ACHIEVEMENT REQUIREMENTS

GSW 1120
Laptop Section 102L
Spring 2015
Instructor:
E-mail:
Office:
Office Phone:
Office Hours:
Mailbox:
Learning Commons:
Learning Commons Phone:

Dani Howell
howelld@bgsu.edu
415A East Hall
372-0591
9:20-10:20 a.m. Monday (and by appointment)
210 East Hall (my mailbox is above my name)
140 Jerome Library
372-2823 (call ahead to make an appointment)

REQUIRED COURSE TEXTS AND MATERIALS

Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. 12th edition. Laurence Behrens and Leonard J. Rosen. Pearson
Longman, 2013.
Kirszner & Mandell: The Brief Wadsworth Handbook. 7th edition. BGSU Custom Ed. Laurie G. Kirszner and
Stephen R. Mandell. Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2013.
Portfolio of GSW 1120 materials (available at the BGSU Bookstore and SBX Bookstore).
A laptop with Microsoft Word that you must bring to every class, fully charged.
A means of backing up your work (for example flash drive, OneDrive, etc.).
A BGSU e-mail address that you should check on a regular basis, and a MyBGSU account.
Funds on BG1 card for printing GSW-related assignments
Paper clips or staples and a stapler.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
GSW 1120, Academic Writing, is the last in the series of General Studies Writing (GSW) courses offered at BGSU.
Although there are probably hundreds of varieties of academic writing that occur in various contexts (some of which you
may have explored in 1100 or 1110), in this class we concentrate on three varieties of writing that are especially prominent
in academic settings: the critique, the multiple source synthesis essay, the Pre-Search essay, and the synthesized,
researched essay.
The emphasis in GSW 1120 is on developing your critical and analytical skills in reading, thinking, and writing.
Specifically, GSW 1120 is designed to give you instruction and extensive practice in reading scholarly articles, writing
critiques of what you read, making logical connections among several sources, and writing about those connections. As
part of your GSW 1120 research requirement, you also will learn to use the BGSU library effectively and to utilize a
variety of academic sources in your writing.
Along with further developing your critical, analytical and rhetorical skills, GSW 1120 will provide further opportunities
for you to consider, critique, and confirm your own and others values and the importance these values play in
communication in all academic disciplines and professions.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
In the table below, the Bowling Green Perspective (BGP) University Learning Outcomes for English Composition and
Oral Communication (ECOC) are listed alongside their corresponding abbreviated GSW Learning Outcomes.

BGP Learning Outcomes:

English Composition & Oral Communication (ECOC)

GSW Course Learning Outcomes

ECOC 1. Formulate effective written and/or oral arguments which are Engage in the electronic research and composing processes, including
based upon appropriate, credible research.
locating, evaluating, disseminating, using and acknowledging research,
both textual and visual, from popular and scholarly electronic
databases.
ECOC 2. Construct materials which respond effectively to the needs
of a variety of audiences, with an emphasis upon academic audiences.

Demonstrate the importance of values systems in academic writing,

including the abilities to write effectively to audiences with opposing
viewpoints, to participate in an active learning community that values
academic honesty, and to recognize the place of writing within learning
processes.

ECOC 3. Analyze how the principles of rhetoric work together to

promote effective communication. .

Practice the processes entailed in academic writing, including recursive

processes for drafting texts, collaborative activities, the development of
personalized strategies, and strategies for identifying and locating
source materials.

ECOC 5. Utilize rhetorical strategies that are well-suited to the

rhetorical situation, including appropriate voice, tone, and levels or
formality.

Demonstrate rhetorical knowledge through writing in a variety of

academic genres and to a variety of academic audiences.
Demonstrate knowledge of the conventions of academic writing,
including format and documentation systems, coherence devices,
conventional syntax, and control over surface features such as
grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and spelling.

ECOC 6. Demonstrate critical thinking, reading, and writing

strategies when crafting arguments that synthesize multiple points of
view.

Demonstrate critical thinking, reading, and writing skills through

approaching academic writing assignments as a series of cognitive
tasks, including engaging in multiple modes of inquiry, synthesizing
multiple points of view, critiquing student and professional writing, and
assessing source materials.

ASSESSMENT OF EACH ECOC LEARNING OUTCOME

In addition to the evaluation of your final expository argumentative essay for an essay grade, this essay will be used for
assessment of the BGPs ECOC Learning Outcomes using the following rubric in Canvas:

BGP Learning Outcomes:

English Composition & Oral Communication
(ECOC)

Exceeds Expectations
2

Meets Expectations
1

Does Not Meet

Expectations
0

ECOC 1. Formulate effective written and/or oral

arguments which are based upon appropriate,
credible research.

Writing demonstrates
appropriate attention to
sustained argument
and/or credible, relevant
research.

Writing demonstrates
basic attention to
sustained argument
and/or credible, relevant
research.

Writing lacks a sustained

argument and/or credible,
relevant research.

ECOC 2. Construct materials which respond

effectively to the needs of a variety of audiences,
with an emphasis upon academic audiences.

Writing demonstrates
appropriate attention to
context, audience, and
assigned task

Writing demonstrates
basic attention to
context, audience, and
assigned task.

Writing lacks minimal

attention to context,
audience, and assigned
task.

ECOC 3. Analyze how the principles of rhetoric

work together to promote effective communication.
.

Writing demonstrates
appropriate attention to
purpose and to
connecting various
rhetorical elements into a
whole essay.

Writing demonstrates
basic attention to
purpose and to
connecting various
rhetorical elements into a
whole essay.

Writing does not

demonstrate basic
attention to purpose or to
connecting various
rhetorical elements into a
whole essay.

ECOC 5. Utilize rhetorical strategies that are wellsuited to the rhetorical situation, including
appropriate voice, tone, and levels or formality.

Writing demonstrates
appropriate attention to
rhetorical situation,
including tone, language
level, and word choice.

Writing demonstrates
basic attention to
rhetorical situation,
including tone, language
level, and word choice.

Writing lacks minimal

attention to rhetorical
situation, including tone
choice, language level,
and word choice.

ECOC 6. Demonstrate critical thinking, reading,

and writing strategies when crafting arguments that
synthesize multiple points of view.

Writing demonstrates
clear critical thinking and
an ability to synthesize
various points of view.

Writing demonstrates
basic critical thinking and
an ability to synthesize
various points of view.

Writing does not

demonstrate clear critical
thinking or an ability to
synthesize various points
of view.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND POLICIES

Classroom Etiquette
The classroom is a place for learning, and learning requires a respectful and appropriate environment. Therefore, students
are expected to adhere to the following rules:
1.
2.
3.
4.

5.
6.
7.

As soon as class begins, students must log off and stay logged off Facebook, Twitter, email, chat, games, and
any other part of the Internet that is not part of a required class activity.
Students must turn off their phones and put them away at the beginning of each class session; phones should not
be visible during class timeespecially when someone is talking to the class.
Likewise, I-Pods, MP3 players, and similar devices may not be used during class unless the instructor has
specifically incorporated them into a class activity.
Students should not talk with their neighbors while another person is talking. Ample time for discussion will be
allotted in this class, but when the instructor or a fellow student has the floor, that person should be given
everyones undivided attention.
Students may not come to class habitually late. Work and other activities should be scheduled around courses, not
the other way around.
Students may not leave class before they have been dismissed, doing so will count as an absence for the day.
Class discussion must be respectful. That is, whenever students speak, they should be considerate of other
students feelings, use appropriate language, and make their points without being combative or confrontational. As
well, students should not use discriminatory language regarding their fellow students gender, sexual
orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, age, or anything else. Students should listen to one another,
ask questions, and explain their disagreements without attacking others. Basically, be nice, respectful, and polite
to everyone

When students maintain these and other standards of respect, everyone in the class benefits.

Laptop Sections
All students enrolled in this section are required to have a laptop that they will bring to each class. Because computers
affect how scholars write, research, and communicate, this course will use laptops extensively to introduce student writers
to the basics of academic writing. Your laptop must have a word processing program on it, and it should be fully charged
and ready for each class. The use of power cords during class sessions is not permitted.
While we will use the Internet periodically throughout the semester, you will be expected to remain on task during class
time. (See the previous Classroom Etiquette section.) Because we only meet for a few hours a week, it is required that you
stay focused on the tasks at hand rather than surfing the internet or checking your email or Facebook site.
Essays
You will be graded on four fully-revised essays this term: a critique, a multiple source essays, a pre-search essay, and one
researched essay.
Critique: The GSW 1120 critique is written as a systematic evaluation of an academic article. An effective critique
provides your reader (and yourself) with a full understanding of the article being critiqued, its intended meaning, and its
merits and faults. The 1120 critique will be graded on how fairly, accurately, and efficiently the text is summarized, how
thoroughly and sensibly it is evaluated, and how clearly the criteria used to evaluate the essay are presented.
Multiple Source Essay: Another kind of essay you will write is a synthesized multiple source essay. You will write one
such essay for this course. In this assignment, you will offer your own argument supported by various sources. You will be
expected to present your view on the subject matter of several readings while synthesizing ideas from the authors you
have read. While a proficient multiple source essay clearly expresses your own thoughts on a particular issue, it also
exhibits your thorough familiarity with differing views on that issue. Your success in writing a proficient multiple source
essay will be determined, in part, by how well you understand and synthesize information from the various sources you
have read and your ability to incorporate sources found through independent research.
Pre-Search Essay: The Pre-Search Essay is designed to help you conduct preliminary, exploratory research on an issue of
interest to you and to help you develop and hone a focused research question that you will answer in your formal
Researched Essay. In this PreSearch assignment, you will familiarize yourself with multiple sides of one specific topic by
finding four to five articles that show both similar and differing viewpoints on the issue. Like the multiple source essay,
you will synthesize these sources to exhibit your familiarity with the complex views on the issue. However, this
PreSearch essay does not present and support your argument; rather, it presents information about the multiple
views/sides/arguments on the issue. Once you understand the multiple sides of an issue, you will consider your stance and
develop a research question that you will use as the basis for your argument in the Researched Essay.
Researched Essay: You will write one 8-10 page researched essay in GSW 1120. This essay will make use of a variety of
sources (e.g., journal and newspaper articles, books, online sources, interviews, surveys, etc.). Like the multiple source
essay, the researched essay will present your view/argument on a particular issue while synthesizing ideas from a number
of sources. The researched essay will be graded on the quality of the research, the clarity and accuracy with which the
information is presented, the effectiveness and logic with which sources are used to support your own original and
relevant argument, and your use of appropriate documentation of your sources. Because proficiency in argumentative
synthesis is a key goal of GSW 1120, all students must pass the researched essay with a grade of C or higher in order
for their work to be submitted for Portfolio Assessment, which is necessary for passing GSW 1120.
Please follow these format requirements for submitting your work:
Papers should follow MLA format. Examples and information on MLA can be found in Kirszner & Mandells The
Brief Wadsworth Handbook. We will also discuss MLA format in class.
Essays must be word processed, double-spaced, and have standard 1 margins on the right and left sides, top, and
bottom of the page.
The font used for your final drafts should be 12-point Times New Roman or another similarly proportioned and sized
font.
Pages must be numbered with your last name and page number in the upper right-hand corner in the header.
Your essays must have a title, but please dont include a separate title page with your papers.
When you submit a final draft of an essay to me for evaluation, you will need to submit the following documents:
1. A GSW Rubric should be on top (goldenrod color), with the appropriate sections completed.

2. The final (or most recent) draft of your essay submitted through Canvas by the designated time.

Other Assignments
I will occasionally assign short writing exercises to supplement drafting, revising, and editing the graded projects, which,
like the four graded essays, need to be fulfilled as part of your Achievement Requirements for passing GSW 1120. As with
the graded assignments, the additional writing assignments are designed to improve your critical thinking and writing
skills and will help you better address the more complicated writing tasks I am asking you to conduct.
You should type and publish such activities which I assign on the designated discussion boards on Canvas. The posts
should be completed on time and ready to use and access in class. Sometimes I will ask for volunteers to share their
entries with the class as a way to start discussion, and I may ask you to use your posts for small-group discussions. I will
read and respond to your posts periodically via email or the comment function to monitor your efforts.
You will also be given reading assignments that we will discuss as a way to improve your critical thinking and reading
skills. You should be prepared throughout the semester to discuss all reading assignments in class on the dates they
are assigned. You can keep up with the reading pace of this class if you read on a regular basis and follow your syllabus
closely.
One other important requirement is your active participation in collaborative activities because collaboration is a
valuable way to get and give useful feedback. Peer revision and small group activities can assist in your development as a
thinker and writer. Your contributions to the work of classmates are considered a part of the courses Achievement
Requirements.
Each of you has the opportunity to earn up to 100 participation points for fully investing and participating in this
class. Your participation grade will be determined by a number of choices that you make about your scholarly
activity in this class. If you bring the required materials to class each day, complete required written homework for each
class, participate in class discussion on the readings each day, participate in assigned activities each day, participate in
peer review, post to discussion board in Canvas, successfully lead discussion at least once, pass reading quizzes, and
complete the Library and MLA quizzes, you will likely learn a lot and may make a notable improvement to your final
grade. These points are non-negotiable. Participation points are not given for attendance.

Participation Requirement
Class Preparation

Collaborative Work

Presentation(s)/Discussion
facilitation(s)

Library and MLA Quizzes

Description of Participation
Requirement
Students are expected to bring all
required materials to class each day; to
complete all assigned readings; to
actively participate in discussion each
class; and to complete and turn in all
required homework.
Students will be required to participate
in peer review and collaborative
activities both during class and outside
of class. Students are expected to
follow guidelines for peer
review/collaborative assignment and are
expected to give prompt and thoughtful
feedback to their peers.
Students will be required to facilitate
discussion of at least one required
reading and will be required to present
their research findings from their
Research project to the class. Students
are expected to be thoroughly prepared
by developing questions for discussion
and by preparing a visual to enhance
discussions and presentations.
Complete, print and turn in results of
both quizzes. Must score at least 80%
on both quizzes to earn total possible
points for this category.

Points Possible
Total Participation Points: 100
_____/50

_____/20

_____/20 points

____/10 points

Paper Printing
Students who anticipate using university printers for printing GSW-related assignments should keep funds available on
their BG1 Cards (http://www.bgsu.edu/bg1card/index.html). Please note that a lack of funds on a BG1 card is not
considered a valid reason for failing to submit a hard copy of a GSW paper at the time it is due.
To save resources and to help students save money, General Studies Writing asks students to submit two-sided papers.
Writing Conferences
Because college-level writing can be frustrating at times, it is important to get encouraging and specific feedback from not
only other members of the class, but also from me. To ensure that you are getting the encouragement and feedback you
need in your writing, it is important that you schedule at least two conferences in my office so that I can give you
personalized help and assistance.
GSW 1120 Library Research Guide
To help familiarize you with the level of academic library research skills necessary for this course, you will be required to
work with online materials, which have been provided by the staff of the Jerome Library. The materials which you are
encouraged to use on your own as well for this class are located at the following site:
http://libguides.bgsu.edu/gsw1120
These materials differ from the Library Research Guide used in GSW 1100/1110. On this site, you will learn about
scholarly sources, locating sources beyond Academic Search Complete and evaluating sources. This Research Guide is
also available by going to the main library web page and clicking on Research Guides by Course in the center of the page.
As you will see, the GSW 1120 LibGuide provides significant assistance with search strategies, the use of the Librarys
databases, integration of sources into papers, academic honesty, and more. The site also contains a Library Quiz which
you will be required complete when I assign it, and it contains an IM Chat Box which will allow you to ask a question
which will be responded to immediately by a BGSU librarian.
I strongly recommend that you refer to this site as you work on your papers outside of class, as well as during class.

