Florida International University, Spring 2018

ENC1101: Writing and Rhetoric I

Section3M

Syllabus

Instructor: Nicholas Anderson Email:

Office Hours: TBDClassroom: GC279B

Office location: PC246CClass Meeting Times:MWF 2:00-2:50

Phone: (786)374-6149 (Texts only) Class Website: ProfessorNAnderson.com

Course Description:

This course is the first in a two-course sequence for writing. It will help you better understand and write for different rhetorical purposes as well as give you practice writing in some of the most common college genres. Effective writing is a process that includes reflection, critical thinking, and multiple revisions. During this course we will explore and practice all of these different steps.

Throughout the semester there will be 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 process. 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 three major writing assignments ranging from 750-1000 words that will require the full writing process. The final exercise will be a timed writing assignment designed to prepare you for the essay exams you will inevitably face as your college career progresses.

As we work to refine and develop our writing abilities, we will investigate and analyze issues related to rhetoric, critical thinking, language, and law. This course will explore issues such as how professional speakers and writers use rhetoric to influence their audience, how advertising and digital media use visual rhetoric to manipulate consumers, and how we can employ advanced rhetorical strategies (and avoid fallacies) to best strengthen our own arguments.

Note: This section of ENC1101 is dedicated to Global 1st Year Students and works in conjunction with EGL1003-U3M. Your assignments from EGL1003 will count directly for your grade in ENC1101.

Learning Outcomes:

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

  • Generate relevant and timely writing topics that are appropriate for your chosen audience and the assignment;
  • Develop your ideas through an effective and recursive process of writing, revision, and editing;
  • Indicate your ability to write in various genres including peer review, prewriting, narrative, thesis-driven essays, and researched writing;
  • Respond to various rhetorical purposes and address the needs of various audiences;
  • Display genre-appropriate format, structure and stylistic choices, understanding differences in open and closed form prose;
  • Develop an effective thesis and support it with reasons and evidence;
  • Exhibit appropriate syntax, punctuation, and spelling;
  • Develop a rhetorical vocabulary for talking about writing.

Required Materials:

  • Ramage, John D., et al.The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing: Customized for FIU. 6th edition. New York: Pearson Learning Solutions. 2016.
  • Reliable access to a computer and the internet for using Turnitin.com and the class website ProfessorNAnderson.com.
  • Paper and a writing instrument for our daily classwork

Grading:
In order to pass ENC 1101 you must receive a "C" or higher. A "C-" or lower will result in having to repeat ENC 1101. Your final grade will be determined by:

  • Essay 1: Rhetorical Analysis15%Due 2/11*
  • Essay 2: Visual Analysis15%Due 3/9*
  • Essay 3: Synthesis Essay15%Due 4/15*
  • FinalExam10%Scheduled 4/18*
  • Participation & Classwork15%
  • Quizzes15%
  • Online Journal/Blog15%

*Due dates subject to change based on class progress. Students are responsible for attending class and noting any changes in the schedule.

Course Policies:
Attendance: Attendance is expected. Missing a class will lower your participation grade. Please plan accordingly. As per departmental regulations, missing six or more classeswillresult 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 textbooks to each class meeting.

LateAssignments: All assignments are due by the beginning of class on the due date. For major essays, the grade will be reduced a full letter grade for every day a final draft is late. For example, an essay that would’ve received an “A” will become a “B”, an essay that would’ve received a “B” will become a “C”, etc. Turning in a major assignment on the due date, but after a class has started, will be considered one day late. FAILURE TO TURN IN ANY ONE OF THE MAJOR WRITING PROJECTS 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.

Electronics:Cellphones 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 in class is a privilege and one that can be revoked. All students who choose to use laptops 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,

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 consequences that range from suspension 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

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

  • 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. For more information, visit:

  • 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:

  • 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:

Additional information as well as daily lessons can be found on the class website at:

ProfessorNAnderson.com