Sample ENG 103 Syllabus and Course Calendar with OER Resources (Evelyn Burg)
Zoom link: (private):
First day of class: Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Course Purpose: Welcome to the Research Paper course. Not only do you need excellent research and writing skills while at LaGuardia, if you wish to transfer to attain a Baccalaureate degree or move into the workforce and succeed, you will likely be expected to have them. Our Learning Objectives are here and at the end of the syllabus: ENG103 Learning Objectives. Please read these!!!
Your final goal in this class is to write a staged research paper of 6-8 pages (approximately 1300 words) starting with a previous topic which interests you and on which you have written seriously. You will be developing the paper in a new, deeper direction with my help. You will begin with a research question, develop an argument to serve a thesis, incorporate quotations and in-text citation, a counter-argument, and stats or numerical data (see me if your topic is literary or arts-oriented), and a Works Cited/References page. By the 5th week of class you should have begun an annotated bibliography. Your arguments will use quality evidence and reasoning.
*Any student with disabilities or technical issues: please let me know ASAP so I can arrange accommodations immediately.
Research Paper Topic (Staged): You will choose this based on a previous paper for another class. Please submit an older paper you plan to fully revise (using new sources and a new argument). Submit this paper on Google Classroom by 3/14. My aim is to get you quickly engaged in the research writing and rewriting process. Quality academic writing involves extensive rethinking, further research, and rewriting. We’ll focus directly on methods and skills. Welcome and introduction: https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/crnu0MWzoI
Course text: This class uses free Open Educational Resources as well as materials created at LaGuardia. These resources, readings, videos, etc. are links embedded in the Syllabus/Course Outline. One helpful text we will use is: College Writing (Susan Oaks, 2019).
Class sessions: This in-person class will also use zoom, Perusall, and Google Classroom platforms. Please respect our privacy and never share the Zoom links. I must take attendance for my records because LaGuardia requires it, and class participation counts. Attend on Monday 10:30-2:00 pm (11:45-2 in lab), when I offer instruction, group activities designed to help you complete your paper, and work on the writing in class/lab. Thursdays I will hold office hours from 10:30-12:00 and by appointment); these will be used also for required small group meetings to discuss your papers from 4/8 on. I may record short instructional lectures, which begin each class, pushing those into Google Classroom Stream the next day. You must keep to our schedule for the written assignments, but this gives you some help if you do miss a class. (You can link to Google Calendar). That said, it will be much easier to pass and do well in this course if you attend all of our classes where you will be able to ask questions and work in groups with others on tasks designed to help your writing. If you do not want your voice or image recorded at all, you will have to mute or black out your screen, but the use of recording is for this class only. The GCStream is also the place to ask me or the class general questions or for me to announce things. I encourage students to create and join a What’s App to communicate privately and respectfully! Any harassment will be referred to the college.
Materials: The readings, worksheets, slides, paper instructions and rubrics, online readings and videos are listed and linked in this syllabus. All assignments are found in the “Classwork” portion of Google Classroom (GC). Each assignment has a point value. Each GC Assignment has an “Instructions” section at the top. A completed assignment can be sent through GC and also to the emails listed: professor.evelyn.burg@gmail.com, burgev@lagcc.cuny.edu (please make sure to “share” any doc links with me).
All assignments: The syllabus/schedule, assignments, rubrics for papers, templates for peer review, vocabulary lists, and hyperlinks used for the assignments can be found in the outline below and all further instructions will be in Google Classroom “Classwork.” I have sent a link with the syllabus/outline out through CUNYFirst. Keep it handy. To use Google Classroom, the Chrome browser and a Gmail account is needed. You need regular access to a computer with a keyboard; there are open labs and the school lends. Make sure you can also access Zoom, Google docs and Google Classroom, etc. on your phone as well (via app) as well as Perusall (free account). For meetings we’ll use the Zoom app (zoom.com) the meeting link is at the top of the syllabus. Weekly assignments (listed in GC “Classwork” under High Stakes and Low-stakes Writing Assignments), will be due on the date listed. They are graded and counted for 5-30 points each. When you open an assignment, there should be a writable copy, if not, go to File and “make a copy” (otherwise you work on a master file).
Technology: You must have a Google account with an email address (you can make a new one) and I must register you in the class; ALSO check your “laguardia.live” email, since the college sends you important notifications there. This schedule is tentative. Expect minor adjustments; I may remove or change an assignment. Only the Zoom link and syllabus is on Blackboard, not the assignments!
