Syllabus

TRST 50095-60001. Sections 001/002: Graduate Research and Writing (Fall 2009)
Instructors: Profs. Carol Maier, and Françoise Massardier-Kenney
Office: 314 Satterfield
Phone: Maier: 330-672-1797, 330-325-0238; Kenney: 330-672-1795, 650-2995
E-mail: Maier: cmaier@neo.rr.com; Massardier-Kenney: fkenney@kent.edu
Office Hours: Maier: M, W, Th from 2-4; and by appointment. Massardier-Kenney M 2:15-4:15; T 3:15-4:15 and by appointment .

COURSE OBJECTIVE

The objective of this course is to provide translation studies students with the tools needed for successful research and writing in graduate-level courses in professional translation work.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will guide students through the researching and writing of graduate-level essays. The principal emphasis will be on research skills and the development and presentation of an argument.. Students will be undertake a projects requiring research and writing skills similar to those that will be required in translation related activities. The following skills will be stressed: library and web research, defining a topic, planning, appropriate use and documentation of secondary sources, use of internet resources, evaluation of resources, revisions, and mechanics. Students will meet as a class for instruction in library resources, computer lab use, web use and for presentations on knowledge organization in a variety of fields. Knowledge organization presentations will focus on the principles used to organize specific knowledge fields and the tools used to access knowledge within a specific field. There will also be work in small groups, as well as individual assignments.

TEXTS:

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 7th edition, 2009.

The BBI Dictionary of English Word Combinations. Revised edition. Philadelphia: John Benjamins, 1997.

Michael Palmer, The Fifth Vial. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2007.

On Reserve:

- Haynes, Kevin J., ed.The Cambridge Companion to Edgar Allan Poe. Cambridge, U.K.; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2002 (PS 26328. C33 2002).
- Kennedy, Gerald, ed. A Historical Guide to Edgar Allan Poe. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2001(PS 26328.H54 2001).
-Vines, Lois Davis ed. Poe Abroad. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 1999 (PS 26328.P62 1999).

CALENDAR

Week 1. August 31:
Meet as a class in 313 for introduction to course, instruction in lab use and library resources.
Assignment. Due Sept. 14 :

  • Read "The Black Cat" and "The Philosophy of Composition," by Edgar Allan Poe; identify stylistic characteristics of the story; select characteristics relevant to translation; explain how and why they are relevant
  • Finish library research assignment begun in class and add material you find on Google.
  • Become familiar with the resources listed in "library paper and electronic resources"
  • Become familiar with instructions in MLA Handbook for writing essays and preparing bibliographies

Week 2. September 14:
Meet as a class in 313 to discuss research assignment and for presentations about writing a research essay about Edgar Allan Poe; discuss "The Black Cat" (small groups)
Assignment for Sept. 21:

  • Familiarize yourself with reference resources, especially:
    • KentLink (the on-line catalog of the library holdings). Make sure you can find a book by author, title, subject, and key word
    Journals. Make sure you know where journals (current and past issues) are kept and how they are organized
    Interlibrary loan. Learn how to fill an interlibrary loan request form for a book or a copy of an article
    The standard literature research bibliographies in your language of study. Start with the MLA bibliography. Make sure you know where they are and how to use them
  • Do research assignment (Questions distributed in class)
  • Continue to familiarize yourself with MLA Handbook
  • Find a translation of "Black Cat" in your B-language; describe translator's handling of translation difficulties and general strategy

Week 3. September 21:
Meet as a class in 313 to discuss research assignment and general translation issues related to "The Black Cat" in translation (large group); discuss translations into B-language (small groups)
Assignment for Sept. 28:

  • Read handouts about Poe and "The Black Cat"
    • ;
  • First writing assignment due (about "The Black Cat"-topic to be assigned; 3-5 pages max.; follow MLA guidelines as you prepare your essay)

Week 4. September 28:
Introduction to Thrillers. Meet as a large group for presentations about thrillers. Discussion of assignment/Essay #2 (Research guide to translating legal medical thrillers)
Assignment for Oct. 5:

  • Read The Fifth Vial, by Michael Palmer; identify stylistic characteristics of the text (or of the text type); select characteristics relevant to translation
    • "
  • Do research assignment about thrillers

Week 5. October 5:
Meet in 319 for presentation about knowledge organization (the example of legal research); discuss thriller (small groups). Discussion of revision process
Assignment for Oct. 12:

  • Do assignments linked to legal research and B-language research and translation exercise for thrillers

Week 6. October 12:
Meet in 313 for presentation about case-study research and projects for second half of course; discuss thriller (small groups).
Assignment:

  • Revision of first essay due Oct. 19.
  • Read critical analysis from case study and assigned articles in fields of finance, medicine, and science

Week 7. October 19:
Meet as a large group to discuss reading assignment. Begin work in small groups on research guide to translation in specialized area (presentation of background knowledge; best glossaries; multi-lingual term guide with basic definitions). For the remainder of the semester, the class will meet in small groups, with the exception of one or two weeks (to be announced later) and the final meeting on 14 December.
Assignments for Weeks 8-15:

  • Work on research guides: (1) group project (research guide to translation in specialized area); (2) Individual project (brief research guide to translation in specialized sub-field of the area of your group project).
  • Second writing exercise due Oct. 26 (Guide to translating legal medical thrillers-discussion of characteristics and resources; max. 5 pages)
  • Revision of second writing due Nov. 9.
  • Group project (research guide to translation in specialized area): sent to other groups for their critique by Sunday evening, 28 November.
  • Group project submitted to instructors on December 7.
  • " Individual project ( brief research guide to translation in a specialized bub-field in the area of student's group project): Due 14 December;

Week 8. October 26:
Work in small groups on research guide
Assignment for Nov. 2:

  • Complete revisions of first essay for Week 9
  • Continue to research and compile bibliography for research guides

Week 9. November 2:
Work in small groups on research guide
Assignment: Revision of Essay 2 due Nov. 9.

Week 10. November 9:
Work in small groups on research guide

Week 11. November 16:
Research guide to be sent to other two groups for their critique

Week 12. November 23:
Meet in small groups to discuss research guides and prepare critiques, with suggestions for revisions; send critiques to other groups by Sunday evening, 28 November.

Week 13. November 30:
Meet in small groups to discuss critiques of other groups; prepare revisions (Revised research guides to be handed to instructors next week on December 7)

Week 14. December 7:
Final meeting of class.

Week 15. December 14: Individual projects due.

COURSE POLICIES

There will be four writing assignments (three individual assignments and one group assignment). All assignments are double-spaced with standard margins.
Each assignment will be worth 25% of the final grade.
The grade will be lowered for work that is late.
Attendance at class meetings is expected and students are asked to arrive promptly.

Students with Disabilities

University policy 3342-3-18 requires that students with disabilities be provided, reasonable accomodations to ensure equal access to course content. If you have a documented disability and require accommodations, please contact the instructor at the beginning of the semester to make arrangements for necessary classroom adjustments. Please note, you must first verify your eligibility for these through the Office of Student Disability Services (contact 330 672 3391) or visit kent.edu/sds for more information on registration procedures.