ENG 201 Syllabus
ENG 201:
M/W/F 10-10:50am
Baldy 125
Fall 2013
Instructor
Office
Email
Office Hours
Mailbox
Office Hrs: M 11-12:30p/ W 11-1p or by appointment
Located outside the English Graduate Office, Clemens 302
Course Description
Second semester of the General Education Writing Skills Requirement. Fulfills the Humanities requirement of General
Education if taken in conjunction with ENG 101. Practice in developing complex interpretations of human experience
and values as represented in various media. Conceptualizing and conducting original research, culminating in a major
research essay using both library and online materials. Twenty-five pages of graded, revised writing, excluding first
drafts, exercises, and quizzes. Students may not receive credit for both ENG 201 and ESL 408. This course is a
controlled enrollment (impacted) course. Students who have previously attempted the course and received a grade other
than W may repeat the course in the summer or only in the fall or spring semester with a petition to the College of Arts
and Sciences Deans' Office.
Course Theme: Fashioning the Body Politic
“Fashion” is often thought of to refer to something material, consumerist, and often female. It is rarely thought of in
intellectual terms. Yet, the idea of presentation, what we put on and what we observe in others is a part of everyone’s
daily experience. This course aims to examine the cultural presentations and assumptions bound up in what we choose
to wear. We will look at visual cues in sports teams, subcultures and ourselves. We will then ask how these acts of
presentation add up to statements on self and in some cases, positions of power. Can we use clothing to make a cultural
statement? As an act of resistance? Or even to shape the way perception is created.
In this particular section, we will be conducting critical examination of American cultural myths and stereotypes through
language. Your paper topics will be born out of readings and discussion surrounding fashion and politics.
Goals
Assessment
In 101, students will
• gain familiarity with learning approaches
formal and informal writing assignments
connected to successful writing
• compose in a variety of academic, professional,
and civic contexts, including digital environments
• undertake a productive writing practice, including
formal writing assignments, including one digital
composition and assignments in more than one genre
formal writing assignments require drafts and revision
revising
• make and support arguments
formal and informal writing assignments
ENG 201 Syllabus
• acquire an introductory understanding of rhetorical
analysis
formal and informal writing assignments
• practice critical and evaluative reading
formal and informal writing assignments
• understand the role of conventions in different
genres.
students write in more than one genre
In 201, in addition, students will
• practice library research methods
a formal, research-based writing assignment
• evaluate primary and secondary sources
a formal, research-based writing assignment
• compose a researched essay
a formal, research-based writing assignment
Through 101 and 201, students will
• be introduced to the humanistic discipline of
rhetoric
formal and informal writing assignments
• investigate questions of the humanities through
rhetorical study
formal and informal writing assignments
Required Readings: Texts available at the UB Bookstore on online
They Say, I Say . Gerald Graff & Cathy Birkenstein. 3rd Edition.
ISBN 039393361X
The Elements of Style , by William Strunk Jr. & E. B. White, 4th Edition
ISBN 10: 020530902X
OPTIONAL: A Pocket Style Manual by Diane Hacker & Nancy Sommers (or Purdue OWL)
ISBN 10: 0312542542
Other readings available electronically through course site on Blackboard
Supplies:
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Any good dictionary. If you do not currently own one, this is a good time to invest in one. There are many available
in the bookstore. (I recommend Webster’s or American Heritage.)
A full-sized notebook for writing assignments in class. OR, a 3 ring binder with looseleaf paper.
A sturdy folder in which you keep all your work for the class AND a disk on which you save all your writing
(including multiple drafts).
A pocket folder in which you put the cover letter, drafts and final version of each assignment when you hand it in.
Note: Save all the writing you do during the semester. You can clear your files in December. Until then, you
never know what may prove to be useful during a revision. If you compose and revise on a computer, periodically print
out (or save on disk) versions of your draft so that you have a record of its process. Keep a copy for yourself (either on
disk or a hard copy) of all major assignments handed in to me. In addition, keep all drafts on which you have received
comments from me or your classmates.
ENG 201 Syllabus
Library Skills:
As of Fall 2011, students are required to complete the Library Skills Workbook within the first year of their arrival.
Students in English 201 will be required to complete the Workbook in conjunction with their units on research writing.
