HNRS 110-001:
Introduction to Research
Fall 2005
Fridays,
Office: Robinson Hall B 375
Office telephone number: 703-993-1259
Office hours: MW,
Email address: mholt@gmu.edu
Office: Enterprise Hall,
Room 300
Office hours: MW
Email address: : pmalaiwo@gmu.edu
General Course
Information
1. HNRS 110 introduces students
to basic research and writing skills that will be required in every course in
the curriculum. It answers such
questions as how to select a suitable problem or question, how to formulate an
argument or thesis, how to find and select evidence to support the argument,
how to organize ideas into a coherent essay, and how to write clearly and
elegantly. Note: You must earn the grade of
“C” or better in this course to receive credit for it in Honors and to fulfill
this portion of the English composition requirement in General Education. A grade of “C minus” will not be sufficient
to receive credit for the course.
2. Course objectives.
*To familiarize you with the process of research at
the university level.
*To help you learn the methods, materials, and
practices of research and writing appropriate to academic discourse in the
humanities and the social sciences.
*To familiarize you with how researchers in
different fields demonstrate causation or cause-and-effect relationships.
*To help you improve your ability to evaluate
sources of information.
*To discuss several specific issues of research,
including evaluation of Websites and interpretation of graphic evidence.
*To introduce you to the resources—both physical and
electronic—of the GMU library as well as other collections.
*To discuss the ethical issues associated with
research and writing, including plagiarism.
*To give you experience in the written and oral
presentation of your research findings.
3. The following materials are
required for this course.
*The core text is by Booth, Colomb, and Williams, The Craft of Research, second
edition. It is available for purchase in
the GMU bookstore.
*Materials available electronically:
Bazerman, Charles, The Informed Writer, pp. 22-27, 127-31,
162-77, and 266-81. Available on E-reserves for Honors 110 (the password for
all HNRS 110 E-reserves: research).
Clark, Robert. “Thinking
about the AIDS Pandemic,” in Global
Awareness: Thinking Systematically About the World, pp. 23-35. Available on
E-reserves for Honors 110.
Columbo, Bonnie Lisle and
Sandra Milano, eds., Frame Work: Culture,
Storytelling, and College Writing, Chapter 14 (“Reframing: Talking Back to
Official Stories”). Available on E-reserves for Honors 110.
Cronon, William. “
Gehring, Verna. “Phonies, Fakes, and Frauds – and the Social
Harms They Cause,” Philosophy &
Public Policy Quarterly, vol. 23, nos. 1-2 (Winter/Spring, 2003), pp.
14-20. Available through the Institute
for Philosophy and Public Policy, at http://www.puaf.umd.edu/ippp.
Kohl, Herbert. “The Story of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery
Bus Boycott Revisited,” Should We Burn
Babar?: Essays on Children’s Literature and the Power of Stories. Available
on E-reserves for Honors 110.
Schulte, Brigid. “Cheatin’, Writin’ & ‘Rithmetic: How To
Succeed in School without Really Trying,”
Sontag, Deborah. “Who Was
Responsible for Ellizabeth Shin?” New
York Times Magazine,
Thompson, Bob. “History for
Trescott, Jacqueline.
“Catherine Reynolds, the Giver Who gave Up,” Washington Post,
*Required
software:
Endnote bibliographic management
software (available for free by download at http://library.gmu.edu/endnote/ or
for minimal cost on a CD-R disk at the GMU computer store.
Guides to citation protocols
are available online through the Writing Center Web site <http://writingcenter.gmu.edu/resources/onlinestyleguides.html>.
We shall be using the
4. Each student will be
evaluated on the basis of the following scale.
Note that there is no final exam in this course:
Museum assignment: 10%. Due Sept. 21.
Research proposal: 10%. Due Sept. 28.
Research log: 10%.
Parts I, II due Sept. 19; Parts III, IV due Sept. 26; completed log due
Oct. 5.
Evaluation of a web site:
5%. Due Oct. 12.
Evaluating sources
assignment: 5%. Due Oct. 19.
