ENGL 202A (GWS) Effective Writing: Writing in the Social Sciences (3): Effective Writing in
the Social Sciences: Instruction in writing persuasive arguments about significant issues in the
social sciences. (A student may take only one course for credit from ENGL 202A, 202B, 202C,
and 202D.) Prerequisite: ENGL 0015 or ENGL 0030; fourth semester standing.
Overview
Welcome to the World Campus and welcome to English 202A: Writing in the Social Sciences.
This course is designed so that distance education students can follow as closely as possible the
same course that students take at the University Park campus of Penn State. This course requires
what any course in writing in the social sciences does: you will be expected to read a great deal
of materials, conduct research, and write like scholars in social sciences.
This course will introduce you to ethnographic research and writing. You will choose a local
subculture in the beginning of the semester and conduct a semester-long research project on the
subculture. Taking a sequenced writing approach, the course is organized around six
interconnected major assignments. They are the research proposal, field notes, observation paper,
literature review paper, interview paper, and final ethnographic essay. For each of these
assignments, you will review a detailed assignment sheet, read two to three samples of the
document you are being asked to write, and think about such rhetorical considerations as
audience, purpose, and context. You will read each other's first drafts and offer comments and
suggestions. As your instructor, I will also respond to your writing with evaluations and
suggestions just as if you were in a course on campus. Then you will turn in the final draft for
each assignment.
You will see that we will draw upon two major resources for this course: a textbook and our
course Web site. The textbook explains some key concepts in ethnographic research and writing
and provides many writing samples. The course Web site provides additional resources and
electronic access to your instructor via a secure "course mail" utility. The Web site also offers
assignment samples written by students who took this course in the past. You will be required to
submit your work electronically through the web site.
return to top of page
Course Structure
The course is organized by lessons. Every lesson has a certain theme/focus. Each week, there are
reading and writing assignments due by Wednesday and Sunday. Always do the assignments in
sequence. Never submit the next major writing assignment before receiving your instructor's
comments on the previous one unless an exception is specifically stated. In a course like this,
involving the coordination of several different skills, you must build each assignment using skills
learned in the one before. Usually you need to revise the major assignments at least once, and
you won't know what sections to focus on until you receive feedback. By all means read ahead
and work on the smaller writing exercises while you await the return of your previous major
assignment.
return to top of page
Course Objectives
The purpose of English 202A is to familiarize you with ethnography, a type of research
increasingly used in the social sciences, and to help you learn to formulate ideas and create
cohesive pieces of writing from the information you have collected. It will introduce you to a
variety of researching strategies from which you should begin to develop your own approach
toward research and toward the types of writing that are useful in your future career. The goals
for this course include:
1. Becoming more comfortable with the writing processes (e.g., developing, drafting,
editing, and revising)
2. Learning how to identify and explore issues and questions
3. Improving critical reading skills
4. Developing and implementing your own research strategies
5. Learning how to filter and synthesize collected information for use in the development of
a convincing and logical argument
6. Learning how to write ethically and responsibly, including using appropriate formats to
document a variety of sources
7. Becoming more experienced with evaluating the work of others (e.g., through peer
critique)
return to top of page
Required Course Materials
The following materials are required and must be purchased from MBS Direct:

Bonnie Stone Sunstein & Elizabeth Chiseri-Strater. (2012). FieldWorking: Reading and
Writing Research (4th ed.). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's. ISBN: 9780312622756
For pricing and ordering information, please see the MBS Direct website. MBS Direct can also
be contacted at 1-800-325-3252.
Materials will be available at MBS Direct approximately three weeks before the course begins. It
is very important that you purchase the correct materials. If your course requires one or more
textbooks, you must have exactly the correct text required (edition and year).
return to top of page
Library Resources
Many of Penn State's library resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Library
Resources and Services for Off-Campus Users website, you can...



access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases
borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep...or even your desktop
ask a librarian for research help via e-mail, chat, or phone using the ASK! service
...and much more!
NOTE: You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the
Libraries' resources and services. Once you have a Penn State account, you will automatically be
registered with the library within 24-48 hours. If you would like to check that your library
registration has been completed, visit the Library's homepage, click on "Library Accounts" and
then click on "CAT Account."
return to top of page
Writing Tutoring Available for ENGL 202A Students
Penn State World Campus and the University Learning Centers, the Undergraduate Writing
Center, and the Center for Excellence in Writing at Penn State University Park are pleased to
announce that students in ENGL 202A can now access tutoring services online. Get tutoring
support before those final papers are due!
To meet with a tutor online, complete the form available at:
http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/online-tutoring.shtml
Once you have sent in your request, a tutor will be in touch to arrange a time for you to meet
online. Tutoring sessions will take place in Blackboard Collaborate, a synchronous audio
environment that will allow you to talk to your tutor. When you request your tutoring session
you will be provided with information on how to access Blackboard Collaborate.
return to top of page
Software
Students using PCs must use Office 2003, 2007 or 2010; students using Macs must use Office
2004, 2008 or 2011 (MS Word 2007, 2010 and 2008, 2011 users MUST 'Save As" .doc).
One of the benefits of being a registered Penn State student is that you are eligible to receive
educational discounts on many software titles. If you are interested in learning more about
purchasing software through our affiliate vendor, please visit our Student Services page
regarding course materials.
return to top of page
Technical Specifications
Technical Requirements
Operating System
Windows 2000/XP, Vista, or Windows 7; Mac OS X 10.4 or higher
Processor
2 GHz or higher
Memory
1 GB of RAM
Hard Drive Space
20 GB free disk space
We recommend the latest ANGEL-supported version of Firefox or Internet
Explorer. To determine if your browser fits this criteria and for advice on
downloading a supported version, please refer to the following ITS
knowledgebase article: Supported Browsers and Recommended
Computers
Browser
Note: Cookies, Java, and JavaScript must be enabled.
Pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows
from Penn State websites.
Due to nonstandard handling of CSS, JavaScript and caching,
older versions of Internet Explorer (such as IE 6 or earlier) do not work
with our courses.
Plug-ins
Adobe Reader [Download from Adobe]
Flash Player (v7.0 or later) [Download from Adobe]
Apple QuickTime [Download from Apple]
Additional
Software
Microsoft Office (2003 or later)
Internet
Connection
Broadband (cable or DSL) connection required
Printer
Access to graphics-capable printer
DVD-ROM
Required
Sound Card,
Microphone, and
Speakers
Required
Monitor
Monitor (Capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution)
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the World Campus
HelpDesk.
return to top of page
Course Assignments
There are six major writing assignments in this course:
1. Research Proposal: The Research Proposal asks you to pick a local subculture and a
field site for the semester long ethnographic research project and to assess the feasibility
of working around this subculture. You must pick a site in your local area that you can
access easily because you will need to visit this site once a week over the course of the
semester. You also must pick the site where the people of the subculture you wish to
study will give you permission to hang around, take pictures, conduct interviews, make
observations, etc. You must visit your field site and/or talk to them on the phone before
you finish your proposal.
2. Field Notes: You will take Field Notes every time you visit your field site. It is critical
that you record objective facts and details as well as your reactions, thoughts, and
responses to these facts. You should develop a system of field notes that is comfortable
for you and easy for you to work with. It is important that you sit down with your notes
after each visit to your site for 20-30 minutes. In this time, you should read through the
observations you have made, add reflections when ideas occur to you, and make sure you
(and your instructor and group members) will be able to read your notes in the future.
You will need to turn in your notes three times during the semester.
3. Observation Paper: The Observation Paper asks you to observe your subculture and
field site closely and write about one or two visits based on your field notes. In this paper,
you will develop the descriptive and reflective style of writing that you will need to
create the final ethnographic essay. I'd like to see you take this opportunity to develop an
engaging and lively writing style through the use of the first person ("I," "me"), vivid
details, original metaphors, and reflection on your field site and subculture.
4. Literature Review: The Literature Review paper asks you to look for four pieces of
publicly available published material related to your subculture. You will summarize
each of them wholly or selectively. The published materials may be articles in journals,
