ENG 1020: Introductory College Writing

Winter 2012 CRN: 22602 Section: 023 MWF 11:45am-12:40pm 0335 State Hall

Syllabus
Instructor: Christopher Susak Office: #9306 5057 Woodward Ave. Office Hours: Monday 9am 11am, Thursday 3pm 6pm, and by appointment Email: er5356@wayne.edu Email is my preferred communication method for any inquiries related to this course. I will generally respond to questions or concerns within 48 hours, unless I have otherwise notified the class. All communications must be directed through your Wayne State Email Address. Any messages sent from personal email addresses will not be answered unless routed through a Wayne State account. General Education Designation With a grade of C or better, ENG 1020 fulfills the General Education Basic Composition (BC) graduation requirement. Successful completion of Basic Composition (BC) with a grade of C or better is a prerequisite to enrolling in courses that fulfill the General Education IC (Intermediate Composition) requirement for graduation (e.g., ENG 3010, 3050, Literature and Writing courses). Course Description Building upon students diverse skills, English 1020 prepares students for reading, research, and writing in col lege classes. The main goals of the course are (1) to teach students to consider the rhetorical situation for any piece of writing; (2) to have students integrate reading, research, and writing in the genres of analysis and argument; and (3) to teach students to develop analyses and arguments using appropriate content, effective organization, and appropriate expression and mechanics, all while using a flexible writing process that incorporates drafting, revising, editing, and documenting sources.
To achieve these goals, the course places considerable emphasis upon the relationship between reading and writing, the evaluation and development of information and ideas through research, the genres of analysis and argumentation, and the use of multiple technologies for research and writing.

Course Learning Objectives to develop analytical and critical strategies for reading complex texts with varied sources of information, multiple perspectives, and complicated arguments
to identify and analyze the structure of analysis and arguments in a variety of texts and media, identifying authors claims, evidence, appeals, organization, and style, and evaluating their persuasive effect to consider the rhetorical situation for any given piece of writing, including audience, purpose, and context to conduct research by finding and evaluating print and electronic sources, generating information and ideas from research, and synthesizing them with respect to the topic and ideas of the writer to write effectively in multiple analytical and argumentative genres, generating a clearly defined topic and purpose/thesis, organizing and developing complex content and reasoning, and using standard text conventions for academic writing to use a flexible writing process that includes generating ideas, writing, revising, providing/responding to feedback in multiple drafts, and editing text and tone for multiple audiences to make productive use of a varied set of technologies for researc h and writing

Methods of Instruction As a composition course, we will place a heavy emphasis on the process of drafting, workshopping, and revising the various essays required for the course. This means that on scheduled workshop days, it is imperative that students not only bring a piece of work that is ready for peer review, but that they also give and receive constructive criticism in a productive way. Unexcused absence or failure to bring a workable draft to a scheduled workshop day will result in a one-third grade reduction on the final draft. We will discuss this in more detail during our first few class sessions. This course will also include a fair amount of discussion as well as group activities based upon assigned readings. In order to adequately participate in class activities, students should come to class having read, taken notes, and ready to offer questions or comments relevant to the topics under discussion. Required reading responses and wiki posts will assist in preparing students for class participation. Besides lecture and in-class note taking, course materials will also be delivered via our class wiki hosted at http://eng1020comp.pbworks.com. Students are responsible for checking the wiki regularly for updates, making use of the resources hosted on the wiki site, and observing appropriate online etiquette at all times. Students will also be required to use the wiki for assignment submissions and various other activities related to this course. As such, a computer with a reliable internet connection will be a necessary tool the Undergraduate Library has a large computer lab with 24 hour access for those without a personal computer at their disposal. Required Texts (Can be purchased at Marwil Bookstore on the corner of Cass and Warren) David Axe & Matt Bors. War is Boring. New York: New American Library, 2010. Lester Faigley & Jack Selzer. A Little Argument. Pearson Education, Inc., 2010. Gerald Graff & Cathy Birkenstein. They Say I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 2010. Fareed Zakaria. The Post-American World. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 2008. Assignment Breakdown and Policies Project One Ad Analysis (4-6 pages): 15% DUE before midnight 1/30/12 Project Two Rhetorical Analysis (4-6 pages): 20% DUE before midnight 2/24/12 Project Three Definition Argument (6-8 pages): 25% DUE before midnight on 3/23/12 Project Four Evaluation/Proposal Argument (8-12 pages): 30% DUE before midnight on 4/23/12 Reading Responses/Participation (approximately 10 pages total): 10% Note: All due dates, assignments, and requirements are subject to change. Class attendance and regular checking of the course wiki are crucial to your awareness of any said changes and your overall success in the class.
Unless noted otherwise, all assignments, including drafts, must be completed using word processing software (i.e., typed). Per MLA format, all papers must: have one-inch margins on all four sides be written 12-point font (nothing goofy) be edited, spell-checked, and proofread contain a title that captures both the topic and theme/focus of the work include the writers first and last name, instructors last name, assignment name, and date in the upper left corner (no cover pages unless specifically requested) include citations and a Works Cited page for all research sources

