Dupler—WRTG 3030: 1
WRTG 3030: “Writing on Science and Society”
Spring 2013
Instructor: Douglas Dupler, M.A. Email:
Office: 1338 Grandview Ave.Office Hours: Thurs 9-11am and by appointment
Class Time: (Section 010) MWF 12-12:50 pmClassroom: Duan G1B35
Writing skills are fundamental . . . It’s increasingly important to be able to convey content in a tight, logical, direct manner, particularly in a fast- paced, technological environment.
-HR director, in Report of the National Committee on Writing
“The prime source of wisdom has been defined as continuous and penetrating inquiry…by doubting we come to inquire, and by inquiring we come to the truth.”
-Peter Abelard
"History is a race between education and catastrophe."
-H. G. Wells
Course Description
Writing 3030 is a second-level writing course that expands and refines students’ writing and communication skills. The course emphasizes critical thinking and rhetorical awareness; prepares students to write analytical, evaluative, and/or persuasive papers that incorporate research and conventions in a field of interest; extends students’ knowledge and experience of the writing process; and builds effective communication skills including oral presentation. The primary course content is writing and critical thinking, using the broad theme of “science and society” as a context for our semester-long inquiry and practice. This course aims to prepare students for the writing situations and challenges that they will encounter as professionals and educated citizens. Content will be delivered by lectures, seminar discussions, peer-review workshops and group activities, online sources, videos, guest speakers, and community-learning opportunities such as the CU Bioneers Conference (autumn), the CU Conference on World Affairs (spring), and the many events and speakers in the CU/Boulder area.
Course Objectives
This 3000-level Program for Writing & Rhetoric seminar satisfies upper-division core requirements in various CU-Boulder schools and colleges because it extends rhetorical knowledge and writing skills by addressing specialized disciplinary communities—not only those of the hard sciences and engineering, but also in the social sciences and humanities. In doing so, this course also meets the State of Colorado “guaranteed transfer” goals for an advanced writing course:
• Extended rhetorical knowledge: a) analyzing the occasion and the purpose of a piece of writing; b) using voice, tone, and structure to improve understanding of how form and content work together; c) writing and reading in several genres. We will explore how writing done in the workplace is a social act that achieves practical results and influences behavior.
• Writing process: a) Generating ideas, writing and revising drafts of an essay, editing and proofreading those drafts; b) critiquing your own and your classmates’ work; c) doing effective research; d) using technology such as websites, Internet search engines, electronic databases, and PowerPoint; e) evaluating sources for accuracy, relevancy, credibility, and bias; f) reflecting on your writing in order to clarify the writing process. With each assignment, we will practice writing as a doable series of actions resulting in a document about which you can feel proud.
• Writing conventions: a) Building on your understanding of writing issues explored in first-year writing classes, including further discussion of argument, structure, appropriate vocabulary, and other genre conventions; b) developing a better understanding of grammar, syntax, and punctuation. By discussing and analyzing, for example, the various conventions of a cover letter and résumé, we will gain an appreciation of how the different parts of these documents fit together and can be changed according to the circumstance in which you write them.
• Content comprehension and communication strategies: a) Understanding the content and style needs of a specific audience for a piece of writing; b) writing to a variety of audiences and adapting content and style to suit those audiences; c) giving effective oral presentations using PowerPoint; d) critically addressing content and arguments appropriate to the theme of "science and society" including ethics and sustainability topics.
Texts
-Articles will be posted on our CULearn site or emailed. (password scisocsp3 )
-Optional Writing Guides: Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace byWilliams and Colomb; A Pocket Style Manual by Hacker; The Craft of Research by Booth and Colomb; The Elements of Style by Strunk and White.
Grading
I will determine your final grade by weighing your work as follows:
Cover letter and resume10%
Technical issue analysis and argument memo20%
Final research paper and oral presentation30%
Short writing assignments, quizzes, reading responses 25%
Class participation10%
Community learning write-up 5%
Writing assignments will be evaluated considering the following criteria (if applicable):
- Conforms to the Assignment: All papers must follow the established requirements for that particular assignment -- including length, general purpose, and due date.
- Audience: All topics and papers should be targeted to a specific audience. For example, if the paper is intended for a lay audience, it must be free of technical jargon and complexities. If it is intended for an expert audience, the paper should be more than a broad introduction to the topic. A reader should be able to recognize the intended audience.
- Organization: The general format of the paper should be readily apparent. The introduction and preview, thesis statement, main points, minor points, and conclusion should come together to form a coherent and logical structure that is easy for the reader to follow.
- Internal structure: The paper should flow naturally from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph. The reader should not have to guess as to the author’s intent as he or she moves from point to point.
