Department of Interpretation

COURSE SYLLABUS
Course number:
Course title:
Credit hours:
Semester:
Class day and time:
Classroom:
Class duration:
Last withdrawal date:

INT492
Senior Seminar Project and Portfolio
3
Spring 2014
Tuesdays, 2:00 pm to 4:50 pm
HMB 1002
January 21, 2014 to May 6, 2014
March 25, 2014 - Last day to withdraw with WD grades (forms
must be signed and returned to the Registrars office by 4:30 p.m.)

Instructor:
Virtual hours:
GU email address:
Videophone/phone:
Office location:
Preferred contact method:

Keith M. Cagle, Ph.D.

Thursdays, 1-3 pm
keith.cagle@gallaudet.edu
202-250-2911 (VP)
HMB 1413
Email

I.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

In this course, students will integrate interpretation theory with practice. Students will complete a
substantial Senior Seminar Project in which they will investigate an interpretation topic of their
choosing and will present their findings in an ASL presentation and written paper. They will also
create their professional interpreter portfolios. Prerequisites: INT 443, 453, 455

II.

OUTCOMES

a. Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Course SLOs
Demonstrate
increasing mastery
of knowledge and
interpreting theory.

Program
SLOs
(see below)
1-5

GU SLOs
(see below)
1, 2, 4 & 5

Assessment
Project
Class discussions,
ASL poster
presentation and
paper on a senior
seminar project,
Professional
Interpreter
Portfolio

Assessment Tool
At least B in INT 492
Class Participation
rubric, Reading
Discussion rubric,
Portfolio rubric,
Research paper rubric,
Research poster
presentation rubric

b.

Prepare a
professional
interpreter portfolio
that includes
records and
documents needed
for employment.

1-5

Investigate an
interpretation topic,
issue or problem
and describe
findings in a
professional
seminar paper and
in a professional
seminar
presentation.

1-5

1, 2 & 4

1, 2, 4 & 5

Professional
Interpreter
Portfolio

At least B in INT 492

ASL poster
presentation and
paper on a senior
seminar project

At least B in INT 492

Portfolio rubric

Research paper rubric,

Research poster
presentation rubric

BAI Program Student Learning Outcomes

1. Graduates of the Interpretation Program apply academic, professional, and world
knowledge to the choices and decisions they make while interpreting.
2. Graduates of the Interpretation Program demonstrate an understanding of multi-cultural
approaches to the work of interpretation and are able to demonstrate effective bi-lingual and bicultural practice within their work.
3. Graduates of the Interpretation Program assess and analyze their own competencies for
interpreting in relation to a variety of interpreting settings and in relation to a variety of
participants in interpreted interactions.
4. Graduates of the Interpretation Program effectively interpret face-to-face encounters in
dialogic/one-on-one and small group settings with a variety of participants.
5. Graduates of the Interpretation Program apply professional standards, practices, and
ethics, not limited to the tenets of the Code of Professional Conduct, to their work.
Link to the above BAI program outcomes:
http://www.gallaudet.edu/interpretation/ba_program/student_learning_outcomes.html

c.

University Student Learning Outcomes

1. Language & Communication: Students will use American Sign Language and written
English to communicate effectively with diverse audiences, for a variety of purposes, and in a
variety of settings.
2. Critical Thinking: Students will summarize, synthesize, and critically analyze ideas
from multiple sources in order to draw well-supported conclusions and solve problems.
3. Identity & Culture: Students will understand themselves, complex social identities,
including deaf identities, and the interrelations within and among diverse cultures and groups.
4. Knowledge & Inquiry: Students will apply knowledge, modes of inquiry, and
technological competence from a variety of disciplines in order to understand human experience
and the natural world.

5. Ethics & Social Responsibility: Students will make well-reasoned ethical judgments,
showing awareness of multiple value systems and taking responsibility for the consequences of
their actions. They will apply these judgments, using collaboration and leadership skills, to
promote social justice in their local, national, and global communities.
For more information about the university outcomes, visit the following website:
http://admissions.gallaudet.edu/generalstudies/kittyi/index.html

III.

COURSE MATERIALS

Readings may be added or modified during the semester. The instructor will attach additional readings
when appropriate on the Blackboard during the semester.
Humphreys, Linda. (2007-3rd edition). The Professional Sign Language
Interpreters Handbook. Van Nuys CA: Sign Language Interpreting Media. ISBN:
9780972416122
Hoza, Jack. (2003). The Interpreters Guide to Life: 365 TIPS for interpreters.
Sign Media, Inc. ISBN: 9781881133193

IV.

