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ENG 101: English Composition I
SECTION 32
Spring 2012
Instructor: Ms. SaraBoissonneau (boyz-uh-know)
Email: (Email me from your UNCG account only, please)
Classroom: MHRA 1211
Class meeting time: TR 9:30-10:45am
Office: MHRA 3210D
Office Hours: TR 11am-12pm (and by appointment)
Course Description
Welcome to English 101. The key to success in this course is to show up prepared to engage energetically with our course materials and each other. We will not work on becoming “good” writers in this course; rather, we will aim to becomeeffectivewriters. “Good” writing is a subjective label at best and implies that writing is some inherent ability that one either has or does not. Effective writing, on the other hand, is writing that responds directly to a particular task or situation, communicates effectively with its audience, andemploys rhetorical strategies (we’ll cover these extensively) to make its point. The great news about effective writing is that it issomethingyou can learn, regardless of where you start!
Our course is divided into four units: 1) Rhetoric and its Applications to Effective Reading and Writing; 2) Evaluating Arguments and Making Your Own; 3) Speak Truth to Power…and Provide Convincing Evidence; and 4) The Finishing Touches: Preparing Your Portfolio. Each unit is designed to prepare you for its respective essay by asking you to write, read, and think rhetorically and critically at increasing levels of scholarly sophistication.
English 101 satisfies three of the six hours of the Reasoning and Discourse (GRD) requirement at UNCG, which asserts that students “gain skills in intellectual discourse, including constructing cogent arguments, locating, synthesizing and analyzing documents, and writing and speaking clearly, coherently, and effectively” (
In addition, English 101 is designed to address Learning Goal #1 (LG1) in the UNCG General Education Program. This is the ability to“think critically, communicate effectively, and develop appropriate fundamental skills in quantitative and information literacies.”(
The following are English 101 student learning outcomes, each of which corresponds to both the GRD goals and to LG1:
English 101 Student Learning Outcomes:
At the completion of this course, students will be able to
- Analyze the content and structure of complex texts (written, oral, and/or visual in nature);
- Compose cogent, evidence-based, argumentative texts;
- Identify and employ the rhetorical triangle, the canons, and the appeals in both formal and informal discourse;
- Summarize, quote, paraphrase, and synthesize source material in support of an argument;
- Employ drafting, peer review, and revision techniques in order to improve content, style, and structure of their own writing;
- Appraise their own composing abilities and composing processes through critical reflection.
Required Texts
(TSIS) Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. They Say/I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing, WITH READINGS. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-393-91275-3
(TR) Babb, Jacob, Sally Smits, and Courtney Adams Wooten, eds.Technê Rhêtorikê: Techniques of Discourse for Writers and Speakers. Plymouth, MI: Hayden-McNeil. ISBN: 978-0-7380-4669-3
*PLEASE BRING BOTH TR AND TSIS TO EACH CLASS MEETING.
Classroom Conduct
*Writing courses work best atmospheres of mutual respect. I expect that you will behave in a polite and courteous manner toward your classmates and me. Doing so means that you listen when others speak, you respect others’ opinions and beliefs, and you never interfere with the learning environment of the classroom by engaging in disruptive behavior. If I notice that your behavior poses problems for your classmates or me, I will ask you to correct the behavior. If the behavior persists, your preparation and participation grade will suffer. In cases of extreme disruption, I reserve the right to askyou to leave class, which will come with the penalty of a recorded absence.
*Laptops are not allowed in class, except for students with documented accommodation needs.
*Cell phones should be placed on silent (not vibrate) and kept out of sight.
*Please do not bring food to class, though you may bring a drink.
Academic Integrity
*“Academic integrity is founded upon and encompasses the following five values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. Violations include, for example, cheating, plagiarism, misuse of academic resources, falsification, and facilitating academic dishonesty. If knowledge is to be gained and properly evaluated, it must be pursued under conditions free from dishonesty. Deceit and misrepresentations are incompatible with the fundamental activity of this academic institution and shall not be tolerated” (from UNCG’s Academic Integrity Policy). To ensure that you understand the university’s policy on academic integrity, review the guidelines and list of violations at I expect you to abide by the Academic Integrity Policy. If I suspect you have cheated or plagiarized, I will meet with you individually to discuss the consequences, which might range from having to redo an assignment to course failure and disciplinary action at the university level.
