Course Syllabus

English 201: The Research Paper

SPRING QUARTER 2016

Instructor:Laura Burns
E-mail: Campus email is laura.burns@bellevuecollege.edu, but please use the Canvas Inbox for matters related to this class.
Office: R230M
Phone: (425) 564-2373

Office Hours: Monday and Tuesday, 9:30 – 11:20; Wednesdays 7:30-8:20.    Thursdays and most Fridays I work from home.  You’ll find me frequently online at other times of the day, checking in around 7am, again at noon, and then early evening (between 5 and 6pm).   Many mornings I am online all morning giving feedback on assignments.  We can also meet on campus by appointment if these times don’t work for you.

There is no required textbook for this course.  However, it relies heavily on the Purdue Owl  (Links to an external site.)for all citation methods and other research related information.  Please bookmark this site and become familiar with it on your own. 

 

Introductory Remarks

This English 201 is an entirely online class.  Your success is founded on you participating fully, and checking in frequently during the week.  Be prepared to put in many hours per week on this course.    English 201 is certainly NOT a correspondence course, completed on your own timetable in isolation. You must participate in this course in an ongoing manner to successfully fulfill the requirements of the course.

This online course will require you to have some particular attributes and skills:

• second-year college level reading and comprehension skills,
• good self-motivation,
• good problem solving skills,
• the ability to communicate clearly in writing,
• the ability to learn well in a totally visual medium,
• the ability to follow written directions, and
• the ability to use your computer to complete various tasks, including (but not limited to) uploading and downloading files as well as attaching files to e-mail messages and in the assignment dropbox as required, and
• the ability to ask questions as needed.

Many students mistakenly believe that writing is a talent, gifted to everyone else. But writing is not a single task, accomplished in isolation. Writing is a skill, developed with practice in reading texts, analyzing texts, thinking through the texts and then lastly, writing these ideas down. Anyone with enough determination and effort can learn to communicate effectively in writing. This class is designed to use writing, in the form of an academic college research paper, to improve your written communication skills as well as your critical reading and thinking skills. Some students may already have a measure of these skills; some students may be better at some skills and feel less comfortable with the others. Whatever your abilities before now, I ask you to approach the class with compassion and tolerance for each other.

If you signed up for this course thinking that it would have less work than a course in the classroom, you were mistaken. Any online course has more writing work than a class in the classroom as all of our communication must be written. Please be advised that the workload may be very difficult for you if work and/or family demands do not allow you a minimum of two to three uninterrupted hours every weekday to work on the assignments and research for this class. I have tried to focus and space assignments to facilitate as many learning styles as possible, but you may need to schedule extra time, especially around paper writing/editing time, depending on your ability to read or write.

Student Responsibilities

Because of the special method of course delivery, several requirements must be met.

• First and probably most important, the student enrolled in this course MUST have a computer and required software and services, including a word processor (ideally Word 2010 or higher), an Internet Service Provider (avoid AOL), and a browser service that is updated to Canvas specifications. Perhaps more importantly, the student must be familiar with the use of the above-mentioned items. Whatever web browser you use, be sure to upgrade to the newest version. I do not teach computer skills; I teach English. I will help if I can, but I am no expert in computer systems.
• To reiterate the above, you must conduct most of your class participation through a computer, not a phone or tablet.  You will not have access to all Canvas tools and materials if you use these devices, and I am not responsible for your limited access.  Please make sure you have a computer easily available to you.
• In order to use our class website effectively, you MUST complete the Canvas Student Orientation and be aware of the ideal web browsers to use and the basic tools. Follow the link in the Start Here! to view the videos. Also click on the “How to Start Classes in Canvas” link in the Start Here! module to explore browser requirements and other general questions you might have.
•  Always keep me informed if you have problems with the technology.   Typically I might have a few suggestions, but usually you'll need to contact the helpdesk through this link-HelpDesk (Links to an external site.)- and either talk to them over the phone and/or submit a ticket. You may also contact the Distance Education office directly by email or phone: landerso@belleveucollege.edu or 425-564-2438. They can be extremely helpful with technology! However, I expect that you bring some expertise with you to help in solving problems that arise. Ultimately, your computer and internet services are your responsibility. If you are signed up for the online section and you have computer problems, you may use the computer labs on the BCC campus if you have an emergency.

My Expectations:

As you know, every teacher has expectations. These are mine.

1. I expect that you signed up for this course because you want to learn to how to write an academic research paper. Therefore, I expect that you will complete the work I have created to teach you these skills.

2. I expect that you have come to this class with a working usage of modern English grammar, as English 201 does not teach grammar. We focus on mechanics only to learn how to integrate and cite secondary sources. Thus basic skills of grammar and punctuation are a must.

