To: Professor Cohen

From: Mariel Melchor

Date: 10/03/14
Subject: Document Analyses
For the document analysis used to conduct my research, I plan to analyze
kinesiology degree plans, syllabi of courses necessary for my chosen discipline,
and pamphlets/brochures provided in the UTEP College of Health Sciences. I
hope that I am also able to collect some of the assignments that are completed by
a kinesiology major (or several of them) and hopefully some from graduate
students who are enrolled in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program and
who aspire to become physical therapists. Through this segment of my research I
hope to gain primary information that will help me feel more aware of what type
of student I will need to be within the discipline of kinesiology and physical
therapy.
I am familiar with the degree plan for the major I have chosen, but I really
haven't explored the other degree plans and I know that several of them exist
with different concentrations and different required minors. I plan to mainly
focus on the degree plan for Kinesiology with exercise science concentration and
biology minor because it is the one I have chosen. The core curriculum consists of
several basic courses, such as English, communications, pre-calculus, chemistry,
history, political science, university, a visual performing art, and psychology
which will equal to a total of about 44 credit hours. Math is one of my
weaknesses, which is something I need to consider since it will determine a
portion of my GPA, and it is required in order for me to graduate. It is also
necessary for me to approximate how many semesters I will need to complete the
courses required for my major, and what all of the pre-requisites are. As for my
graduate degree, I would have to closely look into its designated degree plan to
know all of the requirements necessary to remain in the program, and the
number of credit hours required. The courses required will help me determine
whether or not I belong in this discourse community, or at least help me prepare
better in my current courses to know what is aheadfor example, zoology might
be a course that I might struggle with but at least I now know that it will be a prerequisite for my doctoral degree. In essence, degree plans are written in order to
inform the student about the courses they will have to face in order to belong in
that communityfor many, it determines whether or not they stay within that
discipline.
Analyzing a syllabus of the courses necessary for my chosen discipline will
be greatly helpful in providing me with an idea of what the work-load will be like
for my major classes, such as biology and kinesiology. This will also give me some
insight into what professors will expect of me when taking the courses for my
major. A syllabi from a graduate course will definitely give me more to think
about for my future decisions when it comes to my academic studies because I
already know that there will be a substantial difference in the type of work
involved. Courses that I have never taken, such as zoology, will be required,

therefore, I am seeking to look into them ahead of time to better prepare. I have
examined the syllabus for Kinesiology 2332, which focuses on Motor Learning
and Control. This syllabus I particularly find to be unique because it includes a
short biography about the course instructorthis I have yet to see so far here at
UTEP. This makes the student feel more involved and informed about his or her
professor. This syllabus also explains in detail what the roles of the students are
expected to fulfill in the classroom during discussions and through their
assignments, as well as to know what the course has as its goals. The instructor
also provides students with all of the assignments for the semester and their
respective due dates, so that students can plan ahead of time. The grading
structure is also provided, and it tells the student how much every assignment
accounts for your total grade in the course. This syllabus also gives students an
idea of whether or not they will be able to handle the type of assignments that will
need to be completed to excell; as for me, I believe that so far I am on the right
track.
Brochures and pamphlets will be good sources of information when it
comes to learning about additional services that the College of Health Sciences
offers in order to help undergraduate and graduate students with their studies.
These will also provide the necessary requirements and steps to apply for the
DPT program or will provide helpful websites to do so, as well as some contact
information (phone numbers for academic advisors, e-mail addresses, etc.). I was
able to acquire more handouts that list the requirements for the DPT program
that UTEP offers, which made me wonder if I will be able to complete all of the
courses listed in addition to my other courses. I was also given two pamphlets
that listed all of the ways in which a Peer Career Advisor or College Liaison can
help the student-- this included help with resume reviews, curriculum vitae (CV)
reviews, interview coaching sessions, internship/job searching, and career
advising. It also listed all of the existing professional organizations for both
Physical Therapy and Kinesiology, followed by the contact information (location,
phone number, and e-mail address) for the Peer Career Advisor (PCA) or college
liaison for graduate and doctoral information. This kind of help is offered to
students in order to try to convince them to pursue the discipline of Kinesiology
and, later, a doctoral degree in Physical Therapy-- not only to pursue this career,
but to endure in it. One of the websites listed on the Kinesiology pamphlet is for
the American Kinesiology Association (www.americankinesiology.org), which
opens the door for interaction in the culture of Kinesiology and the therapies that
branch off of it. This organization is used to help students discover careers within
fields of Kinesiology and participate in events related to this disciplineyou can
also even acquire membership to this association. UTEP also has its own
Kinesiology website (www.kinesiology.utep.edu) that provides students with
different tabs/links that contain information about its program, faculty, and
graduate programs that you can pursue, along with a broad figure of what the
requirements are and what to expect. A mission statement is also found on the
website, which is used to encourage students to enroll in one of their programs.
The advising center at the College of Health Sciences also offers students a college
directory that lists contact information for many departments within UTEPs

campus. A degree plan checklist is also given to students in order to help them
stay on top of the requirements they need to register for and complete the courses
necessary. Essentially, I believe that the kind of rhetoric work being done within
these documents is to achieve one goal, and that is to lure, convince, and engage
students to take the start into enrolling in the courses necessary to form a part of
this community and to prepare them for what is next so that they can decide
whether or not they belong in this culture.