ENGLISH 525WS: Introduction to Writing Studies

               Fall 2021

            Professor Santosh Khadka

santosh.khadka@csun.edu Class # 21271

Tuesday 7-9:45 on Zoom

Office Hours—Monday 11-12 on Zoom

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

English 525 deals with the many fascinating topics that are addressed in the field of Writing Studies, including process, invention, revision, argument, critical thinking, genre, media, assessment, and rhetorical reading and composition of alphabetic and digital texts. A key component of this course is the idea of connection: connection between composition theories and pedagogical practices, connection between reading and writing, connection between print and digital texts, and connection and collaboration among students in the class. The course will also include reflection. Through reading and discussion, students will develop their own comprehensive and coherent concept of what we mean when we talk about “writing” at a time when digital media are becoming increasingly important, consider what makes writing effective, examine how people learn to write, and explore the many political, ideological, and modal issues associated with the practice and teaching of varied forms of writing, including multimodal compositions. 

STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. To enable students to demonstrate their understanding of the theories of rhetoric and composition that are important in the field of Writing Studies;
2. To enable students to demonstrate their awareness of how they learned to write;
3. To enable students to demonstrate the use of strategies that can contribute to writing improvement;
4. To enable students to demonstrate their understanding of how reading and writing are interconnected; 5. To enable students to examine the connection between print and digital media texts;
5. To enable students to produce texts in multiple media. 

TEXTS:

1. 1. Naming What We Know, Classroom Edition: Threshold Concepts of Writing Studies, edited by  Linda Adler-Kassner, and Elizabeth Wardle (‎Utah State University Press; Classroom edition) June 15, 2016. ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1607325772
   2. A Guide to Composition Pedagogies 2nd Edition, edited by Gary Tate, Amy Rupiper Taggart, Kurt Schick, H. Brooke Hessler (‎Oxford University Press).  November 30, 2013. ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0199922161
   3. Bridging the Multimodal Gap: From Theory to Practice, edited by  Santosh Khadka, and J. C. Lee (Utah State University Press. April 15, 2019. ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1607327967
   4. Everyone’s an Author: 2021 MLA Update, edited by Andrea Lunsford, Michal Brody, Lisa Ede, Beverly Moss, Carole Clark Papper, and Keith Walters (W. W. Norton & Company; Third edition. August 16, 2021. ISBN-13 ‏: ‎ 978-0393885699

Supplemental readings will be uploaded to Canvas as PDFs. 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

#1- Paired discussion leaders (5%)

#2- Micro-presentation on a writing theory or pedagogy in the class (10%)

#4-Writing Classroom or Writing Center observation report (10%)

#5-Book Review (10%)

#6-Teaching Philosophy Statement (10%)

#7-Research Proposal and Annotated Bibliography for 10 sources (15%)

#8- Seminar paper (10-12 pages) on a theory or pedagogy of your choosing (20%)

#9-5 min. video on the same theory or pedagogy (10%)

#10-Blog Response to Course Readings (10%)

Schedule

Week 1 (Synchronous Class)

Tuesday, August 31 

Introductions (August 31)
Review course requirements

Group work on the following readings:

Hairston— “The Winds of Change–Thomas Kuhn and the Revolution in the Teaching of Writing” (PDF in Canvas)

Berlin— “Contemporary Composition: The Major Pedagogical Theories” (PDF in Canvas)

Lauer– “Composition Studies: Dappled Discipline” (PDF in Canvas)

Set up personal websites

 

Week 2, Sept. 7 (Asynchronous Class)

From Naming What We Know–

Concept 1: “Writing Is a Social and Rhetorical Activity“ (17-34)

Concept 2: “Writing Speaks to Situations Through Recognizable Forms” (35-46)

From Guide to Comp Pedagogies “Introduction” (1-19)

 From Bridging the Multimodal Gap: Chapter One–“On Multimodality: A Manifesto” (Wyosocki et al.17-29)

Blog Response 1 Due on your site            

 

Week 3 (Synchronous Class)

Tuesday, September 14

From Naming What We Know–

Concept 3: “Writing Enacts and Creates Identities and Ideologies” (47-58)

Concept 4: All Writers have More to Learn (58-69)

From Guide to Comp Pedagogies: 

Process pedagogy (212-239)

Critical pedagogy (77-93)

Introducing Assignment #3

Setting Up your Digital Portfolio

Blog Response 2 Due on your site

 

Week 4 (Asynchronous Class)

