COURSE SCHEDULE

Distance Learning  Spring 2015

 OFFICE: Robinson A 455

E-MAIL: jjohnsto@gmu.edu

WEEK 1    JAN. 19-25

JAN. 19: UNIVERSITY CLOSED FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY

JAN. 20: FIRST DAY OF CLASSES 

FOCUS: CIVILITY

Introduction to course: 

• listen to Course Overview podcast
• view videos covering the Course Description and Course Schedule 
• review Blackboard folder
• print out Course Schedule in case Blackboard goes down
• complete your profile in Blackboard, including a photo of no more than 150x150 pixels by midnight on Thursday, Jan. 22.  If you prefer, you may submit an avatar instead as long as you feel it represents something important about you. For instructions, view Uploading Your Profile Photo to Blackboard
  

• listen to Civility podcast
• complete online readings contained in Blackboard under Course Materials. They are located under Weeks 1 and 2: Civility.
  
• post first two responses to the Class Civility Blog--accessible in the lefthand menu under the Course Content heading --by midnight on Sunday, Jan. 25
  

WEEK 2    JAN 26-FEB. 1

JAN. 27: LAST DAY TO ADD OR DROP CLASSES WITHOUT TUITION PENALTY

FOCUS: CIVILITY

• Complete online readings in Course Materials
• Complete remaining two Class Civility Blog posts by midnight on Sunday, Feb. 1
  
• Respond to Survey: Essentials of Class Interaction by midnight on Sunday, Feb. 1.  Access the survey through the Civility folder under Course Materials.

WEEK 3    FEB. 2-8

FOCUS: DISCIPLINARY RESOURCES

Introduction to Wiki assignment:

• Listen to Disciplinary Resources podcast
• Preview Wiki Content under Week 2 of Instructions for Disciplinary Resources wiki (in Course Materials)
• Review Scoring Rubric for Disciplinary Resources Wiki (in Course Materials)
• Complete online readings in Course Materials under Instructions for Disciplinary Resources Wiki: Week 1

• Locate invitation to join PBWorks wiki in GMU email. Accept invitation to PBWiki and log in 
• Review wiki tutorial and help files
• Coordinate work plan with wiki group members

WEEK 4    FEB. 9-15

FEB. 10: LAST DAY TO DROP WITH 33% TUITION PENALTY

FOCUS: DISCIPLINARY RESOURCES

• Complete and submit "What is Your Academic Discipline?" (in Course Materials) to the What is Your Discipline? assignment under Submit Assignments in Blackboard by midnight on Tuesday, Feb. 10 . Name the file Discipline yourlastname.
• Complete online readings under Week 2 of Instructions file
• View help files and YouTube reference files; try working with PBWiki (available at http://pbworks.com) so that there are no technical difficulties next week
• Complete Background and Important Resources sections of wiki in PBWorks by midnight on Sunday, Feb. 15
  
• Select interviewee and if possible, conduct interview
  

WEEK 5    FEB. 16-22

FEB. 20:  FINAL DROP DEADLINE WITH 67% TUITION PENALTY

FOCUS: DISCIPLINARY RESOURCES

• Conduct research interview; add to wiki. Write thank-you note to interviewee.
• .Complete wiki entirely in PBWorks by midnight on Sunday, Feb.22.
  
• Complete and submit Assessing Your Writing Group's Functioning (in Course Materials) to Individual Assessment under Submit Assignments in Blackboard. Name your paper Wikiassessment yourlastname. Submit by midnight on Sunday, Feb. 22

WEEK 6    FEB. 23-MARCH 1

FEB. 23:  BEGIN SELECTIVE WITHDRAWAL PERIOD

FOCUS: ELEMENTS OF A PRIMARY RESEARCH PAPER

• Listen to Elements of a Primary Research Paper podcast
• Review Instructions: Elements of a Primary Research Paper (in Course Materials)
• Review scoring rubric for Elements of a Primary Research Paper (in Course Materials)
• Complete five online readings explaining requirements for reporting original research
• Complete online materials for correct use of quotations and paraphrasing
• Take Quotations Quiz.  Submit screen shot of score to Submit Assignments in Blackboard,  Name your quiz Quotationsquiz yourlastname. Submit by midnight on Sunday, March 1.
  

WEEK 7    MARCH 2-8

FOCUS: ELEMENTS OF A PRIMARY RESEARCH PAPER

• Identify and download ONE article which represents excellent primary research in your discipline or career field
• Review instructions for Week 2 of  Elements of a Primary Research Paper (in Course Materials)
• Prepare 2-3 page paper in APA style analyzing the article in light of the required elements
• Compare your work to the Scoring Rubric (in Course Materials) for completeness and accuracy
• Submit your paper and an electronic copy of the article you analyzed to Elements of a Primary Research Paper under Submit Assignments in Blackboard.  Name your paper scipaper yourlastname. Submit by midnight on Sunday, March 8
  

WEEK 8    MARCH 9-15

UNIVERSITY CLOSED FOR SPRING BREAK

WEEK 9    MARCH 16-22

FOCUS: INTELLECTUAL INTEGRITY

• Listen to Intellectual Integrity podcast
• Review Instructions for Intellectual Integrity (in Course Materials)
• View or read instructional materials on copyright and intellectual property
• Open Plagiarism Test file; complete Practice Quiz .  If score is poor, review content for mastery
• Complete Plagiarism Test, remembering to submit the CERTIFICATE that comes after you have achieved a score of at least 90%, NOT the score screen
• Upload certificate to Plagiarism Test under Submit Assignments in Blackboard.  Name your file Plagiarism Test yourlastname.  Submit by midnight on Sunday, March 22.
  

