Writing on Science and Society

WRTG 3030 – Page 1

Writing on Science and Society

Issues in Science and Technology

WRTG 3030-001, Fall 2011

MWF 9:00 to 9:50 am

EDUC 134

Course Description and Policies

Contact Information:

Instructor: Charles Doersch, MFA

Instructor, Program for Writing and Rhetoric

Office:ENVD 1B50H

E-mail:

Office Hours: MWF 10:00 to 10:50 am (by appointment)

Course Overview:

Through selected reading and writing assignments, students examine ethical and social issues that arise within the decision-making processes associated with science and technology. The course is designed to improve rhetorically critical reading and writing skills of students in the fields of science, engineering, medicine, and technology. The class will be conducted as both seminar and workshop, further developing skills in textual analysis, rhetorical analysis, and cultural (or paradigm) analysis of a variety of texts pertaining to or deriving from issues in the sciences. Coursework will include written responses to essays concerning a variety of science-related social and ethical issues, with special attention to the analysis of differing values, perspectives, and audiences. Coursework will include a minimum of three major papers.

Our primary goals in this course will be to come together as a learning community to examine what makes writing “scientific” and to develop our own skills at producing arguments appropriate to differing audiences interested in the knowledge generated in the scientific, medical, and engineering disciplines. We will use the tools of rhetorical theory to break open the many relationships among audience, author, message, context, language and genre in the writing and speeches of scientists and engineers. Our learning-outcome goals will include increased facility with the genres of expression common in our disciplines, increased quality in visual, spoken and written presentations of argument, deepened understanding of rhetorical theory and increased comprehension of lines of research currently interesting established members of our disciplines.

Our classroom will become a locus of active inquiry, where brief lectures on useful aspects of rhetorical theory will combine with extended examinations of our own writing-in-progress in small groups and peer-to-peer interactions. We will seek to have productive, useful group discussions that lend each of us new insight into better ways to craft the words, ideas, arguments, etc. in our ongoing writing and speechmaking projects. Ample time will be made available for one-on-one conferences between students and the instructor, and engaged participation in all aspects of the classroom community will be encouraged.

Texts:

• Aaron, Jane. LB Brief, 4th ed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2011

• Other readings and course materials will be provided usually as soft copy attachments to class roster e-mails or in the form of handouts or made available on eReserve. The readings will largely (though not exclusively) derive from the bibliography at the end of this syllabus.

• Student drafts.

Course Context:

Issues in Science and Technology is one of the WRTG 3030 Writing on Science and Technology classes designed for junior and senior engineering, physical science, or biological science majors. It fulfills the upper division written communication requirement as established by the University of Colorado at Boulder and the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE). This class is intended through its writing and reading assignments, and its collaborative learning/seminar format, to focus students on sustained inquiry in its topic area so that they will further develop their skills in advanced academic writing.

Four components critical to this process are developing advanced abilities in:

a.)rhetorical knowledge

b.)writing processes

c.)writing conventions

d.)communication of advanced content knowledge to a variety of audiences

Rhetorical Knowledge: Advanced knowledge of rhetoric further sharpens the ability of students to choose the most effective evidence, reasoning, and communication strategies for a given audience. We will work together to enhance and develop that knowledge not only through practicing utilizing rhetorical skills in our writing, but through careful rhetorical analysis of a variety of texts in a range of media on a variety of topics.

Writing Processes: Successful writing is an ongoing process that requires a range of strategies for drafting, revising, and editing the texts we create. Nothing we write or communicate occurs without a context – which is to say, everything we communicate is part of a larger conversation that is and/or has been taking place. Key to understanding what context the subject of our writing has often involves accessing and assessing sources of information, research, and reflection available through a variety of media and technologies, including the electronic databases available through Norlin Library. Repeated examination of evidence and reasoning in the development of your research project will give you practice in evaluating sources for accuracy, relevance, credibility, reliability, and bias.

Writing Conventions: The sequence of assignments will give you practice in analyzing and developing common forms of communication extant for a range of audiences. What language we use when, and how we use that language, will be informed by this diverse context. Of course, the usual (and essential) writing issues of form, tone, syntax, grammar, organization, coherence, etc. will be included.

Advanced Content Knowledge: Your ultimate goal in acquiring the skills and strategies listed above is to demonstrate you can effectively communicate content knowledge, composing your message for a specific discourse community and purpose, adapting content and style to respond to the needs of the particular rhetorical situation.

