AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT

Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of English

Syllabus
English 204 Advanced Academic English
writing-intensive, process-oriented undergraduate research course (3 credit hours)

Fall 2013
Pre-requisite: Engl. 203 or exemption

Instructors Name: Amany Al-Sayyed
Office Hours: TBA
Email: aa139@aub.edu.lb
Office: Fisk 231
Ext: 4115

COURSE DESCRIPTION

English 204 is designed to provide rigorous training in academic critique, argumentation, and
research. In this course, students apply advanced reading strategies, in-depth discussion of
sources, and synthesis of ideas. English 204 is process-oriented. Students write approximately
30 pages of finished, formal writing, in addition to informal writing and rough drafts. Students
participate in discussions, collaborate in various ways, write to develop their ideas, and learn
about the conventions of academic writing. Students compose various assignments and report
on their research in an oral presentation. The course includes an extended research project, in
which students identify a research question, identify and evaluate sources, and draft and revise
a formal, well-documented essay.

Section Description
Community Based Learning Module
What is CBL?
Community-Based Writing and Rhetoric (CBL) offers students a unique opportunity
to learn skills and strategies for effective research and written argumentation
through investigating social justice issues moreover, students integrate their
experiences into readings, research, writing, and discussion about the meanings of
community, citizenship, and social justice in contemporary America. Students earn
three credits in this course (University of Notre Dame and CBL ppt on moodle)



My English 204 and CBL
This course is based on a Community-based learning module which has been defined
in several ways. For our purposes, CBL is a credit-bearing, educational experience in
which students will reach out and engage with the cultural community at large in
order to experience hands-on learning about a cultural topic that they have read
about extensively via library databases, article- reflection and literature-based
writing. Students build knowledge on the cultural topic of choice in such a way as to
gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the
discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility and socio-cultural
awareness.

Tentative Community Based Learning Program: English 204

Methodology

The research component for this course will be divided into three stages that will act as the
framework for your writing requirement in this course. These three parts are: Argumentative-
synthesis paper, narrative paper, critique-analysis paper

Each part will take up a section of the semester. We will train for each of these assignments
before you begin preparing them: we will work on such things as preparing outlines, note-
taking, interviewing and feedback from conferences.

Process

1- Reflect on the theme: "What is Art? (in the Community)" We start the course with a
number of theoretical takes on the subject such as the thoughts of Leo Tolstoy and
others. Is writing part of art? What are the limitations of poetry or musical lyrics and
what are their positive attributes? Is art beyond language communication? Do you agree
with Tolstoy that art is the "transfer of emotions first felt by the artist himself/herself?"
What inspires artists to break the boundaries of traditional or classical 'artistic'
communication such as poetry or books or academic writing?

Conduct a preliminary online search in magazines, newspapers and cultural sites on
what you think art is

Here is a sample list of means used to communicate art:

Children Storytelling
Newspaper commix
Graphic novels
Digital Art/ video-gaming and blending science with art -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_arts
Photography, photo-journalism
blogs
Art therapy via theatre and performance
Graphic design
Architecture
Painting, Sculpture and Visual Art
Museums
Books
Novels
Illustration
Film
Rap
3D animation
Screenwriting
Poetry and Open Mic
Documentary
Embroidery
Arts and crafts
Calligraphy
graffiti


Here is a sample list of themes and topics that are art-related:

Human rights
Activism
Friends and Society
Culture
Gender roles
Technology and the (post) human
Love and Politics
Injustice
Teenagers
Virtual Wars versus Real wars
Stories of change through pain/tragedy
Women
Arab Revolutions
Careers and Happiness
Education vs Knowledge
Cybercrime
Creative Invention
Talent
Dating in Lebanon
Addiction and Peer Pressure
Premarital Sex
Civil Marriage
Drinking responsibly
Virtual intimacy and social network
Subliminal messages in music
Famous Murderers
Murder and Violence Online
Propaganda and manufacturing consent
Environment and health
Identity
Memory
Trauma
Artificial Intelligence
Fashion
The network (movie The Network as example)
Playground, School and Workplace Bullying
Leadership


2- Explore the world of art and the ways in which people have communicated it


3- Attend the scheduled library session (s) at Jafet. Ms. Nabila will introduce us to the
wealth of written material at the AUB databases, mostly literary ones such as EBSCO
HOST or WILDCAT which inform us about the range of research available on the
question of "What is Art in the community". You will come to the library session with a
preliminary idea of a form of art that you want to explore.

