Julie’s Freshman Seminar

• This paper has two main parts — figuring out what sources you chose to use in your previous two position papers and why. So you would have to look at the bias of your sources and talk about how that affects the arguments in your paper and whether or not their bias ruins their credibility. Think back to our discussion on this from Monday’s class. Once you think critically about your sources, consider whether or not your original position – the one you first wrote about — is changed or strengthened in any way.
• The second part is where you examine whether or not you think that the different sides of your issue really are interested in debate and discussion with each other. Do the sides have any dialogue? Are people set in their opinions or are they willing to change their minds? Why or why not? Do you think that the “information” that people have, as Lasch defines “information” helps or hinders them in having a real understanding of their issue? Use Lasch to support your arguments here.
• You can just the personal pronoun I, especially when talking about what sources you chose and why. But don’t fill your paper with statements such as “I think” or “I feel” unless you can back them up with facts.
• Be critical of your sources — don’t just say “I chose this website because it has a lot of good information on abortion.” You have to have a more critical reason than that. Why, out of the thousands of abortion websites, did you choose the one you cited? And really, think critically about your role in your research. If you really chose the site because it was the first one that came up on Google, what would Lasch have to say about that?
• There is no “right answer” to this paper — it is a reflective paper, a chance for you to think back on what you did and why.
• Make sure to work on your papers on your own. At this level, writing together or sharing work is not acceptable, even if this is something you were used to doing in high school.

Check out the Online Writing Lab at Purdue University for more citation tips. Remember that we are using APA (American Psychological Association) format and that incorrect citations will affect your grade.
To find APA information, click on the APA link above and scroll to the bottom of the page.

Article From a Database

Smyth, A. M., Parker, A. L., & Pease, D. L. (2002). A study of enjoyment of peas. Journal of Abnormal Eating, 8(3). 120-125.

Newspaper Article

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper. Retrieved from http://www.someaddress.com/full/url/

Parker-Pope, T. (2008, May 6). Psychiatry handbook linked to drug industry. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com

Nonperiodical Web Document, Web Page, or Report

List as much of the following information as possible (you sometimes have to hunt around to find the information; don’t be lazy. If there is a page like http://www.somesite.com/somepage.htm, and somepage.htm doesn’t have the information you’re looking for, move up the URL to http://www.somesite.com/):

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of document. Retrieved from http://Web address

Electronic Sources

If possible, cite an electronic document the same as any other document by using the author-date style.

Kenneth (2000) explained… “vvvvvvvv” (p. 125).

Sources Without Page Numbers

When an electronic source lacks page numbers, you should try to include information that will help readers find the passage being cited. When an electronic document has numbered paragraphs, use the ¶ symbol, or the abbreviation “para.” followed by the paragraph number (Hall, 2001, ¶ 5) or (Hall, 2001, para. 5). If the paragraphs are not numbered and the document includes headings, provide the appropriate heading and specify the paragraph under that heading. Note that in some electronic sources, like Web pages, people can use the Find function in their browser to locate any passages you cite.

According to Smith (1997), … (Mind over Matter section, para. 6).

Week 7

Monday, October 12: Sontag/Pulitzer discussion

Wednesday, October 14: Turn in Pulitzer Assignment
In class writing
Begin issues discussion
Receive Position Paper assignment

Friday, October 16: Meet in the Mansfield Library SLC for source workshop

Week 8

Monday, October 19: Continue issues discussion

Wednesday, October 21: Turn in Position Paper 1
In class writing
Read and Discuss Christopher Lasch, “Lost Art of Argument”

Friday, October 23: Meet in the Mansfield Library SLC for source workshop

Week 9

Monday, October 26: Continue issues/Lasch discussion

Wednesday, October 28: Turn in Position Paper 2
Discussion of Position Papers
Assign Source Paper

Friday, October 30: Meet in the Mansfield Library SLC for source sleuthing

Week 10

Monday, November 2: Discuss source paper

Wednesday, November 4: Turn in Source Paper
Discuss Source paper and Position papers

Friday, November 6: Last day of class/Wrap up

Don’t miss two opportunities — on Wednesday, October 21 — to meet and listen to Andrew Sean Greer, MFA ’96, author of this year’s First-Year Experience book, The Confessions of Max Tivoli. First-year students are invited to attend an informal seminar with the author at 2:10 p.m. in the UC Theater; then, later that evening, all are invited to attend his public lecture/reading, “How to Live Backwards,” at 7:30 p.m. in the University Theater.  Greer is not only an internationally acclaimed author, but also a charismatic speaker and a former UM student with fond memories of this campus.