Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2020 - SA 495 D100

Project Mapping Seminar (SA) (4)

Class Number: 8460

Delivery Method: Remote

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 8, 2020: Wed, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    72 units, SA 355 or SA 356W, and departmental consent.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Gain experience in designing projects. Imagine guiding questions, research the context, and craft a proposal. Students continuing on to complete an honours thesis develop their projects here, and complete research ethics if necessary.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course is an opportunity to connect your studies in sociology and anthropology, and your related life experience, to real-world applications. You will choose a sociological or anthropological topic you are interested in, then learn how to plan, propose and manage a project that engages with it. During the term, you will develop questions to guide your project, do library research to understand what is and is not already known, and craft a proposal. If you plan to continue on to complete an honours thesis, you will develop your thesis project here, find an advisor for the next term, and complete research ethics if necessary.

Your project may focus on learning more about your topic by conducting academic research or applied research, on testing out how we could apply what we have already learned by running a trial program or intervention, or some other way of deepening knowledge or working to use it. We will talk about how to write proposals for different types of audiences, including academics, people in non-profit organizations or businesses, and funding organizations. You will choose which kind of audience to write your proposal for.

Whatever type of project you focus on, you will learn about the needs of both applied and academic projects, including issues involved in managing them and how to apply for funding.  The amount of time given to each will depend in part on student needs and interests. We will also talk about how ethical research obligations apply in different contexts. And of course, you will spend time learning more about the topic you are focusing on for your proposal.

The course will have readings about planning and managing projects of various sorts. You will also read each other’s ideas and drafts and provide feedback. How long we meet online will vary, depending on whether we are focusing on discussing what we have been reading; workshopping and giving feedback to each other about your work; or engaging with guest lectures from people who do academic research, applied research, or make funding decisions. Successful students will leave with an understanding of how to conduct work in both academic and organizational settings, and an example of a research project proposal.

Grading

  • Project idea 5%
  • Literature review 15%
  • Proposal draft 20%
  • Draft feedback 10%
  • Final propsosal 20%
  • Additional components 15%
  • In-class participation 15%

NOTES:

Grading: Where a final exam is scheduled and the student does not write the exam or withdraw from the course before the deadline date, an N grade will be assigned. Unless otherwise specified on the course syllabus, all graded assignments for this course must be completed for a final grade other than N to be assigned. An N is considered as an F for the purposes of scholastic standing.

Grading System: The Undergraduate Course Grading System is as follows:

A+ (95-100) | A (90-94) | A- (85-89) | B+ (80-84) | B (75-79) | B- (70-74) | C+ (65-69) | C (60-64) | C- (55-59) | D (50-54) | F (0-49) | N*
*N standing to indicate the student did not complete course requirements

Academic Dishonesty and Misconduct Policy: The Department of Sociology & Anthropology follows SFU policy in relation to grading practices, grade appeals (Policy T 20.01) and academic dishonesty and misconduct procedures (S10.01‐S10.04). Unless otherwise informed by your instructor in writing, in graded written assignments you must cite the sources you rely on and include a bibliography/list of references, following an instructor-approved citation style.  It is the responsibility of students to inform themselves of the content of SFU policies available on the SFU website.

Centre for Accessible Learning: Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need classroom or exam accommodations are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (1250 Maggie Benston Centre) as soon as possible to ensure that they are eligible and that approved accommodations and services are implemented in a timely fashion.

REQUIREMENTS:

You will be required to:

  • Read and consider material before we meet;
  • Attend our class meetings;
  • Read the work of other students and provide constructive feedback, and;
  • Prepare your own materials.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Readings will be available from the SFU Library and/or distributed through Canvas. These may vary based on student interests.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN FALL 2020

Teaching at SFU in fall 2020 will be conducted primarily through remote methods. There will be in-person course components in a few exceptional cases where this is fundamental to the educational goals of the course. Such course components will be clearly identified at registration, as will course components that will be “live” (synchronous) vs. at your own pace (asynchronous). Enrollment acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes. To ensure you can access all course materials, we recommend you have access to a computer with a microphone and camera, and the internet. In some cases your instructor may use Zoom or other means requiring a camera and microphone to invigilate exams. If proctoring software will be used, this will be confirmed in the first week of class.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112).