Course Syllabus - Winter 2014
English
201 -- The Research Paper: Food, Glorious, Food!
Instructor:
Ms. Martha Silano
Class
Times: Online through Canvas course site
Classroom: None
OFFICE: R230K
OFFICE
HOURS: By appointment only
OFFICE
PHONE: (425) 564-2078 (messages forwarded to my campus email address)
EMAIL
ADDRESS (preferred method of communication): use my Canvas email
address. If Canvas is not operating, use my campus email address: msilano@bellevuecollege.edu (If you send me email, please put your name and
course name/number in the subject line).
SKYPE: My user
name is martha.silano. I am happy to Skype with you
about course-related issues, including assignment expectations and guidelines,
grading policies, etc. However, I will not always be immediately available, so
if you have a pressing issue please use email to set up a time.
AFFIRMATION
OF INCLUSION: Bellevue College is committed to maintaining an environment in
which every member of the campus community feels welcome to participate in the
life of the college, free from harassment and discrimination. We value our
different backgrounds at Bellevue College, and students, faculty, staff
members, and administrators are to treat one another with dignity and
respect. http://bellevuecollege.edu/about/goals/inclusion.asp
Modality/Participation: This is
a 100% online class. This means that we do not meet face-to-face (ftf) in a traditional classroom, and that all assignments,
discussions, and related course work will be conducted on our Canvas course
site. Active (5x a week minimum) participation in our online community is
mandatory; that is, to pass this course, you must log in to our course site and
participate regularly (five days a week) and complete the assigned work,
including online discussions, posting and critiquing rough draft essays, and
submitting your finalized assignments to the instructor. The course is organized
using learning modules (labeled Week 1, Week 2, etc., through Week 11). Please
read the Course Syllabus and Getting Started information carefully to find out
all the essential information about successfully completing this course, then
head to the Week 1 learning module to find out what to do next.
Access: Canvas
may be accessed via the following URL: http://bc.instructure.com.
If you run into problems with Canvas, please contact the Help Desk at extension
4357 or visit them: http://depts.bellevuecollege.edu/ir/help-desk-location-hours/.
This
course syllabus, detailed weekly schedules, assignment guidelines, and all
supplemental materials and links are available on our Canvas course site.
REQUIRED
MATERIALS: a 2-pocket folder or three-ring binder for
saving hard-copy drafts of your essays and assignments leading up to and
including the final research paper; a spiral notebook, index cards, or a
computerized notebook/tablet for taking research notes; access to a reliable
computer with an ISP, Web Browser, and a word processing program. You should
also have a back-up computer (campus computer lab, library, friend)
with the same available services ready at your disposal should your primary
computer fail you. Preferred: An external method of backing up your computer
files (iCloud, Dropbox, flash drive, memory stick, etc.).
IF YOU
DO NOT OWN A COMPUTER OR HAVE ACCESS TO ONE: There
is an open computer lab on campus in N250. They have over 200 PCs and Macs for
student use. If you are using a campus computer, make sure that you save your
work externally (or email it to yourself), so you do not accidentally lose
access to it.
GETTING
YOUR COMPUTER SKILLS UP TO SPEED AND GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH CANVAS:
For information
on accessing course materials online: http://depts.bellevuecollege.edu/ir/students/studentguide/class-sites/
Canvas
Student Orientation at Bellevue College: https://bc.instructure.com/courses/411354
Canvas
Student Guide: http://guides.instructure.com/m/4212
COURSE
THEME: Rather than writing a research paper about anything under the
sun, this course requires you to limit your scope to a topic relevant to the
course theme of food sustainability. Sustainable food
practices are ones that could conceivably continue in perpetuity without damage
to culture, the environment, or to those people who live in proximity to or who
work to grow, harvest, and distribute the food being produced. Sustainability, having
its root in sustain, also relates to the eating of food that
sustains rather than causing illness or disease. When we label a practice sustainable,
we are also considering the degree to which this practice preserves
biodiversity, achieves its affects by taking small actions that lead to large
impacts, and fosters healthy and just economies, along with taking into
consideration the impact the practice will make on the local ecosystem.
Sustainability skills include intellectual openness, a sensitivity to
cross-cultural perspectives, an ability to work collaboratively in groups, an
ability to think laterally (connect the dots), an ability to reflect on how our
personal choices affect sustainability, thinking critically and relying heavily
on observation and empiricism, practicing civic responsibility, and reflecting
on our own knowledge, values, and commitment through a variety of media,
including literary and artistic expression.