3. I expect that you will participate in ALL class activities, including peer reviews, discussions and checkpoints. All of your papers must go through the Peer Review process in order for them to be accepted by me. Failure to participate in these areas may cause you to fail the course, even if your major papers are passing.

4. I expect that all of your communications in class will be written in conventional English, including discussions and emails to me. That means no texting abbreviations, unconventional capitals or lack thereof, or careless punctuation. Any graded communications that contain these unconventional usages will earn a C or lower, depending on the amount. That said, I do confess to using an emoticon (:-)), particularly when I'm giving you some constructive criticism. Other than that, let's stick to conventional English that you'll be using in your upper level classes and workplace.

5. I expect that you'll keep track of due dates, reading assignments and class activities using the CALENDAR tab located near the top of the home page.  Please ask immediately if you have trouble using this tool.

6.LATE WORK:

Unfortunately remarkable requests for late work have forced me into a fairly detailed "late work" policy.  So here goes: If turning in either a Paper or Checkpoint, YOU MUST contact me by the due date, and you have 3 DAYS to turn in that assignment.  No matter what, assignments submitted after that date will lose 5 points per 24 hour period that they are late. I will not accept assignments more than 3 days (72 hours) late, and will not accept late work without arrangement by the due date.   A pattern of late work is not acceptable; after a certain low number of  late assignments, you'll receive a warning that no more late work will be accepted.

DISCUSSIONS and QUIZZES cannot be made up under any circumstances.    You typically have 6-7 days to complete the discussions; start early so you avoid that last minute illness, computer crash or other natural or unnatural disaster.   There is no negotiating on this policy.  In the case of discussions, you simply haven't been "present" in the class, and like an in-class discussion, if you're not there, you can't get credit.  The Quizzes are a tool that close at a certain point, and I won't open it again.

In the event of medical emergencies, which must be documented, an extended due date may be discussed for one "cycle" of assignments (the peer review and Paper Assignment) for an absolute maximum of two weeks.   I must be contacted by you or a family member/friend early within that two weeks; in other words, you can't reappear after a week or so and expect to make up any assignments.    Beyond that time period, you are simply not able to participate in the writing process and development of your skills that is built into this class.  I will be open to granting you a Hardship Withdrawal in that case, but no further extension will be granted under any circumstance.  Discussions are not included in this extension.

Finally, please double-check all your submissions to make sure they got submitted.  I had a rash of claims last quarter that assignments were submitted, but didn't "take" last quarter.  I DO NOT ACCEPT SCREENSHOTS AS EVIDENCE, as they can be altered.   If you're having a technological problem submitting, by all means email me at that time (not after the due time) and I'll work with you.  Otherwise you will receive late points no matter what the circumstance or "claim."

7. I expect that you will take care to back up your papers and other assignments on more than one disk and/or store them on your hard drive AND a disk. It is your responsibility to keep track of this material--not mine. If some computer catastrophe should occur, you will still be responsible for producing the work by the due date in order to get a grade. Be careful--save and back your work up regularly!

8. I expect that you will show respect to everyone by responding to e-mail and discussion postings in a way that is not judgmental, degrading, or derogatory. Even though we may disagree with the interpretations of others, please use some self-restraint and compassion in responding to others' ideas. Logical and questioning responses are encouraged. Choose your words and the tone of your message with utmost care. I also expect tolerance for others' abilities and learning styles.

9. OUTCOMES: I expect that you will try to the best of your ability to master the skills taught in this class. According to the BC English department outcomes for English 201, by the end of the quarter, you should:

Write a humanities-style research paper which includes as part of its composition or process:

1. An objective summary of college-level material which identifies primary and supporting assertions

2.An evaluation of different types of evidence (i.e., tone/diction, logical reasoning)

3. A synthesis of source material with own writing

4. An original and clearly supported thesis

5. Proper in-text citations and works-cited page

6. A breadth of varied primary sources which demonstrates a familiarity with library research skills

10. I expect each final draft will be submitted to the assignment link provided in each module. These submissions must be made by the date shown on the class calendar. Papers submitted after that date will lose 5 points per 24 hour period that they are late. I will not accept papers more than 3 days (72 hours) late. Don't ask. To avoid losing points for late work, do not wait until the last minute to submit your work. Start early. Sometimes the technology takes longer than you think.