4- Presentations. Sign up for presentations (see point #12 in this supplement)

5- The library visit will generate a number of articles for you. I will assist you with
supplementary readings and resources on your topic upon request. Once you decide on
your list of sources, print and have them available for class so we can work on literature
review and note-taking

6- Online Forum. An online forum will be created for you on moodle. Log on at scheduled
intervals decided by your teacher, and exchange information on your work. Further
guidelines provided in due course.

7- Outline and proposal writing. You will be asked you to come up with a claim
thesis/argument about your topic of choice. It will be written in a clear and workable
manner.


8- Conferences/peer review. Attend conferences to get feedback on work in progress.

9- Focus on the rhetorical tools now to see how they best serve to showcase your thoughts
on "What is Art?" (critique etc)

10- The community: In this part of the course, you will enhance your knowledge of your
research by setting out into the artistic community of Lebanon to select a target for your
interview. Find an art-related group, person, NGO, organization, group initiative, club or
project that is directly related to your work. Take time to select a proper source of
information for your thesis that you have now worked hard on through your readings
and library work.


11- Conduct Interviews. Although we will have trained on conducting interviews at this
point, show your teacher your choice and set of questions before conducting interviews.

12- Critique-Analysis: Write a thorough critique and analysis about the source of your
interview. Present a short-version of this to class and hand in the written longer version
of the critique-analysis.

13- Writing conferences. Attend conferences to get feedback on work in progress.

14- Narrative. Show the results of your interview not by writing a report or data analysis.
Rather, write a short story/narrative describing your interview experience. How did it
go? How did it happen? Was there new information? What did you learn? What was the
gap of knowledge in the articles that the interview fulfilled? Describe your interviewee.
Why did you choose this person/group/artist/community? What stories did he/she tell
you about their work? What stories are they trying to say through their art?
Textbook for the semester

10
th
Edition Wadsworth Handbook available at the bookstore
Optional Resources

Readings assigned by your instructor
Online Material on course website (Moodle)
University libraries
The world of information out there


STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. apply information literacy skills, with emphasis on ethical use of information
a. demonstrate understanding when and why one needs information
b. locate and evaluate information
c. communicate information in an ethical manner
2. develop critical approach to discourse
a. understand the difference between attitudes, opinions, and facts
b. analyze spoken and written communication using appropriate rhetorical models
c. situate texts within and reflect on their contexts
d. recognize relevance and significance of information
3. design research projects
a. demonstrate ability to formulate a research problem
b. understand differences between various types of evidence
c. utilize universitys library and other resources in finding research solutions
d. compose a synthesis of ideas
e. monitor one's own progress
f. understand the recursive nature of research processes
4. produce oral and written accounts of research
a. construct significant arguments
b. adhere to conventions of academic communication
c. provide accurate and faithful representation of one's own ideas and the ideas of
others
5. recognize the relevance of acquired knowledge and skills to other courses
a. assess one's own performance and learning through reflection
b. reflect on usefulness of activities and their use outside the English 204 classroom
6. understand the benefit of cooperation within a research community
a. engage in collaborative activities
STUDENTS RESPONSIBILITIES

