1. Seminar Attendance and Participation (28% in total, 1% for each class). Regular seminar attendance and participation is required. Unexcused absences will result in grade penalties (1.5%). Excused absences can be made up by completing extra credit assignments.
2. Writing Assignments (62% in total, including 14% on Weekly Reading and Reflecting Blackboard Discussion Board posts and Weekly Writing Exercises, both due by the end of Sundays of the preceding week, and 40% on research results -- 1 research planning form and 2 papers and 8% on two peer reviews; all due by the end of Thursdays). For an overview of the written assignments, click here.

Weekly Blackboard Discussion Posts and Weekly Writing Exercises (14% in total, or 1% each, which includes .2% for timely posting, due by the end of Sundays of the preceding week).

The purpose of the Blackboard discussion posts is to prepare for the two-day class discussion of the week. The student's assignment is to raise and answer in bullet points two thought-provoking discussion questions--one on Wikipedia article(s) (Tuesday) and one on a research paper--if there are more than one research papers listed, select one (Thursday) in the optional combination of selective readings (specify the titles of the reading materials on top of each of the two questions and answers). In the two answers, the student should agree/reject, extend, interpret, disambiguate, distinguish, or compare views with justifications. The Weekly Blackboard discussion posts are due by the end of each Sunday.

The purpose of Weekly Writing Exercises is to engage the students in the active and hands-on learning process by using the knowledge and skills learned in the weekly writing instruction to prepare and revise the papers as the written results of their research project.

Research Results (by the end of Thursdays): One Form + Two Papers (40% in total: 5% for Research Planning Form, 15% for Paper 1 (Research Review), and 20% for Paper 2 (Research Analysis), including 2% for each of the 6 timely submissions):

Tasks, Content, and Format. At the beginning of the semester, the student will select a research topic related to this University Seminar for his or her research project and write two papers as integral parts of this research project.

Students must retain on their own computer a local copy of every Blackboard submission, including Blackboard posts, rough and final versions of all three papers to prepare for the highly unlikely event, in which files on the CWRU Blackboard server disappear for emergency or security reasons.

The student's task in the Research Planning Stage is to conduct the preliminary research, identify the research topic by reading one or more wikipedia articles and selecting a minimum of 10 research papers from the academic databases such as Google Scholar, Science Direct, Academic Complete, etc., formulating research questions, and choosing a research topic from the research topics, describe the goal and focus of the semester-long research project, narrow down the involved issues, and structure the issues as the steps of investigation and analysis of the research project. It is important to make clear in the Research Planning Form at the end of this research planning stage that the research project includes two additional main stages, i.e. the research review stage (Paper 1) and the research analysis stage (Paper 2).

The student's task in the Literature Review Stage is to to closely read and review selected research papers and present the results in the literatue review paper or Paper 1 (minimum 7 pages, two versions, APA format). As an intermediate product of the research project, the review paper reflects the views and findings of the existing research on the student's research questions for the research project. The student's task in this paper is to present, in format of a research review, the views and findings of the existing studies/scholars using the "They Said" templates and APA format. The contents of the review should consist of a general overview of the research (including academic databases searched, relevant journal articles found, read, and intensively studied).

The student's task in Research Analysis Stage is to critically evaluate and analyze the research findings and views of the existing research papers the student reviewed in the Review Paper and present the student's analysis and views ("I Say") of these findings and views in Paper 2 (Research Paper, minimum 12 pages, three versions, APA format). This analytical paper can include for example in-depth comparisons of different views and findings in the debate on the research topic, and the student's views of these competing views and findings. In this research analysis paper, the student must discuss the topic based on the competing views reflected in Review Paper, a detailed assessment of these views, and the student's own conclusions to convince the academic reader, especially the peers in this seminar.

Technically, each of the three papers must contain a cover page with a title of the paper, the student's name, and course informtion. All three papers must be presented in 12-point font (New Roman or similar), double-spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides. Each of the three papers should including an introduction, a body with up to four sub sections, a concluding section, and a bibliography. Each paper should contain a title that captures the essence of the research question of the research project. Research Analysis (Paper 2) should include a thesis/main arguments (main purpose of this research analysis paper) and a roadmap (steps to discuss the main aspects involved in the research topic) in the introduction; in-text citations and references from at least ten (10) academic journal papers or book chapters to substantiate and support the argumentation in the body; a concluding section that summarizes main findings of the research, their implications, and optionally, necessary future research; and a bibliography of cited publications, including at least six academic journal articles or book chapters.

Versions of the Two Paper. Paper 1 has two versions and Paper 2 has three versions. To emphasize academic writing as a process, Paper 1 will be subject to revision in response to the instructor's review and Paper 2 will need to be revised twice, first in response to the partner's peer review and then in response to the the instructor's review. The final versions of Paper 1 and Paper 2 will be graded based on the quality of each paper and the improvements the student made as recommended by the student peer reviewer and the instructor. Students whose papers demonstrate significant weaknesses will be required to schedule meetings with the Writing Center.

The student will also submit, along with the final version of the research paper (Paper 2.3), a 2-page reflection, in which he or she discusses his or her improvements as a writer during the semester, and how he or she benefited from the 3-stage writing process of the research project as well as and the multi-version revisions in response to the recommendations of the peer reviewer and the instructor (as well as the Writing Center).

3. Two Oral Presentations (10% in total, or 5% each).

Each students will give two oral presentations. The first presentation relates to the reading assignments of the week. The second presentation reports to the class the results of the student's research project. The student should make effort to avoid presenting on the same topic in these two presentations.

While the first presentation can but does not need to relate to the student's research paper, the second presentation must reflect the student's research findings. The presentation must be analytical and interpretive, not just descriptive narrative. The presenter will prepare at least two questions for peers and will also take questions from them. The use of presentational tools and skills is also part of considerations for grading. The grading of each presentation will be decided by the average score from a subsequent anonymous voting process of the peers in class.

4. Extra Credit (10% in total)

The main purpose of the extra credit activities is to expand the students' learning experience through communication with part of the international community as it is related to the greening theme of the University Seminar. Excused absences and other missing assignments can be made up by earning extra credit. Extra credit activities can be conducted throughout of the semester, but at the end of the semester, the student claiming extra credit should write reports along with email messages exchanged, skype screen shots, interview protocols, or video or movie viewing reports to the Blackboard Extra Credit Folder with a one paragraph explanation of each activity's implication for the student's understanding of the green theme. Each email message, Skype session, interview, video or movie on a green theme is eligible for 1% extra credit.

• Interviewing with internationall students or faculty from Germany, China, India or other countries on issues involeved in your research topic.
• Viewing videos or movies in length of at least 30 minutes each on topics related to green transformation and globalization.

• Gordon Wilson et al., Pamela Furniss, and Richard Kimbowa. Environment, Development, and Sustainability: Perspectives and cases from around the world, 2010 (available online).
• Graff & Birkenstein, "They Say / I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing, ISBN 978-0-393-93361-1 (available in the bookstore).

• Selective Readings The student will select two readings from the Online Readings (one for each of the two classes) to complete weekly reading and Blackboard Discussion Board posting assignments for the week to prepare for class discussion.

• Online and DVD in class

RULES