COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
RSCH 3020 
Ken Harmon
Ken HarmonIndependent Study Office: 5th floor, GWC, Suite 530
3 Credit Hours Office Hours: TR 2:30-3:30pm
Fall 2023 & by appointment
Zoom Meetings: M 10:00-11:00 Office Phone: (980) 598-3128
This syllabus contains the expectations established for this course that are intended to create a productive learning atmosphere for all students. Some university policies are posted in the course ulearn site (see Resources & Policies) and are to be considered part of this syllabus. Students should read the entire syllabus carefully and understand that they will be expected to fully abide by these policies and expectations.
Welcome to Honors Research Seminar!
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course prepares honors students to conduct the necessary research to successfully complete the Honors Thesis requirements for graduation from the Honors Program. Students evaluate a variety of research methods, engage in exercises in working with primary and secondary sources, and review appropriate documentation forms. The professor guides students in their choice of feasible research projects and serves as the major advisor during the development of an Honors Thesis Prospectus. Students complete the Honors Thesis in RSCH4020, the Honors Directed Academic Experience.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Upon satisfactory completion of this course, the student should have the ability to:
•Identify, assess and make use of a variety of research methods.
Identify, assess and make use of a variety of research methods.•Utilize library resources, information literacy skills, and other research tools to locate, interpret, evaluate, and distinguish among different types of primary and secondary source material.
Utilize library resources, information literacy skills, and other research tools to locate, interpret, evaluate, and distinguish among different types of primary and secondary source material.•Document scholarly texts using discipline-specific citation styles.
Document scholarly texts using discipline-specific citation styles.•Conduct informational interviews and a literature review of an approved topic.
Conduct informational interviews and a literature review of an approved topic.•Develop and refine a research question.
Develop and refine a research question.•Prepare a complete prospectus on an approved topic that demonstrates command of academic writing and argumentation.
Prepare a complete prospectus on an approved topic that demonstrates command of academic writing and argumentation. EVALUATION
The following assignments will be graded. You can accumulate 400 points, which are distributed as follows:
CLASS PARTICIPATION (18.75%)
Reader Responses 4.5% (18 pts., 3 ea.)
Research Journal 7.5% (30 pts., 3 ea.)
Quizzes 3.75% (15 pts., 5 ea.)
Lecture Notes 3% (12 pts., 3 ea.)
PAPERS (83.75%)
Diagnostic Essay 5% (20 pts.)
5% (20 pts.) Issue Proposal 1.25% (5 pts.)
Annotated Bibliography 17.5% (70 pts.)
Exploratory 15% (60 pts.)
15% (60 pts.)Position Paper 20% (80 pts.)
Thesis Proposal 25% (100 pts.)
Final Grades:
360 - 400 A
320 - 359 B
280 - 319 C
240 - 279 D
0 - 239 F
SYSTEM OF RECORD FOR ACADEMIC GRADES:
Official academic grades can be accessed via jwuLink. Grades maintained in the Ulearn course management system are for tracking purposes only and may not reflect all of the criteria considered with calculating a student's final grade.
REQUIRED TEXT BOOK(S)/SOFTWARE (to be purchased by students):
All readings provided
Instructor’s packet of readings on ULearn course site
REQUIREMENTS
Students will:
Attend class meetings and complete all reading, writing, and editing assignments.
Read extensively critical essays by peers and experienced writers with attention to audience, purpose, tone, style, grammar, and punctuation.
Complete weekly blog entries.
Actively participate in daily reading discussion groups.
Complete homework as specified during the term. Homework may include exercises, shorter writing assignments, and other work that develops writing skills. Students should expect to write during or after every class. Students will be expected to participate in collaborative activities and class discussions and listen to lectures.
Demonstrate competence in basic grammar, punctuation, mechanics, sentence structure, paraphrasing, and essay writing as defined through class lecture, model writings, practice, and rubrics.
Conduct, compile, document, and present a research project.
