Freshmen composition II moves the incoming student further towards research writing within an academic setting. Students must identify a research question that relates to our class topic, find and annotate academic sources to gather information on this topic, propose a project for instructor approval, compose a literature review to establish ethos within their chosen field, and then write a sustained research paper concerning a topic of interest to the class theme. Each stage is demonstrated and practiced in class to prepare students for their upper level research projects, and feedback from peers and instructor are provided at each step.
I have attached a sample syllabus, assignment sheets, and rubrics so that students and colleagues can see what I value in this course. Students or colleagues may note that the schedule is currently empty apart from major assignments. I have long enjoyed reading about critical pedagogy and contract syllabi, and this semester I will experiment with letting students have more say on what readings we use and how we approach them. My intention is that this will allow for greater student engagement with the class and assignments, as well as build a community of learners who work collaboratively to learn and improve as students.
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Monsters