Attendance
Attendance in this class is mandatory. Class time will be devoted to actively building writing skills by writing and
revising, discussing, and critiquing your own writing and the writing of others. Such activities simply cannot be made
up satisfactorily by getting the notes from a peer or by meeting with me. I realize, however, that sickness or emergencies
can occur; should you need to miss class, please be sure to contact me, preferably beforehand, to discuss what might be
done to assist you with getting on track. However, I would hope that such absences would not occur more than a couple
of times this semester. At the discretion of the instructor, students with excessive absences more than fourwill not
have their portfolio submitted and therefore will not pass this course.
If you are more than ten minutes late to class (or leave class early), it will be counted as an absence.
An attendance sheet will be passed around at the beginning of each class, and it is your responsibility to ensure you sign in
or risk being counted as absent for the day.
University Closure Due to Bad Weather
In most cases, the University will not close for winter conditions unless the Wood County Sheriffs Department declares a
Level 3 emergency. Closing information will be communicated through BGSUs AlertBG text system, BGSU e- mail
notification, BGSUs website, and Toledos Television stations. (Note: You can sign up for AlertBG, by signing into
MyBGSU and clicking on the AlertBG tab at the top of the page.)
Religious Holidays
It is the policy of the University to make every reasonable effort to allow students to observe their religious holidays
without academic penalty. In such cases, it is the obligation of the student to provide the instructor with reasonable notice
of the dates of religious holidays on which he or she will be absent. Should you need to miss a class due to a religious
holiday, you should understand that absence from classes for religious reasons does not relieve you of responsibility for
completing required work. In such an event, you should consult with me well before you leave for the holiday to find out
what assignments will be due while you are absentand you subsequently should have the assignments completed and
turned in to me prior to missing class.
Student Veteran-Friendly Campus
BGSU educators recognize student veterans rights when entering and exiting the university system. If you are a student
veteran or a student currently serving in any branch of the military, please let me know if accommodations need to be
made for absences due to drilling or being called to active duty.
(Dis)Abilities Statement
If you have a documented disability that requires accommodations in order to obtain equal access for your learning, please
make your needs known to me, preferably during the first week of the semester. Please note that students who request
accommodations need to verify their eligibility through the Office of Disability Services, 38 College Park (phone: 3728495; TTY: 419-372-9455).
Late Work
All work must be handed in when I request it in class. The only late work that will be accepted are graded essay drafts.
The following deductions will occur for late graded drafts: If turned in past the time due (but on the same day), 5% will be
deducted. After that, a letter grade will be deducted for each day the essay is late. Similarly, I will not accept late work in
my department mailbox or via e-mail unless you have made previous arrangements with me.
Lost Essays
You are responsible for maintaining a copy of each draft of your essays. Your essays will be returned to you no later than
a week after they have been submitted to me, and all essays must be present in the portfolio at the end of the semester. It
is your responsibility to compile these essays in your portfolio folder so that a portfolio assessor can further review them.
Since occasionally essays (or backpacks) are stolen, lost, or destroyed, you should keep an additional hard copy of each
essay and a back-up disk in a safe place. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to submit a complete portfolio. Incomplete
portfolios will not be evaluated; students without portfolios will not pass the course.

