ENGL 1010: Introductory College Writing

Instructor: Megan Gadd

Office: Elizabeth Hall 226 | Office Hours: email for an appointment | Email:
megangadd1@weber.edu

Course Description:
Introductory College Writing introduces students to the basic principles of college writing. This
course will focus on teaching students to find, evaluate, and understand sources while
emphasizing that sources exist as part of an ongoing discussion.
This course is broken down into two sections. In the first section, we will read a common set of
texts and work on summarizing them and understanding how they exist in conversation with one
another. This section of the course will culminate in literature review. In the second, students
will choose their own topics, find their own sources, and construct a literature review on that
topic.
Office Hours`
I have chosen not to set office hours, but understand that I am more than willing to meet with all
my students one-on-one, face-to-face. I encourage you to email me whenever you have questions
or want to meet in person. Email is the best means of communicating with me outside of class. I
will also try to check my Canvas messages but will be slower to respond to those.
Required Texts, Resources & Materials:

Graff, Birkenstein, and Durst. They Say/I Say. 3rd edition. New York: Norton, 2015. ISBN-
13: 978-0393938432

Weber Writes 2016 (available at the Wildcat Store)

Paper and pen! Computers are great for taking notes, but youll need scratch or loose-leaf
paper for in-class writing assignments.

Grading

In-Class Writing: 15%

Summaries/Connections: 15%

Peer Review/Drafting: 10%

Literature Review One: 25%

Literature Review Two: 30%

 Final/Portfolio: 5%

Grades will be figured according to the following grade scale:

A 94-100% B- 80-83.9

A- 90-93.9 C+ 77-79.9

B+ 87-89.9 C 74-76.9

B 84-86.9 C- 70-73.9

Policies
Canvas: Our class will use Canvas regularly. Readings not in Weber Writes or They Say/I
Say will be posted there, and we will use the Canvas gradebook as well. In the event of an
extended campus closure, instruction will be provided via Canvas. Log in to the system on a
regular basis to keep up with the coursework. Assignments will be provided through the online
system with clear due dates and expectations. Online discussions may be part of the coursework
and will require your participation.
Attendance: You may miss one full week (three class periods) without penalty. After that, one-
half letter grade (5 percentage points) will be deducted from your final grade for each class
period missed.
You are still required to turn in course work on days you miss and make up in-class activities if
possible. If you know youll be absent, turn your coursework in early. For unexpected absences,
refer to the late work policy below.
Late Work: I will allow three opportunities to submit assignments one class period (day) late
without penalty. In other words, you have three free days that will be applied to late assignments.
For example, if you submit your first summary essay a day late, you will have used one of your
free days, and I will grade it without applying a late penalty. If you submit that essay two days
late, then you will have used two of your three free days and will have one free day left to apply
to a later assignment. After the free days are used, late assignments will be reduced by 5% for
each day late. After two weeks of being late, an assignment can no longer be submitted for credit.
Plagiarism: WSU subscribes to Turnitin, an electronic service that verifies the originality of
student work. Enrollment in this course may require you to submit some or all of your
assignments to it this semester, and documents submitted to Turnitin.com are retained,
anonymously, in their databases. Continued enrollment in this course constitutes an
understanding of and agreement with this policy. Plagiarism is a violation of the WSU Student
Code and is not acceptable in this course (IV.D.2.b). If your writing appears plagiarized, or if
sources are not documented properly, you may receive an E on the assignment. If repeated
offenses occur, you will receive a failing grade for the class and I will notify the WSU Due
Process Officer.
Students with Disabilities: Any student requiring accommodations or services due to a disability
must contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in room 181 of the Student Service
Center. SSD can also arrange to provide course materials (including this syllabus) in alternative
formats if necessary.
Core Beliefs: According to PPM 6-22 IV, students are to [d]etermine, before the last day to
drop courses without penalty, when course requirements conflict with a student's core beliefs. If
there is such a conflict, the student should consider dropping the class. A student who finds this
solution impracticable may request a resolution from the instructor. This policy does not oblige
the instructor to grant the request, except in those cases when a denial would be arbitrary and
capricious or illegal. This request must be made to the instructor in writing and the student must
deliver a copy of the request to the office of the department head. The student's request must
articulate the burden the requirement would place on the student's beliefs.
Extenuating Circumstances: In the event of a sudden campus closure (e.g. inclement weather, a
catastrophe, bird flu the sequel), we will continue to hold class online.
Schedule Changes: I reserve the right to make changes to the syllabus in order to accommodate
the dynamics of the class.
Course Outcomes:
Introductory College Writing is a course in which you will integrate the tasks of critical reader
and writer. To that end, you will be assigned various essays written by published authors from a
variety of disciplines as well as essays written by your fellow Weber students to read,
summarize, analyze, and synthesize. You will also have the opportunity to conduct research and
analyses of essays beyond the assigned readings. The specific course outcomes are as follow:
Reading (CO1)

Demonstrate an understanding of an individual texts meaning and the broader

conversation in which that text is taking part

Read a variety of textual genres and styles

Rhetoric (CO2)

