Ethnic Studies 290A - Master's Thesis Writing in Ethnic Studies

Fall 2008 SSB 103, Mon. 12-2:50PM

Professor Ross Frank (rfrank@ucsd.edu) Phone: (858) 534-6646

Hours: Tues. 11AM-1PM; Wed. 12-2PM & by appt. Office: SSB 103

Download PDF version of the syllabus.

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Course Description:

This seminar will function as a writer's group in order to help you significantly advance the process of conceptualizing, organizing, and writing a research-based text. In seminar we will read each other's work, discuss the concepts, method, and mechanics of constructing and writing a thesis, and provide comment to help with the process.

Recommended text (@ Groundwork and UCSD Bookstore – ordered for other courses):

Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams. The Craft of Research. Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing. 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago press, 2003.

Other readings will be available on reserve online at: http:/reserves.ucsd.edu

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Class Schedule

Week 1 September 29 Bring your research materials!

Please bring to class all of your notes, notebooks, binders, note cards, audio/video recordings, electronic files — everything that you are using to document and keep track of your MA research project.

Week 2 October 6 No Meeting – Write! Write! Write

Week 3 October 13 Discussion of MA Projects

Boice, "The Four-Step Plan"; Benchley. "How to Get Things Done".

Choose 2 of the following MA Theses to read: Kinney | Kozen | Voyles

For the theses that you read, we want to clearly identify each component of the "structure" of an MA thesis in the Graduate Handbook (page 3):

1) what is the principle research question and its subordinate parts?
2) what areas of literature does the thesis engage relating to the area of research?
3) what is the conceptual (theoretical) framework advanced?
4) which methodologies does the thesis incorporate and how are they relevant to the research question posed?
5) how are the principle arguments advanced that address the thesis question(s)?
6) what the the nature of the information used as evidence in support of the arguments and how was it collected, organized, interpreted, and critically analyzed?
7) what conclusion does the thesis offer and how does is it relevant to "Ethnic Studies" research?

A First Draft of the Introduction of your MA thesis will be due during weeks 3 and 4 and discussed in weeks 4 and 5:
The draft of your Introduction should include:

1) description of research topic and principle research question(s)
2) discussion of the literature required to properly contextualize your area of research and principle research question
3) outline of your conceptual (theoretical) framework
4) discussion of methodologies proposed in response to the research question
5) overview of the information used as evidence in support of the arguments and how you are collecting, organizing, interpreting, and critically analyzing it
6) current project bibliography

Procedure for discussion of written work in our writing group:

Group 1 - Seth, Trangdai, and Maile (pending Maile's approval);
Group 2 - Stevie, and Susan.
Each group will e-mail or deliver their work to each person in the class on the Monday before their work will be discussed.
The entire group will prepare oral and written comments for each person in the Group whose work is made available. We will talk more about what to look for and how to approach each other's work at our Week 3 seminar meeting.

Week 4 October 20 Draft Introductions – Group 1

Zerubavel, "The Writing Schedule"; Staw, Making Your Writing World Even Safer"

Week 5 October 27 Draft Introductions – Group 2

Bolker, "From Zero to First Draft"; Lamott, "Shitty First Drafts".

Week 6 November 3 No Meeting – Write! Write! Write

Week 7 November 10 Draft Discussion, Round 1 – Group A

Palumbo, "In Praise of Goofing Off".

Week 8 November 12 Draft Discussion, Round 1 – Group B

Bolker, "Interruptions from Inside".

Week 9 November 24 Draft Discussion, Round 2 – Group I

Boice, "Rules for Comfort and Fluency".

Week 10 December 1 Draft Discussion, Round 2 – Group II

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Assigned Reading

Week 2

Boice, Robert. "The Four-Step Plan" Professors as Writers : A Self-Help Guide to Productive Writing. Stillwater, Okla.: New Forums Press, 1990, 93-117.

Benchley, Robert, and Nathaniel Benchley. "How to Get Things Done". The Benchley Roundup. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1983, 5-10.

Week 4

Zerubavel, Eviatar. "The Writing Schedule". The Clockwork Muse : A Practical Guide to Writing Theses, Dissertations, and Books. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1999, 15-35.

Staw, Jane Anne. Making Your Writing World Even Safer". Unstuck : A Supportive and Practical Guide to Working through Writer's Block. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2003, 135-147.

Week 5

Bolker, Joan. "From Zero to First Draft". Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day : A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing Your Doctoral Thesis. New York: Henry Holt, 1998, 49-62.

Lamott, Anne. "Shitty First Drafts". Bird by Bird : Some Instructions on Writing and Life. New York: Anchor Books, 1995, 21-27.

Week 7

Palumbo, Dennis. "In Praise of Goofing Off". Writing from the inside Out : Transforming Your Psychological Blocks to Release the Writer Within. New York: Wiley, 2000, 141-144.

Week 8

Bolker, Joan. "Interruptions from Inside". Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day : A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing Your Doctoral Thesis. New York: Henry Holt, 1998, 86-98.

Week 9

Boice, Robert. "Rules for Comfort and Fluency". How Writers Journey to Comfort and Fluency : A Psychological Adventure. Westport, Conn.: Praeger, 1994, 235-246.

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Selected books on writing:

Benchley, Robert, and Nathaniel Benchley. The Benchley Roundup. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1983.

Boice, Robert. Professors as Writers : A Self-Help Guide to Productive Writing. Stillwater, Okla.: New Forums Press, 1990.

---. How Writers Journey to Comfort and Fluency : A Psychological Adventure. Westport, Conn.: Praeger, 1994.

Bolker, Joan. Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day : A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing Your Doctoral Thesis. 1st ed. New York: Henry Holt, 1998.

---. The Writer's Home Companion : An Anthology of the World's Best Writing Advice, from Keats to Kunitz. New York: Henry Holt and Co., 1997.

Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams. The Craft of Research. Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing. 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago press, 2003.

Goldberg, Natalie. Writing Down the Bones : Freeing the Writer Within : Expanded with a New Preface and Interview with the Author. Shambhala Pocket Classics. Expanded ed. Boston: Shambhala, 2006.

Huddle, David. The Writing Habit: Essays. Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith Books, 1992.

Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird : Some Instructions on Writing and Life. 1st Anchor Books ed. New York: Anchor Books, 1995.

Palumbo, Dennis. Writing from the inside Out : Transforming Your Psychological Blocks to Release the Writer Within. New York: Wiley, 2000.

Roberts, Carol M. The Dissertation Journey : A Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Writing, and Defending Your Dissertation. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press, 2004.

Staw, Jane Anne. Unstuck : A Supportive and Practical Guide to Working through Writer's Block. 1st ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2003.

Swetnam, Derek. Writing Your Dissertation : How to Plan, Prepare and Present Successful Work. Rev. and upd. 3rd ed. Oxford: How to Books, 2004.

Zerubavel, Eviatar. The Clockwork Muse : A Practical Guide to Writing Theses, Dissertations, and Books. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1999.

Zinnser, William. On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Non-Fiction. New York: Harper and Row, 1998.