Writing In International Studies by Julie Leebove

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nternational tudies

Magazine Special Edition: Writing in International Studies

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This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/bynd/3.0/us/. 2

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Table of Contents Pages

A Letter from the Editor……………… 4-5 Field Guide…………………………….6-11 Part 1:Research Resources…………6-7 Part 2: Top Ten List…………………8 Part 3: Career Paths………………….9 Part 4: Surviving Essay Exams……..10 Part 5: Is I.S a good fit for you?........11 Genre Investigation…………………….12-19 Proposal for Change……………………20-21 Interview one summary and transcript….22-24 Interview two summary and transcript….25-27 Works Cited………………………………..28

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A Letter From the Editor Hello everyone! After an entire quarter of tireless research, International Studies’ special edition issue titled “ A guide to writing in international studies majors” is finally finished. It has been a whirlwind experience, with mostly ups, but a few causalities along the way, including the breakdown of the office’s brand new printer. I am so grateful for all the support and loyal readers out there, because IS magazine wouldn’t be the same without you guys. This special edition of IS magazine is specifically geared towards college freshman. We wanted to create a portfolio in which freshman could explore the realms of international studies and really become acquainted with what the major has to offer. A lot of hours have been put into this edition in order to capture the audience’s attention, but also teach the reader’s a lot of insightful information. This guide is composed of four major parts, all of which will really help freshmen grasp the entirety of an International Studies major. Although all of our research was done at the lovely University of Denver, we can say that students from other schools will still find our information helpful as well. A quick side note, I just wanted to give my gratitude to all students and teachers who contributed to this edition of IS, especially Professor Angela Sowa, who played a big part in inspiring the entire portfolio. When a student is picking their major, it can be a very confusing and stressful time. It is hard to grasp what a certain field truly encompasses, and determine if they will enjoy it as a future career. The first part of the portfolio is called the “field Guide”. This field guide aims to familiarize you with the international studies major at the University of Denver. It includes 5 sub-categories which include a general overview of the major, a “top ten” list of why you should be in the International Studies field, future career paths, a how-to guide on how to get through a typical international studies essay exam, and how to determine if you will be a good fit for the field. The second part of the portfolio consists of a genre investigation. “What is a genre investigation?” you might ask. Well to summarize, it is a research-intensive rhetoric in which different types of writing in international studies are explored through key genre terms such as social action, common elements, and rhetorical situation. If you aren’t familiar with those terms, there is no need to fret; you will be walked through everything in the investigation. The third part of the portfolio is called a proposal for change. It basically addresses a “flaw” within the international studies curriculum, and describes how it can be changed. This specific proposal addresses the need for a different kind of writing assignment to be introduced to the introduction classes. You will have to actually read the proposal to find out more!

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The last part of the portfolio consists of interview transcripts. Professor Roni Kay Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Dell and current senior Tyler Kozole, graciously let us interview them on writing in the major. From these two interviews, you guys will get a very well rounded perspective of the major, and great tips on how to be successful in it! Overall, Our goal of this special edition of IS, is to help freshmen decide if the international studies field is for them. This stressful time of a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s college career, is something the staff as IS holds very close to their hearts. We know just how challenging it is to decide basically what you want to do with your life, so we just want to do our part in making this decision a little more bearable. Happy Spring, Julie Leebove Editor in Chief

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Field Guide Part 1: Research Resources for International Studies The New York Times: www.nytimes.com This newspaper is the top choice for gaining knowledge on what is happening on world affairs. As an international studies major, it is essential to be up-t-date on current events in order to be able to analyze global affairs in research papers assigned. The NY Times is the best paper to gain accurate knowledge because it is the most unbiased political wise. Events can be framed in a certain lite depending on the analysis perspective the author holds. This magazine will allow you to gain just the facts, so you will be able to make your own synthesis. The downside of this magazine is that a subscription is required to read it online. Although college students are able to get a discount for the online access, it still costs around $100. Writing in the Disciplines: International Studies: http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb/international/sources .html This is the website of the University of Richmond writing center. It is one of the best resources to use because it has a whole section of its website dedicated to writing in international studies classes. The sections on the webpage include “how to begin”, “Professors’ Pet Peeves” and “Using Resources”. It even has an advice from students tab to give the reader tips from a student perspective. This webpage is easy to navigate and gives examples to everything it is talking about. The downside of the resource is that it is limited in its’ content. Although it gives a general overview of writing in the field, it doesn’t include a few essential aspects. The WWW Virtual Library: International Affairs Resources http://www2.etown.edu/vl/newsourc.html This website is a great tool for gaining the different perspectives and levels of analysis on global affairs. It offers hundreds of free credible opinionated articles that are great to use for research papers, and support for your own analysis. It is updated regularly, so it includes current and well as older events. It also offers suggested TV, and radio stations as well as other online sources to go to. The website divides the news up by region, so it is easy to navigate through. The downside of this webpage is that it is a bit tedious to read through to get to the information you need.