Tuesday, September 21

From Naming What We Know—

Concept 5: “Writing is (Also Always) a Cognitive Activity” (71-79)

From Guide to Comp Pedagogies: 

 Community-engaged (55-76)

Feminist (128-145)

Researched Writing (231-47)

Blog Response 3 Due on your site

 

Week 5 (Synchronous Class)

Tuesday, September 28

Micro-presentations—

1. Katherine Willcox
2. Vanane Alikhanyan
3. Adam Gilson

Leading Discussion:

1.Katherine Willcox

2. Sarah Gay

3.Adam Gilson

4. Damean Sanz

From Guide to Comp Pedagogies: 

New Media (177-193)

From Bridging the Multimodal Gap: 

Chapter 2: “Reimagining Multimodality through UDL: Inclusivity and Accessibility” (Kleinfeld 30-42)

Chapter 3: “Dissipating Hesitation: Why Online Instructors Fear Multimodal Assignments and How to Overcome the Fear” (Borgman 43-68)

Blog Response 4 Due on your site

 

Week 6 (Asynchronous Class)

Tuesday,  October 5

From Bridging the Multimodal Gap: 

Chapter 4: “Reversing the Process: Video Composition and the Ends of Writing” (Pedretti and Perzynski 69-86)

Chapter 8: “When Multimodal Gets Messy: Perception, Materiality, and Learning in Written-Aural Remediation” (Buckner 140-160)

From Guide to Comp Pedagogies: 

Basic Writing (20-36) 

Rhetoric and Argumentation (248-265)

Blog Response 5 Due on your site

 

Week 7 (Synchronous Class)

            Tuesday, October 12

Micro-Presentations:

1.Gissane Hadjian

2. Marian Kourieh
3. Sarah Gay
4. Katie Papa

Leading Discussion: 

1.Keion Moradi

2.Albert Palma

3. Gissane Hadjian
4. Marian Kourieh

From Bridging the Multimodal Gap: 

Chapter 11: “Multimodality, Transfer, and Rhetorical Awareness: Analyzing the Choice of Undergraduate Writers” (Ferruci and DeRosa 201-224)

Chapter 13: “Multimodal Pedagogy and Multimodal Assessment: Toward a Reconceptualization of Traditional Frameworks” (Wood 224-262)

Chapters from Everyone’s an Author

“Rhetorical Situations” (28-34)

“Writing Process” (109-131)     

 “Arguing a Position.” (143-161)

Assignment due:  Classroom or WC Session Observation Report

Week 8 (Asynchronous Class)

Tuesday, October 19

ESL, Multilingual, Translingual

From Guide to Comp Pedagogies: 

Second Language Writing (266-282)

Articles from Canvas: 

Jennifer Wilson. “Engaging Second Language Writers in Freshman Composition: A Critical Approach” Composition Forum 22, Summer 2010.

Bruce Horner, Samantha NeCamp, and Christiane Donahue. “Toward a Multilingual Composition Scholarship: From English Only to a Translingual Norm.” CCC 63.2 (December 2011): 269-300. PDF in Moodle

Rebecca Lorimer Leonard. “Multilingual Writing as Rhetorical Attunement.” College English, Volume 76.3 (January 2014): 227-247. PDF in Moodle.

Blog Response 6 Due on your site

Assignment due: Book Review

 

Week 9 (Asynchronous Class)

Tuesday, October 26

Please check my email for today’s plan.

Micro-presentations—

1.Jason Leal 

2.Damean Sanz

3. Fred Bobola
4. Annabelle Bonebrake

Leading Discussion: 

1. Vanane Alikhanyan
2. Cindy Wilken
3. Katie Papa
4. Elizabeth Bugtai
5. Nick 
6. Corie

Chapters from Everyone’s An Author:

“Writing Analytically” (229-251)

“Visual Analysis” (256-271)

“Analyzing and Constructing Arguments” (411-437)

“Annotating a Bibliography” (529-533)

Video Workshop

Blog 7 Due on your site

Teaching Philosophy Statement Due

 

Week 10 (Asynchronous Class)

         Tuesday, November 2

Work on your Annotated Bibliography   

Week 11 (Synchronous Class)

Tuesday, November 9

Micro-presentations —

1.Keion Moradi 

2. Cindy Wilken
3. Elizabeth Bugtai
4. Albert Palma

Leading Discussion: 

1. Fred Bobola
2. Katrina Boden
3. Annabelle Bonebrake
4. Jason Leal

Response and Assessment: Articles in Canvas

Nancy Sommers. “Responding to Student Writing.” College Composition and Communication 33.2 (1982): 148-56. PDF in Canvas.

