WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
Fairbanks Campus
School of Languages and Literature
English 1301
Wayland Baptist University Mission Statement: Wayland Baptist University exists to educate students in an
academically challenging, learning-focused and distinctively Christian environment for professional success, and
service to God and humankind.
Course Name: ENGL 1301 – Composition and Rhetoric
Term and Year: Summer 2014
Full Name of Instructor: Mary Parker
Contact Information and Office Hours:
Phone: (704) 576-5178
Email: mary.parker@wayland.wbu.edu
In an effort to ensure all students succeed, I am available before and after class, and by appointment. Please refer to
the schedule and contact your classmate(s) should you need to know whether or not an assignment is due. If you
need clarification or wish to set up a conference, I am available by phone M-F 8 a.m.-4p.m. and check email
regularly.
Please note: Please refrain from contacting me with questions concerning assignment(s) due the same day.
Class Meeting Time and Location:
Eielson AFB
May 26 – August 9
MWF – Noon - 1p.m.
Catalog Description: Principles of clear, correct, effective expository writing, with illustrative readings and
frequent essays and conferences.
Prerequisite: None
Required Textbook and Resources:
Renking, James A., and Robert von der Osten. Strategies for Successful Writing 10th ed.
(ISBN 13:978-0-205-88311-0)
Blackboard Access
Microsoft Word/Computer access
Writing instrument – pen or pencil
Notebook paper – Although you may prefer to type, I will regularly require you to turn in assignments written
during class.
**Please ensure you have pen/pencil, textbook and paper accessible during every class meeting, beginning Week 1.
Optional Textbook and Resources:
Hacker, Diana and Nancy Sommers. A Writer’s Reference, 7th ed.
(ISBN 13: 978-0-312-60143-0)
Laptop
Course Outcome Competencies: Upon the conclusion of this course, students actively engaged in learning will be
able to:
1.
Apply standard rules and conventions of the English language to written expressions.
2.
Summarize the steps and components of the writing process.
3.
Compose academic, nonfiction essays or responses in at least four different rhetorical modes or style.
4.
Demonstrate basic college-level research skills.
5.
Employ active reading strategies.
The more the student puts into the course, the higher his or her outcome competencies will be. Your attendance,
participation and willingness to learn all impact your course progress, and your ability to apply these competencies
to your academic work and career.
Attendance Requirements: As stated in the Wayland Catalog, students enrolled at one of the University’s external
campuses should make every effort to attend all class meetings. All absences must be explained to the instructor,
who will then determine whether the omitted work may be made up. When a student reaches that number of
absences considered by the instructor to be excessive, the instructor will so advise the student and file an
unsatisfactory progress report with the campus executive director. Any student who misses 25 percent or more of
the regularly scheduled class meetings may receive a grade of F in the course. Additional attendance policies
for each course, as defined by the instructor in the course syllabus, are considered a part of the University’s
attendance policy.
In the event of an extenuating circumstance, please contact me directly and we can discuss your study plan and keep
your course progress on track. Refrain from asking the instructor whether or not you “missed anything” in the event
of an absence – you did. Please prepare yourself by including the name and contact information of a classmate
below. Use this contact information to make sure you have all information about assignments should you miss a
class. Regardless of absence, completing course work (including papers, journals and other written
assignments) is your responsibility.
Name:
Phone:
Email:
Disability Statement: “In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), it is the policy of
Wayland Baptist University that no otherwise qualified person with a disability be excluded from participation in, be
denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity in the university.
The Coordinator of Counseling Services serves as the coordinator of students with a disability and should be
contacted concerning accommodation requests at (806) 291- 3765. Documentation of a disability must accompany
any request for accommodations.”
Classroom Etiquette:
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In English 1301, we will discuss writing techniques and put pen to paper during every meeting.
Please arrive on time, ready to participate.
Participate in class discussions. Be mindful and respectful of others. We do not all learn at the same pace or
have the same perspective – patience is key to the learning process!
If using a computer during class, you must only be working on assigned coursework for English 1301.
Take notes!
Please turn off your cell phone.
*The only exception to this rule is in the case of an emergency- please notify instructor before class begins.
Students who do not comply with etiquette may be asked to leave the class.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Students will discuss academic honesty and plagiarism in-class and
sign a form regarding plagiarism. Any student who engages in plagiarism will receive an F for the course.
Course Requirements and Grading Criteria:
Grading will be evaluated based on a points scale:
900-1000
800-900
700-800
600-700
Below 600
A, 90-100%
B, 80-90%
C, 70-80%
D, 60-70%
F, 60% or below
Points will be earned based on the following assignments:
Major writing assignments:
625 points
Students will independently write five essays throughout the semester. All final drafts must be submitted via Safe
Assign in MLA format and submitted in class in hard copy on the due date. You will lose two points for each
spelling error as well as for each grammatical or proofreading error that we have reviewed.