magazines, or newspapers, or material from websites. Locate four publications you think
will give you information that will be helpful in your final ethnographic report. You
should conclude the paper by discussing new knowledge that you have gained from the
literature pieces and how the new knowledge has informed you about the next step of
your research.
5. Interview Paper: The Interview Paper asks you to interview a few key informants and
report what they have said about your subculture. The interview paper allows you to gain
an insider's perspective on your field site and subculture. Your interviewee has insight
about your subculture, and you give it order by identifying themes and issues and by
unifying the information you collect into a fine piece of writing. This writing needs to
embody the feeling of the interview—the sense of place and of the person you have
interviewed.
6. Ethnographic Essay: The Ethnographic Essay asks you to synthesize all of your hard
work into a damn fine piece of writing. Unfortunately you will not be able to include
every bit of information you have collected through observation, reflection, interview,
and library research; you will have to be selective. You will have to give your readers a
comprehensive view of your field site, and you'll need to choose information that
develops the angle that you are taking on your subculture.
Specific directions, peer review sheets, and examples of previous students' work for each of the
major writing assignments will be provided throughout the course content.
Additionally, you will be evaluated based on nine short writing assignments, six forum
questions, and one reading quiz.
Short Writing Assignments The short writing assignments are designed for various purposes.
Requiring between 100 and 300 words, they will help you brainstorm for your field research,
cultivate a particular writing skill, or examine your field notes from multiple perspectives. These
short writing assignments include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
"The Uniqueness of My Community"
"Research topic"
"Spatial gaze"
"Summary of 'In Roadville"
"Field notes analysis"
"Cultural terms"
"Verbal performance"
"Questioning your draft"
"Reflection paper"
Discussion Forum Questions: The discussion forum questions encourage you to exchange your
field research experiences with your group members and discuss how you can apply textbook
concepts in your own fieldwork and writing. You will first submit your answers to the questions
online, and then respond to other members' answers by offering your own insights. Please limit
your answers and responses to between 70 to 100 words per post. There is an optional forum
question in Lesson 10. By answering this question, you will receive 5 bonus points.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Cultural Artifacts
Behavioral Patterns and the Focal Point of Your Subculture
Comparing "In Roadville and in Trackton" and "Friday Night at Iowa 80"
Relationship between the Field Site and Your Subculture's Behaviors, Values, or Speech
Frustrations and Solutions in Your Fieldwork
Culture, Body Language, and Space
The reading quiz asks that you study the APA documentation style in the textbook very
carefully and then complete an APA style exercise. After you have completed and submitted the
exercise online, you will automatically receive a corrected version. It is important that you
master the APA style, as it is graded in your literature review, interview, and final ethnographic
essays.
return to top of page
Grading
Your final grade will be calculated based on your total earning of a possible 200 points, as shown
in the following table:
Assignment
Research Proposal
(3-4 pages)
Field Notes
(3 sets @ 10 points/set)
Observation Paper
(4-5 pages)
Literature Review
(4-5 pages)
Interview Paper
(4-5 pages)
Ethnographic Essay
(10-15 pages)
Short Writing Assignments
(9 @ 3 points each)
Discussion Forum Questions
Points
20
30
20
20
20
40
27
18
(6 posts @ 3 points each)
Reading Quiz
Total Points
5
200
Your final grade will be calculated according to the following scale:
Grading Scale
Points
186-200
180-185
170-179
165-169
160-164
150-159
140-149
120-139
0-119
Letter Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
D
F
Grades are assigned the following grade-point equivalents:
Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
D
F
Grade-Point
Equivalent
4.00
3.67
3.33
3.00
2.67
2.33
2.00
1.00
0
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional
information about University grading policies. If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a
student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that
course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the
student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a
deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination
period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam
period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable,
authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the
candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the
student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; the campus chancellor of the
student's commonwealth campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
return to top of page
Course Schedule
[Printer Friendly Version]
NOTE: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
The schedule below outlines the topics we will be covering in this course, along with the
associated time frames and assignments.



