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English 1101:
Writing and Inquiry in Academic Contexts I
Fall 2012—Monday & Friday 12:30-1:45—Smith 351
Instructor: Rebecca Semit
E-mail: rsemit@uncc.edu
Office Hours: Wednesdays 2:30-3:30; Fridays 2:00-3:00
Office: n/a
Office phone: n/a
Course Description:
ENGL 1101: Writing and Inquiry in Academic Contexts I. (3) In English 1101, writing is both the
primary subject of inquiry and the primary activity. Students write, revise, edit and reflect on their writing
with the support of the teacher and peers. Students also engage critically with the opinions and voices of
others, as they are encouraged to understand how their writing can have an effect on themselves and their
environments. As the primary subject of readings and discussion, writing is explored as it relates to
different contexts, discourses, cultures and textual media. As students inquire into literacy, they
understand their own writing and development with heightened awareness. Grades are derived primarily
from portfolios that include work generated throughout the term.
For this class, we will be exploring how knowledge and literacy are socially constructed. We will be
specifically focusing on the various forms of literacy that exist in our world. Additionally, we will be
looking at how traditional, academic literacy and unconventional forms of literacy can be in conflict with
each other, how both can be used together to resolve conflict, and how writers have used conflict to
achieve a social, political, cultural, etc. goal.
Required Materials:
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Writing about Writing, Elizabeth Wardle and Doug Downs
A composition notebook for daily journaling
Access to a computer and the internet
Access to a printer—all writing assignments will be printed out for submission and in-class
workshops (the number of copies necessary will be designated before they are needed).
A stapler
Grading:
Your course grade will be a combination of your e-portfolio (reflections, drafts, and final submissions),
in-class journals, homework responses, and class participation (both during regular class sessions and
peer workshops). Your grade will be determined on a 500 point scale that has been broken down for you
below. If any of the major assignments are absent or incomplete in your e-portfolio, you will not
pass this course. Also an incomplete e-portfolio will also result in failure of the course.
***Letter grades will not be given for each individual assignment because each piece of writing illustrates
your development over the course of this semester. With that in mind, your overall growth as a writer,
come the end of the semester, is what you will be evaluated on, so keep all copies of drafts, peer
workshops, and any notes or journals entries that will best demonstrate your progress.
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Grading Scale:
E-portfolio
Class Participation
In-class Journals
Homework Responses
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300 points
100 points
50 points
50 points
500-400 points=A, 399-300 points=B, 299-200 points=C, 199-100 points=D, below 99 points=F
If you wish to evaluate your own work on an A-F scale throughout the semester, see the final
page of the syllabus for a description of what each letter grade will call for.
Portfolio: Your e-portfolio will contain five sections:
Section 1: Writing Notebook and Reading Responses: At the end of the semester, you will choose
at least five entries from your daily journal and five from your homework responses that best
illustrate your day-to-day writing work in the class.
Section 2: Process Work: This section will contain working drafts of the three major projects. It
will include selected workshop drafts as well as the drafts to which I have responded. It might
also include the written responses of your classmates.
Section 3: Peer Responses: This section will contain your three typed responses to peers’ work.
Section 4: Polished Work: This section will contain your most polished version of the three
major drafts you completed for the class.
Section 5: Reflection: This folder will contain your major project and end of term reflective
letters.
Portfolios will be evaluated according to the engagement they demonstrate in all aspects of the class—
daily writing, process work, reflection, etc.—not just the polished drafts. We will discuss the evaluation
with more detail in class. **It is important that you start collecting materials in the portfolio from the
first week of class.**
Class Participation:
I believe that a class should have a relaxed but focused atmosphere; however, this cannot be achieved
unless everyone in class is committed to certain standards of behavior and engagement. Coming to class
is important, but it is not enough. The participation grade will be based not only on your daily presence,
but also your level of focus and preparation. Preparation includes, of course, reading and being actively
involved in our class discussions.
Major Assignments:
Literacy Conflict Narrative: Students will discuss what literacy is and develop a more thorough
understanding of how their conception of literacy developed. For this assignment, students will read
several essays about what literacy is and how it is constructed. After discussing these articles, students
will discuss how these presentations of literacy complement or challenge their own views. All of this
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discussion will lead to students constructing their own literacy narratives. Placing themselves within a
moment of conflict (which will be defined further), students will write about how both their conventional
and unconventional understanding of literacy had a positive or negative effect on the situation. The goal
for this assignment is for students to think critically about literacy as a social construct instead of merely
accepting the myth of a single literacy.
