English 102.05
College Writing II
Spring 2014
Room MHRA 1211
Professor Johnson
Class Time: 9:30-10:45TR
Office: MHRA 3210G
Email:
Office hours: TR 8:00am-9:00am
Mailbox location: student lounge on the third floor of MHRA
Course Description
English 102 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 102 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.” (
Thus, English 102’s main objective is to extend your knowledge of composition and rhetoric in order to aid you in communicating, writing, and delivering your points more effectively and poignantly with an emphasis on research methods and incorporating research into your arguments. Further, since this course carries the speaking-intensive marker, oral communication will also be a focus of the course material. The course will also emphasize how to enhance your researching techniques and writing style.
Required Texts
Ensor, Lavina, Chelsea Atkins Skelley and Kathleen T. Leuschen, eds. Rhetorical Approaches
to College Writing. Plymouth, MI: Hayden-McNeil Publishing, 2014. Print. ISBN: 978-0-7380-6133-7
Huff, Anne Sigismund. Writing for Scholarly Publication. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publications, 1999. Print.
Various supplemental readings available on Blackboard.
Student Learning Outcomes
At the completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Locate and evaluate primary and/or secondary sources;
- Employ sources to advance an informed, cogent argument;
- Construct research-based writing projects that demonstrate focused, independent inquiry.
- Students will be able to speak effectively in genres appropriate to the discipline(s) of the primary subject matter of the course. (UNCG Speaking-Intensive SLO)
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 http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu. I expect you to abide by the Academic Integrity Policy.
Incidents of cheating and plagiarism are reported to the Dean of Students and sanctions are aligned with the policies at http://sa.uncg.edu/dean/academic-integrity/violation/plagiarism/
If any student is found in violation of this policy in this course, corrective action will be taken including the possibility of failing the course.
MLA Citation and Format
All papers must be written in and adhere to MLA guidelines, which can be found online at the Purdue’s Online Writing Lab. The URL to this tool is: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/. This online source includes vital information concerning: how to cite references, how to quote, paraphrase, summarize, and proper formatting of all papers that you will submit in this class. All papers must abide by the following format: 1” margins, 12 point, Times New Roman font, double-spaced. Headings should also follow MLA format.
Attendance Policy
Students in this course are allowed a maximum of two absences without a grade penalty. Students who miss three classes can expect their grade to be dropped a letter grade on the third absence. Those who miss four or more classes automatically fail the course. Attendance during the final exam session is required; if a student is absent during this class period, it will be counted as an absence. If a student plans to miss class due to a religious holiday, he/she must notify me at least 48 hours prior to the absence.
Regarding timeliness, please be advised that two tardies, whether they are successive or not, will constitute one absence. A student is considered tardy if he/she arrives to class at least five minutes late. These are short class periods, and we have a lot of material to cover, thus arriving on time and prepared for class is essential to successful completion of the course.
Finally, also understand that if a student is found exhibiting unacceptable behavior (to be determined by the professor) he/she will be asked to leave the class for the day and this departure will be counted as an absence. In order to fully benefit from this course, you are asked to act in a respectable, adult manner at all times, toward other students and toward the professor herself.
Course Evaluation
Participation…………...……………………………………………………………………… 15%
Annotated Bibliography………………………………………………………………………...5%
Debate………………………………………………………………………………………….10%
Essay 1…………...…………………………………………………………………………….10%
Prospectus…………………………………………………………………………………….....5%
Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………….5%
Essay 2...…...…………………………………………………………………………………..10%
Final Presentation……………………………………………………………………………...15%
Final Essay…………………………...………………………………………………………...25%
*Failing to complete any single assignment for the course could result in a failing grade for the entire course! All assignments are required assignments. Failure to complete the final essay will also result in automatic failure of the course.
Participation
Participation in this course is evaluated on a two-part basis: (1) being prepared for and actively engaged in class, which means that you are expected to contribute to the class discussions, and you must actively read the required readings prior to class, and (2) various quizzes and other in-class assignments to be given at the behest of the instructor. Please keep in mind that you may not be forewarned of a quiz; thus, it is imperative that you complete all assignments and readings in a timely manner.
