University of North Carolina at GreensboroBlevins
ENG 101.24Spring 2014
English 101College Writing I, Section 24, Spring 2014
Tues & Thurs, 12:30-13:45, MHRA 2208
Ms. Brenta Blevins
Office: MHRA 3112CE-Mail:
Office Hours: T/TH 11am-noon; by appointment
Mailbox: MHRA 3317
“I never know what I think about something until I read what I've written on it.” --William Faulkner
Catalog Course Description
English 101: College Writing I
University of North Carolina-Greensboro
Statement of Student Learning Outcomes and Course Requirements
(Effective Fall 2012)
English 101 satisfies three of the six hours of the Reasoning and Discourse (GRD) requirement at UNCG as a “course in academic writing, focusing on analysis, argument, and critical reflection using the tenets of rhetoric. Instruction in drafting, revising, and compilation of a final portfolio” (
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 (SLOs):
At the completion of this course, students will be able to:
1.Analyze the content and structure of complex texts (written, oral, and/or visual in nature);
2.Compose cogent, evidence-based, argumentative texts;
3.Identify and employ the rhetorical triangle, the canons, and the appeals in both formal and informal discourse;
4.Summarize, quote, paraphrase, and synthesize source material in support of an argument;
5.Employ drafting, peer review, and revision techniques in order to improve content, style, and structure of their own writing;
6.Appraise their own composing abilities and composing processes through critical reflection.
Section Description
English 101 is a course in critical reading, writing, and thinking via the principles of rhetoric. This is a course about writing, particularly focused on writing online and in academic settings. This course is a discussion-based, student-centered course. As such, I will provide instruction on particular topics or skills—for example, how to appropriately cite and document your research, how to create a thesis statement, how to quote and paraphrase, how to build an argument—but the course is only minimally reliant upon lecture-format instruction, and thus maximally dependent on student-led discussion.
Required Texts/Materials
- Graff, Gerald and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say/I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing. 2nd ed. New York: W. W. Norton and Co., 2010. Print. ISBN: 9780393912753.Required.
- Ensor, Lavina, Chelsea Skelley, and Kathleen T. Leuschen, Eds. Rhetorical Approaches to College Writing. Plymouth, Michigan: Hayden-McNeil, 2014. ISBN:9780738053042. Required.
- Additional course readings are posted on Blackboard as PDFs. You are required to print these readings and bring the printouts to class on discussion days.
- A notebook and folder for taking notes and keeping track of in class writings, which you will need as part of your major portfolio assignment.
- Sufficient printing funds/printer for printing all essays for in-class workshops and in-class readings, as well as for other class print materials:
Course Policies:
Attendance: I adhere to the departmental attendance policy: Students in MWF classes are allowed a maximum of three absences without a grade penalty (to be defined by the individual instructor); students in TR classes are allowed two absences without such penalty. Students who miss six classes on a MWF schedule, or four classes on a TR schedule, will fail the course. Attendance at the final exam session (see above) 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.
If you must miss class, check the course Blackboard and with another student about what you missed in class. As a rule, I will not respond to questions about content or assignments from missed classes.
I will take roll at the beginning of class. If you are not present for roll call, you need to talk to me immediately after class so that I can make sure you are marked present but tardy. Every threetardies is equal to an absence. If you leave class early or if you frequently depart class and come back in, you will be marked tardy.
Late Work: I do not accept late work. I do accept early work.
Computers and printers are available in the library and the Writing Center; because these computers and printers may be occupied, I strongly suggest you print out your work well ahead of class. ― “My printer wasn‘t working” or “I didn't have printing money on my card” is not a valid excuse for not having work or printouts.
Conferences: We will meet for conferences in my office twice to discuss your writing. If you miss a conference, you will receive two absences. Come to conferences prepared to discuss your work and ask questions about the course.
Peer Review Workshops: We will perform peer review for each essay in which you will comment on other students' essays. The quality of your peer editing efforts will be reflected in your essay grades. You will need to provide a full draft to the peer review workshop to receive workshop credit. If you miss a peer review workshop, you will receive an absence and your essay grade will drop by one letter grade, meaning the highest grade you can receive on an essayassignment after missing peer review is a B.
Electronic Devices: All cell phones, smart phones, and iPods should be turned completely off and put away in your bag before class begins. If you foresee an emergency that will require you to access your cell phone, you must notify me at the beginning of class and I will use my discretion. The first time the electronics policy is violated (such as a phone ringing during class or a student is caught text messaging or surfing the web), that student will be given a warning. The second and subsequent times, the student will be asked to leave the class and will be counted absent for the day.
NO LAPTOP COMPUTERS, TABLETS, OR OTHER INTERNET-ENABLED DEVICES MAY BE USED IN CLASS: Students should print out all Blackboard readings and bring these to class rather than accessing them online during class. Exceptions to this policy will only be made in cases where there is documented evidence of a learning disability or other situation where a computer is necessary. In these cases, you must consult with the instructor and provide appropriate documentation.
In Class Policies: Any student behaving in a disruptive or distracting manner will be asked to leave and will receive an absence. Any remarks that show a lack of respect for the feelings and remarks of others, as well as any which demean others by virtue of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, physical appearance, political affiliation, and the like will not be acceptable in this class. Of course, you are welcome (indeed, expected) to disagree with one another, but different views can be discussed in a manner which is not a personal attack or power-based. If, after a verbal warning, the disruptive behavior persists, your case will be referred to the appropriate university authorities.
Each student should arrive prepared to participate in class. This means bringing to each class a writing notebook, a writing implement, and the texts containing the reading that is due for that day (if the reading is from Blackboard, you should print it out to bring to class). It is assumed that you are here to make the most of your education; therefore, you should come to each class having completed the assigned work and ready to discuss it.
MLA Citation and Format: I expect you to responsibly cite all material you use in your work. (See “Academic Integrity.”) Both in-text citations and references must be in MLA format. PurdueUniversity’s OWL ( is an excellent resource for learning how to properly cite sources. As part of meeting the MLA requirement, you will also use MLA formatting for your essays:1” margins, double-spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman font. You may also choose to purchase for your reference Joseph Gibaldi's MLA Handbook for Writers of Research PapersNew York: Modern Language Association of America, 2009.
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 Accessibility Resources & 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: .
WritingCenter
The purpose of the WritingCenter is to enhance the confidence and competence of student writers by providing free, individual assistance at any stage of any writing project. Staff consultants are experienced writers and alert readers, prepared to offer feedback and suggestions on drafts of papers, help students find answers to their questions about writing, and provide one-on-one instruction as needed. This resource is located in the Moore Humanities and ResearchBuilding, room 3211. Online usage and citation guides are also available at <
LearningAssistanceCenter
The LearningAssistanceCenter offers free services to the entire UNCG undergraduate community and is located in McIver Hall, rooms 101-104, and 150. For help with study skills, go to <
Academic Integrity Policy
“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 (Depending on the severity of the violation and the significance of the assignment to the final grade, penalties for plagiarism, among other forms of academic dishonesty or unethical intellectual property appropriation, may range from an automatic zero on the assignment, to the student being dropped from the class or receiving expulsion from the university.Incidents of cheating and plagiarism are reported to the Dean of Students and sanctions are aligned withthe policies at
Note regarding academic integrity policy regarding falsification: "Falsification also includes submitting work to meet the requirements of one course when it was done, in whole or in part, to meet the requirements of another course. Exceptions to this provision must be given prior approval by the instructor to whom the work is to be submitted." For more information, see
Assignment Submission: All essays will be submitted electronically to Blackboard. When naming files, follow this convention: yourlastname_assignmentname.docx; as an example, “Blevins_EditorialAnalysis.docx”. Any other file names will be returned to you. All files should be .doc or .docx. All other file formats are not acceptable and will be returned. I will return your graded draft to you with comments using Track Changes. There are two exceptions to this policy: 1) you will bring two printed copies of your assignment drafts for peer-review in addition to posting this draft to Blackboard; 2) your Final Portfolio is a printed document that you must submit in person at the end of the semester.
Communication Policies
Email Policy: Email is the best way to reach me. You can reasonably expect responses from me within 48 hours, excluding weekends and university holidays. It would not be prudent to email me at 1 am and expect a prompt reply. It is good practice to treat email as a writing situation that reflects on you as an individual. Use appropriate language and etiquette: present yourself professionally. This does not mean emails have to be long and elaborate, but they should be moderately professional forms of communication with your instructor. Remember to include your name and to spell my name correctly (Ms. Blevins). Also, please use your UNCG email.
I do not discuss weighty issues such as grades, grade appeals, or conflicts with other students or with me via email. If you wish to discuss any of the above, please schedule an appointment or come by during office hours to discuss these important issues face to face. Also, I do not discuss the grades of a particular assignment until 24 hours after the grade has been given.
Use of Blackboard and Email: You are required to use Blackboard on a regular basis in this course. I will post our class syllabus, resources and readings, as well as assignments to the Blackboard course site. Please familiarize yourself with the system and ask me for help if needed. Also, the ITS department offers workshops on Blackboard on occasion. You are also expected to regularly check your UNCG email account.
