University of Calgary
Faculty of Communication and Culture

General Studies (GNST) 201 Seminar 06
Inquiry Seminar in Communication and Culture
Profiles of Calgary
Fall 2007
TR 12:30 - 13:45

Instructor:	Max Foran
Office Location:	SS 314
Office Phone:	220 4366
E-Mail:	mforan@ucalgary.ca
Web Page:
Office Hours:	TR 14:00-15:30

 

Course Description

This course will explore important aspects of Calgary's development. The role of the railroad; real estate speculation; ranching and the Stampede; the oil and gas industry; the social upheavals of the great depression, and aspects of modern physical growth and social tensions will be set against local, national and international backgrounds to enhance a deeper understanding of one of Canada's most dynamic cities.

Objectives of the Course

• 1. To enable students to access and utilize pertinent sources in the library
• 2. To develop a critical approach to these sources through directed-inquiry assignments.
• 3. To facilitate the ability to translate research into coherent written form for class presentation and discussion.
• 4. To develop the facility to use newspapers as a verstaile research tool.

5. To integrate an inquiry-based approach with interdisciplinary learning..

Textbooks and Readings:

No textbook

Assignments and Evaluation

All assignments are due at class time on the appropriate date

Class Participation: Weighting 15%

Assignment Number 1: Due Thursday, September 27, 2007. Weighting 15%

Assignment Number 2: Due Tuesday, October 16, Group A; Thursday, October 18, Group B. Weighting: 15%.

Assignment Number 3: Due Tuesday, November 6, Group A; Thursday, November 8, Group B. Weighting 15%.

Assignment Number 4: Due Tuesday, November 27, Group A; Thursday, November 29, Group B. Weighting 15%.

Term Paper: Due Class time December 6.Weighting 25%.

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.
Note: Please hand in your essays directly to your tutor or instructor if possible. If it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination:  No

Please note: If your class is held in the evening, the Registrar's Office will make every attempt to schedule the final exam during the evening; however, there is NO guarantee that the exam will NOT be scheduled during the day.

Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline may be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late.

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.

If you need help with your writing, you may use the Writing Centre.  Visit the website for more details: http://www.efwr.ucalgary.ca/

Grading System

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

A+ (96-100); A (92-95); A- (86-91); B+ (81-85); B (77-80); B- (71-76);
C+ (65-70); C (62-64); C- (59-61); D+ (55-58); D (50-54); F (0-49)

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people's words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS 106, efwr.ucalgary.ca) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/su

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.

Ethics

Whenever you perform research with human participants (i.e. surveys, interviews, observation) as part of your university studies, you are responsible for following university research ethics guidelines.  Your instructor must review and approve of your research plans and supervise your research.  For more information about your research ethics responsibilities, see the U of C Research Ethics "Information for Applicants," sections 3.0 to 9.0, inclusive: http://www.ucalgary.ca/UofC/research/html/ethics/info_undergrad.html

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

To be handed out in class.