Name of Assignment
Places Description Essay
Qualities of America
Illustration Essay
How We Change
Cause and Effect/
Comparison Essay
Core American Values
Definition Essay
Requirements
2 Pages
2-3 Pages
Total Point Value
75
100
Due Date
Wednesday, June 11
Wednesday, June 25
2-3 Pages
100
Wednesday, July 9
2-3 Pages
100
Wednesday, July 16
Immigration
Research Argument Essay
5-6 Pages, including Works
Cited
250 Points
Must include 3 sources
Annotated Bibliography: 50
Rough Draft: 25
Presentation: 25
Research Final Draft: 150
Wednesday, July 23
Wednesday, July 30
Monday, August 4
Wednesday, August 6
Journal entries:
150 points
Students will submit a weekly Blackboard journal in response to a prompt provided on Blackboard. Responses
should be 1-2 Word document pages in length, in MLA format. Each entry is worth a maximum 15 points.
Participation:
150 points
Please arrive to class on time, and come prepared to learn and engage with the instructor and classmates. You will
frequently work in groups during class. Questions based on the learning material are encouraged!
Midterm
75 points
A midterm designed to gauge course progress will be proctored in-class, and cannot be made-up.
Please note: The instructor does not “give” grades. Students earn grades. You alone have the ability to affect your
progress and success in this course.
English 1301 is a writing course. This means you will write in-class independently and in groups; as part of your
weekly homework assignments; in a weekly journal and to complete four major assignments. We will discuss
writing techniques and course competencies expected of you during class, therefore it is imperative you attend class
weekly.
Late work will receive a 10% point deduction per day on the assignment grade. This means a perfect assignment
worth 100 points will automatically drop to 90 points after one day.
*Assignments turned in more than one week late will not be accepted. In the case of military documented TDY or
exercises, please notify me as soon as possible so that we may discuss alternative arrangements.
Tentative Schedule
The instructor may amend this schedule, as needed.
Date
Week 1:
May 26
Introduction to course
Read Ch. 1
May 28
Purposes of Writing
Read Ch. 2 and “When the Full Moon
Shines Its Magic over Monument
Valley” (475) and “Seaside Safari”
(477); Answer Qs
May 30
Effective Reading
Grammar
Introduce Description (Places)
Essay
MLA Style (Handout)
Read Ch. 3, 4 and 9
Journal 1
Discuss Writing and Revision
Process
Thesis Statements
Read Ch. 7
Draft Description Essay Thesis
June 4
Word Choices Exercises
Outline and draft descriptive essay
June 6
Mind Maps/Planning for
Description Essay
Read Ch. 5 and Ch. 6
Journal 2
Sentence and Paragraph Structure
Exercises
Finish Description Essay
Journal 2 Due
June 11
Grammar Exercises from
Handbook
Read Ch. 11 and “Binge Drinking: A
Campus Killer” (498)
Description Essay
June 13
Brainstorm Illustration Essay
(Qualities of America)
Discuss Appropriate Examples
Journal 3
Outline Illustration Essay
Grammar Exercises from
Handbook
Read Ch. 13 and “Invasion of the
Bodybuilders” (527)
June 18
Discuss elements and purposes of
comparison
Review Summarizing (Ch.2)
Discuss changes and trends in
American culture
Read Ch. 14 and “For Cops, Citizen
Videos Bring Increased Scrutiny”
(539)
Summarize “For Cops…”
June 20
Brainstorm Cause and
Effect/Comparison Essay (How
We Change)
Discuss causes for American
trends and compare changes
Journal 4
Week 5:
June 23
Illustration Essay Peer Review
Finish Illustration Essay
Journal 4 Due
June 25
In-class Midterm
Outline “How We Change” Essay
Illustration Essay
June 27
Essay and Grammar Workshop
Read Ch. 15 and “Rediscovering
Patriotism” (256)
Journal 5
Week 2:
June 2
Week 3:
June 9
Week 4:
June 16
In-Class
Assignments
Due
Journal 1 Due
Journal 3 Due
Week 6:
June 30
Discuss elements and purposes of
definition; Define core American
values
Journal 5 Due
July 2
Essay(s) Workshop
July 4
Happy 4th of July! No Class!
Read Ch. 16 and
“A Carefully Crafted Immigration
Law…” and “Immigration Policy”
(584,586)
Journal 6
Discuss responses to a society
confronted by challenges of
immigration
Finish Cause and Effect/Comparison
Essay
Journal 6 Due
July 9
Discuss different kinds of evidence
and credibility
Bring in 1-2 Print Ads
Cause and
Effect/Comparison
Essay
July 11
Discuss fallacies/building
arguments on evidence and
credible sources
Read Ch.20 and “House Arrest” (410)
Journal 7
Discuss class Research Argument
Essay/Decide on Topics
Finish Definition Essay
Journal 7 Due
July 16
Outline Research Essay
Discuss Annotated Bibliography
Read Ch. 21
Definition Essay
July 18
Week 9:
July 21
Finding Sources
Journal 8
Citation Skills Workshop:
Summarizing, Paraphrasing &
Quoting
Finish Annotated Bibliography
Journal 8 Due
July 23
Writing Workshop
Read Ch.17 and “Back to the Future”
(596)
Annotated
Bibliography
July 25
Week 10:
July 28
Writing Workshop
Journal 9
Discuss mixing techniques and
longer essays
Finish Rough Draft
July 30
Peer Review Workshop
August 1
Week 11:
August 4
Writing Workshop
Journal 10
Presentations
Finish Research Argument Essay
August 6
Presentations
August 8
Applications Discussion
Week 7:
July 7
Week 8:
July 14
Journal 9 Due
Rough Draft
Journal 10 Due
Research Argument
Essay