The Workbook is accessible through UBLearns, but students would be best advised to visit the Library's page to look for
updates and additional information before beginning
(http://library.buffalo.edu/libraries/gethelp/libraryskillsworkbook). Many composition sections meet directly with the
librarian who is a direct liaison to the Composition Program, Laura Taddeo, but she would like to let it be known that
she is happy to address questions and grant assistance at any point during the semester to anyone in our courses. She can
be reached at 645-7970, ltaddeo@buffalo.edu, or room 522 of Lockwood Library.
Course Requirements and Grading Policy
This is a workshop course in writing in which class activities are essential to your development as a writer; in class
activities will include discussion, debate, written and oral responses, freewriting, peer review, and paper workshops
(critiquing and editing of your workgroup's papers). The success of the course, and your successful performance in it,
depends upon your participation and contributions, both spoken and written.
An incomplete grade may only be given to students who have (1) fulfilled the attendance requirement for the course
and (2) completed all but one of the written assignments.
UB uses a lettered grading policy, A - F, including + and - grades. Your final grade will be calculated according to the
following breakdown:
Grading
Ethnography
5%
Reading Responses
10%
Analytic Summary
15%
Abstract
10%
Research Paper
25%
Portfolio
15%
Debate
10%
Web Prezi
10%
ENG 201 Syllabus
Assignments
Ethnographic Interview
A 750-word examination of a subculture. Ethnographic research is the study of human cultures or a portrait of a
people. In other words if you want to know about video gamers you explore them in their habitat, akin to the work of
sociologists or anthropologists. Ethnography is a written description of a particular culture - the customs, beliefs, and
behavior - based on information collected through fieldwork. You will both interview a member of a culture of your
choosing, your paper will include both a description of the culture, as well as incorporating quotations from your
interview. Ethnographers study schooling, public health, rural and urban development, consumers and consumer
goods, any human arena. Ideally ethnographic research will teach you about the differing perspectives of both those
“in” and “out” of certain subcultures.
Reading Responses
500 word responses to the readings. Each response will be driven by a question that engages the text(s), implicit biases,
and your critical interpretations.
Analytic Summary
A 1250-word evaluation of the most important and relevant academic research you have discovered. Your task here will
not simply be to summarize but to map out the academic conversation and its concerns. The point here will be to
discuss all the research you read, not just the pieces you will ultimately include in your final research project. How does
the academic research relate to your own perspectives and the discussion online? How do you make the choices of
which pieces of research you need to focus upon, which are secondary, and which are not relevant for you?
Abstract
A 250-word prospectus that shows the current landscape, narrowly directed research and your proposed hypothesis
from your culling of sources.
Research Paper
Your final research paper. 2000-words or 7-8 pages. This project will be the central focus of the semester. You will have
the freedom to purpose a specific research question within the broad thematic interests of the course.
Web Prezi/ Debate
You and your group will be responsible for a web presentation that demonstrates your research as a series of parts, as
well as the conversation between your argument and those in your group. You will also host a formal debate between
two parties in which your Web Prezi is part.
Portfolio
You will submit a final portfolio that will include your final research project, annotated bibliography and a reflective
essay (minimum 500 words). Writers are made in revision and the portfolio will give you adequate time to reflect and
revise your own work. This is where your real growth as a writer will occur and is weighed in your grade accordingly.
Required Readings: Texts available at the UB Bookstore on online
On Blackboard:
Diane Arbus & Banksy images
“Freak Show”, Susan Sontag, New York Times Review of Books
“The Ethics of Sexual Shame” from The Trouble with Normal, Michael Warner
“Us and Them” from Teenage Wasteland: Suburbia’s Dead End Kids, Donna Gaines
“Material Distinctions” from Goth: The Undead Subculture, Jessica Burstein & Valerie Steele
“The Dark Side of Self and Social Perception: Black Uniforms and Aggression in Professional Sports”, Mark G. Frank and
Thomas Gilovich
Text Readings (available at the UB Bookstore or online)
ENG 201 Syllabus
They Say, I Say . Gerald Graff & Cathy Birkenstein. 3rd Edition.