1. come to class: your teacher will regularly take attendance, and if you miss more than
one fifth (1/5) of the total number of class hours, you will be automatically
withdrawn (i.e. dropped) from the course
http://staff.aub.edu.lb/~webfas/faculty_resources/rules_and_regulations_highlights
.html#Attendance
2. bring the original not a photocopy of the assigned textbook and any other
materials required by your teacher
3. respect your classmates and teacher: if you arrive late, quietly take your place and
listen first; do not use your cell phone; do not disturb your friends. View the relevant
AUB Policies & Procedures at
http://pnp.aub.edu.lb/general/conductcode/158010081.html
4. submit your own work: plagiarism will be monitored Turn-It-In: while cooperation
within academic community is highly valued, any form of cheating will get you in
trouble. View the definition of academic misconduct at
http://pnp.aub.edu.lb/general/conductcode/158010081.html
5. submit all assignments: read instructions, complete assignments, and submit work
on time; ask your teacher about her late assignment policy
6. expect the courses work to culminate in your writing 1 extended research paper,
based on a minimum of 5 academic sources, both primary and/or secondary
7. expect to pass the course with a minimum weighted average of 60; do not expect to
be able to negotiate your grades: your grades in previously taken courses, your will
to transfer, or dependence on scholarship are not part of English 204 grading rubric
8. in case of an illness or another medical condition which prevents you from meeting
deadlines or participating in other critical components of the course, make sure to
provide your instructor with a medical excuse certified by University Health Services;
only then will your instructor be able to consider giving you a make-up activity
9. keep a file with all your work: both hard and electronic copies of all assignments
until you are given the final grade. Back up your computer files regularly, so your
work does not disappear altogether when your computer crashes
INSTRUCTORS RESPONSIBILITIES

In accordance with the University and Departments laws and procedures, the instructors role
is understood as a mentor, a creator of atmosphere conducive to learning, and a manager of
various learning activities. It is not any instructors role to complete the work for any of his or
her students, but to prod them in the proper direction by offering sound advice during class
time, office hours, and at additional appointments as agreed on by both parties. It is against the
policies of the University and the egalitarian nature of this institution to favor some students
over others by allowing for special treatment in evaluating students work or calculating their
final grade. View the relevant regulations at
http://pnp.aub.edu.lb/university/academic/148020119.html


GRADE DISTRIBUTION

30%
Research paper

Synthesis 15%

Additional Writing Assignments 30%
(i.e. narratives, outlines, proposals)

Oral Presentation(s) 15%

Class Participation 10%


Support Centers

Writing Center: The center offers free, one-hour consultations for writers at AUB. Please
walk in or make an appointment. West Hall 336. Extension 3157. Monday-Friday 9 am -
3 pm. Write us at writing@aub.edu.lb or visit our website:
http://staff.aub.edu.lb/~webwrite/

Counseling Center, Student Affairs: The center offers counsel and help to students with
a range of academic and non-academic problems. If anything happening in your life is
causing you distress and influencing your academic performance, and you feel you could
benefit from professional help, contact Dr. Antoine Khabbaz. Ext. 3178.
ak28@aub.edu.lb or Dr. Nay Khatcherian. Ext. 3158. nk63@aub.edu.lb. West Hall 210.


COMMUNICATION SKILLS PROGRAM POLICIES

___ Participation Policy

The Communication Skills program defines participation in the writing process as:
completing all assignments; completing all free-writing assignments; participating
in writing workshops; participating in peer review sessions; participating in
student-teacher conferences; and showing evidence of progress.

___ Attendance Policy

Attendance is required in all Communication Skills courses

The table below illustrates the maximum number of permitted absences:

Classes Before Week 10 Total
M/W/F 6 9
T/R 4 6

Automatic Withdrawals and Failures Due to Absences

If a student is enrolled in more than 12 credit hours for the semester and misses
more than the allowed number of absences by Week 10, the instructor will
automatically request that the student be withdrawn from the course. If a student
is only enrolled for 12 credit hours but has missed more than the allowed number
of absences by Week 10, he/she will automatically earn a failing grade of 40 for
the course. If a student misses more than the total number of allowed absences in
a given semester, he/she will automatically earn a failing grade of 40 for the
course.

Excused Absences

If you must miss class due to an illness and wish to be excused, you must provide
your instructor with a medical report and/or professional opinion issued by a
qualified AUB employee, AUBMC doctor, or University Health Services. Students
who seek excused absences for university-sanctioned events must provide an
official letter from the sponsoring organization notifying your instructor of the
absence at least one week before the event. Students are expected to complete
assignments on time, actively participate in other class sessions, and to make up
work missed as agreed with the faculty member.

