Readings
Chapter 14 in They Say/I Say – “Reading for the Conversation”
Part V in The Craft of Research - “The Ethics of Research”
Class Exercise
We'll read an article and discuss not just the academic, but the professional implications of plagiarism. We'll also consider how AI relates to academic integrity.
Assignment
In-Class Diagnostic Essay
Readings
Introduction and Chapter 1 in They Say/I Say – “Entering the Conversation” and “Starting with What Others Are Saying”
Chapter 1 in The Craft of Research – “Thinking in Print”
Class Exercise
We'll examine how others enter the conversation across disciplines.
Assignment Due
Essay 1
Readings
Chapter 2 in They Say/I Say – “The Art of Summarizing”
Chapter 2 in The Craft of Research – “Connecting with Your Reader”
Class Exercise
We'll read an article together and summarize it using templates from They Say/I Say.
Assignment Due
Essay 2
Readings
Chapter 3 in They Say/I Say – “The Art of Quoting”
Chapter 3 in The Craft of Research – “From Topics to Questions”
Class Exercise
We'll read an article together as a class and paraphrase that article, but in this paraphrase, we'll include a quotation. We'll look at different ways to include our quotations and how to properly cite.
Assignment Due
Essay 3
Readings
Chapters 4 and 15 in They Say/I Say – “Three Ways to Respond” and “Research as Conversation”
Chapter 4 in The Craft of Research – “From Questions to Problems”
Class Exercise
First, we'll briefly dissect some of the articles we've read, locating the topic, the question, and the problem. Is the problem practical or conceptual? What is the situation or condition? What are the consequences? Then, in groups, we'll come up with a research topic and question, and we'll begin to consider potential problems.
In groups, we'll brainstorm for our problems. Basically, we'll form a hypothetical argument. An argument is formed by a set of claims. Those claims are supported by reasons and evidence. We haven't done much research, but we'll brainstorm some claims and consider the reasons and evidence that would support those claims. Claims must be supported by reasons and evidence because...
Claim → Reason → Evidence
We can make sense of our claims using the phrases because and based on.
[Claim] because [Reason] based on [Evidence]
Assignment Due
Essay 4
Readings
Chapter 5 in They Say/I Say – “And Yet: Distinguishing What You Say from What They Say”
Chapter 5 in The Craft of Research – “From Problems to Solutions”
Class Exercise
Library Visit and Group Library Project
Assignment Due
Essay 5
Readings
Chapter 6 in They Say/I Say – “Skeptics May Object: Planting a Naysayer in Your Text”
Chapters 6 and 10 in The Craft of Research – Engaging Sources" and "Acknowledgement and Responses”
Class Exercise
In groups, we'll consider objections to some of the arguments in articles we've read together.
Assignment Due
Hand in Group Library Project from Last Week
Readings
Chapter 7 in They Say/I Say – “So What? Who Cares?: Saying Why It Matters”
Chapters 7 and 8 in The Craft of Research – “Making Good Arguments” and “Making Claims”
Class Exercise
We'll review the parts of an annotation, described in detail on Owl Purdue's guide. It is worth noting, though, that we already know how to summarize/paraphrase, and we did this in our Group Library Project.
I have selected some of the sources and summaries from our Group Library Project. In groups, we'll assess and reflect on those sources, too. That is how we have a complete annotation.
Assignment Due
First Half of Annotated Bibliography
Readings
Chapter 8 in They Say/I Say – “As a Result: Connecting the Parts”
Chapters 9 and 11 in The Craft of Research – “Assembling Reasons and Evidence” and “Warrants”
Class Exercise
We'll watch Tom Nicholas' video on How to Write an Abstract and look at Philip Koopman's essay. Then, in groups, we'll tackle the components of an effective abstract to write a working abstract for our class essay. Our working abstract will include the following:
Motivation
Problem Statement
Approach
Results (Nicholas' Conclusion)
Conclusion (Nicholas' Impact)
Assignment Due
Completed Annotated Bibliography
Readings
Chapter 9 in They Say/I Say – “You Mean I Can Say It That Way?: Academic Writing Doesn’t Mean Setting Aside Your Own Voice
Chapter 12 in The Craft of Research – “Planning”
Class Exercises
We'll reverse outline an effective essay.