Chris M, Anson “Response and the Social Construction of Error.” Assessing Writing 7 (2000): 5-21. PDF in Canvas.

Asao B. Inoue. “A Grade-Less Writing Course That Focuses on Labor and Assessing” (72-110).  First-Year Composition: From Theory to Practice. PDF in Canvas

Tony Scott and Lil Brannon. “Democracy, Struggle, and the Praxis of Assessment.” College Composition and Communication 65.2 (2013): 273-98. PDF in Canvas.

Blog 9 is due on your site

Sharing Research Proposal in the class

Introduce Video Project–Form Groups around common interests

Week 12 (Asynchronous Class)

            Tuesday, November 16

Work on your 5 Min Video

Research Proposal and Annotated Bibliography Due

Week 13 (Synchronous Class)

            Tuesday, November 23

Micro-Presentations:

1. 1. Corie Alvarado

2.Nick

3. Katrina Boden

Leading Discussion (Carry Over from Nov. 9 Class)

Video Workshop

Week 14 (Asynchronous Class)

Tuesday, November 30

Peer Review of your seminar papers

Workshop on your Digital Portfolio

               

Week 15 (Synchronous Class)

Tuesday, December 7

Video Presentation/Portfolio Presentation

Student Portfolios:

Cindy: https://mrswilken.wordpress.com/

Damean: https://dizzysanz.wordpress.com/2021/11/09/blog-9/

Katrina: https://kayboden.wordpress.com/

Elizabeth: https://elizabethbugtai650.wixsite.com/website/post/teaching-philosophy-statement

Jason: https://sites.google.com/view/jasonthelinguist/english-525

Marian: https://marianevekourieh.wordpress.com/

Vanane: https://avanane.wixsite.com/valie525ws

Katie: https://katiejhall9.wixsite.com/my-site/post/thoughts-on-the-worth-of-story-basic-writing-and-rhetoric

Anabelle: https://sites.google.com/view/aebwritingstudies/home

Katherine: https://katherinewillcox89.wixsite.com/website

Sarah: https://sites.google.com/view/sarahcsun525ws/home?authuser=0

Frederick: https://theadventureofacreativewriterincompositionstudies.wordpress.com/

Keion: https://sites.google.com/pilatesdna.com/keion-moradi-means/home

Adam: https://sites.google.com/view/adamsblogtake2/home?authuser=2

Gissane: ghadcsun.wordpress.com

Corin: https://corinalvarado689.wixsite.com/english525ws

Assignments

Assignment #1:        Being a Discussion Leader

Pairs and occasionally groups of three students will serve as discussion leaders during the semester. Discussion will focus on composition theories and practices addressed in readings assigned for that particular day. For the presentation, the discussion leaders should review the texts as a source of information that is relevant to the discussion of theories or pedagogies of writing and formulate questions that will help the class understand that texts more insightfully and generate class discussion. They will also send me a set of discussion questions in advance to post in the course site. All students in the seminar are expected to do all the assigned reading; the task for the discussion leaders is to find ways to use class time effectively to address key topics in the readings. Some discussion leaders will be discussing chapters or articles that are densely packed with information, while others will work on texts that are more narrowly focused. However, this difference is not a problem, since the purpose of this assignment is to hone your skills as both a scholar and a potential teacher, demonstrating your ability to discuss and interpret a variety of texts and to orient them toward a class of peers. In either case, the challenge will be to find a way to engage the members of your class in a productive discussion that addresses the theory and practice in question both as an area of scholarship and as a source of classroom activities. Moreover, because the size of the class necessitates teamwork, you will get a chance to practice peer collaboration.

Assignment #2: Micro-presentations on your chosen writing theory or pedagogy

Each student should prepare a 10 min mini-presentation on your chosen writing theory or pedagogy. It can be based on your own research or readings in the class. The purpose of this presentation is for you to begin thinking about what theory or pedagogy would best fit your research or teaching interests. You should plan this as a conference presentation with time for speaking and Q&A. 

Your presentation should connect theory and pedagogy and discuss its potential implementation in a classroom setting. You could also collect and speak about some sample assignments/projects, readings, or grading criteria to make your presentation concrete and productive for your audience. 

You should have handouts or a copy of your slides for all the participants in the class. 