Late and Missing Work I do not accept late assignments, however, I will accept one late project (see Assignments above) over the course of the semester. For that project, I will deduct one letter grade from the final project grade for each late day. Failure to participate in peer review sessions for a project because of absence or by failing to bring a draft to class will result in a one-third grade deduction in the final grade for that project (i.e., an A- paper becomes a B+, etc.). Students must complete 80% of all course assignments in order to pass the course. I will normally return graded projects to students within seven business days of submission. Attendance/Class Policies Because this is a discussion and workshop based class, attendance and participation for all class sessions is recorded and will be counted toward an overall participation grade. In accordance with English Dept. policy, enrolled students in any English classes must attend one of the first two class sessions; otherwise, they may be required to drop the class. After, you are allowed three unexcused absences; subsequent unexcused absences will result in a grade reduction for each unexcused absence. Further, students who miss 20% of total class meetings (8+ absences) will be asked to withdraw, or fail the course. Also, inability to participate in class activities due to unpreparedness, or arriving more than 15 minutes late to class will count as an absence for the course. I encourage you to use your laptops and Internet connections to search out information relevant to class, during class. However, browsing unrelated to the class (as well as other media use - texting, IMing, etc.) will be grounds for expulsion from class period or the course. Obviously, extenuating circumstances occur and will be handled on a case-by-case basis. As always, please contact me sooner rather than later in order to properly discuss and troubleshoot any potential problems. Please feel free to make use of my office hours for any and all concerns, problems, or queries.

Important Dates Add: The last day to add for the Winter 12 semester is January 14. Drop/Withdraw: The last day to drop with tuition reimbursement is January 23. The last day to drop is February 4. The last day to withdraw with permission of the instructor is March 24; after this date no W grades will be given and students will receive a failing grade for the course. Holidays: We will not have class on 1/16/12 in observance of the holiday. Spring break occurs from March 1216. Last Day: The last day of class is April 23. We will not meet during our final exam period. Incomplete Policy No I grades (incompletes) will be given for this course, barring extreme unforeseen circumstances.

Email Netiquette Analyzing your audience is critical to designing any effective communication and that applies to email as well. The kinds of email we write, and the style we use to write email, is very different for friends, families, employers, and instructors. With this in mind, I'm going to ask that you use a fairly formal style with me this semester which will be good practice for the kinds of email you'll have to write to other professors, university administrators, and potential employers as you continue your academic career. As such, please use the following guidelines in your email:

Please communicate with your WSU email account only; emails received from other email accounts will not be opened. Please do not click reply all when responding to an email I have sent to the entire class unless you wish for all of your classmates to see your response. Please do not give out my email address or send out non-course related emails to me or your classmates unless you have prior permission to do so. Please remember that since email does not include the advantage of us being able to observe one anothers body language and tone, be careful with sarcasm and humor; you may unintentionally communicate the incorrect message. Please do not use all caps in emails as it is considered shouting; likewise, please do not bold or underline unless you need to emphasis a very important point. Begin the first email in a thread with a salutation such as Dear or Hello Mr. Susak, or Dear Classmates; greetings such as "Hey," "Yo," or "How's it Going?" are not appropriate. Include an ending salutation such as "Thank You," "Thanks," or "Best." Please only tag emails as having high importance/priority, if they truly are. If you choose to BCC (blind carbon copy) or CC (carbon copy) me on an email, please let me know why you have chosen to do so. Please check your email, at least, once daily. Check all email for spelling. Most email clients do so automatically. Please always include ENG 1020 in your subject line if you are not emailing directly from Bb which will automatically include ENG 1020 in the subject line.

Plagiarism & Academic Dishonesty Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of ideas and information from sources without proper citation and documentation (e.g., copying from texts or pasting from websites without quoting, and not providing a complete list of Works Cited). Plagiarism also includes submitting papers that were written by another student or downloaded from the internet. Plagiarism is a serious academic offense: the minimum penalty for plagiarism is an F for the assignment; the full penalty for plagiarism may result in an F for the course. All cases of plagiarism in ENG 1020 will be reported to the Department of English. Information about plagiarism procedures is available in the Department of English (9th Floor, 5057 Woodward). The Undergraduate Librarys reSearch program includes a module on avoiding plagiarism: http://www.lib.wayne.edu/services/instruction/searchpath/mod6/04-plagiarism.html Writing Center Information
nd

The Writing Center (2 floor, UGL) provides individual tutoring consultations free of charge for students at Wayne State University. Undergraduate students in General Education courses, including composition courses, receive priority for tutoring appointments. The Writing Center serves as a resource for writers, providing tutoring sessions on the range of activities in the writing process considering the audience, analyzing the assignment or genre, brainstorming, researching, writing drafts, revising, editing, and preparing documentation. The Writing Center is not an editing or proofreading service; rather, students are guided as they engage collaboratively in the process of academic writing, from developing an idea to correctly citing sources. To make an

appointment, consult the Writing Center website: http://www.clas.wayne.edu/writing/. To submit material for online tutoring, consult the Writing Center HOOT website (Hypertext One-on-One Tutoring): http://www.clas.wayne.edu/unit-inner.asp?WebPageID=1330.
OWL The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University is an excellent writing resource with information on a wide variety of writing and research issues http://owl.english.purdue.edu/

Office of Educational Accessibility Services If you have a documented disability that requires accommodations, you will need to register with Student Disability Services (SDS) for coordination of your academic accommodations. The Student Disability Services (SDS) office is located at 1600 David Adamany Undergraduate Library in the Student Academic Success Services department. SDS telephone number is 313-577-1851 or 313-577-3365 (TDD only). Once you have your accommodations in place, I will be glad to meet with you privately during my office hours to discuss your special needs. Student Disability Services mission is to assist the university in creating an accessible community where students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to fully participate in their educational experience at Wayne State University. Please be aware that a delay in getting SDS accommodation letters for the current semester may hinder the availability or facilitation of those accommodations in a timely manner. Therefore, it is in your best interest to get your accommodation letters as early in the semester as possible. WSU Resources for Students Educational Accessibility Services (EAS) http://www.eas.wayne.edu/ Adamany Undergraduate Library http://www.lib.wayne.edu/info/maps/ugl.php Academic Success Center http://www.success.wayne.edu/ Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) http://www.caps.wayne.edu General Grading Description Although individual projects in this course have specific grading guidelines, the general rubric for grades in our course is as follows: The "A" Paper The "A" paper has an excellent sense of the rhetorical situation. Its aim is clear and consistent throughout the paper. It attends to the needs of its audience and the topic itself is effectively narrowed and clearly defined. The content is appropriately developed for the assignment and rhetorical situation. The supporting details or evidence are convincingly presented. The reasoning is valid and shows an awareness of the complexities of the subject. If secondary sources are used, they are appropriately selected and cited. The organization demonstrates a clear and effective strategy. The introduction establishes the writer's credibility and the conclusion effectively completes the essay: paragraphs are coherent, developed, and show effective structural principles. The expression is very clear, accessible, concrete. It displays ease with idiom and a broad range of diction. It shows facility with a great variety of sentence options and the punctuation and subordinate structures that these require. It has few errors, none of which seriously undermines the effectiveness of the paper for educated readers. The "B" Paper The "B" paper has a good sense of the rhetorical situation. It shows awareness of purpose and focuses on a clearly defined topic. The content is well developed and the reasoning usually valid and convincing. Evidence and supporting details are adequate.

