English 201 - The
Research Paper: Food
Sustainability
Spring Quarter 2013
Instructor: Ms. Pat
Andrus; Creator and Designer: Ms.
Martha Silano
Class Times: Online through Canvas course site
Classroom: None
EMAIL ADDRESS (only
method of communication): use my Canvas email
address. If Vista is not operating, use my campus email address: pandrus@bellevuecollege.edu
(If you send me email, please put your name and course name/number in the
subject line).
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 drafts; a spiral notebook, index cards, or a
computerized notebook/table 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
(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; 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 (synthesis):
100
Research Proposal: 50
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: 130
Peer Review
Participation: 130
Syllabus Quiz: 10
Scavenger Hunt: 10
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, and peer review of class
members writings.
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.
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, pandrus@bellevuecollege.edu. Unless the College dictates otherwise, I will expect that
you have in your possession hard copies of the 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/late
assignments/grace period: 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.
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 students are reminded 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. 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 located in B 132 or you can call our reception
desk at 425.564.2498. Deaf students can reach us by video phone at 425-440-2025
or by TTY at 425-564-4110. Please visit our website for application information
into our program and other helpful links at: www.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,
as for doing so is ultimately yours. Writing is hard work but you would not be 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.