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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Now that you have begun your college career with a journey on the path of self-exploration, we will now embark on a broader excursion, which includes the self in relation to larger cultural and political forces. Where does one find guiding principles? How is one deluded into believing oppression is good? Where does one find strength to survive oppression? We will evaluate varying responses to these questions; we will argue and search for our own self-definition as we explore human faith and reasoning. What does it mean to be a citizen, locally, nationally, globally? What does it mean to have an ethical action and an ethical grounding, which requires being of service to the individual and society and being empathic with others?
I want you to use what we read, think about, and discuss, as well as the group learning process to help you form a coherent sense of self, an authentic self.. A coherent sense of self, is foundational for (what is a new buzz word in higher education) self-authorship. Self-authorship is the capacity to internally define one’s beliefs, identity, and relations with the world. Does this mean you do not need information, written and verbal input, skills, etc.? Of course not; it means you know how to use all the resources around you to help you define and author your thoughts and beliefs. In the end, it is not so much what your opinion is, only that you have an opinion; one you came to using your reason and grounding principles, and which you can substantiate and argue.
We are fortunate to have three Peer Advisors (Kimberly Campbell, Elizabeth Cobb, and Wesley Sanders) working with us. They will help you with problems, projects, misunderstandings, academic difficulties, etc. They will comment on (but not grade papers and journals, help with discussions, lead some class sessions, and generally be available to help you or me. Use them respectfully and wisely.
PREREQUISITES: Successful completion of FYS 101.
TEXTS for FYX Class:
UPON SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING THE COURSE STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:
· Complete one or more texts and write a coherent, grammatically correct paper with a thesis, supporting arguments, and a conclusion. These abilities require mental agility, intellectual power, critical judgment, creative problem solving and mental agility.
· Courteously participate in class discussion with good listening and speaking skills.
· Improve critical thinking skills by developing: habits of discriminating tested beliefs from assertions and opinions, a sincere and open-minded preference for properly grounded conclusions, methods of inquiry and reasoning appropriate to various problems, and the ability to avoid jumping to conclusions.
· Reflect critically and carefully on what you read, think, do, and write.
· Apply critical thinking, creative, and communicative skills to create digital stories.
· Negotiate group interpersonal skills including sharing of tasks, completing assignments, and setting schedules.
· Write a thoughtful, thorough Research Paper in which you will become semi-expert in a problem suggested by one of the thematic sections covered in this course.WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING:
Attendance is critical and you are expected to come to class and to scheduled outside activities such as service learning activities and other events as required. More than three absences will affect your grade as follows: a reduction from A to B+ for the fourth absence, from B+ to B for the fifth, etc. If your grade is a C in the course, absences four and five will reduce the grade to a D. Eight or more absences automatically means you fail the course.
Attendance includes participation. To participate means not only being in attendance, but also providing thoughtful, and informed input as your part of the classroom discussion. I am looking for evidence that you have read the texts carefully and thought about the issues involved, your ability to contribute and listen, your moral courage in offering ideas, the appropriateness of your comments, and your tact and courtesy. Refer to Policies and Grades for specifics.
You are expected to be logged on to the Mercer e-mail system, our FYX Facebook Group, and the Mercer BlackBoard system for out of class communication, grading updates, calendar changes, and syllabus information.
Discussion Leader: For each reading, two students will be responsible for leading discussion. The leaders will be graded for their ability to ask serious and relevant opening questions. Refer to Policies and Grades for specifics. Others in the class will be graded for their participation in the discussion as noted below. If others are not forthcoming with relevant contributions, there will be a pop quiz.
Discussion Questions: These will be due for each reading and will be collected at the beginning of class.
New York Times: Once a week you will submit a one-page typed response to a NYT article. You may follow an issue if you would like. The one-page document must include at least three paragraphs: synopsis of the article, bases of credibility, and your personal thoughts.
Pop quizzes as necessary. If I sense that students are not reading carefully and completely, I will give a pop quiz. If you are absent, you receive a zero, if you are tardy, you receive a zero, and your quiz grade over-rides your argument note. If you write a flawless argument note and fail the quiz, you receive an F for the day. It is your responsibility to be fully prepared for class.
Papers and Digital Stories:
There will be one digital story, which will tell the story of the person or organization, or both, depending on the nature of your service learning commitment. In the previous semester, you have learned to tell your own stories, now you will learn how to capture the story someone else tells you, how to create their voice or tell the story of an organization. Each task requires different skills and sensitivities.
There will be two papers and a final research paper. The first paper is a paper on poverty.. For the second paper, a four-page-typed analysis on engaging the world is to be submitted. The final paper is your research paper, which consists of an annotated bibliography, an abstract, and the final paper, which you will be guided through during the entire semester Papers must adhere to the standard rules of grammar and punctuation, of organization, and proper citation, including a works cited page. Papers must be typed using proper margins (1") and a standard type font (12 point). Papers are to be stapled and have your name on each page along with the page number. NO LATE PAPERS. Due dates to be noted on the Calendar of Events Sheet. DO NOT EMAIL PAPERS! UNPAGINATED AND UNSTAPLED PAPERS WILL NOT BE GRADED!
FYS and FYX require that students complete one research paper. The research paper requires that you research a community difficulty: one that you have encountered in our reading or in your service learning and which will be approved by me. A general guideline for the sections of the project are:
Annotated Bibliography: At least 10-15 citations; In this section you will provide MLA citations for at least 10-15 sources for your research paper, a paragraph summarizing (in your own words) each source, and a paragraph suggesting how you plan to implement each source into your proposal. Note that the sources in an annotated bibliography may or may not be used in your actual paper; they are only reference points from which your thesis and ultimately argument develops.
Abstract or Research Summary: No longer than a few paragraphs; In this section you will briefly note the difficulty that exists and introduce your thesis.
Research Introduction: This section provides the necessary background to develop the importance of your research project. All symbolic references used should be clearly defined immediately after they are presented. Also, summarize pertinent recent work.
Body of the Paper: This section is the principal part of the project as it is a detailed statement of the work to be undertaken. You should include a general description of the proposed work, including history and documentation from the literature. Appropriate discussion also generally includes comparison of experimentally determined results with any available predictions from theory or similar results from literature sources.
Civic Engagement: You will participate in a civic engagement activity and the reflective journals noted above give me written documentation of your work and your learning.
Other outside assignments and activities as they emerge.
GRADING:
Research Paper-30%
Papers –15%
Digital Stories 15%
Attendance and Participation-25%
Discussion Questions and Leadership 15%
NOTE:
Failure to turn in a paper assignment constitutes an F.
I reserve the right to make appropriate pedagogical changes as I deem necessary.
Students are responsible for the information on the Policies and Grading page of the syllabus. See above link .
