Check-in (30-45 min)

Choose one of two brief letters to write (credit to Prof. Inma Zanoguera Garcias for an adaptation of her exercise):

  1. Write a very brief letter (like whatever you can get out, 50 words is even fine) to your past self this semester about something you have learned or valued that your past self would have loved to know. OR
  2. Write a very brief (like whatever you can get out, 50 words is even fine) to your future self about what you would like to know for dealing with an issue in the present.

We won’t share these verbatim, but just as something to generate discussion before we get to a more general space of open discussion about how things are going

Joe Riccio Research Unit Presentation (20-30 min)

Prof. Joe Riccio is here to talk about approaches to teaching research writing.

Dan on Research Unit Planning (15-30 min)

Scaffolding, scaffolding, scaffolding.

  • Proposal
  • Research Question (Lisa’s use of stasis theory)
  • Doing a class research activity: databases, library search engine, Boolean operators, using quotes in searches, using parentheses in searches, reverse citation, looking at reference lists, looking at Wikipedia, using popular search engines
  • Evaluating sources: determining credibility based on source, determining credibility based on other sources outside source you are evaluating
  • Check-in or revision of questions/proposals
  • Reflective Annotated Bibliography
  • The “Why” of Conventions: Documentation Style, Paraphrasing, Summarizing, Quoting
  • Small “analysis” or “synthesis” paragraph that uses paraphrasing and quoting.
  • Activities with signal phrases for paraphrasing and quoting

There’s lots of stuff to talk about that could be new things that the above list helps think through.

Students are so, so used to a list of rules for what to do and what not to do for research writing. Digging into the “why” of some of these conventions can help make their writing more sophisticated.

Workshopping Research Assignments (30 min)

Let’s look at what you posted to our Google Drive and take some time to give and receive some feedback.

Closing out (2-5 min)

-Put some thought into smaller assignments that can help build toward the larger research project.

-For next week, look over reflective annotated bibliography assignment and the example from a student.

-Make sure you have some time to write a reflective piece by next week for your Teaching Journal #1–let’s take a look at that now. This will help you build toward your Teaching and Literacy Philosophy due on December 9 (you’ll have Teaching Journal #2 due on November 16, as well). You can submit it on our Google Drive.

-Make sure you know when you are leading the podcast discussion (Oct 26, Nov 2, or Nov 9) and start preparing for that.