Revision Policy
Knowing how to revise your writing is an important aspect of being a successful writer; therefore, you will be required to
write multiple drafts of your papers, and we will work hard on the development of your personal revision and editing
skills. One goal of this class is for you to learn to determine when an 1120-level paper has been revised to the point where
you can submit it as a final draft that will earn a passing evaluation. Taking advantage of our class time, your own
homework time, my office hours, the Writing Center, and other available services and tools will provide you with the
support you need for submitting final drafts that are at the passing level.
Sometimes, though, even with hard work students submit final drafts that are not passing. If you receive NP grades, you
may revise the multiple source essay and the researched essay once after their original evaluation but only if you first
schedule a conference with me to discuss your revision strategy. A revised essay is due within a week of our conference
and should be submitted with the original graded essay and a new rubric. Please note that the grade for a revised essay
can be no higher than a C, and that the critique may not be revised after it has been submitted as a final draft. As you
consider whether or not to revise a researched essay that has earned an NP grade, please remember that students must pass
the Researched Essay with a grade of C or higher in order to pass this course.
Academic Honesty
Please refer to BGSUs current Student Affairs Handbook and to your GSW portfolio materials for information regarding
BGSUs academic honesty policies. These policies and penalties apply to our class, as well as to all other classes at
BGSU. We will discuss plagiarism and academic honesty in depth this semester.
ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE WITH GSW 1120
In addition to the work you will do in class sessions and in conferences with me, there are a variety of services and tools
which you can use to obtain additional assistance with this course. I suggest that you make use of the following:
Writing Support at the Learning Commons
Located on the first floor of Jerome Library, the Learning Commons is a valuable resource which provides students with
individual tutoring assistance in writing, reading and study skills, math and stats, and content courses free of charge.
Within the Learning Commons, Writing Support works to create a space where writers feel comfortable discussing and
developing their ideas and communication skills. Writing consultants work with writers collaboratively, rather than
serving as a proofreading or editing service. Because the Commons will be very busy, you should call ahead to make an
appointment well in advance of when you would like to meet with a writing consultant: 419-372-2823.
You may also submit your writing to an online writing consultant by following this link:
http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/writingctr/page76151.html There, you will be given directions for submitting your questions
or your entire draft. Once again, though, plan ahead. An email response may take up to 72 hours, and writing consultants
are not available on weekends or evenings to give immediate feedback.
Online Assistance with BGSUs Library Resources
The Welcome New Students LibGuide explains the ins and outs of using the Jerome Library. You should use this site for
basic information regarding the library, including how to check out materials and how to renew materials online. This
URL will take you there: http://libguides.bgsu.edu/content.php?pid=94029&sid=702141
The library site also offers a virtual tour of Jerome Library: http://ul2.bgsu.edu/vt/
and a detailed map of its first floor: http://ul2.bgsu.edu/vt/content/1st.php
Finally, since library personnel are always ready to help, you should stop by the Research & Information Desk with
questions or concerns. Or, you may contact librarians virtually by using the services described here:
http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/library/infosrv/ref/ask.html
Contacting Me by E-mail
E-mail is a wonderful communication tool, and I welcome the chance of using it to help you with questions about your
writing or about my assignments. Please note, however, that e-mail can be unreliable. Servers may be down, computers
may malfunction, etc. As a result, I cannot be responsible for any e-mail messages that are lost or addressed incorrectly.
If you e-mail me something, I will respond, ordinarily within 24 hours (weekends and holidays are exceptions), to tell
you that I have received your message. However, if you dont receive my e-mail reply, this means that I did not receive