Use technologies and language appropriate to purpose and audience

Working with Sources (CO3)

Identify connections between texts and among related ideas

Cite sources accurately

 Summarize, paraphrase, and use quotations appropriately

Use sources appropriate to the project

Writing (CO4)

Compose writing assignments with a clear thesis or point

Compose writing that is structurally and thematically coherent and unified

Describe complex ideas, positions, and perspectives

Use appropriate syntax, grammar and spelling

Assignments in Detail
In-Class Writing (CO1, CO2): You will write in class several times a week. This will be turned
in and graded.
Summary/Connections (CO1, CO2, CO3, CO4): As we prepare for the first literature review, you
will write summaries of the texts you are reading. These summaries will vary in length. After
each summary, you should write a paragraph describing how the text connects to other texts that
we have been reading.

Literature Review One (CO1, CO2, CO3, CO4): This is the major midterm project. You will
write an essay in which you describe the critical conversation taking place among all the texts we
have read in the first half of the term. Part of your grade will be taking a completed draft to the
Writing Center (in either Elizabeth Hall or at the Davis Campus) prior to the due date.

Literature Review Two (CO1, CO2, CO3, CO4): Unlike literature review one (where you were
provided a topic and texts), for this assignment you will identify your own topic and conduct
your own research into that topic. The essay you produce will be a description of the critical
conversation on that topic.

Portfolio (CO4): You will choose a selection of your past, graded assignments to revise and
compile in a portfolio. This replaces a traditional final exam.

Assignments Schedule

Assignments are bolded. Readings are not. Both are due before the start of class on the day
theyre listed.

Week 1

Monday, January 9 Introductions

 Syllabus

In-class writing

Wednesday, January 11 In-class writing

Peer review

Friday, January 13 In-class writing

Peer review

Week 2

Monday, January 16 No Class

Wednesday, January 18 Entering the Conversation (1)

Friday, January 20 They Say (19)

Should Everyone Go to College (208)

Summary 1 (due to Canvas. This will apply

to all summaries)

Week 3

Monday, January 23 Her Point Is (30)

Wednesday, January 25 The New Liberal Arts (226)

Summary 2

Friday, January 27 In-class writing

Week 4

Monday, January 30 Are Too Many People Going to College (234)

Summary 3

Wednesday, February 1 As He Himself Puts It (42)

 Colleges Prepare People for Life (259)

Summary 4

Friday, February 3 In-class writing

Week 5

Monday, February 6 Catch up day

Wednesday February 8 Hidden Intellectualism (264)

Summary 5

Friday, February 10 Ain't So/Is Not (121)

Should Writers Use They Own English (PDF)

Summary 6

Week 6

Monday, February 13 Blue-Collar Brilliance (272)

Summary 7

Wednesday, February 15 In-class writings

Bring your copy of Weber Writes 2016 to

class

Friday, February 17 Summary & Connection: Weber Writes

due by midnight (found under Discussions).

Week 7

Monday, February 20 No Class

Wednesday, February 22 Bowie State Commencement Speech (285)

Summary 8
Friday, February 24 Matrix Assignment due to me in class

Week 8

Monday, February 27 Lit Review #1 Draft 1 (Print and bring a

copy to class. This will apply to all peer
review days)

Peer Review

Make an appointment at the Writing

Center for some time during Week 10

Wednesday, March 1 Lit Review #1 Draft 2

Peer Review

Friday, March 3 Lit Review #1 Draft 3

Peer Review

Week 9

Monday, March 6 Spring Break

Wednesday, March 8 Spring Break

Friday, March 10 Spring Break

Week 10

Monday, March 13 Library Research Presentation

Meet in LI 322

Wednesday, March 15 In-class writing

In-class writing
Friday, March 17 Writing Center "Brown Slip" due to me in
class
Literature Review #1 Due (Canvas)
Week 11

Monday, March 20 Topic Proposal (Canvas)

In-class writing

Wednesday, March 22 In-class writing

Friday, March 24 In-class writing

Week 12

Monday, March 27 Annotated Bibliography (Canvas)

Wednesday, March 29 In-class writing

Friday, March 31 In-class writing

Week 13

Monday, April 3 Lit Review #2 Draft 1

Peer Review

Wednesday, April 5 Lit Review #2 Draft 2

Peer Review

Friday, April 7 Lit Review #2 Draft 3

Peer Review

Week 14

Monday, April 10 Literature Review #2 (Canvas)

Wednesday, April 12 In-class writing

Friday, April 14 In-class writing

Week 15
Monday, April 17 Meet in computer lab (Room TBA)

Wednesday, April 19 Meet in computer lab (Room TBA)

Friday, April 21 Meet in computer lab (Room TBA)

Week 16

Monday, April 24 Last day of class

Final (due to Canvas by midnight)

Attendance isnt mandatory todayyou can

work on your portfolio wherever youd like.
However, Ill be in the classroom and
available to help you and answer questions.

Wednesday, April 26 Finals