Rhetorical Analysis: The second major assignment will be a Rhetorical Analysis. After having gained an
understanding of how literacy is socially constructed, students will explore the choices writers make in
regards to their work. In connection with the idea of conflict previously explored in the Literacy Conflict
Narrative, students will explore how other writers have utilized various “moves” in order to make a
statement regarding social, political, or cultural injustices. For this assignment, students will select a text
(it may be print or non-print) and examine the rhetorical choices of the writers. Students will analyze,
evaluate, explore the author’s intended audience, motive, medium, etc. and how they perceive the
effectiveness (both positive and negative) of these decisions.
Genre Re-creation: This is a continuation of the Rhetorical Analysis in which you will take the same text
and re-create it in a genre of your choice (the genre itself will determine how you will go about this). You
will also defend your decisions and show how the new genre works with or against the original text in
order to present the ideas in a different manner to an audience of your choosing. This project will allow
you to use your creativity in order to show your own ideas about what this work should be. Although you
may choose any new genre, you must have a logical reason for it.
Homework Responses, Journals, and Project Proposals:
Homework Responses: For each of the assigned readings, you will need to write a critical analysis of the
text. You will briefly summarize the article (3-5 sentences) and analyze the positive and negative aspects
of the work. Each response will be about 350 words and will be organized alphabetically, based on the
author’s last name. These homework responses will be used to lead our class discussions. I encourage
you to take notes while we discuss these works in class because revision and knowledge as a social
construct are at the core of this course.
Journals: Journaling will be used as a means of opening your minds to what we will be discussing during
the days lesson. During the first fifteen minutes of class, students will free write in their journals based
on prompts that pertain to our class discussions and/or readings. Most prompts are listed already on the
daily course plan; however, these may be subject to change based on the progress and dynamics of the
class.
Project Proposals: For both the Rhetorical Analysis assignment and the Genre Re-Creation project,
before you begin to work with your new genre, you will submit a short, informal proposal (350-500
words) that indicates what topic you will be analyzing and what genre you plan to use for your recreation. Give a short description of what you plan to do and why. Also indicate what specific aspects of
the text you plan to work with. This will be due at the beginning of class as a hard copy. All new topics
and genres must be approved before you begin working on the rhetorical analysis, genre, or the defense.
Presentation: During our final exam period, you will be giving a voluntary informal presentation
regarding your Genre Re-creation. This presentation will be graded on a pass basis, meaning that if you
choose to present you will automatically pass and receive 10 extra points towards your final portfolio
grade. Although you are not required to participate, you must still be present on the exam day (this is
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university policy).
Course Policies:
1. Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the given due date, and they must be in the
appropriate format (Times New Roman, 12 point font, double spaced, MLA citation format). Failure to
complete one of the major assignments will automatically result in your failing the class. Also, failure to
turn in a completed portfolio at the end of the term will result in automatic failure of the class. Accidents
happen with computers; therefore, it is a requirement for the class that you backup all of your work. I will
not accept assignments or homework via email. You must bring a hard copy for submission.
2. Unless you talk to me before the due date, I will only accept late papers, with the option of full credit,
under extremely extenuating circumstances. I also reserve the right to deduct points for late work. For
each day the work is late, more points will be deducted from the original total.
3. You are allotted three absences throughout the course of the semester, and you will automatically be
dropped a full letter grade at your fourth and another at your fifth absence. If you miss six classes you
will automatically fail the course. If you are absent you are responsible for any missed work and any
modifications of the syllabus and/or assignments.
4. I periodically make minor revisions to the syllabus in class, and you are responsible for any
announcements I make in class. I will announce these revisions in the class and they will be reflected in
the on-line syllabus.
Disabilities Statement:
Students who have a disability or condition which may impair their ability to complete assignments or
otherwise satisfy course criteria should meet with me to identify, discuss and document any feasible
instructional modifications or accommodations. If you do need special considerations, inform me as soon
as possible after a disability or condition is diagnosed, whichever occurs earliest. For information and
auxiliary assistance, contact the Disabilities Resource Center (Fretwell 230).
Academic Integrity
The Code of Student Academic Integrity governs the responsibility of students to maintain integrity in
academic work, defines violations of the standards, describes procedures for handling alleged violations
of the standards, and lists applicable penalties. All of the university policies concerning plagiarism apply.