All written work is to be typed, including most in-class writing. All paper assignments will be covered in detail well before they are due. All papers must be typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman font, 12pt., with 1” borders on top, sides, and bottom according to MLA format.
Each major written assignment will include planning, drafting, revising, editing, and reflection. You are responsible for turning in all materials related to an assignment. This includes: invention strategies, draft versions, peer critiques, Tutor.com reports and revision plans, a final version, and a reflection. Failure to submit drafts, peer critiques, or reflections on the due date will affect your grade.
You must complete all major paper assignments in order to pass the course. Failure to complete any of the required assignments will result in a final course grade of F.
COURSE POLICIES
MY EXPECTATIONS:
Taking classes is your job here at the university. Thus, you should treat the work and requirements accordingly. In the workplace things such as absences, tardiness, and not doing your work properly have negative consequences. This is the case in my class as well. Many students’ low grades are a result of not following directions or policies as well as not expending enough effort. It is your responsibility to be aware of the policies on this syllabus. If you miss class it is your responsibility to check with your classmates to find out what you have missed. And though you are always welcome to follow up with me if you are absent, do not ask me if you “missed anything important.”
Your grade is dependent on a number of factors that, together and holistically, inform the evaluation and assessment of your performance. In summary, these criteria include attendance, participation, reading responses/journal entries, reading quizzes, discussion questions, a presentation, and the successful completion of any other reading and written assignments.
Note: The reading load is quite heavy and the pace fast. Also, because writing is a means of discovery and a pathway to understanding, it is an important activity in this class in conjunction with the reading. Indeed, you should think of your writing as a mode of reading that will help you begin to understand the literature at hand. When essays, journals, and in-class assignments are considered together you will be doing some kind of writing assignment every week. Be prepared to spend much time carefully reading, considering, discussing, and writing about the texts in the course. If you cannot devote the time necessary to keep up with the assignments, and to do so in a critical manner, you will not do well in this class and may want to consider if this is the right class for you.
PLAGIARISM: All course assignments ask you to write using what you have learned in the course and using your own thinking and writing skills. If you use any ideas, paraphrases, or exact wording from a source other than yourself (including the textbook), you must document the source using MLA parenthetical documentation style (see handbook or ask instructor). Any source used but not documented will be considered plagiarism, for which you will receive a failing grade for the course. You might also be placed on probation or expelled from the university. If you have any questions about plagiarism, ask before you act. Ask me; also see Best Practices for Avoiding Plagiarism.
FEW VERY IMPORTANT WORDS ABOUT PLAGIARISM
A. Plagiarism, a SERIOUS, academic violation, which can lead to an F for the course, is the use of WORDS, IDEAS, or STRUCTURES of others (published sources, friends, relatives) without acknowledgment. There is no excuse for willful plagiarism.
B. Except where appropriate (quoting or paraphrasing from primary or secondary sources), your work is presumed to be totally your own writing (i.e. original).
C. When you QUOTE OR PARAPHRASE FROM ANY sources, you MUST cite them with appropriate specific documentation (usually author and page number in parentheses + Works Cited list at end). This includes subject matter of the essay. If you quote or paraphrase precisely from a work of literature, you must cite the author of that work.
D. If you do not understand the format for documenting sources, see me for help before turning in an essay. Refer to your handbook for further clarification.
Examples of plagiarism can include, but are not limited to:
a) Using another student’s work and submitting portions or the entire assignment with your name.
b) Reusing your own work from a previous assignment or publication without acknowledging the earlier use and obtaining permission for the reuse from the faculty to whom the reused work is submitted.
c) Failing to include citations, quotations, or works cited pages when using outside sources.
d) Creating false citations, quotations, or works cited pages that do not correspond to the information you used in your assignment.
e) Unauthorized collaboration: having another person edit portions of your assignment in their own words.
