FOLK 541 640 - Academic Writing and Research Design in the Arts and Sciences

Have you ever noticed that scholars in different academic disciplines seem to speak different languages? Have you wondered how scholars put together a plan for their research, explain their findings, and organize and write their papers? This class is designed to introduce MLA students and other advanced students to the research and writing conventions used by scholars in the arts and sciences. With attention to disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences, we will identify and explore some of the theories, sources, language, and qualitative and quantitative methodologies that scholars use as they conduct original research in their fields. Throughout the class, we'll also discuss writing conventions across the arts and sciences, with special attention to the structure of argument; the use of evidence; voice and style in both traditional academic writing and more innovative forms of writing; and documentation conventions. Students will develop an original research project through incremental writing assignments, and will write a formal research proposal (15-20 pages), which can be used as their Capstone proposal if they wish.

Required Texts:

Howard S. Becker, Writing for Social Scientists: How to Start and Finish Your
Thesis, Book, or Article, 2nd edition. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2007.

Mitchell Duneier, Sidewalk. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2000.

Sonja Foss & William Waters, Destination Dissertation: A Traveler’s Guide to A Done Dissertation. New York: Rowman & Littlefield, 2007.

Gerald Graff & Cathy Birkenstein, They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in
Academic Writing. New York: Norton, 2006.