Florida International University, Spring 2015

ENC1102-U64: Writing and Rhetoric II

Florida International University, Spring 2015

Instructor: Nicholas Anderson

Email: Phone: (786)374-6149 (Texts only)

Classroom: GC278A Class Times: T/R 8:00-9:15

Office: TBA (text for current location) Office Hours: M 12:00-12:50

T 9:15-10:00

W 2:00-2:50

Course Description:

This course is the second in a two-course sequence for writing. ENC1101 provided an introduction to college writing and the use of rhetoric, and ENC1102 continues to develop those skills with extra emphasis on research.

ENC1102 will help students cultivate their abilities to locate, evaluate, and document research sources. They will also learn to incorporate those sources into their own writing in a responsible and rhetorically effective manner. Both primary and secondary research methods will be used.

Rather than a number of separate research topics, in ENC1102 students will have the opportunity to select their own research topic and continue developing their knowledge on that topic with multiple essays and research assignments throughout the semester.

This class will utilize numerous short writing assignments to help improve your writing ability. Expect to write frequently both in class and for homework. The goal of these writing assignments is not for you to write to a specific word count, but rather they will ask you to think critically and to reflect on your research process and acquisition of knowledge. This course will utilize an active learning environment and will include group work, class discussions, peer review, and conferences. In addition to these shorter assignments, there will be four major writing assignments ranging from 1,000-2,000 words that will require the full writing process.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the course you will be able to:

·  Write to achieve varying purposes and to engage different audiences;

·  Understand the structure of closed-form arguments (including claim, reasons, evidence, counter-argument, and underlying assumptions);

·  Employ effective rhetorical appeals;

·  Generate research questions that lead to meaningful inquiry;

·  Show knowledge of conventions of academic research, including the ability to locate, evaluate, and document sources and to incorporate sources effectively into their work;

·  Further their rhetorical vocabulary for understanding and talking about writing, becoming more adept at understanding and employing rhetorical concepts taught in ENC 1101 and learning new concepts related to research and argumentation.

·  Understand the complexities of academic plagiarism.

·  *Course Description and Learning Outcomes adapted from the English Department website: http://english.fiu.edu/writing-and-rhetoric/

Required Materials:

·  A composition book or journal for our various reflection and in-class writing activities

·  Ramage, John D., et al. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing: Customized for FIU. 5th edition. New York: Pearson Learning Solutions.

·  Lunsford, Andrea. The Everyday Writer. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's.

·  Reliable access to the internet for submitting and printing major assignments

Grading:
In order to pass ENC 1102 you must receive a "C" or higher. A "C-" or lower will result in having to repeat ENC 1102. Your final grade will be determined by:

·  Major Essay 1: Exploratory Narrative 20%

·  Major Essay 2: Research Proposal 10%

·  Major Essay 3: Informative Article 20%

·  Major Essay 4: Classical Argument 20%

·  Participation and Homework 10%

·  Quizzes & Minor Essays 10%

·  Reflection/Research Journal 10%

·  Note: Failure to turn in any one of the four major essays will result in automatic failure of the course

Course Policies:

Attendance: Attendance is expected. Missing a class will lower your participation grade. Please plan accordingly. As per departmental requirements, missing more than six classes will result in failure of the course.

Participation: You are expected to be prepared before class so that you may participate actively and fully in the day's activities. Preparation includes doing the readings, completing homework, bringing drafts for peer-review and so on. Furthermore, you must bring your Allyn & Bacon textbook and journal to each class meeting.

Late Assignments: All assignments are due by the beginning of class on the due date. For major essays, the grade will be reduced by five points for every day a final draft is late. FAILURE TO TURN IN ANY ONE OF THE MAJOR WRITING PROJECTS TO TURNITIN.COM WILL RESULT IN FAILING THE COURSE (“F”). Smaller assignments will not be given credit if submitted late.

You are responsible for confirming every assignment submission to turnitin.com to ensure it went through. Turnitin.com website errors are not a valid excuse for late work. If you experience a technology error when submitting to turnitin.com, email the assignment to me as an attachment by the due date and time to ensure you receive full credit.

Extra Credit: You will be able to revise ONE (1) of the first three major papers for a better grade. Late or unfinished essays cannot be revised in this manner. If your revised essay receives a higher score, it will replace the grade of your original essay. Additionally, extra credit will be rewarded for participating in primary research at the university. As we begin unit 3 and learn about conducting primary research, students will have the opportunity to participate in the research of grad students and professors of the university. After participating in the research, you may write a short reflection on the experience to demonstrate what you have learned. This extra credit grade can replace your lowest quiz or participation grade.

