HONORS (HNRS)
110
Section 003
Introduction
to Research
Fall Semester,
2005
Fridays, 10.30-11.20, IN 105
Office: Enterprise Hall,
Room 305
Office telephone number: 703-993-1111
Office hours by appointment
Email address: rclark@gmu.edu
Office hours: after each
class, 10.20-11.30;
meet in Reference Section,
Fenwick Library;
or by appointment
Email: lgrandas@gmu.edu
General Course
Information
1. Course description. Introduces students to basic research and
writing skills that will be required in every course in the curriculum. 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-“ will not be sufficient to
receive credit for the course.
2. Prerequisites. Open only to students enrolled in the Honors
Program.
3. Course objectives.
3.1. To familiarize you with the
process of research at the university level.
3.2. To help you learn the
methods, materials, and practices of research and writing appropriate to
academic discourse in the humanities and the social sciences.
3.3. To familiarize you with how
researchers in different fields demonstrate causation or cause-and-effect
relationships.
3.4. To improve your ability to
evaluate sources of information.
3.5. To discuss several specific
issues of research, including evaluation of Websites.
3.6. To introduce you to the
resources of the GMU library as well as other collections.
3.7. To discuss the ethical
issues associated with research and writing, including plagiarism.
3.8. To give you experience in
the written and oral presentation of your research findings.
4. The following are the required
readings for this course.
4.1. The core text is by Booth,
Colomb, and Williams, The Craft of Research, second edition. Referred to below as CR. It is available for purchase in the
bookstore.
4.2. The following articles are
on e-reserve. We will discuss in class
how to find them.
4.2.1. Columbo, Bonnie Lisle and
Sandra Milano, eds., Frame Work: Culture, Storytelling, and College Writing,
Chapter 14 (“Reframing: Talking Back to Official Stories”).
4.2.2. 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.
4.2.3. Clark, Robert. Global Awareness, “Case Study #1:
Thinking about the AIDS Pandemic.”
4.3. The following articles are
available electronically:
4.3.1. Cronon, William. “
4.3.2. 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.
4.3.3. Schulte, Brigid. “Cheatin’, Writin’ & ‘Rithmetic: How To
Succeed in School without Really Trying,”
4.3.4. Sontag, Deborah. “Who Was
Responsible for Ellizabeth Shin?” New York Times Magazine,
4.3.5. Guides to citation protocols
are available online through the Writing Center Web site: http://writingcenter.gmu.edu/resources/onlinestyleguides.html
5. Each student will be
evaluated on the basis of the following (out of a possible total of 100
points): [Note that there is no final
exam in this course.]
5.1. Museum assignment: 10
points. Due 9-22.
5.2. Evaluation of a Web site: 5
points. Due 10-13.
5.3. Research proposal: 10
points. Due 9-29.
5.4. Research log: 10
points. Parts I, II due 9-20; Parts III,
IV due 9-27; completed log, including Part V and any corrections or other
changes, due 10-6.
5.5. Evaluating sources
assignment: 5 points. Due 10-20.
5.6. Complete draft of research
paper: 20 points. Due 11-10.
5.7. Oral presentation of
research findings: 5 points. To be
presented in class 11-29, 12-1, 12-6, 12-8.
5.8. Revised draft of research
paper: 20 points. Due 12-8.
5.9. Other writing assignments:
15 points.
6. Please note the following
administrative items:
6.1. I do not award the grade of
“Incomplete” automatically simply because a student fails to complete the
semester’s work. I assign the grade of
“Incomplete” only when satisfied that a student’s inability to complete the
work was due to circumstances beyond his or her control. Requests for an "Incomplete” must be
submitted to me in writing.
6.2. 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. Computer or word processor malfunctions,
other technological problems, and problems related to your job are not reasons
for late submission.
6.3. 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.
6.4. I grade on a 100-point
scale. Ninety to 100 points is an “A”;
80 to 89, a “B”; 70 to 79, a “C”; 60 to 69, a “D”; below 60, an “F”. I do not grade on the curve, and I do not use
plus and minus grades. I follow standard
mathematics procedure for rounding up or down from fractions, so fraction
grades from 89.5 up are considered an “A”, and so on.
Course
Description
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 subject 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 topic. You will need to demonstrate your understanding of current research on your subject, not only what it is but how to interpret it. 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 half of your sources must be cited in the text of the paper. No more than one-quarter of the citations may be from Web sites. All citations must be in the MLA format, which you can find online at http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/humanities/list.html.
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, 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.
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 submission of your assignments. You must submit paper copy to me for all writing assignments. You should keep a 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 Tuesday and Thursday meetings, HNRS 110 also involves a recitation section, which meets on Fridays from 10.30 to 11.20. Some Friday meetings will take place with all sections of HNRS 110 in IN 105; some will involve field trips; some will be taken up with conferences with the instructor or the GTA. Attendance at the Friday lectures is mandatory; please sign in with Ms. Grandas before you enter the lecture hall. See the day-to-day schedule of the course below for specific details.
Course Outline
Class 1.
Tuesday, 8-30
Introduction to the course and overview.
Class 2.
Thursday, 9-1
Read:
handout,
Discussion: Paradigms and paradigm shifts. Why did Wegener find it so difficult to convince others of the validity of his theory of continental drift?
Friday, 9-2
Lecture: Kevin Simons, Introduction to Library Research.
Honors
Program annual Welcome Week party is today from
Class 3.
Tuesday, 9-6
Read:
Kohl, “The Story of Rosa Parks and the
Discussion: What does it mean to label a story as “official”? How does one “talk back” to such stories? What should we do to ensure that the stories we read or hear are authoritative and accurate?
Class 4.
