts as a group so that students will be able to see the critical process in action. Finally, we will read sample essays that will serve as models for student writing.

c) How will you help students with the process of writing (e.g., meeting with individual students, responding to drafts, providing models of good writing, promoting peer response)?

During class sessions, I will explain each critical method, as well as provide models of its application. For each paper, students will prepare a draft for my review. I will review the draft thoroughly, making marginal comments and assigning a hypothetical grade to the paper. Each paper, then, will have gone through a formal draft prior to the final submission. The final version will be assigned a “real” grade, replacing the hypothetical grade on the draft.

d) How will you respond to the finished product (e.g., required or optional revision, conferences, marginal comments, grades, class discussion, publication for class)?

I will hold conferences, as well as provide marginal comments and hypothetical grades on required drafts.

Note: I have a new policy of not accepting “rewrites” of finished essays. I will read as many drafts as students would like (and I even require one draft) prior to the due date. Once the final essay is submitted, however, I will not provide opportunities for rewriting that essay for a different grade. Frankly, I’m tired of students submitting a half-baked essay when they know they can always ask me for a rewrite after the due date. I hope to stress the value and importance of drafts before a final version is submitted, perhaps helping students overcome procrastination habits, as well!

I also hope to submit some of these essays for publication in Spectrum, and I use that as a goal for the class. From last semester (FA 05), for example I had two students submit their essays. I worked with them early in Spring 06—after the course was completed –-to get their essay ready for that submission.

WittSem 100L: Ant Lions, Tiger Beetles and Wooly Bears, Oh MY! A Look at the Diversity of Insects and their Impact on Humans

Carmen E. Trisler

Assignments

a) What kinds of writing will be assigned in the course? What purposes will they serve? Estimate the length of each assignment.

The following written assignments will be included in the course:

Journal writing: Journals will be an ongoing part of the course. They will be submitted to the instructor 3-4 times during the course and will serve as an additional dialog between student and instructor. Students will be able to select several entries to be peer reviewed. One entry, after peer and instructor review will be used as a basis of a final article or essay that will then be graded as a paper for part of the journal grade. Journals will be evaluated on observational detail, scientific accuracy, connection of thought, and reflection. Journals will serve the purpose of reporting observations, developing insight into attitudes, generating discussion and reflection. Journal entries will vary in length from 350-1,000 words. Some journal articles will be observations in the field, some will be prompts given in class, others will be reflection on our class discussions. There will be a minimum of one journal entry per week for 8-10 weeks.

Scientific paper: Students will design a scientific experiment for the basis of producing a scientific paper. More emphasis will be on the writing up of the experiment than the actual experiment itself. The paper will be evaluated on content, the appropriate divisions, and scientific style and conventions. The purpose of this exercise will be to promote critical thinking skills, report data, summarize findings, and develop fluency in writing in a scientific style. This assignment will be approximately 500 words in length.

Synthesis paper: Students will find three research articles on a self selected insect topic, and synthesize them into one paper discussing the research that was conducted. This is an exercise to introduce students to primary literature, practice their research skills, cite references, read and understand scientific literature, and synthesize ideas. This paper will be approximately 500 words in length.

Midterm exam: This tool will assess accurate scientific content that students should gain in insect systematics, life history, behavior and ecology. Fifty per cent of the exam will be essay. Usually the essay portion on my exams consists of two essay questions worth 25 points each. Each answer usually ranges from 350-500 words.

In class paper: An in class paper will be written on a prompt given by the instructor for the student to use the writing skills and scientific knowledge s/he has gained in the course. The paper will be evaluated on accurate scientific content as well as writing style and conventions. The purpose of this assignment is to develop fluency, promote critical thinking and writing skills. The prompt will be something about how their attitude about insects is different now than it was at the beginning of the course, so it will also develop the skill of evaluating their own attitudes and behavior changes. Length would bee about 700 words.

Insect Appreciation Project: While there is not a paper per se that is assigned for this project, this assignment will involve research skills, critical thinking, reporting and summarizing findings, as well as analyzing and evaluating data. Oral presentation skills will also be brought into this presentation.

b) What percentage of the final grade in the course will be determined by grades on written assignments?

Seventy percent of the course grade will be determined by writing assignments. They are broken down as follows:

Journal writing (20%) Journals will be an ongoing part of the course. Students will be able to select several entries to be peer reviewed. One entry, after peer and instructor review will be used as a basis of a final article or essay that will then be graded as a paper for part of the journal grade. Journals will be evaluated on observational detail, scientific accuracy, connection of thought, and reflection.

