ENG 6937 Syllabus and Unit Presentation

Megan, Nima, Rene and Vera

Contents

Page

Syllabus
Unit 1
Unit 5
Unit 5 Activity
Timed Writing Assignment Sheet

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FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

SYLLABUS
ENC 1101: Writing and Rhetoric Unit:TBA
Instructor:

Name

Office:

location

Email:
Office Hours:

TBA and by appointment

Course Description
ENC 1101, the first of FIU's two-course writing sequence, introduces students to the writing,
reading, and critical thinking skills required for college writing. Course materials and writing
projects introduce rhetorical concepts and invite students to consider themselves as writers inside
and outside the classroom. Students will read and analyze professional nonfiction texts to
understand how experienced writers develop and present ideas through writing. They will
complete four major writing projects for a variety of audiences and purposes.
General Course Outcomes
Students will be able to:
Respond in writing to various rhetorical purposes and address the needs of various
audiences;
Develop their ideas through a recursive process of writing, revision, and editing;

Display appropriate format, structure and stylistic choices to meet audience needs and to
satisfy their rhetorical purpose;
Develop an effective thesis and support it with reasons and evidence;
Interact with complex texts, explore alternative perspectives, and articulate and support
their own perspective in response;
Incorporate sourced materials into their own work through effective use of quotation,
summary, paraphrase and citation using MLA or other appropriate style manual;

Exhibit appropriate syntax, punctuation, and spelling;

Develop a rhetorical vocabulary for understanding and talking about writing.
Required Course Materials

Ramage, John, John Bean and June Johnson. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing:
Customized for Florida International University, 6th New York: Pearson Custom
Publishing, 2013. Customized for Florida International University.

Lunsford, Andrea. The Everyday Writer: Fourth Edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins,
Customized for Florida International University.

Access to reliable internet connection, a computer, and printer.

Be sure to bring your Allyn & Bacon textbook with you to class.
Overview of Graded Course Work
Attendance: Attendance is expected and excessive absences affect your grade. Starting the first
day of class I will be taking attendance every class period. Please understand this is not a
course where others can "fill you in. Your participation in class discussions is essential to
both your own learning and the quality of the course we will be creating together.
Since any composition course is necessarily an active - learning environment, more than five
absences are grounds for failure. Students who enter after I have taken attendance (or leave
early) will be considered tardy. Three tardies is equivalent to one absence.
During the time class is scheduled, you are expected to be present in the classroom in body and
mind. This is more than just attendance, but active participation in the classroom. This requires
an avoidance of all distractions. It should go without saying that sleeping, texting, and web
browsing during classtime is unacceptable.
Class Participation: Tasks, such as in-class assignments, homework, conferences, and quizzes
are counted separately as participation assignments and will be assigned regularly in order to
keep the process of composing each writing project manageable. These assignments have strict
due dates and cannot be made up, even for absences. I will drop three low grades from the
Participation Assignments score for every student, which can help accommodate those who have
missed something. Remember that completing your work is your responsibility.

Peer Review: The single most important participation activity will be your work with other
students writing. I believe strongly that good writers grow from being good readers. To that end,
we will peer review all major papers this semester. I expect your peer review work to be
thoughtful, thorough, and meaningful. I will offer further guidance on peer review in class.
You will only receive full credit for peer review if you submit your own complete draft to review
as well as appropriately and helpfully respond to all papers assigned to you for the peer review.
Drafts are required for Peer Review and Conference days, and will be part of your Participation
Assignments grade. On days drafts are checked, make sure to bring a printed copy of your
essay. Handwritten drafts are unacceptable and will not be counted for a grade. Electronic drafts
on a laptop also will not be counted. Only typed, printed drafts will receive a grade.
Writing Projects: The core of this course will be four major writing projects, each will have
a separate assignment sheet and will require a process approach to writingyou will work
on each project through multiple drafts, reviews, revisions, and editing sessions before
turning it in to me for a final grade. Each project will be turned in with all work leading up to
the final draft included in a two-pocket folder. All essays are to follow MLA, be typed in Times
New Roman (12 point), and be double-spaced. We will discuss each writing project extensively
in class.
Paper Submission: Students will submit essays through Turnitin.com. This software program
helps you better understand how to incorporate others words and ideas into your own writing.
Students should be aware that papers submitted to Turnitin.com will reside on the companys
database for their use in future plagiarism detection.
Revision: You will be given the chance to revise a single writing project this semester. If the
revision shows substantial improvement, you will earn a higher grade, which will replace your
earlier grade. The essay must be revised and turned in no later than exam week.
Final Exam (Timed Writing): Your fourth writing project will be a timed exam during the final
exam period of this course. The exam will be designed to help test your ability to write
extemporaneously. It will be based on course readings and we will spend class time preparing
you for this kind of writing. I will discuss the timed writing exam in class before giving it. If you
have any questions about this exam please see me. Please bring an exam (blue/green) book to the
final exam period.