Grade Scale
I utilize the full range of grades from A to F (including plusses and minuses), in keeping with university grading policies. Your final course grade will be based on the following components that make up our work for the semester. UNCG defines an A as excellent; a B as good; a C as average; a D as lowest passing grade; and an F as failure. In adherence to this scale, you should understand that a C means you successfully met the requirements of the course, not that the requirements were unsuccessfully met, which would be indicated by either a D or an F. Likewise, an A or B indicate that you met and exceeded course requirements.
A = 93-100B = 83-86C = 73-76D = 63-66
A - = 90-92B- = 80-82C- = 70-72D- = 60-62
B+ = 87-89C+ = 77-79D+ = 67-69F = <59
Course Requirements
- Three analytical essays of 7-8 pages each, 15% each (SLO 1, 2,3,4, and 5)
- A final portfolio (SLOs 1-6), including a 6-8 page reflective essay, 45% (SLO 6)
- Active class participation, 10% (SLO 1, 3)
Note: Failure to complete any major assignment results in failure of the course.
Essay Assignments (SLOs 1-5): Each essay 15% of final course grade; total 45%
Each essay assignment is designed to meet the first five Student Learning Objectives for English 101. Below are brief descriptions of the formal assignments. All the assignments will require the incorporation of material you will have learned from class discussions, Rhetorical Approaches to College Writing, They Say / I Say, and other essays and articles you will have read for class.
Each assignment has a corresponding full assignment prompt on Blackboard. Each assignment should be a minimum of at least sixfull pages in length, not including Works Cited pages or appendices.
CommunicativeAnalysis (SLOs 1-5): The first essay serves as an introduction to rhetorical analysis. This assignment asks you to think through and clarify your understanding of the rhetorical triangle, the canons, the appeals, and textual analysis. To fulfill this assignment, you will identify one means of communication you use in your life and identify its benefits, limitations, and other considerations.
Editorial Analysis (SLOs 1-5): The second essay asks you to think through and clarify your understanding of the rhetorical triangle, the canons, the appeals, and textual analysis by analyzing a piece of rhetoric here at UNCG. What counts as rhetoric, as we’ll study, encompasses a wide range, from web pages to brochures to posters to clothing. The research for this essay may serve as research for your third assignment.
Argument(SLOs 1-5): This essay requires you to develop an argument directed to a specific audience considering the three rhetorical appeals and demonstrating your understanding of the rhetorical triangle. For this assignment, you must write an essay that addresses a specific issue on our campus by developing an argument that is supported by researched evidence. You must use at least two visual images (photograph, chart, table, etc.) in support of your argument.
Portfolio Project = 45%; SLOs 1 – 6
The Final Portfolio, due at the end of the semester, is composed of representative pieces of your work this semester. Your portfolio will include a critical rationale essay and revisions of your major writing assignments (Essay 1, 2, or 3), which must be substantially revised. For the portfolio, you will need to keep and submit all drafts, including the first draft, the revised peer review draft with instructor comments, and the revised final draft. You will also need to mark where you made substantial revisions. When you have all of the components prepared and printed, you will have them comb-bound at FedEx Office on Tate St. or UNCG's Spartan Printing on Tate St. or placed in a three-prong folder (not a binder).
Portfolios must include both a rationale essay and evidence of drafting and revision in order to receive a passing grade (D- or above). Students who do not submit a portfolio with a rationale essay will automatically receive an F for English 101, regardless of the quality of work otherwise submitted prior to the portfolio.
The Critical Rationale Essay (SLO 6) will be a 6-8 page document that:
- Assesses how individual pieces of writing as well as the collective contents of the portfolio illustrate the student’s growth as a writer throughout English 101.
- Explains the stylistic and organizational choices made in the portfolio, i.e., the thoughtful and deliberate arrangement of all portfolio components.
- Illustrates an awareness of rhetorical choices across contexts and an understanding of course materials.
- Offers a deep and sustained critical reflection on the writing and revision process that resulted in these polished essays and other writings.
Unlike the essay assignments earlier in the semester, I will not grade the portfolio rationale essay separately. Instead, it will serve as an extended analysis of your work this semester, and thus it is a crucial component of the Final Portfolio. Rationale essays do not evaluate the quality or validity of individual assignments or course texts, nor do they assess my capabilities as an instructor. Rather, rationale essays should illustrate how you have met the Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) in English 101. You will submit a draft of the rationale essay for peer review before submitting the final revised essay in the Final Portfolio.