The organization is clear and easy to follow: the introduction and conclusion are effective, and transitions within and between paragraphs are finessed reasonably well. The paper has few errors, especially serious sentence errors. Sentences show some variety in length, structure, and complexity. Punctuation, grammar, and spelling conform to the conventions of edited Standard American English. The "C" Paper The "C" paper has an adequate sense of the rhetorical situation. Its purpose is clear and it is focused on an appropriate central idea. The topic may be unoriginal, but the assignment has been followed, if not fulfilled. The content is adequately developed. The major points are supported, and paragraphs are appropriately divided, with enough specific details to make the ideas clear. The reasoning is valid. The organization is clear and fairly easy to follow. The introduction and conclusion are adequate; transitions are mechanical but appropriate. The expression is generally correct, although it shows little competence with sentence variety (in length and structure) and emphasis. The paper is generally free of major sentence and grammar errors and indicates mastery of most conventions of edited Standard American English. The "D" Paper The "D" paper has a limited sense of the rhetorical situation. Its purpose may not be clear, its topic may not be interesting to or appropriate for its audience. The content is inadequately developed. The evidence is insufficient, and supporting details or examples are absent or irrelevant. Organization is deficient. Introductions or conclusions are not clearly marked or functional. Paragraphs are not coherently developed or linked to each other. The arrangement of material within paragraphs may be confusing. Expression demonstrates an awareness of a very limited range of stylistic options. It is marred by numerous errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation that detract from a readers comprehension of the text. The "F" Paper There is no sense of the rhetorical situation or of the objectives of the assignment as described in the syllabus. The content is insufficiently developed and does not go beyond the obvious. The reasoning is deeply flawed. The organization is very difficult to follow. Sentences may not be appropriately grouped into paragraphs, or paragraphs may not be arranged logically. Transitions are not present or are inappropriate. The number and seriousness of errorsin grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc.significantly obstruct comprehension.

Assignment Descriptions and Rubrics Note: All due dates, assignments, and requirements are subject to change. Class attendance and regular checking of the course wiki are crucial to your awareness of any said changes and your overall success in the class.

Reading Responses/Participation (approximately 10 pages total): 10%

Students will be required to submit both formal responses as well as informal wiki posts related to assigned readings throughout the semester. While not graded for grammar, spelling etc. these will be evaluated based on demonstrated effort, critical thinking, and engagement with the readings.