As a
student in a sustainability-themed course, you will be expected to consider the
local as well as global impact of your personal choices when it comes to food
purchasing and consumption, including how far your food has traveled to get to
your plate, how your food is grown, produced, processed, packaged, and disposed
of. You will also be expected to make connections between small changes in
behavior and potentially huge global impacts. This video presents a fine
introduction to this course:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_2rD5qYzKg&feature=related
The final research paper assignment, along with a working list of
potential topics are posted in Assignments. My hope is that as a class we will
generate even more topic ideas. Before you start to freak out about
having to write and 8-10 page paper about food, take a deep breath and have a
look at the list, where a great many topics are open to you within this broad
category.
REQUIRED
TEXTS:
Ballenger,
Bruce. The Curious Researcher: A Guide to Writing Research
Papers. 7th Ed. Pearson: Longman: 2009. ISBN: 0-205-66611-6.
Pollan, Michael. Food Rules. New
York: Penguin, 2008 ISBN: 10-014311638X
RECOMMENDED SUPPLEMENTAL TEXTS:
Grammar
book, dictionary, & thesaurus.
RECOMMENDED
SUPPLIES: calendar/date book for listing due dates, tasks, etc., a
good dictionary, trips to the BC Writing Lab in D-204-D (make an appointment by
calling 425-564-2200).
COURSE
OBJECTIVES:
Students
who complete this course should, by the end of the quarter, be able to write professional
quality essays, critically evaluate and synthesize texts, use a breadth of
library and online resources, assess and cite those sources properly, revise
and edit their own writing as well as the writing of their peers, produce an 8-
to 10-page humanities-style research paper that adheres to MLA guidelines, and
be familiar with the terminology of the writing process. In terms of the course
theme, the student, by the end of the quarter, will be amply prepared to be a
responsible citizen in a globally interconnected and diverse society. S/he will
also increase his/her understanding regarding the link between food and
culture, the negative consequences of industrialized, processed, and
profit-motivated food production, the relationship between food and health,
local and alternative food systems, the issue of local and world hunger, and
contemporary food movements such as locavorism and
the slow food movement.
COURSE
CONTENT: This quarter you will read, discuss, and write about the
assigned texts; complete two formal essays relating to the course theme;
produce a research proposal, annotated bibliography, outline, and research
paper rough draft; analyze and peer edit essays and papers written by your
classmates; practice locating, assessing reliability of, assimilating and
documenting sources; interview an expert in your chosen area of inquiry;
produce a formal 8- to 10-page research paper; and write informally and
reflectively (in the form of journal entries and self-reflections),
assessing your own progress as a writer and an active participant in online
discussions.
GRADING: Each
assigned essay will be accompanied by a stand-alone assignment sheet with
specific guidelines, along with a grading rubric.
Grading
breakdown/points:
Essay
1 (summary & response): 100
Essay 2
(argument): 100
Research
Proposal: 50
Farmer's
Market Visit/Report: 25
Interview
Self-Assessment: 25
Annotated
Bibliography: 50
Rough
Research Paper Outline: 50
Research
Paper Rough Draft: 100
Final
Research Paper: 200
Weekly
journal entries: 50
Weekly
Online Discussions: 100
Peer
Review Participation (25 x 4): 100
Scavenger
Hunt: 10
Syllabus
Quiz: 10
Final
Presentation: 25
Course
Evaluation:
5
TOTAL
POINTS: 1,000
Methods
of Instruction:
Short
online lectures, field research and data collection/analysis, analysis of
readings, online weekly discussions, assignments, and study questions, peer
review of class members writings, impromptu grammar and writing assignments,
and other relevant activities.
General
Assessment: Your grade will depend on your abilities to demonstrate mastery
of the skills and activities described above. Since writing is above all
process-oriented, your grade will be evaluated in part by your efforts and
class participation.
Personal
Responsibility: I understand that personal and family illness, work-related
stress, grieving for lost loved ones, and related interferences can and do
happen from time to time, but if you want to receive a good grade and have a
valuable experience in this class, you must participate in the
discussions and submit all assignments in a timely
(sequential) fashion. Complete the assigned reading and video viewing, get
your assignments in on time, participate actively and thoughtfully in the
online discussions, and ask for help at an appropriate time (i.e., before you
are in deep trouble) and you should be able to pass this class. Please
ask questions if an assignment or expectation is not clear to you, either via
email or Skype. I am here to support you in your learning but need to
know from you how best to do this.
In
summary, to receive the highest grade you should do all of the following:
·
participate regularly in online discussions and peer
reviews;
·
carefully read and assimilate assigned readings on
time;
·
finish and turn in assignments, including drafts, by the stated
due dates;
·
complete peer
reviews and private journal entries as assigned (weekly).
