Fake News, Real Science (WRI 101)
Spring 2021 - 100% remote (via synchronous Zoom)

A. Malcolm Campbell (he/him/his)
Will Towle '23 Writing Fellow

Class Schedule
Class Meets: T&R 2:45 - 4:00 pm, Zoom link sent by email
  Required book purchase:
 Greene, Anne E. 2013. Writing Science in Plain English.
Office Hours: W: 2- 3 pm; and R: 10- 11 am;
 also by appointment any day; email me
 
Office: Wall 327 but email first
 macampbell@davidson.edu_Phone: 704-894-2692

Introduction

When I was a first year student, I naively thought writing was not important for me because I was going to be a scientist. Wrong. Every college graduate must be able to write clearly. My number one goal in this class is for you to become a better science writer. In particular, I want you to incorporate data into all of your writing. Without data, individuals, communities and entire countries can be persuaded to follow someone who appears to have good ideas but in fact, they have opinions supported mostly by ideology or personal gain. As an educated adult, we must push back when claims are made in the absence of data.

This writing course is designed for those interested in science (including health, math and CS) and/or science majors. Last year, several non-science students took the class and really liked it so if you have concerns about your preparation, you can come talk with me. You are NOT expected to know any science content, but you will need to read scientific papers that contain data.

This is my third time to offer this class. Students generally have liked the course and have given me good suggestions to improve it along the way. I have no formal training in writing instruction. I am a terrible speller, but I know many rules of grammar and punctuation. I have written 2 textbooks and ~80 papers, so I have a lot of practice. The only way to get better at writing is to practice. In this class, you will write approximately 36 pages which includes drafts and final versions. You will also serve as peer reviewers because we improve our own writing by critiquing the work of others. Furthermore, you will use data to support your claims because that’s what all scientists and healthcare workers must do on a daily basis.

Learning Goals
Upon successful completion of this course, students will


Affective Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, students will
 Cognitive Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, students will

Graded Assignments
Your grades are based on three types of contributions:

  1. class participation = 5%
  2. multiple short assignments = 70%
  3. one cumulative assignment = 25%

You will have ample opportunities for instructor and peer feedback:

Grading Scale:
Conversion of Percentage to Letter Grade

A = 100 - 94 A- = 93 - 90
B+ = 89 - 87 B = 86 - 83 B- = 82 - 80
C+ = 79 - 77 C = 76 - 73 C - = 72 - 70
D+ = 69 - 66 D = 65 - 60

F = < 59

Campus Support for Your Learning

The college welcomes requests for accommodations related to disability and will grant those that are determined to be reasonable and maintain the integrity of a program or curriculum. To make such a request or to begin a conversation about a possible request, please contact the Office of Academic Access and Disability Resources, which is located in the Center for Teaching and Learning in the E.H. Little Library: Director Beth Bleil, bebleil@davidson.edu, 704-894-2129; or Assistant Director Alysen Beaty, albeaty@davidson.edu, 704-894-2939.  It is best to submit accommodation requests within the drop/add period; however, requests can be made at any time in the semester.  Please keep in mind that accommodations are not retroactive.
Religion:  Please look carefully at the syllabus during the first week of class. If any of the assignments conflict with a major religious holiday for your faith, then please let me know. I will make  appropriate accommodations.

The Math & Science Center (MSC) offers free assistance to students in all areas of math and science, with a focus on the introductory courses. Trained and highly qualified peers hold one-on-one and small-group tutoring sessions on a drop-in basis or by appointment, as well as timely recap sessions ahead of scheduled reviews. Emphasis is placed on thinking critically, understanding concepts, making connections, and communicating effectively, not just getting correct answers. In addition, students can start or join a study group and use the MSC as a group or individual study space. Located in the Center for Teaching & Learning (CTL) on the first floor of the College Library, drop-in hours are Sunday through Thursday, 8-11 PM, and Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, 4-6 PM, beginning Sunday, August 25. Appointments are available at other times. For more information, visit https://www.davidson.edu/offices-and-services/center-teaching-and-learning/student-resources/math-science-and-economics-center, or contact Dr. Mark Barsoum (mabarsoum or ext. 2796).

The Writing Center @ Davidson College is free of charge for everyone. You can schedule appointments through Moodle. It opens January 31. The Center's trained peer consultants offer support on class assignments and co-curricular writing at any stage of the writing process, from invention to fine-tuning a finished draft. The Center also offers workshops through our Moodle site (available to all students).  This semester, all sessions will be conducted remotely, and students have two options for synchronous and asynchronous sessions: (1) book a set time/day using the Real-time Consultation Schedule, or (2) submit materials and questions for a consultant to read and reply to using the Asynchronous Consultation Request Schedule.   

Attendance policy

I will take attendance each day to facilitate a more objective means for assigning the participation grade. You may not miss any class without a legitimate reason. Legitimate reasons include illness requiring physician’s care, family emergency, etc. Unacceptable reasons include over-sleeping, exam in another class, social function, etc. I will be flexible about religious holidays if you communicate with me in advance.

Honor Code

All of your graded assignments are covered by the Honor Code. If you violate my trust in you and the Honor Code, we will have to reevaluate how you are graded in this course. The entire system will break down when individuals make exceptions to the rule in order to spare their friends. I was a student at Davidson, so I know how important the Honor Code is. The best place to read about plagiarism is on this writing page (scroll down to plagiarism header).

References

Fake News, Real Science Schedule
© Copyright 2021 Department of Biology, Davidson College, Davidson, NC 28035
Send comments, questions, and suggestions to: macampbell@davidson.edu