1 Writing: Technlgy, Cultures and Sciety (WRA 110, sectin 734) WRAC 297 Bessey Hall Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 48824 SYLLABUS Shreelina Ghsh Online Office Hurs: Tuesdays 8 p.m. 10 p.m. (Eastern Time USA) n Angel Chat and IM (IM name: shreelina) r by appintment e-mail: ghshsh2@msu.edu Class website: <under cnstructin> Class ANGEL site : www.angel.msu.edu GOALS This writing curse will help yu generate sphisticated ideas and shape them cherently fr a cllege level audience. The fcus f this curse is the cultural and scial respnses t the technlgy in ur life. Specifically, we will explre critical questins related t the use f and culture surrunding cmputers and the impact f the Internet/Wrld Wide Web n American culture. This is a cmpletely nline asynchrnus curse. That means, all instructins will be available nline and there will be n regular schedule interactin between the student and instructr r teams. Writers learn best thrugh ccasins fr situated, hands-n practice in prcesses f rhetrical prductin and interpretatin. Keeping this and als the nature f the curse in mind, this curse is based heavily n activities, such as nline cllabrative applicatins and spaces fr inventin and revisin f written and visual texts, wrk in directed reading grups, participatin in electrnic discussins and design prjects, and individual and grup cnferences. We will engage in the creatin and develpment f cmpsitin thrugh inventin, drafting, revising, editing, and prfreading. By the time yu cmplete WRA 110, yu shuld be able t: identify and understand the audience(s) fr whm yu are writing strategies and practices f research, analysis, and critique understand why clarity, rganizatin, details, descriptin, examples, and supprt are crucial t effective cmmunicatin analyze and assess the impact f textual and visual arguments
2 evaluate the reliability f and apprpriateness f infrmatin surces (bth print and Internet) effectively write and edit the wrk yu will be called upn t prduce academically, prfessinally, persnally and publicly READINGS Required: Required readings fr each class perid will be psted n the WRA 110 schedule. Readings will be either nline readings available via the web r PDF files available in the ANGEL > Lessns > Readings flder. Lunsfrd, Andrea A. The Everyday Writer. Bstn and New Yrk: Bedfrd/St. Martin's, 2003. (with CD-ROM) Ballenger, Bruce P. The Curius Researcher: A Guide t Writing Research Papers. 6th ed. New Yrk: Pearsn Lngman, 2008. INSTRUCTIONAL FORMAT This is a fully virtual curse, which means that mre respnsibility falls n yur shulders t keep up with deadlines and requirements and t be fully present and engaged in nline discussins and class activities. Because this is a fully nline and asynchrnus curse, yu will have t wrk harder and take mre individual respnsibility t keep n track and n schedule with curse activities than yu wuld in a F2F class. Yu have t "attend class" by making sure t view the class lectures n time, as they are scheduled each week. (These "lectures" are PwerPint and vide files lcated n the ANGEL curse site.) Yu have t keep up with assignment due dates, making sure t turn in majr papers n time but als keeping up with assigned class activities (particularly cllabrative activities with yur classmates, like peer review), keeping up with reading and psting t class discussins in the blg and ANGEL discussin frums, and staying in tuch with the curse instructr (via email). I will hld weekly ffice hurs via Angel Chat and IM, but in case yu find me nline during sme ther time, by all means ping me t ask a questin. Yur virtual presence and participatin in this curse are very imprtant participatin in nline activities will cntribute twards 100 pints f yur verall grade in the curse. The #1 mst imprtant lcatin fr this curse is the WRA 110 curse schedule. Make sure t check the schedule regularly. The schedule tells yu what is due and what wrk yu need t d each week. Fr any clarificatin, email r IM me r chat with me.