Assignments:

• Readings in rhetorical concepts readily applicable to our field(s);

• Writing rhetorical analyses and concise digests of texts (which can include book chapters, essays, articles, film, documentary, and scientific studies) that explore the rhetorics of a range of current science/tech-based discourse;

• Research in an area of advanced content knowledge that is of particular interest to you;

• Written responses to drafts;

• Collaborative workshopping

And three formal writing assignments:

• Annotated Bibliography;

• Literature Review;

• Deliberative Research Essay;

Note: A word to the wise—as I’m sure you already know – it’s a good idea to keep electronic and hard copies of all of your drafts and assignments. If you have a copy, we’ll both be happier in the rare event your paper does not reach me, or gets lost in cyberspace.

Your grade for the course will be determined according to the following scale:

Textual Analyses / 100
Rhetorical Analyses / 100
Annotated Bibliography
Literature Review
Deliberative Research Essay / 150
150
200
In-class assignments, quizzes, etc.
Participation (including workshopping drafts) / 150
150
TOTAL / Total Points: 1000

A (1000-934 pts); A- (933-900)

B+ (899-867), B (866-834), B- (833-800)

C+ (799-767), C (766-734), C- (733-700)

D+ (699-667), D (666-634), D- (633-600)

F (599 and below)

Your assignments will involve a variety of media and technologies, including your accessing CU’s extensive online databases through Norlin (via VPN), your accessing articles and studies on e-reserves, your regularly receiving assignment updates via e-mail; some of the texts will be made available to you in PDF format, as hard copy, or in handout form. We may also view other “texts” and rhetorics, including documentaries, etc. Some assignments may include attending presentations or events, which come available to us at the university periodically.

Some of the writing you will do in class will progress through several drafts that will be reviewed and critiqued by fellow classmates. Please have duplicated drafts (typed, double-spaced in hard copy, MLA format) ready when due (usually 48 hours before they are to be workshopped). Drafts are required, but not graded. They factor into each assignment’s final grade. Please date and number all drafts. You may turn in electronic copies of drafts to me and to your peers in your workshop, however, this must be e-mailed before the class period in which it was due. In this case, please bring to class a record of your having e-mailed your draft.

If you miss classroom critiques because you do not turn in drafts, your writing will almost certainly suffer. Please keep in mind that I will not accept final papers that have not been reviewed on a regular basis over the course of the assignment. “First draft” final versions are unacceptable and will receive an “F”. Late papers will not be accepted (a “late paper” will be understood in our class to mean any paper turned in any time after the class period and day on which it was due). *NOTE: “Draft” does not mean “rough draft.” Your drafts should in all cases be carefully considered, constructed, written – with spelling correct and grammar concise.

Certainly, at any point in the class and as often as you like, you may come see me during office hours. Whether you wish to clarify an assignment, brainstorm research or writing strategies, check on how you’re doing in the class or your grades, or wish to come in to chat, I’m delighted to meet with you.

All assigned work – including drafts – must be completed to pass the course.

Computer and/or printer problems do not excuse the failure to prepare.

Information for participating in the class will be given/sent to you in handouts or via e-mail. Of course, you are responsible for keeping track of schedules and assignments, for knowing your workshop responsibilities and group assignments, for following directions, and for tracking due dates.

If you are absent, contact a classmate for the information and assignments you missed, not me. Ultimately you are responsible for finding out what you missed, and keeping current on homework, etc. As you can well imagine, it’s a logistical problem when students (and I have 80 of them) contact me and ask for a summary of a 50-minute class in either one-on-one conference or in an e-mail.

Schedule of Assignments:

Week 1: Introduction to rhetorical concepts. Introduction to how brain chemistry, hard- and soft-wiring of cognition, epistemological dynamics affects scientific rhetoric, and how rhetoric affects these.

Homework:

Readings: Packard, Erika. The brain in the voting booth: Interview with Drew Weston, PhD on neural correlates of political judgment and decision-making. Monitor on Psychology: American Psychological Association 39.2(2008).

Dolan, R. J. et al. Emotion, cognition, and behavior. Science 298 (2002): 1191-1194.

Week 2: Rhetorical analysis: content and function; writing processes overview (developing your editing list, drafting, workshopping); science writing genre overview.

Week 3: Rhetorical analysis: the structure of rhetorical function  multi-modality; collaborative learning by workshopping.

Week 4: Rhetorical analysis: fallacies of logic, relevance, appeal; the rhetorical implications of fallacies particular to scientific discourse; fallacious use of statistical analysis; “number fallacies”

Week 5: Rhetorically significant punctuation for scientific and professional university writing, mechanical and syntactical concerns particular to science students.

Week 6: From “line of inquiry” to “research question;” APA formatting; information literacy practicum; accessing research; collaborative learning exercise

Week 7: From research question to claim: analyzing comparative rhetorical strategies in scientific writing; compositional strategies for target audiences; from accessing to assessing research. The promise and problem of “peer-review” sources.