Project One Ad Analysis (4-6 pages): 15%

This assignment is designed to give you practice in applying the basic tools and terms of rhetoric. Project One introduces many of the key concepts we'll be working through in our course and gives you an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to think and respond to a given rhetorical situation. From a print or other medium (commercial, YouTube clip, website, etc.) choose an advertisement, an advertising campaign, or a recurring trope (recurring motif or topic) across several advertisements, that you find rhetorically interesting. Write an analysis of your chosen topic and its use of rhetorical devices that will help your readeri.e., your instructor and the class or some other audience that would be interestedsee how the ad works to influence its audience, both through its images and its text.
Dimensions Content: 20 pts. 1. Thesis 2. Ad Description 3. Analysis of Ad: (Audience, appeals, tropes, visual elements) 4. Conclusions about Ad 5. Use of evidence to support analysis and conclusions Description of highest level of performance 1.Clearly states an analytical thesis that maintains its focus throughout the essay 2. Addresses the rhetorically relevant visual, textual, and auditory elements of the ad 3. Insightfully describes how the ads elements form appeals/tropes in relation to an intended audience 4. Presents clear conclusions about the rhetorical efficacy of the ad (based on the description and analysis) 5. Evidence from the ad or an outside source is effectively used to support analysis/conclusions 1. Ideas are developed and maintained in coherent paragraphs with a topic sentence 2. Effectively employs transitional elements to express relationships between sequenced ideas Comments Points

Organization: 7 pts. 1. Paragraphs 2. Transitions

Writing Conventions: 3 pts. 1. Grammar

1. Is free of glaring errors. May contain one or two errors that do not impede the argument or reading of the essay

Project Two Rhetorical Analysis (4-6 pages): 20%

In this assignment, apply what you have learned about rhetoric from the first assignment to an example of popular discourse. This exercise will give you an opportunity to exercise your critical faculties and your knowledge of the ways in which rhetoric is employed by others to persuade an audience. The audience for this assignment is your classmates, your teacher, or any other readers of the argument you have chosen. You should not assume that your readers are familiar with the work you have chosen to analyze, or have read the work before turning to your paper. So part of your task will be to briefly review the contents of the work and to suggest to your audience why they should be interested in the issue and the author's treatment of it. However, it is not sufficient for you to simply review the text. In an analysis, you are expected to explain the reasons for the effectiveness of the author's treatment of the issue at hand. Help your readers see how the argument works (or doesn't work).
Dimensions Content: 25 pts. 1. Thesis 2. Content Description 3. Rhetorical Situation (triangle) 4. Analysis of Argument 5. Use of evidence to support analysis and conclusions Description of highest level of performance 1. Clearly states an analytical thesis that is supported and maintains its focus throughout the essay 2. Provides a contextualized summary of the works content, overall thesis, supporting points, and structure for the audience of the essay 3. Insightfully describes the relationship between the author, the work, and its intended audience 4. Insightfully analyzes the authors argument (use of rhetorical appeals, evidence, its claims, and structure) and its efficacy in persuading an audience. Does not personally engage with the works content 5. Evidence from the text is correctly and effectively used to support analysis/conclusions. 1. Ideas are developed and maintained in coherent paragraphs with a topic sentence and relevant supporting points 2. Effectively employs transitional elements to develop a sequence of ideas begin with the introduction and crescendo in the conclusion of the essay. 1. Is free of glaring errors. May contain one or two errors that do not impede the argument or reading of the essay Comments Points

