Ordover
Spring 2007
English 102
SEC 008
9:30AM-10:45AM TR
HAURY 219
English 102 Syllabus
Instructor: Heather H. Ordover
Office: Bentley’s, Speedway b/t Campbell and Mountain or TBA
Office Hours: TR 11-12
Office Phone: 917-599-7701
English Dept.: 621-1836 (To leave a message)
E-mail Address:
Required Texts:
Meyers, Kelly, et al. A Student’s Guide to First-Year Writing. 29th ed. Plymouth, MI: Hayden-McNeil, 2008.
Hacker, Diane. Rules for Writers. 6th ed. Boston: Bedford, 2008.
Selzer, Jack, Dominic Delli Carpini. Conversations: Readings for Writing. 7th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2009.
A college dictionary.
For the 4th or 5th week:
Ballenger, Bruce. The Curious Researcher: A Guide to Writing Research Papers. 5th ed. New York: Pearson, 2007.
Other Required Materials:
Paper for in-class writing
Ability to access D2L on a regular basis
Photocopies of your work as needed for class and group discussion
A UA Net account and access to the internet
Course Purpose and Goals:
Building on the close reading, focused research, and reflective writing done in English 101, English 102 combines reflections on general education with explorations of varied fields of inquiry to enable you to synthesize what you are learning and use it to write for varied purposes and audiences. The course breaks down and presents the processes of academic inquiry, research, analysis, and argument to acquaint you with the type of study and writing you will be doing throughout college and in your career. It also provides you with an opportunity to explore your educational, academic, and professional interests, to help you begin to “find yourself” at the university. As you examine how knowledge is composed in varied fields of study, you will work on analyzing and revising your own writing and reflecting on your writing process. In English 102, reflection, research, and revision are interrelated processes of inquiry that are fundamental to liberal education, specialized studies, and public life.
Written Assignments (version 2)
In the first half of the course (Rhetorical Analysis, Research, & the Researched Persuasive Essay), you will explore the processes of reading and analyzing texts, determining a course of study to conduct a specific inquiry into our class focus of popular culture controversies, and beginning research in that area. You will write in and out of class on a daily basis. Some of your writing will be graded, and some will be required to complete other graded assignments. To begin, you will write an interest inventory and a polemic to explore the areas you may wish to pursue further in your semester inquiry into controversies in popular culture. Then you will write a brief rhetorical comparison of two articles, beginning in earnest to delve into your research for your persuasive paper to follow.
After this, you will continue your inquiry in a focused way by defining the issue you wish to research and write about. You first will analyze your research in an annotated bibliography. You will then write a proposal for research and writing. Finally, you will write yourresearched persuasive piece, using all you’ve written previously and your research to effectively present and support what you say.
In the second half of the course (Learning as Revision), you will have an opportunity to reflect upon what you are learning in this and other general education courses and to use such reflection as a context for considering how you write and revise. You will write a self-assessment letter that uses the goals of this course and the assumptions of a field of study as a context for discussing your work in this class and in other general education courses and give an overview of what you plan to work on during this unit. You will then work on revisions of your chosen essays in both small-group and large-group workshops in order to compile a portfolio of these revised writings, including a cover memo that describes how you revised the essays and why you revised as you did. Finally, you will write a Reflective Essay that analyzes your writing and how you have developed it. Your portfolio should represent your best writing and demonstrate your ability to revise on your own. Your reflective essay will help you plan for future writing in college and in your chosen profession.
Course Policies:
A Student’s Guide to First-Year Composition contains further information about the following policies as well as course descriptions, sample assignments, model essays, and information about grading and responding to writing. The Guide addresses in detail all of the matters discussed below. See especially Chapter 2, “Overview to First-Year Writing Courses,” pp. 31–37, etc. Also see the Writing Program web page: All first-year Composition students are required to purchase the Student’s Guide.
Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism: All UA students are responsible for upholding the Code of Academic Integrity, available through the office of the Dean of Students and online ( Read carefully the summary of the Code that appears in the Student’s Guide, pp. 17-18. Submitting an item of academic work that has previously been submitted without fair citation of the original work or authorization by the faculty member supervising the work is prohibited by the Code. Stealing words is stealing—and punishable.
Attendance: Attendance is mandatory. Composition classes are workshop classes that include in-class writing, peer group work, and conferences. Therefore, students should not be late and should not miss classes. If you must miss a class or a conference, contact me as soon as possible to discuss your absence and make plans. The best way of contacting me is through e-mail, but you may also call the English Dept. and leave a message, or leave a note in my mailbox in ML 445, though that is the least effective way to find me. You are responsible for finding out about and making up any missed assignments. In-class writing may not be made up. If you are absent on the day a paper is due, you must arrange to get the paper to me on time, or it will be counted late. See Student’s Guide pp. 13-15. If you miss more than two classes, I may drop you from the course. I can drop you with a W during the first 8 weeks of the course, but thereafter you may receive an E. All holidays or special events observed by organized religions will be honored for those students who show affiliation with that particular religion.
