CH EN 601

Research Tools

Students must demonstrate the following abilities to pass this course: Locate peer-reviewed archival literature sources by topic and by author. Organize journal articles into a logical structure using an annotated bibliography from which to develop a critical literature review. Effectively use software and web bibliographical resources. Effectively use word processor tools for format, grammar, style, figure/table captions, automatic table of contents and figure/table/equation numbering, and heading formats. Students will be graded on the following skills: Locate papers that cite or have been cited by literature sources by topic and by author. Know where to find technical style guides. Formatting sophisticated technical documents that include tables of contents, figures, and tables, numbered figures and tables, complex equations, portrait and landscape page orientations, hierarchal headings, Roman and Arabic page numbering, appendixes, and literature citations.

Writing Styles

Students must demonstrate the following abilities to pass this course: Place the primary subject and main verb early in a sentence. Use principles of cohesion and coherence to structure paragraphs and longer passages into concise, logical discussions and deductive or inductive arguments. Use specific nouns and active verbs. Avoiid nominalizations and unnecessary abstractions. Structure sentences and paragraphs to properly emphasize main points. Students will be graded on the following skills: Engage readers in discovery using concise language, clarity, and a consistent logical framework. Use effective transitions between concepts, paragraphs, and sections. Use metadiscourse to help readers identify document structure and current objective.

Literature Review

Students must demonstrate the following abilities to pass this course: Discuss existing literature in a logical and critical manner that highlights the most fundamental barriers to progress. Cite sources for ideas and results. Students will be graded on the following skills: Place proposed work in context of a broader subdiscipline and indicate how it advances science. Articulate fundamental questions or knowledge gaps.

Grammar and Mechanics

Students must demonstrate the following abilities to pass this course: Write grammatically correct sentences with special attention to:subject verb agreement, punctuation, avoiding dangling modifiers, correctly formatting adverbs and complex adjectives, andproper spelling. Properly format tables, figures, equations, etc. Students will be graded on the following skills: Write standard English free of distracting colloquialisms and artifacts. Be specific and precise. Avoid ambiguities. Provide meaningful tables, figures and equations. Fluently use sentence variety and structure. Use lists and other format features frequently and effectively. Use effective vocabulary and concise writing. 

Logic

Students must demonstrate the following abilities to pass this course: Begin with a shared context and provide rigorous, logical progression to conclusions, with clearly identified assumptions and candid discussion. Identify and avoid classical logical errors.  Students will be graded on the following skills: Write a cogent, well-articulated analysis and convey meaning skillfully. Develop original insight on the topic. Use proper logical structures and compelling, candid arguments.

Academic Integrity

Students will demonstrate a working knowledge of plagiarism, including successfully identifying examples of it, based on BYU definitions assigning authorship to papers the stages of publication maturity, including in preparation submitted accepted published managing confidential proposal and paper reviews