RPW 111, Spring 2013

Instructor Katherine Carlman

Day and Time T/TH 2:05-3:20
Location Auerbach 422

**This syllabus is a guide to this class this semester. I reserve the right to make
changes/amendments at any time.**

Required Texts:
1.) Ballenger, Bruce. The Curious Researcher. 6th edition. Longman, 2009
2.) Colombo, Cullen, Lisle. Rereading America. 8th edition. Bedford St. Martins 2007.
3.) Stern, Linda. What Every Student Should Know About Avoiding Plagiarism. New
York: Pearson, 2009
4.) Maimon, Peritz, Yancey. A Writers Resource. 3rd edition. McGraw Hill 2009

Class Description: This course is designed to increase your skill as a writer of research
papers. To achieve this goal, you will be working on creating crisp, detailed papers. This
semester, we will be focusing on responding to texts. How do writers engage us? Are
they calling us into conversation? The main goal of this class is the completion of a
research paper that will be due near the end of the semester. To prepare and practice
writing the research paper, smaller papers will be assigned. At the end of the semester,
students will present their papers orally in class. To prepare properly for these goals, all
students must come to class prepared. On writing workshop days, you must bring in a
rough draft of your work. Do not come to class unprepared.

Laptops, cell phones, ipads, etc. are not allowed in class. If you are texting during
class, you will receive a 0 for the day. If you have a bona fide emergency and must
be in contact with family or friends, leave the room and text your message in the
hall. Abuse of this rule will affect your class participation grade.

Class Requirements: Your attendance and participation are integral to this course.
Absences are excused only at my discretion; you must contact me within one hour of
class for your absence to be excused. More than two absences may affect your final
grade.

In addition to writing five short (approx. 2 page) essays, you will be required to write a
research paper (approx. ten pages). The research paper is to be written in MLA format
with supporting quotes from outside sources and a Works Cited page.

All papers are due on the assigned date during class. You must submit a hard copy of
your paper to me during class. The research paper is (absolutely) due in class on the
3rd of May; I will not accept it late.

The printer broke, the dog ate my paper, etc. - Any shorter papers handed in after the
class during which they are due will be considered late. Five points will be deducted from
the papers grade for every class day the paper is late.
Plagiarism in unacceptable.

Grading: Short essays 50%

Research paper 20%
Presentation 15%
Class participation 15%
(incl.quizzes) ____
100%

Assignments:

Week 1 Understanding Research Papers

1/22 Tuesday First day of class; overview of class and review of
syllabus
1/24 Thursday Ballenger pgs. 1-46 ; Allegory of the Cave

Week 2 Selecting a Topic (Independent thought)

1/29 Tuesday The Origin of Plato's Cave by John Henry Wright
1/31 Thursday Ballenger pgs. 52-53 (Purposes for a Research Assignment) and
p.359-366 Understanding Research Assignments; 1st paper
submission

Week 3 Begin Research (Politics)

2/5 Tuesday 1st paper returned Ballenger, p. 48-54 Posing a main research
question and p.65 70 Refining Search terms, p.89-98 Library and
Internet Research The Declaration of Independence
2/7 Thursday 1st paper final submission due We Have No Right to Happiness

Week 4 The Main Question and Tentative Thesis (Social Class)

2/12 Tuesday Ballenger, p.82-83 Thesis and p. 216-218 Thesis ; The
Achievement of Desire
2/14 Thursday Ballenger, p. 70-73 Find Varied Sources, and p. 166-167 Thinking
Outside the Box; From Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of
Work

Week 5 Seeking Diverse Sources (Social Class/ Education)

2/19 Tuesday (WW)Writing Workshop 2nd paper edit ; Class in America
2006
2/21 Thursday Second Paper Due From Report of the Massachusetts Board of
Education, 1848

Week 6 - Reading Sources Actively and Avoiding Plagiarism (Education)

2/26 Tuesday Education on film (in class)
2/28 Thursday Ballenger, p.57-59 Reading Strategies; Against School

Week 7
3/5 Tuesday Conferences
3/7 Thursday Conferences

Week 8 Evaluating Print and Online Sources

3/12 Tuesday Ballenger, p. 207- 215 Sources and Quotations and p. 238- 242
Controlling information; WW 3rd Paper Edit
3/14 Thursday Ballenger, p. 73-81 Quality Sources; p. 356-366 Primary vs.
Secondary Third Paper Due

Week 9 (Race)
3/19 Tuesday From Notes on the State of Virginia (Thomas Jefferson)
3/21 Thursday Ballenger, p. 182 p. 185; p.115-116; p. 121- 131
Plagiarism/paraphrasing, p. 145 147, p. 162 -167 Advanced
Searching Martin Luther King, Jr. I Have a Dream Fourth Paper
first submission;

Week 10
3/26 Tuesday Spring Break NO CLASS
3/28 Thursday Spring Break NO CLASS

Week 11 Conferences (Environmental Considerations)

4/2 Tuesday Fourth Paper returned; Thoreau from Walking
4/4 Thursday Fourth Paper final submission due; Once More to the Lake

Week 12 Considering Reader Needs and Anticipating/Answering Possible Detractors

4/9 Tuesday Ballenger, pgs. 99- 113 Interviews and Surveys; pgs. 189 193
Voice
4/11 Thursday A Man Named Pearl and 5th paper (in class), Ballenger, p. 107
113 Reader Interest; 170-174 When Experts Disagree

Week 13 Revising and Editing

4/16 Tuesday Avoiding Plagiarism;, Ballenger, p. 201- 207 Organizing draft and
delayed thesis structure and Question/Claim structure and Arguing
4/18 Thursday Avoiding Plagiarism (WW) Writing Workshop Rough draft peer
reviews

Week 14 Final Paper and Presentations

4/23 Tuesday Presentation Prep Research Papers Due
4/25 Thursday Presentations

Week 15 - Final Paper and Presentations

4/30 Tuesday Presentations
5/2 Thursday Presentations Final day of class