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Writer’s Digest: http://www.writersdigest.com Opinionated writing is emphasized very heavily in the major, and it is important to know how to state your opinion without sounding arrogant or naive. There is a very thin line that you have to walk in order to achieve this. I have included writer’s digest as a good resource because they offer a lot of helpful information on taking a stance on an argument. The best article I found was “10 Rules for Writing Opinion Pieces”, which included very short and simple advice to help you navigate through these types of papers. The downside of this webpage is that it requires a subscription to view the entire thing. However, I was still able to access many extremely helpful articles without a subscription. Writing Simplified: http://www.writingsimplified.com A college professor runs this blog by the name of Carmen Seitan. This webpage is very informative, and gives helpful general tips for writing. As an international studies major, you will be required to write many research papers, which sometimes can come out dull and uninteresting. Professor Seitan offers advice on how to “liven up” those research papers. It is important to learn how to craft a good research paper in order to receive a good grade, but more importantly prepare you for your career. Writing a research paper that grabs the audience’s attention will make your research, and your opinion more interesting. The more interesting your opinion looks, the more time people will spend on listening to it. The downside of this website is that it is not an “official” website, and it is all based on opinion.

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Part 2: Top Ten List

Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Become an International Studies Major 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Studying abroad is a requirement No math or science Learn about current events Write proposals to state governments The amazing donuts at the Korbel School Express your own opinion The teachers The students Many free events/panels to go to Make a difference in the world

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Part 3: Ca reer Paths in International Studies

People Peace Corps

Environment Other Information Services Assistant for an Foreign Service Officer for the forestry institute in India State Department

Clerk for a district court

One Small Planet

Legal Assistant for a law firm

Counselor/Teacher for at-risk youth in a social services agency

Call Center Manager for an engineering company

Outreach Specialist for a coalition of charitable organizations

Teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Assistant through a Global Environment grant for international educational exchange

American Foreign Service Association

Humanitarian Aid

Private Sector Consultant

Financial Service Professional for mutual life insurance company

Teach for America

Environmental lobbyists

Media Planner for an advertising agency

International Service Agencies

Foreign Trade Administration

Foreign Aid Consultant

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Part 4: Visualizing Genres

As international studies major, your biggest fear will likely be the ever-looming essay exams. These exams are usually taken twice during the quarter (mid-term and final), and consist of roughly 10-15 short answer questions. These questions can range from just a few-word answers to an actual 5-paragraph essay response. Don’t let this overwhelm you though; they are pretty manageable as long as you come prepared. You can ace these exams by following these 5 steps to successful test taking:

Read It It is important to read all the material, but you don’t need to take notes on it or even understand it though so this advice is pretty easy to manage. Usually the teacher will point out the major things you need to know in class, but you will be completely lost on what he/she is talking about if you don’t have any background

Study Guide Usually the teacher will assign a list of subjects to cover, and it is easiest to organize your thoughts by simply filling out the study guide. From there, you can make flashcards, quizlet or however best you study. If your teacher doesn’t give out a study guide, make your own! Take it chapter by chapter and pick out which subtopics you think are important

Examples Make sure to have examples to back up any argument you take. A good argumentative essay always includes a real-life example to back up what they are saying. Try to think of easy examples to remember for each big topic

Group Sessions Studying in a group will really help you learn the information because you can gain different perspectives, which is essential in strengthening your argument on the essay exam questions.

Practice There are tons of sample international study exams online, and theres a high probability that your textbook has practice quizzes online as well. Practice, and familiarity is the only way you will truly feel calm about taking these tests. Also try timing these practice tests so you get a feel for how fast you should be writing.

Part 5: Personality Checklist

1. Do you love politics? 2. Do you loving expressing your own opinion? 3. Are you interested in different cultures? 4. Do you want to protect the environment? 5. Do you enjoy humanitarian work? 6. Are you interested in law? 7. Do you want to learn more about poverty in developing countries? 8. Are you interested in foreign policy? 9. Do you like to travel? 10. Are you interested in security and human rights? 11. 12. Do you want to help solve world hunger? 13. Do you enjoy keeping up with current events? 14. Can you apply theories to real world concepts easily? 15. Do you aspire to make a difference? The international studies field is composed of many subject areas, which allows students a lot of flexibility and options of study to choose from. If you answered

YES to any of these questions, then the

International Studies field may a good fit for you!

