SYLLABUS

SEMINAR IN FAMILY STUDIES
ARSC 150
SPRING SEMESTER 2005
SEMINAR COORDINATOR: DR. LYNN TURNER

Course objective: To stimulate critical, interdisciplinary research on the family. Each student will produce an original seminar paper and present the findings to the class at the end of the semester.

The seminar was designed to be taken at the end of your course of study on the family which has been cross disciplinary. In your thinking and writing for this seminar you will be asked to make the step from cross disciplinary to interdisciplinary work.

It is emphasized that interdisciplinarity is what distinguishes this seminar from your other work here at the university. You will find it demanding but satisfying.

Being a seminar, this course also places much greater responsibility on the student to act independently than is normally the case. Also, because it is a seminar, interaction with other students is a priority.

Seminar outcome: The successful student will demonstrate depth (competency in at least two methodologies), breadth (evidence of exposure to a wide knowledge/data base), and critical analysis (integrating and differentiating material and organizing it coherently).

Course structure:

Phase I:

A) Orientation to the interdisciplinary study of the family.

B) Choosing a research topic. This must be accomplished within FOUR WEEKS of today's class. During this period students may need to be in frequent contact with me to finalize the topic.

We will discuss and explore topic possibilities with one another.
Begin your initial research immediately. Isolate a topic and check out the literature on it in two disciplines. If the topic still seems feasible, contact me to refine and narrow your topic. This is best done personally in my office, by email or by phone.

C) Continue with exploratory research. Phase I will terminate (four weeks from today) in a class meeting during which students will 1. hand in their written research topic registration and 2. Inform the class as to AHow I See My Paper At The Outset Of My Research.@

AT THE END OF PHASE ONE YOU WILL NO LONGER BE ALLOWED TO CHANGE YOUR TOPIC. IF THE TOPIC PROVES NOT FEASIBLE, YOU WILL HAVE TO DROP THE COURSE.

Phase II:

A) Students will offer ideas and bibliography in connection with each others research themes. Draw on the courses you have taken in the three categories of the minor to suggest how a particular student can introduce interdisciplinary links to the work.

B) Continue collecting data and honing your methodology. Discuss your project, its problems, and its methodologies with me a second time at the end of February or beginning of March. You must have a second consultation before spring break.

Phase III:

A) If necessary discuss your project with me a third time during late March or early April.

B) Write a draft of your paper and present its key ideas to the class (mid April to semester's end).

C) Submit your final paper on or before May.

REMARKS

Interdisciplinary Research: interdisciplinary work is required. Interdisciplinarity refers to the use of two or more methodologies of distinct disciplines in a research project and paper. For example, a literary and a psychological research methodology could be utilized in the paper's analysis. At the end of the semester students will submit a formal research paper with foot or end notes and a bibliography. Use APA style.

Expectations about the quantity and quality of the research paper are high. Do not think of your project as you would a term paper for a lecture course. Seminar work is distinctly a step up from the Aterm paper@ level in regard both to length and quality.

Grading: roughly one-fourth of your grade will be based on 1. class participation 2. ability to interact with other students on research projects as these are discussed in class and 3. on the presentation of your research findings. Students should find your presentation stimulating and engaging. Use of a-v is encouraged as long as their role does not become dominant.

About three-fourths of your grade will be based on your research paper. Please review the criteria below regarding how your paper will be assessed.

Student Responsibility: This course is a very special kind of on-going group effort which requires your full participation and involvement. Attendance is required (you will be penalized a full grade for each unexcused absence; leaving a message on my voice mail does not excuse you).

Office Hours: TUTH 1-2 and TU 3:30-5:30 and, by appointment. Office: Johnston Hall 118. Often, especially at the beginning of the semester, you will need to be in touch with me by phone: 288-6351 (please leave your number on my voice mail and times when I can reach you; speak slowly). You can also be in touch through e-mail: lynn.turner@marquette.edu.

HOW YOUR RESEARCH PAPER WILL BE GRADED

1. IS THE PAPER WRITTEN ON THE AGREED UPON TOPIC? IF NOT, STUDENT WILL BE DISQUALIFIED AND WILL FAIL THE COURSE.
2. FORM (SPELLING, PUNCTUATION, ETC
3. CLARITY (SENTENCE STRUCTURE; PARAGRAPH DEVELOPMENT, LINKAGE AND SEQUENCE).
4. IS THE PAPER COMPREHENSIVE; DOES IT COVER THE TOPIC REASONABLY WELL OR HAVE IMPORTANT ASPECTS BEEN SKIPPED OR TREATED UNEVENLY?
5. ANALYSIS
   1. DOES THE PAPER DEMONSTRATE INTERDISCIPLINARITY?
   2. IS THERE ADEQUATE ANALYSIS OF THE MATERIAL UPON WHICH THE
      PAPER RESTS? (WELL ANALYZED MATERIAL ALLOWS THE WRITER TO USE
      SOURCES TO BUILD NEW IDEAS RATHER THAN MERELY REPEAT OR PARAPHRASE?)
6. IS THE PAPER COHERENT AND INTEGRATED (THIS RESULTS FROM THE ABILITY TO RELATE VARIOUS AND DISPARATE MATERIALS IN SUPPORT OF THE THEME)? PLEASE NOTE, HOWEVER, THAT IT IS NOT REQUIRED THAT METHODOLOGIES BE INTEGRATED, FUSED OR MODIFIED.
7. IS THE PAPER INVENTIVE ADDING SOMETHING TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF FAMILIES?

RESEARCH TOPIC REGISTRATION

STUDENT:

TITLE OF RESEARCH
PAPER:

VERY BRIEF DESCRIPTION:

Student Registration

Name:

School:

Major:

Phone number(s):

E-mail:

Address:

Have you registered as a family studies minor: yes no

RETURN THIS SHEET TO ME AFTER THE FIRST CLASS