Grading: I use a “labor-based grading contract.” Each assignment is part of 100 points (A+) grade. For completing all work fully and well, the total points are 100. For quality, there are 20 points proportionately divided over the assignments, 5 points extra (over 100) are for class participation; 3 points extra are for sharing a Powerpoint/Prezi/Slides of your First Paragraph with the class. For every 10 points, 8 will be for successful completion and up to 2 will be given for quality of work. Ultimately, you will attain points that correspond to letter grades, which the school requires. (BTW, it’s hard to complete something fully and have it be really poor). A=90-100; B=80-89; C=70-79; D=60-69, Below 60=F. I also use + and -. (You are allowed to drop up to the final day of classes). You are expected to submit a research paper totalling 1300 words including Works Cited page (approximately 250 words).
Available for Your Support:
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| Dates | Topics and skills | OER Materials | Writing Assignments |
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Week 1 3/9-15 |
In class topics: Introduction to the class and our Google Classroom site Welcome video here: https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/crnu0MWzoI It should be in your LaGuardia email!It explains the basics. In-class survey |
College Writing This free OER text has chapters on every possible topic related to writing a research paper. Use it! OER= Free open educational resources CC= Creative Commons license (non-OER/CC noted herein) | Assignment: (5pts) Remember that paper you did that could have been so much better if you had more time? Deposit your old paper in GC for further research and planned rewrite. As instructed in GC, please also attach a short summary of your paper’s thesis and major points Do-over paper Be ready to discuss it in your groups/pods and to explain where you’d like to go with it. We will brainstorm possibilities. |
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Week 2 3/16-22 | Know your audience! Narrow topics & create workable research questions. (RQs must be “live”, debatable, with accessible data) Group brainstorming Bring in your short summary of your original topic and point and take notes |
Video: formal vs. casual voice (not CC/OER) OER chapter: College Writing: Intro: “Simple vs. sophisticated writing” | Reading Journal: Interacting with your sources–You should keep a running document where you take notes on your sources. I will ask to see it at one point. It will help you with constructing your Annotated Bibliography. |
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Week 3 3/23-29 | VIEW: Chris McHale’s (LAGCC Library) distinguishing sources: goo.gl/bnOy49 Peer review assignment explained Locating the experts and the quality sources Research via Library We will go over how to narrow a search and help with individual searches. Bring in your narrowed topic to search for sources. |
Videos: “How to read an academic article” and Prewriting: “Responding to a text” in College Writing In the OER text: Writing Process video (not CC) |
Assignment: Peer review page (5 pts) (GC Assignments) Please begin your research. Try to be efficient and stick closely to your topic and research question; you are hunting for useful data. You will do some off-topic reading and that’s fine. It makes for a more rounded, informed view. But don’t go down every alley or you will waste your time. |
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Week 4 3/30-4/4 SPRING BREAK!! | No Class but I will be available for pre-scheduled meetings during office hourBegin finding and reviewing sources and start analyzing what you are reading. | Watch Videos: “Color code quotes and avoid plagiarism!” (not CC), and Steps to Writing a Research Paper | Writing Assignment: Annotated Bibliography Due 4/9 (15pts) Template on GC List at least 5 sources here. 2 or more must be from a library database such as Academic Search Complete. Give the full citation (databases offer it), a 1-2 sentence summary of the point of the article, and the specific information that might be relevant to your paper. Say whether you will argue against the author or use them as support for your position. You should also have at least 3 quotations in total from 3 of the sources. Annotated bib assignment here. |
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Week 5 4/6-12 | The Research Question reviewed! In groups: we will be sharing topics and developing research questions. Can these be clarified?
First Thursday group meetings scheduled. |
Read: “Using Sources Overview” (under Using Sources) in College Writing and “Chapter on Developing a Research Question” (under “Research Writing”) Annotating difficult reading material for comprehension and recall |
Writing Assignment: Annotated Bibliography Due next week! 4/16 (15 pts) |
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Week 6 4/13-19 |
Your thesis is your answer to your research question. It should not be general, moralistic, or obvious (e.g., education is good, racism is bad), but specific and the product of argument (logic) and evidence (facts).This exercise will help you focus your ideas: Thesis exercise: in breakouts or on your own. SUNY Empire State College Thesis Generator First paragraph development |
SUNY has a thesis generator accessible here: SUNY Empire State College Thesis Generator (CC/OER) also read at the text chapter on the thesis.Very helpful! “First Paragraph slides” (by faculty) | Writing Assignment (15 pts): You must come up with a first paragraph and workplan for your term paper by 4/23, see below (3 pts extra if also in a slide for class): First Paragraph:Hook or intro sentence Background to the issue/problem (it’s important) Common opinions? Research Question Your (hypo)thesis How you will go about demonstrating it. Workplan: following the first paragraph, you should list some experts and important points you will discuss. Stats? Full instructions posted on Google Classroom: First paragraph and workplan |
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Week 7 4/20-26 |
Findastat (5 pts): in breakouts or on your own How to write about and cite visuals and graphic evidence: you can’t just paste them in! What do they show that helps your argument? We will do a paragraph exercise.Paragraph structure In-class exercise:Scrambled paragraphs | Sheet: How To Talk About a Visual Aid (Not OER) Video: “How to Integrate Quotes into Your Essay” (not CC/OER)
| Writing Assignment: Complete your First paragraph and workplan due 4/23! 3 extra points if you put it on Google Slides Paragraphs are the limbs of your papers and you want them strong. Ask yourself: What is this paragraph doing for the argument? In class we will construct our first paragraphs. Don’t forget the Writing Center! They can help! |
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Week 8 5/4-5/10 |
Integrating sources: it’s a conversation where you give people credit for their ideas. Quotation exercise –in class We will work on your quotations in class. |
Videos: Organize your research paper (not CC/OER) Revision Stage 1 Revision Stage 2 What revision is and isn’t. | Writing Assignment: First Paper Drafts Due 5/9! See GC for what is expected and a template/rubric. MUST COMPLETE TO PASS THE COURSE Quotation exercise (if you did not complete it in class.) We will generate a body paragraph that includes a paraphrase or a quotation from a source. |
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Week 9 5/11-17 | Counter-arguments in class breakouts Split class: Small group meetings Peer-critique of body paragraph I |
APA citation |
Find a counter-argument to challenge your thesis. It must be somewhere in your final draft. Does it get you to revise the thesis? |
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Week 10 5/18-25 | Titles! Split class-Small group meetings MLA/APA for citations Split class-Small group meetings For extra individual help, make an office hour appointment. | Excelsior OWL APA Style Purdue Owl APA overview |
Writing Assignment: Academic title exercise (if you did not complete it in class.) Your title expresses the soul of your paper. Writing Assignment: Revise, revise and proofread! The Library has MLA/APA citation sessions. Take advantage of it. |
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Week 11 5/25-31 | Small group meetings. I will also answer general questions about revisions. In text and Work Cited reviewed. Remember to cite your sources even when you paraphrase! |
Writing Assignment: Revised Final Papers Due via GC: 6/1/20 (15 pts) Last minute meetings. With a Works Cited Page, your paper should approximate 1300 words (5-6 pp give or take). | |
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Week 12 6/1-7 | Meetings in session on Tuesday. | Absolute deadline for all material! I will be closing the classroom during Finals Week so your material must be in. | |
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6/8-/14 Finals Week | On Reading Day: I am available from 10:00-6:00 pm by email for questions. (Please give me time to answer you.) | Finals Week: conferences online–link announced by email and GC Stream. | |
| We would like you to submit these into ePortfolio Assessment if you would (remove your names) To upload into ePortfolio: http://eportfolio.lagcc.cuny.edu/assessment.htm | Enjoy the nice weather! Be safe this summer! Write to me for a recommendation if you need one. |
Catalog course description: “In this course, students engage in the process of developing an independent academic research project. The course emphasizes strategies for selecting an appropriate academic research topic; formulating research questions; conducting, integrating and citing research; and developing an argument. Students deepen their sense of audience awareness, as they engage in the recursive writing process and consider different genre conventions and rhetorical appeals.”
Learning Objectives for this class (what you will learn):
1. Identify a text’s audience, voice, context and purpose and apply these concepts to developing and organizing your own writing.
2. Identify an appropriate academic research topic and formulate research questions.
3. Identify, locate and interpret print and online sources in order to use library and archival resources successfully.
4. Gather, evaluate, and synthesize primary and secondary sources in support of a well-reasoned argument.
5. Draft, write, revise and integrate multiple sources in written assignments amounting to a minimum of 4,000 words, including at least one research paper of a minimum of 1,300 words.
6. Demonstrate research as a staged process (by completing supplemental assignments).
7. Implement ethical citation and follow MLA/APA documentation guidelines.
8. Annotate and interpret sources, using summation, paraphrase, quotation and analysis, as well as parenthetical citation
Coronavirus, etc: Stay safe! Keep wearing your masks, social distance, and wash hands frequently. I will post updates I see regarding vaccines, testing, food pantries and other relevant information on the Stream. You can get a free NYTimes.com account with your college email; it offers reliable COVID information as well as sources for your papers. If you are in crisis and it interferes with the class, please let me know ASAP.
