Writing 340 Dr. Norah Ashe-McNalley
Fall 2014 Office: JEF 255
Course #65085 Off. hrs: MW 11am-12pm
MWF 10-10:50 phone: (213) 821-1211
GFS 107 email:
WR 340: Advanced Writing in the Health Sciences
Requirements: Access to Blackboard is required
Computer availability is required
Required texts will be provided as handouts or pdfs
Course Description: This section of Writing 340 develops the reading and writing skills of advanced college students studying in the pre-med and allied health fields. Although this is a writing class, the readings and the research topics are just as important. We will emphasize critical analysis, clarity, and the use of solid academic evidence, including the proper use of scholarly research, bibliographies, citations, and other formal features of academic writing. Each assignment emphasizes different writing skills and rhetorical goals, as well as different audiences. Throughout the semester, the subject of our investigations will be the health sciences. You are encouraged to explore the ethical, social, and political dimensions of healthcare alongside the scientific and clinical research in the field.
Requirements: Your full participation in peer review, paper revision, and class discussion is expected. Each formal essay includes supplementary ancillary assignments. There also will be an oral presentation. Completion of all 4 assignments plus the portfolio is required to pass the course. The analytical paper, the research paper and the weird science paper (the 1st, 3rd, and 4th assignments) are portfolio eligible.
The Papers: The Analytical Paper: We will be reading several essays that raise ethical questions about the practice of medicine and science in the US. There is one formal paper and one ancillary assignment in this unit.
Research Proposal: This unit focuses on developing a research question, and gathering and analyzing scientific research for the research paper itself. The paper itself comprises a research proposal and an annotated bibliography.
Research Paper: The research develops directly out of your proposal. The subject is a topic of your own choosing, although it must be clearly connected to the assignment.
Weird Science: This paper is aimed at a general audience. You must write about a scientific subject in a way that is both informative and accessible to a general reader.
Final grades are based on:
Assignment 1: The Analytical Paper 15%
Assignment 2: Research Proposal 10%
Assignment 3: Research Paper 20%
Assignment 4: Weird Science Paper 20%
Portfolio 25%
Ancillary Writing Assignments 5%
Participation 5%
Enrollment and Attendance: More than 3 unexcused absences or a persistent habit of tardiness will lower your participation grade. A persistent pattern of absences (missing 6 classes or more) is grounds for failure in the course. Excused absences can only be granted for emergencies, university obligations (with verification), and illnesses (with a doctor’s note). Even though I am sympathetic, other absences are considered unexcused. I appreciate prior notification when possible. Please let me know if you must miss class, whatever the reason. You are responsible for all work due, assigned, or discussed in your absence. Please arrange with another student to obtain any homework or class notes you may have missed.
Class Preparation and Participation: Because this is a writing workshop, attendance and active class participation are crucial both in class and online. Plan on completing all reading assignments before class period. You are expected to come to class prepared for class discussion. You also are expected to contribute to the course by participating in workshop sessions and posting to Blackboard on time. We will also be using Blackboard to facilitate both access to readings and turning in work.
Paper Format: All 4 primary essays must be completed in order to pass the class; failure to turn in any one or failure to turn in the portfolio will result in failure of the course. All assignments (including drafts) should be typewritten in either 11- or 12-point font. We will be turning in the work online, nevertheless be sure to include your name, the date, the assignment, etc, on the first page. We will be using APA style (or the Name-Year style) for the citations. You DO NOT need to worry about APA pagination rules. Late papers will be marked down. If circumstances require an extension, please approach me BEFORE the paper is due or the paper will be considered late. For your protection, I recommend keeping two extra copies of all your work, one on your computer and one on paper.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is understood to be presenting someone else’s work as your own. It is also the use of someone else's words or ideas without proper acknowledgment, in other words, without either directly quoting or citing the source. This can mean an entire essay is substituted for the writer’s own work, however it is more commonly seen in the use of unacknowledged sources and/or quotations within an essay. You must cite any secondary sources from which you have culled ideas for your paper, including course reading materials, academic essays, journal articles, even lecture notes from another class. Plagiarism is very easily detected and it has very serious consequences. Do not do it. If you require further clarification, please review the Academic Dishonesty policy in SCampus and the “Writing 140 Handbook.”
Paper due dates: This schedule is tentative. Actual due date may be changed to better accommodate class needs. You are responsible for keeping track of any changes to this schedule.
The Food Paper Monday, September 22
Research paper proposal Friday, October 10
Research Paper Monday, October 27
Weird Science Paper Monday, November 17
Portfolio Friday, December 5
Health Sciences (Fall 2014)
Teaching Schedule
Week 1
Mon 8/25 Intro to class
In-class diagnostic
Introduce first assignment and readings
* What does it mean to practice medicine?
* What assumptions do we bring with us when we go to the doctor?
* What assumptions might we bring when we see a patient?
Weds 8/25 Readings: Atul Gawande, “Education of a Knife” and “The Mop Up”; Mary Roach, “Crimes of Anatomy”; and Rebecca Skloot.
Discussing the readings:
* Thesis
* Authorial voice
* Main points of agreement / disagreement
* Use of support
Homework: Post a response to the readings on the discussion blog on Blackboard: for each include 1 paragraph summary & 1 paragraph for further discussion. Due Weds 8/27
Fri 8/27 Further discussion of the readings
Invention: Developing analytical approaches to the assignment
Identifying key arenas for critical inquiry
Week 2
Mon 9/1 LABOR DAY HOLIDAY
Homework: Read through the responses on the class blog and post a meaningful response to at least one classmate. It could be a question, a statement of agreement or disagreement, a relevant article, etc.