Conferences
Twice during the semester, I will meet with each of you individually to discuss your progress in the class and make suggestions as to how to better your writing. Not only do I expect that you have completed the reading assigned for these conferences prior to meeting with me, but I also expect you to come equipped with questions and/or concerns to discuss. Keep in mind that these conferences can be used to look at particular pieces of your writing. If that is what you would prefer to discuss in our meetings, please come prepared with a hard copy of the piece you wish to talk about.
Essay 1, the Annotated Bibliography, and Debate
To aid you in performing research, you will have a choice of one of two topics to investigate. You will select one and focus on a particular “side” of the issue at hand. To begin the research process, you will write an annotated bibliography that includes five credible sourcesat a minimum. After you have researched the topic to the point where you feel well-informed on its major points, the class will engage in a debate on the issue. More specifics regarding these two assignments will be made available as the time approaches. Finally, after engaging in your research enterprises and the debate amongst your peers, you will write an argumentative essay on the topic of 5-7 pages. These three assignments, taken together, will comprise 25% of your grade.
Prospectus, Abstract, and Essay 2
Your second essay will be on a topic of your own choosing. In order to ensure a viable route for argumentation, you will write a prospectus of your topic and argument and turn that into me before the essay is due for feedback. In addition to the 5-7 page essay, you will also include an abstract. We will review how to compose these other forms of writing (the annotated bibliography, prospectus, and abstract) later in the semester. Cumulatively, these three related assignments, the Prospectus, Abstract, and second essay, will constitute 20% of your grade.
Final Essay and Final Presentation
For your final essay project, you will select either one of the two essays you have already composed for this course and revise it further, or you will select a completely new topic and write another polished 5-7 page essay. If you choose to do the latter, you will need to communicate with me what your writing plans will be for this final essay either in class or via email. Regarding the former option, keep in mind that revising a paper means rewriting that paper. Surface changes, such as performing a grammar check and/or punctuation check, do not constitute revision. If you choose to rewrite a paper for this course and have only performed surface changes on the essay, this will result in a failing grade for the assignment. Keep in mind that I am available to meet with you (in office hours or by appointment) to discuss your compositional progress and explore options for revision in order to facilitate your rhetorical enhancement for this project.
For the final presentation, you will present to the class a condensed version of your final project. Each reading will should be timed to last five minutes. Do not go over this timeframe, for that will cut into other people’s presentations. Also, be advised that your presentation should be as close to five minutes as possible, so the class gains a decent understanding of your topic, your conversants, and your argument. A two-minute Q&A will follow your presentation. Think of the assignment as reading a portion of your paper, like you would at a professional conference in the English discipline. Further details concerning this assignment will be made available to you the closer we come to its due date. A rubric will be posted to Blackboard so you will know my specific requirements and expectations regarding this assignment. Please be reminded that these two final assignments account for 40% of your grade for the course.
Peer-Review
Two days in the syllabus are devoted to peer-review. This is to emphasize how important and valuable peer-review can be to the composing process. I will supply a handout via Blackboard for you to reference and work with each time we engage in peer-review. Regarding peer-review partners, I require that you have a different partner each time you have your paper peer-reviewed. I require this because it allows you as the author to have multiple perspectives on how you write rather than what you write.
Late Work
I do not accept late work. I do, however, accept early work. If you would like to turn in your work early, or if you know you will miss a class when an assignment is due, I will gladly accept it before the due date. Please refer to the course schedule to see when assignments are due, and make sure to check this schedule regularly.
The 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 facility is located in the Moore Humanities and ResearchBuilding, room 3211.
The Speaking Center
The University Speaking Center provides students with consultation support and instructional workshop services. Our support is designed to help speakers further develop their own oral communication confidence and competence. We provide peer-to-peer feedback, guidance, and other support in the areas of public speaking preparation and delivery, interpersonal communication, and group or team communication. This resource is located in the Moore Humanities and Research Building, room 3211. Hours and online resources can be found here: http://speakingcenter.uncg.edu/resources/index.php#students.
Electronic Equipment in the Classroom
Laptops may be used in class only by students known to have a special need for such use and in these cases they may use them for the purposes of note-taking or other class-related activities. Students with such a need should make specific arrangements with the instructor. No student may use a laptop in class without a prior arrangement with the instructor.
Cell phones, iPods, pagers, and all other electronic equipment must be turned off upon entering the classroom, no exceptions. If a student uses any of this type of equipment while in class, he/she will be asked to leave the class and will be counted as absent.