Scientific paper and experiment (10%) Students will design a scientific experiment for the basis of producing a scientific paper. More emphasis will be on the writing up of the experiment than the actual experiment itself. The paper will be evaluated on content, the appropriate divisions, and scientific style.

Synthesis paper on three scientific articles (10%) Students will find three research articles on a self selected insect topic, and synthesize them into one paper discussing the research that was conducted. This is an exercise to introduce students to primary literature, practice their research skills, read and understand scientific literature, and synthesize ideas.

Midterm exam (20%) This tool will assess accurate scientific content that students should gain in insect systematics, life history, behavior and ecology. Fifty per cent of the exam will be essay.

In class paper (10%) An in class paper will be written on a prompt given by the instructor for the student to use the writing skills and scientific knowledge s/he has gained in the course. The paper will be evaluated on accurate scientific content as well as writing style and conventions.

The remainder of the course grade will be based on:

Insect Appreciation Project (20%) Students will select topics and will work in small groups to present information to the class that will demonstrate their appreciation for insects. Students will use research and writing skills as well as oral presentation skills for this project. It can be a hands on project that the entire class will make as part of the presentation, or something that the group has made for the presentation itself. Each project will contain an introduction, background information on the topic, cultural connections, why this interested the group, how or why it enhances a student’s life.

Attendance and Participation (10%) . This is to used to encourage new students to attend class regularly and become active participants in their learning.

c) If you have already designed any course materials related to writing of assignments please enclose these copies.

A tentative syllabus is attached. Some of the writing assignments are listed as they are discussed in class (see boldface type). The syllabus is not final and individual assignment column has not been completed.

Process

a) How will the various assignments be sequenced to encourage the development of writing skills?

We will begin with journal writing. The first journal entries will be on observations they are will record what they see as they watch insects going about their daily life. As they progress in their journal writing we will have additional prompts, such as a memory of an insect or something that have read about insects so that students will be able to add feeling into their writing as well as factual observations.

From journal writing we will go into scientific writing which will have a very prescribed format. The first scientific paper they will produce will be writing up a simple self-designed experiment with insects that they will perform. It could be something as simple as watching a bee in the sun and then shading it with a book or their hand to see how it’s behavior changes from sun to shade. They will then try to write this up as a scientific paper containing an introduction, methods and materials, results, discussion and conclusion, and references. Once they get the form of scientific writing, they will be able to improve upon their skills by writing the synthesis paper in the same format.

The midterm exam will have several essay questions for them to answer in class. Instructor comments will be written regarding sequence, thoroughness, attention to detail, and conceptualization. These comments will help them develop their in class writing when they complete their final paper.

We will proceed in each type of writing from short passages to longer ones, single skills to multiple skills, familiar to unfamiliar. Each type of writing is designed with more than one assignment for that type so that students can learn from their first attempts, build upon those strengths and try to improve a second or third time.

b) How will you prepare the student to write?

We will be reading Annie Dillard’s A Pilgrim at Tinker Creek at the same time that we are doing observations. In this way, students will have an excellent example of nature observation and nature writing as they begin. We will also be using Donald Stoke’s Guide to Observing Insect Lives which is a more factual how-to book of where to find insects, and how to interpret their behavior. There will be several discussions in class about journal writing as we read Dillard’s work and begin our journaling.

We will dissect one scientific paper in class looking at how it is written, and the format that is used. I will demonstrate a simple experiment with an insect and as a class we will write up the experiment in a scientific style for practice.

There will be oral and written examples of each assignment, brainstorming, discussion and models of exemplary work for each written assignment.

c) How will you help the students with the process of writing?

I will write comments in the margins of journals as well as a response to their entries thus far each time they are turned in (3-4 times during the semester). I will also write notes in the margins of papers and exams. A response their their overall effort and quality of the assignment will be written at the bottom of all papers along with their grade. I will have individual conferences with students or papers and projects. Several self-selected journal entries will be peer reviewed.

d) How will you respond to the finished product?

There will be response to every assignment with comments written at the end of each paper. The students will have one paper growing out of a journal entry that will be revised through several drafts after peer and instructor comments. I would like to do something with publishing these essays in either a booklet for our class, an article for the Torch, or submission to Spectrum. I will have to see what types of articles/essays are written along with the quality of the before making this decision. This could be part of the community building in the WittSem to have students make this choice.