Genre Investigation Going Beneath the Surface: An Investigation into the Genres of International Studies When the term “genre” comes to mind, what do you normally think of? The official definition of the word, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary is, “a category of artistic, musical, or literary composition characterized by a particular style, form, or content” (Merriam Webster). From this definition, the concept of genre seems relatively straightforward. It ultimately seems to be a term that describes a category of writing, such as science fiction or romance. Unfortunately though, it becomes a lot more complicated when applying this term to reality, and the term “genre” encompasses more then just different styles of work. In order to understand genre, we have to gain an understanding of the background of rhetoric. The Rhetorical Situation is an abstract concept that explains the components of rhetoric. Lloyd Bitzer theorized that this concept contained 5 elements: Exigency (the purpose behind the writing), Audience (who the rhetoric is intended for), Constraints (the obstacles the author must face or overcome when writing the rhetoric), Context (what surrounds the entire situation), and Method (the technical way the message is presented) (The Rhetorical Situation). Each of these components are part of a larger picture. These “steps” of the rhetorical situation can easily be put into a real life scenario, for example, President Obama’s Inaugural speech. While giving the speech, President Obama partook in a rhetorical situation. The exigency of this scenario is his election. Obama’s victory in the election caused him to write his inaugural speech. If he hadn’t won the election, there would not of been a need for him to write such a speech. While writing the speech, Obama had to overcome several constraints. These constraints included everything from formatting the speech in such a way that the audience will be able to understand it, to taking into account the weather outside at the time the speech would take place. The constraints of a rhetorical situation are not just things that have to do with the actual rhetoric; they can include obstacles pertaining to audience and method as well. While giving the speech, President Obama chose to portray his rhetoric vocally, which can be considered the method of the rhetorical situation. This leads us to one of the most important components of the rhetorical situation: audience. The audience of President Obama’s inaugural speech not only includes the people watching Obama in person, but also the media, and audience members watching the speech through various media outlets. The last element of the rhetorical situation is context, Context can be thought of everything that surrounds the rhetorical situation. In terms of Obama’s inaugural speech, the struggling economy added context to his address. This means he made sure to address the topic of the economy in his speech when he otherwise would not have.

After establishing a background for the rhetorical situation we can move on to the idea of genre. The Theory of Genre contains many different ideas and can be applied numerous ways. The word genre itself includes millions of categories, with each one containing its own set of rules and constraints. The next few paragraphs develop a “genre ladder”, which explores the idea of genre from the most basic idea to the most complex. For simplicity’s sake, the rhetorical situation will act as a rung of the “genre ladder”. Antecedents can categorize the bottom rung of the genre ladder. T.S. Elliot best explain this concept when he wrote, “A writer must be compelled to write not merely with his own generation in his bones, but with a feeling that the whole of literature of Europe, from Homer, and within it the whole of the literature of his whole country has a simultaneous existence and composes a simultaneous order” (Jamieson 406). Relating to the concept of genre, this means that during the process of creating rhetoric, the author must take into account past works of writing in the same genre in order shape their own writing to fit to the norms of the category. Background knowledge tells us the “rules” of the genre, as well as gives us a greater understanding of the concept, which will create more depth in the author’s analysis. The second rung of the genre ladder was described by Carolyn Miller. She contributes the idea of the “social action” of a genre. This refers to what the purpose of the writing is. This entails what the main point of the genre is, and what methods the genre uses to get this point across. A good example of this would be a syllabus given out on the first day of class. The purpose, or social action, of the syllabus is to inform students exactly what can be expected from a specific course, including essay assignments, reading material, and/or test dates. The third rung of the ladder is called “typified features.” These are elements that are commonly found in a genre. Going back to the syllabus example, a typified feature of that genre could be the class schedule, or rules of the classroom. These typified elements connect a piece of rhetoric to a certain genre, because it allows us to generalize or define a genre by certain elements. The last rung of the genre ladder is the expectations that surround the genre. These expectations vary for each different category. If someone is reading a novel, they expect a compelling fictional story. If someone is reading a medical journal, then they expect statistics, case studies, and other professional forms of research. Each genre comes with traits that most people are predisposed to and expect to see each time they read something Genres are critical to the international studies field, as they dictate the rules and social norms of critical aspects within the major and field. There are three main genres pertaining to International Studies: short reaction papers, essay exams, and professional proposals. In the following sections I will examine these three genres as pertaining to the genre ladder. Each genre contains their own personal ladder, which may not include all of the elements explained above, or will include new elements not explained. The above genre ladder, the “backbone” to my research findings, and the preceding investigation will include additional elements. 13