Due Tues 9/2
Weds 9/3 Invention: Bring to class 1 or 2 key questions raised by the readings. These might be areas of agreement or disagreement, ethical dilemmas, or challenges for implementation.
Identify a few key quotations for your paper.
Fri 9/5 Mechanics of Analysis
* Analysis versus summary or response
* Analytical claims
* Use of support: textual evidence, anecdote, data, theory
* Conceptual support versus concrete examples
* Audience awareness (general reader)
Week 3
Mon 9/8 Bring your IDEAS DRAFT/OUTLINE to class. This should include possible thesis, supporting evidence from the text, secondary readings to support your own points
Developing the thesis and argument
Thesis: expository vs persuasive vs analytical
* Audience
* Purpose
* Identifying the Main Claim(s) of your paper
* Identifying the most meaningful connections between those claims
ROUGH PLAN will be provided to help develop the outline
Weds 9/10 Bring a WORKING DRAFT to class for peer review
Writing an argument
* Effective outlining strategies
* Paragraphs and Topic Claims
Using transitions, paragraphing, to build arguments
Peer review skills
* Identifying strengths and weaknesses
* Effective feedback
Fri 9/12 Bring WORKING DRAFT to class
In-class workshop on paragraph development
Week 4
Mon 9/15 Bring a COMPLETE DRAFT to class
What's working / Best practices
Weds 9/17 Conferences
Fri 9/19 Conferences
Week 5
Mon 9/22 Bring REVISED COMPLETE DRAFT to class
Bring MAIN CLAIMS PARAGRAPH to class
* Transitions and topic claims
* Clarity
* Proofreading
THE ANALYTICAL PAPER DUE (Assignment 1) by midnight, Mon 9/22
Homework: Bring an article on a current issue in healthcare that has sparked your interest to class Weds
Weds 9/24 Introduce the research unit
Paper proposal and annotated bibliography
Choosing your TOPIC
From general topic selection to research question
Identifying solid research articles
Avoiding confirmation bias
Fri 9/26 Bring PAPER TOPIC to class
Week 6
Mon 9/29 LIBRARY SESSION
Homework: Post your final research topic and research question to the discussion blog on Blackboard. Due Weds 10/1
Weds 10/1 Writing the proposal
Summary / paraphrase / annotation
Summarizing the research
Identifying areas of relevance for further study
Developing your analysis of the research
* Assessing quality of research data
* Primary versus secondary research
* Quantitative versus qualitative data
* Applying theoretical concepts
Fri 10/3 ROUGH PLAN workshop for developing the proposal
Homework: Post a 1pg summary of your preliminary findings.
Due Fri 10/3
Week 7
Mon 10/6 Bring ROUGH DRAFT OF PROPOSAL to class for peer review
A SAMPLE ANNOTATION also recommended
Weds 10/8 Bring in COMPLETE DRAFT of Proposal
What’s working / Best practices
Fri 10/10 From the proposal to the research paper
Organization and Effective Argument Structure
Formatting and professionalism
PAPER PROPOSAL (Assignment 2) DUE Fri 10/10
Week 8
Mon 10/13 Bring IDEAS DRAFT/OUTLINE to class
Developing the ROUGH PLAN
* Developing an effective outline
* Use of transitions & topic claims
* Identifying missing claims and supporting arguments
Weds 10/15 Bring PARTIAL DRAFT to class for peer review
Fri 10/17 Bring PARTIAL DRAFT to class
Workshop on paragraph revision
Week 9
Mon 10/20 Bring FULL DRAFT due for peer review
Weds 10/22 Conferences
Fri 10/24 Conferences
Week 10
Mon 10/27 Bring REVISED COMPLETE DRAFT to class
Bring MAIN CLAIMS PARAGRAPH to class
Revision strategies for complete drafts
RESEARCH PAPER DUE (Assignment 3) by midnight Mon 10/27
Weds 10/29 Readings: Atul Gawande, “The Score” and Oliver Sacks “The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat”
Introduce the general audience paper (AKA weird science)
Presenting medicine/science to a general audience
* Making the research relevant
* Thesis versus topic
* Narrative as thesis and argument
* Underlining scientific/social/philosophical implications
Fri 10/31 Bring in TOPIC IDEAS
Invention: Why is this topic relevant? What is the significance?
Week 11
Mon 11/3 Bring IDEAS DRAFT to class
Turning scientific research into a compelling story
* Who is the hero?
* What is the goal? And what obstacles lay in the way?
* Why are we here? What’s the significance?
Weds 11/5 Bring ROUGH PLAN or PARTIAL DRAFT to class
Effective openers
Narrative versus traditional transitions
Fri 11/7
Week 12
Mon 11/10 Bring COMPLETE DRAFT to class for peer review
Weds 11/12 Conferences
Fri 11/14 Conferences
Week 13
Mon 11/17 Bring COMPLETE DRAFT to class for final review
Bring MAIN TOPICS PARAGRAPH
Final Portfolio
Revision strategies
Strategies for paper selection
WEIRD SCIENCE PAPER DUE (Assignment 4) by midnight, Mon 11/17
Weds 11/19 Bring FIRST PORTFOLIO ESSAY to class for revision
Presentations begin
Fri 11/21 Presentations
Week 14
Mon 11/24 Presentations
Weds 11/26 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Week 15
Mon 12/1 Bring SECOND PORTFOLIO ESSAY to class for revision
Presentations
Weds 12/3 Presentations / FINAL PORTFOLIOS DUE Friday 12/5 at midnight