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

A. Participation in Discussions
It is important that you come to class prepared to participate. Participants are expected to
complete assigned readings and homework, and be ready to participate in discussions and
activities based on these assignments. Participation includes active listening, leading and
contributing to discussions, and encouraging and supporting the contributions of others. Group
activities are an important part of this class; you are expected to actively participate in
discussions, activities, and assignments.
Students are expected to participate in the class discussions led by other students and the
instructor on the readings from the Humphreys book. In addition, there will be weekly whole
class discussions on assigned sections of the Hoza book. All students are expected to contribute
to the discussions led by guest speakers and others.
Points for participation:
3 = Always
2 = Occasionally
1 = Rarely
0 = No participation
B. Reading discussion leads
Students will lead class discussions on the assigned Humphreys reading each week. Discussion
leaders should prepare a short PowerPoint presentation to summarize the reading as well as
thought questions to stimulate class discussion.

C. Professional Portfolio
You will develop a professional website portfolio. The audience for your portfolio is future
employers. The portfolio must include the following:

Introductions in ASL (YouTube link) and English

Professional mission statement in ASL (YouTube link) and English
Forms necessary for professional work such as:
o Assignment intake form
o Assignment scheduling form
o Cancellation policy
o No-show policy
o Rates
o Contract (draft)
o Mileage/travel record
o Invoice
Resume
Business cards
Memberships (pdfs of cards and/or listing)
Business license (if you have one)
Proof of degrees
ASLPI Evaluation results
Any certifications
Awards or honors
CEUs earned
Unrehearsed interpreting samples (ASL to English, English to ASL, Interactive)
Letters of recommendation
List of references
Bibliography of books used in your training program(s) in APA format
Anything else you want to include (photo of yourself, workshops taught, professional
articles written by you or about you, external links, etc.)

D. Senior Seminar Project (Paper and Poster Presentation)

Students will complete an investigation of an interpretation topic of their choosing that integrates
interpretation theory with practice. Students will present their findings in an ASL poster
presentation and written paper.
Paper: The paper should be approximately 7-10 pages in length (double-spaced, 12
point font, standard margins) and thoroughly proofread for errors. The paper should
follow APA style format. The following components should be incorporated into the
paper:

Introduction What is the question you are interested in studying? Why is it

interesting and important?
Literature Review What has been written about this question in the past? How is
your topic of interest similar to or different from prior studies? What has been written
that is relevant to your findings?

Data Collection and Analysis What source texts will you use in your analysis?
How will you do your analysis? What will you analyze?
Findings What did you find out from your analysis? Were the results expected?
What does is the meaning of your findings?
Discussion How did what you find answer your question? Why are your findings
important?
References Following APA style format

Possible Topics (must be approved by instructor):

Compare simultaneous and consecutive interpreting

samples or transliteration and interpretation samples
o Register
o Classifier usage
o Medical
o Legal (such as the Miranda Warning)
o Others, as approved by instructor

Compare an ASL source text to an interpretation of a

parallel English text
Writing style:
All submitted work must follow DOI formatting instructions and style guides (citations
following APA 6). Please see http://goo.gl/rCTyG for a basic introduction to APA 6.
ASL Poster Presentation: Students will share their research papers as a poster
presentation in a public forum. Poster sessions provide a way to discuss your work in an
informal and interactive manner. You will summarize your research for a small group of
others in the class, in 10 to 15 minutes and answer any questions. Posters can be of
varying size, but must be professional, informative and visually appealing. You will need
to plan the design of your poster as well as the ASL presentation of your research
carefully. Visit the following website for information, ideas and support in creating your
poster: http://libweb.lib.buffalo.edu/guide/guide.asp?ID=155

V.

ASSESSMENT SUMMARY

a.

Grading for Assignments

Although some adjustments in percentages may be necessary, the following should give you a fair
picture of how your work is weighted to determine your final grade:
Activity

Points

Reading discussion leads

50

10.5%

Participation in class discussions

50

10.5%

Progress deadlines (portfolio components, paper benchmarks)

30

6%

Professional portfolio

150

31%

ASL presentation on a senior seminar paper

100

21%

Paper on a senior seminar paper

Total
b.

