Knowledge Management Weekend College Syllabus

Course Overview

Knowledge Management develops advanced reading, writing, and research techniques, using a variety of disciplinary approaches. Students will read a range of primary and scholarly texts related to information in the 21st century. Students will locate, evaluate, and incorporate a wide range of research sources into a range of assignments, including an argumentative research paper.

Course Objectives

ØTo provide opportunities for students to enhance or develop skills in accessing and using information through a variety of research methods.

ØTo provide opportunities for students to develop skills in processing information through critical analysis and synthesis.

ØTo provide opportunities for students to develop rhetorical understanding and provide situated writing practice for a range of academic audiences, based on quality research and ethical information practices.

ØTo provide opportunities for students to develop an appreciation for the importance of transferable skills in critical reading, critical thinking, research methods, proper documentation of sources, analysis and synthesis of materials.

For this class, we'll be using a type of grading known as "Specifications Grading". All work turned in will receive a grade of "Satisfactory" or "Unsatisfactory". Unsatisfactory work may be revised and resubmitted within 24 hours, as long as you submit a token along with the resubmission.

Specifications Grading draws on a theory of adult education known as “andragogy”, which stipulates that adult students benefit most from having an active involvement in their learning process. It also recognizes that, as adult students, you will have multiple obligations competing for your attention, and sometimes you must make difficult choices.

Your work is graded as satisfactory/unsatisfactory and must be complete and accurate; there is no partial or extra credit. Non-completion by the stated due date for any work results in a 0 for that assignment. Any paper that has missing information or is not satisfactory work will be returned for resubmission.  All revisions are due within 24 hours. If not revised/resubmitted, you receive no credit for that assignment. A token is required for a resubmission. Modified grades of + and – will be used when a student’s activities fall between grades.

For each assignment, a grading rubric will be posted in Blackboard and discussed in class well before the due date. 

Every student will receive 3 "tokens" for the course. An additional token may be earned by attending a cultural event on campus and then writing a brief reflective paper about the event. A few examples are listed below; if you find others, let me know in advance and I will approve.

--Walker Tee Wyatt Symposium - September 13

--International Film Series Films - Thursday night or Friday afternoon screenings

--C-Suite Conversations (Business School) - Hear an exceptional interviewer discuss business with a industry leader, mornings 8-9.

--Museum Exhibitions - Many different programs and events are offered

--Modlin Center events (often free or reduced cost for students), such as:

David Essleck Trio - September 5,7:30 PM - 10:00 PM

The award-winning David Esleck Trio returns for an evening of exciting, relaxing, and inspiring jazz piano. Expect to hear selections from their previous GRAMMY®-listed recordings, plus some new directions from the group named “Best Jazz Artist” in Richmond. Free

• How to Think, Alan Jacobs
• One other book to be chosen individually on the first night of class from the list embedded below.

In addition, we’ll be reading a number of online articles and book chapters; these will be freely available on Blackboard or through the library website.

Optional Texts

• Hacker, D., & Sommers, N. (2016). Rules for writers (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's.
• Graff, G., & Birkenstein, C. (2017). "They say/I say": The moves that matter in academic writing (Any ed.). New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company. ***Note that any edition of this text will work fine for our class purposes and should be available used online for very low cost; probably best to avoid the editions that include readings, as those will cost more and not be useful to you.

Academic integrity in its fullest sense means not only abiding by the University’s Honor Code, but also engaging fully and completely with the work that we are doing. MIT’s Student Handbook has this advice for learning with integrity: “Trust the value of your own intellect.”

Academic Integrity & Honor Code:  spcs.richmond.edu/about/honorcode.html
The University of Richmond honor code states: “We, the students of the University of Richmond, shall promote and uphold a community of integrity and trust.”

All work turned in should abide by the Honor Code pledge. For any work handed in electronically, your typed name is accepted as adherence to this code. All work submitted for credit must be original work, done for this course and no other.