English 1010-034: Expository Writing
Literacy for Life
Spring 2014 TR 8:00am-9:25am Peck Hall 326
Instructor: Jenny Rowan
Course Description:
Contact information
English 1010: Expository Writing is the first in a two-semester writing and
Office: James E. Walker Library, 362C (in the
communication sequence that you will take here at MTSU. Like other
Writing Center)
disciplines you’ll engage with during your college career, composition, or
Email: Jenny.Rowan@mtsu.edu (email is the
the study of writing and how it works, has been shaped by composition
best way to reach me)
scholars, their research and theory, and the experience of writers like
Phone: 615.494.8932
you. Over the course of the semester, we will read genre-based texts
Office hours: Thursday, 11:00-12:30 & 2:30and articles by composition scholars, we will conduct primary research
4:00 (and by appointment)
on the types of research and writing students and professionals do in
particular disciplines, and we will work toward a final project in the class that will be the culmination of the writing and
research you have done throughout the semester. One of the key goals in this class is for each of you to develop a
personal writing philosophy that will transfer to the writing you do in other classes, in other disciplines, in your career, and
to the writing you do on a daily basis—in other words, this class is concerned with “Literacy for Life,” our theme for the
semester. In order to achieve this goal, we will practice composing in a variety of different genres, using a variety of
technologies, with texts composed in a variety of different contexts.
Learning Objectives for English 1010
This semester we will…
1. spend time studying composition as a discipline (a field in which scholars research writing and how it works).
2. develop a vocabulary to discuss writing (defining and illustrating key concepts in composition studies).
3. read and analyze various types of text—print, visual, digital, and audio.
4. complete writing tasks that require understanding the rhetorical situation and making appropriate decisions about
content, form, and presentation.
5. practice writing in multiple genres and in response to real world writing situations.
6. conduct basic research (and learn to evaluate the credibility of this research) necessary for completing specific writing
tasks.
7. practice creating a writing plan that includes prewriting, drafting, rewriting, and editing.
8. practice the skill of constructive critique (with both our own writing and our peers’), focusing on higher order
concerns, including matters of design, during writing and peer revision workshops.
9. learn to use our handbook and other tools for writing reference.
10. develop individual writing theories (based on our research, writing, and discussion) that can be transferred to writing
situations in other classes and in life.
Required Texts
 Johnson-Sheehan , Richard, & Charles Paine. Writing Today. 2nd ed. Boston: Pearson, 2013. ISBN 978-0205210084.
*You are welcome to purchase the e-text of Writing Today; however, please note that I will require that you bring the
electronic device you’ll be using to access this text to class with you each day.
 Lunsford, Andrea. Easy Writer: A Pocket Reference. 4th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010. ISBN 9781457633508. *I suggest that you keep this handbook for future classes.
 Any texts assigned in class, over email, or through D2L. (I also require that you check your email and our D2L
homepage daily for updates, assignments, and readings).
Evaluation and Grading Scale
In order to pass this course and earn 3 credit hours, you must earn an overall average of C- or above. Although I will use
the grade “D” when grading individual assignments, anyone receiving an overall grade of “D” or below will not pass the
class. The only exception is for first-time English 1010 students—you may receive an “N” for the final grade if you have
met all of the course requirements (this means you have not exceeded the number of allotted absences and you have
completed and submitted all major assignments). If you receive an “N” (which = “no grade”), your GPA will not be
affected but you will be required to repeat English 1010 in order to receive credit. Students may wish to check with
financial aid and/or an advisor to find out how this will affect scholarships and other types of financial aid. Please note
that I round up all final grades that average out with a .5 or higher.
Your individual major projects will be graded on a 100-point scale. Your final grade will also be determined on a 100-point
scale which is then converted to a letter grade per the chart below.
INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT GRADES:
A: 100-92%
B+:91-89%/ B:88-84%/ B-:83-82%
C+:81-79%/ C:78-74%/ C-:73-72%
D+:71-69%/ D:68-64%/ D-:63-62%
F: 61% and below
FINAL COURSE GRADES:
A: 100-92%
B+:91-89%/ B:88-84%/ B-:83-82%
C+:81-79%/ C:78-74%/ C-:73-72%
F: 71% and below
N: no grade
The major projects in this class will all focus on writing within a specific academic discipline/career. The writing that you do
for each project will build on the work and research done in previous projects and in class, leading up to the culminating
course project—a webpage in which you write to prospective students who are considering studying in your chosen
discipline or who are interested in entering a related profession, offering insight into the types of writing and research
that discipline/career will involve. Note: We will be jumping in to your first project very early in the semester. Because of
this, I expect you to choose your focus (even if you begin with a broad discipline which you will later narrow and refine)
by the second week of classes.
5%
Proposal: a proposal in which you identify your chosen discipline or a discipline of interest to you and a plan
for your field research for the semester.
15%
MTSU Magazine Profile: an article profiling an MTSU faculty or staff member focusing on the types of writing
he/she does in his/her chosen field. This project will incorporate elements of design common to the magazine
article genre.
15%
Research Report: a report detailing interviews or surveys with MTSU students and faculty within a specific
discipline, as well as employees working within a field related to this discipline, with a sample writing
assignment from a related course and an analysis of the collected research.
15%
Discourse Analysis: an analysis of language and stylistic choices within a discipline as represented in a
magazine or journal associated with that discipline.
20%
Webpage: a culminating report of your research written to prospective students who are interested in the
discipline/profession(s) you have been studying in which you offer insight into the types of writing and
research that discipline or career will involve. You will present this project to your peers in class.
10%
Philosophy of Writing: a personal statement explaining your “philosophy” of writing—what is writing, how
does it work, and what work does it do? You will be asked to incorporate your reflections from your research
and at least 2 composition readings we’ve examined over the course of the semester.
15%
Writing to learn activities: writing, done both in- and outside of class, related to ongoing projects and
readings. This includes weekly D2L discussion board posts (requirements available on D2L), daily work (turned
in or posted to D2L at the end of class), reading responses, discussion questions, and collaborative work.
5%
Workshops: includes peer & individual invention, writing, revision, and editing workshops which we will
conduct both in class and out of class (through D2L). I expect you to have a draft ready for class (if we are
workshopping in class) or posted to D2L by the date/time posted to the schedule. To get credit for peer
workshops, you must have both a draft to contribute and offer feedback to your peer.
Policies for students
1. Late work: I expect you to turn in all work on the day that it is due. I do not accept homework late for credit. All
major projects (your proposal, profile, report, discourse analysis, web text, and philosophy) must be turned in on
time; I will deduct 10 points off the final grade of the project per class period if it is submitted late. I make 1
exception—you may turn in 1 of the first 3 major projects up to 1 class period late with no penalty (note: this only
applies to the profile, report, and discourse analysis). In order to be eligible for this late pass, you must 1) have
turned in all of your previous major projects on time and 2) submit in writing (either through email or hard copy in
class) a statement letting me know you will be taking this late pass.
2. Revision: You may revise 1 project of your choice (out of the profile, report, or discourse analysis). The revised
project will be due during the final exam time. In order for a project to be considered for revision, you must
include in your revision packet: 1) your original, graded project with my comments; 2) your revised project; 3) a
cover letter describing in detail the revision choices you made. Revisions are eligible for an increase of 1 letter
grade. Note: if you lost points on your original submission for a project being late, you cannot gain those points
back during revision.
