Spring 2010

WRA 110 Writing Science and Technology

Instructor Information Dr. John Monberg Office Hours: M: 2:30-5:30, W: 12:00-12:30, 2:30-3:00 263 Bessey Hall Email: [email protected] Homepage: http://www.msu.edu/~jmonberg/ Course Overview Science and technology profoundly shape our lives, changing the way we communicate with others, the kinds of careers we will have, and the quality of our natural environment. When science and technology move from laboratory to corporate boardroom to CNN to congressional policy-making, writing is involved in every step in this process. This course will focus on the writing that constitute science and technology. We will explore the writing done by scientists, technologists, We will examine how writing circulates through society journalism, press releases, policy makers, citizens. Writing assignments will model these forms, allowing us to develop real world writing skills as we also gain a deeper understanding of the role writing plays as science and technology reshape society and society reshapes science and technology. Understanding the writing process is even more important today because new forms of writing--webpages, instant messages, databases, interactive billboards--have different audience expectations, different presentation styles and different persuasive strategies. In every assignment this semester, we will pay attention to the tight connections among writing, reading, and research. Students will have numerous opportunities to conceive, draft, revise, and complete writing projects tailored to various audiences. Writing will also be an important tool and vehicle for thinking about the readings, preparing for class discussion, and developing your own ideas. In addition to receiving instruction and practice in conceiving, drafting, revising, and completing writing projects of various lengths for various audiences,

Course Objectives As a writing course, the course is also designed to teach you some specific writing strategies and to help you see “learning to write” as an engaged, lifelong learning process. By successfully completing this course, you will progress further in that lifelong process. More specifically, you will begin to: • Use writing for the purposes of reflection, action, and participation in academic inquiry; • Work within a repertoire of genres and modes—including digital media—to meet appropriate rhetorical purposes; • Exercise a flexible repertoire of invention, arrangement, and revision strategies; • Engage in reading for the purposes of reflection, critical analysis, decision-making, and inquiry; • Demonstrate he ability to locate, critically evaluate, and employ a variety of sources for a! range of purposes;

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• Synthesize external data and documentary sources into your own writing with greater ! awareness of proper citation;

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WRA 110 Writing Science and Technology

• Demonstrate more fluency in standard, edited English and distinguish the contexts in which ! formal, informal, and colloquial writing may be appropriate;

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• Cultivate a playful attitude toward language; • Develop lifelong habits of utilizing peer review to develop ideas and revise texts.

Required Texts Two books are required: Writing Analytically by David Rosenwasser and Jill Stephen, fifth edition, and The Best American Science Writing of 2009 edited by Natalie Angier and Jesse Cohen Read all of the materials before the class they are assigned for on the class schedule. Note: Please bring the textbooks to class with you on a regular basis. We will create concept maps and other activities that will require unpacking the details of the reading. Additional required course readings will be available on the Angel course website. You should purchase a writing handbook that you can use for this class and future writing projects. The Brief McGraw-Hill Handbook edited by Maimon, Peritz, and Yancey is recommended. Successful writers are usually those who collaborate with others to generate ideas, outline projects, proofread, etc. For this reason, we will work together in class and will meet individually to discuss your writing. Revision People who write regularly know that revising is part of the process of creating any document. Revision is not just editing for error, it requires you to see your writing project with new eyes (hence, “revision”). This can be one of the most challenging tasks for first-year college writers. We will work on strategies for both global and local revision throughout the course. The Writing Center! For help with your writing, I strongly encourage you to visit MSU’s Writing Center, located in 300 Bessey Hall. The Writing Center “offers one-on-one consulting services for writers at all stages of the writing process. Any MSU student or small group of students can make an appointment to bring writing they may be composing or any composition (from papers to personal statements to letters) to discuss with a writing consultant in the center. Writing consultations generally last 50 minutes and are arranged by contacting the Writing Center by phone or in person for an appointment” (http://writing.msu.edu/about/1on1.php). There is also a location at the MSU library, which offers consulting on a walk-in, first-come, first-serve basis. The website is also loaded with helpful resources, so check it out! http://writing.msu.edu Policies Attendance requires more than your physical presence. "Come to class having done the readings and be prepared to contribute to class discussion and class exercises. "We will spend the limited time we have together focused on the writing process. There will be in class drafting work shops, peer review sessions, and planning sessions for writing assignments, so bring your books, drafts, and other resources to class. We will make extensive use of the computer lab and we will often shift attention from individual to group to class work. Keep focused.

