Writing 109SS: Writing for the Social Sciences

Class Time and Location: MW, 11-12:15, Girvetz 1115.
Enroll Code: Section 3, 43141
Instructor: James Donelan
Office Hours:
Monday, 9:30-10:30, Tuesday, 9:30-10:30, or by appointment.
Lab Meetings: The class meets on all Wednesdays in Rincon Lab, Phelps 1518, except May 4, when the class will meet in Leadbetter Lab, Phelps 1530.

Texts:
ConnectWeb (available online)
Davis, Passage of Darkness: The Ethnobiology of the Haitian Zombie (Passages)
Cuba, A Short Guide to Writing about Social Science (Writing)

Texts are available in the UCen Bookstore.

ConnectWeb Home Page: http://connectweb.com/ucsb.asp

Course Description:
The course will allow students to refine their skills in scholarship and writing in the social sciences. Students will address the issues of evidence, interpretation, methodology, and critique in social science research as part of a longer project.

Requirements:
The course requires regular attendance, active participation in class discussion and activities, and timely completion of all assignments, including short on-line assignments, a brief essay on assigned reading (1500-1800 words), an annotated bibliography (1500 words), and a longer research project (2400-3000 words). All written assignments after the first week are due on-line through ConnectWeb. In addition, please note:


3/30
Class meets in lab, Phelps 1518.
Reading: Passage, Foreword and Introduction; Writing, Chapter 1
Homework: 250 word statement of personal goals as a Microsoft Word or html file.
In-class: Introduction to ConnectWeb and course procedures

4/4
Reading: Passage, Chapter 1; Writing Chapters 2 and 3
Homework: Short essay on methodology (See ConnectWeb for full description.)
In-class: Effective sentences; social science methodology discussion

4/6
Class meets in lab, Phelps 1518.
Reading: Passage, Chapters 2 and 3; Writing Chapter 7
Homework: Preliminary topic choice
In-class: Developing a topic; sentence construction; outlining

4/11

Reading: Passage, Chapters 4 and 5
Homework: Prospectus and outline for first essay
In-class: Essay structure

4/13
Class meets in lab, Phelps 1518.

Reading: Passage, Chapters 6 and 7
Homework: Beginning of rough draft
In-class: Thesis development; documentation

4/18
Reading: Passage, Chapter 8 and Conclusion; Writing, Chapter 8
Homework: Half of rough draft; check of preliminary materials.
In-class: Peer review; editing and proofreading

4/20
Class meets in lab, Phelps 1518.
Homework: Full Draft of First Essay Due in Class

4/22 First Essay Due

4/25
Film: Voodoo Secrets
In-class: Topics for the annotated bibliography

4/27
Class meets in lab, Phelps 1518.  
Homework: Topic decision
In-class: Preliminary sources for annotated bibliography
Reading:
Writing, Chapter 5

5/2
Homework: Main sources for annotated bibliography; one complete entry
In-class: Writing AB entries

5/4
Class meets in lab, Phelps 1530.
Homework: Annotated bibliography draft due in class.
In-class:
Writing a prospectus

5/6 Annotated Bibliography due.

5/9
Homework: Prospectus for the final project; bring a hard copy to class.
In-class: Evaluating a prospectus; planning and organization

5/11
Class meets in lab, Phelps 1518.
Homework: Preliminary Outline
In-class: Large-scale essay structure

5/16
Homework: Detailed outline and tentative thesis
In-class: Thesis building; peer review of outlines


5/18
Class meets in lab, Phelps 1518.

Homework: First two paragraphs of project
In-class: Working titles; progress report

5/23
Homework: First half of draft
In-class: Work plans

5/25

Class meets in lab, Phelps 1518.

Full rough draft; check of preliminary materials.

In-class: Peer review of drafts.

5/30 Memorial Day

6/1
Class meets in lab, Phelps 1518.
Last Day of Classes. Final draft due. Oral presentations of projects.