Classroom Genre- Essay Exams Essay exams are a very common genre that international studies students will likely face in the classroom. This genre requires the student to answer10-15 question in paragraph form within the allotted time. The expected length for each question can range from just a few sentences to a complete five-paragraph essay. In this rhetorical situation rung of the genre ladder, the teacher holds all of the power, because the students are not allowed to have any input into the exam questions. Because of the method in which these exams are crafted, the students can engage and answer the question however they choose. The constraint of this rhetorical situation is time, because these exams must be taken within one class period. The 2nd rung of the essay exam ladder is the social action of the essay. The genre’s purpose is to test the student’s ability of applying general concepts learned in class to a bigger scale. This can include examining current events, identifying a political theory, or prescribing change based on a certain level of analysis (i.e systematic, national, global ect). The typical elements found in an essay exam are questions that aim at the student applying the knowledge they have accumulated in the class thus far. The questions will not be crafted in a way that a student can receive full credit just by writing down memorized facts from class readings. The question topics can range, in a historical sense, from World War 1 to current events taking place today. Evidence from past reading must be present in the students answer in order to craft a well-rounded essay response. A typical format element is the progression of difficulty in the questions as the student progresses through the test. This has a psychological benefit to the students, because it increases their testing confidence and prepare them to take on the most difficult questions at then end of the exam. After analysis of a few sample essay exams, another typical element that was found was an underlying meaning with each question. The question might seem straightforward to a student and ask a simple question such as “Have international organizations increased the flow of international trade since World War 2?” But after careful analysis, it is clear that the teacher is looking for more then a yes or no answer. With this question comes an implied “Why or Why not?” The professor is looking for you to support your answer with examples from class readings and current events. As Explained by Roni-Kay O’Dell, when evaluating a student’s writing she is “looking for the depth as well as the breath. I’m looking for how much students have taken the concepts the theories the practical theories we have looked at in class and applied them to a particular issue. And then the breath, how much they thought in relation to their case. What actors are involved who else might be important to consider in relation to this issue or this event students are studying”.

These essay tests try to fool a student with its simplicity, in order to test the studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true ability of interpreting text. Professors do not aims to craft the hardest, and most difficult to interpret questions, because most teachers want their students to succeed. But they are aiming to challenge their students to apply concepts they learned in class in a new and more abstract way.

Student Produced Genre- Short Reaction Papers A Studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first research paper in an international studies class will involve reading many online Journal articles involving some sort of international relations issues. The most common research papers found in the core curriculum are short reaction papers. These papers cause the student to explore a current event through the perspective of a certain political view/theory. These theories include but are not limited to: Liberalism, Constructivism, Critical, and Rationalism. This type of rhetoric is usually assigned on a weekly basis and when completed reaches around three pages. The first rung of the short reaction paper genre ladder contains a very specific rhetorical situation, beginning with the exigency. A professor assigning it to their students causes the exigency of the short reaction paper first and foremost. Although students are essentially forced to craft this document, these papers also examine a conflict described in a journal article, which usually involves a power struggle between two groups. An example of this can be found in the article Unhealthy Practices: Medical Work in Conflict Zones in Compromised that states, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that half the hospitals in Syria are damaged and a third are not functional. According to the commission, government-affiliated forces have shot at, arrested, and tortured emergency medical workers wearing medical insignias, and have targeted ambulances marked with the Red Crescent logoâ&#x20AC;? (Foreign Policy Magazine). As you can see, the article is highlighting a conflict taking place between the World Health Organization and Syrian government. Because of the first stated exigency, the audience of these reaction papers are the professors teaching the class causing the rhetoric to be analytical and formal, as opposed to more casual writing seen on a daily basis. The constraints of reaction papers are the limited knowledge a student possess about the required theory to be analyzed and the current event. The second rung of the ladder, antecedents, can be seen within the strict format of these student papers. The format of these papers has been dictated by previous generations of student and teacher interactions. To give a more literal representation of the antecedent, I have included an actual directions sheet given to an international studies class at the end of this genre ladder.