Disability Services
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 ResourcesServices on campus before such accommodations can be made. The office is located on the second floor of the Elliot University Center (EUC) in Suite 215, and the office is open 8am to 5pm, Monday – Friday. Telephone: 334-5440; email:
Course Outline
BB: Blackboard; RACW: Rhetorical Approaches to College Writing; Huff: Writing for Scholarly Publication
*Please note: Changes in the schedule may need to be adjusted due to our work together and in cases of inclement weather at the discretion of the instructor.
Week 1
T1/14: Introductions and Syllabus, Textbooks, and Final Project Overview
R 1/16: Writing Is a Process, Academic Integrity & Grading
RACW: “Reading an Assignment Sheet” (123-6); “Academic Integrity” (34-40)
BB: “Plagiarism” from the MLA Handbook (52-61)
“Why Colleges Shower their Students with As” Brent Staples (1998)
F 1/17: Last day to drop classes for tuition and fees refund.
Week 2
T 1/21: Foundations of Rhetoric and Reading Critically & Rhetorically
RACW: “An Introduction to Rhetoric and the Rhetorical Triangle”(3-12)
“Reading for the Rhetorical Appeals”(25-33); “Reading Critically” (49-56)
R1/23: Writing and Speaking Rhetorically
RACW: “Writing with the Rhetorical Appeals” (17-24); “Rhetorical Context Is (Almost) Everything” (13-6)
BB: Selections from Speak
Week 3
T1/28: Constructing Annotated Bibliographies
RACW: “Understanding the Rhetorical Dimensions of Academic Citations” (113-20)
R 1/30: The Importance of Brainstorming and Thesis Statements
Huff: Chapter 3 (29-44)
RACW: “How the Thesis Guides Effective Writing” (61-5)
Week 4
T 2/4: Writing As Conversation, Audience, and Academic Discourse
Huff: Chapter 1 (3-16)
RACW: “The Genre of Academic Discourse” (105-10)
Annotated Bibliographies due
R 2/6: Debate Group 1
Week 5
T 2/11: Debate Group 2
R 2/13: Peer-review for Essay 1
RACW: “Viewing Peer Review as a Rhetorical Process” (127-31)
Week 6
T 2/18: Finding Evidence and Determining What’s Credible
RACW: “Finding a Conversation to Find Research” (95-9)
Huff: Chapter 2 (17-26)
Essay 1 due
R 2/20: Outlining and Incorporating Evidence
Huff: Chapter 7 (77-84)
RACW: “Situating Evidence through Contextualization” (100-5); “The Art of Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting” (106-12)
Week 7
T 2/25: Identifying Conversants, Joining the Conversation/Saying Why Your Voice Matters,
and Prospectus Writing
Huff: Chapter 4 (45-54)
BB: “‘So What? Who Cares?’” from They Say/I Say
R 2/27: CONFERENCES
RACW: “Conferencing Rhetorically” (132-4)
Week 8
T3/4: CONFERENCES
R 3/6: Drafting
Huff: Chapter 5 (55-64); Chapter 10 (105-16)
Prospectus due
F 3/7: Last day to drop classes without academic penalty.
Week 9
T 3/11: NO CLASS – Spring break
R 3/13: NO CLASS – Spring break
Week 10
T 3/18: Revision
RACW: “Revision Is Writing” (77-80); “Style as Revision” (72-6)
Huff: Chapter 11 (117-28)
R 3/20: Titles and Abstracts
Huff: Chapter 6 (67-76)
Week 11
T 3/25: Peer-Review for Essay 2
R 3/27: Tone and Voice
RACW: “Understanding Tone and Voice” (81-6)
Abstract and Essay 2 due
Week 12
T 4/1: Introductions and Conclusions
Huff: Chapter 8 (85-94)
R 4/3: Arranging Your Argument
RACW: “Arrangement as Rhetorical Composing” (66-71)
Week 13
T 4/8: Presentations
Huff: Chapter 9 (95-104)
R 4/10: Preparation for Presentations and Mock Presentation Day
Week 14
T 4/15: Peer-Review for Final Essay
R 4/17: Final Presentations
Week 15
T 4/22: Final Presentations
R 4/24:Final essay due
Last day of classes.
W 4/30: University Reading Day
Final examination period: Tuesday, May 6th 12:00-3:00p; return of final essays
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