Course Form (revised 5/1/12)
(Instructions: http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/documents/forms/courseform_instructionsX.aspx)
I. Summary of Proposed Changes
Dept / Program
College of Forestry and Conservation
Course Title
Please check one or more of the
following:
Prefix and Course
#
NRSM 200
Natural Resources Professional Writing
 New course  Delete course
Course Changes
 Course Title  Description 
Learning Outcomes
 Prerequisites  Cross-listing  Other
 Credits
from _________
to________
 Number / Level from _________
to________
 Repeatability
from _________
to________
Justification / explanation (required for ALL proposals) For new courses please provide rationale for why the course is needed,
how it fits with exiting curriculum and whether there are curricular adjustments.
This new 200-level course will fulfill lower-division writing requirements, building an essential bridge between WRIT
101 basics and upper-division writing-course rigors. The course also will respond to employers’ requests for improved
writing skills among College of Forestry and Conservation graduates. Having taken this course, graduates will have a
solid foundation in evaluating scientific literature and communicating about natural resources while using the tone,
evidence, and citation style appropriate for professional writing in this field.
Has the Department gone through common course Review?
 Yes  No  In process
II. Syllabus/Assessment Information Required for new courses, learning outcome changes and course change from U to
UG.
Important: please spell out learning goals and learning outcomes clearly in the syllabus. Learning Goals are a
list of what students should know, understand, or be able to do at the end of the course, including essential information
and knowledge or skills relevant to the subject area. Learning Outcomes are measures of performance or behavior
that indicate, to the teacher and the students, that students understand the material, and what criteria differentiates
among different levels of understanding. Attach syllabus at the end of the document.
III. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature Date
Approve
Requestor:
Carol Woodruff
9/12/12
Phone/ email :
243-4439; carol.woodruff@umontana.edu
 Yes  No
Program Chair(s)/Director:
Laurie Yung
Dean(s):
Mike Patterson
All other affected programs:
None
 Yes  No
 Yes  No
 Yes  No
 Yes  No
 Yes  No
Are other departments/programs affected by this modification because of
(a) required courses incl. prerequisites or corequisites,
(b) perceived overlap in content areas
(c) cross-listing of coursework
Signatory Comments (required for disapproval):
Please obtain signature(s) from the
Chair/Director of any such department/
program (above) before submission
IV: To Add a New Course Syllabus and assessment information is required (paste syllabus into section V or attach).
Course should have internal coherence and clear focus.
Common Course Numbering Review (Department Chair Must Initial):
YES NO
Does an equivalent course exist elsewhere in the MUS? Check all relevant disciplines if course is
XX
interdisciplinary. (http://www.mus.edu/Qtools/CCN/ccn_default.asp)
If YES: Do the proposed abbreviation, number, title and credits align with existing course(s)? Please indicate equivalent
course/campus. 
If NO: Course may be unique, but is subject to common course review. The course number may be changed at the system level.
Short Title (max. 26 characters incl. spaces)
NR Professional Writing
Exact entry to appear in the next catalog (Specify course abbreviation, level, number, title, credits, repeatability (if applicable),
frequency of offering, prerequisites, and a brief description.) 
U 200 (NRSM 200) Natural Resources Professional Writing. 3 cr. Offered fall and spring to College of Forestry and
Conservation majors. Prerequ: WRIT 101 (ENEX 101): College Writing I. Students synthesize scientific literature
and, using appropriate evidence and APA style, write natural-resources-based documents appropriate for distribution
to scientists, managers, and the public.
Complete for UG courses (UG courses should be assigned a 400 number).
Describe graduate increment - see procedure 301.30 http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/procedures/default.aspx
Complete for Co-convened courses
Companion course number, title, and description (include syllabus of companion course in section V)
See procedure 301.20 http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/procedures/default.aspx
New fees and changes to existing fees are only approved once each biennium by the Board of
YES
Regents. The coordination of fee submission is administered by Administration and Finance. Fees may
be requested only for courses meeting specific conditions according to Policy 940.12.1
http://mus.edu/borpol/bor900/940-12-1.pdf . Please indicate whether this course will be considered for
a fee.
If YES, what is the proposed amount of the fee?
Justification:
X NO
V. Change an Existing Course
1. Current course information at it appears in catalog (http://www.umt.edu/catalog) 2. Full and exact entry (as proposed) 

3. If cross-listed course: secondary program & course number
4. Is this a course with MUS Common Course Numbering?
YES NO
http://www.mus.edu/Qtools/CCN/ccn_default.asp
If yes, please explain below whether the change will eliminate the common course status.
