1

ENC 5319 Syllabus

ENC 5319: Scholarly Writing for Publication

Instructor:

Phone: 846-1138

Email:

Office: 302 Tigert Hall

Office Hours: period and by appointment

On-line Syllabus:

Course Description

The academic arena is placing greater and greater pressure on graduate students to enter into academic debates as publishing scholars. So it is especially important that students understand the expectations that shape scholarly writing in their various disciplines. Being able to employ the correct forms, to interpret and synthesize the literature, and to present their research to various audiences will help position graduate students in a competitive job market or academic career.

During this course, graduate students learn how to transform research into publishable articles, drafting, editing, and revising their work with the guidance of instructor feedback and peer review. With sufficient data, students can produce an article ready for submission to a scholarly journal over the course of the semester.

Outcomes

In ENC 5319, students will learn to

  • plan, draft, revise, and edit articles for publication in scholarly journals
  • adapt writing to different audiences, purposes, and contexts
  • synthesize and report on the scholarly literature in the field
  • write in a clear, coherent, and direct style appropriate for peer-reviewed journals
  • understand and employ the various forms of scholarly writing, including proposals, research reports, and professional correspondence
  • avoid plagiarism

Required Readings

Exemplary published research reports available in e-learning.

Publication manual and documentation guide appropriate to the student’s discipline.

Williams, J. (2011). Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace, 10th Edition. Boston: Longman.

Recommended Readings

Glenn, C. et al. (2013). The Hodges Harbrace Handbook, 18thEdition. New York: Cengage.

Grading & Course Credit Policies

Grading for this course will be rigorous. In order to earn passing grades, papers should illustrate a professional regard for discipline-appropriate content, spelling, grammar and citations guidelines.

Grading Scale

A / 4.0 / 93-100 / 930-1000 / C / 2.0 / 73-76 / 730-769
A- / 3.67 / 90-92 / 900-929 / C- / 1.67 / 70-72 / 700-729
B+ / 3.33 / 87-89 / 870-899 / D+ / 1.33 / 67-69 / 670-699
B / 3.0 / 83-86 / 830-869 / D / 1.0 / 63-66 / 630-669
B- / 2.67 / 80-82 / 800-829 / D- / 0.67 / 60-62 / 600-629
C+ / 2.33 / 77-79 / 770-799 / E / 0.00 / 0-59 / 0-599

1

ENC 5319 Syllabus

Assessment Rubric

SATISFACTORY / UNSATISFACTORY
CONTENT / Papers exhibitevidence of ideas that respond to the topic with complexity, critically evaluating and synthesizing the literature, and providing an adequate discussion with a sophisticated understanding of the data and results of the study. / Papers either include a research question that is unclear, a poorly formed methodology or results, or provide only minimal or inadequate discussion of the data. Papers may also lack sufficient or appropriate attention to the literature.
ORGANIZATION AND COHERENCE / Documents exhibitlogical structure for academic research, including a clear research question or hypothesis, a coherent literature review, appropriate expression of methodology and discussion of results.Sections and paragraphs illustrate coherence, including the use of topic sentences and logical transitions. / Documents and paragraphs lack clearly identifiable organization, may lack any coherent sense of logic in associating and organizing ideas, and may also lack transitions and coherence to guide the reader.
ARGUMENT AND SUPPORT / Documents presentideas persuasively and confidently. Claims are strongly supported with evidence. Methods are valid. Conclusions are well reasoned from the data presented. / Generalizations are not supported by the citation of literature, data is interpreted illogically, and conclusions may not be reasonably drawn from the evidence.
STYLE / Documents use a writing style with word choice appropriate to the context, genre, and discipline. Sentencesdisplay complexity and logicalstructure. / Documents rely on word usage that is inappropriate for the context, genre, or discipline. Sentences may be overly long or short with awkward construction. Documents may also use words incorrectly.
MECHANICS / Papers will feature correct or error-free presentation of ideas. If any spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors remain, they are unobtrusive and do not obscure the paper’s argument. / Papers contain mechanical or grammatical errors that impede the reader’s understanding or severely undermine the writer’s credibility.

Assignment Descriptions (Total Points Possible: 1000)

Research Prospectus (600-900 words; 50 points)

Students learn to frame a research question, describe a subject group and methodology, and explain the practical significance of the issue.

Annotated Bibliography (1200 words; 100 points)

In this assignment, students will gain background information on the topic and prepare to write the literature review associated with the proposed research project. The goal of the literature review is to provide the context for the research by finding out what other scholars say on the same subject.

Research Proposal (1200-2400 words; 300 points)

In the research (or grant) proposal, students learn to synthesize the literature, present a valid methodology, explain the academic significance of the topic, and describe a credible budget or management plan.

Professional Communication (600 words; 50 points)

Students learn to establish and maintain credibility for their research projects and for themselves as scholars, a critical area of professional development that includes letters, biographical statements, and e-mail correspondence.

Research Report (4500 words; 500 points)

For the research report, students will choose either a qualitative or quantitative research project, examine the existing literature, collect original data, present findings, and draw conclusions on a current research project.This report is written in parts over the course of the semester.

Schedule of Classes and Assignments

Unit 1: Research, Rhetoric and Scholarly Writing

Week 1

  • Introduction: Syllabus, Texts, Goals, and Course Organization.
  • The Scientific and Academic Style. Reading: "The Practice of Writing."
  • The Scientific Method and the Organization of Research Papers. Reading: "Papers Based on Original Research."