The third rung of this genre ladder depicts the social action of this studentproduced genre. The purpose of these types of essays are to demonstrate the students understanding of a political theory by being able to able it to a real world situation. These essays go beyond just memorizing theories and aim at connecting a wider scope analysis and personal opinion to a current event. Typified features of this genre are found within the organizational and structural aspects of it. As stated above, these essays involve a power struggle between two or more groups. The overarching them of a power struggle is essential in crafting these documents. It seeks to rationalize the situation into one perspective, and include a short proposal for change at the end. The organization progresses from introducing the conflict, viewing it through a political perspective, and then prescribing your own opinion/ political affiliation, which includes how this issue can be solved. The expectation that surround this genre is that each essay is arguing for something. This type of writing is encouraged in the classroom, as describe by RoniKay Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Dell, a international studies professor at University of Denver in which she explains, â&#x20AC;&#x153;So one of the important things about writing in the classroom is that you use it to impact policy, help international organizations help to do better, to know what to not do anymore right help international organizations know their strengths and failure. That is what I encourage my students to do in the kind of writing assignment I assignâ&#x20AC;?.

Professional Genre- Professional Proposals Another genre that is important to international studies students is called a professional proposal. A professional proposal is a genre that a student will encounter frequently in the work field. It is a very work intensive document that aims at referencing a cause or conflict, and subscribing a solution for it. These documents have a very specific format, and can range anywhere between 20 and 100 pages. The first run of this genre ladder, or the Rhetorical situation, is more complex then the short reaction papers. The exigency of the situation stems from a global issue, usually one involving a conflict of ideologies. This situation inspires the author to write the article; in which they state their own beliefs about the issue. A big obstacle an author must overcome while writing this rhetoric is the restriction of knowledge. The conflicts described can be complex and not very well known to the general audience. The antecedent rung of this genre ladder also stems from organization. The format for this kind of rhetoric can vary a little bit more as compared to short reactions paper, but it still is highly dictated by previous generations of work. The social action of professional proposals aims at convincing the audience of something. The purpose of these essays is to inform and elicit change. The discrepancy between a professional proposal’s intended purpose, and the method of rhetoric lead the genre to be ineffective. A professional proposal is a very intimidating genre, not only to read but to craft as well. The Rhetorical situation that creates the genre is the idea of wanting something to change. Although a proposal encompasses everything that is necessary to prove its’ stance on implementation, its format and style is so intimidating that is deters the majority of people from reading it. An example of this can be found in a proposal entitled Reducing Poverty and Hunger: The Critical Role of Financing For Food and Agriculture. The first sentence of the proposal states “The Millennium Declaration of 2000 consolidates and restates the commitments agreed during the preceding decade, and can be seen as the final stage of the Summit Process” (Reducing Poverty and Hunger: The Critical Role of Financing For Food and Agriculture). From the beginning, the proposal sets the tone as not only serious, but also threatening. It aims at educating its’ audience on what can be done for a conflict or situation, but keeps the general public from wanting to read it on account of the typical elements of it. The expectations that surround the genre lead its’ audience to feel insecure about understanding its’ content. .

Connections and Conclusion The social action of a proposal for change in the international relations field is very similar to the one found in short reaction papers. Both works of literature aim at convincing the audience of something, but do so in completely different ways. Although there are several differences to be found in each rhetoric, each type of document does requests change of some sort. In a short reaction paper, the focus is more on the power struggle between two groups. In a professional proposal, less concentration is given to the background of the situation, and more attention is given to the schematics of the proposal. It focuses less on communicating to the audience knowledge about the situation and more on what should be done for it. The short reaction papers are more “consumer friendly”, and elements in the document including length and vocabulary aim to grab a person’s attention who knows little about the subject. On the other hand, a proposal is geared towards those who already have background knowledge of the situation at hand. The aim of the document is implementation rather then argumentation. In a proposal, visual representations including graphs and statistics are also used to enhance the suggested change. The genres found in the international studies field are important to understand because they will be very prevalent in a student’s life. Each genre encompasses a new set of rules and norms in which you are expected to follow. Understanding these norms, and the perceptions behind them will enhance a student’s learning and chance of success in the field. It is also essential to grasp the theory of genre because, while knowing the rules of a situation is important, knowing how to create your own identity and “break” those rules to show originality in your work is more critical. International studies is a newer field, and is gaining in popularity everyday. In order to be successful, you must have a competitive edge in your resume, proposals, and any other rhetoric you will be required to create. Knowing the background of each genre and crafting a document that will make you stand out from the crowd will give you that competitive edge you will need.

