Writing in an AstrophysicsPlanetary Science Upper Division Course

Writing in an Astrophysics/Planetary Science Upper Division Course: Backwards Design Laura Woodney Department of Physics “Design [the] last assignment first. Doing so can help instructors design earlier scaffolding assignments to teach skills needed for the final project…. ” - Bean, 2011 The Final Project: A peer reviewed, National Science Foundation style proposal to study a topic in Astrophysics/Planetary Science. Step 1: Identify the Student Challenges to Success on the Final Project Determining the appropriate sources A. 3 B. 4 B. 6 4 What goes in each section LO Integrating Sources • Homework: Annotate a Review article that uses the papers in homework 1 (Abstract Removed) • In Class: Students jigsaw in groups to produce a table of how each paper connects to the review and to each other. • In Class: Each group writes an Abstract for the review article, original abstract is given. Class discussion on similarities, differences, what makes a good abstract? 5 How should it be formatted? Assignment 4: Review a Grant How should material from multiple sources be 6 integrated? LO Critiquing Work • Homework: Read annotate the Grant proposal. • In Class: Discussion and class creates a rubric to rate the proposal A 2 How to read them? 3 When and how to cite a reference? What is appropriate for each section? C A. 2 LO Process of Science, Reading Critically • Homework: Students are given a paper that was later disproved plus one of the papers that showed the earlier work was incorrect to annotate and write summaries of. • In Class: discussion of papers and process of science that led to the later disproving of the finding. Could the second paper be disproved some day? Journaling – what did they learn about the process of science? Assignment 3: Journal Club 2 1 How to find them? B Assignment 2: Journal Club 7 How to give critical but constructive advice to peers? Step 2: What Assignments Will Address These Student Challenges? Assignment 1: Annotate a Paper A. 2 B. 4 LO How to read a paper • In Class: Instructor provides an annotated paper and leads class discussion on structure and notes • Homework: each student annotates a paper • In Class: Groups assigned same paper discuss their similarities and differences. Produce a group write summarizing the main findings of the paper, and how the group reached their conclusions. Each group shares this with the class B. 5 C. 7 Assignment 5: Literature Review and Hypothesis formulation A. 1 C. 7 LO Identify and Create a Hypothesis • In Class: methods for Astronomy lit review • Homework: Broad review, identify hypothesis, upon instructor approval write methods section. • In Class: Use rubric for in-class peer review. Small groups all review a set of papers, compare and contrast their reviews. Group write – advice for doing a good review. • Homework: Write Science background and revise after peer review Jigsaw Table for Assignment 3 Deconstructing the Sources Source Reference 1 Reference 2 How did they contribute to Reference 2 Reference 3 In Each Cell: How does each source relate to each other? different parts Reference 3 of the review? Assignment 6: Blog/Pop Article LO Deepening Understanding through explaining in simple language LO Science Communication • Homework: create a blog/pop article on the science for peer evaluation Assignment 7: Broader Impacts B. 4 LO Role of Science in Society • In class: discussion of BI sections from multiple proposals. What does NSF mean by this? • Homework: Write and Revise BI section Assignment 8: Review Panel LO Critiquing and Writing as a Professional Scientist • Students submit their proposals to review. Panels are formed for double-blind review. Class Rubric is used. • Students revise and resubmit proposals based on feedback References Bean, J. C. (2011). “Engaging Ideas: The Professor’s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom”. Wiley. Acknowledgements: CSUSB Quarter to Semester Enhanced Pedagogy Funding || NSF IUSE Program #1727086 || The ISSUES-X WI-FLC