Assignment Calendar: summer 2009   

This schedule is subject to change with appropriate notice. Additional assignments, especially quizzes, will be posted in course Announcements and will not appear on the Assignment Calendar. Students are responsible for watching college deadlines on class drops, withdrawals, etc. Click here for the SCC quarterly calendar.

                                                                                                      Go to week: 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 

Week 1: beginning Monday, June 22nd

Complete work by Thursday, June 25th or make late-work arrangements by due date (see syllabus). Note: Discussion Board (DB) postings are not subject to the Thursday deadline and can be done any day of the week including weekends.

• Read the syllabus. Continuation in the course signifies that you accept the terms of the syllabus, so make sure to read it thoroughly with good comprehension. Some quiz questions are on syllabus content. Pardon the metaphor, but the syllabus is the class operating code. Make sure you are compatible!
• Read How the Assignment Calendar Works.
• Read Chapter 1-3 in Writing Research Papers (WRP).
• Read Chapter 1-2 in Technopoly.
• Read Online Discussion Expectations   After that, click the Discussion Board (DB) button at the Blackboard site and find the Technopoly Forum in which you will participate (alphabetically). Participation is required starting this week. (Make sure you've read in Technopoly before commenting.) Some students may prefer to jump in early, while others will wait until threads develop, but either way make sure to jump in this week.
• Explore the course's Blackboard site to see how it is organized.
• When you have completed all of the above reading in course documents and texts, send a course message to the instructor indicating that you have finished all reading. At the Blackboard site, find the Message menu item on the left. You do not have to summarize or provide any information about the reading. This assignment assures me you are connected to the class and that course messages will work for you.. If you have any questions (not required) place them in the course message. (30 points for completion.) This is the only week you will notify the instructor of having completed the reading.
• Look ahead! Plan your quarter! This is a very busy class!

Week 2: beginning Monday, June 29th

Complete /submit work by Thursday, July 2nd. Note: DB postings are not subject to the Thursday deadline and can be done any day of the week including weekends.

• Skim (i.e. read quickly, to get the general idea) Ch 17 and 18 in Writing Research Papers (WRP).
• Also in WRP, read the sample essays done in Modern Language Association (MLA) documentation style in Ch. 22 pp. 296-328. MLA is the documentation style you'll be required to use for this class. These essays show good variety, quality, and synthesis of sources, and effective writing voices. (However, they do not satisfy the very specific source requirements of our major paper.)
• Read Ch 3-4 in Technopoly. Discuss Technopoly on Discussion Board (DB).
• Complete and submit Finding Research Writing (40 points).
• Test your knowledge of concepts from Part One of WRP, Chapters 1-3, with Groundwork Exercises 1 and 2 at the WRP Web site This is recommended but not required. The WRP web site will help you prepare for quizzes.

Week 3: beginning Monday, July 6th

Complete /submit work by Thursday, July 9th.Note: DB postings are not subject to the Thursday deadline and can be done any day of the week including weekends.

• Log in by Monday noon; don't let more than 48 hrs (M-F) go by without checking in. All quarter! Last reminder!
• Read Chapters 5-6 in Technopoly. Discuss Technopoly on DB.
• Complete the Pick a Subject writing assignment (40 points). Get started early in the week on this!
• Read Chapters 4-7 in WRP. Click here for a study guide of important points to know from WRP.

Week 4: beginning Monday, July 13th

Complete /submit work by Thursday, July 16th. Note: DB postings are not subject to the Thursday deadline and can be done any day of the week including weekends.

• Read Chapters 7-8 in Technopoly. Discuss Technopoly on DB.
• In WRP, read Chapter 8 to complete Part Two, and also Chapters 9-11 . (You can also, if you wish, test your knowledge of Part Two concepts with the Research Exercises at the WRP Web site. Note: if you choose to do the Treasure Hunt assignment this week (see below) you'll have to finish Part Two in WRP before undertaking the assignment.
• Read Four Common Research Paper Problems.  
• Take Research Test #1 (50)
• As a supplement to readings in WRP, read the first four parts of SCC library's research tutorial. These sections include Choosing a Topic, Finding Books, Finding Articles, and Finding Web Sites. A good way to make sure you understand the material for these four sections is to take the self-quiz on each one--you'll see the link for it.
• Hypothesis due for major research paper (40 points). Note: If you would rather find sources before forming a hypothesis, you may submit the Research Treasure Hunt/ Group Source Pool Contribution assignment this week and then your Hypothesis would be due next week.

Week 5: beginning Monday, July 20th

Complete /submit work by Thursday, July 23rd. Note: DB postings are not subject to the Thursday deadline and can be done any day of the week including weekends.

• Read chapters 12-13 also re-read chapters 17-18 (on documentation) in WRP. You can test your knowledge with the Research Exercises at the WRP Web site
• Complete the Research Treasure Hunt/ Group Source Pool Contribution (40). Make sure you have completed all week 4 readings before undertaking this assignment! If your Treasure Hunt does not show good understanding of search fundamentals covered in Part Two of WRP (chapters 4-8) it will be returned to be revised and receive half credit. Note: if you completed the Treasure Hunt last week, your hypothesis is due this week.
• Discuss any previously assigned chapters/topics from Technopoly in the DB.
• Review assignment description, source requirements, etc. in Major Research Paper assignment description and make sure you understand them before proceeding. Ask questions if you don't!
• Note: This week you should begin drafting your paper if at all possible. Try finishing the draft by early in Week 6 so you can spend most of Week 6 revising and finishing. Make sure you are using required information from Postman, from one of your classmate's source pool contribution, and all other requirements described in the major paper assignment description.
  

Week 6: beginning Monday, July 27th

Complete /submit work by Thursday, July 30th.Note: DB postings are not subject to the Thursday deadline and can be done any day of the week including weekends.

• Read chapters 14-16 in WRP. You can test your knowledge of Part Four concepts with the Research Exercises at the WRP Web site (Writing the Paper Exercises 1 and 2).
• Read Four Common Research Paper Problems.  
• Re-read sample essays in Ch 21, pp. 255-287 as needed regarding documentation. These are written in MLA documentation style.
• Review Plagiarism Policy in syllabus and treatment of plagiarism in WRP, Ch 13.
• Read presentation on MLA Documentatation and also chapter 18 in WRP as needed. Also review the first two sample essays in Ch 22 (on immigration and Emily Dickinson), which are in MLA documentation style. You need to understand the conventions of MLA style as you take notes and begin drafting your paper.
• Major Research Paper!!!

Week 7: beginning Monday, August 3rd

If you wish to be eligible for end-of-quarter revision, Tuesday, Aug 4th AT NOON is the last day to submit the major research paper. (Please note: this would be late submission by arrangement. Late work policies apply.)

Complete /submit work by Thursday, August 6th. Note: DB postings are not subject to the Thursday deadline and can be done any day of the week including weekends.

• Read chapters 9-11 in Technopoly and discuss on Technopoly DB.
• Major Paper Self-Evaluation  The major paper cannot be returned and its score cannot be entered in the gradebook until you submit this assignment (40 points).

Week 8: beginning Monday, August 10th

Complete /submit all work (including DB) by Thursday, Aug 13th.

• Research Test #2  (50 points). Click here for a study guide.
• Finish discussion of Technopoly on DB.
• Final optional revision of major research paper along with revision log. Revision must be accompanied by revision log to be accepted.
• Last due date for any initial paper submissions (late by arrangement). Make sure the submissions include information requested in announcements.