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WRA 110 Writing Science and Technology

You are allowed four unexcused absences. "Every additional absence will subtract 50 points from your semester total. If you see me in advance, absences maybe excused for sanctioned university activities or religious holidays. Absences may be excused in the case of a medical emergency if a doctor's note is provided. Assignment Due Dates Because your writing group will depend on your ability to stay on deadline, no late work will be accepted. Any exceptions to this policy must be made by written petition and approved by me before the due date; computer or printer problems are not acceptable excuses for projects not turned in at the time and date required. Late projects are subject to a 1.0 grade deduction; an additional 1.0 grade deduction may be applied for each day they are late thereafter. In-class activities, reading responses, and some group work assignments cannot be “made-up.” E-mail Correspondence If you need to contact me by e-mail, please include “WRA 110” in the subject line of your message. This will ensure your e-mail reaches the appropriate folder in my in-box. Please remember that faculty members (like you) juggle multiple commitments. I will do my best to respond to e-mails within 24 hours, Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Please do not contact me by e-mail about your grades. Because of privacy issues, instructors are discouraged from corresponding with students about their grades over e-mail. Thus, all grade concerns should be addressed either during office hours, an appointment, or if it is a very quick matter, just after class. This policy applies to all graded work, preliminary grades, and final grades for the course. "In providing an educational climate that is positive and discrimination free, conduct that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment will not be tolerated in class discussions or computer exercises. Plagiarism Stealing and passing off as your own someone else’s ideas or words, or using information from another’s work without crediting the source, is called “plagiarism.”" Some specific examples of actions that constitute plagiarism include pasting together uncredited information from the Internet or published sources, submitting an entire paper/project written by someone else, submitting a paper written for another class (and thus not original work), and copying another student’s work (even with the student’s permission)." In order to avoid unintentional plagiarism and to represent your work honestly, you will need to be meticulous about giving credit to any and all sources, whether directly quoted (even a few words) or paraphrased." Students who plagiarize will receive a failing grade on the assignment and may fail the course. For specific MSU policies on academic honesty, see Spartan Life: Student Handbook and Resource Guide (http://www.vps.msu.edu/SpLife/index.htm), especially General Student Regulations 1.0, “Protection of Scholarship and Grades,” and the all-University Policy on Integrity of Scholarship and Grades and Academic Honesty. ADA MSU’s Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) Students with disabilities that may interfere with completing your course work should consult with me as soon as possible to discuss accommodating your needs. You will also need to contact the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities: http://www.rcpd.msu.edu/, 122 Bessey Hall, (517) 884-RCPD (4-7273), TTY: (517) 355-1293

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WRA 110 Writing Science and Technology

Assignments:

• Paper 1: Press Release" "

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100

• Paper 2: Review of a Gadget, Website or Technology"

200

• Paper 3: Critical Science/Technology Essay""

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350

• Paper 4: Opinion/Editorial"

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150

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• Individual Grammar Presentation""

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• Group Concept Map Presentation""

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50

• In class writing and writing responses"

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100 "

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50

Course Grading

4: 1000-900 points

3.5: 899-850 points 3: 849-800 points 2.5: 799-750 points 2: 749-700 points 1.5: 699-650 points 1: 649-600 points

Tentative Schedule " Dates

Readings

Assignments

January 11 January 13

WA Chapter 1, BA Introduction

January 20

WA Chapter 2, BA Gawande

January 25

WA Chapter 3

January 27 February 1

Paper 1 Draft Due January 27 WA Chapter 4, BA Tisdale

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WRA 110 Writing Science and Technology

Dates

Readings

February 3

WA Chapter 5

February 8

BA Paul

February 10

WA Chapter 6, BA Sacks

February 15

WA Chapter 7

February 17

WA Chapter 8, BA Wolman

February 22

WA Chapter 9

February 24

Assignments Paper 1 Final Due February 3

Paper 2 Draft Due February 24

March 1

WA Chapter 10, BA Kotlowitz

March 3

WA Chapter 11

March 8, 10

Spring Break

March 15

WA Chapter 12

March 17

BA Moore

March 22

WA Chapter 13, BA Kahn

March 24

WA Chapter 14

March 29

BA Horgan, Cords

March 31

WA Chapter 15

April 5

BA Enserink

April 7

Paper 2 Final Due March 3

Paper 3 Draft Due April 7

April 12

BA Nash

April 14

WA Chapter 16

April 19

WA Chapter 19

Writing Science and Technology Spring 2010!

Paper 3 Final Due April 14

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WRA 110 Writing Science and Technology

Dates

Readings

April 21

WA Chapter 17, BA Royte

April 26

WA Chapter 18, BA Quammen

April 28

May 5, 5:00 p.m

Assignments

Paper 4 Draft Due April 28 Paper 4 Final Draft Due

Note: February 4 is the last day to drop the course without losing a tuition refund.

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