Reminders for the Upcoming Week

Class Meetings: As you know, we will not meet as a group on 2/6 or 2/13. The next full session will be 2/20 in Innovation 129.

Introduction with Interdisciplinary Rationale: This was the piece we discussed in the most recent class, and there is also a fuller description in the paper syllabus. The deadline is Sunday at 6:00 p.m. as previously indicated. Sorry, but you're just not going to do it after kickoff of the game. That's truly unrealistic. And I need to get started on them right when the game is over if I want to finish before sunrise. So plan your time accordingly. Please use Google Docs to share to both me and your two partners (see below). Failing that, use email.

Personal Conference #1: This 15-minute conference is mandatory for "new" students and optional for "old" students. The location is Enterprise 314 and the date is Monday 2/6... the sign-up sheet with the available time slots should be in your Google Docs home screen as well as the inbox to the linked email account; let me know if you didn't get it somehow. Please note I have also included phone/skype slots for Thursday night 2/9 as an alternative, but that is only for "old" students; I really need to meet new students face to face. As our time is short, it is always best to come to the conference with specific questions and ideas in mind. 

Swim Buddies: Your group partners are listed on the tab above, next to the sample papers. I tried my best to honor your requests and coordinate your schedules. 

I.I.D.R. Assignment for Swim Buddies: Do the following for both of your partners. Write your answers directly at the bottom of their Google Docs. Failing that, email with me in the c.c. line. Use the rubric on page 11 of the syllabus, which is similar to the one we used in the most recent class. There are 7 rating categories, but I am "forcing" your choices so you are not tempted to be overly nice. You are only allowed to use the competent rating 4 times. You are only allowed to use the exemplary rating twice, and you must give at least one reason why in both cases. And you must use the developing rating once, and give at least one reason why. Provided your partners submit their I.I.D.R. re-drafts on time, your deadline for this assignment is Wednesday 2/8 at 11:00 p.m. 

Literature Review: Please note that the deadline for a revised lit. review is 2/19, which is pretty soon. Indeed it is before our next class session. So really you are trying to incorporate some new sources and get rid of some old things that just aren't working anymore. We'll have more time for revision, but you need to push yourself forward and get the process started. That will lead to a productive class on 2/20 with peer reviews, tactical questions and advice, etc. I will have posted two new samples, which contain two excellent literature reviews done somewhat differently. 

Extended Annotated Bibliography: It's probably more convenient if you just lump this at the bottom of your lit review in the Google Doc. But it is a different assignment, and as discussed, it has very different purposes. Your goal is to add 10 entries by 2/19, so for "old" students just include those 10 and for "new" students give me the list you are carrying forward from 390 with those 10 added to it. Sample X, Sample Y, and Sample Z (see sample tabs above) give you two different approaches to an annotated bibliography, but as it is really a document for personal use, there are many ways to do it well. The only thing I absolutely insist is that you explain how you plan to use each source. 

Mentor Status Forms: This is the document on page 10 of the syllabus. Make sure you have this done by the start of class on 2/20. Paper or electronic submission are both fine.

Food For Thought: I came across this quotation today from WW2 General Patton. It reminds me of the pigeon story... "A good plan violently executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan tomorrow."

Reminders for Class #2 (Monday 1/30)

Our next class will meet in the same classroom (West 1004), at the same time next week.

We'll pick up with the dramatic reading of page 7 of the syllabus. In the meantime, please post any questions about the syllabus to the blog here by clicking the comment area at the bottom of this post. (You can always email me for more sensitive/personal questions.)

One follow-up on the Boix-Mansilla & Duraisingh article, which we will probably discuss further in this next class... Tuan pointed out that a better wording of the "holy spirit" or "critical awareness" component is given on page 222. Note how they say "clear sense of purpose," which squares with what I was emphasizing, as well as "reflectiveness" and "limitations," which squares with the idea Kris emphasized. Appendix C, as Tina mentioned, rephrases those capsule summaries of the article's three major concepts into question form.

Onward!

Homework:

-"New" students read They Say I Say. "Old" students re-read Craft of Research ch. 6-11.
-Please make certain you are able to post to the blog here and share to me on Google Docs.
-Please email me any specific requests about group partners.
-Please use the rubric on pages 12-13 of the syllabus ("Instructor Project Review Sheet") to rate the two sample papers. The rubric has 12 rows, and for each of the 12 rows you can rate the project as "developing," "competent," or "exemplary"... the starred criteria give the reasons why. Note that there is a similar rubric on page 11, but you can ignore that for now. Start by clicking the tab at the top of the screen that says "Sample Projects." Note there is no need to post anything... just be ready to discuss your choices in class.

Reminders for Class #1 (Monday 1/23)

Our first official class with the whole gang will meet on Monday from 19:20-22:00. Please note that I have just been informed by the registrar that the main location for the class has been changed from Robinson B205 to West 1004. Believe me, I had no idea where that building was either. You can find it on this campus map. It's right next to Krug and sort of behind SUB-1 (the building where the registrar and cashier are).

You will also notice that the syllabus lists an article by Boix-Mansilla & Duraisingh. Use the citation info to find it on the library website, or, you know, whatever else works. We will be discussing this article during the first class meeting! So be prepared. We are not meeting very many times this semester, so we can't afford one of those "everybody says their names and then goes home" type first classes.

I look forward to seeing you!