Attendance Policy
* Students in TR classes are allowed two absences without a grade penalty (to be defined by the individual instructor). Students who miss four classes on a TR schedule will fail the course. Attendance at the final exam session is required.
*Students are by state law allowed two excused absences due to religious holidays. These absences do not count toward the total maximums allowed above. If a student plans to miss class due to a religious holiday, he or she must notify the instructor at least 48 hours prior to the absence.
*I make no distinction between excused or unexcused regarding your twopenalty-free absences. This means that you do not need to provide an excuse for missing class up to two times, and you may make up any in-class work that you missed.Missing more than two class sessionswill negatively affect your preparation and participation grade, and, as noted above, missing four classes will result in course failure.
*Missing class on the day an assignmentis due does not excuse you from handing it in, unless you have made prior arrangements with me.
*Please arrive on time to class. I will record late arrivals by minutes, and persistent lateness will lower your preparation and participation grade and could cause you to accumulate absences.
*Coming to class without a full draft on a peer review day will count as an absence.
Conferencing, Email Correspondence, and Office Hours
*On two occasions during the semester, you will be required to meet with me individually regarding major writing assignments. These conferences will take the place of class time, and failure to attend the time you signed up for (details to be provided) will count as a missed class.
*I encourage you to contact me with any questions or concerns about the course. You may reach me by email, but please keep in mind that I may not always be able to respond immediately. Please allow 24 hours from the time you have sent your message before you expect a response. I will usually respond sooner, but please do not wait until the last minute to ask important questions. As a courtesy, I ask that you contact me from your UNCG account only; this ensures that I recognize emails from students immediately and do not delete emails from because I think they are spam.
*Please make use of my office hours! You can stop by to discuss a particular assignment, your progress in the course, or ANYTHING writing related. I’ll always be happy to see you.
*Discussing/Disputing a Grade: If you have questions about a grade you receive on a paper, you will need to wait 24 hours from the time you received the paper before discussing it with me. Similarly, I will not discuss grades during class time or in front of other students. If you have questions or concerns about your performance in the class, please see me individually.
Accommodations
*Students with documentation of special needs should arrange to see me about accommodations as soon as possible. If you believe you could benefit from such accommodations, you must first register with the Office of Disability Services on campus before such accommodations can be made. The office is located on the second floor of the Elliott University Center (EUC) in Suite 215, and the office is open 8am to 5pm, Monday - Friday. Telephone: 334-5440; e-mail: .
Helpful Resources
*The Writing Center 336-334-3125
*Student Success Center 336-334-7533
*Student Academic Services 336-334-5730
*Counseling and Testing Center 336-334-5874
Course Requirements and Assignments
*Assignments and schedule are subject to modification at the discretion of the instructor.
*Grading: Assignments will be graded using a holistic rubric and marked with a letter grade. Letter grades will correspond in my gradebook to university GPA values (see below). A weighted average of these GPA values will constitute the final letter grade.
A+/4.33; A/4.00; A-/3.67; B+/3.33, B/3.00, B-/2.67; C+/2.33; C/2.00; C-/1.67; D+/1.33; D/1.00; D-/0.67; F/0.00
*Late work: I will accept late work on all assignments up to two class periodsbeyond the original due date. Late assignments, however, will lose one letter grade for every day(even non-class days) past the due date. Assignments turned in on the due date but after the appropriate time with lose ½ a letter grade.
*All assignments are designed to address one or more Student Learning Outcomes
Formal Writing Assignments (detailed assignment sheets with holistic rubrics to be provided)
Essay 1: Rhetorical Analysis-5-6pp (10% of final grade; meets SLOs 1-3, and 5)
You will employ the major concepts of Unit 1, with an emphasis on logos, ethos, and pathos, to analyze how an assigned text “works” as a persuasive piece of writing.