Electronics: Cell phones or other related devices are not allowed in class, except under special circumstances. Please speak to me if you have an exceptional situation in which it is imperative that you use one of these devices. Using laptops or tablet PCs in class is a privilege and one that can be revoked. All students who choose to use laptops or tablets must sit in one of the first two rows of the classroom to ensure you stay on track. You should also be prepared to aid the class with background information or searches from the web if asked.

Disability Resource Center: If this exceptional situation is due to a disability you will need to register with the Disability Resource Center. You can find more information here at http://drc.fiu.edu.

Original Assignments Policy: All assignments must be originally completed for this class. Assignments submitted from previous classes (including ENC 1101) or other current classes will receive a zero.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is using someone else's work - words, ideas, or illustrations, published or unpublished - without giving the creator of that work sufficient credit. Put simply, if you incorporate work that you did not create yourself into your assignments, you must cite it, i.e. give credit. This is considered plagiarism whether it is committed intentionally or unintentionally. You are ultimately responsible for anything you turn in and include in your work. Students who plagiarize at FIU can face serious consequences that range from failure of the class to expulsion.

We will discuss plagiarism further as the course progresses. If you are ever unsure about your citations or quotations, ask the instructor before you submit your work. For more information, please visit: www2.fiu.edu/~oabp/misconductweb/1acmisconductproc.htm

Title V Emphasis in this Course

Our ENC1102 course will be a part of FIU’s Title V program, a national initiative to improve the academic success of students whose first language is not English. In general, this course is like any other ENC1102 course but with some added emphasis on multicultural contexts, audiences, and the choices we make as we write and read in college.

I believe that these changes will help you to think more broadly about the languages and cultures in our increasingly globalized world. They will also bring an international flavor to much of what we do in the course and will support the campus global initiative.

If you ever experience difficulties related to language or culture issues in this class, please discuss them with me and I will assist you to the best of my abilities.

Help and Resources

If you ever have a problem that could prevent or hinder your academic success, please contact me first! I will help however I am able. It is my desire to see all of you succeed. My office hours and phone number are listed at the top of the syllabus if you ever need to speak with me outside of class.

However, there may be issues that are beyond my ability or time to resolve. In such a case, below you will find several resources that may be helpful:

·  I’m having trouble with a writing assignment:

The Center for Excellence in Writing is a great resource that can offer you individual assistance with your paper. Their aid covers the spectrum of writing difficulties and can be used for beginning steps to final revisions. This is a great resource and can be very beneficial even to seasoned writers. The Writing Center is located in GL120. Walk-ins are accepted but appointments are preferred. For more information, visit: http://writingcenter.fiu.edu

·  I’m very stressed, depressed, or have personal problems that might interfere with my classwork or other areas of my life:

FIU’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers assistance to students who may have problems with anxiety, stress, depression, relationship issues, or other personal concerns. College is difficult and so is the transition to college. There is nothing wrong with receiving help. For more information, visit: http://counselingservices.fiu.edu/default.aspx

·  I have a diagnosed disability and need accommodations in order to do my best:

Please contact and register with the Disability Resource Center, located in GC, if you require such accommodations. You can also contact them online at: http://drc.fiu.edu.

·  I need help with a multimedia project.

The Digital Writing Studio helps students and faculty with such projects as PowerPoint, videos, podcasts, voice overs, website design, multimedia research projects, ePortfolios, and many more. The DWS is located in DM across the hall from the linguistics lab and they can also be contacted online at: http://webdept.fiu.edu/~laurenbe/

Tentative Course Schedule

Unit 0- Introduction & ENC1101 Review

1/12-1/16

No major essays for this unit

Unit 1- Exploratory Narrative

1/19-2/15

Exploratory Narrative due by 2/15 to Turnitin.com at midnight

Unit 2- Research Proposal

2/16-3/1

Research Proposal due by 3/1 to Turnitin.com at midnight

Unit 3- Informative Article

3/2-4/5

Informative Article due by 4/5 to Turnitin.com at midnight

Unit 4- Classical Argument

4/6-5/1

Classical Argument due by 5/1 to Turnitin.com at midnight

More detailed information as well as daily PowerPoints can be found on the class website at:

ProfessorNAnderson.com