Assignment #3: Writing Classroom  or Writing Center Observation Report

Due October 12

To write this report, please arrange to observe at least one class meeting of English 113A, 113B, 114A, 114B, 115 or one Writing Center session. In order to set up the writing class observation, you need to find out who is teaching writing courses at a time of your convenience .  For that, you need to log into CSUN portal,  then go to class search, select English as the subject/ department, and “Freshman Reading and Writing” as Additional Category. Once you hit search button, it should give you a list of courses being offered. Go to the list of sections being offered for each course–113A, 113B, 114A, 114B, or 115, and identify the name of the instructor teaching a particular course at a time of convenience and then contact her or him using the email address hyperlinked with their names (If the email is missing, please go to faculty page in English department and look for the email address). In your email you can explain the assignment and request for an observation opportunity and ways to join the class (zoom link, time and days etc.). Please don’t be discouraged if a particular instructor does not respond, look for someone you possibly know already and is likely to allow to observe her or his class. You might have to email multiple instructors before you could secure an observation opportunity.  If you plan to observe a Writing Center session, let me know. I will connect you with the Writing Center Coordinator at CSUN.

Then, based on your observation, write a two-part report of 3-4 pages that addresses the following:

Part I:  (1/2 page)

Describe the classes or sessions you have observed as objectively as possible, including many specific details such as the name of the teacher/consultant, the number of students, the textbook used, the assignment the students are working on, the handouts that were used, the chair arrangement—any details that will enable a reader to understand what the teacher and the students were doing during various segments of the class or session.

Part II: (1+ page)

Discuss how observing this class or session has provided you with information that would be useful if you were to plan your own class/session. Specific points to address in this section include the teacher/consultant, the students, the classroom dynamics, the methodology, and the materials. What did you learn in this class from both the teacher/consultant and the students that will be helpful to you?

Note that your purpose is NOT to evaluate the teacher/consultant or the methods in any way, but rather to reflect on what you have learned and can apply.

Bring one copy of your report to class and, as a courtesy, email one copy to the teacher/consultant you observed.

Classroom/ Writing Center Observation Guidelines

1. Select the “teacher volunteer” or WC consultant whose class you plan to observe. If you are an SI Leader in the English Department, you can use the class in which you work. 
2. Plan to observe at least one class meeting or WC session.
3. Contact the teacher (via telephone or email ) in the English Department. If you are observing a WC session, contact the WC director. It is desirable if you are the only observer in class on the days of your visits, but if you aren’t, please make sure that the teacher doesn’t mind having more than one person observing the class. Request that he or she provide you with a copy of the course syllabus and any other important handouts when you observe your first class.
4. Find out if the teacher or consultant has any preference regarding your “role” as observer in his/her class or session . For example, should you get up and walk around if group work is in progress or maintain your seat and listen in on the closest group?
5. During your first observation, take as many notes as you feel are necessary to provide you with a full record of your experience.
6. If possible, have a short “debriefing” session with the instructor or consultant when you have finished the observation.
7. Be sure to arrive on time for the class or session. Do not leave until the class has ended.

Points to Note When Observing a Writing Class/WC session

Atmosphere in classroom/Center and classroom/session dynamics:

Formal? Informal? Friendly?

The Lesson:

The day’s agenda

The day’s topic

Specific skills to be taught

Activities planned:

Group work

Writing/Thinking activities

Revision

Invention

Exercises

Sequencing of activities

Materials used

Quality of Discussion

Applicability of lesson to student writing/language skills

Student Behaviors:

Are students doing any writing?

Are students participating?

What are students doing who are not participating?

Are students reading their work aloud?

Are students speaking to one another?

Are students working in groups?

How are students reacting to the day’s agenda and topic?

Teacher/Consultant Behaviors:

Has the teacher/consultant engaged the students?

Does the teacher/consultant have a rapport with the students?

Does the teacher/consultant exhibit the ability to listen?

Teacher/consultant Activities:

Presenting the assignment/lesson?

Modeling a particular writing strategy?

Teacher/consultant addressing class as a whole?

Teacher/consultant addressing a small group?

Teacher/consultant speaking with an individual student?

Teacher/consultant presenting the lesson?

Overall, you should be aware of how writing and reading are addressed in the class/session, how students are engaged, with the instructor/consultant and with each other, how the lesson has been planned, and how much student participation drives and supports the action of the class.

