Critical Reading and Writing in the Humanities Essay

1. Reflective Essay (Diagnostic) Describe briefly your experiences with writing at the pre-university level. Discuss how any factor or an individual has influenced your approach and/or attitude to writing. Explain your expectations of this course. (300 words) 2. Essay Outline and Annotated Bibliography-20% Annotated Bibliography Compiling a list of annotated references will help you to become familiar with a variety of perspectives on your chosen topic so that you can begin to formulate or strengthen your view about it. Based on information gathered from the library session as well as from class readings and discussions on critical thinking, you will summarise each source’s content and critically evaluate its relevance to your documented essay in no more than 150 words per source. NB. Only four sources are required for this activity. Each of the entries in this single-spaced document will consist of the following three sections: The publication details of the source in M.L.A or A.P.A. format. Paragraph 1 -a succinct summary of the main ideas and supporting points of the source, an explanation of the author’s purpose and a description of the intended audience Paragraph 2 – short discussion of the author’s credibility of the relevance of the source to your topic. 3. The Response Paper -20% The response paper requires students to summarise, explore and critically analyse a written text. This allows for the communication of the students’ perspective on the author’s ideas. 4. The Documented Essay-30% The research and writing processes in which you will engage as you prepare this assignment are outlined on the seminar schedule. Before writing your first draft, you will select a theme/topic that is relevant to your discipline; generate ideas on it; narrow it to a researchable theme/topic that can be reasonably explored in a 1000-word essay for a general academic audience; prepare a short proposal; research the topic and make relevant notes; write an annotated bibliography which evaluates your source materials and prepare your essay outline (with sources included). You are required to show evidence of at least four (4) scholarly/reputable/credible sources which must include at least one journal article and a book. Only one newspaper article (not news item) is allowed. 5. Collaborative Project/Group Presentation- 10% Students will work in groups to present research or analysis of a theme from their discipline. Works of art, songs, poetry, films and written text may be used. 6. Final Reflective Essay -20% Instructions will be given in seminar. FOUN 1012 SEMINAR SCHEDULE for SEMESTER I (2013-2014) LECTURES are given weekly on Wednesdays 12:00-1:00 and 5:00-6:00pm in N1. SEMINAR NUMBER LECTURE TOPICS CURRENT WEEK’S SEMINAR ACTIVITIES PREPARATION and ASSIGNMENTS for NEXT SEMINAR Sept..2 – 6 Critical Reading and Writing in the Humanities and You 1. Enrolment confirmation. 2. Discuss course aims and objectives, teaching structure, assignment and grading schedule, and special requirements for academic reading and writing. 3. Students and tutors share on literacy 4. Discussion of reflective essay Choose and attend a Library OPAC session. Visit the Foun1012 website at http://ourvle.mona.uwi.edu and Watch Shaped by Writing and E-literate (before Week 3). Browse the resources and download the course outline Read chapter 11 of Wadsworth and write a definition of the humanities. Sept 9-13 Researching for Academic Writing The Writing Process Submit the reflective essay. 1.Discussion of features of writing in the humanities 2. Discussion of The Right to Write 3. Brainstorming of documented essay topics and explanation of the proposal ESSAY TOPICS/THEMES: a. Enslavement b. Language and Culture c. Media and Professionalism d. Technology and the Arts Read chapter one of Wadsworth. Revise the reflective essay after feedback and upload to Turnitin. Record the similarity index. Peruse samples of the proposal on OurVLE. Write and submit proposal. Guide questions for your proposal: 1. What are my broad and narrowed topics? 2. How is my narrowed topic related to a sub-discipline in the humanities? 3. What do I already know about this topic? 4. What am I interested in finding out OR sharing with a general academic audience about this narrowed topic? 5. How will I go about gathering additional data on this topic? Sept. 16 – 20 [Deadline for all students to register with TURNITIN.] Communicating in the Academy- Rhetorical Contexts Submit the proposal at the beginning of seminar and collect at the end. [Go to the Main Library for your seminar.] 1. Practise locating information from a variety of sources. 