AMST 499
RESEARCH AND WRITING
Winter 2008
Tuesday and Thursday 4:00-5:50
Professor: Jeanne Armstrong, Ph.D.
Comparative Literary and Cultural Theory
Office HH227
Phone 650-7667
Email jeanne.armstrong@wwu.edu
Office hours Tues. and Thurs. 3-4 or
by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course emphasizes advanced research and writing in American Cultural Studies. We will consider issues and theories pertaining to African American, Latino/a, American Indian, Asian American and gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender studies. When relevant to students’ topics, we may also consider borderlands or transnational issues connecting ethnic studies and area studies, such as Asian studies, Africana studies and Latin American Studies or the intersections of ethnic studies with women’s studies and queer studies. These issues will provide the context for choosing a topic, engaging in the research process and creating a research paper or project.
Collegiality, civility and respect are extremely important to creating a safe and supportive atmosphere in class. If there are concerns or problems about the classroom environment, students are encouraged to discuss this privately with the instructor.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1-Examine relationships that are shaped by inequalities of power and identities such as race/ethnicity, national origin, gender, religion, class, ability and sexualities within and between cultural groups.
2-Apply relevant methodologies and acquire requisite oral and writing skills that will enable students to contribute to the field of American cultural, ethnic and multicultural studies.
3-Identifies and describes a manageable research topic or other information need appropriate to the scope of research questions in American Cultural Studies.
4-Read background sources in discipline relevant to the topic within the context of American Cultural Studies to increase familiarity with the topic.
5-Identify and list key concepts, terms, social theories, culture groups, places and names related to the topic in preparation for searching for information on it. (use discipline focused encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauri and glossaries).
6-Reevaluate the nature and extent of the information need to clarify, revise, or refine the question after some initial research, reading, interviews, and work with data and/or a population have taken place.
7-Select the most appropriate sources and databases for accessing and obtaining the needed information.
8-Construct, implement and refine well-defined search strategies that use a variety of methods to find information.
9-Summarize the main ideas to be extracted from the information gathered and synthesize main ideas to construct new concepts.
a. keep track of the information and its sources.
b. record all citation information for future reference.
10-Seek differing viewpoints in alternative databases, books, web sites and articles evaluating the source of the information or argument and determines whether to incorporate or reject viewpoints encountered.
11-compare new knowledge with prior knowledge to determine the value added, contradictions, or other unique characteristics of the information and take steps to reconcile differences.
a. maintains a record of the information seeking process in order to explain and evaluate the research conducted.
b. determines whether the information that was collected
satisfies the research need, and selects information that provides evidence for
the topic, integrates new information, and draws conclusions based upon
information gathered.
12-Apply new information and research results to the planning, creation, and
revision of a particular paper, and presentation
REQUIRED TEXT:
Joseph Harris, Rewriting: how to do things with texts is in the AS Bookstore
ASSIGNMENTS:
ARTICLE ANALYSIS 10%-- Read and analyze the assigned reserve article, identifying the author’s thesis, the evidence used to support the thesis and any examples of theory used by the author. Your analysis of the article should be a two-page narrative that summarizes and explains the article, identifying the thesis and how well the evidence supports the thesis. The assigned article, “’Indians’: Textualism, morality, and the problem of history by Jane Tompkins, is on electronic reserve.
2nd and 3rd ARTICLE ANALYSES 10% each=20% total-choose two articles that you consider seminal on your topic and write a two page analysis using the same criteria for the first article analysis but with more depth. You will give a 5 minute presentation to the class about the article and why it is important to your research. Be sure to precede each analysis with a citation for the article.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY 10% --This bibliography should have an introduction that identifies your topic or thesis, lists and briefly summarizes the 12 minimum required sources for the literature review or conference paper. Books or articles listed in the bibliography should meet criteria for acceptable scholarly sources. The bibliography should include a minimum of four journal articles that have been identified by using discipline specific databases.
DRAFT 5%--The draft is not graded but is required as 5% of the overall graded
PRESENTATION, RESEARCH STRATEGY AND TOPIC OR THESIS STATEMENT 5%. These assignments are not graded but you must complete them for the remaining 10% of your grade.
FINAL PAPER 50%--There are two options for the final assignment, a literature review or the conference paper as described below. Papers should be typed, double-spaced with appropriate citations using the Chicago Manual of Style.
Option one is to create a literature review that is a minimum of 15 pages and includes at least 12 sources, including any theoretical articles. At least 3 sources should be seminal sources as demonstrated by their citation in two or more bibliographies. The literature review should state the problem and summarize the 12 sources. Examples of short literature reviews have been placed on Reserve. However, your literature review would need to be longer than these examples.
Option two is to write a conference paper that is a minimum of 15 pages. This paper should have an original interpretation of a problem, stating a thesis and then using at least 12 research sources, including articles on theory, to describe the issue or problem and support your thesis, discussing possible solutions or responses to the problem.