Schedule Conflicts

Note that no common exams or labs are to be scheduled that conflict with
students enrolled in this class. You are responsible for communicating with all
parties involved prior to the date of the conflict. Please note that any student who
misses this class to take an exam or attend a lab is not excused from this class and
is responsible for arranging for makeup work, should the instructor allow it.
Late Papers

Late papers handed in to me after my permission to do so will be returned at a
later time than the rest of the students who met the deadline. Be prepared to
continue in your writing process with lesser feedback than your peers


Students are allowed to register for a Communication Skills course a maximum of three times,
the third requiring permission of the students advisor and the Department of English. Students
withdrawn will be counted as having registered for the course one time.

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy

Although you may add to the policy as you see fit, you must also include (and
uphold) the following:

In all writing, ideas and words taken from any source should be documented.
Failure to credit ideas or material taken from sources constitutes plagiarism, a
violation of the Universitys academic regulations, and is subject to disciplinary
action.

All writing you do for this course must be your own and must be exclusively for this course,
unless the instructor stipulates differently. Please pay special attention to the quotes,
paraphrases, and documentation practices you use in your papers (note: if you are referring to
work previously submitted for this course, then you must cite yourself).

Academic Honesty means applying the following standards to all submitted work

Documenting all proprietary information that is received from sources, including
books, articles, websites, lectures, interviews, television, radio, and etc.
Putting quotation marks around the words that were originally written or spoken by
someone other than oneself.
Clearly indicating ideas by other authors, even if they are paraphrased (written in
your own words) or summarized.

Plagiarism: Engaging in any of the following activities constitutes plagiarism:

Submitting a paper written by another student
Requesting or paying someone to complete an assignment for you
Taking material from secondary sources without proper documentation
Copying, word for word, someone elses writing without putting that passage in
quotation marks and identifying the source
Taking someone elses writing, changing some of the words, and not identifying the
source
Taking someone elses ideas or organization of ideas, putting them into his/her words,
and not identifying the source
Having someone else change your writing a tutor, friend, or relative, for instance
and creating the impression that this writing is your own work.
Purchasing or downloading papers or passages from the Web.
Using facts, data, graphs, charts, photographs, or other information without
acknowledging the source with a footnote or reference. Borrowed facts or information
obtained in ones research or reading must be acknowledged unless they are
common knowledge. Students should check with their teachers regarding what can
be viewed as common knowledge within a specific field or assignment, but often the
student will have to make the final judgment. When in doubt, footnotes or references
should be used.

Disciplinary Action

When confronting plagiarism, all instructors in the Communication Skills Program
abide by the guidelines stipulated in AUBs Student Code of Conduct, which states:

It is the responsibility of the faculty to uphold university policies. Thus, the
immediate responsibility for dealing with instances of cheating, plagiarism, and
other academic violations rests with the faculty member. If a faculty member has
good reason to believe that a student has violated academic standards, it is his or
her responsibility to discipline the student expeditiously. A faculty member who
has good reason to believe that a student has violated academic standards must
give a grade of zero on the exam or assignment where the violation occurred.
When the instructor has taken the initial disciplinary action, he or she should send
a letter to the office of the Dean of the Faculty or School, in which the incident
occurred, informing him/her of the incident and the initial action he/she has
taken. A copy of the letter will be placed in the student's file, and another copy
forwarded to the student's advisor for follow-up. (10)
___ Turnitin
Turnitin is an online plagiarism-detection tool accessible via Moodle that many
faculty at AUB use. Once your work is uploaded, it will be compared with an
extensive database of student and publicly accessible writing. Your instructor may
require you to upload your assignments to Turnitin. If uploading is required, you
must comply or risk losing credit for the assignment. If you have questions about
how the software works or how the Turnitin report has been used, please ask your
instructor or set up an appointment with the Director of Communication Skills, Dr.
Lisa Arnold (x3107, la66@aub.edu.lb).
___ Grievance Procedure: If at any time during the semester you have concerns about the
course, an assignment, or assessment, please set up a meeting to talk with your instructor
about it. If need be, you may request a meeting with the Director of Communication Skills,
Dr. Lisa Arnold (x3107, la66@aub.edu.lb). The goal of any meeting with the Director will
be to improve communication between the student and course instructor, and to resolve
the issue in such a way that course learning outcomes are achieved. Please note that the
instructor for the course is the final decision-maker for any issues that arise.
RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS

___ Writing Center: The Writing Center offers free, one-hour consultations for AUB writers at
Ada Dodge Hall, 2nd floor balcony; West Hall 336; or Jafet Library, second floor reading
room. Check the Writing Center webpage on the AUB website. Make an appointment by
walking in or by logging on to http://www.rich75.com/aub

___ Library Information Services: Reference librarians and information specialists in the AUB
libraries can support you individually with finding academic sources for your research.
Jafet information librarians can be contacted in person in their office in the Jafet Library
lobby, by email at libinfo@aub.edu.lb, or by phone, extension 2629.

___ Counseling Center, Student Affairs: The center offers counsel and help to students with a
range of academic and non-academic problems. If anything happening in your life is
causing you distress and influencing your academic performance, and you feel you could
benefit from professional help, contact Dr. Antoine Khabbaz. Ext. 3178. ak28@aub.edu.lb
or Ms Nay Khatcherian. Ext. 3152. nk63@aub.edu.lb. West Hall 210. Ms Ola Ataya. 3158.
oa03@aub.edu.lb .

- Civic Engagement Center: The CCECS is located in West Hall at AUB, ground floor. It
serves as a center for extra-curricular social and cultural work that students can get
involved in such as service with NGOs, job-fairs, and off campus community awareness
such as working with disabled school students and so on. As well, the center is filled
with information placed in databases or otherwise ready for your perusal in case you'd
like to learn more about the nature of the CCECS as a socially-based educational spot

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

By the end of the semester, each student should have produced/composed 25-30 pages of
polished writing. These are usually in the form of a research paper, a research proposal, a
critique, an analysis, a synthesis, an argument, and peer reviews.

Each student should produce 15-20 pages of informal and in-process writing such as first drafts
of the writing tasks mentioned above, outlines, and reflections.

Expect the courses work to culminate in your producing evidence of writing essays that show
synthesis, critique and argument/analysis (as dictated by learning outcome 4 produce oral and
written accounts of research a. construct significant arguments). This is partly based on
published sources (a minimum of 3-5 academic, scholarly sources and a few popular sources,
depending on the requirements of the research topic) and partly based on some form of field
research (interviews [such as informational interviews i.e. interviews with experts]. This paper
should be argumentative
For the research assignment, emphasis will be placed on the process, including the following:
formulating a research question
choosing an appropriate and relevant topic and focusing it properly
outlining
note-taking (including summary, paraphrase, and quotation), avoiding all forms of
plagiarism
writing argumentative thesis statements (a claim)
using various methods of development and evidence to support a claim
retrieving information in all formats (using the librarys LIBCAT, electronic databases,
and other resources as well as the Internet)
evaluating sources (assessing the value of information and its appropriateness for the
research required)
using sources critically, incorporating selected information
documenting sources (within and at the end of the text)




Guidelines for research work: For the research assignment, you will be required to submit the
following, all of which will contribute to the evaluation of the work:
a research proposal
a preliminary outline (including a working thesis statement)
a rough draft of the paper to be evaluated by the instructor and possibly also by
classmates during writing workshops
*Instructors may also require annotated or summarized copies of sources and other items.

ADDITIONAL SYLLABUS MATERIAL: HOW TO SUCCEED

1. If you have any learning disabilities, let your teacher know in the first week of the
semester or immediately after being diagnosed. Do not wait until the end of the
semester.
2. Expect the university writing courses to be significantly more complex and demanding
than writing in high school.
3. Come to class and take active part in class activities remember that your teachers are
interested in hearing you speak.
4. Always try to do your homework plan for its completion to take longer than expected.
5. Expect to draft and redraft your writing: last-minute writing will rarely earn you a
satisfactory grade.
6. Carefully read all instructions well ahead assignments are due if in doubt, consult your
teacher.
7. Visit your teacher during office hours let him or her know what you are currently
working on. Treat your teacher as someone who can help.
8. On your own, try to make sense of all activities and see their possible application in
other courses.
9. Assume full responsibility for your own success: always find out what happened in class
while you were absent.
10. Read the Syllabus and other pertinent university documents remember the old rule:
Ignorantia iuris nocet. / Ignorantia iuris non excusat.
ADDITIONAL SYLLABUS MATERIAL: CLASSROOM PROCEDURES