your message and that you should discuss the content of your e-mail with me personally. Similarly, if you e-mail me right
before class, I probably will not be able to read your message until after class.
GSWS GRADING SYSTEM AND THE PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT PROCESS
Essay Grades
Throughout the term, I will collect and comment upon first drafts (and perhaps on some intermediate drafts) of every
essay you write, and I will give them back to you within a weeks time so that you can use my comments as guidelines for
revision. Your first drafts will not receive a grade.
However, when you submit final drafts of your essays, I will provide you with both written comments and a grade. I will
also fill out an evaluation chart (called a rubric) for each final draft to indicate the papers strengths and weaknesses;
like commentary on early drafts, your evaluated final drafts will be returned to you within a weeks time. Each essay you
write for GSW 1120 will be graded A, B, C, or NP (Not Passing). An explanation of these grades follows:
An A essay clearly passes all categories of the rubric. It demonstrates a superior command of the subject matter
and presents that information so effectively that the reader enjoys reading the essay and learns from it. The A
essay shows clear organization that captivates the audience and keeps readers involved through all stages of the
essay. Moreover, the A essay reveals a sophistication in style and an original voice; sentences are appropriately
varied in length and construction; transitions and metadiscourse are used to produce a smooth flow for the reader;
connections between sentences and ideas are clear. In addition, individual sentences are concise, clear, and highly
specific. The A essay demonstrates a high degree of selectivity in word choice and is free of all but a few minor
errors in grammar and mechanics. The A essay is the work of a writer who is able to deal comfortably with
complex material and can present that material effectively for others. As a result of its careful organizational
structure and development, all factors, both in content and style, combine to form a unified whole. For the
multiple source and researched essays, effective synthesis must be demonstrated for a grade of A.
A B essay clearly passes in all categories of the rubric. It contains few mechanical errors (none of which impede
communication), and it effectively delivers a substantial amount of interesting information. The specific points are
logically ordered, well-developed, and unified according to a clear organizing principle. The introduction and
conclusion are effective, but not as engaging as in the A essay. The B essay exhibits an understanding of
metadiscourse, and transitions are adequately smooth and logical. Sentence structure is sufficiently varied in both
length and construction, and the choice of words has been made selectively, with few minor errors in grammar
and mechanics. The writing in a B essay is organized, clear, coherent, and correct. The essay is far more than
competent and, again, must show effective synthesis.
A C essay passes all categories of the rubric. It is generally competent and reasonably well developed and
organized. The C essay demonstrates an average knowledge of the subject matter, but the presentation of that
information is often vaguely stated and superficially connected. The essay may lack adequate transitions and use
of metadiscourse. The sentence structure is often not varied in either length or construction. It may contain some
mechanical or grammatical errors, but they do not interfere significantly with meaning. Though the C essay
fulfills the assignment, it is not especially engaging or enlightening. In GSW 1120 multiple source essays and
researched essays, a C essay must show synthesis of source materials and an ability to construct and sustain an
academic argument.
An NP (Not Passing) essay does not pass in one or more categories of the rubric. It has serious flaws in audience
awareness, organization, development, syntax, word choice, and/or mechanics and grammar.

GSW 1120 Course Grades

Each of the 4 essays in GSW 1120 is graded on a100 point scale, but they are weighted differently. Please check the
gradebook on Canvas periodically so that you know where you stand. The table below outlines how exactly your grade
will be determined:

Assignment
Participation
Critique
MSE
Pre-Search Essay
8-10 page Researched Essay
FINAL course grade= weighted
% = letter grade
A
B
C
D/NC

Assignment Grade
(out of 100 points)
____/100 total points possible
____/100 total points possible
____/100 total points possible
____/100 total points possible
____/100 total points possible

