AGS 4860 (WI), Section #98318; Call #982 (4 credits)

Location: Rm. 25, Manoogian, Mondays, 6-9:40 p.m.

Like Senior Essay, Senior Seminar is the practical and philosophical culmination of the ISP’s commitment to writing across the curriculum. The course has two major components: interdisciplinary study of a selected topic and the process of research and writing. Because AGS 4860 fulfills Wayne State University’s General Education Writing Intensive (WI) requirement, a longer research paper is required, in addition to an early short essay and a final oral presentation of research results.

The designated topic for this segment is an interdisciplinary cultural history of the English language. Both components -- interdisciplinary study of English and the process of research and writing -- are interwoven throughout the course. The latter covers all phases of research and writing, from defining a topic and searching for information to organizing a large project and writing the final product. This component of the course provides valuable preparation for writing undergraduate- and graduate-level research papers as well as managing major projects in the workplace. Research papers written for AGS 4860 are eligible for the Otto Feinstein Award for Excellence in Senior Writing.

The course is divided into three parts. Part I establishes Core Concepts and Historical Perspectives. Part II explores on Varieties of English and initiates intensive work on the research Essay. Part III, English in the  World, takes a more global and contemporary perspective on the status of English, while also covering final stages of research and writing We explore  the following dimensions of the primary topic:

AGS 4860 satisfies the University’s Writing-Intensive Course in the Major (WI). Students build on skills gained in the Intermediate Composition requirement, while honing their ability to communicate effectively with specialized or professional audiences. Students produce drafts and revisions of a major Essay and make a final oral presentation.

Criteria for grading written work include following all instructions, completion of all assignments (including stages of research and writing), quality of organization, evidence of critical thinking, presentation of a clear perspective, accurate use of appropriate sources, and technical competence in conventions of English grammar and style.

1. Attendance and Participation: 15%
2. Short Essay #1: 10%
3. Research Process and Portfolio: 15%
4. Final Research Paper: 50%
5. Oral Presentation: 10%

Requirement #1: Attendance and Participation

Attendance is mandatory at every scheduled meeting. Attendance and participation count for a substantial portion of your final grade (15%), and there will be a make-up assignment in the event of any absence. All absences are equal, whether illness-, work-, or family-related. If an emergency prevents you from attending, contact me within 24 hours. You will do best if you keep up with the assignments. If you find yourself behind or have a bad week, it's better to come to class and to benefit from discussion and groupwork, not hide at home. ISP attendance policy will be strictly enforced. Any student who misses a total of three classes, including Week 1, is automatically dropped from the course.

Requirements #2 - #5: Research and Writing

The total requirement for writing in this course is 25-30 pages. A "page" is the equivalent of double-spaced typed page of roughly 250 words. This stipulation is particularly important if you are submitting work via E-mail or attached file. Print out your copy first to check on page length or do a word-number count. Caution: while I welcome electronic submissions, all systems do not talk to each other successfully. Be prepared for a dry run or resends if necessary.

1. Short Essay #1 = 5 pages
2. Final Research Paper = 20-25 pages

Short Essay #1 will be written on a common topic covering Part I. The final research Essay concentrates on an appropriate topic of the student’s choice. More detailed instruction will follow on all written requirements, the research process, and the oral presentation.

The Portfolio Requirement

A portfolio is a system designed to help you organize and develop everything in the course. Think of the portfolio as a living laboratory, a place where you keep track of everything, make connections, and "incubate" ideas for the paper. It is, in one sense, the third and most important text in the course, the one that you construct.

You may add sections, but everyone is expected to maintain the following sections at a minimum:

Because this is an interdisciplinary study, we need to reflect on how we approach the subject. Our goal is to integrate knowledge and perspectives from more than one discipline around the major themes of this course: historical perspectives, varieties, and and global issues. These themes are not restricted to any single weekend. As we focus on historical perspectives, we will necessarily be concerned with social, cultural, political, and economic dimensions. History is not restricted to the past, either. As we focus on English today, we will be bring prior historical knowledge to bear on understanding what is happening today. Note, from the beginning, our use of "English's." There is no one "English."

    A discipline studies a particular set of objects and/or subjects using particular methods, concepts, and theories. The outcome is a distinct body of knowledge and a way of looking at and understanding the world. Our subject is English. Interdisciplinary study of this subject is structured around core themes that comprise the cognitive and organizational structure of the course. To explore the core themes of the course we will examine particular topics, issues, and questions. Interdisciplinary study means more than just taking something from linguistics, something from sociology, something from economics ... and so on. These disciplines are tools for understanding. We will draw pertinent knowledge and information from these tools, then integrate the insights we gain from all activities in the course. Our anchor, always remember, is always the major themes.

    To illustrate further the nature of interdisciplinary study, when we explore the topic of Black English we do so in order to understand not only Black English per se but also how it fits into the larger themes of history and varieties, as well as social, economic, political, and cultural dimensions. When we encounter the idea of imperialism in particular cultures, nations, and historical periods, we ask how that idea and the social, economic, and political consequences of acting upon that idea have shaped our language and actions. Likewise, when we learn about certain economic theories and institutions (capitalism, multi-national corporations), certain historical figures (William Shakespeare, Noah Webster, Benjamin Franklin), and certain geographical regions (Australia, South Africa, Indonesia), we ask what part they play in the broader story of English. What we will be doing is akin to putting together a puzzle: we take the various pieces then work together to build a whole picture that is more than just the simple sum of its parts. Unlike the puzzles at the toy store, though, this one doesn't have a picture of what it's supposed to end up looking like on the cover of the box. An important part of the process of achieving synthesis is the making of meaning that occurs in your own head and in our collective deliberations.

Additionally, we will be crossing broader divisions of humanities  (including the disciplines of history, literature, linguistics, music, fine  arts, religion and mythology, etc.), the social sciences (including psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, geography, and economics), and natural sciences and technology (including biology and physiology, physics, mathematics, engineering, and computer sciences). To illustrate what crossing these broader divisions means, when we talk about Shakespeare's impact on the language, we will also be concerned with social and political implications of introducing new words and patterns of usage in the past and present. To take a different example, when we contemplate the impact of technology and science on language, we will be concerned with economic, social, and even psychological implications in daily life. And so it will go ... across the semester, across topics, and across disciplines and interdisciplinary fields.