Basic Syllabus Outline

ENC1102 English Composition II Fall 2013 Online Course Olivia Mullins [email protected]

Syllabus

Basic Tenets of the Composition Program  Democracy is best sustained by an educated and informed public versed in the practices of critical perception and expression.  University students need preparation not just for their academic careers, but also for dealing with the world at large, beyond the campus. This preparation should include the teaching of those practices of critical perception and expression that will enable them to become contributing members not only of the academy but also of the democratic public.  Composition courses teach not just writing, but also critical reading, evaluation, and synthesis of information and ideas.  Students learn best to write in real genres by practicing those real genres, as opposed to artificial genres manufactured exclusively for the writing classroom.  All good writing, academic or public, is based on sound research.

English Composition 1102 is designated as a General Studies course and is a Gordon Rule Writing course. The General Studies curriculum at the University of West Florida is designed to provide a cohesive program of study that promotes the development of a broadly educated person and provides the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in university studies. This course has been approved as meeting your requirement in Communication and Project Management. The major General Studies learning outcomes for this course are Writing and Team Work.

COURSE DESCRIPTION ENC1102 continues the work on rhetoric and composition begun in ENC1101, but with an emphasis on writing in public genres rather than academic ones. REQUIRED MATERIALS The UWF custom edition of Writing Today Various essays posted on the course website

PROJECTS AND REQUIREMENTS

Participation/Discussion – 15% For each reading assignment, I’ll post a topic with a prompt in the discussion forum. You’ll need to provide at least one thoughtful and substantiated (citing your sources according to MLA guidelines) response for each topic. I’ve divided the class into two groups, so check which group you’re in before posting.

Response Papers – 15% Throughout the semester, you’ll turn in brief response papers related to the reading assignments.

Annotated Bibliography – 10% Throughout the semester, you’ll compile an annotated and MLA-formatted list of sources that you’ll use for both of your essays.

Proposal – 5% You’ll submit a proposal for your final essay.

Documented Essays – 20% You’ll draft and revise two documented essays.

Writing Lab – 5% You’ll need to visit the Writing Lab (either on campus or online) for two paper-reading appointments. Preferably, you will go once for each essay.

Quizzes – 15% Throughout the semester, I’ll post quizzes regarding reading assignments. If all quizzes are complete, I’ll drop the lowest grade. Group Project 15% I’ll post the instructions later in the semester. However, I’ve created six groups for the projects, and you may want to join a group now.

GRADING See attached rubric for grading criteria.

Grading Scale: 100-point scale A (100-93) A- (92-90) B+ (89-88) B (87-83) B- (82-80) C+ (79-78) C (77-73) C- (72-70) D+ (69-68) D (67-60)

4-point scale A (4.0-3.8) A- (3.7-3.4) B+ (3.3-3.1) B (3.0-2.8) B- (2.7-2.4) C+ (2.3-2.1) C (2.0-1.8) C- (1.7-1.4) D+ (1.3-1.1) D (1.0-.8) D- (.7-.4) F (below .4)

Special Technology All work must be submitted electronically. You must know how to use the university’s online learning program, variously called E-learning, D2L, or Desire2Learn, and have an email account. For some reading assignments, you will need to know how to access the e-learning system, the Internet, and the library’s Electronic Reserve services.

COMPOSITION PROGRAM POLICIES The following policies have been adopted by the composition program. Some of the policies have been derived from the University’s requirements and/or the English and Foreign Languages Department’s standards.

Gordon Rule ENC 1101 is a Gordon Rule course. Students must therefore write at least 6,000 words for the 3-hour course to satisfy the department requirement.

Student Code of Conduct The Student Code of Conduct sets forth the rules, regulations, and expected behavior of students enrolled at the University of West Florida. Violations of any rules, regulations, or behavioral expectations may result in a charge of violating the Student Code of Conduct. Students are responsible for reading the Student Code of Conduct and conducting themselves accordingly. The current Student Code of Conduct can be found in your Student Handbook.

Statement on Plagiarism I do not tolerate plagiarism. You are responsible for knowing the university’s policy on plagiarism and abiding by that policy. The UWF policy on plagiarism can be found at the following URL: http://uwf.edu/cas/aasr/Plagiarism.doc.

The UWF Student Handbook defines plagiarism as “the act of representing the ideas, words, creations, or work of another as one’s own.” Students who plagiarize are guilty of the crime of stealing someone else’s intellectual property. This crime combines theft with fraud, and the penalty is correspondingly severe: failure for the assignment and, in some cases, for the entire course. An instructor may also recommend that the student be suspended from the university.

I use plagiarism detection software to help me enforce this policy.

For further information regarding academic misconduct, refer to the Student Handbook. Attendance Policy The knowledge we create together in the classroom cannot be replicated in course materials or in any other venue. Therefore attendance will inevitably affect your performance in this class. You should not miss class except for circumstances outlined in the University catalog. Even if absences are excused, however, you are not excused from completing all the work of the course. In the case of unexcused absences, the composition program has adopted the following policies:

Students are allowed two absences without consequence. A student’s final grade will be reduced by one letter grade for each absence beyond the two allowed. Six absences will result in automatic failure of the course.

This section of ENC 1102 is taught in a distance learning environment, MEANING THAT THE STUDENTS IN THE COURSE DO NOT MEET PHYSICALLY AT ANY TIME; ALL WORK IS DONE VIA THE INTERNET AND EMAIL through UWF's e-learning system: Desire2Learn (D2L). Through weekly interactive group discussions, links, individual writing projects, and quizzes, the online instructor assists students in learning and discovering new applications of good literature to life and to research and critical thinking analyses. Thus, attendance will be reflected in your weekly assignments and quizzes. I will not administer late quizzes, nor will I accept late discussion posts

Late Paper Policy I will not accept late response papers, quizzes, or discussion posts; however, I will accept late essays and group projects. Late essays and projects will lose one letter grade for each day they are late, including Saturday and Sunday. I will not accept essays and projects that are more than 3 days late. Only one late assignment may be submitted at one time.

Assistance for Students with Special Needs The Student Disability Resource Center SDRC at the University of West Florida supports an inclusive learning environment for all students. If there are aspects of the instruction or design of this course that hinder your full participation, such as time limited exams, inaccessible web content, or the use of non-captioned videos and podcasts, please notify the instructor or the SDRC as soon as possible. You may contact the SDRC office by e-mail at sdrc @uwf.edu or by phone at (850) 474-2387. Appropriate academic accommodations will be determined based on the documented needs of the individual.

A Note on Course Readings and Other Materials Some of the assigned reading for this course may present you with material that opposes your beliefs and values, and you may find some of the material offensive. Bear in mind that I am not advocating, nor am I asking you to approve of, adopt, believe, or embrace any of the points of view found in the material we will study in this class. However, it is important, first, to understand that SOME writers use such material to make their points, and second, to consider ways in which these choices strengthen or weaken their points. Finally, remembering Don Corleone’s injunction to his son to “keep your friends close and your enemies closer” (The Godfather), understand that one of the reasons you are in college is to expand your knowledge, whether of things known and approved of or otherwise. By remaining in this class, you consent to being exposed to the assigned materials. Alternative readings or assignments will NOT be offered.

Email Communication I will communicate with students via UWF email.

You should maintain a professional tone when communicating with professors both in person and via email. Assume the tone is formal until the instructor suggests otherwise. Use the following as a guide when emailing your professors:  Address the instructor with the proper title (Dr., Mr., or Mrs.) unless he or she offers an alternative.  Identify yourself clearly and end emails with your full name. Often, it is not easy to identify a student only from the email address, especially if you happen to be using an email account other than your university account.  If you have a question, ask it directly and as clearly as you can.  Provide the instructor with some context for the question or comment. Why do you have this question? What prompted the comment?  Understand that instructors are often busy (many have 100 students per semester), so if you request office time outside the posted office hours, provide at least 3 different blocks of time that you are available to meet.  Often instructors get dozens of emails from publishers, administrators, students, and SPAM. A clear subject such as “student in your ENC 1101 class has a question” will help an instructor understand that the email sent to him or her is important.

I expect each student to show respect for diversity of opinions expressed during discussions and group projects. Semester Schedule Weeks 1-2 – Getting Started Weeks 3-6 – Using Genres to Express Ideas Weeks 7-9 – Developing a Writing Process Weeks 10-13 – Learning Strategies and Research Methods Weeks 14-16 – Revising and Finishing Final Projects

Scoring Rubric for Final Project: ENC1102 English Composition II

A B C D F Organizational Character of the Project Paper is strong in Paper attends to Paper attends to Paper does not [Organizational guidelines provided by the most organizational most of the aspects few of the aspects attend to instructor, depending on the genre of the aspects, but is also of organization, but of organization organizational project] weak in one or two shows few strengths principles of aspects of academic writing Weight Points organization

Proficiency in Public Genres Student is strong in Student attends to Student attends to Student does not Student demonstrates strength in attending most conventions of most of the public few of the attend to the to conventions such as tone, organization, these genres but is genres’ aspects but conventions of conventions of format, and content of public genre also weak in one or shows few strengths public genres public genres materials such as the following: two aspects Article Flyer/Brochure Letter Media release Media production (ex: wiki, website, powerpoint presentation) Memorandum Opinion/viewpoint Poster/bookmark Proposal Report Resume or CV

Weight Points

Knowledge of Public Persuasion Student’s work Student’s work Student attends to Student attends Strategies demonstrates strong demonstrates some few of the infrequently if at When composing arguments in public understanding of understanding of the elements of public all to the genres, students should: genre, audience, and elements of public persuasion requirements of  Identify and use the persuasive attribution, but is persuasion, but public persuasion strategies appropriate for the genre; also weak in one or demonstrates few  Incorporate research in keeping with two aspects strengths the citation convention of the genre;  Write for specific audiences;  Attend to the ethics of representation. Weight Points Quality of Prose Prose is mainly Prose has a few Prose has little Prose is often Prose is strong in: strong, and contains strengths but strength and incomprehensible  Complex sentence structure where no egregious contains one or two contains more than or requires required departures. A egregious departures two egregious multiple readings  Varied sentence structure for mostly smooth and that strains the departures that due to lack of emphasis and clarity pleasant read. reader’s often strains the clarity  Command over the logical syntax of comprehension reader’s the sentence comprehension  Parallel construction where required  Reliance on active voice, active verbs, and agentive subjects  Knowledge of when to use passive voice  Coherent paragraphs that have clear, unified purposes  Correct use of vocabulary  Words, phrases, and sentences that indicate transitional logic A smooth and pleasant read! Weight Points Quality of Grammar and Mechanics Demonstrates above- Suggests Suggests some Demonstrates Writing demonstrates superior competence average competence competence in incompetence in incompetence in grammar and mechanics: it uses in grammar and grammar and grammar and in grammar intelligent and literate vocabulary, mechanics: clear mechanics: may mechanics: lacks and mechanics: demonstrates mastery of mechanics and control; there may depend largely on formal control and errors totally grammar, and illustrates an ability to be a few errors, but the cliché and lapse shows no evidence supplant the punctuate rhetorically, using punctuation for they are not serious frequently into of proofreading. message. Over- effect and clarity. There are, overall, few, if enough to diminish inappropriate slang, Tends to "play it reliance on any, errors and absolutely no interferences the overall quality of jargon, and safe," using words, improper to thought. Paper shows evidence of careful the writing. colloquialisms. the writer spoken forms. planning, writing, and editing. Generally, shows a Vocabulary reveals ordinarily speaks Mistakes reveal judicious choice of lack of range; paper or can spell. definite words. Style is has a minimal but Reveals inability deficiency in generally literate but workable vocabulary to distinguish mastering occasionally faulty keeping the writing between periods, standard written in sentence structure. fairly un- commas, and English; slipshod Shows evidence of distinguished. semicolons. Tends syntax; irregular some proofreading. Some degree of to misspell, misuse and incorrect accuracy, but errors words, mis- usage; wretched suggest uncertainty punctuate, over- spelling; frag- and need for punctuate and ments, run-on improvement. under- punctuate. sentences, and Includes errors "Plays it safe" which even a syntactically, comma splices cursory proofreading avoiding sentence abound; poor would have elements that sense of eliminated. invite error (ex: paragraph and introductory sentence modifiers, structure. embedding, Weight Points coordination, subordination). Weight Quality of Research Student attempts to Student presents the Student presents Student does not Student presents sound research in an present sound research in ways the research in present his/her exceptional way and succeeds in presenting research in an already suggested by ways already research in any this research through his/her project. exceptional way, but various authors and suggested by meaningful way or does not quite does succeed in various authors, does not succeed succeed in working working through this but does not with much success through the limited project. completely on the project complication of succeed in presented. his/her project. working through this conceptually limited project. Weight Points