Course Starts: January 13, 2014
Course Ends: May 2, 2014
Course Length: 16 weeks
Getting Started and Lesson 1: Introducing Ethnographic Research
Time frame: January 13 to January 19, 2014
 Read the course policies and schedule in the Syllabus.
Readings:
 Skim through the textbook to get a general sense of its contents.
 Read the "Getting Started" Commentary on the website
 Read the Lesson 1 commentary, including "Choosing a Research
Topic."
 Read introduction to fieldworking (Fieldworking, pp. 1-6 (beginning
of Chapter 1 through Box 1))
Acitivites: For Wednesday:

Complete the Getting Started activities. (ungraded)
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Wednesday night of the week.
For Sunday:

Preliminary Discussion Forum Post (ungraded)
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Sunday night of the week.
Lesson 2: Stepping In and Stepping Out
Time frame: January 20 to January 26, 2014
 Read the Lesson 2 Commentary
Readings:
 Read "Investigating Perspectives: Insider and Outsider" through Box
2 (Fieldworking, pp. 6-13).
 Read "Galton in Africa" (available through electronic reserves).
 Read the "Uniqueness of My Community" writing samples
(available in Lesson 2 folder).
Activities: For Wednesday:

Preliminary Discussion Forum Peer Response (ungraded) found in
Getting Started and Lesson 1 folder.
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Wednesday night of the week.
For Sunday:

Submit Short Writing Assignment #1, "The Uniqueness of My
Community."
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Sunday night of the week.
Lesson 3: Research Proposal
Time frame: January 27 to February 2, 2014
 Read the Lesson 3 Commentary.
Readings:
 Read "Friday Night at Iowa 80," (Fieldworking, pp. 24-37)
 Read the Research Proposal assignment sheet.
 Read the Research Proposal writing samples.
Activities: For Wednesday:

Submit Short Writing Assignment #2, "Research Topic", one
paragraph about your research topic.
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Wednesday night of the week.
For Sunday:

Post your Major Writing Assignment, "Research Proposal" draft to
your group's discussion forum.
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Sunday night of the week.
Lesson 4: Field Notes
Time frame: February 3 to February 9, 2014
 Read the Lesson 4 Commentary.
Readings:
 Read "The Research Portfolio: Definitions and Purpose" and "The
Research Portfolio: Learning From Your Data" (Fieldworking, pp.
52-53, pp. 204-214)
 Read "FieldWriting: Establishing a Voice," (Fieldworking, pp. 4042)
 Read the Field Notes assignment sheet.
 Read the Field Notes writing samples.
 Read "Getting at the Details," (Fieldworking, pp. 73-77)
 Read "Fieldnotes: The Key to Your Project." (Fieldworking, pp. 8084 & 89-93)
 Read the Observation Paper assignment sheet (in the Lesson 06
folder).
 Read the Observation Paper writing samples (in the Lesson 06
folder).
Assignments: For Wednesday:


Use the Research Proposal Draft Review Sheet to respond to your
classmates' Research Proposal drafts.
Discussion Forum Post #1: Cultural Artifacts
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Wednesday night of the week.
For Sunday:


Submit your Major Writing Assignment, "Research Proposal" final
draft to the Research Proposal drop box. INCLUDE CONSENT
FORM.
Discussion Forum Response #1: Cultural Artifacts.

Start visiting your field site once a week and take field notes.
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Sunday night of the week.
Lesson 5: Learning How to Look
Time frame: February 10 to February 16, 2014
 Read the Lesson 5 Commentary.
Readings:
 Read "Learning How to Look: Mapping Space," (Fieldworking, pp.
186-191)
 Read "Learning How to Look: Finding a Focal Point,"
(Fieldworking, pp. 192-194)
 Read "Learning How to Look: Identifying Unity and Tension,"
(Fieldworking, pp. 194-197)
 Read "Learning How to Look: Colonized Spaces," (Fieldworking,
pp. 197-203)
Activities: For Wednesday:

There are no writing assignments
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Wednesday night of the week.
For Sunday:


Submit Short Writing Assignment #3, "Spatial Gaze."
Discussion Forum Post #2: Behavioral Patterns and the Focal Point
of Your Subculture
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Sunday night of the week.
Lesson 6: Observation Paper
Time frame: February 17 to February 23, 2014
 Read the Lesson 6 Commentary.
Readings:
 Reread the Observation Paper Assignment Sheet and Observation
Paper sample assignments.
 Read "FieldWriting: Published and Unpublished Written Sources,"
(Fieldworking, pp. 136-141)
 Read "MLA and APA Documentation Guidelines," (Fieldworking,
pp. 391-408)
 Read the Literature Review assignment sheet (in the Lesson 9
folder).
 Read the Literature Review Paper writing sample (in the Lesson 9
folder).
Activities: For Wednesday:


APA Style Quiz
Discussion Forum Response #2: Behavioral Patterns and the Focal
Point of Your Subculture
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Wednesday night of the week.
For Sunday:

Post your Major Writing Assignment, "Observation Paper" draft to
your group's discussion forum.
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Sunday night of the week.
Lesson 7: Field Notes
Time frame: February 24 to March 2, 2014
 Read the Lesson 7 Commentary
Readings:
 Read "Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing." handout in Lesson
07 folder
 Read "In Roadville and in Trackton," (eReserve)
Activities: For Wednesday:



Use the Major Writing Assignment, "Observation Paper" Draft
Review Sheets to respond to your classmates' Observation Paper
drafts.
Discussion Forum Post #3: Comparing "In Roadville and in
Trackton" and "Friday Night at Iowa 80"
Submit Short Writing Assignment #4, "Summary of "In Roadville""
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Wednesday night of the week.
For Sunday:


Post your first set of Major Writing Assignment, "Field Notes" to
your group's discussion forum.
Submit Major Writing Assignment, "Observation Paper" final draft
to Observation Paper drop box.

Discussion Forum Response #3: Comparing "In Roadville and in
Trackton" and "Friday Night at Iowa 80".
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Sunday night of the week.
Lesson 8: Workshops on Fieldwork
Time frame: March 3 to March 9, 2014
 Read the Lesson 8 Commentary.
Readings:
 Read "Analyzing Your Field Notes," (Fieldworking, pp. 86-93)
 Read "The Research Portfolio: Reflecting on Your
Fieldnotes,"(Fieldworking, pp. 99 & 63-64)
Activities: For Wednesday:



Use the Field Notes Review Sheet to respond to your classmates'
notes.
Discussion Forum Post #4: Relationship between the Field Site and
Your Subculture's Behaviors, Values, or Speech.
Submit Short Writing Assignment #5, "Field Notes Analysis."
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Wednesday night of the week.
For Sunday:



Submit final draft Major Writing Assignment, "Field Notes" Set #1.
Discussion Forum Response #4: Relationship between the Field Site
and Your Subculture's Behaviors, Values, or Speech.
Discussion Forum Post #5: Frustrations and Solutions in Your
Fieldwork
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Sunday night of the week.
Spring Break
Time frame: March 10 to March 16, 2014
Readings: None
Activities: None
Lesson 9: Literature Review
Time frame: March 17 to March 23, 2014
 Read the Lesson 9 Commentary.
Readings:
 Read the Interview Paper assignment sheet.

Read the Interview Paper writing samples.
Activities: For Wednesday:

Discussion Forum Response #5: Frustrations and Solutions in Your
Fieldwork in Lesson 08 folder.
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Wednesday night of the week.
For Sunday:

Post your Major Writing Assignment, "Literature Review" draft to
your group's discussion forum.
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Sunday night of the week.
Lesson 10: Researching Language
Time frame: March 24 to March 30, 2014
 Read the Lesson 10 Commentary.
Readings:
 Read "Researching Language: The Cultural Translator,"
(Fieldworking, pp. 271-278)
 Read "Noticing Words,"(Fieldworking, pp. 282-290)
 Read "The Interview: Learning How to Ask,"(Fieldworking, pp.
220-228)
Activities: For Wednesday:



Post your Major Writing Assignment, "Literature Review" Draft
Review Sheet to the Discussion forum in Lesson 09 folder
Discussion Forum Post #6: Culture, Body Language, and Space
Submit Short Writing Assignment #6, "Cultural Terms".
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Wednesday night of the week.
For Sunday:



Submit your Major Writing Assignment, "Literature Review" final
draft to the Literature Review drop box.
Discussion Forum Response #6: Culture, Body Language, and
Space .
BONUS Discussion Forum Post (5 POINTS): Language and Culture

Post six to ten interview questions to your group's discussion forum.
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Sunday night of the week.
Lesson 11: Workshops on Fieldwork
Time frame: March 31 to April 6, 2014
 Read the Lesson 11 Commentary.
Readings:
 Read "Researching Occupation: Recording Insider Language,"
(Fieldworking, pp. 290-296)
 Read "Ralph's Sports Bar,"(Fieldworking, pp. 234-242)
Activities: For Wednesday:



Use the Interview Questions Draft Review Sheet to respond to your
classmates' interview questions in Lesson 10 folder.
Submit Short Writing Assignment #7, "Verbal Performances."
BONUS Discussion Forum Post Response: Language and Cultural in
Lesson 10 folder.
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Wednesday night of the week.
For Sunday:

Submit your second set of field notes to the Major Writing
Assignment, "Field Notes 2" drop box.
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Sunday night of the week.
Lesson 12: Interview Paper
Time frame: April 7 to April 13, 2014
 Read the Lesson 12 Commentary.
Readings:
 Read "Fieldwriting: Using Character, Setting, and Theme to Create a
Portrait,"(Fieldworking, pp. 264-266)
 Read the Ethnographic Essay assignment sheet (in the Lesson 14
folder).
 Read "Possible Sections for the Ethnographic Essay" (in the Lesson
14 folder).
Activities: For Wednesday:

There are no writing assignments
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Wednesday night of the week.
For Sunday:

Post your Major Writing Assignment, "Interview Paper" draft to
your group's discussion forum.
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Sunday night of the week.
Lesson 13: Questioning Your Draft
Time frame: April 14 to April 20, 2014
 Read the Lesson 13 Commentary.
Readings:
 Read "Questioning Your Draft," (Fieldworking, pp. 358-361)
 Read "Thickening Your Draft,"(Fieldworking, pp. 361-367)
 Read the Ethnographic Essay writing samples (in the Lesson 14
folder).
Activities: For Wednesday:


Use the Interview Paper Draft Review Sheet to respond to your
classmates' Interview Paper drafts in Lesson 12 folder.
Submit Short Writing Assignment #8, "Questioning Your Draft."
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Wednesday night of the week.
For Sunday:

Submit your Major Writing Assignment, "Interview Paper" final
draft to the Interview Paper drop box.
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Sunday night of the week.
Lesson 14: Final Ethnographic Essay
Time frame: April 21 to April 27, 2014
 Read the Lesson 14 Commentary.
Readings:
Activities: For Wednesday:

There are no writing assignments
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Wednesday night of the week.
For Sunday:

Post your Major Writing Assignment, "Ethnographic Essay" draft to
your group's discussion forum.
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Sunday night of the week.
Lesson 15: Writing and Reflection
Time frame: April 28 to May 2, 2014
 Read the Lesson 15 Commentary.
Readings:
Activities: For Wednesday:

Use the Ethnographic Essay Draft Review Sheet to respond to your
classmates' Ethnographic Essay drafts in Lesson 14.
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Wednesday night of the week.
For Friday:




Submit your Major Writing Assignment, "Ethnographic Essay" final
draft to the Ethnographic Essay drop box.
Submit the third set of your field notes to the Major Writing
Assignment, "Field Notes 3" drop box.
Submit Short Writing Assignment #9, "Reflection Paper."
Complete and submit your SRTE Evaluation.
Assignments are due by 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Friday night of the week.
NOTE: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate
to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to
meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and
deadlines, please see "Graduation" on the World Campus Student Policies website.
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State
Access Account userid and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials
for one year from the day the course began (with the exception of library reserves).
return to top of page
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity — scholarship free of fraud and deception — is an important educational
objective of Penn State. Academic dishonesty can lead to a failing grade or referral to the Office
of Student Conduct.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:







cheating
plagiarism
fabrication of information or citations
facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others
unauthorized prior possession of examinations
submitting the work of another person or work previously used without informing the
instructor and securing written approval
tampering with the academic work of other students
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, procedure requires an instructor to notify a
student of suspected dishonesty before filing a charge and recommended sanction with the
college. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a
charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity
Committee. If a disciplinary sanction also is recommended, the case will be referred to the Office
of Student Conduct.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by
college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic
integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students
receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course,
please contact us.
Additionally, World Campus students are expected to act with civility and personal integrity;
respect other students' dignity, rights, and property; and help create and maintain an environment
in which all can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment of academic
integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and others, and a civil community.
For More Information on Academic Integrity at Penn State
Please see the Academic Integrity Chart for specific college contact information or visit one of
the following URLs:


Penn State Senate Policy on Academic Integrity
iStudy for Success! — learn about plagiarism, copyright, and academic integrity through
an educational module

Turnitin a web-based plagiarism detection and prevention system
return to top of page
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every
Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Office for Disability Services
(ODS) website provides contact information for every Penn State campus: ODS Disability
Liaison Contact Information. For further information, please visit the Office for Disability
Services website.
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the
appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate
in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the ODS documentation guidelines.
If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s
disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter
with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as
possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
return to top of page
Late Assignment Policy
Please review the due dates as outlined in the course schedule. If you believe you will not have
access to a computer close to an assignment's due date, you should plan ahead and submit your
work early.
Anything submitted after 11:59 PM on the due date will be considered late, and the following
late deductions will apply:

There will be a 10% grade deduction for any late work including assignments, draft work,
and discussion forum postings and replies. After 2 days past the original due date, I will
no longer accept any late work, nor will I accept a batch posting of late work at the end of
the semester.

All assignment grades will be posted to your grade book within 5 days after the due date.
If you do not receive a grade by the start of the next lesson, then I have not received your
assignment in the proper drop box. It is your responsibility to review your grade book
throughout the semester.
If you have questions or concerns about assignments or grades, please contact me ASAP. Do not
wait until final grades have been posted to discuss assignments or grades with me.
return to top of page
Instructor Comments
Your instructor may use the "Comments" tool in Microsoft Word to respond to your writing. To
view and receive these comments, you must choose "Markup" from the "View" pulldown menu
in MS Word. The words "Final Showing Markup" will appear in the reviewing toolbar above
your document.
return to top of page
ENGL 202A Academic Integrity
You must do your own original work in English 202A and appropriately identify that portion of
your work which is collaborative with others, or borrowed from others, or which is your own
work from other contexts. Whenever you quote passages or use ideas from others, you are
legally and ethically obliged to acknowledge that use following appropriate conventions for
documenting sources. To borrow someone else’s work without acknowledging that use is an act
of academic as well as professional dishonesty, whether you borrow an entire report, a single
sentence or an original idea.
If you have doubts about whether or not your use of your own or other’s writing is plagiarism,
please contact me and I will be happy to discuss it with you. Following this primary principle: Be
up front and honest about what you are doing and about what you have contributed to a project.
Any act of plagiarism will result in an F for this course and may lead to disciplinary action by
Penn State University.
In addition to following the basic principles of fair use of others’ work, you are expected to
adhere to another basic principle: treat others with the respect that you would wish them to grant
you. “Others” includes the people you work for and with (classmates and instructor); the people
you write to (audience); and the people you write about (your informants). In the virtual
classroom, this principle includes respecting others’ opinions even when they differ from your
own.
return to top of page
Additional Policies
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g.,
upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and
encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special
arrangements need to be made.
For information about additional policies regarding items such as Penn State Access Accounts;
credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals
please see the World Campus Student Policies website.
return to top of page
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you
will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any
changes.