Thursday, 9-8
Discussion: Today’s class will be devoted to a discussion of the use of database resources. The class will be conducted by a person from the library staff. We 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.
Friday, 9-9
Endnote training
Class 5. Tuesday, 9-13
Read:
Cronon, “
Bring to class a one-page summary of what you understand to be Cronon’s central theme.
Discussion: Stories or narratives are one of the most important ways by which human beings create meaning. What does Cronon have to say about this, and what difference does it make for people engaged in research?
Bring to class a one- or two-sentence statement of a possible research project topic that you think you might like to pursue this semester. We will schedule conferences with each of you individually to discuss your research idea statement.
Class 6. Thursday, 9-15
Read: Sontag, “Who Was Responsible for Elizabeth Shin?”
Discussion: How would you describe the conflicting stories of the last years and days of Elizabeth Shin’s life, and how do different institutional and personal needs, perspectives and interests shape such stories?
Introduction
to the
Friday, 9-16
Field
trip:
Class 7. Tuesday, 9-20
Due in class: Research Log, Parts I and II. The assignment is available online at the HNRS 110 Web site. The log is designed to lead you through the process of locating sources and creating the bibliography you will need for your project. The log is related to your proposed topic. If you change the topic, you will have to complete a new log.
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.”)
Class 8. Thursday, 9-22
Due in class: Museum analysis assignment.
Friday, 9-23
Lecture: yours truly, “How Universities Organize Knowledge”.
Read:
Class 9. Tuesday, 9-27
Due in class: Research Log, Parts III and IV.
Discussion: Research involves analysis, which means the search for the causes and consequences of variation (or change). Today we will discuss independent and dependent variables, the flow of causality, and some of the criteria for judging causality (i.e., how can we know that change in A caused change in B?). The discussion of causality is rather long and complex; we will continue it over several class sessions.
Class 10. Thursday, 9-29
Due in class: 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. [worth 10 points of your course grade]. We will schedule conferences between 9-29 and 10-1 with each of you to discuss this proposal.
Read: handout, Evans, Feeding the Ten Billion, introduction
Discussion: What is a central theme, and how can we identify one when we read it?
Friday, 9-30
Student
panel on work styles and the research paper.
Class 11. Tuesday, 10-4
Read: CR, Chapters 3-6
Discussion: Web site evaluation
Read:
The Web site evaluation is due on Thursday, 10-13. 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
o From UCLA: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/help/critical/index.htm
o
From
Class 12. Thursday, 10-6
Due in class: Completed Research Log (Part V, plus any revisions). [worth 10 points of your course grade]
Read: CR, Part III prologue (pp. 111-113); Chapters 7-9.
Discussion: Issues raised by assigned reading. We will also discuss the important difference between “reasons” and “reason”.
Class 13. Thursday, 10-13
Due in class: Evaluation of Web site.
Friday, 10-14
“Cite While You Write Using Endnote” workshop (optional).
Class 14. Tuesday, 10-18
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.
Class 15. Thursday, 10-20
Due in class: Source Analysis assignment
Friday, 10-21
Field trip: Library of Congress (optional)
Class 16. Tuesday, 10-25
Class 17. Thursday, 10-27
Due in class: 3-4 pp. preliminary version of your argument. This is a trial run of your argument, a section of your paper that illustrates the kinds of claims, arguments, and evidence that you will be presenting. Your goal is to begin to formulate your argument and to practice synthesizing sources. [The grade for this will be incorporated into the grade for “other writing assignments”.]
Read: CR, Chapter 10.
Discussion and in class writing: Today and for the next several class meetings you will have writing assignments based on your research papers. Bring enough materials from your paper (outlines, notes, etc.) so you can refer to them if you wish to do so.
Class 18. Tuesday, 11-1
Class 19. Thursday, 11-3
Read: CR, Chapter 11
Discussion and in class writing: Warrants.
Class 20. Tuesday, 11-8
Read: CR, Chapter 12
Discussion and in-class writing: Writing the central theme.
Class 21. Thursday, 11-10
Due in class: Complete draft of the research paper. This version should reflect all the work you have invested in your project to date and should be as polished as possible. Remember to attach the library worksheet and your bibliography in correct MLA format. [worth 20 points of your course grade]
Read: CR, Chapter 14
Discussion: The Introduction should set forth the central theme; the Conclusion should re-state it. We will conduct the lottery to determine the order in which you will make your oral presentations.
Class 22. Tuesday, 11-15
Read: CR, Chapters 13, 16.
Discussion: Oral reports, with guidelines for making an effective presentation. You will be making a 10-minute oral presentation to the class in which you share with us your claims, arguments, evidence, and principal findings. You must provide members of the class with a hard copy outline of your major points, including your central theme. [worth 5 points of your course grade]
Class 23. Thursday, 11-17
Oral report practice time for first half of the class. I will meet individually with you to review with you briefly your central theme, your outline, and any classroom technology you intend to use. Any technology you intend to use (in class already, or brought in, such as your lap top) MUST be practiced during these practice sessions. You may not use any technology you have not practiced beforehand.
Class 24. Tuesday, 11-22
Oral report practice time for second half of the class.
Thursday, 11-24
No class: University closed in observance of Thanksgiving. Drive carefully!
Class 25. Tuesday, 11-29
Oral reports.
Class 26. Thursday, 12-1
Oral reports, continued.
Class 27.
Tuesday, 12-6
Oral reports, continued.
Class 28.
Thursday, 12-8
Oral reports, concluded.
Due in class: Revised draft of research paper. Attach the complete draft and the Research Log, as well as a 2-page reflection piece on what you learned about the research process. [worth 20 points of your course grade]