Other Course Policies

Plagiarism: Please review FIUs web page about plagiarism (representing anothers work, ideas,
expressions, or materials as your
own), http://www2.fiu.edu/~oabp/misconductweb/5beaconlettertoallstudents.htm, and
here http://www2.fiu.edu/~oabp/misconductweb/1acmisconductproc.htm to make yourself aware
of the disciplinary sanctions resulting from academic misconduct. Print and sign the last page of
the course syllabus and return to me during the first week of classes.
Special Needs: Students having special needs as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) should contact FIU Disability Center (http://drc.fiu.edu/) so that reasonable and
appropriate accommodations can be implemented.
Late Work: A paper received after class time on the due date is considered late. For major essay
assignments that miss the deadline, I deduct 5% from the essays score for each day the work is
late. After 10 days, late essays are NOT ACCEPTED. According to Writing Program policy, you
must turn in all major papers to pass the class. An essay submitted late will be ineligible for
revision.
Labeling Work: To avoid confusion, please label all of your work carefully. Include your name,
the course prefix and number, the date of submission, the assignment label, and a descriptive
title. For instance:
Horatio HamletsonProf.
ENC 1101
October 3, 2014
Rhetorical Analysis
Doves Real Beauty: Clever Marketing Cleans Up with Substance
Your text begins here.

Getting Help
The Center for Excellence in Writing
During any stage of the writing process, the writing consultants at the writing center are available
to help you set clear goals, bring focus to your ideas, and encourage creative and critical
thinking. At Modesto A. Maidique Campus, the Center can be found on the first floor of the
Library (GL-120).
Communication: Dont hesitate to visit me during office hours for additional help or just stop by
to say hello. If you plan to revise your essay for a better grade, its a good idea to meet with me
sometime before the last week of classes (dont put it off!) to get extra help.
Grading
All major writing assignments must be completed in order to pass. All work must be
original for this class. You must earn a grade of C or higher to pass ENC 1101. A C- or lower
will result in having to repeat ENC 1101.

Final Grade Distribution

Paper 1: Rhetorical Critique 20%
Paper 2: Reflective Response 20%
Paper 3: Synthesizing Ideas 25%
Paper 4: Timed Essay 15%
Participation Assignments 15% (lowest three scores dropped)
Language Journal 5%

Grading Scale:
A94100

B+87-89 B-81-83 C74-76 D+67-70 D-61-63

A-9093

B84-86 C+77-80 C-71-73 D64-66 F< 61

**If at any point in the semester you have any questions or concerns about your grade or your
standing in the class, please come see me. Addressing your questions and concerns is part of my
job. If after speaking with me you still have concerns, you may also contact Dr. Kimberly
Harrison (harrisok@fiu.edu), Director of FIU's Writing and Rhetoric Program or Associate
Director Michael Creeden (creedenm@fiu.edu).
Changes to the Syllabus
The instructor reserves the right to make changes to this syllabus. This syllabus is for
informational purposes only and may be changed at the discretion of the instructor in order to
provide a more effective learning experience for students; students are responsible for all
announced changes. A new syllabus will be e-mailed to each student.

SYLLABUS AGREEMENT FORM

I, ______________________________________________, (print name) have read the syllabus
(either in paper or online) and class outline and understand the classroom policies, expectations,
and rules as stated in the syllabus and outline. By signing this form I agree to comply with the
policies listed and accept the outline for this class.

Student signature _____________________________________Panther ID:

_____________________

Date ________________

PLAGIARISM POLICY
Introduction
This Code of Academic Integrity was adopted by the Student Government Association on
November 28, 2001 and reflects the values articulated in the Student Code of Standards. Florida
International University is a community dedicated to generating and imparting knowledge
through excellent teaching and research, the rigorous and respectful exchange of ideas, and
community service. All students should respect the right of others to have an equitable
opportunity to learn and honestly to demonstrate the quality of their learning. Therefore, all
students are expected to adhere to a standard of academic conduct, which demonstrates respect
for themselves, their fellow students, and the educational mission of Florida International
University.
Pledge
As a student of this university:

I will be honest in my academic endeavors.

I will not represent someone elses work as my own.
I will not cheat, nor will I aid in anothers cheating.

All students are deemed by the University to understand that if they are found responsible for
academic misconduct, they will be subject to the Academic Misconduct procedures and
sanctions, as outlined in the Student Handbook.