Week 2

  • Understanding Research Reports and Journals. Analyze Exemplary Studies.
  • Identify Journal and Submit Exemplary Articles.
  • Due: Research Prospectus. Research Methods and Sources. Assignment: Write an annotated bibliography for your research topic, emphasizing recent studies.

Unit 2: Digging Up the Literature

Week 3

  • How to Conduct Library Research. Guest Speaker.
  • Field Trip: Library Scavenger Hunt.
  • Research Workshop.

Week 4

  • Discuss Library Research and Manuscript Form.
  • Present Sources.
  • Due: Annotated Bibliography.Style: Concision.

Unit 3: Preparing the Proposal—Literature Review, Methodology, and Statement of Significance

Week 5

  • Introductions and the Synthesis of Literature. Discuss and Analyze Exemplary Introductions.
  • Discuss and Analyze Exemplary Introductions.
  • Style: Paragraphs and Coherence

Week 6

  • Due: Introduction and Synthesis. Punctuation Review.
  • Methods Section Overview.
  • Methods: Collecting Data (Guest Speaker).

Week 7

  • Presenting Surveys and Research Instruments, Samples, and Statistical Analyses.
  • Discuss and Review Methods Sections.
  • Style: Clarity

Unit 4: Professional Correspondence

Week 8

  • Due: Methods andSurvey or Research Instrument.The Biographical Sketch.
  • E-mail and Professional Correspondence.
  • Business Letters and Letters of Transmittal.

Week 9

  • Midterm Conferences.
  • Midterm Conferences.
  • Midterm Conferences.

Unit 5: Results and Discussion

Week 10

  • Results Section Overview.
  • Discuss and Analyze Exemplary Results.
  • Style: Shape.

Week 11

  • Incorporation of Graphics into Research Papers.
  • Discuss Exemplary Results.
  • Peer Review of Results Sections.

Week 12

  • Due: Results. Discussion Section Overview.
  • Discussion Section Workshop. Style: Emphasis.
  • Discuss Exemplary Discussions and Conclusions.

Week 13

  • Due: Discussion. Peer Review of Discussion.
  • Discuss Abstracts.
  • Presentations in the Social and Physical Sciences.

Unit 5: Professional Presentations

Week 14

  • Due: Research Paper.Guest Speaker: Public Speaking.
  • Example Posters and thePresentation Flyer.
  • Poster Presentations Practice and Review.

Week 15

  • Poster Presentations Practice and Review.
  • Discuss Presentations.

Classroom Policies

Attendance

Attendance is required. The policy of the University Writing Program is that if a student misses more than six periods during a summer or spring semester, he or she will fail the entire course. Missing class on a double period counts as two absences. The UWP exempts from this policy only those absences involving university-sponsored events, such as athletics and band, and religious holidays. Absences related to university-sponsored events must be discussed with the instructor prior to the date that will be missed.

Please Note: If students are absent, it is their responsibility to make themselves aware of all due dates. If absent due to a scheduled event, students are still responsible for turning assignments in on time.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a serious violation of the Student Honor Code. The Honor Code prohibits plagiarism and defines it as follows:

Plagiarism. A student shall not represent as the student’s own work all or any portion of the work of another. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to:

1. Quoting oral or written materials including but not limited to those found on the internet, whether published or unpublished, without proper attribution.

2. Submitting a document or assignment which in whole or in part is identical or substantially identical to a document or assignment not authored by the student.

(University of Florida, Student Honor Code, 8 July 2011)

University of Florida students are responsible for reading, understanding, and abiding by the entire Student Honor Code.

Important Tip: You should never copy and paste something from the Internet without providing the exact location from which it came.

Classroom Behavior

Please keep in mind that students come from diverse cultural, economic, and ethnic backgrounds. Some of the texts we will discuss and write about engage controversial topics and opinions. Diversified student backgrounds combined with provocative texts require that you demonstrate respect for ideas that may differ from your own.

In-Class Work

Papers and drafts are due at the beginning of class or on-line at the assigned deadline. Late papers will not be accepted. Failure of technology is not an excuse.

Participation is a crucial part of success in this class. Students will be expected to work in small groups and participate in group discussions, writing workshops, peer reviews, and other in-class activities. Be prepared for unannounced quizzes or activities on the readings or classroom discussion. Students must be present for all in-class activities to receive credit for them. In-class work cannot be made up. Writing workshops require that students provide constructive feedback about their peers’ writing.

In general, students are expected to contribute constructively to each class session.

Paper Maintenance Responsibilities

Students are responsible for maintaining duplicate copies of all work submitted in this course and retaining all returned, graded work until the semester is over. Should the need arise for a resubmission of papers or a review of graded papers, it is the student’s responsibility to have and to make available this material.

Mode of SubmissionAll papers will be submitted as MS Word (.doc) or Rich Text Format (.rtf) documents to E-learning/Sakai and as hard copies. Final drafts should be polished and presented in a professional manner. All papers must be in 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced with 1-inch margins and pages numbered. Be sure to staple papers before submitting hard copies. Unstapled papers will not be accepted.

Students with Disabilities

The University of Florida complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students requesting accommodation should contact the Students with Disabilities Office, Peabody 202. That office will provide documentation to the student whom must then provide this documentation to the instructor when requesting accommodation.