We'll then analyze that structure to craft a working outline for the class essay we're writing, drawing on our class working abstract and annotated bibliography.
Assignment Due
Working Abstract
Readings
Chapter 10 in They Say/I Say – “But Don’t Get Me Wrong: The Art of Metacommentary”
Chapters 13 and 16 in The Craft of Research – “Drafting Your Report” and “Introductions and Conclusions”
Class Exercise
In groups, we'll draft introductions for our class essay. Our introductions will have the following parts:
Hook - Engage your reader with one of the following tools: the topic itself, a relevant quote, a definition, an anecdote, a statistic, or a question.
Link - We'll link our hook to our argument; this is often background information.
Problem - What is the problem or debate we're addressing?
Thesis - This is our argument.
(Optional) Roadmap - For longer essays and in some fields, we provide a brief outline of what we’ll discuss in our paper
Assignment Due
Working Outline
Class Exercise
In groups, we'll draft paragraphs planned in our outline, using the TEXAS, TEEL, and the Uneven U methods.
TEXAS
T - Topic Sentence: The topic is the problem, the question we’re trying to answer. In fact, it is sometimes effective when drafting to begin by asking a rhetorical question. This either states or leads to a claim or proposition.
E - Explanation: Explain your (reasons for your) claim or proposition.
X - eXamples: The examples are (reasons and) evidence to support claims and propositions.
A - Ask yourself if you’ve answered the question: If you haven’t, say more.
S - So What?: What are the implications of our claim? (Use language from that topic sentence.) How does this connect to the next point?
TEEL
T - Topic Sentence: The topic is the problem, the question we’re trying to answer. In fact, it is sometimes effective when drafting to begin by asking a rhetorical question. This either states or leads to a claim or proposition.
E - Explanation: Explain your (reasons for your) claim or proposition.
E - Examples/Evidence: The examples are (reasons and) evidence to support claims and propositions.
L - Link: What are the implications of our claim? (Use language from that topic sentence.) How does this connect to the next point?
The Uneven U
(from Eric Hayot’s book The Elements of Academic Style)
A well-written paragraph contains sentences across five levels of abstraction, with five (5) being the most abstract and one (1) being the least abstract, the most factual. Those levels are as follows:
Level 5 - abstract, general; oriented towards a solution or conclusion
Level 4 - less general; oriented towards a problem; pulls ideas together
Level 3 - conceptual summary (i.e., explanation); draws together two or more pieces of evidence, or introduces a broad example.
Level 2 - description; plain or interpretative summary (i.e., state your claim or proposition); establishing shot
Level 1 - concrete; evidentiary; raw, unmediated data or information.
Assignment Due
First Draft
Class Exercise
In groups, we'll draft conclusions for our class essay, using the 5 C's Method:
Close the Loop: Return to a statement from your introduction.
Conclude: What is your final position? (Restate your argument/thesis.)
Clarify: Reiterate the problem.
Concern: For whom and why does this matter? (This is where you also think, again, about your audience/readers.)
Consequences: What are the implications? What might happen if…? This could also include a call to action.
Assignment Due
Second Draft; Peer Feedback
Readings
Chapter 11 in They Say/I Say – “What I Really Want to Say Is: Revising Substantially”
Chapter 14 in The Craft of Research – “Revising Your Organization and Argument”
Chapter 17 in The Craft of Research – “Revising Style”
Class Exercise
In groups, we'll revise our class essay.
Assignment Due
Third Draft; Peer Review
Class Exercise
But why? And, where can we apply what we've learned?