100

21%

480

100%

Grading Scale and GPA Value

Grade GPA Value

Scores

Definition

4.0

93-100

Outstanding

A-

3.7

90-93

Very good

B+

3.3

87-89

Good

3.0

83-86

Passed

B-

2.7

80-82

Unsatisfactory

C+

2.3

77-79

2.0

73-76

C-

1.7

70-72

D+

1.3

67-69

1.0

60-66

0.0

Below 60

XF

0.0

Academic Integrity Policy Violation,

No Credit

Failing, no
credit

The excerpt above can be found on:

http://www.gallaudet.edu/catalog/registration_and_policies/undergrad_policies/grading_system.html

c.

Rubrics
See the BlackBoard course for:
Class Participation rubric
Reading Discussion rubric
Portfolio rubric
Research paper (English) rubric
Research poster presentation (ASL) rubric

VI.

TIME ALLOCATION FOR COURSE

This course earns 3 credits; therefore, it will meet for at least 37.5 hours of instructional time and
students are expected to spend at least 75 hours on outside-of-class preparation (e.g., readings,
assignments).

VII.

COURSE OUTLINE

There may be some modifications to the following outline. This course outline is to provide you
an overview of what will be covered in the class.
General format of the class is:
a. Reading discussion (Humphreys, 30 mins; Hoza 20 mins)
b. Guest speaker
c. Share and discuss each other's progress with portfolio and research.

TENTATIVE ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE

Week

In Class

Week 1
(Jan. 21)

Assignments Due
(Paper and Portfolio
Benchmarks)

Readings

Class Cancelled Due to Weather

Week 2
(Jan. 28)

Class Introduction
Guest Speaker:
E-Portfolios

Week 3
(Feb. 4)

Guest Speaker(s):
Research
Readings Discussions
Progress Reports

Humphreys, pp. 23-37:

Introduction to the Field
(Part 1)
Hoza: Tips 1-24

Week 4
(Feb. 11)

Guest Speaker: Resumes

Readings Discussions
Progress Reports

Humphreys, pp. 41-55:

Getting Started as a
Professional
Hoza: Tips 35-70

Signed Syllabus Agreement

Submit ideas for research paper

Humphreys, pp. 55-72:

Getting Started as a
Professional
Hoza: Tips 71-105

Final topic for paper due

Individual meetings with

instructor outside of
class
Week 5
(Feb. 18)

Guest Speaker
Readings Discussions
Progress Reports

Website established
Rates

Business cards
Website structure created
Mission statements
(all due Feb 7, 11:59pm)

Assignment intake form

Assignment scheduling form
Mutual Cancellation Policy
No-Show Policy
Contract (draft)
Travel/mileage record

Invoice
(all due Feb. 21)

Week 6
(Feb. 25)

Guest Speaker
Readings Discussions
Progress Reports

Humphreys, pp. 73-85:

Getting Started as a
Professional
Hoza: Tips 106-140

Paper outline due

Week 7
(March 4)

Guest Speaker
Readings Discussions
Progress Reports

Humphreys, pp. 89-102:

Interpreting Situations
Hoza: Tips 141-175

Lit. Review and References

draft due

Week 8
(March 11)

Guest Speaker
Readings Discussions
Progress Reports

Humphreys, pp. 103-117:

Interpreting Situations
Hoza: Tips 176-210

Resume

Data Collection and

Analysis draft due

Spring Break (March 17-23): No Class

Week 9
(March 25)
Individual meetings with instructor:
No Class

Proof of degree
CEUs
Certifications
Awards/honors
Presentations
Articles

Week 10
(April 1)

Guest Speaker
Readings Discussions
Progress Reports

Humphreys, pp. 117-128:

Interpreting Situations
Hoza: Tips 211-245

Findings section draft due

Week 11
(April 8)

Guest Speaker
Readings Discussions
Progress Reports

Humphreys, pp. 131-147:

Professional Challenges
(Part V)
Hoza: Tips 246-280

Discussion section draft due

Week 12
(April 15)

Guest Speaker
Readings Discussions
Progress Reports

Humphreys, pp. 151-162:

Working with Others
(Part V)
Hoza: Tips 281-315

Introduction draft due

Week 13
(April 22)

Guest Speaker
Readings Discussions
Share portfolio websites

Week 14
(April 29)

Readings Discussions
Poster Presentation
Rehearsal

Hoza: Tips 316-350

Letters of recommendation
Reference contacts

Memberships/cards

Work samples
ASLPI results
Final paper due

Hoza: Tips 351-165

Bibliography

Week 15
(May 6)

VIII.