Note:
Your final paper must adhere to MLA citation guidelines—containing both a Works
Cited and in-text parenthetical notations—in order for it to receive a passing
grade. I repeat: papers that lack either a works cited,
parenthetical citations, or both, will receive an automatic zero; this includes
the rough draft research paper as well as the final research paper.
Canvas
Outages: If our
class site crashes or goes off-line temporarily, it is best to reach me through
my campus email address,msilano@bellevuecollege.edu. Unless the College dictates otherwise, I will
expect that you have in your possession hard copies of the calendar and
syllabus, and/or whatever assignment we are working on, and can continue doing
your work during temporary outages. Please check your campus email often to
stay apprised of when/if Canvas has its usual share of technical glitches and
burps this quarter.
Class
Policies
Student
Behavior/Classroom Atmosphere: You will be expected to comport
yourself in a respectful and thoughtful manner as you post our ideas and
opinions to the Discussions area, and when commenting on the work/comments of
your classmates. Please join me in making the atmosphere in this class
supportive, comfortable, & positive. What I ask of you is a sincere commitment
to the course theme and in learning how to write a research paper, including a
willingness to explore new ways of generating ideas for and revising your own
work and the work of your classmates. While communicating online, the same
level of respect and courtesy applies. Remember: do not ever say anything in
writing that you would not say to someone in person (ftf). Let us all strive to be kind and respectful
this quarter as we provide constructive feedback and create and sustain a
positive and productive learning community.
If
a student addresses a student or the instructor inappropriately, I will provide
specifics in writing as to what behavior must be stopped, reiterate my
expectation of civility and an atmosphere conducive to learning, and warn of a
referral to the Dean of Student Services. If the misbehavior continues, the
student will be reported to the Dean of Student Services for possible
probation, suspension, or expulsion.
Withdrawals: Students
who are not making satisfactory progress in the course (not participating, not
completing assignments) will be advised to withdraw from the course to avoid
receiving an F grade (0) on his/her transcript. Please refer
to the BC Academic Calendar for relevant deadlines.
Paper
format: I expect all assignments to be typed on a computer using a
word processing system that interfaces with Canvas; MS Word is the preferred
program for this class. Manuscript formatting guidelines are available in the
learning module labeled Course Essentials.
Submission
of Assignments After the Deadline ("late"
work): Unless I have made arrangements with a student prior to the due
date, all major assignments are due on the date listed in the on the
Canvas calendar. If you anticipate that you will not be able to meet a
deadline, please contact me via email before the assignment is due, so
that we may work out a solution. If you submit an assignment late without
contacting me about extending the deadline, your assignment will be
marked down an automatic ten (10) points for every day it is late (up to five
days late). That means if an assignment worth 100 points is turned
in after 11:59 PM on the day it is due, it will automatically be marked off 10
points (90/100). If it comes in two days after the due date, the base point
value will be an 80. Work will not be accepted after five days have passed
since the initial deadline (that means that if something is due on a Friday,
you must submit it by the following Wednesday to receive any credit at all).
Please calendar due dates and use your smartphone's "alert" feature
to remind you of upcoming due dates. Do not expect me to overlook these
policies - I will remain firm on deducting ten points per day. Since I very
much strive to be a fair and equitable instructor, please do not ask me to make
special considerations regarding my late policy. I appreciate it!
Option
to Revise: You will have the option of revising essays 1 or 2
after I have graded them. Revisions are due during the tail end of the quarter
(Week 9). I will grade the revised essay and then average it
with the grade you initially received on the paper. This averaged grade will be
your final grade for the essay.
Heads
Up About Saving Your Work: Every quarter I remind students to
print out their drafts and/or save their work on a flash drive, and every
quarter I have students who tell me they lost their only copy of their essay
when their hard drive crashed or their computer broke or got stolen. Please
note: destroyed, lost, or erased documents will not exempt you from the rules regarding
late papers (1/2 grade deducted per day). Do not say I did not warn
you.
Plagiarism:
Using the words or ideas of someone else as if they are your own (or allowing
someone else to use your words or ideas as their own) is grounds for denial of
credit (receiving an F for the course). Document sources as taught in The
Curious Researcher. We will go over this in class so you are sure
what constitutes plagiarism, whether intentional or through carelessness.
Please visit and read the Avoiding Plagiarism page on the BC Writing Lab web
site. In order to reduce the temptation to plagiarize, I will not
accept a final research paper unless a research proposal, annotated
bibliography, rough outline, and rough draft have been submitted in
advance. Please read this information on plagiarism carefully: http://bellevuecollege.edu/lmc/links/plagiarism.html; there
will be a quiz on this material, along with the contents of the syllabus, at
the start of the quarter.