Complete draft of research
paper: 20%. Due Nov. 9.
Oral presentation of research findings: 5%. To be presented in class on Nov. 28, Nov. 30,
Dec. 2, Dec. 5, Dec. 7, or Dec. 9
Final draft of research
paper: 20%. Due Dec. 7.
All other writing
assignments: 15 %
5. Please note the following
administrative items:
Please take seriously all due dates in this
course. I do not accept late work unless
I have approved the late submission in advance.
Please be prepared to supply me with written documentation of illness or
other factors that make late submission of work unavoidable. I approve late submission only for illness,
accident, or other factors beyond your control.
I do not accept computer or word processor malfunctions, other
technological problems, and problems related to your job as reasons for late submission.
An academic community cannot exist without
intellectual honesty and integrity.
Plagiarism is theft of another’s ideas and thus undermines our efforts
to build community. For this reason (and
others), I subscribe to, and enforce, the GMU Honor Code, particularly that
portion having to do with plagiarism. If
you have not read the Code’s definition, do so.
If you are in doubt as to the meaning of this definition, see me. I expect students in the Honors Program to be
role models for their fellow freshmen in upholding the university’s Honor Code.
Course
Information
HNRS 110 introduces the methods, materials, and practices of research at the university level. The course emphasizes that research is a process by which thoughtful people …
·
frame a question to answer, a problem to solve, or an issue to resolve;
·
collect and organize the evidence they need to answer this question;
·
analyze the evidence (“analyze” in this instance means “to search for
the causes and consequences of variation”); and
·
present their findings to an interested audience by means of written,
oral and visual presentations.
The readings and assignments in the course will lead you through this process by giving you practice in the various stages of research, drafting, and revising a research essay. You will learn to use a variety of resources, including print texts, electronic resources, and statistical data. You will also learn how to interpret visual evidence such as graphs and tables. The course will give you practice in evaluating sources, constructing an argument, supporting your claims with evidence, and documenting your research in ways appropriate to academic discourse. The course involves considerable writing, and thus partially fulfills the English composition General Education requirement.
The principal product of your semester’s work is a research paper of at least 10 pages on a problem or question of your choice. In this paper you must go beyond simple description and summary of available information. You must make and defend with argument and evidence a specific claim about your problem. You will need to demonstrate your understanding of current research on your problem, not only what it is but how to interpret it. And your paper must also engage with other research on the problem, explaining why your solution to the problem is better than others already proposed. Your goal is to make your reader understand the issues involved in your subject and what is at stake in the debate.
Your paper must be accompanied by a bibliography
that demonstrates your familiarity with the literature on the subject. At least two-thirds of your sources must be
cited in the text of the paper, and no more than one-quarter of the citations
may be from web sites. All citations
must be in the
Research is a process, and during the semester you will work through the process step by step. You will identify a topic, shape the research problem, find supporting evidence, examine competing solutions to the problem, and present a scholarly argument. Research takes time. Each step builds on the steps that come before. Don’t procrastinate and let the more distant deadline dates sneak up on you. If you’d like to take a look at research papers written in HNRS 110 in past years, several examples are on-line at http://www.honors.gmu.edu/hnrs110/f2004/index.html. The papers are secure so you
will have to enter the username <honors110> and the password <research> for access.
I expect you to attend class regularly, complete all reading and writing assignments by the due date, and be prepared to participate in class discussions. All submissions must be typed (word-processed). I do not accept electronic (email) submission of your assignments. You must submit a paper copy to me for all writing assignments. You should keep an electronic copy of all materials submitted to me.
You will need to have access to the Internet and to email. All my email messages to you will be sent to your GMU email account, so you should check your account daily. You may set up automatic forwarding to an alternative email account if you wish.
In addition to our Monday and Wednesday meetings,
HNRS 110 also involves a recitation section, which meets on Fridays from
Schedule of
Assignments
Week 1: Telling Stories/Constructing
Narratives
Monday, Aug. 29: Introduction to the course and overview.