*Remember that your purpose is NOT to evaluate the teacher/consultant or the methods in any way, but rather to reflect on what you have learned and can apply to your own teaching.

Assignment 4: Book Review

For this assignment, you will pick a book on a writing theory or pedagogy of your choosing and review it for potential publication on a journal. The book has to the one published within last 3 years from a university press, and you should gain an understanding of a book review as a genre by reading multiple sample reviews published on some of the Writing Studies premiere journals such as CCC, College English, Computers and Composition, Composition Studies, Rhetoric Review, Composition Forum, Rhetoric Society Quarterly and so on. I will be providing some sample book reviews through Canvas. Read this document from Duke University for Book Review ideas:

Book Review Ideas–from Duke University

Read Sample Book Reviews posted in Canvas before starting to write your own book review.

Please visit this page to find the publishers of monographs in writing studies. Follow the links and identify a book that you want to review. You can then order an examination copy (ebook) for the review. Let me know if you need help to put an order for the examination book.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1VuxDQTKt7VKaf2rFS9GneAdSOQFf5rYGWqKEiJbNAhE/pub?output=html

Book Review due: October 19

 

Assignment #5-Blog Response to Course Readings

You will write a 400-600 words response to the shared reading(s) for the week and post the response to your website. Your response should show your familiarity with the assigned readings and demonstrate your engagement with them either by drawing connections between the readings, and/or by thoughtfully reflecting on the implications of the readings and discussions.

This assignment is intended to spark and expand on our class discussions, prepare you to engage in those discussions more fully and productively, enhance your understanding of the assigned readings, explore new insights about the assigned texts, introduce you to ways of using informal writing for invention, and provide you with ideas that you may later use to develop your major projects.

Each post is due before class each week. Generally speaking, your blog post should examine one or more of these issues:

• main issues, themes, or questions/claims in the reading
• language use in the select texts
• key texts cited (and intertextual relationships)
• major questions/challenges the text pose for you
• issues/questions from seminar discussions and texts under consideration

I want you to take this assignment seriously. Not only will these responses prepare you for productive contribution to our seminar/discussions, they may also be the springboard for your longer projects.

Assignment 6: Teaching Philosophy Statement

• Purpose of this assignment: For you to develop a statement of your beliefs about teaching to use as a guide throughout your teaching career.  Teaching Philosophy statement is an evolving document. As you continue on your career path you are likely to revise and refine your teaching philosophy many times.
• What is a teaching philosophy?  It is a personal statement about your evolving educational beliefs.  There are many ways to approach the development of this statement. The approach that you select should be based on what is meaningful to you and that will be understood easily by the audiences with whom you will share your philosophy (such as future employers and your students). Typical area that are addressed are: (a) Your motivations for teaching (b) The pedagogies you believe are best (c) Your teaching goals, approaches and strategies (d) Explanation of how your teaching is consistent with these goals, and  (e) Personal goals that you have set for yourself as a teacher.

Please read this resource from Cornell University:

Teaching Philosophy Statement

 

What you should turn in:

A 2 page statement of your beliefs about teaching. You will turn this in first to a peer (in class on the assignment due date), and do a peer edit in order for you to receive feedback from each other.

Some Sample Statement of Teaching Philosophy:

Mark A. Casteel from Penn State University:

Khadka-Teaching Philosophy Statement (CSUN)

Assignment Due: October 26

Assignment 7: 5 min video on your writing theory or pedagogy

Create a 5-min video that illustrates your writing theory or pedagogy.  Your video must meet the following requirements:

• Your video must run 5 mins–no more, no less—including title screen and any credits.
• Your video must take a critical, reflective, and/or interpretive approach to your writing theory or pedagogy.
• You must include a title screen somewhere in your video that includes your name as the author.  You must also include credits for all materials used (audio clips, video clips, images).
• You must secure permissions for all materials used in your project.  Also, you must give credit for all materials used in your project.  (Use CreativeCommons.com to find CC-licensed works).
• You will shoot footage.  You may then create your video. We will screen your videos during class on the due date.

Brainstorm your Video

• You already know your topic. Now consider your personal, academic, intellectual, spiritual, and cultural interests and communities.
• Audience analysis: How do you decide which discourse community to enter? How do you reach them vs. another type of community?
• What is your purpose/intent?: Exploration? Persuasion? Awareness?
• How will you use visual/aural/alphabetical modes to achieve this purpose/intent?

