ENGLISH 1302: WEEK TWO: UNDERSTANDING TEXTIntroduction to Scholarly Writing and the Literature Review

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

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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?

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.

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

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.

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.

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.