ISBN 10: 39393361X
The Elements of Style , by William Strunk Jr. & E. B. White, 4th Edition
ISBN 10: 020530902X
A Pocket Style Manual by Diane Hacker & Nancy Sommers (or Purdue OWL)
ISBN 10: 0312542542
Course Policies
Office of Accessibility
If you require classroom or testing accommodations due to a disability, please contact Accessibility Resources, located at
25 Capen Hall. AR can be reached by phone at (716) 645-2608 or by email at stu-accessibility@buffalo.edu. You may
also visit the Accessibility Resources website for further information: www.student-affairs.buffalo.edu/ods/. Please
inform me as soon as possible about your needs so that we can coordinate your accommodations.
Late Assignment Policy
On occasion, students are unable to meet assigned due dates. If you believe you will be unable to meet a due date, you
must email me prior to the day an assignment is due. In your email you should explain your situation and identify when
you will complete the assignment. Assignments turned in late without prior arrangement will be reduced one full letter
grade. Assignments later than one week will not be accepted. Absence from class on the date due does not excuse the
lateness of your assignment.
Attendance Policy
The writing program attendance policy allows students one week of absences. That means you may miss two classes
without penalty. Each additional absence will drop your final grade 1/3 of a grade (e.g. miss five classes total and your
final grade will drop from a “B” to a “C”).
University Repeat Policy
Please be advised that English 101 and 201 have been designated as 'limited enrollment' courses. Self-registration in these
courses in the Fall and Spring semesters will be limited to those students who are taking the course for the first time;
repeat enrollments during Spring and Fall will not be allowed. Students who plan to repeat one of these courses for any
reason should plan to register for the course during one of the summer sessions. Repeat enrollment refers to registration
by a student who was previously enrolled in the course at UB, or who transferred an equivalent course to UB, and who
received a letter grade of A, B, C, D or F and qualified values thereof (e.g., A-, D+) or a grade of P, S, U, I, J, N or R.
The only case in which a student may self-register for a repeated course is when the student has taken an Administrative
Withdrawal for an entire previous semester, so that all the grades for that semester were registered as W. All appeals of
this policy should be directed to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is using another person's words and ideas as though they were your own. It is easy to avoid plagiarism: simply
put the material you have taken from someone else's writing in quotation marks and cite the person's name and
publication in your paper. Plagiarism is a serious offense that can result in expulsion from the University. A paper that
contains any plagiarized material at all will receive an F; two such plagiarized papers will result in the student receiving an
F for the course. (Note: plagiarism is not restricted to the use of published work; the passing of another student's work as
your own is also a case of plagiarism.) Please consult the University’s Academic Integrity Policy for guidance:
http://undergrad-catalog.buffalo.edu/policies/course/integrity.shtml
ENG 201 Syllabus
Date
Assignment
Week 1
M Aug 26
First Day of Class
Syllabus
In Class Writing; Introduction into Reading Responses
Physicality, Disability and the Beauty Myth
Read ES: Introduction and Forward
Examine include images by Diane Arbus & Banksy on reserve
Discussion of Visual Literacy and the ‘freak’
Read Susan Sontag, “Freak Show” excerpt on reserve
Reading Response #1
Discussion: perspective and bias
Class cancelled: Labor Day
(Please note: Last day to Add/Drop Tu Sept 3)
Read Michael Warner, “Ethics of Sexual Shame” on Blackboard; ES Section I
Reading Response #2
W Aug 28
F Aug 30
Week 2
M Sept 2
W Sept 4
F Sept 6
Week 3
M Sept 9
W Sept 11
F Sept 13
Week 4
M Sept 16
W Sept 18
F Sept 20
Week 5
M Sept 23
W Sept 25
F Sept 27
Week 6
M Sept 30
W Oct 2
F Oct 4
Begin Discussing Ethnography
Read ES: Section II (concentrate on p 13-20)
In-Class writing
Ethnography: What is this? Why do we use it in research?
Introduction to Ethnographic paper
Subcultures and Transgression
“Material Distinctions”, Jessica Burstein (Blackboard)
In Class Reading Response #3
Discussion on interviewing, ethnographic research and the devil in the details
The Project
Begin brainstorming project ideas; go over reading responses; set writing goals
Examples of ethnographic papers presented
Paper #1: Ethnography Due—bring 2 hard copies to class
In class peer review
Read “Entering the Conversation” from They Say, I Say
Discussion on how you fit into the conversation
Read Donna Gaines, “Us and Them” [Blackboard]
Reading Response #4
In class performance: revamping cliques: 1980’s / 2013.
Perception is a Two-Way Street
Read: Read: Mark G. Frank and Thomas Gilovich, “The Dark Side of Self and Social Perception:
Black Uniforms and Aggression in Professional Sports” [Blackboard]
Reading Response #5
Read Booth, Part II: Identifying a Research Project on course reserve
Identify your topic for your research paper
Read: Chapter 2 & 3 They Say, I Say
Discussion of Analytic Summary Begins
Paper #1 Due – Bring 2 Hard Copies to Class
Go over Chapters 4 & 5 They Say, I Say (skim before class)
Making Arguments
Email: Two scholarly articles that you plan to use for Paper #2
Read Chapter 6: They Say, I Say
Discussion of Counter-Argument: In class performative exercise. Becoming the nay-sayer
Analytic Summary Due (draft)---in class peer review
Bring 2 hard copies to class
Online peer review due
Big Lebowski: how to merge multiple conversations or The Donny Syndrome
ENG 201 Syllabus
Week 8
M Oct 14
W Oct 16
Paper #2: Analytic Summary Due—upload to website
Discussion of Gathering Evidence and Use of Quotation
Introduction to Library & Databases
Meet in Lockwood, Library 2nd Floor
Read Chapter 7&8: They Say, I Say
Connecting the floating parts—how to tie research together
Outline Workshop in class
Read Booth, Chapters 12 & 13: Planning and Drafting Your Report
Discussion of how to begin a draft
Class Cancelled: Conferences
F Oct 18
Class Cancelled: Conferences
Week 9
M Oct 21
W Oct 23
Paper #3: Abstracts Due—bring 1 hard copies to class
In class peer review workshop on abstracts & argumentation
Class meets in 126 Clemens (computer room)
Read: Examples of Annotated Bibliographies on course reserve
Performative: Introduction Dating Game: You only get one chance to make a first impression
Introductions: How to I hook my reader?
Read ES: Section IV
Research Paper Drafts Due—bring 2 hard copies to class
Peer review workshop on drafts
Read: “7 points of Debate and Intro to Rhetoric” on course reserve
Introduction to Web Prezi panel debates and how to use debate in your papers
Read: Chapter 9 They Say, I Say
Incorporation of voice in research
Read: How to write a conclusion & examples on reserve
Read ES: Section III & IV
In class workshop
Class meets in 126 Clemens (computer room)
The search for brevity
Abstract discussion and examples; how writing less is both harder and more effective
Paper #4: Research Paper Due. Include revised Abstract—upload to website
Last Day to resign w/o academic penalty
Class Cancelled: Conferences
Week 7
M Oct 7
W Oct 9
F Oct 11
F Oct 25
Week 10
M Oct 28
W Oct 30
F Nov 1
Week 11
M Nov 4
W Nov 6
F Nov 8
Week 12
M Nov 11
W Nov 13
Class Cancelled: Conferences
F Nov 15
Class Cancelled: Conferences
Week 13
M Nov 18
W Nov 20
Web Prezi: Debate Panels 1& 2
F Nov 22
Week 14
M Nov 25
W Nov 27
Web Prezi Debate Panel 5
How to apply Prezis to revision
Revising your draft
Read: Booth, Chapter 17 and Part V: Revising on website
Thanksgiving Recess- class canceled
F Nov 29
M Dec 2
Thanksgiving Recess- class canceled.
Portfolio Workshop: Reflection Letter
W Dec 4
Portfolio Workshop: How to tighten introductions/conclusions
F Dec 6
Portfolios due on Blackboard by 11pm
Evaluations
Web Prezi: Debate Panels 3&4
ENG 201 Syllabus
Writing Assignment #1: Ethnography
Due: Friday Sept 13 in class
Bring 2 hard copies to class
Upload to Blackboard final: Su Sept 15 @ 11pm
750 words (3-4 pages)
What is ethnography?
An ethnography is a rich account made by an anthropologist of a fieldwork experience s/he has had.