Wednesday, Aug. 31: Read: Cronon, “
Friday, Sept. 2: Lecture by Kevin Simons, GMU Library, Introduction to Library
Research. Honors Program annual Welcome Week party is immediately after the
lecture today in Enterprise Hall 300 from
Week 2: Is a fact just a story that lots of
people believe?
Monday, Sept. 5: Labor Day holiday
Wednesday, Sept. 7: Read: Kohl, “The
Story of Rosa Parks and the
Friday, Sept. 9: Endnote training.
Week 3: What influences the narratives we
believe?
Monday, Sept. 12: Read: Sontag, “Who
Was Responsible for Elizabeth Shin?” Discussion: How would you describe the
conflicting narratives of the last years and days of Elizabeth Shin’s life, and
how do different institutional and personal needs, perspectives and interests
shape such narratives?
Wednesday, Sept. 14: Read Bob Thompson,
“History for
Friday, Sept. 16: Field trip:
Weeks 4: Research and Analysis
Monday, Sept. 19: Due in class: Research log, Parts I and II. Read: Craft of Research, pp. 1-39. The research log is available online at the HNRS 110 Web site. The worksheet is designed to lead you through the process of locating sources and creating the bibliography you will need for your project. The worksheet is related to your proposed topic. If you change the topic, you will have to complete a new worksheet. Discussion: Research can be described as a process involving the flow of information through the parts of a system: inputs, conversion processes, outputs and feedback. Where did this metaphor come from, and how does it help us think about the research process? (Note: “Information” from the Latin informare, meaning “to give form to”. In information theory, “information” means “the reduction of uncertainty.”) Also, in what way is research a dialogic process?
Wednesday, Sept. 21: Due in class: Museum assignment. Read: Craft of Research, pp. 40-107; and Robert Clark, “Thinking about the AIDS Pandemic.” Discussion: Why research must solve a problem and how to think about sources; and how knowledge is organized.
Friday, Sept. 23: Lecture: Dr. Robert Clark, Professor of Government and Director, GMU Honors Program, “How Universities Organize Knowledge”
Week 5: Research and Analysis Continued
Monday, Sept. 26: Due in class: Research log, Parts III and IV. Discussion: Today’s class will meet in the Johnson Center Library Instruction Room. To reach this room, enter the JC library on the first floor and take the stairs behind the circulation desk to the second floor. The Instruction Room is to your left as you reach the top of the stairs. The class will be devoted to a discussion of the use of database resources and will be conducted by a person from the library staff. (Also, remember to sign up for a conference on Wednesday or Thursday.)
Wednesday, Sept. 28: Due today: a two-page statement of your research proposal, plus preliminary bibliography. Your proposal should incorporate an extended discussion of your research problem, a tentative outline of the major questions you will explore, and a plan for how you intend to conduct the research. This proposal is a commitment by you to your topic; you may not change topic without my permission. (Remember that this proposal is worth 10% of your course grade.) Pawin and I will meet with you individually in conferences today to discuss this proposal instead of meeting together as a class.
Friday, Sept. 30: Student panel: Former students in HNRS 110 discuss their experiences in doing research and writing their research papers.
Week 6: Gathering Evidence, Making Claims,
and Establishing Warrants
Monday, Oct. 3: Read: Craft of Research, pp. 111-181.
Discussion: The Web site evaluation is due on Wednesday, October 12. To prepare for that assignment, we will spend
some time in class today looking at a Web site with valuable guidance on how to
evaluate Web sites. This site is
maintained by
From UCLA: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/help/critical/index.htm
From
Friday, Oct. 7: No class today.
Week 7: Evaluating Sources on the Web
Monday,
Oct. 10: No class today—Columbus Day Holiday. Monday classes meet on
Tuesday this week only.
Tuesday, Oct. 11: Read: Gehring, “Phonies, Fakes, and Frauds”; and Schulte, “Cheatin’, Writin’, & ‘Rithmetic.” Also, visit the Web site “Plagiarism: What It Is and How to Recognize and Avoid It,” at http://www.Indiana.edu/~wts/wts/plagiarism.html. Print out the four pages of this site, read them, and bring those pages to class. Discussion: Why plagiarism and other forms of intellectual fraud undermine our community. (Sign up for an individual tutorial session on Wednesday.)