If you do plagiarize work, you will be reported to student affairs. I will be glad to answer any questions
you may have about this. The following conduct is prohibited in that Code as violating those standards:
A. Cheating. Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, notes, study
aids or other devices in any academic exercise. This definition includes unauthorized communication of
information during an academic exercise.
B. Fabrication and Falsification. Intentional and unauthorized alteration or invention of any information
or citation in an academic exercise. Falsification is a matter of altering information, while fabrication is a
matter of inventing or counterfeiting information for use in any academic exercise.
C. Multiple Submission. The submission of substantial portions of the same academic work (including
oral reports) for credit more than once without authorization.
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D. Plagiarism. Intentionally or knowingly presenting the work of another as one's own (i.e., without
proper acknowledgment of the source). The sole exception to the requirement of acknowledging sources
is when the ideas, information, etc., are common knowledge. (NOTE: For more information regarding
plagiarism, see PLAGIARISM Appendix at http://legal.uncc.edu/policies/ps-105.html#APP.)
E. Abuse of Academic Materials. Intentionally or knowingly destroying, stealing, or making
inaccessible library or other academic resource material.
F. Complicity in Academic Dishonesty. Intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help
another to commit an act of academic dishonesty.
**We will discuss this matter further in class. Please see me whenever you have any questions.
UNC Charlotte English Department Statement of Diversity
The English Department strives to create an academic climate that respects people of varied cultural
backgrounds and life experiences. As a community of scholars and teachers who study language,
literature, and writing, we are committed to nurturing intellectual and aesthetic diversity. In all our
activities, we invite participation by diverse groups, including, but not limited to, those who define
themselves in the following terms: race and ethnicity; gender; political orientation; sexual orientation;
special health needs; age; religion; country of origin; and socio-economic status. Finally, by fostering
multiple perspectives in our coursework, we can help our students prepare to participate in our
increasingly diverse society, as well as in the global community.
Course Plan:
(Subject to Change—See Class Website for most Updated Version)
**Note that (M) denotes material on Moodle**
~August~
 Week One:
22—Course Introduction—Discuss syllabus, goals of the course, portfolio,
personal introductions, etc.
Homework: Read Writing about Writing (WaW), “Chapter 3: Literacies:
How have you become the reader and writer you are today?” (pp. 328349)
24—What is literacy? How do we learn? What knowledge do we privilege?
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Week Two:
29—What is a conflict? How can literacy and knowledge be conflicting?
*Introduction of first assignment: Literacy Conflict Narrative*
Homework: Read “Learning to Read,” Malcolm X (WaW pp. 353-361);
“Theme For English B,” Langston Hughes (M)
31—How does society view literacy? How is our knowledge socially
constructed?
Homework: Read “The Search Engine,” Sherman Alexie (M)
~September~
 Week Three:
5—How do language and culture affect literacy?
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Homework: Read “One Voice,” Susan G. Madera (M);
*Bring a copy of your First Draft*
7—What are Multiple Literacies? Discussion of and side shadowing workshop.
Discuss First Draft Progress.
*First Draft of Literacy Conflict Narrative Due Today*
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Week Four:
12— Revision vs. Editing. What’s the difference?
Homework: Read “Shitty First Drafts,” Anne Lamott (WaW pp. 301304); “Calming the Inner Critic and Getting to Work,” Allegra Goodman
(WaW pp. 308-310); “To See Your Story Clearly Start by Pulling the
Wool over Your Own Eyes,” Kent Haruf (WaW pp. 311-314)
14—Why do we workshop? What are your experiences with peer workshops?
Homework: Read Chapter 1 Intro and “The Phenomenology of Error,”
Joseph M. Williams (WaW pp. 34-55). *Bring a copy of your second
draft for Monday*
Week Five:
19—Discussion of Grammar vs. Content: HOCs vs. LOCs. Peer Revision Workshop.
21—What is error?
Watch “The Impotence of Proofreading.” Discuss proofreading and editing.
Homework: Final Draft of Literacy Conflict Narrative due Monday
Week Six:
26—What is a reflection letter? Write reflection letters in class.
*Final Draft of Literacy Conflict Narrative Due*
Homework: Read…(an article about what a text is)
28—What is a text? How do we define what is a text and what is not? How do we
decide this?
Homework: Read…(some article about rhetorical choices and genres)
*Introduction of second major assignment—Rhetorical Analysis*
~October~
 Week Seven:
3—What is a rhetorical choice? How do authors consciously use audience,
medium, and motive as rhetorical devices?
Homework: Read “Persimmons,” Li-Young Lee (M); 350 word topic proposal
due Friday 10/5
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5— Discuss Readings: What are the social and political implications of each of
these readings? How do the forms affect how you read the work?