Sample Video:

The Digital Story of the Nativity http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkHNNPM7pJA

 Assessment Criteria:

Conceptual core—major idea, argument, or point (30%)

Research component—source use, data collection (20%)

Form and content—organic relationship between form and content (10%)

Creative realization—creative approach to the topic/idea—use of rhetorical/persuasive strategies (20%)

Audience—sensitivity to target audience—choice of tone, mood, genre, diction (10%)

Timeliness—awareness and response to socio-historical context (5%)

Available tools, and author’s learning curve (5 %)

Assignment Due: November 23

 

Assignment 8: Research Proposal and Annotated Bibliography of 10 sources on a writing theory or pedagogy of your choosing

A bibliography is a list of sources (books, journal articles, book chapters) on a particular topic you have researched.  An annotation is a summary and evaluation of each of these sources. 

How should I go about compiling my annotated bibliography?
First, locate and record sources relevant to your topic.  Choose works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic. Next, read them critically, thinking about the audience, purpose and usefulness of the source.   And write the following:

•  A concise summary of the source—what is its main argument? What topics are covered?  If some one asked you what the source was about, what would you say?
•  An assessment of the source.  Is the information reliable? How do you know?   How does it compare with other sources?   What are the goals of the source?
•  A reflection about how it fits into your research.  Was it helpful? How?  Did it change your thinking about the topic in any way? Will it help shape your argument?  Can it be used in your project?  How?

Each annotation should be a minimum of one full page.  Your responses to the questions above do not need to be in three separate paragraphs, however.

Please visit this site for Annotated Bibliography Samples.

Assignment Due: November 16

 

Assignment 9: Seminar paper on a writing theory or pedagogy of your choosing

A seminar paper is often the key assignment of a single course, designed to demonstrate your sustained, focused analysis of a concept, issue, or problem. Typically a paper of 10-12 pages, the seminar paper is a demanding piece of writing, both in terms of the amount of research required and the relatively short time in which you have to complete the assignment. But do not fear-with good planning and preparation, your seminar paper can be a rich, exciting project from which you can learn a lot about a topic and become a better writer (remember, practice makes perfect, or at least improves).

There are four basic components that you should include in any seminar paper:

1. Title Page – this page contains the title of your paper, followed by your name, the course designator and number, and the date you are turning in the assignment. For an example of a title page, see the Tips on Formatting page.
2. Abstract – the abstract should be on a separate page from the rest of the paper and immediately follow the title page. It consists of a brief paragraph or two highlighting the major points of your argument. For a sample of an abstract, click here (insert link to a sample, either below or on separate page).
3. Content – this is your paper, complete with introduction, development of the argument (body), and conclusion.
4. Works Cited Page – This page includes bibliographic data of all of the sources you cited within the paper.

A seminar paper gives you practice in important academic skills such as:

• formulating research questions
• conducting research
• managing time
• organizing information into coherent ideas
• substantiating arguments with research in the field
• and presenting insights about the research

Writing a seminar paper can be a very messy and fluid process, and the following is only a representation of commonly used steps.

• Start by choosing a topic.
• Then narrow your topic.
• Draft a main claim or thesis statement (which may easily change as you do the research).
• Do the research. For more information, see guides on how to evaluate websites and other sources; understanding primary vs. secondary sources; and paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting sources.
• Organize the research. (Outlining can really help at this point.)
• Draft. See The Writing Process for drafting ideas, tips, and suggestions.
• Create your bibliography or works cited page.
• Revise your draft. Revise for content and for organization.
• Edit and proofread your final draft.

Questions to Consider When Writing a Seminar Paper

Your paper is likely to be evaluated according to these same questions, so it will do you a world of good to ask them of yourself as you draft your paper.

* Is your thesis (your stance on the issues or proposed solution to a problem) clearly evident?
* How well have you used evidence to develop your thesis and to support your own point of view?
* How well do you demonstrate valid logic and sound reasoning in the course of making your argument?
* How thoroughly have you researched this topic? Did you consult a broad range of sources, or are the sources too concentrated in one type or category of evidence (or a single disciplinary approach)? Are your sources current? Are they representative of the field(s) of research on this topic?
* How flexible have you been in approaching the topic, rather than letting your preconceptions influence your analysis of issues and their implications?
* How fair and accurate have you been in presenting complicating viewpoints, and in citing evidence that helps reconcile the opposition?
* How well have you conceptualized your audience in composing this argument, and what adaptations to your technique and style have you made in order to connect with that audience?

Assignment Due: December 14