Editing Introduction to Graduate Research (Fall 2021) (section)

== Course information ==
=== Overview and learning objectives ===

The goal of this seminar is to introduce first-year students in the MTS and TSB Ph.D. programs to (1) current research in these fields, and (2) key challenges involved in pursuing an impactful, responsible, and fulfilling research career.

Throughout the quarter, participants in the seminar will:
* Engage with program faculty and their research.
* Discuss and assess various aspects of research career practices and strategies.
* Develop and apply your own effective research career development strategies.

We will do this through a combination of readings, writings, activities, in-class discussions, and guest visits from TSB and MTS program faculty.

=== Structure, topics, and themes ===

The course has two main components that will be woven together in weekly class sessions: a survey of current research conducted by TSB and MTS program faculty and an instructional seminar focused on challenges related to professional development. The class sessions will all be structured around one research domain and one professional development challenge. Every week, we will host 1-2 faculty guest speakers working in the research domain and engage with one piece of their recent research. We will also pursue readings, discussions, and written assignments related to the professional development challenge. The course will proceed through a combination of weekly in-person seminar meetings and activities/assignments conducted outside of class time.

For our guest speakers, we will open with the following questions:
* Please tell us your "concise" (academic?) biography" (3 minutes or less?).
* Could you share something important to you or about you that we might not know or expect?
* What stands out in your memory of your first year as a Ph.D. student?
* What do you work on these days?
* How does the piece of research you shared fit into your career and/or a broader research agenda?


In addition to the professional development challenges that we will discuss each week, there will also be some major themes throughout the course, including:
* Ethics (especially of research and design).
* Diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and their opposites.
* "The two cultures" and other ways of knowing
* Research institutions and institutional legacies
* Windows of opportunity. Career leverage points, strategy, tactics.
* How to <> *in a pandemic*
* Interdisciplinarity (or maybe anti-disciplinarity?) as a way of life.

=== Assignments ===

Assignments fall into one of two categories: weekly and final (details for both below). In general, I will ask you to submit any written assignments as a PDF via Canvas. There are no specific style guidelines or formatting requirements for written assignments. I recommend a clear, professional, and conversational tone in your writing. I also recommend you familiarize yourself with salient [[User:Aaronshaw/Classroom_policies#Academic_integrity|principles on academic integrity]], including the appropriate attribution of sources. Please submit written work in a readable (size 11 or greater) font. Please include your name somewhere (prominent) in the document that you submit as well as your last name at the beginning of the filename (e.g., "Shaw-mts501-week1-assignment.pdf").

==== Weekly assignments ====

The course schedule (below) provides details of all weekly assignments as well as links to materials and Canvas pages required to complete them. In general, '''weekly assignments are due Mondays at 6pm U.S. central time''' in order to allow time for review of (and sometimes feedback on) your submitted materials ahead of our class session. Weekly assignments will consist of readings, written materials, and occasional activities related to the class topic that week. For activities that involve collaboration or conversation with colleagues, it is up to you to coordinate any meeting times, places, or communication channels as needed.

'''Discussion topics and questions for guest speakers:''' You are required to submit at least one discussion topic/question for each guest speaker each week (one topic and/or question per speaker). The [https://canvas.northwestern.edu/courses/149253/files Files page of our Canvas site] contains copies of the CVs and readings from our faculty guest speakers. Please review each guests' materials prior to their visit and '''submit topics and/or questions for guests via the corresponding [https://canvas.northwestern.edu/courses/149253/discussion_topics Canvas Discussion] the Monday of their visit''' (i.e., submit topics/questions on Monday 9/27 for the Wednesday 9/29 class session).

==== Final project ====

[[Introduction_to_Graduate_Research_(Fall_2021)/Final_project|Detailed description of final projects]]

'''Final projects are due [https://canvas.northwestern.edu/courses/149253/assignments/981734 via Canvas] at 12pm (Central time) on December 8, 2021'''. [[Introduction_to_Graduate_Research_(Fall_2021)/Final_project|The final project]] for the course will be a 3,000-5,000 word written document consisting of two parts: (1) a strategic plan for your graduate school career and (2) a research plan for an empirical and/or design project you aim to conduct in the coming year+. [[Introduction_to_Graduate_Research_(Fall_2021)/Final_project|Additional details here]].

=== Grading and assessment ===

I will assign grades (usually a numeric integer between 0-10) for each of the following aspects of your performance in the course. For each aspect, grades start with the maximum possible value (10) and only decrease in the event of a specific failure to meet some aspect of the relevant assessment rubric (more on those below). The percentage values are weights that will be applied to calculate your overall grade for the course.

* Weekly participation: 40%
* Weekly assignments: 40%
* Final assignment (including all intermediate assignments): 20%

For detailed assessment rubrics that I use to derive grades for all assignments, please see my [[User:Aaronshaw/Assessment|page on assessment]].

=== Policies ===
==== General course policies ====

[[User:Aaronshaw/Classroom_policies|General policies]] on a wide variety of topics including classroom equity, attendance, academic integrity, accommodations, late assignments, and more are provided [[User:Aaronshaw/Classroom_policies|on Aaron's class policies page]]. Below are some policy statements specific to this course and quarter.