Poster Presentations

POLICIES

A.

University Policies:

1.

Academic Integrity
It is the students responsibility to familiarize themselves and comply with the Gallaudet
University Undergraduate Academic Integrity Policy, which can be found in the
Gallaudet University Undergraduate Catalog or on the Gallaudet University website at
www.gallaudet.edu/catalog/registration_and_policies/undergrad_policies/academic_integrity.html

2.

Students with Special Needs

Office for Students with Disabilities (OSWD) Accommodation policy
Students have the responsibility of formally requesting accommodation through the
Office for Students With Disabilities (OSWD) at the beginning of the semester:
http://www.gallaudet.edu/office_for_students_with_disabilities.html
For information on your rights under the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
please see: http://www.gallaudet.edu/EOP/Reasonable_Accommodations.html

3.

Online Courses
By registering for a Web-based course, you have made a commitment to participate in
your online class discussions and other activities as assigned. Please plan to participate
regularly (e.g. daily or weekly basis). You will note in the grading scale that your online
participation counts towards your final grade Insert the following link on netiquette:
http://www.studygs.net/netiquette.htm

4.

Diversity
We believe that every person should be treated with civility and that our community is
strengthened by the broad diversity of its members. Therefore, we will promote and
applaud behaviors that support the dignity of individuals and groups and are respectful of
others' opinions. We will especially discourage behaviors and attitudes that
disrespect the diversity of individuals and groups for any reason including religion, race,
ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, hearing status, or language and
communication preference.
Source: Gallaudet Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs 2012-2013, p 6.

B.

Department Policies:

For more information about academic integrity, electronic devices, language use and antioppression framework, please see:
http://www.gallaudet.edu/Interpretation/Beyond_the_Classroom.html
C.

Program Policies:

The DOI has established a strict attendance policy for all classes. On time and regular attendance
is a requirement in the workplace and developing appropriate attendance behaviors is part of the
expectations of your education here at Gallaudet. Good attendance habits also demonstrate
respect for the classroom environment, your instructors, and your peers. Poor attendance habits
are disruptive to everyones learning experience.
Many of our classes are experiential with much of the learning occurring through discussion and
interaction; therefore attendance is a top priority as it will not be possible to reconstruct the
experiential aspect of the classes. It will be important to work closely with your instructor and/or
Program Chair to address problems in this area.
BA in Interpreting Program (BAI):
Attendance is mandatory. It is important that you come to class prepared to participate. You are
expected to arrive early and ready to begin on time. You are expected to complete assigned
readings and homework and be ready to participate in discussions and activities based on these
assignments.
For online course, the students must start the course on the first day through participation;
otherwise they will be dropped from the online course.
Classes that meet for 75 minutes: Students with 7 absences will fail the course, regardless of the
number of assignments completed and level of participation in other areas. Starting with the third
absence, 2.5 percentage points per absence will be deducted from the final grade percentage.
Students are responsible for all material and/or information covered or assigned in class during
any absence.
Classes that meet for 150 minutes: Students with 4 absences will fail the course, regardless of the
number of assignments completed and level of participation in other areas. Starting with the
second absence, 5 percentage points per absence will be deducted from the final grade
percentage. Students are responsible for all material and/or information covered or assigned in
class during any absence.
If the student is one minute late, it is counted as a tardy. He/she is responsible for informing the
instructor at the end of class in order that his/her attendance can be recorded. For each tardy, 1
percentage point will be deducted from the final grade percentage.

SYLLABUS READING

Please read, sign, and date this page, tear it from your syllabus and give to your
instructor.

Semester/Year:

__________

Course Number Section:

__________

Course Name:

________________________________

Instructor Name:

________________________________

I have read the syllabus for the above class. I understand that I am accountable for all the
information contained in this syllabus. I have been given the opportunity to clarify any
questions that I have. I understand that the course schedule and assignment due dates
initially set forth are subject to reasonable change by the instructor at any time. These
changes may be announced during class session or by any method agreed upon with the
class. It is my responsibility to be aware of any such information that may be announced.

Students Name (Please Print) _____________________________________

Students Signature _____________________________________________
Date ________________________________________

File: January 13, 2014