Living and learning alongside people in other cultures in an attempt to understand a culture is at the very core
of cultural anthropology. Where ethnographers seek to understand and describe culture, so can students. In
the course of an education abroad experience, you can learn basic skills of ethnographic inquiry as a paradigm
through which to take aspects of the new culture as subject of serious study. This kind of inquiry can lead you
beyond simply becoming more knowledgeable of a particular culture, but to becoming a more insightful,
patient and introspective cultural explorer.
Ethnography has a long history within the field of cultural anthropology, beginning with the early fieldwork
of such notable scholars as Margaret Mead, Bronislaw Malinoski, and Clifford Geertz. As a qualitative
research method, ethnography seeks to describe and to understand another way of life from the native point
of view. The goal of ethnography, as Malinowski put it, is “to grasp the native’s point of view, his relation to
life, to realize his vision of his world” (1922). According to Spradley, “Ethnography offers us the chance to
step outside of our narrow cultural backgrounds, to set aside our socially inherited ethnocentrism, if only for
a brief period, and to apprehend the world from the viewpoint of other human beings who live by different
meaning systems” (1979).
In other words, ethnography is concerned with the meaning of actions and events to the people we seek to
understand. Rather than manipulate variables or proceed from a research hypothesis, both questions and
answers must be discovered in the social setting being studied. Ethnographic fieldwork usually involves
conducting observation, interviewing informants, note-taking, making maps, collecting life histories, analyzing
folklore, charting kinship, keeping a diary, audio and videotaping, collection of relevant materials and
documents, keeping a field journal, and taking photographs.
How do I begin?
First, pick a group of people to observe in order to gather research about your hypotheses. For
example, you might observe a random sampling of couples to determine how gender roles work in public
versus in private.
In this essay I ask you to step out into the world to examine some subculture (a group of people who
share “ritual” behaviors, valued objects, common language, and a set of values). This subculture should tie in
some way to your chosen theme for the course. You will be acting somewhat like an anthropologist for this
assignment, going out into the world to the field site where these people can be found, to observe, writing
down your observations, trying to see patterns in the details, and then writing up your study. Be sure to
include description of that place, which may be a physical space or a virtual one. This is one of the more
open-ended assignments in the course, which may pose challenges, so be sure to spend a good amount of
time meditating to find an interesting focusing question that has a potentially accessible answer.
Observe
Option 1: Group
ENG 201 Syllabus
You have two options for this assignment: you may write about a group by observing them in their “natural
habitat,” or you may profile an individual who seems to represent a group. Think about your friends and
family members and the various groups to which they belong (these groups may be connected to their work
or hobbies, religious practices or social ties). Or consider whether you know someone who seems to
represent a more general “type” of person (kindergartner, middle school bully, high school Goth, cheerleader,
World of Warcraft addict, soccer mom, widower in assisted living facility, to name only a few possibilities).
Note that these types may be identified and shaped by a mix of factors such as age, socio-economic status,
and cultural influences. Look for someone who seems to you “colorful” in some way, remembering that it’s
the writer’s interest that makes subjects interesting to others. (I’m convinced that, with the right kind of
attentiveness on the writer’s part, a cubicle worker’s life can be made fascinating.)
Now pay attention to the people in your fieldsite. What are their ages, genders, clothing? How do they
interact? Record specific bits of conversation. Are they using any insider language, any unfamiliar words?
Make sure to record objective, concrete details. Look for patterns. Ask questions. If you are observing a
cyber-environment, consider how people present themselves. How are web pages laid out? Record specific
exchanges. How does the community seem to “work”?
If you are writing a profile of an individual, arrange to spend some time with your subject. Bring a notebook
so that you can record the details that you hear and notice. Consider such things as the following:
•
•
•
•
•
Physical description; clothing; jewelry
Influence of technology/media (cell
phones, computer, etc.)
Self-image (how does the person
describe him/herself)
· Daily schedule
Consumer behavior—what do they
buy?
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•
•
•
•
Social connections (how many
friends, where and how do they
interact)
·Favorite possessions? Other
favorites?
Past regrets, future dreams?
School and/or work situation and
attitudes
Describe their special place(s)—look
for DETAILS!!!