Student Signature _____________________________________Panther ID:

_____________________

Date ________________

Unit 1 Intro to Writing and Rhetoric

Class 1: Monday
Class Goals:
Students will show familiarity with the course objectives and syllabus
In-Class Activities:
Introductions
Syllabus scavenger hunt
Homework Assignments:
Read Allyn & Bacon, Chapter 1
Fill out index cards with your info (Name, e-mail address, major, etc.)
Read and sign syllabus contract
Letter to the instructor answering the questions How do you learn? What strategies
have you found to be the most effective at helping you understand and retain
knowledge?
LESSON PLAN
Introduce myself and the course texts to the students.
Demonstrate how to use Blackboard.
Break students into pairs, ask them to get to know each other, and then have them introduce
the classmate they were paired with to the rest of the class.
Review syllabus policy with the class (Including Course Objectives and plagiarism policy).
Break class up into groups of four or five and have them work on the syllabus scavenger hunt
(Worksheet will ask students to find specific passages in the syllabus and both textbooks).
Class discussion about the syllabus scavenger hunt (Students keep the worksheets).

Class 2: Wednesday
Class Goals:
Students will be able to define rhetoric
Assignments Due:
Signed syllabus contract
Filled out index card
Letter to the instructor
Chapter 1, Allyn & Bacon
In-Class Activities:
What did you learn from Chapter 1? Timed writing response.
Why is rhetoric important? Discuss using personal experiences.

LESSON PLAN
In-class writing response to the reading. What did you learn from Chapter 1?
Class discussion on the following questions:
What is rhetoric?
Why is rhetoric important? How have students employed it in the past? How has it affected
their everyday lives?

Class 3: Friday
Class Goals:
Students will be able to locate writing within the Open Form to Closed Form writing
spectrum
In-Class Activities:
Discussion
Thinking Personally About Closed and Open Forms
Homework Assignments:
Read Allyn & Bacon, Chapter 2 & 3
LESSON PLAN
Class discussion on the conventions of closed and open form, based on their previous
readings. Write student comments on the board.
Keeping the previous class discussion in mind, ask students to perform the activity described
on Page 11 of Allyn & Bacon in the Thinking Personally About Closed and Open Forms
box under the subheading of Individual Task. Students are to think back to a piece of
writing theyve done in the past (essay, blog post, e-mail, article, poem, short story, etc.) and
write a brief description of it. They are then to consider where that particular piece of writing
falls on the Open Form to Closed Form spectrum.
Break students up into groups and have them share their individual examples with each other.
Each student will explain their piece of writing to the group and their reasoning for situating
it where they did on the Open Form to Closed Form spectrum.
Class discussion asking groups to volunteer examples from their discussions of writing on
the Open Form to Closed Form spectrum, with an eye towards finding at least one example
of student writing which falls on every point of the spectrum (Top-down thesis-based prose,
delayed-thesis prose, thesis-seeking prose, and theme-based narrative).

Class 4: Monday
Class Goals:
Students will be able to identify purpose, genre, and audience in rhetoric
Introduce the three rhetorical appeals

In-Class Activities:
Writing exercise. What do you usually write and who typically reads your writing?
Group work: think about real world examples in which one has to think about
purpose, genre, and audience outside of writing.
Introduction of rhetorical appeals
Homework Assignments:
Find two pieces of writing on the same topic but from different points of view, such
as newspaper editorials or online articles, and bring them to class.
LESSON PLAN
Brief in-class writing assignment asking students What do you usually write and who
typically reads your writing?
Review of purpose and the six rhetorical aims of writing as described on Page 17 of Allyn &
Bacon.
Begin class discussion by asking students to refer to their in-class writing and ask themselves
if their style of writing falls into any of the previously mentioned rhetorical aims at the start
of the class, and then call on a student whose purpose is to express. Ask student whos
called upon to describe their writing and explain why they believe their writing has that
rhetorical aim.
Class 5: Wednesday
Class Goals:
Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of Angle of Vision
Revisit the three rhetorical appeals
In-Class Activities:
Discussion
Group work on rhetorical appeals
Homework Assignments:
Review pages 25 - 37
LESSON PLAN

Review the reading on Angle of Vision.

Minute paper: Ask students to explain in what ways each article they brought in represents a
different angle of vision and which perspective each article represents.
Brief lecture on Aristotles rhetorical appeals.
Show a YouTube video clip of an obvious example of one kind of rhetorical appeal being
employed (One possible choice is a scene from the TV series Mad Men in which one of the
characters makes an advertising pitch to a client on the power of nostalgia, which obviously
relies on pathos).

Display three images on the projector and break students into six groups. Assign each image
to two groups and ask each group to discuss their assigned image and attempt to determine
which rhetorical appeal is being employed and write down their reasoning (For example, one
image could be the well-known Uncle Sam recruiting poster. Students could potentially
argue that that poster is attempting to elicit patriotic feelings to achieve its goals, thus its an
appeal to pathos).
Call on each group and ask them to explain from their notes what rhetorical appeal their
group settled on for their assigned image.

Class 6: Friday
Class Goals:
Discuss Wallowing in Complexity
In-Class Activities:
Writing exercise
LESSON PLAN

Brief lecture on the difference between writing on a topic versus writing on a question or
problem.
Free-writing exercise asking the class to write about problems or questions they have and
which theyd be interested in seeing answered.
Ask students to volunteer the questions or problems they came up with in their free writing
for class discussion.

Unit 5 Timed Writing

Statement of Learning Outcomes
Essay Exams/Writing Under Pressure
At the end of the unit, students should
Demonstrate their ability to adapt their writing processes to an abbreviated time frame;
Analyze an essay exam question to understand what the question is looking for by
recognizing cues and by interpreting and responding to key terms;
Produce a written document, written under time constraint, that responds effectively to
the prompt and that exhibits a clear thesis, coherent organization, and content appropriate
to the question.

Class 1: Monday
Class Goals:
To practice a timed-writing essay
Analyzing exam questions
Assignments Due:
Read: Chapter 23, Essay Examinations, pp. 595-602
Bring your textbook to class!
In-Class:
Practice timed-writing exam
Sharing experiences
LESSON PLAN
See activity on page 15

Class 2: Wednesday
Class Goals:
Producing an A Response
Assignments Due:
Read: Chapter 23, Essay Examinations, pp. 603-607
Review: Chapters 1-4. Use the index, pp. iii-v, to refresh your memory of the key
rhetorical concepts you have learned in this course. Look at each Concept heading. If
you arent sure what that concept is referring to, use the corresponding page number to
look it up.
In-Class:
Practice timed-writing exam (prompt based on assigned readings)
Share results
Class 3: Friday

Class Goals:
Reflect on your writing process
Assignments Due:
Read:
From The A&B Guide to Writing, pp.423-430:
o Skill 16.1, Follow the experts practice of using multiple drafts
o Skill 16.2, Revise globally as well as locally
o Skill 16.3, Develop ten expert habits to improve your writing processes

Unit 4 Class Activity

Analyze the Topic to create a draft outline.
15 minutes.
A review of mind-mapping (spider charts) should precede this activity. It could be done as Q&A
or as a mini-lecture.
Activity goals:
1. Students should be able to analyze a prompt by breaking it down into key words.
2. Students should be able to translate the mind-map into an outline.
Teaching technique: Work in pairs or individually -> class wide discussion.
Prompt: A nation should require all of its students to study the same national curriculum until
they enter college.
Assignment: What do you need to do?
I. Working in pairs or individually,
1. Identify and underline the key words in the prompt.
2. Brainstorm for 5 minutes what comes to mind when you think about these key words and
record your answers.

II.

Class wide discussion 10 minutes.

Lets create an effective mind-map or a tree-diagram for this prompt all together.

NB for the instructor: In the end, explain how to effectively select points from the diagram to
create an effective outline.
Remember: in timed writing you do not need to go for the strongest points or the points you most
believe in, you go for the point you can effectively develop under time constraints.
P.S. The next step: nutshelling your argument working on a thesis statement.
Review p. 446 in A&B.
Do it at home using the mind map we created in class.
Next class brief peer-review of arguments.

Timed Writing Assignment Sheet

Using Clark Hoyts essay Face to Face with Tragedy on pages 163 to 165 of the Allyn &
Bacon Guide to Writing, write a response that defines the three rhetorical appeals and identifies
the advantage of each one. Which appeal does Hoyt focus on in his essay? Why do you think this
is? Be sure to provide specific example from the text to support your analysis.

Your work should:

Demonstrate the ability to analyze and respond to timed writing prompts 20 points
Show a clear thesis statement 10 points
Contain a clearly organized argument with one main idea 20 points
Show evidence of support and analysis 15 points
Demonstrate knowledge of the aspects of writing and rhetoric that you have learned
throughout the semester 15 points
Conclude in a way that ties your argument together and restates your thesis statement
10 points
Use clear syntax, be written legibly and proofread as well as possible given time
restraints 10 points

The exam:
You will have two hours to complete your final exam. You should bring with you a blue book
and a pen.
This is an exam. Any use of cell phones, tablets, or textbooks is not allowed, as is talking to
other students. If you have a question, raise your hand.