Ownership:
The work that you turn in under your name is expected to be your original work,
written for this course and to the specifications of the assignment.
Although you are encouraged to seek feedback on your writing from others and
from the BC Writing Lab, the writing must be demonstrably and essentially your
own. Save drafts, outlines and other preliminary steps toward
your finished work, just in case a question of ownership arises.
The
Disability Resource Center: The DRC serves students with a wide array
of learning challenges and disabilities. If you are a student who has a
disability or learning challenge for which you have documentation or have seen
someone for treatment and if you feel you may need accommodations in order to
be successful in college, please contact us as soon as possible. The DRC office
is temporarily located in the Library Media Center on the first floor, in room
D126. You can also call their reception desk at 425.564.2498. Deaf
students can reach the DRC by video phone at 425-440-2025 or by TTY at
425-564-4110. Please visit their website for application information into their
program and other helpful links atwww.bellevuecollege.edu/drc
If you
are a person who requires assistance in case of an emergency situation, such as
a fire, earthquake, etc, please meet with your individual
instructors to develop a safety plan within the first week of the quarter.
Public
Safety Department: The Bellevue College (BC) Public Safety
Department has well-trained and courteous non-commissioned staff that provide
personal safety, security, crime prevention, preliminary investigations, and
other services to the campus community, 24 hours per day, 7 days per
week. Their phone number is 425.564.2400. The Public Safety website
is your one-stop resource for campus emergency preparedness information, campus
closure announcements and critical information in the event of an emergency.
Public Safety is located in K100 and on the web at: http://bellevuecollege.edu/publicsafety/
Some
last thoughts: To succeed in this class, you must participate regularly
in the online discussions, be able to learn independently, stay on task, and
communicate well with others. As with any college class, you can expect
to do a minimum of 10 hours of homework each week. For most,
online and hybrid courses are not easier than grounded ones; if anything, they
present more challenges as they require a great deal of self-motivation and
independent learning. I expect you to take responsibility for your success in
this class, and I am here to support you in that, but the responsibility for
doing so is ultimately yours. Having said that, please do not hesitate to
contact me if you feel confused or overwhelmed. Writing is hard work but
you would not placed in this class if we did not
think you could succeed. Do not be afraid to ask for help, but do take
risks with your writing and to try to have fun with it, too. If we commit
to being respectful of each other and our ideas and writing, we can have a
great quarter together.
Note: There
is no final exam scheduled for this class.
BC GRADE SCALE:
A
93-100%
A-
92-89%
B+
88-86%
B
85-82%
B-
81-79%
C+
78-76%
C
75-73%
C-
72-69%
D+ 68-66%
D
65
F
00-64%
FINAL
GRADING SCALE (BASED ON 1,000 POINTS):
|
Letter
Grade |
Number
Grade |
#
of Points |
|
A |
4.0-3.8 |
1000-930 |
|
A- |
3.7-3.4 |
929-890 |
|
B+ |
3.3-3.1 |
889-860 |
|
B |
3.0-2.8 |
859-820 |
|
B- |
2.7-2.4 |
819-790 |
|
C+ |
2.3-2.1 |
789-760 |
|
C |
2.0-1.8 |
759-730 |
|
C- |
1.7-1.4 |
729-690 |
|
D+ |
1.3-1.1 |
689-660 |
|
D |
1.0 |
659-650 |
|
F |
|
649
& below |
In
general it takes me about a week to read and grade major assignments, including
the final research essay. I will submit final grades via the Instructor
Briefcase during finals week.
Pertinent
Phone Numbers: Public Safety: (425) 564-2400. Use this number for medical
emergencies, fire, theft, lost & found, for a jump start or to unlock
vehicles.
Library
Media Center Reference Desk: (425) 564-6161 http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/lmc/
BC
Counseling Center: (425) 564-2212 (B234) http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/hdc/
Please
review the Arts & Humanities division standards: http://bellevuecollege.edu/ArtsHum/policy.html
This
syllabus functions as a contract between me (the instructor) and you (the
student). I will work hard to abide by these policies; in turn, I expect you to
familiarize yourself with course requirements and instructor expectations, to
review them if you are unsure about a particular policy, and to contact me asap if you are unclear about my expectations or policies.
While
our time together this quarter will be 100% virtual, I have found in that
steady concerted effort to participate often and with diligence/care
can serve us well to create a productive and nurturing online community. I
look forward to being part of such a thriving online community, and to working
with each of you this quarter.