Course Number and Title:
ACE 040 Writing and Research
Prerequisites
Prerequisite: ACE 035
Course Credits and Hours
2 credit(s)
2 lecture hours/week
0 lab hours/week
Course Description
In this course, students continue to develop and use skills learned in previous courses and apply them to produce a literary research paper. The goal of the course is to prepare students to write at a level and depth appropriate for introductory collegiate composition courses.
Additional Materials
Access to a computer and the Internet
Core Course Performance Objectives (CCPOs)
- Write evidence-based arguments to support claims using analysis of primary text and evidence from academic secondary sources. (CCC 1, 2, 5)
- Produce clear and coherent writing. (CCC 1, 5)
- Apply critical reading and thinking strategies by identifying and evaluating evidence, credibility, and language in both literary and informational texts.(CCC 1, 2, 5)
- Communicate effectively in small or large group discussions. (CCC 3)
- Develop information literacy skills by navigating library databases, analyzing research, and documenting information from academic secondary sources. (CCC 1, 2, 4, 5)
See Core Curriculum Competencies and Program Graduate Competencies at the end of the syllabus. CCPOs are linked to every competency they develop.
Measurable Performance Objectives (MPOs)
Upon completion of this course, the student will:
(These MPOs are aligned to specific standards of the United States Common Core Standards of English Language Arts. The numbers in parentheses after each standard refer to the specific Common Core grade level equivalent.)
- Write evidence-based arguments to support claims using analysis of primary text and evidence from academic secondary sources.
- Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. (W.11-12.1)
- Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. (W.11-12.7)
- Integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation. (W.11-12.8)
- Produce clear and coherent writing.
- Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style. (L.11-12.3)
- Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. (L.11-12.6)
- Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (L.11-12.5)
- Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information. (W.11-12.6)
- Apply critical reading and thinking strategies by identifying and evaluating evidence, credibility, and language in both literary and informational texts.
- Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings. (RL.11-12.4 & RI.11-12.4)
- Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact. (RL.11-12.5)
- Analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement). (RL.11-12.6)
- Analyze seminal U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (e.g., Washington’s Farewell Address, the Gettysburg Address, Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms speech, King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”), including how they address related themes and concepts. (RI.9-10.9)
- Read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 11–CCR text complexity band independently and proficiently. (RL.11-12.10)
- Communicate effectively in small or large group discussions.
- Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating a command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.(SL.11-12.6)
- Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. (SL.11-12.1)
- Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks. (SL.11-12.4)
- Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest. (SL.11-12.5)
- Develop information literacy skills by navigating library databases, analyzing research, and documenting information from academic secondary sources. (CCC 1, 2, 4, 5)
- Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience. (W.11-12.8)
- Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (W.11-12.9)
Evaluation Criteria/Policies
The grade will be determined using the Delaware Tech grading system:
| 90-100 |
= |
A |
| 80-89 |
= |
B |
| 70-79 |
= |
C |
| 0-69 |
= |
F |
Students should refer to the
Catalog/Student Handbook for information on the Academic Standing Policy, the Academic Integrity Policy, Student Rights and Responsibilities, and other policies relevant to their academic progress.
Final Course Grade
Calculated using the following weighted average
Assignment Categories | Evaluation Measures: Include each agreed upon measure and scope of that measure (see above). | Totals | CCPO(s) Measured |
Research & Writing Activities | Formative: MLA Works Cited drafts (3) Notetaking on Primary Source(s) and Scholarly Sources using quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing methods (2) 3 Section Outlines: Integrate Primary and Secondary sources | 20% | 70% | 1, 2, 3, 5 |
Summative: 3 Sections of research paper 4-5 pages each analysis of primary text integration of secondary sources MLA format for internal citation & Works Cited Introduction and conclusion for full research paper (2-3 pages) Evaluated through department rubric | 30% |
Summative: Final research paper 17-20 pages 1 (or more) primary literary text(s) 10 secondary sources–5 scholarly, 5 other credible sources MLA format for internal citation Works Cited MLA format Evaluated through department rubric. | 20% |
Information and Literature Reading Activities | Formative: Raisin in the Sun Discussion Board MLK/Malcolm X Comparison Group Work “Letter from Birmingham Jail” Group Work "The Things They Carried" Group Work “In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson is Buried” Questions | 10% | 10% | 3, 4 |
Presentations | Paper in Progress Presentation (Summative for Research & Writing Activities) 5-minute presentation showcasing and evaluating research process PPT/Google Slides Research Paper Reflection Presentation (Summative for Research and Writing Activities) 5-7 minute presentation showcasing argument and content of final paper and evaluating process of researching, integrating sources, and writing research paper Accompanying PPT/Google Slideshow required Postmodernist Text Group Presentation (Summative for Information and Literature Reading activities) 5-7 minute presentation choose appropriate postmodernist text analyze thematic and structural elements of postmodernism in chosen text Accompanying PPT/Google Slideshow required Evaluated through department rubric. | 20% | 20% | 3, 4 |
TOTAL |
Formative 30%
Summative 70%
| 100% |
Core Curriculum Competencies (CCCs are the competencies every graduate will develop)
- Apply clear and effective communication skills.
- Use critical thinking to solve problems.
- Collaborate to achieve a common goal.
- Demonstrate professional and ethical conduct.
- Use information literacy for effective vocational and/or academic research.
- Apply quantitative reasoning and/or scientific inquiry to solve practical problems.
Students in Need of Accommodations Due to a Disability
We value all individuals and provide an inclusive environment that fosters equity and student success. The College is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Students are encouraged to schedule an appointment with the campus Disabilities Support Counselor to request an accommodation needed due to a disability. The College's policy on accommodations for persons with disabilities can be found in the College's Guide to Requesting Academic Accommodations and/or Auxiliary Aids Students may also access the Guide and contact information for Disabilities Support Counselors through the Student Resources web page under Disabilities Support Services, or visit the campus Advising Center.