English 1302: Week Two: Understanding Text

1. English 1302: Week Two: Understanding Text Introduction to Scholarly Writing and the Literature Review

2. Class Overview • Announcements and Reminders • Introduction to the Scholarly Article and Literature Review • Narrowing Your Research Topic through Research • Introduction to Scholarly Research Methods • Library Assignment and Formal Topic Proposal • Homework

3. In-Class Writing Prompt • In two paragraphs or more, define “rhetorical situation” and its three factors (from Ch. 2, FYW); consider how these three factors apply to the genre of the scholarly article.

4. Announcements and Reminders • If you have not done so, sign up for Raider Writer: you cannot complete your coursework without it. • If you have not completed BA1, do so immediately: a late paper is better than a zero. • Remember to check the course blog weekly and your TTU e-mail daily • If you have not sent your PA e-mail, please do so by tonight if you want participation credit for Week One. • Remember to bring your FYW textbook to class each week: you will not be able to participate effectively without it.

5. Intro to the Scholarly Article and Literature Review • What is an article, and what is considered scholarly or academic? What qualities does such writing have? • Where can we find scholarly articles? • What are the differences between scholarly/academic articles and newspaper reports, articles in periodicals, general writing, opinion-editorial writing, informative entries/web entries, or book reviews? • Literature review: a subgenre of academic writing focusing on synthesizing and summarizing research over a problem or concern within a scholarly topic. • What is the rhetorical aim of a literature review? What are its formal requirements?

6. Scholarly Article Criteria • An article may be considered scholarly if it has the following attributes: • Contains a thesis-driven argument supported by research (be careful not to confuse an article with a review: the article must have an argument or conclusion based on research) • Published in a scholarly journal (backed by a university or affiliated institute) • Uses substantial, credible sources (at least eight to twenty articles, reports, or works) Produced in conjunction (published or reviewed) by a research/university institution • Is peer-reviewed (has been reviewed by field experts prior to publication) by other scholars (look for affiliations under editorial board for the journal) • Adheres to scholarly conventions of researched writing.

7. Resources for Finding Scholarly Journals • For physical research, go to the TTU library journals section in the basement. Find journals by subject. • For digital research, go to the TTU library page: http://library.ttu.edu • Under the main search bar, find “Articles” tab and search by subject. You can also browse databases A-Z and journals as well. • On the Library main page, you may also select “Electronic Resources” on the left sidebar and the “Find Databases” or “Journals” • When searching, limit your search to articles or journals, and then peruse the journals and/or articles that best fit your subject AND are scholarly. • If you are not sure which database is best for your subject, refer to the “Personal Librarian” page on the Library main-page (left sidebar) and find your subject librarian.

8. Defining and Narrowing Your Topic • Your thesis/research question will change as you familiarize yourself with the available research: let the articles you read guide your concerns in the beginning. • Avoid controversial topics (See banned topics list on the blog this week) • Don’t attempt to look for or determine an outcome or pattern with your research question: start with your major or interest, think of a subtopic you want to learn more about, and then see what has been written on that subtopic. Begin to narrow from there. • Look for agreement and disagreement between researchers as a starting point: overlaps (and references) are elements of scholarly conversation • Consider all factors involved with your topic: • Ex: Journalism, “Effect of Social Media on Journalism”: A) Which media? B) Which cultures? C) What aspects of journalism? • Ex: Engineering, “Environmentally Sound Materials” A) what structures or applications? B) Which materials? C) Any particular society, organization, or government involvement? D) • Ex: Psychology, “Addiction,” A) substance or psychological? B) What aspects or symptoms? C) Any cultural concerns?

9. Pre-Approved Topics • There are four pre-approved topics from which you may select, should you choose. These have pre-selected articles as well. I recommend that you use this class as an opportunity to research other scholarly topics that interest you. • Pre-approved topics and articles are: • Phenomenology/Pain • Digital Humanities/Book History • Geoscience • The Democratic Peace Theory • To access these, go to the TTU library homepage, select “Course Reserves” from the left sidebar, sign-in, and look up instructor “Monica Norris.” The articles will be categorized under ENGL 1302 by topic.

10. Scholarly Research and Reading • Scholarly articles are long (because of source integration and research) and feature technical/genre-specific terminology: you will have to research. • Scholarly arguments are not often clear or “loud”: they are objective and adhere to formal constraints. • Effective researchers do not read the entire article when they are in the selection phase of research: they employ spot reading and pay attention to structural elements like the abstract, thesis, exigency, outcomes/concluding statements, topic sentences, and references. • The first articles you read will not necessarily be the right articles to include in your literature review: you have to be critical in your reading and aware of your research question. • When you find an effective article or journal, look at the references, sources, and other associated scholarship for potential links

11. Formal Topic Proposal: Literature Review • Your formal topic proposal, due next week (by Feb. 5 at latest), should be an e-mail that contains the following (you must complete the first half of the Library Handout before this): • A clear statement of your overall topic (general field of interest) followed by the specific concern or debate between researchers you will examine. This must be specific: “Depression” [too broad] vs. “Research examining spousal dependency and major depression.” • A summary of the overall debate/point of synthesis in the literature • A statement that demonstrates how this debate/concern is scholarly • A list of four journals and the names of at least four authors whose works you will synthesize in your literature review.

12. Library Assignment • To complete the Library Handout Assignment, you will need to print out the .doc file from the course blog and fill out the questions asked of your topic and each article. • For the first half (due Feb. 4 in class), please complete the following sections: I, II, Articles 1-5 • You will need to read and select at least five scholarly articles to be considered for your literature review: get started as soon as possible. • Keep track of your works cited.

13. Homework Assignments • Remember to complete Reading Two (listed on RW) by next class; you will want to get started on your reading for Brief Assignment 2 as well, as that assignment requires you to read three essays from FYW • Print out the Library Assignment Handout from the blog and complete the form up to the first five articles (and the personal librarian section); keep track of your works cited entry as you go. First half due Feb. 4 in class; second half due Feb. 11in class. Worth 8 participation points: 4 per week. • Complete your formal topic proposal AFTER you have completed the first half of the library assignment (Due Feb 5 at latest). Worth 4 participation points. • Read and annotate (bring your annotations to class next week) Michaela Yarbrough’s Literature Review: Draft 1.2 pp. 612-16. For annotations, please mark the following: • The topic exigency (research problem/question) and the literature review thesis • Topic sentences and their subtopics for each body paragraph • Phrases or passages in the body paragraphs that are used to connect two or more separate authors.