- Grammar and Usage: Papers should be free of fundamental grammar and usage errors. Also, papers must display correct sentence structure (avoiding run-on sentences and sentence fragments).
- Punctuation and Spelling
- Use of Language and Word Choice: The author should strive for concise, vivid, appropriate, nonsexist/nonracist, thoughtful, and eloquent language.
- Thoroughness of Research and Quality of Thought: The author well considers the main texts and, when applicable, a diversity of perspectives. Research findings are integrated effectively.
Attendance
Part of your grade and much of your success in this course rely upon consistent class attendance and participation. The instructor will record attendance each day. Your course grade will be lowered by a grade (from A to A-) for every absence after two classes. Five absences will result in failing the course. Two late arrivals are equivalent to one absence. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out from your classmates what we covered in class. If you are still unclear, please email the instructor. Illness and religious holidays are excused absences.
Paper Format and Deadlines
All papers, including the short response papers, should approximate this format:
-Standard font such as Times New Roman in size 12 with 1.5 spacing.
-Your name, the course number and term, the assignment, and the date in separate lines at the upper left of the first page.
-Paper title centered and before the first line of text. Paper titles are not placed in quotation marks, but they do follow the normal rules for capitalizing titles.
-When submitting electronically, make sure your name is in the file name and in the document, and save as a Word.doc file. Most papers will be submitted this way.
-Late papers will be deducted 30% when turned in one class late, and 50% for two classes late. After that, no
credit will be given. Each student gets one credit for one day late on one assignment; save this pass and use it
wisely.
Classroom Decorum
Please conduct yourself professionally in class. Bringing your full attention and your unique perspective, and preparing for class by doing the readings and assignments, will improve the learning environment for yourself and other students.
Turn off cell phones before class. Bring your laptop, but only for directly related use. Please exhibit a general courtesy toward your classmates and instructor, and expect the same in return. Playing games on laptops, cruising the Web, working on other homework, and text messaging indicate a lack of engagement with the class, and these will affect your final grade.
Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. 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. See policies at
Cultivating a Learning Community
Since this class is a small, interactive seminar, you will be expected to comment, ask questions, and participate in class with awareness and attention. We will regularly break into small groups to workshop, and we will also explore student work as a class. Both settings require you to bring in copies of your work and to comment actively on the work of your colleagues. We will help each other to learn, and we will ourselves learn in this process. Students will also be asked to lead group discussions on readings occasionally.
Academic Integrity
Integrity means being truthful, fair, free from deceit, and acting with responsibility. As Heraclitus stated, “Your integrity is your destiny…is the light that guides your way.”
As the CU website states: "An Honor Code establishes a fundamental social contract within which the University community agrees to live. This contract relies on the conviction that the personal and academic integrity of each individual member strengthens and improves the quality of life for the entire community. The Honor Code is vital to the Building Community Campaign, which is striving to develop a welcoming and supportive climate in which all people are respected and free to express differing ideals and opinions. A sense of mutual trust is critical to achieving such a community."
Incidents of misconduct will be reported to the Honor Code Council (; 303-725-2273). Information on the Honor Code can be found at and at
Plagiarism is the deliberate adoption or reproduction of ideas or words of another person as one’s own without acknowledgment, and is a form of cheating. This course will help students learn how to refer to the work of others properly. Anyone caught plagiarizing will automatically fail the course and be reported to the university disciplinary process.
Students with Disabilities
If you qualify for accommodations, submit a letter to me from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact: 303-492-8671, Willard 322,
Religious Observances
Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to deal reasonably and fairly with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with course schedules. Please contact me a week in advance if you will miss a class or assignment due to these observances.
Writing Center
Located in Norlin Library, E-111, the CU Writing Center is staffed by excellent writing coaches from the Program for Writing and Rhetoric. Consultants there can help you consider writing strategies, develop your ideas, organize your thoughts, and explain grammatical or mechanical matters. This service is free to all CU-Boulder students and will help with any paper you’re writing for a CU class (not just papers for writing classes). Because appointments at the Writing Center are free and effective, they are popular; set up an appointment, and visit them early in your paper writing process. You may reach the center at (303)492-1690, via email at , or on the web at colorado.edu/pwr/writingcenter.
WRTG 3030 Daily Schedule SP 13
(Note: The instructor reserves the right to change this daily schedule, depending on class needs)
Week I Intro
1/14Introduction to Class
1/16 Discuss short narrative assignment; Introduction to the writing process and rhetorical situations; creativity; group work on creativity
1/18 Work on Papers; Short video on belief systems and critical thinking
Week II Getting Started
1/21 No Class: Martin Luther King Day
1/23 Read King, "The World House"; Read: Sanders, "The Inheritance of Tools"
1/25 Ruiz, "Be Impeccable with Your Word”; Discuss style, editing, and revision
Due: Draft of Short Narrative Essay in class—don’t email to Doug. Bring laptops for drafting.