Proposal for Change: Enacting Practicality As an international studies major, you are required to take three core classes before progressing to higher-level classes within the major. These courses introduce the students to the global economy, international politics and global governance. These classes do require a heavy workload because they cover very broad subject areas. Throughout these courses, reading rather then writing is heavily emphasized. This means that there are very few writing assignments given out, because of the already lengthy reading assignments. The most common genre of the international studies field is professional proposals for change. This genre is essential for an international studies major to grasp in order to be successful with their career. These types of proposals are not introduced in the introductory classes of the major, but it is essential that they be. It is important to expose students to the kind of work and writing they will be doing in the field as early as possible because it allows students to truly gauge their interest in the field, and gain a better picture of what a certain career path looks like. A professional proposal is a very work intensive document that aims at referencing a cause or conflict, and subscribing a solution for it. These documents have a very specific format, and can range anywhere between 20 and 100 pages. A classroom version of this type of proposal would have to be on the shorter side, in order to make it manageable for the students. It would be best to assign proposals at the end of the quarter as some sort of final paper, because students will have by then gained the amount of knowledge needed to write this type of genre. Changing the course curriculum into including an assigned professional proposal involves two primary stakeholders: students and professors. Students may be hesitant about enacting this new change because it does add more work to an already heavy workload. Although students will have to invest more time into the class, it will offer an advantage in their career path.

By becoming familiar with this genre early in their college careers, students will be guaranteed this skill set by the time they graduate. Another benefit student’s will gain by enacting this change will be an upper hand in gaining internships or other pre-career jobs. Most international studies internships deal with some sort of government policy, and being able to proficiently form proposals will be an n eyecatching skill to put on a resume. Although requiring proposal does put more stress on the student, it will help them prepare for the stress of their future careers, and offer many other benefits. Professors may have interjections to this new policy, because it will ask them to put in more time to grade the proposals. A more alternative solution to the professors who don’t have time to grade the proposals, would be to assign peer review groups to “student grade” the proposals assigned to each group. An even alternate solution would be to not even grade the proposals, and just assign credit for completion. The important aspect of assigning proposals is not the grade, but rather the experience student’s gain while writing them. Another aspect professors may think will pose a problem is the involvement of class time to introduce and teach about proposals. As mentioned before, each core class has a lot of information to cover and professors may feel it is unnecessary to expose students to this type of writing until they gain enough knowledge about the field. As reiterated before, proposals follow a very strict format, and if professors feel they don’t have time to explain a professional proposal, they can always give students directions on paper.

Students can help bring proposal assignments into the classroom by doing two things. The first thing they can do is to try to talk to their professors at the beginning of the quarter. Professors are always willing to listen to a suggestion that involves furthering the learning of their students. The second thing students can do is build awareness through course evaluations filled out at the end of the quarter. Although, this would not help change the class assignments for their own class, it would help install a new policy in the future. Professors really are interested in what the students have to say after taking their class, and if enough students suggest installing this new policy, their attention would definitely be brought to this issue. If assigning professional proposals in the introductory class became a requirement in introductory courses, the professors would still have some flexibility of how they want to enact this change. The amount and type of proposals a professor assigns to each class would be up to them, as long as at least one assignment is given. Requiring students to write a proposal starting from the introductory classes will better prepare them for their future career path by creating an atmosphere of familiarity and confidence for the genre. I believe the easiest way to instate this policy would be for each introductory class to assign a proposal due at the end of the term on material taught in class. This will allow students to become familiar with the genre, while still requiring them to synthesize and analyze the material covered in class.

The biggest drawback of requiring proposal assignments in the three core classes of international studies majors is time. Students and professors will have to sacrifice time in order to enact this change, but the tremendous benefits towards the students outweigh this cost of time. Students will be more knowledgeable and prepared for the international studies field. As stated above, installing a requirement of at least one professional proposal assignment in each core international studies class will benefit the student in a multitude of ways inside and outside the classroom. This change to the core curriculum will accentuate a very important skill for future career paths in the international studies field. The vital point of this situation is that just by taking small steps,