Option 2: Interview
Selecting an Informant
Your goal in this assignment is to interview a local person, an informant, to produce a written ethnographic
analysis. This is more than a retelling of the interview, for it also aims to cite and sort the values, attitudes and
assumptions of the informant. Your role is to learn from this person, to be taught by him or her. Remember
that informants are human beings with problems, concerns, and interests. Also keep in mind that your values
may not coincide with the informant’s. As you will not have much time while abroad, it may be best to
interview a local student, a homestay parent, a local guide, etc. Be careful to choose someone with whom you
can follow-up, if necessary.
Preparing for the Interview
Successfully interviewing informants depends on a cluster of skills. These include: asking questions, listening
instead of talking, taking a passive rather than an assertive role, expressing verbal interest in the other person,
and showing interest by appropriate eye contact and other nonverbal means.
When preparing your interview, think about the kinds of ethnographic questions you will use. There should
be a mix of descriptive and structural questions. Descriptive questions are broad and general, allowing people
to describe their experiences, their daily activities, and objects and people in their lives. Structural questions
are more specific and explore responses offered to descriptive questions. They allow you to find out how
informants have organized their knowledge.
ENG 201 Syllabus
Conducting the Interview
It is best to think of the ethnographic interview as friendly conversation. A few minutes of easygoing talk
interspersed here and there throughout the interview will help with developing and maintaining rapport. Here
are a few other tips:
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Expressing Interest. Use both verbal cues and nonverbal cues to let the informant know that you are
interested in what he or she is saying, and want him/her to continue.
Expressing Ignorance. Even if you have already heard what the informant is telling you, try to make
sure that you show interest and that you would like to know more.
Avoid repetition. Make sure that the questions you are asking are not redundant.
Taking turns. Even though you really want to know more about the person you are interviewing, try
to make sure that you engage your informant in a two-way conversation. Turn taking helps keep the
encounter balanced.
Repeat the informant’s answer to make sure that you understood well; do not try to make your own
interpretation or paraphrase what has been said.
How do I write the paper?
First, introduce your subject matter by giving your readers some background on the project, i.e. what you're
trying to accomplish (or problem statement) and what others have already done or said about the issue. (This
is commonly called a literature review, and will require some library research.) Second, identify your method
of study as well as what you discovered. Here is the place you would include a narrative of your
observations. Third, identify what results you discovered in comparison with your data. What happened that
you expected? What didn't? Lastly, provide your readers with a discussion -- or analysis -- of your project.
This is where you interpret the data you've collected in comparison to your hypotheses, and provide your
readers with some conclusions. Your essay does not necessarily have to take this form. You might, for
example, choose to analyze or interpret your data as you describe the events or observations themselves.
Evaluation Criteria
• The degree to which you take on a meaningful question, followed by relevant “leg-work”
• The specificity of the details you collect
• Your success in ordering those details into focused paragraphs controlled by topic sentences
• Spelling, Grammar, Rhetorical Cohesion
• 3-4 pages
Writing Assignment #2: Article Review
Draft Due W Oct 2 (email peer review members)
Final uploaded to Blackboard M Oct 7 @ 11pm
1200 words (4-5 pages)
EMAIL FINAL: 3/1 (Friday) 9am
ENG 201 Syllabus
Description: Two scholarly articles that relate to your research topic will be selected (and approved) prior to
the assignment. You will use both of these to generate the essay’s analysis.
This assignment is an exercise in both close reading and analysis. Much the way you have been shaping your
weekly reading responses, this assignment is more than a mere summary and response to a scholarly article.
This assignment requires you to write an extended rhetorical analysis using several scholarly articles;
developing a thesis that focuses your analysis; supporting an argument with claims and evidence; comparing
texts and developing a cohesive argument. You will want to address how these articles relate to your own
research and how they shape the “current conversation” of your topic.
You want to make sure to move beyond “what” the authors say and try to hone in on “how” they are
constructing their arguments. The rhetorical moves within the articles, as well as the its content will help you
in gaining an understanding of why what they say is important (or answering the “So What?”aspect of their
claims).
Evaluation Criteria:
• For this assignment you will be required to develop a comparative thesis that addresses “similarity
within difference” as well as “difference within similarity” between the articles.
• Avoid making an argument based exclusively on one author’s intention. Instead, try to let the articles
guide you to an understanding of the context of the arguments within the conversation at large.
