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Honors 1500: Introduction to Research:

An Interdisciplinary Perspective

“If I knew what I was doing, I wouldn’t call it research.”

Albert Einstein

FALL 2010: 220 PEB

Instructor: Susan Eve, Ph.D.

Lecturer, Honors College

Honors College Offices: 211 Chilton Hall

1155 Union Circle, #310529

University of North Texas

Denton, TX 76203-0517

940-565-4914

FAX: 940-369-7370

Office hours:MTW 8-11; MRF 2-5

Course DESCRIPTION

In this course, students will read and hear lectures about the research process from a selection of prominent researchers at the University of North Texas, as well as Honors students who have completed, or are close to completing, an undergraduate thesis. The material covers a wide range of disciplines, including the humanities, the physical and life sciences, the social and behavioral sciences, and the arts. Students in the course will write a short prospectus of the research that they might conduct on a topic of their choice.

Course Objectives

The following is a list of learning objectives for the course; that is, what you should learn from participation in the course:

  1. Participants should have a basic understanding of the scientific method.
  2. Participants should develop an appreciation for the utility of research in all disciplines including the humanities, the physical and life sciences, the social and behavioral sciences, and the arts.
  3. Participants should have a rudimentary understanding of a variety of research methods, including the following: the experimental method, the survey method, observational methods, laboratory research, literary research, and historical research using primary documents.
  4. Participants should understand the role of ethics in research and the role of institutional reviews of the use of humans and animals in research
  5. Participants should have an understanding of the need for safety reviews of research projects using biological or chemical agents or radioactivity.
  6. Participants should have a basic understanding of the issues of plagiarism, falsification of data, and intellectual property rights.
  7. Participants should have a basic knowledge of the sources of funding for research projects for including the public and private sector sources.

Course Requirements

Textbooks

Duban, James. (2005). Be an Academic Achiever: The Complete Guide to Academic Stardom. Victoria, B.C.: Trafford.

Suggested Reference Books

As a part of this course, you should learn to use the style manual that is required in your major. The most popular style manuals used on campus are (1) American Psychological Association (APA), preferred especially by the social sciences; (2) Modern Language Association (MLA), preferred especially in disciplines in the humanities; and (3) the University of Chicago style manual, preferred by disciplines in the physical and life sciences. Copies of the manuals for APA, MLA, and Chicago are available in the Honors office. IT IS REQUIRED THAT YOU CHOOSE AN APPROPRIATE STYLE MANUAL AND USE IT THROUGHOUT THE COURSE IN EVERYTHING THAT YOU WRITE. Please excuse the caps, but I do want to emphasize that one important goal of the course is for you to learn a proper style for you discipline. This will be a great asset to you on all the papers you write while you are a student at UNT.

References for major style manuals:

(1) American Psychological Association.Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition (2009, 2nd printing). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.

(2) Modern Language Association.MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th ed. New York: Modern Language Association, 2009.

(3) University of Chicago Press. 2003. The Chicago Manual of Style: The Essential Guide for Writers, Editors, and Publishers, 15th ed. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Reaction Papers, Appointments, and Class Participation (25% of final grade).

Reaction papers:Must be posted to Blackboard for HNRS1500 by 8:00 a.m. the day they are due. A hard copy should be turned in in class the day it is due as a backup.I will read and critique the papers and will return them to you in class for discussion so you get very quick feedback.

Following major speakers in the course, you are asked to write a reaction paper. The paper should have the following four parts:

First, the paper should have a heading containing the following information:

  1. student’s name;
  2. course number and name;
  3. instructor ‘s name;
  4. guest speaker’s name;
  5. title of the assignment for the course; and
  6. date paper is turned in.

Reaction papers are due the very next class period after the presenter speaks. An electronic copy should be posted to the website by 8:00 a.m. the day it is due and a hard copy should be turned in inclass at the beginning of the period. Late papers will not be accepted and students will get a zero for that assignment.

Second, briefly summarize the major ideas about the research process shared by the presenter and presented in the reading assignments for the day. Reading should always be read before the class period for which it is assigned in order to increase understanding of the lecture presentation and discussion.The speaker’s remarks and the readings must be cited in the text and as appropriate and a reference list/works cited/bibliography must be included as attached. The attached reference list/works cited/bibliography does not count against the word limit.