==== COVID-19 Policies ====

My [[User:Aaronshaw/COVID_policies|COVID-19 policies page]] provides specific COVID-19 policies mandated by Northwestern University. Several additional COVID-19-related policies follow below.

==== Teaching and learning in a pandemic ====

Even beyond my [[User:Aaronshaw/COVID_policies|COVID-19 policies]], the ongoing pandemic will impact this course in various ways, some of them obvious and tangible and others harder to pin down. On the obvious and tangible front, we have things like the fact that we will be wearing masks when we meet on campus (assuming we're able to meet on campus all quarter!) and that some of our guest speakers will likely participate remotely. These will reshape our collective experience in major ways. 

On the "harder to pin down" side, even though (or maybe especially because) we've been doing this pandemic thing for a while now, many of us may experience elevated levels of exhaustion, stress, uncertainty and/or distraction. We may need to provide unexpected support to family, friends, or others in our communities. I have some personal experiences with this and I expect that many (all?) of you do too. It can be a difficult time.

I believe it is important to acknowledge these realities of the situation and create the space to discuss and process them in the context of our class throughout the quarter. As your instructor and colleague, I commit to do my best to approach the course in an adaptive, generous, and empathetic way. I will try to be transparent and direct with you throughout—both with respect to the course material as well as the pandemic and the university's ongoing response to it. I ask that you try to extend a similar attitude towards everyone in the course. When you have questions, feedback, or concerns, please try to share them in an appropriate, empathetic way. If you require accommodations of any kind at any time (directly related to the pandemic or not), please contact me.

==== Expectations for in-person sessions ====

Please '''present a green [https://symptomtracker.northwestern.edu/ Symptom Tracker] "badge"''' at the beginning of each class session and '''wear a face covering over your nose and mouth''' for the duration of our time in class together.

I ask everyone to come to our in-person class sessions prepared to comply with all applicable university COVID-19 policies and guidelines. We will be following Northwestern's [https://www.northwestern.edu/coronavirus-covid-19-updates/academics/instructional-spaces/index.html guidelines for instructional spaces], including the use of face coverings, consistent seating, and health monitoring using the [https://symptomtracker.northwestern.edu/ Symptom Tracker] app (either the mobile or web-based version is fine).

Our classes are long and we will aim to take a break from 10:10am-10:30am, during which time you are very much encouraged to leave the room, stretch your legs, walk around outside, etc. Please return a few minutes prior to 10:30am as we will host guest speakers during the second half of class and it's important that we respect their time.

==== Expectations for synchronous remote sessions (if needed) ====

At the time I'm creating this syllabus, Northwestern expects that we will be able to hold all synchronous course sessions in-person on campus. In the event that we are unable to maintain this arrangement throughout the entire quarter and need to fall back on remote course meetings, the following are some baseline expectations for synchronous remote class sessions. I expect that these can and will evolve. Please feel free to ask questions, suggest changes, or raise concerns during the quarter. I welcome all input.
* All members of the class are expected to create a supportive and welcoming environment that is respectful of the conditions under which we are participating in this class.
* All members of the class are expected to take reasonable steps to create an effective teaching/learning environment for themselves and others.

And here are suggested protocols for any video/audio portions of our class:
* Please mute your microphone whenever you're not speaking and learn to use [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Push-to-talk "push-to-talk"] if/when possible.
* Video is optional for all students at all times, although if you're willing/able to keep the instructor company in the video channel that would be nice.
* If you need to excuse yourself at any time and for any reason you may do so.
* Children, family, pets, roommates, and others with whom you may share your workspace are welcome to join our class as needed, but please do your best to minimize distractions and disruptions to the course.

==== Syllabus revisions ====

This syllabus will be a dynamic document that will evolve throughout the quarter. Although the core expectations are fixed, the details will shift. As a result, please keep in mind the following:

# '''Assignments and readings are ''frozen'' 1 week before they are due.''' I will not add readings or assignments less than one week before they are due. If I forget to add something or fill in a "To Be Determined" less than one week before it's due, it is dropped. If you plan to read or work more than one week ahead, contact me first.
# '''Substantial changes to the syllabus or course materials will be announced.''' Please monitor your email for Canvas messages about changes. Also, whenever I make changes, these changes will be recorded in [https://wiki.communitydata.science/index.php?title=Introduction_to_Graduate_Research_(Fall_2021)&action=history  the edit history of this page] so that you can track what has changed.
# '''The course design may adapt throughout the quarter.''' As usual (for me at least), I may iterate and prototype course design elements rapidly along the way. To this end, I will ask you for voluntary feedback — especially toward the beginning of the quarter. Please let me know what is working and what can be improved. In the past, I have made many adjustments based on this feedback and I expect to do so again.


=== Additional resources/readings ===

Throughout the quarter, we will undoubtedly generate a long list of related topics, readings, videos, memes, etc.

'''[[Introduction_to_Graduate_Research_(Fall_2021)/Resources|Please add things to that list here]]'''