Week III Argument and Critical Thinking
1/28Discuss argument, persuasion, logical fallacies, unfair emotional appeal; rhetorical analysis of videoargument samples; Critical reading; Discuss resume/letter assignment
Due: Short Narrative Essay by email by start of class
1/30Read: “Drill ANWR,” “Don’t Drill ANWR” op-ed articles; Quoting and paraphrasing skills;
2/1Read Chapter 2, Technical Communication (TC); Reader-centered writing in context of job letter and resume assignment; Review "Grammar Guidelines."
Due: Job posting for resume/cover letter assignment
Week IV Argument and Digital Technology
2/4 Read: Carroll, "Critical Thinking" (pgs 1-6, 17-19, 22-23, browse rest for general meaning); Dvorksy, “The Twelve Cognitive Biases That Prevent You from Being Rational” (at ) Kahan, "Fixing the Communications Failure";Bias group exercise; More on argument and rhetorical analysis. Grammar and style. Plagiarism exercise.
2/6 Due: Draft of Resume/Job Letter (bring to class on laptops for editing; don't email to Doug). Discuss grammar and style.
2/8 Read: Carr, “Is Google Making Us Stoopid?”; Cascio, “Get Smarter” (at ); Rifkin, “The Empathic Society”; Discuss Short Article Review and Response. Assignment: Wordiness Exercise.
Due: Final version, Resume/Letter, by email
Week V Ethics and Oversight
2/11Read Boisjoly, "The Challenger Disaster"; Targ, “On Risk and Disasters”
2/13 Morgenstern, "The 59-Story Crisis"; Discuss Engineering Ethics Due: Wordiness Exercise
2/15 Read Slater, "In the Unlikely Event of a Water Landing"; Short video on engineering and risk
Week VI Environmental Ethics
2/18 Due: Draft of Short Article Review and Response for peer reviews
2/20 Lecture on Environmental Ethics; Group exercise: Unexamined Assumptions; Style workDue: Short Article Review and Response via email
2/22Carson, "The Obligation to Endure";Short video: green engineering
Week VII Sustainable Design
2/25Read: Hawken, "Natural Capitalism"; Browse Hardin, "The Tragedy of the Commons" (at )
Short video: nature's design principles
2/27Discuss Assignment: Technical Recommendation Memo.
3/1 Read: Recommendation Memo Assignment Articles 1 (listed on assignment sheet)
Week VIII: Technical Recommendation Memo
3/4Read: Recommendation Memo Assignment Articles 2 (listed on assignment sheet)
3/6 Work on Recommendation Memo Assignment; Organizing paragraphs and sections; Addressing counterarguments; Video: argument on nuclear power controversy
3/8Work on Rec Memo
Week IX: Technical Recommendation Memo
3/11 Due: Draft of Recommendation Memo for peer reviews and editing (bring to class on laptops)
3/13 Work on Rec Memo assignment; Discuss research paper; review civic essay format and science proposal format for research paper
3/15Due: Technical Decision Recommendation Memo via email
Week X: Research Papers
3/18Read: Sample Research Papers Due: Three initial topic ideas for research paper
Library Tutorial: Using science databases; Meet in library (Room TBD)
3/20 Analyzing samples of science writing and applying style and organization principles
3/22Read: Gopen and Swan, "The Science of Scientific Writing," (at )
Week XI: Spring Break
Week XII Research
4/1 Spinning Science: Readings TBA
4/3 Read Watson and Crick, "A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid"; Read Halloran, "The Birth of Molecular Biology"; Work on Research Papers
4/5 Video and Discussion on GMO Controversy; Work on Research Papers
Week XIII Research
4/8 Work on Research Papers; Attend Conference on World Affairs
Due: Annotated Bibliography of 6 sources for research papers
4/10 Guest speaker: graphic design principles for slides and presentations; Work on papers.
4/12 Case Study on Science and Public Communication: Readings TBA
Week XIV Research and Review
4/15 Read Marks, “Science, Religion, and Worldview”; Video
4/17 Catch-up; Quiz/review of course content; work on Research Papers and Presentations
4/19 Quiz/review of course content; work on Research Papers and Presentations
Week XV Research and Presentations
4/22 Work on Papers and Presentations
4/24 Presentations
4/26 Presentations
Week XVI Presentations and Wrapping Up
4/29 Presentations
5/1 Presentations
5/3 Drafting,Wrapping up
Due: Draft of research paper due for peer reviews and editing (bring on laptops; don't email to Doug)
Due: Community Learning write-ups