Third, discuss the impact of these ideas on your own understanding of the research process. Examples of impacts you might discuss include how these ideas expanded your understanding of what research is, how research is conducted, how it is funded, how it is used, problems with doing research, or its importance in society.

Fourth, what else would you like to know about research based on the lecture, readings, and/or text? How can you acquire this additional information? Be specific as this will become a part of your plan to prepare yourself to do thesis research that you will develop for your final research prospectus assignment discussed below.

These reaction papers should be a maximum of one double-spaced page (250 words) in length. The reports should be short but robust, reflecting serious thought.

Appointments:Students are requested to make two appointments with the course instructor during the course of the semester. Students must meet with the instructor during the required time period. Students who do not meet during this period will get a zero for that assignment.

Class participation: Students are expected to be in class and to participate actively in class. The course instructor will determine the class participation grade from class attendance and whether or not the student participates in class most days.HNRS1500 students are also required to volunteer for Scholars Day April 15. Students should volunteer for two hours to help with registration, chairing sessions, greeting visitors, setting up posters, and other tasks required for the event.

Research Prospectus (75% of final grade: 37.5% from prospectus assignments); 37.5% from the final draft of the prospectus).These assignments must be posted to Blackboard coursepage for HNRS1500 in the proper assignment folder by 8:00 a.m. the day the assignment is due. A hard copy should be turned in in class the day it is due. During the course of the semester you should be working on a research prospectus. The daily class assignments are designed to help you write this prospectus as you progress through the course during the semester. In the prospectus, you should design a piece of research that you would like to carry out while you are an undergraduate.

Each prospectus assignment turned in should have a heading containing the following information:

  1. student’s name;
  2. course number and name;
  3. student’s instructor (Andrea Kirk, Ph.D.);
  4. title of the assignment for the course (e.g.Part 2: Literature Review); and
  5. date paper is turned in.

Development of the prospectus will require meeting with the course instructor and, ideally, a professor in your major area of study as well. Progress reports on your prospectus will be expected periodically during the course of the semester. This prospectus should be about 10 pages (2500 words) in length. Due dates for prospectus assignments are bolded and italicized in the daily course schedule below to make them easier to spot. Assignments must be done on time in order for you to successfully complete the course.

Assignments Submitted Online. All assignments must be presented online to the class Blackboard webpage by 8:00 a.m. the morning of the day they are due. No exceptions!

Class Attendance

Regular and punctual class attendance is expected. In this class you have a responsibility for participating in the seminar discussions as a member of the HNRS 1500 learning community. If you are not present you cannot meet your obligations to share what you know about research with your peers or learn from them. Students who miss more than three class periods for any reason, even “excused” absences, will be dropped from the course. Legitimate reasons to miss class are (1) serious illness and (2) serious personal emergency such as a death of a close family member. Some university-sponsored activities are also legitimate reasons to miss class and these must be documented with a signed note from the professor verifying that this is an activity that is approved in advance by the Provost’s Office. Punctual class attendance is also required so please take this into consideration in planning your work schedules, volunteer activities, babysitters, etc. Class comes first!

Americans With Disabilities Act

It is the policy of your instructor to comply fully with the Americans With Disabilities Act and to make reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. Please present your written request for accommodation at the start of the semester.

Policy on Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity Policy. Academic dishonesty is defined as follows by the Office of Academic Integrity on the website:

  • Cheating intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise. The term academic exercise includes all forms of work submitted for credit or hours.
  • Plagiarism the deliberate adoption or reproduction of ideas, words or statements of another person as one's own without acknowledgement.
  • Fabrication intentional and unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.
  • Facilitating academic dishonesty intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another to violate a provision of the institutional code of academic integrity.

Violations of the policy of academic integrity are taken seriously at UNT and may include failing grades on assignments and/or the course and reports to the VPAA that become a part of the official student record. You should read the procedures and sanctions for academic dishonesty on the website of the Vice President for academic Affairs at If you are in doubt about any of the issues related to academic integrity, it is your responsibility to consult with the course instructor regarding these requirements before your assignments are submitted.