Week 8: Annotated Bibliography: research question established, research begun. Practice summary assessments of sources.

Week 9: Collaborative learning: AB draft 1 workshop; AB draft 2 turn in

Week 10: Paragraph cohesion review, transitional expressions, summary practice,

Week 11: AB final draft, Literature Review introduction

Week 12: Collaborative learning: LR draft 1 workshop, revision, LR draft 2

Week 13: Student conferences; LR draft 3, claim workshopping.

Week 14: Persuasive Research Essay introduction, rhetorical strategizing

Week 15: PRE draft 1, collaborative learning workshop, PRE draft 2

Week 16: Student conferences. PRE final draft.

Attendance:

Attendance is required. Since this is a seminar/workshop class, your preparation and participation are crucial to your success as a writer, and to the success of your classmates.

You may miss three classes without harm to your grade (though your writing may suffer). There are no “excused” absences, so save your three absences for important reasons such as the colds that inevitably make the rounds during the semester. Each absence exceeding three will lower your final grade by one level (for example, B to a B- for four absences; B to a C+ for five absences, etc.). ***Seven or more absences will automatically result in failure of the course, without exception. Coming late to class: If you are not in class on time, I will mark you absent. It is up to you to meet with me after class to make sure your absence has been changed to a “tardy” in my attendance roster.

1 tardy = ½ absence.

If you foresee any attendance conflicts because of religious observance, please notify me during the first two weeks of the semester so that suitable schedule accommodations can be made.

Of course, if you submit your work on the day it is due, you get full credit, even if you are absent that day. If you are absent and we have in-class work that day, you will not get credit by making up the work you missed. However, you are required to complete that work and hand it in.

E-mail:

In addition to handing out assignments in class, I will more frequently send out assignments and/or additional readings by e-mail. Please check your e-mail account regularly each day.

Most assignments you complete you will send to me via e-mail as a soft copy. However, anything we are to discuss in class should be brought to class as a notated hard copy or on your laptop.

You may certainly communicate with me as often as you wish via e-mail; however, I do not read/respond to e-mails during the weekend, so contact me during the week anytime from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Participation:

Participation includes (but is not limited to) providing quality written and oral feedback during peer reviews and workshops, asking intelligent and relevant questions during discussions and following presentations, acting in the manner of a colleague (meaning participating fully in all class exercises), etc.

This aspect of your grade reflects your mental attendance. In other words, those students who simply show up will not do well; those who are actively engaged in the course will succeed in this area.

General CU guidelines regarding expectations of classroom behavior are available online at In general, I encourage challenging and critical interactions both with me and with your peers, with common courtesy and respect for others.

Research Help:

The Research Center will be available to help you research topics. They are located in Norlin Library E156 (in the same room as the Writing Center), serving students on a walk-in basis. Check office for hours.

Writing Help:

Aside from seeing me during office hours, you can visit the Writing Center at Norlin Library (Room E156). These are consultants who can provide sound advice at all stages of the writing process (including the “brainstorming pre-draft” stage). They are also very willing to help you in citing your source materials correctly so that you avoid plagiarism (see next section). Contact them to make an appointment for consultations at the Writing Center front desk, or at

Plagiarism:

Uncited, plagiarized material shall be treated as academically dishonest, and the paper will be assigned an “F” as a result. If you are confused as to what constitutes plagiarism, you should review the CU Honor Code on this topic ( as well as the extensive section on the topic in the back of your LB Brief. If you are unclear on this, see me.

Papers submitted by any student, written in part or in whole by someone other than that student, shall be considered to constitute fraud under the University Honor Code, and result in the assignment of an “F” for the entire course and your case being reported to the Dean.

All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council (; 303-725-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions

from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Other information on the Honor Code can be found at

Special Notes:

~~If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability please submit to me a letter from Disability Services within the first two weeks of class so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Students should notify the Counselor for Students with Disabilities at the Disabilities Service Office, Willard 322 at 303-492-8671 or disabilityservices. However, if your disability will or may prevent you from adhering to the class attendance policy and/or from turning in assignments on time, then I can’t accommodate you in this class. Online versions of this course are available which fulfill this CORE requirement. Please see me to discuss alternatives.

~~We each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender, gender variance, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student's legal name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester.

~~Please note that the University of Colorado does not tolerate sexual harassment or discrimination by student or faculty. Further information can be obtained at

~~If English is not your native language, you should let me know the first week of classes so that I can better assist you in the course, advise you about equivalent writing courses that focus on ESL students, and/or refer you to appropriate services on campus.

**This class policies and procedures document is subject to change. You will be notified of any changes.

WRTG 3030 Semester Bibliography (subject to change)