Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Instructional Approach

Welcome to a term of academic inquiry, discussion, and composition!

Soon after we begin, you will choose a research topic to pursue. Although this might seem a bit rushed and some confusion may occur, the course is designed to support you through research, discussion, reflection, and composition. If you apply yourself diligently, things will come together! And remember, I am here to help! Do not hesitate to ask questions as needed.

This course is arranged chronologically and employs a modular design. Each week, students should complete all assignments listed in that week's lesson module. These modules will appear directly on the homepage during the week they are due, and are also available by clicking "Content" on the course navigation bar.

Due dates for each week's assignments will be listed within the module itself, as well as in the "course calendar" which is also available on the Content or on the Schedule. Assignments within the modules may direct students to use many of the tools contained in Brightspace, including the Assignment, and Discussions. These tools will be accessible both from within the weekly content modules, as well as from the course navigation bar.

Grading Breakdown:

Project Proposal: 5 points

Researched Conversation: 15 points

Annotated Bibliography: 10 points

Final Essay: 40 points (10 points for Draft 1, 30 points for Draft 2 (final))

Discussion Participation: 30 points total (You can miss 2 discussions without losing points, after that 5 points are lost for each missed discussion.)

Grading Scale: