Yesterday I was feeling peaked. I went into class, my stomach in an uproar, to see how the students had done with the assignment to develop a thesis and plan for the paper we have been working on since the semester started. Unfortunately, I found that the majority of the students had not done the assignment, and that none seemed to understand why I had been asking them to read secondary sources, even though I explained it to them early and often, that this was a class in writing research papers, and that the first paper was intended to get them used to using sources in their papers. They kept asking whether they had to use the sources, and it appeared that none (just about) had read them. They thought it was just busy work.
So it is pointless having the drafts come in on Tuesday. They will be awful, and a drag to read. I have decided to delay the draft one class day, and will teach a whirlwind, marathon class about using and integrating sources next Tuesday. The good thing is that I can tell the other class on Monday all that I'm teaching these guys Tuesday, and perhaps they will be ready to turn in their drafts on Weds. Perhaps not, but I'll give it a try.
2 comments:
At the school meeting yesterday, a librarian gave us a peek at the new data bases, and they will be so much more accessible and resourceful. I think the new website opens up on Monday.
Yes! I had the librarian come in and do a presentation. The first paper is a research paper, but they are not required to do the research. It is to give them practice using and integrating sources. I did the research and taught 4 of the pieces (there are more in Blackboard as well) in class.
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