Literature

The course is based on several articles, book extracts and Internet resources, and the following textbook:

Johnson, W., et al. 2006. The sociology student writer’s manual (5th edition). Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. 264 pp., ISBN 0130226300.

Two copies of this book are available in the FSS library. The short readings will be provided as photocopies or in electronic format.

 

Writing Assignments

• Weekly essays: Every two weeks, students will write two drafts of an essay based on the assigned reading. In each two-week cycle, students will write a draft of the essay in the first week. This draft essay will receive written and verbal feedback in class from the teacher and other students. You will use this feedback to revise the essay and turn in a final draft during the second week. This gives you an opportunity to improve your writing and learn to give and receive constructive criticism. More details about these assignments will be given in class. Each essay should be 1500-2000 words in length.
• Final essay: A research essay 2000-3000 words in length is due by June 25, 2008. You are invited to make your thesis topic the focus of this essay. More details will be provided in class.

Class participation

• Attendance: All students are required to attend every seminar meeting. Any absence must be documented (for example, due to family or medical emergency). Your attendance is important because the course is organized around classroom discussion and giving feedback to each other.
• Discussion: Active participation in classroom discussion is an important part of your grade. You are required to read the assigned literature before the seminar meeting to facilitate discussion.
• Critique of other students’ writing: Every other week, we will engage in the in-class critique of each student’s first-draft essay. Each student will be assigned to read another student’s draft essay and give a presentation about suggested revisions.

Grading policy

The quality of your use of English is not part of the grade, but you must write the essays at an adequate level of language use such that they are understandable. Your essays should express your own ideas (see the section on Academic Honesty below). However, you are free to consult with classmates or others to check the quality of your use of English.

Important notes:

• All essays must be submitted by 23.59 on the due date.
• For every day an assignment is late, the grade will be reduced by a full letter grade.

Students will receive a final letter grade (A-F) for the semester.

Office hours

The instructor is available for consultation in room 3.59 at Joštova 10 on Fridays from 14.00-15.00 or by appointment.

Academic honesty

The Faculty of Social Studies at MU expects students to know the study rules and maintain academic honesty by refraining from plagiarism and from cheating during exams. Plagiarism means that one presents other peoples’ ideas as one’s own and does not credit the author. Plagiarism is one of the most serious breaches of ethical standards in the academic environment, for it denies the mission of the university and the meaning of studying. From a legal perspective, plagiarism is the stealing of intellectual property. The official FSS policy on academic honesty is available in the course’s interactive syllabus in IS in English and Czech. Academic dishonesty is not tolerated under any circumstances at FSS. The minimum penalty for academic dishonesty is expulsion from the course, a grade of F for the semester, and referral to the Faculty disciplinary committee.

In this course, students will become thoroughly acquainted with the problem of plagiarism and how to avoid it. If you have questions about plagiarism, contact the instructor. In the first week of class, students are required to read about ASA citation guidelines and write a short essay entitled “What is plagiarism and how can I avoid it?” Students are also required to read and sign a statement on academic honesty and give it to the instructor within the first two weeks of class. These materials can all be found in the “Writing resources” section of the interactive syllabus in IS.