Throughout the semester students will be invited, encouraged, and expected to fully engage in
the following types of activities:
1. discussions and written reflections on self-development as a student and young
researcher, as well as on the process of research itself,
2. home assignments, consisting in locating and careful study of sources,
3. fieldwork and library visits,
4. process writing and progressive completion of multiple drafts of high-stakes written
assignments,
5. oral presentations of research findings,
6. peer evaluation of fellow students work
7. tests or pop quizzes
8. timed writing sessions




Tentative/Suggested Weekly Course Guide for CBL designed course

Notes

- Please Purchase the Wadsworth Handbook by Friday to use on Monday
- Log on to Moodle by the first week of school to receive notifications from me
- Watch out for a Wiki to be set up on your moodle where you can do collaborative work with
classmates
Important Holiday Dates

- Fall Semester ends December 21
st
Spring Semester Begins January 27
th

- Christmas and New Year Vacation: Sunday, December 22, 2013 - Wednesday, January 01, 2014
- Eid Al Adha: Tuesday, October 15, 2013 - Thursday, October 17, 2013
- Hijra New year: Monday, November 04, 2013
- Ashoura: Wednesday, November 13, 2013
- Independence day: Friday, November 22, 2013
- Armenian Christmas: Monday, January 06, 2014
- Prophet's Birthday: Monday, January 13, 2014
University Calendar at:

http://www.aub.edu.lb/registrar/Documents/pdfdoc/calendar13-14.pdf





Week 1:
Topic: Team-Brainstorming

Course orientation
What is Art? Discuss List in Syllabus
In-Class groups of four, brainstorm What is Art?
Re-group based on common visions, create four teams: 1, 2,3,4
Each group conducts "one-question" interview in the AUB community
Each team shares findings next class


Week 2:

Topic: Finding Sources (Wadsworth)

Note: Monday September 9
th
no class at noon to attend inauguration ceremony

Left over work from week one
Find two scholarly articles from your favorite literature Library database
Free-write about What is Art
Handout titled "Finding and Evaluating Sources"
Videos on Gathering information


Week 3

Sign up for Presentations. Print file titled "Presentation sheet 204"
What is research? (Video on research) Collect multimedia information on your thoughts of What
is Art documentaries, videos, photos, photos, blogs, tweets
Reflective writing (check point for doing it)


Week 4

Topic: Library
Library session One (Wednesday September 25
th
)
Find articles and bring to class
Continue thinking about what is art to you
What is Research Synthesis? Provide handout "Synthesis" + Wadsworth

Week 5
Topic:
Continue on Research Synth -
Where are we at? Students write a reflection on how the rhetorical tools they've used so far are
helping and what needs work
Possible GUEST SPEAKER
Work on Documentation in class


STUDENTS THINK OF INTERVIEW SOURCES FOR THEIR RESEARCH

Week 6

Handout titled "Proposal sample" and discuss
Work on Proposals in class this is a graded in-class assignment
Students write in-class proposal and hand in 10%
Week 7

Provide handout titled "Outlines"
Wadsworth on outlines
Read a sample article in class
Outline it together in class as groups 10%
Open One Office Hour for work-in-progress discussion HAVE YOU FOUND AN INTERVIEW
SOURCE?




Week 8: Interviews

How to Conduct Interviews detailed Video


Week 9
STUDENTS BEGIN CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS


Practice CA in class to two of your articles OR another sample
Hand in Research Synthesis 15%




Week 10

Continue interview practice
Introduce Narrative assignment (10%): Tell a story about What is Art (see samples from last
term)
Presentations begin (direct online Feedback on Forum by teacher)


Week 11

Presentations present critique-Analysis as form of showcasing work in progress


Week 12

Presentations (In process)


Week 13

Individual writing conferences- in instructors office

Week 14

Wrap up with the Research Paper, work on structure 30%
Powerpoint on formulating an argument extend your proposal thesis
Powerpoint on Introductions extend your outlines


Week 15 and 16

- continue with research paper work