5. If co-convened course: companion course number, title, and description
(include syllabus of companion course in section V) See procedure 301.20
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/procedures/default.aspx
6. Graduate increment if level of course is changed to UG. Reference procedure
301.30:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/procedures/default.aspx
(syllabus must be attached)
7. Other programs affected by the change
8. Is there a fee associated with the course?
Have you reviewed the
graduate increment
guidelines? Please check
(X) space provided.
VI Department Summary (Required if several forms are submitted) In a separate document list course number, title, and
proposed change for all proposals.
VII Copies and Electronic Submission. After approval, submit original, one copy, summary of proposals and electronic
file to the Faculty Senate Office, UH 221, camie.foos@mso.umt.edu.
Natural Resources Professional Writing (NRSM 200)
DRAFT SYLLABUS: FALL SEMESTER 2013
Adjunct Assistant Professor Carol Woodruff
449 Charles H. Clapp Building
243-4439
carol.woodruff@umontana.edu
1) Required materials
The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2011
Writing Resources: Fall 2013 fac pac for NRSM 200, available at UC Bookstore
Other readings TBA
Stapler
2) Course description
Students synthesize scientific literature and, using appropriate evidence and APA
style, write natural-resources-based documents appropriate for distribution to
scientists, managers, and the public. Assignments include an article analysis, a
research paper, a briefing memo, and a news release.
3) Learning goals
 critically evaluating scientific literature and synthesizing information from it into
documents appropriate for distribution to scientists, managers, and the public
 using solid evidence and APA citation style
 demonstrating information literacy: recognizing what information is necessary;
gathering it efficiently; evaluating it, such as for relevance, timeliness, and validity;
using this information effectively for a specific purpose; understanding the
economic, legal, and social issues involved in using the information; and using it
legally and ethically
 conveying a message simply, clearly, concisely, and with good diction and
mechanics
 using an appropriate tone, good organization, and flow
4) Learning outcomes
Successful students will have
 honed their skills in evaluating scientific literature by writing an analysis of
two articles.
 become adept at synthesizing information from scientific literature, as they
did in writing a research paper based on five articles.
 learned to use APA style, as they did in the article analysis and research paper.
 furthered their ability to write for different audiences, from scientists to the
general public, by drafting a briefing memo and a news release.
 demonstrated information literacy in all papers by using appropriate
information from reliable sources and citing it correctly, ethically, and legally.
 improved their writing overall, aided by discussions, practice sessions,
extensive editing, and workshops on all drafts of papers.
5) Requirements
a) Readings: You must read materials before the class for which they’re assigned
and be ready to discuss them. I’ll call on you regularly. Class participation,
including familiarity with readings, will affect your grade.
b) Bring the fac pac and syllabus to every class. You will need the fac pac for many
in-class practice sessions and may need to update the syllabus.
c) Strict deadlines for writing assignments: You must finish writing assignments by
the beginning of class on the due date. I won’t accept papers afterward unless you
had a legitimate emergency and told me about it before the start of class on the
due date.
d) Document preparation
 Type all papers; carefully follow content and length requirements.
 For every paper*, follow the manuscript format on fac pac, p.___. As it shows:
 Double-space.
 Indent each paragraph.
 Use one-inch margins.
 Use an easy-to-read roman, not italic, 12-point font.
 On the first page, type your name in the upper right-hand corner.
 One line down from your name, type your section number.
 Beneath your section number, triple-space down to your title.
 Center a suitable, maybe even creative, title covering your whole paper.
 Double-space down to your first paragraph.
 Number all pages; bottom center looks best.
*
Follow special manuscript instructions for the briefing memo and
news release.
 Always save your papers on computer.
 Spell-check and proofread your papers.
 Staple pages – no corner folds.
 Turn in two copies of every draft of a paper. My having a set of your papers
provides a back-up in case you lose your copies and helps me track your
progress.
e) Drafts
 You must revise your critiqued draft, incorporating suggestions and
corrections, before turning in the final one. Not doing so will cost you one
grade on your paper.
 Staple your critiqued draft to one copy of your final version.