Feb. 9-peer review; Feb. 14-essay 1 due
Essay 2: Comparative Analysis of Dueling Arguments7-8pp (15% of final grade; meets SLOs1-5)
You will choose a pair of essays (from a selection to be provided) that are in direct conversation with one another regarding a particular issue. You will build on your ability to analyze texts rhetorically by evaluating the comparative persuasiveness of each text and employing textual evidence to support such analysis. Feb. 23-peer review; Feb. 28-essay 2 due
Essay 3: Persuasive Appeal to Authority with Research Component8-9pp(20% of final grade; meets SLOs 2-5)
You will choose a social issue of interest to you from among those found inthe “Readings” section ofThey Say/I Say. After reading TSIS’s selections on your chosen subject, you will decide where you stand on the issue. You will consult at least oneadditional academic source, but you must also incorporateat least threeessays from TSIS in your argument. Your research should allow you to identify an audience who is in a position to affect the issue that concerns you (e.g., if your topic were campus alcohol policies, your imagined audience might be the Dean of Student Affairs). You will employ the rhetorical canons and appeals to both convincingly argue for your position and make informed recommendations to alleviate a problem, change a policy, etc.Mar. 29-peer review; Apr. 3-essay 3 due
Final Project: Portfolio (40% of final grade; meets SLOS 1-6); due Apr. 24
See attached description and rubric for details.
*Peer Review: peer review is required for all formal writing assignments. To participate in peer review, you must show up for class with a printed and complete draft. As stated in the attendance policy, coming to class without a full draft on a peer review day will count as an absence. If you do not participate in peer review for an essay, your paper is not eligible for higher than a B when you turn it in to me.
*Formatting: Please submit all essays typed, double-spaced, in Times New Roman, 12-pt. font, with 1-inch margins on all sides. Please include your name, course number, and date in your essay heading. Don’t forget to give your paper an original title.Finally,please do not attempt to alter your margins, fonts, etc. in order to make your paper appear longer. I reserve the right to deduct points from your assignment’s grade if your paper is in unacceptable format.
*Papers are due in class on the due date.
Quizzes, homework, and in-class writing exercises (10% of final grade; facilitates SLOs 1-6)
I will give occasional unannounced reading quizzes to make sure everyone is keeping up with assigned reading. More often, short, in-class writing exercises and homework assignments will give you the opportunity to apply and practice course concepts before employing them in higher-stakes assignments.
Preparation/Participation(5%of final grade; facilitates SLOs1-6)
*Preparation and participation are integral to your success in this course. Simply showing up for class will not guarantee a high grade in preparation and participation. I expect you to complete all assigned readings, engage with your classmates and me in discussion, take notes, and ask thoughtful questions.
Final Exam
We will meet during the scheduled final exam session,Tuesday, May 1 from 12-3pm,during which I will pass back your portfolios. Attendance is required at this session. Failure to attend will count as an absence and will lower your preparation and participation grade.
Tentative Course Schedule
(You should complete all reading assignmentsbefore the class session for which they are listed)
Unit 1: Rhetoric and its Applications to Effective Reading and Writing
Week 1
T Jan 10Introductions, course overview, writing sample; homework-send me an email
R Jan 12 “Introduction: Entering the Conversation” (1-15), TR: Brian Ray’s “The Portfolio Process” (37-42)
F JAN 13 is the last day to change courses or course sections without special permission and is the last day to drop courses with tuition and fees refund
Week 2
T Jan 17TR:Will Dodson’s “Understanding the Rhetorical Appeals” (3-10); TR: Lauren Shook’s “Reading for the Rhetorical Appeals” (11-19)
R Jan 19TSIS “What’s Motivating this Writer?” (145-155), “Is Higher Education Worth the Price?” (177-178), and Andrea Hacker and Claudia Dreifus’ “Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission?” (179-190)