Professor Interview Summary My professor interview was done with Professor Roni Kay O’Dell, a professor at the Korbel School of International Studies. I was in Professor O’Dell’s international studies 1700 class at the time of the interview, so I was a little more comfortable around her, then I would have been with a teacher I had never met. Professor O’Dell was very welcoming, and offered very detailed answers to my questions. During the first part of the interview, I asked Professor O’Dell to give some background information about herself, and the reasons she decided to go into the international studies field. I was very surprised to learn that she had traveled all over the world after college, and after seeing detrimental poverty, and suffering, she knew she had to make a difference. She decided to enter the field of policy, and structure in the developing field. I found this part of the interview to be really inspiring, and it made me excited for what my future travels may hold. I found the entire interview really solidified my decision to be an international studies major. The information I learned about the types of writing I would be doing as I progressed through the major, really got me excited for the years to come. The idea that I was going to be able to write proposals on current events and send them out to real government officials thrilled me. I really got the sense that a student’s voice can be heard in the major, and that their opinions matter. Students are really given the freedom to form their own opinions, and create

Professor Interview Transcripts What types of writing do you assign when you teach a class to international studies majors? “The types of writing I assign are largely particular, except for my intro classes I have to say. But in my other classes I really want students to have a practical experience when their writing and in the classroom because the classroom is all about what your going to do when you get out of the classroom. So my writing assignments end up being policy briefs that students actually send out to government politicians, international organizations on particular policy issues like figuring out how to increase energy efficiency in an area, or alleviate poverty, or how to bring water to people in Haiti. So my students work on really practical assignments. This quarter in technology and development their writing technology reports that they are actually going to send out to the World Bank and country offices. So one of the important things about writing in the classroom is that you use it to impact policy, help international organizations help to do better, to know what to not do anymore right help international organizations know their strengths and failure. That is what I encourage my students to do in the kind of writing assignment I assign”. What are you looking for when you evaluate these types of writing? “I’m looking for the depth as well as the breath. I’m looking for how much students have taken the concepts the theories the practical theories we have looked at in class and applied them to a particular issue. And then the breath, how much they though in relation to their case. What actors are involved and who else might be important to consider in relation to this issue or this event students are studying. What are the practical issues that lead to complex problems, what are sometimes called wicked problems right. Problems that nobody can figure out how to address. What are all of the issues that are related to that. And then narrowing down and figuring out well what can I say as student in order to address this issue or what kind of points can I add to this issue. So I guess depth and breadth is what I would say”. Who should your students imagine as their audience for the papers they write? “It depends. Politicians, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, but never me never just me because your always writing for something and for some purpose”. What are some important things you think students should learn about writing in order to be successful? “First of all grammar. Grammar is very important. I have several textbooks I recommend that are on every one of my syllabi that are essential to learning how to write a sentence well. That’s important. The second thing I guess would be how to make your writing persuasive. That means including antecedent stories but it also means including passion in you writing, writing from your own perspective, letting your voice be heard in your writing not being incredibly analytical or too objective in your writing because what’s important is what you think, and your passion in what you write and that what should come out of your writing”.

What kinds of research are most valid in your field and why do you think this? “That’s a shocking question. It depends on the person you ask. For me I think its development research because 40% of the world lives on less than two dollars a day. People around the world live in abject poverty, and we need to figure out what causes that why is there such a variation between states on GDP. On health, on all of the new millennium goals and targets and what can we do to reduce the inequality that’s what I think is most important in international studies. Now if you talk to a terrorist’s theory, they will say addressing terrorism is the most important research in international studies. So it really depends on our field, so for me its development that it varies widely in international relations”. In what ways has technology change the types of writing you do or how you reach your audience? “That’s a good question too. I actually just finished writing a paper for a conference on how technology is being used to achieve governance goals. So hear I look at specifically at information communication technologies so mobile phones, and other radio, television, sort of old and new information communications that enable people to communicate with one another. I would say it’s changing the way everyone writes because we have such an incredible ease of access to information. If I want to look anything up I just type it into Google and there it is, so the ability to capture fast amounts of information and include that in your writing is more then ever before happening more then ever before. In terms of communicating with my audience I mean the kinds of technologies I used to communicate, Facebook twitter blogs presentation technology. My ability to get across my ideas is easier because I don’t have to send something somebody my paper you know manually through the mail I can send it electronically and it gets to them in a second. So the ease of communication the flow of technology is changing the amount of information I can include in my writing as well as the ease of talking to people. I’m on Skype all the time talking to fellow academics, talking to UNDP, or World Bank and that ability to communicate is vastly improved over the next ten years. Ease of communication and access to communications are the two things making a great impact in my writing and everyone’s writing”. If you could recommend a student in international studies major consistently read one academic journal what would it be? “For first of all foreign policy and foreign affairs, which first of all are not journals but their magazine, and they have really great articles that sum up the issues of the day. I mean any academic journal they can get their hands on I would recommend. Also international organizations I would recommend just because it is one of the top journals in the field and its relevant to all kinds of different areas. They have development issues as well as terrorism issues as well as piracy issues, you know they have all kinds of include all kinds of subjects its one of the best and I definitely recommend it. You know its sort of on the lower tier but foreign policy and foreign affairs are so easy to read and peer review journals but great sources of information”.