3. COURSE REQUIREMENTS The fllwing specificatins are imprtant fr successful cmpletin f the curse: Weekly reading assignments and writing activities. Timely cmpletin f ALL majr assignments. Regular interactin with instructr and peers. Regular psts t the discussin frums and blg as per prject requirement Other specificatins Make sure yu can access PwerPint, MS Wrd, Yutube vides Make sure yu have created a blg in blgger.cm. Yu are welcme t pst yur picture in the blg if yu want. Yu may write yur assignments in MSWORD dcuments Times New Rman duble spaced fnt size 12 ne inch margins n all sides. MLA frmat will be preferred in class. In case yu want t use sme ther frmat, be cnsistent with the same. Yu will receive mre detailed instructins n this. ALL assignments must be submitted in.dc frmat (NOT.dcx) D nt submit PDFs. If yu cannt uplad large files in Angel, create a free accunt in www.yusendit.cm. This site will enable yu t uplad big files and send me the link s that I can access it easily. Ask me if yu intend t use this resurce and have questins. If yu have an IM name which is nt yur real name, please intrduce yurself at the beginning f ur cnversatin. Since we are a cmputerized curse and will be handing in ur assignments electrnically, we need t establish a standard way f naming ur dcuments t ensure that we can keep accurate recrds. I wuld like yu t use the fllwing file naming cnventin: Each assignment's file name shuld begin with yur last name, fllwed by the number f that prject, fllwed by a dt [.], fllwed by the letters dc, r whatever file extensin yur wrd prcessr may use. S, fr example, if Emily Taylr were naming her first prject final paper using these cnventins, her first assignment wuld be called taylr1_final.dc. Each subsequent assignment is numbered accrdingly. In case f subassignments, she wuld name it taylr2_prpsal.dc. Her ther files may be taylr3_draft.dc, taylr4_presentatin.ppt and s n.
4 COURSE POLICIES Attendance and participatin: Because this is a fully nline curse, yu will actually have t wrk harder t Yu will need t actively participate and engage thers in the class each week frequently and substantively thrugh pstings t the scial netwrking site and t discussin frums, thrugh feedback n papers, and thrugh interactin with the instructr. Yu are required t pst cmments r respnses t cmments as and when required in the prjects. Yur pstings shuld be serius and substantial effrts t participate in the discussin, t get t knw thers in the class, and t help cntribute t everyne's learning. The lcatins fr class participatin are Blg, ANGEL discussin frum, Email, IM, ANGEL Chat. Yu shuld visit these lcatins frequently each week f the curse and keep up with the class discussin in thse lcatins. These are the places where class discussin will happen, and it's imprtant nt nly that yu POST regularly but als that yu READ the discussins t understand what is happening in the class and what is expected. Online Etiquette and decrum: Yu are expected t treat thers in the curse with respect and penness. This respect includes rm fr disagreement and debate, and at the same time, calls each f us t listen deeply t different pints f view. Hate speech and ther frms f disrespect will nt be tlerated. Fr mre n netiquette, refer t : http://nline.uwc.edu/technlgy/nletiquette.asp Reading: Careful reading is an imprtant frm f participatin in this curse. Assigned readings are intended t help yu understand the writing assignments and spark ideas fr paper tpics. Late plicy: The plicy fr late paper submissin is -- NO LATE SUBMISSION. Hwever, if yu are faced with a persnal r medical emergency and have already turned in ne late assignment yu will need t make arrangements with me as much in advance f the due date as pssible. Revisins: Yu may chse t revise yur graded papers t attempt t imprve grades. All revised papers shuld be submitted by July 22. Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the act f using language and ideas frm published surces withut prper attributin (see yur Spartan Student Handbk fr plicies n Academic Hnesty, pp. 76-77). Michigan State University has adpted the fllwing statement abut academic plicy: The principles f truth and hnesty are fundamental t the educatinal prcess and the academic integrity f the University; therefre, n student shall: claim r submit the academic wrk f anther as ne s wn. prcure, prvide, accept r use any materials cntaining questins r answers t any examinatin r assignment withut prper authrizatin. cmplete r attempt t cmplete any assignment r examinatin fr anther individual withut prper authrizatin.
