ENV 402: Darwin In Our Time • Fall 2007
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ENV 402: Darwin In Our Time • Fall 2007 |
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What is a scribe?
Originally, a scribe was someone who copied scriptures and sermons. Today, the word means any writer or journalist. In our seminar, a different student will serve each week as scribe and make notes on our discussions.
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Date |
Reading |
Scribe |
| 17
Sep |
Voyage of the Beagle, 1-7 | Katy Andersen | |
| 24
Sep |
Voyage of the Beagle, 8-14 | Paden Barber | |
| 01
Oct |
Voyage of the Beagle, 15-21 | James Thomas | |
| 08
Oct |
The Origin of Species, 1-5 | Jerry Moxley | |
| 15
Oct |
The Origin of Species,
6-10 |
Katy Andersen | |
| 22 Oct |
The Origin of Species, 11-14 | Brad Fechter | |
| 05
Nov |
The Descent of Man, 1-7 | Angela Cai | |
| 12
Nov |
The Descent of Man, 8-14 | Paden Barber | |
| 19
Nov |
The Descent of Man, 15-21 | Jana Holt | |
| 26
Nov |
The Expression of the Emotions, 1-5 | Brad Fechter | |
| 03
Dec |
The Expression of the Emotions, 6-9 | Jana Holt | |
| 10
Dec |
The Expression of the Emotions, 10-14 | Angela Cai |
What does the scribe do?
During class, the scribe uses a laptop to type a running outline of our discussion. (If you are not a good typist, it's OK to hand-write.) After class, the scribe expands those notes into a typed report. By Monday, the scribe sends the report to me, I make any needed edits, and circulate it to the class, via e-mail attachment. Each weekly report should be 500-1,000 words, or 2-4 typed, double-spaced pages.
What's the point?
The reports will serve as a course journal, or a full log of our discussions. Each scribe gets to practice taking detailed notes, and the rest of us are free to talk, knowing we will get a summary of the day's discussion. In your future lives, you will often have to write reports based on meeting notes.
If I am not the scribe, may I also take personal notes?
Absolutely. Your notes will supplement the course journal, by reflecting your personal interests and ideas. You may want to write out some notes before class or during discussions, and often later as you work on preparing a talk. I strongly recommend notes as the basis of all good writing.
What do good reports contain?
A good report summarizes conversation to the essentials, yet preserves natural flow and variety. The report is a digest of our session, but it's neither a bare listing nor an exact transcript. It covers large concepts and specific details, and it recognizes both consensus and diversity in our thinking. The scribe turns a mix of facts, ideas, and opinions into a coherent statement. The report offers a series of snapshots of what we are thinking and learning.
Could I see a sample?
Yes. Here is a file in Word and PDF that contains a sample report, from a course I taught a few years ago.
Should the writing be perfect?
Your reports need not be a polished final product. The prose should be informal but clear. It's OK to write in the first person, to use contractions, and to invoke images to describe ideas. The writing does not need to be "creative," just the level you might use in a good letter or memo. It should be writing, not "talk" because speech is often slangy, disconnected, and simplistic in vocabulary.
How are the reports graded?
Reports are graded on effort, clarity, and originality. On a scale of good to bad, here are some terms I use to describe and evaluate reports:
+ thoughtful, wide-ranging
+ full of good evidence
+ sound reasoning
= clear, direct writing
= lively, quirky, spunky
= sharp particulars that help to picture and frame ideas
- vague, undetailed, generalized
- slapdash, casual
- thin, sparse, flat
How may I improve my work as a scribe?
Volunteer to be a scribe for a second time. Read the other scribe reports and notice which seem especially effective. Then try to emulate the qualities of that writer. Practice by taking notes in other classes. Take more time to edit the final version. Write to me about your concerns. Talk to me during office hours.Your personal improvement is my main goal.
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