Wednesday, Oct. 12: Due in class: Web site evaluation. Instead of meeting collectively as a class, Pawin and I will meet with you individually today to discuss your research project.
Friday, Oct. 14: Optional lecture: “Cite While You Write Using Endnote”
Week 8: Organizing and Preparing to Write
Monday, Oct. 17: Read: Craft of Research, pp. 185-240. Discussion: Issues raised by the assigned reading.
Wednesday, Oct. 19: Due in class: Evaluating sources assignment. Read the four sample research papers written by HNRS 110 students in the past, located on-line at http://www.honors.gmu.edu/hnrs110/f2004/index.html. The papers are secure so you will need to enter the username <honors110> and the password <research> to access them. You will be assigned one of them to print out and bring to class for a wider discussion of the four papers.
Friday, Oct. 21: Optional field trip to the Library of Congress.
Week 9: Writing: The Hardest Part of the Research Process
Monday, Oct. 24: Due in class: The first 3 pp. of your paper. Please turn in two copies. This is a trial run of your introduction, a section of your paper that illustrates the kinds of claims, arguments, and evidence that you will be presenting, as well as the counter-claims you will be engaging with in your paper. Your goal is to begin to formulate your argument and to practice engaging in the wider conversation or debate surrounding your topic. (The grade for this will be incorporated into the grade for “other writing assignments”.) Read: Craft of Research, pp. 263-288. After discussing the reading, you will spend the rest of class today critiquing each other’s introductions. You must also sign up for an individual tutorial for Wednesday.
Wednesday, October 26: Pawin and I will
meet with you individually in conferences today to discuss your introductions
instead of meeting together as a class.
Friday, Oct. 29: No class today.
Week 10: Working on a First Draft
Monday, Oct. 31 and Wednesday Nov. 2: Class will not meet collectively this week, as we shall be meeting with you individually in conferences to discuss your first draft. You must bring at least the first 7 pp. of your draft to the conference. Please turn in two copies. (The grade for this will be incorporated into the grade for “other writing assignments”.)
Friday, Nov. 4: No class today.
Week 11: Completing the First Draft
Monday, Nov. 7: No class today. Continue work on your first draft.
Wednesday, Nov. 9: Due in class:
Complete draft of the research paper including bibliography. Please turn in two complete copies. This
version should reflect all the work you have invested in your project to date
and should be as polished as if it were the final draft. This is
NOT a rough draft! Remember to include your bibliography in correct
Friday, Nov. 11: No class today.
Week 12: Learning What Still Needs To Be
Done
Monday, November 14 and Wednesday, November 16: Class will not meet collectively this week, as we shall be meeting with you individually in conferences to discuss and return your first drafts.
Friday, Nov. 18: No class today.
Week 13: Preparing for Oral Presentations
Monday, Nov. 21: Discussion: We shall discuss what goes into a good oral presentation, what to avoid, and how to prepare. You will have to present a 10 minute oral presentation of your paper after Thanksgiving (worth 5% of your course grade).
Wednesday, Nov. 23: University closed for Thanksgiving Holiday.
Friday, Nov. 26: University closed for Thanksgiving Holiday.
Week 14: Oral Presentations
Monday, Nov. 28: Oral presentations
Wednesday, Nov. 30: Oral Presentations
Friday, Dec. 2: Oral presentations (in Innovation 131, NOT 105).
Week 15: Oral Presentations
Monday, Dec. 5: Oral presentations
Wednesday, Dec. 7: Due in class:
Revised draft of research paper. Please
turn in two complete copies, including the bibliography. Also, please turn in
with the revised draft the graded copy of your first complete draft. Finally,
you are also required to submit an electronic copy of the revised draft
(including bibliography in the same file) to me via email no later than
Friday, Dec. 9: No class today.
There is no final exam in Honors 110.
You will be notified via email when the papers are graded and ready to collect the week of December 12.