Organization: 10 pts. 1. Paragraphs 2. Transitions

Writing Conventions: 5 pts. 1. Grammar

Project Three Definition Argument (6-8 pages): 25%

This paper allows you to focus on an argument type which commonly arises before we can argue about what should be done to address an issue: What is the nature or definition of something? The need for definition arises when people have diverging ideas about what a term means or an audience has difficulty understanding a concept. The purpose of this assignment is to (re)define something either to change an audiences thinking about its meaning or to help them understand it better. You will need to have some purpose for arguing this definition, and you will need to direct your writing to some audience whose thinking you want to influence. In other words, though our first two projects focused on the default audience of your classmates, this project demands that you formulate what "real" audience you will be writing for and where you might "send" or submit this piece when it is completed. When trying to choose a topic, ask yourself the following questions: 1.Do people disagree about the definition of this topic? If the answer is yes, it is a good choice. For instance, do not pick a topic like "love." Most people can agree upon a basic working definition of such a term. 2.What are the stakes of defining this--why is it important? If the definition of this changes, what else will change? 3.As mentioned above you will need to use outside sources to support your argument. Ask yourself, will I be able to find adequate research on this topic? If not, it is not a good choice for your project.
Dimensions Term, Criteria, Definition Context Exemplary Performance There is a clear thesis which lays out the term, and its matching criteria. The focus is maintained throughout the essay The rhetorical context of the controversy surrounding the term is clearly established and supported with adequate research The essays purpose and audience are clearly presented. Further, it anticipates their sense of pathos, and addresses any potential dissent. The essay develops a clear criteria-match argument aimed at persuading a specific audience. Convincing details and examples were used to effectively support the major/minor claims. Adequate number and quality of sources were used. Paraphrased and quoted materials were fluidly incorporated into the essays prose and observe proper MLA citation style. The essay utilizes a clear organizational structure which fluidly leads the reader through the essay. Paragraphs thoroughly develop one main idea and utilize transitional elements to connect ideas Syntax and word choice show clear, creative expression of ideas. The essay is free from major sentence level errors though one or two minor errors (spelling/type-os) may be present. All MLA formatting requirements have been followed for the essay AND Works Cited. Competent Emerging Instructor Comments

Audience

Argument

Research

Structure

Mechanics

MLA Formatting

Project Four Evaluation/Proposal Argument (8-10 pages): 30%

For your fourth project, you can choose to develop one of two closely linked genres of arguments: An evaluation, which argues for the quality or value of an object, or a proposal, which argues for a particular course of action. Evaluation In a fashion similar to the Definition assignment, this project asks you to engage another question that commonly arises in argumentation: What is the quality of something? You must first put the term or concept you are defining into a category. That category may redefine the way your audience understands the subject or it may broaden and deepen their understanding. You will then develop criteria for evaluating the thing within the category you have assigned it. Your paper will present supporting details to show how it does or does not fit those criteria. Proposal For this assignment, you are to advocate that something should be done to address or alleviate a problem. Your aim is to convince your audience that a situation is a problem and that a certain action should be taken to respond to that problem. This assignment should pay particular attention to the intended audience. You should be able to specify an actual audience and forum for which you would present the proposal. Your audience should be asked either to undertake the action proposed or to support the action proposed. Both of these genres require effective use of support, and to gather evidence in support of your project, it is critical to explore a broad range of positions and opinions and research about the problem and its possible solutions.
Dimensions Argumentative Thesis Exemplary Performance There is a clear thesis which lays out the object (and its matching criteria) for judgment, or problem and an appropriate solution (along with its feasibility/justification). The focus is maintained throughout the essay The author clearly establishes her/his ethos and voice through appropriate use of research, style, and background information. The rhetorical context of the controversy/history surrounding the object or problem is clearly established and supported with adequate research The essays purpose and audience are clearly presented observing formal conventions (if any) native to the forum chosen. Further, it anticipates their sense of pathos, and addresses any potential dissent. The essay engages multiple perspectives or takes on the object or problem (solution) and clearly demonstrates that the author has a firm grasp on existing literature surrounding the topic. The essay develops a clear argument aimed at persuading a specific audience to either accept the posited judgment (and its category/criteria for judgment) or adopt the prescribed action (and its feasibility/justification). Convincing details and examples were used to effectively support the major/minor claims. Adequate number and quality of sources were used. Paraphrased and quoted materials were fluidly incorporated into the essays prose and observe proper MLA citation style. The essay utilizes a clear organizational structure which fluidly leads the reader through the essay. Paragraphs thoroughly develop one main idea and utilize transitional elements to connect ideas Syntax and word choice show clear, creative expression of ideas. The essay is free from major sentence level errors though one or two minor errors (spelling/type-os) may be present. All MLA formatting requirements have been followed for the essay AND Works Cited. Competent Emerging Instructor Comments

Author Ethos

Context

Audience

Survey

Argument

Research

Structure

Mechanics

MLA Formatting