English 102.23

This course is limited to Juniors and Seniors. All students must have completed Writing 2 before taking this course. You should also know that the topics you will write about in this class should be related to your major. If you are just entering your curriculum, consider taking this course later in your program.

Texts

Required: Writing 109HP Reader, Emmerling, (at AS Notes)

WSC. Writing, Speaking, and Communications Skills for Health Professionals, First Ed., New Haven: Yale University Press. (2001) ISBN#: 0-300-08862-0 (at Bookstore)

My website: www.writingcures.com

Recommended: Grammar Handbook such as Hacker’s A Pocket Manual of Style

English Dictionary

We may use various articles which will be made available well in advance of the class meeting in which you will need them. Details TBA in class.

In addition, from time to time you will be collecting and bringing your own artifacts to class to share.

Course Objectives:

Recognize and analyze discipline-specific formats and organizational strategies.
Understand specialized terminology of the discipline.
Understand how evidence is typically used in the fiend to support theories or arguments.
Access secondary source materials using a range of resources including professional journals and databases, websites, and popular literature.
Be aware of the difference between primary and secondary research.
Conduct a significant independent research project.
Cite and document sources in a manner appropriate to the field.
Produce a series of shorter texts that demonstrate typical contents, formats, and stylistic conventions of the field.
Refine and develop a mature style of writing appropriate for the field.
Tailor writing to meet the requirements of lay, professional, or specialized audiences.
Translate complex writing into clear, concise language.

Course Requirements

Portfolio of Work (“Process File” and “Professional File”) 70 points

Over the course of the quarter, you will write rough drafts of various kinds of documents, and then revise a selection of documents and visuals to demonstrate your written communication competence. Keep all plans, freewriting, collaborative projects, rough drafts, and cover letters; you will submit these in your “process file.” From the rough drafts of projects you produce, you will select three (see below), then revise and submit them as your “professional file” of best efforts. You will receive more detailed instructions for preparing these documents and files in class. See the course schedule for all deadlines.

The course portfolio grade will be based on the progress you demonstrate with the “process file” and on the quality of work you submit as your best efforts in the “professional file.” Evaluation criteria will include technical relevance, audience appropriateness, stylistic/grammatical correctness, and user-friendly visual design.

Your Process File (30%) will include a progress report of contents and drafts of

--reflective responses to readings (5)

--introductory memo

--brochure draft one

--abstract of article

--personal statement

--materials related to oral presentations (memos, draftwork, text visual aids)

--memo outlining report

--final report using appropriate documentation

Your Professional File (40%)will include a self-evaluative memo and two final, polished drafts

2A. 2B.

Short Project Long Project

--personal statement --report

Workshops 10 points

Group workshops give you practice collaborating and assure your improvement in writing skills. The workshop enables you to read and respond to your group members’ drafts, and will provide you with other perspectives on your own written work. After each workshop, you and the other participants will evaluate each members’ contributions. See the course schedule for dates of workshops—you will receive more detailed instructions for each workshop.

Oral Presentations 20 points

In the two presentations, you will have the chance to practice principles of public speaking that might be part of seeking, or working in, a future professional position. You will have two opportunities to present technical reports, one as a class warm up, and one at the end of the quarter. Plan to use at least one visual aid in the final presentation.

Grading

Final Portfolio (Process file@30 and Professional file@40) 70

Workshop (2@5 ea) and other class participation 10 Oral Presentations (2) 20

Class warm up@8 Final@12

100 possible

Conferences

Not required and no point value but highly encouraged at least once during the quarter. Office hours do not require an appointment but I am happy to meet with you by appointment outside of office hours.

Course Policies

Attendance/Discussion Participation/Class Design

This course will be run workshop-style; it will feature mini-lectures by the instructor, combined with many student-centered, discussion-focused learning activities. All class members should attend class regularly, read carefully, write thoughtfully, and participate actively. Since this course will rely heavily on discussion, and the writing activities will be challenging, it is necessary that you prepare thoroughly for each class meeting: read the material before class on the day it is scheduled for discussion, and come to class ready with constructive questions and comments. There will be various in-class writing assignments that are due in class. These assignments generally cannot be “made up” later. Your participation in groupwork and other activities is crucial; thus excessive absenteeism (more than 2 absences) may lower your grade. If you are unable to attend class, please notify me, arrange to deliver work due in class the day of your absence, and figure out some way to “catch up” on the week’s discussion with another class participant. This is not a lecture course; it will be conducted as a workshop. Reading and writing are complemented by discussion. When you talk about your ideas in class you have a chance to hone your understanding, to grow in expressive power. We will be writing in class and out of class, formally and informally. We will read one another’s writing and the writing of others. This is a genuine source of pleasure and a sure sign of education in progress.

Late work: No! No! No! Late work will not be accepted unless you have made prior arrangements with me in writing. All work is due at the beginning of class. Please plan ahead. I’m not especially sensitive to last minute computer malfunctions.

Plagiarism: Don’t do it! You are responsible for the content and integrity of all of your work in this class. Cheating and plagiarism will, at a minimum, result in an F for the project and may result in failing this course or expulsion from the University. Plagiarism is defined as the act of using the ideas of work of another person or persons as if they were one’s own, without giving proper credit to the sources. This includes, but is not limited to, failure to use quotation marks when quoting from outside source, submitting a paper written by a friend or purchased from a term paper service, or retyping another student’s paper and submitting it as one’s own. See Course Reader for paper on plagiarism.

Academic Conduct and Disability Accommodation:

Disabled Students Program (DSP) provides a wide array of academic support services to eligible students with documented disabilities. These services include note takers, readers, sign language interpreters, facilitation of access, and adaptive computing equipment. If you have a disability and would like to discuss accommodations, please contact them (893-2668) directly and/or me as soon as possible.

Drop Deadline: Monday February 6 by 4PM at the registrar’s or 11:45PM by GOLD

Final Note:

This class is demanding. If you experience difficulty, please contact me. In addition there are campus resources available to you, including:

Campus Learning Assistance Service: 893-3269. CLAS helps students increase their mastery of course materials through course-specific tutoring and academic skills development. Visit www.clas.ucsb.edu for more information or visit the CLAS office in Building 477 from 9-5 daily.

Counseling and Career Services: 893-4411. www.counseling.ucsb.edu offers counseling for personal and career concerns, self-help information and connections to off-campus mental health resources.