You will be creating component pieces and stages of the literature review or conference paper through other class assignments such as topic statement, research strategy, thesis statement, outline and draft. These assignments are designed to assist you in creating the final product. The second article analysis should help you read and analyze literature relevant to your topics.
You will need to find a topic
Pick something that interests you and has a significant amount of resources.
Be able to explain why you think the topic is significant.
Choose a methodological or interpretive approach, e.g. is there some race, social cultural or other theory or historical, sociological, economic, or anthropological context relevant to the analysis of your topic.
What questions will be addressed in the research?
How will the questions be answered, with what type of resources?
You will need to spend a substantial amount of time conducting research for your paper. This should include searching for journal articles, books and primary materials when relevant. There are several local archives and collections that contain primary documents.
Each student is expected to participate in class discussion. Students will present their research in class and comment on one another’s work. Comments should be constructive and offer suggestions for improvement.
Class attendance is mandatory. Due dates for assignments are firm.
THE FINAL PAPER IS DUE ON MARCH 18.
Grade Policies
Late assignments will be marked down one half grade for every day they are late. All medically necessary absences and assignment postponements must be approved by the university administration. Final grades will be determined by the following formula:
GRADING
Expectations for an A:
1. Class participation, no more than one absence
2. All assignments are completed on time
3. Assignments meet criteria specified in syllabus
4. Final project is exceptional as measured by quality of research and writing.
Expectations for a B
1. Class participation, no more than two absences
2. All assignments are completed on time
3. Assignments meet criteria specified in syllabus
4. Final project demonstrates good research and writing, has correct citations and few grammatical errors.
Expectations for a C
1. Class participation, no more than two absences
2. All assignments are completed
3. Assignments meet most criteria specified in syllabus
4. Final project has adequate research and correct citations
Expectations for a D
1. More than two unexcused absences
2. Failure to complete one minor assignment
3. Final project completed with inadequate research, and/or incorrect citations
BOOKS ON RESERVE
Ballenger, Bruce P. The Curious Researcher
Galvan, Jose. Writing Literature Reviews
Lemert, Charles. Social Theory: the multicultural and classic readings
Rosenwasser, David and Stephen, Jill. Writing Analytically
ARTICLES OR CHAPTERS ON ELECTRONIC RESERVE
Chapter in Writing Analytically
Chapter in Writing Literature Reviews
“’Indians’: Textualism, morality, and the problem of history” by Jane Tompkins
REFERENCE BOOKS
A Short Guide to Writing about Social Science H91.C78 1997
Writing Literature Reviews H62.3G3 1999
CLASS SCHEDULE
1/8 Overview of class, objectives, assignments
For 1/10 read chapter 3: “Selecting a Topic and Identifying Literature for Review”
in Writing Literature Reviews (chapter is on e-reserve)
1/10 DUE: Topic statement (will spend some time in Haggard 245)
Research theory and strategy, relevant disciplines, audience
For 1/17 read Chapter 1 “Writing and thinking analytically” in
Writing Analytically (Chapter is on electronic reserve} and
“Indians’: Textualism, morality, and the problem of history” by Jane Tompkins
1/15 no class
1/17 (class will move to Haggard 245 at 4:45)
Online catalog, Online databases, interlibrary loan, reference books
and brief discussion of readings
1/22 DUE: 1st article analysis of Tompkins article
Discussion of article and research strategy
For 1/24 read Chapter 2 “Developing a Research Strategy” in The Curious
Researcher (chapter on electronic reserve).
1/24 DUE: Research strategy
Discussion of research strategies for your topics.
Government information (Rob Lopresti) and primary sources (class will meet in
Haggard 245 and have time to find an article for the 2nd analysis)
For 1/29 read Introduction and Chapter 1 in Rewriting
1/29 DUE: 2nd article analysis
You should mention the database where you found the article.
Brief presentations on your articles and discussion of reading
For 1/31 read Chapter 2 ‘Forwarding’ in Rewriting
1/31 (class will meet in Haggard 245 to research and find an article for the 3rd
article analysis)
Discussion of reading
For 2/5 read Chapter 3 ‘Countering’ in Rewriting
2/5 DUE: 3rd article analysis: Thesis statement for those doing a conference paper
Presentations on your articles and discussion of reading
2/7 Lab time -- to find additional sources for bibliography and time to start preparing
the bibliography.
2/12 through 2/19
One-on-one consultations in my office to discuss the drafts of your
bibliographies
2/21 DUE: Annotated Bibliography
meet in Haggard lab Exchange and discuss the bibliographies and time to write
work on the outline and introduction
2/26 DUE: Outline to exchange and discuss (list sections on
separate pieces of paper)
For 2/28 read chapter 5 ‘Revising’ in Rewriting
2/28 Writing time in Haggard lab and discussion of reading
3/4 DUE: Drafts
3/4, 3/6, 3/11, 3/13 Presentations combined with writing time in lab
3/18 DUE: Final papers