5 allw any examinatin r assignment t be cmpleted fr neself, in part r in ttal, by anther withut prper authrizatin. alter, tamper with, apprpriate, destry r therwise interfere with the research, resurces, r ther academic wrk f anther persn. fabricate r falsify data r results. Prcedures fr respnding t cases f academic hnesty and pssible repercussins are utlined in Spartan Life: Student Handbk and Resurce Guide. They can als be fund n the web at: http://www.msu.edu/unit/mbud/hnestylinks.html Plagiarism can be a wide range f things, sme f which yu may knw abut and thers that may surprise yu. Buying papers nline r ther places, cutting and pasting frm the Internet, using anther writer s ideas withut giving prper credit (citing) all cnstitute plagiarism. Any time yu qute smene, yu need t cite them. Even paraphrasing shuld include a citatin. Plagiarism als includes having smene else write a paper fr yu. Any frm f plagiarism is a serius academic ffense and will result in a failing grade n the assignment. A secnd ffense will result in failure f the curse. Disability plicy: MSU cmplies with all federal and state laws and regulatins regarding discriminatins, including the Americans with Disabilities Act f 1990 ( ADA ). In rder t receive any accmmdatin fr any disability, yu must register with the http://www.rcpd.msu.edu Resurce Center fr Persns with Disabilities. MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS 1. Digital technlgy reflectin essay Q: Hw have recent develpments in digital technlgy changed, fr better r fr wrse, hw yu cmmunicate, hw yu learn and access infrmatin, and/r hw yu interact with thers? 2. Digital Dcument Analysis Q: What are the varius ways in which with which culture-specific websites are rhetrically persuasive t the specific audience that it is targeting? 3. Team blg and reflectin Q: Hw is the theme f surveillance in mdern sciety addressed by tw mvies? Are they true reflectins f surveillance in ur wn life? What are the benefits and harm f technlgy and surveillance? 4. Individual research prject/paper, Anntated Bibligraphy and PwerPint presentatin Develp a research prject n a tpic related t the verall curse theme, Technlgy, Cultures and Sciety. Yu may use yur earlier prjects as ways t explre ideas and cllect resurces fr this individual prject. Detailed descriptin f assignments, samples, rubric and ther materials will be prvided.
6 EVALUATION Prject Pints Digital technlgy reflectin essay 50 Digital Dcument Analysis 50 Team blg and reflectin 50+50 Individual research prject/paper, 100+50+50 including Anntated Bibligraphy and PwerPint presentatin Participatin 100 Ttal 500 The final curse grade will cnvert t the University's 4-pint scale as fllws Scre Percentage Grade 500-467.5 93.5-100% 4.0 467.5-432.5 86.5-93.5% 3.5 432.5-397.5 79.5-86.5% 3.0 397.5-372.5 74.5-79.5% 2.5 372.5-347.5 69.5-74.5% 2.0 347.5-322.5 64.5-69.5% 1.5 322.5-302.5 60-64.5% 1.0 <302.5 <60% r incmpletin r plagiarizatin 0 SERVICES AND RESOURCES Please take advantage f these wnderful resurces that yu are paying fr: MSU Writing Center: http://writing.msu.edu 432-3610. 300 Bessey Hall. The primary writing resurce n campus. MSU ESL Lab: http://elc.msu.edu/esl_lab.html 353-0800. 714 Wells Hall. Specifically designed t assist internatinal students with writing in a secnd language. MSU Learning Resurce Center: http://www.msu.edu/user/lrc/ 202 Bessey Hall. Offers individualized assistance t help students develp successful learning strategies and study habits. MSU Libraries: http://www.lib.msu.edu/ MSU Micrlabs: http://micrlabs.msu.edu/ A link t ther resurces t help yu thrive and survive and MSU. www.msu.edu/current/services.html WRAC wiki : http://www.fli.wide.msu.edu Please, if yu ever feel as thugh yu are falling behind r cannt keep up, talk with me abut yur cncerns. Tgether we will wrk ut a slutin. D nt cut crners r take matters int yur wn hands. Invlve me.