Weighted Percentage of Course

Grade
10%
10%
20%
20%
40%

100-90 %
89-80 %
79-70 %
69 % and below

Remember that your researched essay must earn a C or higher and your final course grade must be a C or higher
for your portfolio to be eligible for the portfolio assessment process.
If your work passes Portfolio Assessment at the GSW 1120 level, you will receive an A, B, or C for this course. Your
GSW 1120 grade will be calculated into your grade point average.
The General Studies Writing Program acknowledges that writing is a skill that takes some people longer than others to
master. For this reason, if your work is not eligible for the Portfolio Assessment or if you have met all of my requirements
but your work does not pass the Portfolio Assessment, you will receive an NC (No Credit) for GSW 1120. An NC grade
allows a student to repeat GSW 1120 without any negative effect upon his or her grade point average.
However, it is possible to receive an F in this course. If you should stop attending this class for any reason without going
through the University's official procedure for dropping the class, you will receive an F, the grade will appear on your
grade report, and an F will be calculated into your grade point average.
Portfolio Assessment Process
During the last week or two of class, I will let you know whether your essays are eligible for a portfolio assessment. If
your writing has not reached a minimal level of proficiency in GSW 1120 or if you have not satisfied my achievement
requirements for this class, your work will not be eligible for a portfolio assessment. This means that I will not be able to
submit your portfolio and that you will be required to re-enroll in GSW 1120.
If I make the judgment that your portfolio is eligible for a portfolio assessment, during the last week of the semester your
essays will be judged by one or more GSW 1120 instructors in addition to me. These portfolio evaluators will determine
whether or not your writing has reached proficiency at the 1120-level. Please note that unlike other courses where one or
two weak assignments can ensure failure, GSWs portfolio assessment allows you to make improvements in your writing
and to grow as a writer. Even if you struggle with an essay or two, as long as your portfolio shows that you can write
proficiently at the 1120 level by the end of the term, you can pass the class.
If your portfolio is passed by a first evaluator, you will receive the grade I assigned to your work. If the first evaluator
determines that your writing, overall, does not demonstrate proficiency at the 1120 level, however, then that evaluator will
not pass your portfolio. At that point, a second evaluatoroften a member of the General Studies Writing staffwill
evaluate your work, again looking at your writing as a whole, and will make a final determination regarding whether your
writing is proficient enough for you pass GSW 1120 (and earn the grade I assigned to your work) or whether you will
need to retake GSW 1120 again.
Policy for GSW Portfolio Appeals
Students may appeal an instructor's decision not to submit their portfolios for evaluation if they have evidence that
they have met their instructor's achievement requirements and that they have fulfilled the minimum criteria for
passing the course. Likewise, students may appeal no-passing portfolio assessments if they have reason to believe that
the two evaluators (both of whom are trained, experienced GSW instructors) have overlooked important evidence that
their portfolio, in fact, successfully meets the established criteria for passing the course. Students should not, however,

routinely appeal no-passing portfolios simply because they are unhappy with their instructor's or the portfolio
evaluators' decisions.
Following is the timetable for retrieving portfolio results and for appealing a portfolio decision; please note that
any students wishing to appeal a portfolio decision must adhere to this timetable.

Monday, May 4
Deadline, by 5:00 pm, for students to appeal an instructors decision not to submit a portfolio for assessment.
Students must pick up their portfolio by the designated time period in order to file an appeal.

Thursday, May 7
Students must pick up their evaluated portfolios during the time period, which is designated by their instructor;
this time period is ordinarily after 2:00 PM. Near the end of the term I will let you know exactly when I will be
available in my office on this day to return your portfolio to you.
If you are absolutely unable to retrieve your portfolio and your evaluation results from me at the designated time,
it is your obligation to provide me with a large self-addressed, stamped envelope so I can mail the portfolio to
you. To determine the proper postage, before submitting your portfolio to your instructor please take your
portfolio to a post office (such as Stampers on the second floor of the Student Union) where a postal employee
can determine the proper postage to affix to the envelope. Submit the envelope with proper postage when you
submit your portfolio to your instructor.

Thursday, May 14 5:00 pm

Deadline for appealing a non-passing portfolio result.
SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENTS FOR PASSING GSW 1120

In summary, to pass GSW 1120 you must meet the following requirements:

Hand in all required written work on time (critique, multiple source essay, Pre-Search essay, researched
essay, and all other writing assignments).
Attend all classes and participate in class discussions and group work.
Complete all reading assignments.
Attend all scheduled conferences (two required).
Receive a grade of C or higher on the research essay.
Receive a final grade of C or higher for the course.
Pass the Portfolio Assessment at the 1120 level.

A Final Word
I hope that you will find our class to be a place where you can receive help with developing your academic writing skills.
Though many students are uncomfortable with academic writing, which is a new kind of writing for most first-year
students, understanding how to go through various writing processes will help you achieve your writing goals. To make
this course as successful as possible for yourself, I encourage you to take advantage of the resources around you and to
keep in touch with me as we go through the semester.
If you have any questions about these achievement requirements or other class matters, please feel free to talk to me. I
look forward to working with you and helping you develop your academic writing skills.
Always feel free to ask questions through e-mail, after class, or during my office hour
Good luck with the semester!