WRA 125:003: Disciplinary Literacy- Professional Research

Quick Facts:
Final Draft Due: 10.14.15 (D2L & in-class 10:20am)
Length: 2250-2500
Percentage 20%
What is this?: Project Description
Different academic disciplines have different ways of presenting and analyzing
information, different ways of building knowledge, and different ways of
presenting knowledge in written forms. For your first project you will write a
research paper that identifies and examines a minority group in your aspired
disciplines literacy. What this basically means is that you will research the
literacy of your specific (or intended majors) and then write a research paper,
supported with academic findings, on how students from a particular minority
groups (class, race, gender, sexual orientation), gain access to this discipline.
The research process should allow you to take note of the following:

Types of communication, writing, research (fieldwork), culture and

technology that is fundamental valued in your discipline.
How minorities are researched and positioned in your discipline

This paper gives you the opportunity to begin building your own
understandings of writing and how it is employed in academic disciplines
(major).
Grade: This project is worth 20% of your total course grade. Overall Project will be
graded in parts:
Final Paper 10%
Research article and interview annotations 5%
Rough drafts and peer responses 5%
How do you do this: Project Requirements:
First you will need to decide on the discipline you wish to explore. (This
begins with your major). Most likely you will choose a major that you are
interested in. Then you will move towards the following:

Research articles and analysis:

o At least one scholarly article from the discipline.
o At least one popular or trade article from the discipline
Conduct an interview & Analyze:
o At least one interview with a professor/professional in the field.
Appropriate IN-TEXT Citation:
o Cite all three sources using MLA.
o Provide a works cited page

Fofana :: WRA 125 :: Disciplinary Literacy

WRA 125:003: Disciplinary Literacy- Professional Research

Length/Page Count

Length: 2250-2500 words,

Style: Typed, double-space, 1 inch margin, Times New Romans,

Project Due Dates:

Library Research session. Sept16 @ 10:20am, bring your own laptops

Email Interview Request Draft Sept 14-16 (D2L Discussion Board)
Email Interview Request (week of 20-25) Remember to (cc mefofanaka@msu.edu)
Interview Window and Timeline: Sept28-Oct 3
o All interviews should be conducted no later than Oct 5th
Shitty Draft (1st Rough Draft) Due Dates:
o D2L Sat 10.10 &11pm
o In-class Monday 10.12 (bring 2 hard-copies) (at least 1200 words)
Fix-it Draft (2nd rough draft):
o In-Class (2 hard-copies) Wed. 10.14 (2000 word count)
Dental Draft (Peer Workshop):
o In-class Monday 10.12 (two copies Full word count)
Final Draft Due Dates:
o 10.14 In-class and D2L Complete portfolio (in this order: Shitty draft,
fix-it draft, dental draft, final copy, reflection).

Audience
Imagine that you are working for the MSU Office of Students Life and you are
putting together a report on a minority groups literacy representations and
practices in your chosen discipline or profession. The general audience is
fellow students at MSU who are seriously considering entering the
discipline/profession, but want to be informed about best ways to prepare
for academic and career success in such discipline. Your reader should
come away from your research essay with clear understanding on minority
representations and literacy practices in your chosen discipline.
Critical Steps to Completion:
Read & Annotate Research project description: Week of Jan 20-24

Email Interview Request (week of 20-25) Remember to (cc mefofanaka@msu.edu)

Interview Window and Timeline: Sept28-Oct 3
o All interviews should be conducted no later than Feb 4th.

Library Resources:: Main Library visit for workshop on library resources. Bring
your own laptop or tablet.
Sept 21-28: research articles annotations due (D2L).
Shitty Draft (1st Rough Draft) Due Dates:
o D2L Sat 10.10 &11pm
o In-class Monday 10.12 (Bring 2 hard-copies) (at least 1200 words)
Fix-it Draft (2nd rough draft):
o In-Class (2 hard-copies) Wed. 10.14 (2000 word count)
Dental Draft (Peer Workshop):
In-class Monday 10.12 (Bring 2 hard-copies)

Fofana :: WRA 125 :: Disciplinary Literacy

WRA 125:003: Disciplinary Literacy- Professional Research

Project Objectives (objectives in parentheses relate to First Year Writing Program
outcomes)
For Writing:
Demonstrate an understanding of writing as an epistemic and recursive process;
Effectively apply a variety of knowledge-making strategies in writing (integrated
reasoning)
Reading:
Demonstrate an understanding of reading as an epistemic and recursive meaning
making processes (integrated reasoning; cultural understanding)
Understand that various academic disciplines and fields employ varied genre,
voice, syntactical choices, uses of evidence, and citation styles that call for a
variety of reading strategies (analytical thinking; integrated reasoning;
communication)
Inquiry and Research:
Demonstrate the ability to locate, critically evaluate, and employ a variety of
sources for a range of purposes (analytical thinking; integrated reasoning)
Project Readings: For each of these readings, you will do a critical read, with
annotations followed by a write up of a 150 words annotations that
synthesizes your response, reaction and critique of the piece. Information on
How to Annotate a Text is available on D2L

Donald Murray Writing As Process/Product (D2L)

King Truth About Stories (D2L)
Manguel Reading Ourselves and the World (Class Reader)
Stuckey Literacy and Social Class (PDF D2L)
Lamott: Shitty First Draft (D2L)

Fofana :: WRA 125 :: Disciplinary Literacy