Course Description: COM 204 builds upon the skills acquired in COM 102 to develop further students' critical thinking and academic writing competencies. Students will read and respond to a variety of texts from different disciplines and produce a research paper using analytical and critical skills in response to non-literary texts.

Textbook: Behrens, L., & Rosen, L. J. (2000). Writing and reading across the curriculum. (7th ed.). New York: Longman.

Course Objectives:

• To enable students to become more attentive listeners, more thoughtful readers, more skilled writers, and more critical thinkers.
• To introduce students to different strategies for deciding upon, selecting, and accessing the wide variety of sources available for research.
• To train students in the ethical use of other people's ideas and writings and ultimately develop their sense of integrity as a producer of research papers.
• To enable students to appreciate the value of working in collaboration with, rather than in competition with, their peers.
• To heighten students' awareness of audience and provide opportunities for them to write for real audiences.
• To demonstrate the value of self and peer evaluation in conjunction with instructor evaluation.

• Critical reading (comprehending information from different resources).
• Critical thinking (understanding that facts do not speak for themselves--that researchers frame and angle them).
• Analytical writing (producing essays that reflect YOUR OWN analytical thinking rather than producing essays that merely reflect and expose other people's ideas).
• Research (distinguishing a primary source from a secondary source, utilizing the University library to locate references, stack, and serial sources; accessing major computer resources such as commercial databases and the World Wide Web; learning to use the APA documentation style; and delivering oral presentations grounded in research.

Students are strongly advised to make use of the library and electronic research tools.

It is highly recommended that the Writing Center facility be optimally used.

Course Requirements:

• There will be regular reading and writing exercises.  You are expected to complete these exercises on time and be prepared to respond to questions about them in writing and orally.
• In addition to short writing assignments, there will be one (1) major essay (critique or synthesis) and a research paper.  The essay should be 3 to 5 pages in length.  The research paper should be no less than 8 pages long.  All papers MUST BE TYPED, DOUBLE-SPACED, AND FOLLOW THE APA DOCUMENTATION STYLE.
• Participation: This is an important aspect of the writing process. While attendance is obviously required for participation, it by itself is not sufficient; rather, participation will be defined as full involvement in all class activities, including discussion, group work, workshops, peer response, conferences, etc.  Failure to participate will, at times, adversely affect both your participation grade and your grade for particular assignments.
• Midterm exam.
• Final exam.

In the event that you miss a class, you remain responsible for the material covered in that class, including assignments, announcements, handouts, etc., and for any required preparation for the following class.

Plagiarism:

Plagiarism (play-ger-iz-em) (n): The act of stealing and using the ideas and writings of another as one's own.  (From The American Heritage Dictionary, 2nd College Edition).

Plagiarism (sariqa = theft) is immoral and illegal (kindly refer to AUS Integrity Code).

Any student who violates academic integrity will receive an F for the course. We will discuss this issue further in class.

You are also reminded to sign the Plagiarism form attached and return it to me.

Late Papers: You are required to submit your assigned papers on their due date. The responsibility is yours to turn assignments in on time. An assignment will be accepted for full credit only if it is submitted on the day it is due.

Grade Breakdown:

• Participation, Quizzes, & In-class Writing  (10%)
• Critique/Synthesis Essay  (20%)
• Research Paper & Presentation  (30%)
• Other Written Assignments  (10%)
• Midterm Exam  (10%)
• Final Exam  (20%)

*** THE PASSING GRADE IS C-.

Grading Criteria

An A paper is well-organized, well-supported, free from major grammatical errors, and shows a developed vocabulary, although it may contain a few errors in idiom. It uses citations accurately and appropriately. It also shows original thought. An A paper meets the full requirements of the assignment.

A B paper is also well-organized and well-supported, but may contain a few grammatical errors in addition to idiom errors and may not show the variety and exactness of vocabulary that an A paper has. It also cites sources correctly and appropriately. The ideas, while clear, may be less original than the ideas in an A paper. A B paper meets or nearly meets the full requirements of the assignment.

A C paper is well-organized, but not all points may be as well-supported or developed as in a B paper. It uses sources, but there may be some problems in citation form or appropriateness of citations. It may contain a few major mechanical errors, but most of the sentences are correct. A C paper meets the basic requirements of the assignment.

A D paper is disorganized, contains many major grammatical errors, or lacks significant support. It has no clear thesis, topic sentences are missing, or the writer consistently misuses words and shows an extremely limited English vocabulary. It may also make no use of citations. In a D paper, there may be major grammatical errors in every paragraph. A D paper may not meet the basic requirements of the assignment.

Schedule:
(Note: This schedule is subject to change. Other readings from the text or outside sources may be added or substituted for those listed below. Exact due dates for writing assignments will be decided later.)

Week 1
Course Introduction
Writing sample and discussion
Read "A Note to the Student" (pp. xxviii-xxx)

Week 2
What Is Research?
The research project
The research process
Developing a research proposal (handout)

Week 3
Chapter 1: Summary, Paraphrase, and Quotation (pp. 2-28)
How to write summaries
Summarizing a narrative
Summarizing figures and tables

Week 4
Chapter 1: Summary, Paraphrase, and Quotation (pp. 28-44)
How to write paraphrases
Choosing quotations
Incorporating quotations into your sentences

Week 5
Chapter 2: Critical Reading and Critique (pp. 45-56)
Informative writing
Persuasive writing
Writing that entertains
How to write critiques

Week 6
Chapter 3: Introductions, Theses, and Conclusions (pp. 80-98)
Writing introductions
Writing a thesis
Writing conclusions

Week 7
Chapter 4: Synthesis (pp. 99-127)
The explanatory synthesis

Week 8
Chapter 4: Synthesis (pp. 127-160)
The argument synthesis
Midterm Exam

Week 9
Chapter 5: Research (pp. 175-194)
Finding a subject
The research question
Preliminary research/Focused research

Week 10
Chapter 5: Research (pp. pp. 194-204)
From research to working thesis
The working bibliography
Evaluating sources
Arranging your notes: The outline
Writing the draft

Week 11
Chapter 5: Research (pp. 204-207 & 219-228)
Avoiding plagiarism
Citing sources
APA style

Week 12
Preparing an Oral Presentation (handout)
Conferences/Finalizing the research paper
Oral Presentations begin

Week 13
Oral Presentations
The final draft of the research paper is due Wednesday, May 8

Week 14
Oral Presentations (if necessary)
Review for final exam

Week 15
Final Exam (With other sections of COM 204)
 
 

Last Updated: February 5, 2002