• Moves from agreement/disagreement of the article(s) to rhetorical analysis
• Introduces and defines the topic
• Develops a specific analytical thesis
• Supports claims and reflections through quotations and analysis
• Blends author’s own claims, paraphrases, and quotations into the essay
• Incorporates the rhetorical moves presented in They Say/ I Say
• Correctly formatted MLA citations and layout
• Grammatically and linguistically cohesive
Writing Assignment #3: Abstract
Due: M Oct 21 (1 Hard Copy in Class; EMAIL final by 11pm)
500 words (1-2 pages)
REVISED Abstracts: Due with Research Paper
ENG 201 Syllabus
Description: Abstracts are what academics use to outline in a succinct fashion the problem they are addressing;
the arguments others have posited; and their own summary of their research. In other words, it is a shortsynopsis of your research paper. Don’t be fooled by the limited word count—good abstracts are hard to
write, and we will spend time in class on how to carefully cultivate your prose to be as effective as possible.
Components of an Abstract:
1) Motivation/problem statement: Why do we care about the problem? What practical, scientific,
theoretical or artistic gap is your research filling?
2) Methods/procedure/approach: Ask yourself at least 3 main questions you intend to answer within your
paper. Think carefully about these analytical questions, as they will be fundamental in shaping your research
paper.
3) Results/findings/product: Aim to answer your above questions in 1-3 sentences by describing how you
anticipate addressing these questions in your final paper, why you think each of these questions is important,
and how it will help you analyze misfits and freakery.
4) Conclusion/implications/future research: What are the larger implications of your findings, especially
for the problem/gap identified in step 1?
Evaluation Criteria:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Sufficiently acclimates the reader to the problem at hand
Grounded in enough research to have an understanding of the critical conversation within the
chosen topic
Presents a viable plan of study for the research paper
Correctly formatted MLA citations and layout
Makes appropriate use of sentence structure, word choice, grammar, spelling and punctuation that
enables rather than hinders clear and effective communication and meaning
Shows significant revision from the first to the final draft
Writing Assignment #4: Research Paper
Due: Fri Dec 6
Upload to Blackboard by 11pm
2000 words (7-8 pages)
ENG 201 Syllabus
Format:
7-8 pages, double-spaced, Times New Roman font, 12pt, standard 1-inch margins;
your name, instructor’s name, the class (ENG 201), and the date should appear in the upper left corner of
the first page; pages should be numbered with your last name and the page number; title your paper.
Description:
The research paper is your chance to take all of the information you have gathered on your
topic, analyze it and bring in your own understanding and thesis to the debate. You should apply the rules in
They Say/ I Say for showing the conversation at hand, the questions raised, and your own understanding of
the dialogue. You may choose to use primary sources (as exemplified by your ethnographic study) or
interview(s) of a particular strain of subculture. You will additionally be required to use at least 7 secondary
sources to support your argumentation. Only one of our readings may count toward your secondary sources,
though you are not required to use any of them in your paper if you so choose.
Words to the Wise:
• Imperative for this assignment will be for you to address the “So What?” question—what
does your research reveal about our contemporary society or misfits in freaks that is crucial
now?
• Be sure that you are making an original claim in your project, not simply restating or
summarizing other’s research. The goal of the research paper is not to simply present
research or report what others have said about your topic.
• You must analyze your topic with supporting evidence. Make sure the evidence or
quotations are not leading the paper—they are there to support claims that you make, not
vice versa.
• Secondary sources must be scholarly and reputable sources. If you are unsure, ask ahead of
time! What can you tell about the sources you use and if they are credible? Being able to
discern the wheat from the chaff (especially online) is a key tool in college.
Evaluation Criteria:
• Complicates, extends, and qualifies the claims made by the author’s of your secondary sources and
moves beyond simple agreement/disagreement
• Demonstrates facility with rhetorical analysis and application of key rhetorical concepts and methods
in the course
• Develops and evolves a specific analytical thesis
• Uses specific, concrete examples from sources to support claims
• Provides coherent analysis based upon a few examples, rather than a list of unconnected references
• Provides evidence that the student has read and interpreted their secondary sources fairly, accurately,
and can point to specific claims within the secondary essays themselves
• Concludes by reconsidering introductory question(s) and leaves the reader with something to
consider
• Correct usage of quotes, citation, diction, punctuation and grammar
• Correct use of MLA layout, in-text citation and Works Cited
ENG 201 Syllabus