Student Evaluation of Teaching Effectiveness (SETE)

The Student Evaluation of Teaching Effectiveness (SETE) is a requirement for all organized classes at UNT. This short survey will be made available to you at the end of the semester, providing you a chance to comment on how this class is taught. I am very interested in the feedback I get from students, as I work to continually improve my teaching. I consider the SETE to be an important part of your participation in this class. The administration of the SETE, will remain open through the week of finals.

Syllabus as a Contract

The University attorney advises faculty members to notify students that the syllabus is not a contract and is therefore subject to change. We will try to adhere to the schedule provided, but it is important to note that changes may be necessary to meet unforeseen needs and events.

COURSE SCHEDULE

CLASS MTG / TOPIC / READING DUE FOR WEEK
Class
Class 1 / Getting Started: Introduction to Course
Class 2 / Research in the Physical Sciences / Matteson,S.E. (2004). Common threads in research across disciplines. The Eagle Feather: Vol. 1.
Class 3 / Labor Day, No Classes
Class 4 / Education Beyond the Classroom, Research Experiences for Undergraduates / Duban, Chaps. 20, 22, 23.
NSF Website for Research Experiences for Undergraduates
Class 5 / Research in Art / Pierce, Danielle, (2004). The government’s Girls, The Eagle Feather, Vol. 1.
Abel and Way, Undergraduate research in art history, The Eagle Feather, Vol. 1.
Class 6 / Choosing Your Research Topic / Review Lesson 1: Research Question in either Module 1: Survey Research or Module 2: Experimental Research in Blackboard webpage
Class 7 / Finding Published Literature on Your Honors Thesis Topic
Class 8 / Taking Research Notes / Duban, Chaps. 16, 17
Class 9 / Introduction to Reviewing Literature / Duban, Chap. 18;
Review Lesson 2: Literature Review and Lesson 3: Theory in either Module 1: Survey Research or Module 2: Experimental Research in Blackboard webpage
Class 10 / Research in the Humanities
Class 11 / How to Write a Literature Review / Mary Pat Kleineck. (2007) Can you hear me now, The Eagle Feather,
Class 12 / Editing the Literature Review
Class 13 / Editing the Literature Review / Duban, Chap. 19
Class 14 / Introduction to Research Methods / Read either Module 1: Survey Research, Lesson 4: Populations and Samples OR Module 2: Experimental Research, Lesson 4: Experimental Design, on Blackboard webpage
Class 15 / Research Methods: Dependent Variables, Independent Variables and Hypotheses / Read either Module 1: Survey Research, Lessons 5: Measurement and Lesson 6: Hypotheses OR Module 2: Experimental Research, Lessons 5: Internal and External Validity and Lesson 6: Probable Cause: Independent and Dependent Variables.
Class 16 / Research Methods for Your Honors Thesis
Class 17 / Statistics / Review Lesson 8: Frequencies and Barcharts and Lesson 9: Contingency Tables, in Module 1: Survey Research OR
Lesson 8: Data analysis in Module 2: Experimental Research in Blackboard webpage
Class 18 / Statistics, continued / Review Lesson 8: Frequencies and Barcharts and Lesson 9: Contingency Tables, in Module 1: Survey Research OR
Lesson 8: Data analysis in Module 2: Experimental Research in Blackboard webpage
Class 19 / Research Compliance–The Use of Human Subjects / Documentary: The Tuskegee Syphillis Experiment
Class 20 / Research Compliance at UNT / Compliance documents for UNT available at
Class 21 / Planning Honors Thesis Research in Compliance with UNT Policies / Human Subjects in Module 1: Survey Research OR Lesson 7: Human Subjects in Module 2: Experimental Research in Blackboard webpage
Class 22 / Revising Research Plans for Your Honors Thesis
Class 23 / Preparation for Presentation of Your Honors Thesis Prospectus
Class 24 / Overview of First Draft of Final Prospectus Assignment
Class 25 / Looking for Scholarships and Fellowships / Duban, Chaps. 25-33
Class 26 / Practice Presentation of Powerpoints
Class 27 / Presentation of Final Research Prospectus
Class 28 / Presentation of Final Research Prospectus, cont’d.
Class 29 / Review of Research Prospectus and Suggested Revisions
Class 30 / Conclusions and Next Steps
Class 31