WEEK 10    MARCH 23-29

MARCH 27: END SELECTIVE WITHDRAWAL PERIOD

FOCUS: REVIEW OF LITERATURE

• Listen to Review of Literature podcast
• Review Instructions  for the Literature Review (in Course Materials)
• review in depth the requirements and Instructions for  the next assignment: Using Technology to Improve Research (a folder by that name is found under Course Materials)
• Select a topic for BOTH the Technology paper and your Literature Review, so that you can  use the same articles for both.
  
• Decide whether to work independently on these two assignments or whether to work with ONE partner.  If working with a partner, email the instructor with that information. The requirements for both will be adjusted upwards to make the work load equitable between single writers and pairs.
• Learn about Literature Reviews by doing the online readings under Week 1 of Instructions for Literature Review

WEEK 11    MARCH 30-APRIL 5

FOCUS: REVIEW OF LITERATURE

• Drawing upon knowledge gained from Elements of a Primary Research Paper, select FIVE articles which represent high-quality original research from respectable journals on your selected topic. Do this EARLY in this week.
• Download copies (NOT JUST LINKS) of all five articles; you will need to submit them with your paper next week
• Based on Week 2 of Instructions for Literature Review, decide upon an organizing strategy for your paper
• Intensely review materials in Transitions and Connectors Training file (in Course Materials) as you determine the relationships you wish to establish between the five articles
• Write draft of Literature Review paper 

WEEK 12    APRIL 6-12

FOCUS: REVIEW OF LITERATURE

• Compare your draft against the qualities listed under Week 3 of the Instructions for Literature Review (in Course Materials)
• Evaluate your draft against the Scoring Rubric for Literature Review (available in Course Materials)
• Upload your draft to the Peer Review of Lit Review  (under My Groups heading at bottom of course menu in the class Blackboard folder) by midnight on Tuesday, April 7
  
• Review your group members' drafts, following the instructions in Week 3 of Instructions for Literature Review (available in Course Materials) and post to Peer Review in Blackboard by midnight on Friday, April 10
  
• Revise and submit your own paper to Literature Review under Submit Assignments in Blackboard.  Name your file LitReview yourlastname. Also submit the five articles evaluated in your paper. Submit by midnight on Sunday, April 12.
  

WEEK 13    APRIL 13-19

FOCUS: USING TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE RESEARCH

• Listen to Using Technology to Improve Research podcast
• Look again at the Instructions for Using Technology to Improve Research paper
• Confirm whether you will work singly or with a partner; notify instructor by email if working with a partner
  
• Confirm the discipline which you propose to enhance or augment in your paper
  
• Confirm your topic, whether the one used for your literature review or another device
• Conduct research to add AT LEAST five more valid sources if using the five already provided by your lit review. You will need a total of TEN or more reliable sources.

WEEK 14    APRIL 20-26

FOCUS: USING TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE RESEARCH

• Review activities and resources under Week 2 of Instructions for Using Technology to Improve Research file (in Course Materials)
• Plan the organization and scope of your paper to fit the requirement of  1500 words minimum, counting only body text.
• Formulate a tentative thesis, subject to revision if later research or inspiration warrants
• Complete your research, reviewing your sources to make sure you have coverage for all subtopics in your paper
• Complete online readings and view PowerPoint listed under Week 2 of Instructions for Using Technology to Improve Research (in Course Materials)
• Begin to draft your paper

 WEEK 15    APRIL 27-MAY 3

FOCUS: USING TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE RESEARCH

• Compare your draft against the qualities listed under Weeks 3-4 of the Instructions for Research Paper (in Course Materials)
• Evaluate your draft against the Scoring Rubric for Using Technology to Improve Research Paper (available in Course Materials)
• Upload your draft to the Peer Review of Using Technology to Improve Research Paper  (in course menu in Blackboard) by midnight on Tuesday, April 28
  
• Review your group members' drafts, following the instructions in Week 3 of Instructions for Using Technology to Improve Research Paper (available in Course Materials) and post responses to Peer Review in Blackboard by midnight on Friday, May 1
  
• Submit finished paper to Technology Research Paper under Submit Assignments in Blackboard. Name your paper Technology Research yourlastname. Submit by midnight on Sunday, May 3
  
• Keep firmly in mind that this paper cannot be submitted late and that if you do not submit this paper, you WILL NOT PASS the class.

• Listen to podcast on Reflecting on Research Practices
• View PowerPoint On Scholar 2.0: Students as Scholars ( in Course Materials) to understand how your Metacognitive Review fits into the university initiative
• Thoughtfully complete the Metacognitive Review of Research Paper (in Course Materials)
• Submit finished Metacognitive review to Reflecting on Research Practices under Submit Assignments in Blackboard.  Name your paper Metacog yourlastname.  Submit by midnight on Wednesday, May 6
  
• Check My Grades in Blackboard to be sure that all entries are correct.  Changes will be made ONLY if there is a recording error.  If this is the case, the instructor MUST be notified by Friday, May 8.  
• Final semester grades will be submitted to PatriotWeb no later than Wednesday, May 13 and--again, unless there is a recording error--cannot be changed after that date.