Student Interview Summary For my student interview, I was able to interview Tyler Kozole, a senior at the University of Denver. We were unable to meet in person, so questions were asked over email. Even though I was unable to ask questions in a face-to-face interview, I still received a plethora of information about writing in the major from a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective. Tyler stressed several times the important of forming close relationships with professors within your major. By reaching out to a professor, a student show initiative and true interest in the field. He suggests going in to talk to a professor during his or her office hours, even if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any questions pertaining to the class. Asking your professor about current events, or other subjects relating to the international studies field will show you are trying to apply concepts outside of class, and trying hard to grasp the information. Tyler also suggests forming study groups with other students in the class, and help each other try to understand new concepts. This not only takes stress away from the students, but also forms future connections in the international studies field. The students you are working with now, could someday connect you to a great resource, or even a great job. This interview gives a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective on the international studies major that is both objective and insightful. It gives freshmen a look on the inside on what it is truly like being an international studies student.

Student Email Interview Transcript What advice about writing would you give freshman considering becoming International Studies majors? (What do you wish you’d known going in the major?) “Try to find professors that you enjoy and take multiple classes with him or her. It’s crucial that you develop a personal relationship with a professor if you ever need a letter of recommendation or anything like that”. What kinds of research do you have to do as an International Studies major? What do you find most challenging about doing these kinds of research? “Most of the research can be done online, usually regarding a specific international issue or topic. Assignments can become quite lengthy in the higher-level classes, so procrastination does not go hand in hand with this major. Spacing out research over a long period of time can make writing less stressful when you’re getting close to the deadline”. What do your professors do in order to help you become a better writer? What kinds of feedback do they give you? “Often professors or TAs will give you feedback on ways to improve the strength of your papers, whether it involves being less verbose, structuring the argument better, or just increasing its general readability. The way that they help you to become a better writer is mostly by forcing you to write often and on a variety of topics, in a variety of ways. You are forced to practice your writing skills”. In what ways do you see technology changing the kinds of writing you’ll be expected to do as an International Studies professional? How have the classes you’ve taken at DU prepared (or not prepared) you for these changes? “The ability to acquire information instantaneously through the internet’s advanced search engines and databases has completely revolutionized International Relations. Research skills that a student learns here will prepare a student very well for future research in a career setting”. Where do you go to get help on your writing? Do you meet with your professor, go to the writing center, or work with other international studies majors in a writing group? “I don’t typically go farther than just close friends of mine to proofread a paper, but I would certainly go to the writing center before I would ask my professor for writing help. Professors do have an interest in helping you to write, but their main purpose is to be resource for learning and clarifying course material. It is job of the staff at the writing center to help you to put this material on paper in a clear and organized way”.

How much do you know about the types of writing you’ll be expected to do while working in the professional field? “The types of writing vary immensely between professions. It may be your job to just research, and so writing and researching in a succinct and clear manner will be literally all you do. However, it may involve more speaking and managing than researching, and your writing may be geared more towards sounding professional yet personable. Regardless of the specific profession, written communication skills are vital in this field”. In what ways are your classes preparing you for these types of writing, and what areas do you wish you were getting more instruction or preparation in? “Different classes that deal with different topics often force you to switch between writing styles. Some courses focus on persuasive arguments and others will emphasize objective research. This variation in styles will prepare students to be able to write effectively in a variety of professional settings. I feel comfortable in the instruction that I’ve received, and I can’t think of other areas in which I wish I were getting more instruction”. How would you characterize what makes “good” writing in International Studies major? “Good writing is the ability to adapt to the theme in which you are discussing using the appropriate style. It is crucial in any type of writing, especially in International Studies, that you write clearly and succinctly, and write in a manner that is academic and professional”. What types of writing do you do most often for classes in your major? “I mostly do objective research-based writing projects that require that I stay as tone-neutral as possible. Some classes have encouraged persuasive position papers, but more frequently we are required to explain a situation with all facts and relevant details taken into consideration”.

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