Week 3
T Jan 24TR: Will Dodson’s “The Canons of Rhetoric as Phases of Composition” (20-29); TSIS: Sandra J. Ungar’s “The New Liberal Arts” (190-197) and David Foster Wallace’s “Kenyon Commencement Speech” (198-210)
R Jan 26 TR: Summar Sparks’ “Reading an Assignment Sheet” (107-110), Jacob Babb’s “Developing an Idea of the Audience” (60-65), Charlie Guy-McAlpin’s “How the Thesis Guides Effective Writing” (50-54),Introduce Essay 1-Rhetorical Analysis
Week 4
T Jan. 31TSIS: Liz Addison’s “Two Years are Better Than Four” (211-214) and Kevin Carey’s “Why do You think They’re Called For-Profit Colleges?” (215-221)
R Feb. 2TR: Alan Benson’s “The Writing Center: Where Writers Meet” (144-148); TR: Tammy Lancaster’s “Beginning and Ending with Power” (55-59); TSIS: Charles Murray’s “Are Too Many People Going to College?” (222-242)
Week 5
T Feb. 7 TR: Cindy Montgomery Webb’s “Understanding Tone” (70-74), D. Mercer Bufter’s “Understanding Voice” (75-80), “Lavina Ensor’s “Viewing Peer Review as a Rhetorical Process” (111-115), and Charles Tedder’s “Academic Integrity” (30-36)
R Feb 9TR: Matt Mullins’ “Revision is Writing” (66-69); PEER REVIEW—FULL DRAFT OF ESSAY 1 DUE
Unit 2: Evaluating Arguments and Making Your Own
Week 6
T Feb. 14ESSAY 1 DUE; TSIS: “They Say: Starting with What Others are Saying” (17-26); Introduce Essay 2-Comparative Analysis of Dueling Arguments
R Feb. 16TSIS: “As He Himself Puts It” (39-46), “Her Point Is” (28-37), “Yes/No/Okay, But” (51-63), David Zinczenko’s “Don’t Blame the Eater” (153-155), and Radley Balko “What You Eat is Your Business” (157-161)
Week 7
T Feb. 21 TSIS: Jason Zinner’s “The Good, the Bad, and The Daily Show” and Gerald Graff’s “
R Feb.23 TSIS: Mike Rose’s “Blue-Collar Brilliance” (243-255), and Robin Wilson’s “A Lifetime of Student Debt? Not Likely” (256-274); PEER REVIEW—FULL DRAFT OF ESSAY 2 DUE
Week 8
T Feb. 28ESSAY 2 DUE; TR: Craig Morehead’s “The Genre of Academic Discourse” (83-88) and Courtney Adams Wooten’s “Finding a Conversation to Research” (89-93)
R Mar. 1NO CLASS-INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCES
Friday, March 2 is the last day to drop a course without academic penalty.
Week 10
T Mar 6NO CLASS-SPRING BREAK
RMar 8NO CLASS-SPRING BREAK
Unit 3: Speak Truth to Power…and Provide Convincing Evidence
Week 11
T Mar 13 Introduce to Essay 3-Persuasive Appeal to Authority; TR: Brian Ray’s “Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting” (99-104); TSIS: Constance M. Ruzich and A.J. Grant’s “Predatory Lending and the Devouring of the American Dream” (624)
R Mar 15Library Research Session-meet on Jackson Library Steps at regular class time
Week 12—bring your Essay 3 articles with you toboth class meetings this week
T Mar 20 TSIS: “And Yet” (68-77), “Skeptics May Object” (78-91), “So What? Who Cares?” (92-102),
R Mar 22TSIS:“Tying it All Together” (103-138)
Week 13
T Mar 27NO CLASS-INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCES
R Mar 29PEER REVIEW--FULL DRAFT OF ESSAY 3 DUE
Unit 4: The Finishing Touches: Preparing Your Portfolio
Week 14
T Apr. 3ESSAY 3 DUE
R Apr. 5 TSIS “Ain’t So/Is Not” (121-128)”; Introduce “Critical Rationale Essay” for Portfolio
Week 15
T Apr. 10TSIS: Wil Haygood’s, “Kentucky Town of Manchester Illustrates National Obesity Crisis” (406-416) and Michelle Obama’s, “Remarks to the NAACP” (417-434)
R Apr. 12 TSIS: William Moller’s “We, the Public, Place the Best Athletes on Pedestals” (545-553), and Joe Posnanski’s “Cheating and CHEATING” (553-60)
Week 16
T Apr. 17 TR: Brian Ray’s “The Portofolio Process” (37-42) and Matt Mullins’ “Revision is Writing” (60-66)IN-CLASS PORTFOLIO WORKSHOP-bring all relevant materials (details to be provided)
RApr. 19PEER REVIEW Critical Rationale Essay
Week 17
T Apr. 24 Final Portfolio Due
FINAL EXAM PERIOD: TUESDAY, MAY 1. 12-3PM. GRADED PORTFOLIOS RETURNED.
English 101: Composition I
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Final Portfolio Guidelines
(Effective Fall 2011)
The final portfolio is a required common assignment across all sections of English 101 in all academic sessions (Fall, Spring, Summer). The portfolio comprises between 40 and 50% of a student’s final course grade, with the exact percentage determined by the individual instructor.
Portfolios must include both a rationale essay and evidence of drafting and revision in order to receive a passing grade (D- or above)