*Rhetorical Analysis Proposal Due*
Homework: Read “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” Gloria Anzaldua (M) or an
excerpt from My Forbidden Face, Latifa (M); Work on first draft of the
Rhetorical Analysis
Week Eight:
10— Further discussion of: What is a genre? How are genres used in positive and
negative ways in society, politics, and culture? What is a genre in action?
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Homework: Come up with five examples and descriptions of each “genre
in action” (usual homework format)
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12—Discuss genre homework. Group work: rhetorical/genre analysis
exercise.
Homework: Finish First Draft of Rhetorical Analysis due Monday 10/17;
bring two copies with side shadowing
Week Nine:
17—Peer Revision Workshop.
*First Draft of Rhetorical Analysis Due*
Homework: Journals due on 10/19
19—Discuss Conferences, E-portfolios, Midterm Grading, and Materials for
Conference
*Journals Due*
Homework: Final Draft of Rhetorical Analysis Due 10/31
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Week Ten:
24—Midterm Conferences No Class
26—Midterm Conferences No Class
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Week Eleven:
31—Work on in-class Reflection Letters
*Final Draft of Rhetorical Analysis Due*
~November~
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2—How do texts, in their various forms, create or alleviate conflict?
*Introduction to Genre Re-Creation Assignment*
Homework: Research topics for Genre Re-Creation. Genre Re-Creation
Proposal due Monday 11/7 (350 words)
***Remember we are meeting in Atkins Library for our next class***
Week Twelve:
7— Library Research Presentation with Linda Gunter (Meet at Atkins Library for
class)
*Genre Re-Creation Proposals Due*
Homework: Bring project proposals to class and a list of sources on
11/14; Work on drafts for Genre Re-Creation and Defense
9—Research Day—No Class
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Week Thirteen:
14— Why do we cite sources? How do other cultures view knowledge and
plagiarism? Citation Discussion. Small group work.
Homework: Work on Genre Re-Creation and Defense due 11/16
16— Peer Workshop: Genre Brainstorm/ Gallery Crawl
*Draft of Genre Recreation and Defense Due*
Homework: Final Draft of Genre Recreation Due 11/28
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Week Fourteen:
21—No Class Thanksgiving Break
23—No Class Thanksgiving Break
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Week Fifteen:
28—Work on in-class Reflection Letters
*Genre Recreation and Defense Due*
30—Work on E-portfolios and Reflections
~December~
 Week Sixteen:
5—Last Day of Class—Discussion of Exam Day Presentations
***E-portfolios with reflections are due by midnight tonight***
A link on Moodle will be available for you to submit your e-portfolio’s url
**Final Exam: 12/??/13 from ?? to ??**
Letter Grade Descriptions ***See note on letter grades under the “Grading” section***
- show sustained rigor in all aspects of the class (class work, process work, major projects,
attendance, peer response, and presentations).
A
- show a high level of polish in the final drafts of the major assignments and have a strong,
detailed final reflection.
(400500)
- takes risks and actively tries to improve their skills as a writer
- go above and beyond requirements in terms of quality, content, and effort.
- show rigor in most aspects of the class (class work, process work, major projects,
attendance, peer response, and presentations).
B
- have relatively polished final drafts of major assignments and a strong, detailed final
reflection.
(300399)
- makes basic strides to improve their skills as a writer
- meet requirements in terms of quality, content, and effort.
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C
- show inconsistent rigor in many aspects of the class (class work, process work, major
projects, attendance, peer response, and presentations).
- attempt to polish the final drafts of major assignments and have a strong final reflection.
(200299)
- occasionally make basic attempts to improve their skills as a writer.
- meet requirements, but are lacking in terms of quality, content, and effort.
D
- show inconsistent rigor in most aspects of the class (class work, process work, major
projects, attendance, peer response, and presentations).
- have weak polished final drafts of major assignments and a cursory final reflection.
(100199)
- make cursory attempts to improve their skills as a writer.
- meet few requirements and is lacking in terms of quality, content, and effort.
F
-has not completed all major assignments or turned in a completed e-portfolio
- show rigor in very few or no aspects of the class (class work, process work, major projects,
attendance, peer response, and presentations).
(0-99)
- have weak or absent polished final drafts of major assignments and a cursory or absent final
reflection.
- take no initiative to improve their skills as a writer.
- meet few or no requirements and is lacking in terms of quality, content, and effort.
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