Alert! Class will be in SciTech II 242 tonight. I was given a construction-related cancellation for our other room yesterday... sorry for the delay is passing that on.
Aaron's note to himself... I have a mid-term evaluation survey I want to give you guys next week. Thanks to Beckyanne for reminding me about this.
Reminders for 11/3
-Obviously if I don't have your annotated bibliography and background literature review, those are absolute priorities at this point.
-Some of you have already posted Research Log #6 (any topic). If not, write that whenever the mood strikes you this week.
-Read Booth: Chapters 7-10, 12-13
-I'd also like you to read this brief handout about distinguishing scholarly sources from other types of sources.
-We will cut the Eby article on “Data Collection Strategies” from the syllabus. Unless your project involves interviews (e.g. Julie, Jeremiah), surveys, or behavioral observation (e.g. Jenifer). In that case you'll find it really helpful - click here to read the article. Something else you may find useful is this great handout about concept mapping... I'm sorry this got swallowed by my inbox mess last month.
-The whole deal about meeting with the writing fellow that you see mentioned in the syllabus has been cut. I think what happened is they were only able to pay the person for a limited number of hours, so they are trying it on an experimental basis in Jeannie's section of 390 only.
-Next week's major writing deadlines (11/3 before class) are an expansion that takes the annotated bibliography to 25 sources (15 for Nina). Use the same format and just add to what you already have; our main purpose in class today is to suggest additional areas to explore. And then of course a corresponding revision to the background literature review; I will be emailing you some suggestions over the next few days. Note for fair warning: according to the syllabus this is the point at which I will grade the annotated bibliography.
Reminders/Notes for Later
-We will push the next phase to 11/10 (which you will note is another no-class day). That means the first draft of the methodology section and of the evidence/analysis section. One thing I will note about the methodology section is, this might also be a good place to discuss what the limits of the scope of your project are. As to the other part, the more I consider it, the less it makes sense to me that you are able to have "evidence" or "analysis" at this pre-proposal stage. So let's re-name this something more like "hypothesis and outline of major ideas/arguments." That would also include anticipated objections, which is a major emphasis in both Craft of Research and They Say / I Say. As well as any preliminary reasons or evidence you do have at this point.
-Apparently you're supposed to write a conclusion as well, but that seems even more bizarre to me. How would you be able to render conclusions about something you haven't even done yet? The instruction handout for the proposal mentions that you might discuss "possible outcomes," but that would be pretty well covered by "hypothesis." If it was meant to be some statement of the importance of the project, you would probably have already covered that in the introduction. So I need to think about this some more, but at the very earliest it would be due on 11/17.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Reminders for Class #6 (Wednesday 10/27)
As Soon As Possible: Sign up for a conference time to meet with me sometime on 10/12-10/15 or 10/18-10/19. I am sharing all of you a Google Document for this, but you could also email me a request.
Friday 10/8: Post results from tonight's class exercise to this blog entry. (Types of sources in one of your disciplines, standards of evidence/proof in one of your disciplines, what critical thinking means in one of your disciplines... or answer for your partner as you arranged.) Remember, we're calling this Research log #4 1/2 and replacing one of the ones you would have done later.
Monday 10/11-ish: Revise Project Description according to my suggestions,and send to your faculty advisor. (I asked some of you to revise and resubmit to me first.)
Wednesday 10/20-ish: Post Research Log #5 to this blog entry. The topic should be the current status of your relationship with your faculty advisor. So definitely wait to do this until after you've corresponded with the advisor about your project description.
Wednesday 10/20: I highly recommend that you attend the following lecture on the Mason campus if you are able to! If you want to attend and write a short review for the blog, that could replace one of your required research logs.
Friday 10/22: Email or Docshare me an Annotated Bibliography with at least 10 entries. As given tonight, the format is as follows: 1) Bibliographic Citation for source according to the discipline-specific style standard you've selected. Then the annotation: 2) Thesis or main idea of source... WHAT is being argued. 3) Evidence or method of source... HOW is it being argued. 3) Audience of source... WHO are the readers it addresses. 4) Purpose of source... WHY is it written? What is the author trying to accomplish? These last four could be accomplished in 2-4 sentences. You can write more if it's helpful, but don't write a novel. 5) Is the source your "family," "friend," "enemy," or a "one-night-stand"? ("Strangers" and "help wanted" are important to classify but shouldn't be included in your annotated bibliography. Remember you will always reassess your sources, so even friends may become strangers. 6) What makes this source useful to you? 7) What are the limitations of the source, or reasons it might not be useful? 8) This source relates to one (or more) of your others sources how? Those last four could also be done in 2-4 sentences.
Wednesday 10/27 (before class): Email or Docshare me your first draft of the Background Literature Review. Remember, the Drafting an Investigative/Creative Proposal handout gives fairly specific instructions. The class will meet again in Student Union II (SUB II), room 7. We'll try it one more time and make sure there isn't a rock concert or something going on.
Friday 10/8: Post results from tonight's class exercise to this blog entry. (Types of sources in one of your disciplines, standards of evidence/proof in one of your disciplines, what critical thinking means in one of your disciplines... or answer for your partner as you arranged.) Remember, we're calling this Research log #4 1/2 and replacing one of the ones you would have done later.
Monday 10/11-ish: Revise Project Description according to my suggestions,and send to your faculty advisor. (I asked some of you to revise and resubmit to me first.)
Wednesday 10/20-ish: Post Research Log #5 to this blog entry. The topic should be the current status of your relationship with your faculty advisor. So definitely wait to do this until after you've corresponded with the advisor about your project description.
Wednesday 10/20: I highly recommend that you attend the following lecture on the Mason campus if you are able to! If you want to attend and write a short review for the blog, that could replace one of your required research logs.
Lecture: Annie Leonard
October 20, 2010 from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Johnson Center, Cinema
"The Story of Stuff," presented by environmental activist and author Annie Leonard. Reception and book signing will follow.
Friday 10/22: Email or Docshare me an Annotated Bibliography with at least 10 entries. As given tonight, the format is as follows: 1) Bibliographic Citation for source according to the discipline-specific style standard you've selected. Then the annotation: 2) Thesis or main idea of source... WHAT is being argued. 3) Evidence or method of source... HOW is it being argued. 3) Audience of source... WHO are the readers it addresses. 4) Purpose of source... WHY is it written? What is the author trying to accomplish? These last four could be accomplished in 2-4 sentences. You can write more if it's helpful, but don't write a novel. 5) Is the source your "family," "friend," "enemy," or a "one-night-stand"? ("Strangers" and "help wanted" are important to classify but shouldn't be included in your annotated bibliography. Remember you will always reassess your sources, so even friends may become strangers. 6) What makes this source useful to you? 7) What are the limitations of the source, or reasons it might not be useful? 8) This source relates to one (or more) of your others sources how? Those last four could also be done in 2-4 sentences.
Wednesday 10/27 (before class): Email or Docshare me your first draft of the Background Literature Review. Remember, the Drafting an Investigative/Creative Proposal handout gives fairly specific instructions. The class will meet again in Student Union II (SUB II), room 7. We'll try it one more time and make sure there isn't a rock concert or something going on.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)