Class Conduct: All UA students are responsible for upholding the Student Code of Conduct, which can be read online through UA Info ( See also Student’s Guide pp. 18-19. Class etiquette: Cell phone and other electronic devices may not be used in class. (Exception: note-taking equipment.) Eating is not allowed in class and food and drink is not allowed in the classroom (water bottles are exempted from the ban, but be careful, please). Please plan on staying in class for the duration of the class unless you have made specific arrangements to leave ahead of time.
Allow me to remind you, I am not a television set. I can see and hear everything you do and say. Better not to do anything or say anything you wouldn’t want your mother to see you do or hear you say.
All UA students are responsible for upholding the Student Code of Conduct, which can be read online at
Conferences: I may schedule individual or small-group conferences several times during the semester. You should come to your conference prepared to discuss your current work. A missed conference counts as an absence. See the Student’s Guide, pp. 15-16 for more details.
Course Content: If any of the course materials, subject matter, or requirements in this course contain materials that are offensive to you, speak to me. Usually, the resolution will be to drop the course promptly.
Disabilities Accommodations: Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations to fully participate in course activities or meet course requirements must register with the Disability Resource Center (621-3268). If you qualify for services through DRC, bring your letter of accommodations to me as soon as possible. See .
Grades: The Student’s Guide pp. 19-23 explains grading policies, methods of responding to drafts and final copies, and the standards of assessment of the Writing Program. My comments will consider the following aspects of writing, in the context of a particular assignment: purpose, audience, content, expression, organization, development of ideas, mechanics, and maturity of thought. Unless otherwise stated: you cannot receive a passing grade in First-Year Composition unless you have submitted drafts and final versions for all major assignments and the final exam.
Note the following requirements for writing assignments:
Both in-class and out-of-class writing will be assigned throughout the course. If you are not in class when writing is assigned, you are still responsible for completion of the assignment when due.
Late work will not be accepted without penalty unless you make arrangements with me for an extension before the due date. A late paper may not be revised. As a penalty, this means the grade you initially receive is the grade you keep—with no hope of improving the score.
You are required to keep copies of all drafts and assignments until after the end of the semester. In the rare event that I lose your paper, you will be asked to provide another copy.
Drafts must be turned in with all final versions of the major assignments. They should show significant changes in purpose, audience, organization, and/or evidence. I will not grade a final draft unless I have previously read at least one rough draft of the essay and unless that draft accompanies the final draft. Other arrangements will me made for electronic submissions. Those guidelines will be announced with the assignment is given.
Final copies should be typed and double-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman font, with numbered pages and a title.
You must complete all major assignments to qualify for a passing grade.
The following table lists all assignments and their point values. Required assignments that carry no point values must be completed in order for you to receive full credit for the unit and the course.
Assignments / Due Dates / Total Available Points/Percentages*UNIT 1
Drafts of Major Essays / Required, not scored
Polemic / In class, Week 2 / Required
Polemic Analysis / Week 3 / 15%
UNIT 2
Comparison-Contrast Analysis / Week 6 / 15%
UNIT 3
Annotated Bibliography / Week 7 / 5%
Proposal / Week 9 / 5%
Documented Argument / Week 12 / 15%
UNIT 4
Portfolio
--Cover Letter and Revisions
--Reflective Essay / --Week 14
--Week 16 / 40%
25%
15%
In-Class and Informal Writing, Library Tutorials/Exercises / Various / 5%
Total Available / 100%
Essay Grades and Credit:
An E is assigned to an essay that has been completed but that falls short of acceptable college-level work. This grade earns points (determined by assignment percentage) toward your course total. A zero is recorded for work not handed in at all. Always submit your work even if it is so late that it will earn an E. This is better than not handing it in at all, though you will not be able to revise it. Failure to hand in a major assignment automatically results in a failing grade for the course.
You are required to keep hard copies of all of your work to file a grade appeal at semester’s end (see Guide Appendix A) or in case an assignment is misplaced and you are asked to resubmit it.
I will not evaluate an essay or assign credit for it without first seeing the required drafts.
Introduction to Research: All First-Year Composition students are required to do documented research. For more on research, see the Student’s Guide. Also see the English Composition Subject Guide at You can get to this subject guide off the Library’s website, under Subject Guides. This guide will introduce you to many library resources.
Daily Schedule: Be aware that a syllabus is occasionally subject to change due to time constraints, unexpected disruptions, or needs of the class. Therefore, pay attention to announcements of any changes in assignments or due dates.
