Department: Animal Science

Course No: 223W

Credits: 3

Title: Scientific Writing in Growth Biology and Metabolism

Contact: Mike Darre

WQ: Writing

Catalog Copy: Department Abbreviation - ANSC Course Number - 223W Skill Code - W Course Title - Scientific Writing in Growth Biology and Metabolism Semester offered - Second semester. Credits - One credit Prerequisites - English 110 or 111 Recommended preparation - - PVS 200 Consent of instructor not required No exclusions May not be repeated for credit Not open to sophomores Instructor - - Steven Zinn

Course Information: Scientific Writing in Growth Biology and Metabolism Second semester. One credit. Content as in ANSC 222. A writing intensive class integrated with course content in ANSC 222. Must be taken concurrently with ANSC 222.

W Criteria: 1. Describe how the writing assignments will enable and enhance learning the content of the course. Describe the page requirements of the assignments, and the relative weighting of the "W" component of the course for the course grade.

Courses Objectives of ANSC 223W

1. To provide students an opportunity to investigate a specific topic that is of interest to them in fundamental and current topics in growth physiology and metabolism.

2. To provide students an opportunity to gain experience in the process of scientific writing within the field of growth physiology
and metabolism, including review of the literature and peer review.

The purpose of this 1 credit class is to provide a writing-intensive experience primarily for ANSC majors that will permit them to develop their writing skills within the context of the discipline. In order to receive credit, this class must be taken concurrently with ANSC 222 which is an approved Animal Science class taught by the same instructor. Class size will be limited to 19 students. The overall objective of ANSC 222 (the concurrent course) is to discuss fundamental and current topics in growth physiology and metabolism. However, not all topics are covered in depth. This writing intensive course allows students to investigate topics of interest to them in greater depth than what may be addressed in class. There will be a short writing (approximately 2-3 double- spaced, typewritten pages) and long (approximately 12-15 double- spaced, typewritten pages). The evaluation of the submitted papers will be carried out by the instructor(s) and will include a peer evaluation component. Following evaluation of the instructor and the peer reviewer, students will edit, revise and resubmit their papers. The writing itself will account for 80% of the final grade (the remaining 20% will be divided between peer review and class
participation) Failure of the writing portion of this course will result in failure of ANSC 222 and ANSC 223.

2. Describe the primary modes of writing instruction in the course (e.g. individual conferences, written commentary, formal instruction to the class, and so on.).

The instruction will include formal instruction, commentary on specific writing assignments from the instructor and peer review, plus individual conferences with students to address specific on individual writing assignments.

Class outline

1. Introduction
2. Getting Started/ Target Audience
3. Ideas/Beginning the research process: Use of electronic data bases and search engines
4. Objectives and outlines: Reading, rough ideas, developing an outline, organization
5. Sentence structure / grammar
6. Use of literature Critical review and determining the value of sources
Peer-reviewed vs internet vs popular press
7. Quoting, Paraphrasing and Plagiarism
8. Citation Workshop
9. Academic scholarship and peer review
10. Individual meetings with instructor to critique papers
11. Individual meetings with instructor to critique papers
12. Individual meetings with instructor to critique papers
13. Revision; Self-evaluation vs peer evaluation of student papers
14. Wrap-up

3. Explain how opportunities for revision will be structured into the writing assignments in the course.

Each writing assignment that a student submits will be reviewed by the instructor and returned. The student will be given the
opportunity to revise and resubmit the assignment for additional review. There will be four components (justification, outline, first
draft and peer review) to the long assignment. This provides for several opportunities for review and revision before the final paper is
due.

Role of Grad Students: The Instructor will do the majority of the grading in the course. The TA, a Ph.D. student from the
Department of English, will assist in the grading and reviewing of submitted writing assignments, and will participate in the individual
meetings with students to critique their writing. The TA will be supervised by the instructor of the course. The TA and the
instructor will meet on a weekly basis to discuss each writing assignment, the quality of the writing and approaches to improving
student writing.