11. I expect honesty. I expect that you will neither do work for others nor use work done by others. Cheating and/or plagiarizing will not be tolerated. Plagiarizing is cheating, as is copying answers on a test, glancing at nearby test papers, swapping papers, buying papers, using ideas from other sources without proper documentation, writing papers for others, or having them written for you. BCC utilizes a plagiarism detection software, and I use it for random spots checks. Plus, if I even remotely suspect your paper sounds plagiarized, I will submit it to this site. If you cheat or plagiarize, the following actions will be taken:

• you will receive a grade of "0" on the work (period).

• A report of the incident will be filed in the Dean of Students' Office. This report may become part of your permanent record or the Dean may choose to pursue further disciplinary action.

12. Personal conferences on your paper can be held in my office if you can/want to come to the campus and we can work out a mutually convenient time; otherwise, e-mail or local phone conferences can be held. If you can’t meet me during my office hours, please contact me first to set up an appointment BEFORE coming to the campus.

What do I have to do for this course?

Formal Papers: The whole purpose of English 201 is to take you through the process of writing a formal research paper of 8-12 pages. Three shorter, preliminary papers (summary, contrast analysis and synthesis) prepare you for that process. The last paper is the research paper itself. Each of the three preliminary papers, plus your sentence outline discussed in the “Checkpoints,” will go through a peer review process before being turned in to me. A draft of the research paper itself will also be submitted to me as another checkpoint. The process for writing, revising and submitting work is on a tight timeline. Even though I accept late papers (up to 3 days late), failure to meet the deadlines will put you at a disadvantage. We will follow this process for all three of the preparatory papers, as well as for the sentence outline in the “checkpoints:"

1. You will compose an original draft on your computer, then revise it yourself to get rid of obvious errors.

2. You will POST this original, self-revised draft of each paper to the discussion area in the appropriate peer review forum by the date on the calendar. This draft MUST be copied/pasted into a message composed in the correct forum. If you expect to get help on your papers, you must post them early in the peer review period. Papers posted late in the review process may get overlooked.

3. While you wait for comments on your paper, you will give peer comments on two other classmates' papers. The peer review process is described in detail under Resources Peer Review Instructions. Please take care to spread your comments around; if one paper already has two sets of review comments, please choose another paper to review.

4. After giving comments, collect your comments and revise your paper. Then, using the editing tool provided under Resources /Evaluation Tools, thoroughly edit your paper before submitting it to me by the date and time listed on the calendar. Please take the time to proofread your work.

5. Directions for submitting your final draft to me are posted in the Resources:How to Submit an Assignment.

6. Your papers will be graded based on the standards posted under the Grading Standards link (see Resources Evaluation Tools).

7. I will read and grade papers beginning on the due date. I will provide detailed written comments on the final drafts of Papers 1, 2 and 3, as well as your research paper draft. To process a complete set of papers in this manner usually takes about 6 working days.

8. You MUST turn in and pass all papers and checkpoints during the quarter, which means you must post your drafts in peer review as well as submit them to me. Going through this writing process is required! If you fail to turn in any of the assignments or checkpoints, your best course of action is to drop the class.

9. You will have the option to rewrite ONE of papers #1, 2 or 3 by the due date in the calendar, which is near the end of the quarter. The grade for this rewrite will substitute for the original grade. If you select this option, you may rewrite whichever of the three papers you wish, and turn in it anytime before or on the due date.

Paper points:

• Paper #1: Summary 70
• Paper #2: Contrast Analysis 100
• Paper #3: Synthesis 100
• Paper #4: Research Paper 400
• Total points for papers: 670 points

Research Checkpoints: To take you through the process of writing a research paper, English 201 requires you to accomplish 4 research “checkpoints” that you turn in to me for feedback. (One of the checkpoints, the sentence outline, also goes through peer review.) These checkpoints are evaluated differently than the discussions and formal papers in the class. As long as you complete the checkpoints, and fulfill the basic requirements (i.e., length, use of MLA citation methods, specific requirements of that checkpoint), you’ll receive all the points. It’s okay to make mistakes in the checkpoints, and in fact, 2 of them are intended as rough drafts, so by their very nature, they’ll be imperfect: the sentence outline and research paper rough draft. Below are the checkpoints and their points, while due dates are in the calendar. Be aware that you must complete all checkpoints in a timely manner.  If any of the checkpoints are missing, I do not have to accept your final research paper or grant it any points. 

• Research Topic Proposal (1 paragraph) : 15 points
• Annotated Bibliography (8-10 sources): 25 points
• Sentence Outline (around 4 pages): 50 points
• Rough Draft of Research Paper (at least 5 pages): 50 points

Total Points available for checkpoints: 140

Peer Review: Much of what you will learn about writing in this course will come from participating in a peer review of others' papers. Do not fail to participate in this area of the course. See the Peer Instructions link located under "Resources" and in the modules for instructions on how to complete this critical work. Please note this is the one assignment that cannot be accepted late, since other students are counting on your feedback before they complete final revisions. Thus for this assignment, no late work will be accepted under any circumstance.

To participate successfully in peer review, you must: post your rough draft to a link in the paper module.  Note you do receive minor points for simply submitting this paper fulfilling the minimal requirements and on time.   It’s important to understand that despite the small amount of points, submitting your rough draft is REQUIRED for each paper assignment; without taking your papers through this writing process, I do not have to grant them any credit or points when they are submitted to me.  Then analyze TWO other students' papers for papers #1, 2 and 3 and the sentence outline, using a Peer review tool that is posted in the specific paper module. In order to receive most or all of the points, you MUST use the assessment tool (called a "Peer Review Tool) that I have provided. After you have analyzed and evaluated each student paper, copy-and-paste your evaluation of each paper as a REPLY to the paper you reviewed. Remember this work must be completed by the closing date for peer review noted in the calendar. I have set aside class days for this work; do not fail to do it. If you fail to meet these deadlines, you will NOT receive points for your work.

• Points for submitting papers for peer review: (8 points, 2 points per submitted paper)
• Points for Peer Review: (120 points, 30 points each assignment)

Discussion:I have created an individual forum in the discussion area for two discussions on our readings and preliminary papers. Instructions and requirements for participating in discussions are posted in the Summary Paper 1 module area as well as under the Resources icon. I do my best to participate in the discussion; however, I cannot possibly respond to every comment or answer.

• Total points for Discussions (30 pts. each X 2 discussions) total 60 points

Miscellaneous Assignments:

Opening Week Assignment is worth 5 points.

Quizzes: Our "Quizzes" section has 4 quizzes with questions on basic sentence punctuation, MLA in-text citations, the Works Cited, punctuation of quotes and paraphrases.  You have 3 hours to complete each quiz once you open it, and it's certainly open to whatever source or handbook you wish to use (like the Purdue Owl).  These cannot be made up, so make sure to give yourself time during each week to complete them. 

• Each set of exercises is worth 25 points for 100 points total.

Total points for the course = 1103 points

* NOTE.To figure out your grade at any time, simply divide the total points you have earned by the total points you have submitted to that point. I use standard percentage markings:

94-100% = A, 90-93% = A-

87-89% = B+, 84-86% = B, 80-83% = B-

77-79% = C+, 74-76% = C, 70-73% = C-

65-69% = D+, 55-65% = D, 51-54 = D-

Below 51% = F

How do we communicate with each other?

In the course navigation list on the lefthand side of the homepage, you will find links to class announcements, the class discussion area, a list of modules, assignments and your gradebook. This course is arranged by modules, which you can find by clicking on “modules.”All relevant links to specific discussions, assignment descriptions and assignment submission areas are located in the relevant module.

• Announcements will be posted for you as needed throughout the quarter. I use this tool almost daily to be in contact with you, so please read these announcements carefully so that you will know of any important changes or issues in the class. I'd urge you to make both Announcements and due dates part of your notifications to email: do this by clicking on "settings" right next to the inbox. Then click on "notifications" in the left-hand toolbar. There you'll see where to insert your email address to receive daily updates.  Here's a link in our Canvas Guides to more visual instructions: http://guides.instructure.com/s/2204/m/8470/l/73162-how-do-i-set-my-notification-preferences.
• An Inbox has been provided for private e-mail communication between you and I or you and other classmates. It is located in the Inbox on the top righthand side of the homepage, right above the blue "Canvas" title. Since I get between 40 and 50 e-mail messages every day at my various work addresses, I will appreciate "URGENT" notices in the subject line, if you have a real emergency. I check my class email morning, afternoon, and evening in order to respond in a timely manner to all messages, whether or not they are urgent. I do not accept assignments through BC email, although in a rare case of technological breakdown, I might accept them as evidence your work was ready on time.  This has to be approved by me by the due date, and you still are required to submit the assignment in Canvas within 3 days to receive any grade. 
• The discussion area provides a place for synchronous discussions of course materials. These topic areas will house your discussion about our literature and movie assignments. Please follow the dates on the class calendar for posting questions and for commenting. I have allowed time for you to do this work; don't fail to do it before the deadlines posted on the class calendar.
• The Grades link will take you to the gradebook for this class. This area will contain all of the grades for your work WHEN I have completed the grading.

You are responsible for posting the discussion messages into the correct area depending on its purpose. You must also handle the postings,downloading messages you wish to keep to your home computer and creating folders to store that information. Please do save any messages you wish to keep.

 

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