Library research class sessions can be scheduled anytime from weeks 3 through 7—the goals of the session will differ depending on where the class is at the time of the library presentation. New instructors can have a librarian do presentation; experienced instructors can reserve the library classrooms, call 621-4683. Vicki Mills & Leslie Colpe--help students DO research
Key to Symbols:CON = Conversations
SG = A Student’s Guide to First-Year Composition
RW = Rules for Writers
Unit 1: Polemic and AnalysisDate / Do Before, For Class / Due In (and To Do in) Class
Wk 1 T 8/26 / Plan to bring y’own wonderful self / To Do: In class interviews.
Presentations
Intro to Context and Aristotelian Rhetoric (yeah, I know, but it’s not that scary)
Review D2L
Assign discourse groups
R 8/28 / Familiarize yourself with our D2L site.
Read SG Chapter 1 (all); Chapter 2 (pp. 13-23 & 33-9 only); Chapter 11 (all)
Bring SG to class.
Read assignment sheet for Polemic; bring to class.
Watch Brutus and Antony speak; take notes
Post observations on how they create their arguments to D2L / Discuss Brutus & Antony
Discuss/view polemics
Possible issues brainstorm.
Draft Polemic.
Discuss – what do you notice about HOW you wrote your ideas? (intro to using rhetorical analysis)
Determine locations for groups in Wks 2 and 3
Wk 2 T 9/2
POLEMIC / post draft of polemic--groups read group-member drafts
Review SG Ch 1
Contact professors in discourse areas / Discourse groups meet for feedback (Ordover in CA for surgery)
Post Final draft of Polemic to D2L by midnight
Interview professors re: modes of written discourse in your field
R 9/4 / Respond to at least three other polemics from class (not from your group), using Aristotelian language in your comments
Discourse groups email findings amongst selves. / Groups meet at preferred location (Ordover in CA for surgery) create a bullet point of what written discourse looks like in your field. Post single list for group to D2L by midnight 9/5
Discuss comments received on polemics (think analysis) with someone acting as secretary
Email single group summary of discussion to
Wk 3 T 9/9 / Read PPT on analyzing polemics (D2L)
Draft self-analysis of polemic for class / Groups meet to share self-analysis drafts (maybe work with partner from group)
(Ordover in CA for surgery)
draft analysis and post to D2L by midnight 9/10
R 9/11
POLEMIC ANALYSIS
DUE / Prep analysis, work with groups / Workshop and revise analysis and post to D2L by midnight MONDAY 9/15
Wk 4 T 9/16 / Revise analysis and post to D2L by midnight MONDAY 9/15 / FALLACY FUN! (Brace yourself)
R 9/18 / Find Fallacies (YouTube clips from presidential race! Advertisements! Articles! Poelmics!)! Email links to me or post to a blog and email links to me. / Present fallacy findings (figure 3-4 minute presentations: show what you found and explain which fallacy you think it is)
Wk 5 T 9/23
Begin Comp/Con ANALYSIS / Read Popular vs Scholarship Comparison assignment sheet posted on D2L.
Complete Popular vs. Scholarly tutorial on library site and ASC tutorial (links on D2L)—print out and bring to next class with Ordover (it should email results to me, but just in case…). / Finish any leftover presentations
Review Popular and Scholarly docs and review finding for such docs on the library databases.
Discuss and decide on issue/subjects you will search for.
R 9/25 / FIND ARTICLES
Take notes (like I demonstrated maybe…hmmm…?) as you read, prepare to write a comparison paper. / Meet in library – IC A112
Learn about Annotated Bibliographies (actually our next assignment, but you can handle it)
Wk 6 T 9/30 / Write up rough draft of Comparison – bring 2 hard copies to class.
Be doing research for issue! / NO CLASS (holiday)
Those of you not celebrating would be wise to consider meeting and reading each other’s drafts. No one writes well in a vacuum.
R 10.2
Comp/Con ANALYSIS
DUE / Finalize draft of Comparison – bring Final Draft to class. Post final draft to D2L by Midnight 10/2 / Meet in main library – A315
Begin Annotated Bibliography (assignment sheet on D2L)
Wk 7 T 10.7 / Read SG Chapter 12.4.
Bring research to class.
Bring RFW to class. / Discuss persuasion (researched argument), how all this work leads to that paper.
Discuss annotated bibliographies –their function, how to write.
Drafting of AB with RFW
R 10.9
ANNOT BIBLIOGRY
DUE / Finalize AB
Post Final Draft of Annotated Bibliography to D2L by Midnight Friday 10/10 / No Class (holiday)
This one you should relax on.
End Unit 2