 Some errors will cost you points even on drafts. Examples: plagiarism,
sentence fragment or run-on, no title, wrong viewpoint, paper too short or
long, wrong citation style, not turning in two copies of a draft, not turning in
critiqued draft with final one. The reason is simple: You must follow
instructions and give each draft your best shot, not save your best effort for
your final draft.
f) Automatic deductions applied to assignments
a) See the three bulleted items in the “Drafts” section.
b)
You’ll lose two letters grades on a paper if you complete – on time – only
one of the two required drafts.
c)
Any final draft of a paper including a sentence fragment or run-on will
receive a score no higher than 80 percent.
d)
Any form of cheating will have severe consequences. See items b and c
below.
6) Conduct
a) Please don’t disrupt class with private conversations or other distracting behavior.
Be sure to turn off your cell phone before class.
b) From the vice president for student affairs: “All students must practice
academic honesty. Academic misconduct is subject to an academic penalty by the
course instructor and/or disciplinary sanction by the University. All students need
to be familiar with the Student Conduct Code. The Code is available for review
online at http://www.umt.edu/SA/VPSA/Index.cfm?page?1321.”
c) All work you turn in must be your own. UM’s Student Conduct Code forbids
 “representing someone else’s words, ideas, data, or materials as your own
(plagiarism)”;
 “copying from another student’s paper or, without authorization, giving
information to another student or collaborating with one or more students on
assignments”; ( I’ll be happy to help you. Be sure to work only with me or
a Writing Center tutor.)
 “knowingly submitting false, altered, or invented information, data,
quotations, citations, or documentation”;
 “knowingly helping or trying to help another student commit academic
dishonesty”;
 submitting work you or another student turned in for another class.
7) Tutoring: www.umt.edu/writingcenter
8) Grading: I’ll base your semester grade largely on this point system:
Article analysis
Research paper
Briefing memo
News release
Total
250
400
185
165
1,000
Preliminary Class Schedule
Overview of course
Discuss what makes for good natural-resources writing, using strong and weak examples.
Punctuation/capitalization/grammar boot camp I and II
 Students learn that correct mechanics are essential to both clarity and credibility.
 In-class practice with fragments, run-ons, commas, capitalization, parallel
structure, agreement, dangling and misplaced modifiers, “lie” vs. “lay”
Clear writing I and II
 Discuss readings.
 In-class practice with avoiding slang, clichés, euphemisms, vague words, foreign
words, non-words, overly complicated words, jargon, buzzwords, gobbledygook,
and alphabet soup
Structure and flow
 Discuss readings, focusing on the components of an article (introduction,
supporting body paragraphs, conclusion); organization; and transitional devices.
 In-class transitions practice
Quoting and paraphrasing
 Discuss readings.
 In-class practice
Plagiarism I and II
 Students fill out, then discuss a questionnaire assessing their knowledge of
plagiarism.
 Discuss the many forms plagiarism takes, along with examples.
 Discuss ways to avoid plagiarism.
 Students complete, then discuss an antiplagiarism worksheet.
Article Analysis (3-4 pages x 2 drafts = 6-8 pages)
 Discuss the two articles students will evaluate.
 Discuss the requirements for the assignment, including structure, content, and
audience.
 Discuss and practice using APA style.
 Draft I  Workshop and revision
 Draft II: Final
Mining for gold: Seeking valid, timely, relevant, powerful evidence
 Discuss readings.
 In-class practice
Guest speaker(s) from the Mansfield Library I and II
 Information literacy
 Available research resources, including sophisticated citation software
Audience and tone
 Discuss readings.
 In-class practice
Cutting deadwood
 Discuss readings.
 In-class practice
Research paper (7-8 pages x 2 drafts = 14-16 pages)
 Discuss requirements for the assignment, including finding five strong sources,
organizing the paper, using solid evidence, using the correct citation style, and
reaching the intended audience.
 Discuss examples.
 Draft I  Workshop and revision
 Draft II: Final
Active vs. passive voice
 Discuss readings.
 In-class practice
Briefing memo (2 pages x 2 drafts = 4 pages)
 Discuss requirements for the assignment, including structure, content, and
audience.
 Discuss examples.
 Draft I  Workshop and revision
 Draft II: Final
Proofreading
 In-class practice
News release (1½ pages x 2 drafts = 3 pages)
 Discuss requirements for the assignment, including structure, content, and
audience.
 Discuss examples.
 Draft I  Workshop and revision
 Draft II: Final
Using style guides
 Students learn that consistency and correctness are essential, no matter which
style guide an organization follows.
 In-class practice
Course evaluations