Student Expectations include, but are not limited to:
a) Understanding and complying with the Academic Integrity Policy.
b) Obtaining clarification if they do not understand whether certain conduct covered by this Policy is permitted or if they do not understand how to properly credit sources. Students acknowledge that not knowing is not an excuse for violating this Policy.
c) Agreeing that by taking courses at JWU, their assignments may be subject to submission to plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin.com) for textual similarity review and/or for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted assignments will be included as source documents in the plagiarism detection database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism or misuse of such assignments. Use of any plagiarism detection software service is subject to the usage policy posted on the software website.
TURNITIN.COM: All major essays written for this course must be submitted electronically to turnitin.com no later than class time on the date that an assignment is due. Essays that are not uploaded to turnitin.com will not be accepted.
TUTOR.COM TUTOR: Students are required to submit each draft of an essay assignment to the Tutor.com tutor a minimum of once per essay for feedback and are expected to use that information to revise each essay assignment. If a student fails to do so, they will lose one letter grade per each assignment not submitted to the tutor. See the Tutor.com link in Ulearn for submission details.
SUBMITTING COURSE ASSIGNMENTS: You are required to electronically submit all assignments to Ulearn for this course. Assignments not submitted in the manner will not be accepted. Any items sent by email will be deleted.
ATTENDANCE: Students are expected to attend all classes, arrive on time and remain for the entire class period, and report to class fully prepared with all required materials. While active learning will take different forms in different classroom contexts, students are expected to demonstrate active engagement in the classroom. Missed in-class assignments will be recorded as a zero and cannot be made up. Your success in this course is tied to regular attendance.
This course meets once a week on Zoom. To be successful this term, you should be at each Zoom meeting and actively participate in discussion and activities. Students are required to have cameras on.
J&W WITHDRAWAL POLICY
It is the student’s responsibility to initiate procedures leading to a formal withdrawal (“W”) in order to avoid a failing (“F”) grade. To receive a W, a student must withdraw prior to December 6, 2024.
TARDIES: If a student is more than 10 minutes late for class or leaves more than 10 minutes before class is over, they are counted absent for the day.
ETIQUETTE: Students are expected to respect their classmates’ time and learning environment. Therefore, show up for class prepared and on time. ALL CELL PHONES SHOULD BE SET TO SILENT BEFORE ENTERING THE CLASSROOM. Each time a cell phone disrupts class the entire class will take a pop quiz. Also, if a student leaves the classroom to answer a call, they will be counted absent for the day and not allowed back in the classroom that day. Other disruptive classroom behavior, defined as anything that would interfere with “an instructor’s ability to conduct the class” or “The ability of other students to profit from the instructional program,” is strictly prohibited. This includes texting while the professor is lecturing or during group work when students should be focused on completing the task at hand.
NO FOOD OR DRINK IN THE CLASSROOM
NOTE: Persons other than registered students are not allowed to attend academic sessions, laboratory classes, computer labs, and other University academically supported areas.
LATE PAPER/ASSIGNMENT POLICY: Turn in all your assignments on their scheduled due dates. You must submit the final drafts of all essays and their associated process work (critique, reflection, etc.) in Blackboard. NO PROCESS, NO GRADE. Keep a duplicate copy of all assignments you turn in and save all of your files in several locations (flash drive, hard drive, email, etc.). I DO NOT ACCEPT LATE PAPERS.
REVISION: You may rewrite one failing essay (original grade of D or F); the rewritten essay may receive no higher than a “C.” Revision must accompany the original graded copy.
GRADED ESSAYS: All essays for this course are graded electronically. Please see the Turnitin Grademark Feedback video in ulearn for instructions to obtain the comments and grading rubric for your essay.
STUDENT E-MAIL: Students are required to obtain and use a JWU e-mail account for University communication. You must obtain your password to do so. Student accounts are created automatically for those who are active and in good standing. Student email addresses are available through link.jwu.edu. Immediately contact the helpdesk at 1-866-598-4357 if you need assistance. Take care of this the first day of class. Students are expected to maintain an email account throughout the semester and check it daily for important information regarding upcoming assignments, course announcements, etc.
IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENTS: Students will often complete in-class assignments and short writing projects. In-class projects and quizzes are team-based and scheduled for a specific class period and cannot be made up after that class date.
WORKSHOPS/WRITING PROCESS: All essays will be critiqued by peer groups in class. Essays without workshop response will drop one full letter grade.
Scores for major essays are reduced by one full letter grade for each missing item of the writing process: invention/prewriting; late first draft or no first draft; Tutor.com report and revision plan; reflection
PARTICIPATION: Come to class prepared to discuss the assigned readings. Contribute productively to discussion. Quizzes and in-class writings are usually based on the readings.
CENTER FOR ACADEMIC SUPPORT
WRITING CENTER: Located in the academic building, 4th floor (Suite 410), the writing center is open to all Johnson & Wales University students who need help with writing, whether they are taking an English course or not. Students are encouraged to seek assistance with essays, research projects, and related assignments. Students are asked to make an appointment with a Writing Center staff member in order to receive prompt assistance. The center provides 30 minute appointments and is staffed from 8:30-4:30 M-R. Consultants work with students on any part of the writing process -- planning, drafting, focusing, organizing, revising, or editing, and with papers from all disciplines. Please do not hesitate to use the tutor’s assistance. Remember to bring a copy of your assignment and your drafts to any Writing Center conference.
Going to the Writing Center does not guarantee you a good grade because tutors will not proofread your papers. The Writing Center’s goal is to improve your overall writing skills (organization, thesis & supporting paragraphs, audience/assignment issues, as well as teaching punctuation and grammar rules after reviewing big picture issues), which sometimes takes several sessions, depending on your existing writing skills. For more information, you may contact them at acadsupport.clt@jwu.edu
You may also visit the Center for Academic Support website at:
You may book an appointment by calling them at 980-598-1500 or dropping by Academic Center 410 during these hours.
You may also book an appointment online using these steps:
Go to JWU Link.
Go to Academics.
Go to USucceed.
Click on “Courses”.
Click on the link beside your English class to schedule an appointment
ALTERNATIVE CONTENT FORMATS IN ULEARN:
Alternative format options are available for many types of content in ulearn course sites. You can download course content in formats that work best for you, such as tagged PDFs (for screen readers), HTML, ePub (eBooks), electronic Braille, audio (mp3), and BeeLine reader versions. Download alternative formats by clicking the icon of an "A" with an arrow next to any item in ulearn. See the Alternative Content Formats webpage for more details.
These alternative formats are not a substitute for accommodations. If you need an accommodation for this class, please use the contact information below:
Providence and Online: Accessibility Services, 401-598-4660, accessibility.pvd@jwu.edu.
Charlotte: Center for Academic Support, Academic Center Suite 410, 980-598-1500, charlottecasstaff@jwu.edu
ACCOMMODATIONS STATEMENT:
Johnson & Wales University supports all students’ academic needs. Students with documented disabilities interested in accommodations and/or auxiliary services must contact Accessibility Services, meet with an Accessibility Services advisor, and together complete an Accommodation Agreement. Students are encouraged to speak privately with their professors regarding their academic accommodations. Contact Accessibility Services at https://academicsupport.jwu.edu for campus-specific information including office location and contact number.
CAMPUS-SPECIFIC STUDENT POLICIES:
All students are required to read, understand, and abide by the provisions of the Catalog and Student Handbook applicable to their campus, which can be found at http://academics.jwu.edu/catalogs/.
In particular, students should be aware of the following university policies:
General Information and Policies
Prohibited Discrimination and Harassment
Withdrawal
University Holds
Academic Policies:
Academic Integrity/Academic Integrity Review Process/Turnitin Notification
Attendance
Occupancy in Class
Outcomes Assessment
Student Affairs:
Student Code of Conduct
Student Services:
Center for Academic Support/Services/Students With Disabilities