2. Discuss shaping your writing and evaluating sources 3. Visit this website and attempt the multiple choice activity on evaluating sources: http://www.lib.calpoly.edu/infocomp/modules/05_evaluate/index.html. 4. Browse this website for tips on critical thinking: www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/webcrit.html Visit the â€Å"Foun1012 website at http://ourvle.mona.uwi.edu read and download Critical Reading 1. Manage YOUR Sources: Locate TWO source materials for your Documented Essay- a journal article and book chapter. In addition to taking notes on NOTE CARDS, summarise each source material in a few sentences and record the publication details. Sept. 23 – 27 [Deadline for students with special English language needs to start self-help exercises in the â€Å"Grammar & Mechanics† folder on OurVLE or in the recommended texts.] Critical Thinking and Reading 1. Introduction to Rhetorical analysis- Critical Reading 1 2. Summary writing Elect a class representative Annotate one of your sources and consult your tutor for feedback. Ensure that you have uploaded your reflective Essay to Turnitin. Peruse the model (sentence) outlines on Ourvle, and chapter 2 of Bazerman: The Informed Writer. Sept. 30-Oct.4 Language and Communication 1 1. Summary Writing contd. 2. Writing Workshop: a. Thesis statements and the Introduction b. Writing the formal Outline Read chapter 6 of Wadsworth and prepare your formal outline and your annotated bibliography for submission at the beginning of next week’s seminar. Upload it as a single file to Turnitin. Reminder: All hard copies of the assignment are to be submitted within the first 20 minutes of the seminar Read and download Critical Reading 2 on OurVLE as directed. Oct. 7 – 11 Language and Communication 2 Submit your Outline and Annotated Bibliography along with your accountability statement and rubric. 1.Critical Analysis 2. Response Writing Prepare for the Mid semester exam. Oct. 14 – 18 Students should NOT change Documented Essay topics after this week. Ethics and Academic Writing Critical Analysis contd. a. Organising Principles b. Paragraph Development Mid Semester Exam- One sitting Manage YOUR Sources: Locate TWO more source materials for your Documented Essay In addition to taking notes on NOTE CARDS, summarise each source material in a few sentences and record the publication details. √ Give your tutor, in writing, your group presentation topic (see Week 11), thesis, names of group members and group leader’s name. Oct. 21 – 25 **October 21 is a public holiday. Please attend another seminar during this week if your class is on a Monday.] Working With Sources 1 Class discussion and presentations on The functions of language Caribbean language varieties Language and social status Type and upload your essay draft and references to Turnitin. Record the similarity index, read the report and complete your self -review. Revise the draft based on your self- review and Turnitin report. Bring the revised draft to the next seminar. Visit the OurVLE course website and download and read â€Å"Peer Critique Checklist† & â€Å"Peer Critique Model†. Bring the Peer Critique Checklist to the next seminar. Do not lose your documented essay draft and the accompanying materials! You will need them for final submission of the essay. Oct. 28 – Nov. 1 Working with Sources 2 Using the â€Å"Peer Critique Checklist† as your guide, participate in the IN-CLASS peer critiquing session by allowing TWO of your peers to read and discuss your essay. Afterwards, ONE of your peers will WRITE a critique of your essay draft. Attach the critique and your self- review to your essay draft. Continue revising your documented essay draft based on feedback from your peers and tutor. Bring a copy of your single-spaced revised essay to the next seminar. Nov. 4-8 Revising and Editing 1. Framing/ integration of sources 2. Corresponding reference entry/ies. 3. Style of writing Prepare to submit your double-spaced documented essay for grading (along with your first draft, self-review, peer comments, and accountability statement at the start of your seminar in Week 11 (30%). Reminder: All hard copies of the assignment are to be submitted within the first 20 minutes of the seminar in Week 11. Download â€Å"Group Presentation Guidelines† from the course website and bring it to the next seminar. Nov. 11-15 [Tutors to reserve multimedia equipment for groups] Reflective Writing SUBMIT the hard copy of the final draft of your Documented Essay (30%) along with your draft, self-review, peer comments and accountability statement. Planning for Collaborative Project/ Group Presentations & Performances. Visit the OurVLE course website and read text on reflective writing to prepare for writing the final reflection. Topic for Collaborative Project : Issues in your Discipline Caribbean Realities Nov. 18 – 22 Oral Presentations Discussion on Reflective writing Drafting the Final Reflection Prepare to give the script for your group’s presentation and your assessment of your group members to your tutor at the start of the seminar. All presenters are to be in place within the first 10 minutes of the seminar. Revise your Reflection for submission next class. Upload To Turnitin. Nov. 25 – 29 No LECTURE Collaborative Project/Group Presentations & Performances (10%) Give the script for your group’s presentation and your assessment of your group members to your tutor at the start of the seminar. Submit your Final Reflection and accountability statement. END OF COURSE