A Brief Guide to Writing 2

Instructor: James H. Donelan
T, R 12:00-1:50 in GIRV 2108; Section 17, Course No. 44859
Office Hours: Monday 9:00-10:00, Tuesday 2:00-3:00
Girvetz 1310
Email: donelan@humanitas.ucsb.edu

Texts:

Tuman and Rodriguez, Writing Essentials and Connect.Net (a single package)
Feynman, Six Easy Pieces
Hawking, A Brief History of Time
Woolf, Jacob’s Room
A xeroxed reader available at Graphikart in Isla Vista.

The books are at the UCSB Bookstore.

Course Description: The course will explore the fundamental forms and styles of academic writing across the disciplines through developments in a single historical period, the beginning of the twentieth century. Students will research and write a series of exercises and essays in three areas: natural science, social science, and the humanities.

Requirements: The course requires regular attendance, active participation in class and electronic discussion, and timely completion of all assignments, including all writing exercises and preliminary drafts as well as the final draft of each assignment.

In addition, please do your best to observe the following rules:

• Assignments should be no longer or shorter than the length assigned and submitted on time and use the prescribed format. Late papers will result in grade reductions.
• Never hand in a paper without proofreading it carefully.
• Your classmates and your instructor depend on your presence in class and your full participation. Do not miss class or fail to engage in electronic exchanges and discussions.
• University regulations regarding plagiarism will be strictly enforced.
• The DROP DEADLINE is FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6, by 11:45PM.
• Your final grade will be calculated as follows: Science Essay, 25%; Social Science Essay, 25%; Humanities Essay, 25%; completeness, punctuality, and quality of Connect assignments, 15%; class participation, 10%.

The homework and reading assignments on the syllabus describe what is due by the time you arrive in class. For instance, the syllabus for February 8 reads:

10/12
Class meets in Phelps 1526 from 12:00 to 12:50. Bring your Connect.Net disk and manual.
Reading: Einstein, excerpts from Relativity and "E=mc²"; Hawking, "Einstein."
Homework: Scientific Definitions.
In-class: CA 1: Introduction to Norton Connect.Net.

This means that on the night of October 11 or the morning of October 12, you should read the assignment in the reader and complete the written assignment. "CA" stands for "Connect Assignment," a written assignment using the Norton Connect.Net computer program. In this case, you will do the Connect.Net assignment during class time; you will also be required to complete written assignments on Connect.Net as homework. All Connect.Net work must be completed by class on the day it is due, unless otherwise noted. Home computer failure is not a valid excuse for missing an assignment; go to an IC lab if you can’t use your home computer.

Introduction: Writing 2 and Modernism

9/30
Reading: Fussell, "Never Such Innocence Again"; Scannell, "The Great War."
In-class: Writing Sample: Historical memory .

I: Science: The Beginnings of Modern Physics

10/5
Reading: Kuhn, "The Route to Normal Science" and "Revolutions."
Homework: 250 word (1 page) answer to the question, "What is normal science?"
In-class: Derivation of scientific method; effective sentences.

10/7
Reading: Feynman, "Basic Physics"; Hawking, "Our Picture of the Universe," "Isaac Newton."
Homework: 250 word (1 page) description of a world view.
In-class: Small group discussion: Writing Processes

10/12
Class meets in Phelps 1526 from 12:00 to 12:50. Bring your Connect.Net disk and manual.
Reading: Einstein, excerpts from Relativity and "E=mc²"; Hawking, "Einstein."
Homework: Scientific Definitions.
In-class: CA 1: Introduction to Connect.Net CA 1

10/14
Class meets in Davidson Library.
Reading: Hawking, "Space and Time" and "Einstein’s Dream." (in reader)
Homework: CA 2: Summary. CA 2
In-class: Library Visit

10/19
Class meets in Phelps 1526 from 12:00 to 12:50.
Reading: Feynman, "Quantum Behavior"; Hawking, "The Uncertainty Principle"
Homework: CA 3: Library Research.  CA 3
In-class: Film, A Brief History of Time

10/21
Reading: Hawking, "Black Holes" and "Black Holes Ain’t So Black"
Homework: CA 4: First draft of Scientific Review.  CA 4
In-class: CA 5: Partner review; paragraph development.

10/26
Class meets in Phelps 1526 from 12:00 to 12:50.
Reading: Feynman, "The Relation of Physics to the Other Sciences"
Homework: Second draft of Scientific Review—bring printout to class.
In-class: Proofreading strategies.CA 5

10/27
Scientific Review Essay Due

II: Social Science: The History and Psychology of Modern War

10/28
Reading: Fussell, "On Modern War"; Keegan, "The Somme"—"The Battlefield" through "The Battle."
Homework: CA 6: Historical Argument.CA 6
In-class: In-class writing: What is modern about modern war?.

11/2
Class meets in Phelps 1526 from 12:00 to 12:50.
Reading: Keegan, "The Somme"—"Infantry versus Machine-Gunners" to end.
Homework: CA 7: Historical Evidence. CA 7
In-class: Critical reading exercise.

11/4
Reading: Sweeney, "Letter to Ivy Williams"; Horowitz, et. al. "Introduction," "Signs and Symptons of PTSD."
Homework: CA 8: Prospectus for Social Science Essay.  CA 8
In-class: Group discussion.

11/9
Class meets in Phelps 1526 from 12:00 to 12:50.
Reading: Freud, "Introduction to Psycho-Analysis and the War Neuroses."
Homework: CA 9: Social Science Research.  CA 9
In-class: Research Colloquium.

11/11
Reading: Pitman, et al. "Psychophysiologic Responses to Combat Imagery."
Homework: CA 10: Outline and working thesis—bring printout to class.  CA 10
In-class: Outline Development.

11/16
Class meets in Phelps 1526 from 12:00 to 12:50.
Reading: Keegan, "The Abolition of Battle."
Homework: CA 11: Rough Draft of Social Science Essay. CA 11
In-class: Partner Critique.

11/17
Social Science Essay Due

III: Humanities: War Poetry and the Modern Novel

11/18
Reading: Wilfred Owen and W.H. Auden, selected poems.
Homework: CA 12: Poetry and Experience.  CA 12
In-class: CA 13: War poets site—short essay and discussion.

11/23
Class meets in Phelps 1526 from 12:00 to 12:50.
Reading: Wallace Stevens, selected poems. Woolf, Jacob’s Room 1-37.
Homework: CA 14: Interpreting poetry.
In-class: Metrical analysis.

11/25
Happy Thanksgiving!

11/30
Class meets in Phelps 1526 from 12:00 to 12:50.
Homework: CA 15: Humanities Research  CA15 .
In-class: CA 16: Short essay and discussion of Jacob’s Room.

12/1
Screening of Grand Illusion, 7:00PM, Kerr Hall, Studio B

12/2
Reading: Woolf, Jacob’s Room 37-98.
Homework: CA 17: Prospectus of literature essay.
In-class: CA 18: Group Research and Discussion.

12/7
Class meets in Phelps 1526 from 12:00 to 12:50.
Reading: Woolf, Jacob’s Room to end.
Homework: CA 19: Outline and introduction to humanities essay due; bring printout to class.
In-class: Group discussion and critique.

12/9
Homework: CA 20: Rough draft due; prepare final project presentation. Humanities Essay
In-class: Oral presentations.

12/10 Humanities Essay Due.