3. Attendance: You may be absent from class 4 times without penalty, apart from any in-class activities that you miss
(workshop, in-class writing, etc.) Each absence after the 4th may result in 5 percentage points being taken off of
your final course grade. I do not distinguish between excused or unexcused absences, and students are still
responsible for turning assignments in on the day that they are due, whether they are present or not. I make two
exceptions to this rule. With proper documentation on official letterhead/stationery, I will excuse absences
related to university-sanctioned events or military service. At the beginning of each class, I will pass around an
attendance sign-in sheet. Students who arrive after the sign-in sheet has been passed around must come see me
after class to sign in and will be considered late. If you are more than 20 minutes late for class, you will be counted
absent.
4. Academic responsibility: English 1010 is a course in which we will discuss the importance of writing and citing
responsibly, practicing this skill regularly in both in-class assignments and more formal projects. I believe that
learning the “why” and “how” of writing responsibly is an important goal for our writing class, and I am here to
work with you on drafts as you practice responsibly incorporating research. That being said, academic misconduct
and plagiarism are serious charges with serious consequences. If you turn in writing that is plagiarized, you may
receive a failing grade on the assignment and be reported to the office of Academic Affairs. If I find that you have
unintentionally failed to correctly cite, I will ask that you meet with me and will give you the option to revise for a
reduced grade. Remember: I am a resource and am here to answer any and all questions, so when in doubt, ask.
5. Academic alert: Throughout the course of the semester, I will communicate with you about your progress in the
course through the university’s academic alert system. These alerts include progress reports at various points in
the semester and a mid-term progress report that I will send out before the deadline to drop classes with a “W.”
6. Electronic device policy: I expect you to be respectful of me and your peers during class. Please do not engage
cell phones or other electronic devices during our class time for non course-related activities. I do encourage you,
though, to bring laptops/tablets for writing and workshopping purposes. If I find that you aren’t using your device
for an activity relevant to what we’re doing in class, I will ask you to put it away.
A note on MTSU’s Emergency Text Messaging Service: please sign up for this service at
www.getrave.com/login/mtsu. ETMS notifies subscribers of emergencies on campus. Because of this service, I will
allow you to keep your phone on vibrate (if multiple phones begin vibrating at once, we will assume that an ETMS
message has been sent out).
Other information
 The Writing Center is located in the James E. Walker Library, room 362 (2 floors directly above Starbucks), and on the
web at www.mtsu.edu/uwc. At the WC you can receive assistance with any type of writing for any class. WC
consultants are available for both face-to-face and online sessions to give you feedback on your writing, whether you
are in the planning stage or the revising stage. There are also a number of resources available on the website. While
you can have walk-in appointments when available, I recommend making an appointment as soon as possible when
you begin a writing project (in person or by phone at 615.904.8237) as the schedule often fills quickly.

Scholarship information: Do you have a lottery scholarship? To retain Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship
eligibility, you must earn a cumulative TELS GPA of 2.75 after 24 and 48 attempted hours and a cumulative TELS GPA
of 3.0 thereafter. You may qualify with a 2.75 cumulative GPA after 72 attempted hours (and subsequent semesters),
if you are enrolled full-time and maintain a semester GPA of at least 3.0. A grade of C, D, F, FA, or I in this class may
negatively impact TELS eligibility. Dropping or stopping attendance in a class after 14 days may also impact eligibility;
if you withdraw from or stop attending this class and it results in an enrollment status of less than full time, you may
lose eligibility for your lottery scholarship. Lottery recipients are eligible to receive the scholarship for a maximum of
five years from the date of initial enrollment, or until reaching 120 TELS attempted hours or earning a bachelor
degree. For additional Lottery rules, please refer to your Lottery Statement of Understanding form
http://mtsu.edu/financialaid/forms/Lottery%20Statement%20of%20Understanding%202013-14.pdf or contact the
Financial Aid Office at 898-2830.

Reasonable Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: ADA accommodation requests (temporary or
permanent) are determined only by Disabled Student Services. Students are responsible for contacting the Disabled
Student Services Office at 615-898-2783 to obtain ADA accommodations and for providing the instructor with the
Accommodation Letter from Disabled Student Services.
Please visit the English Department’s website at http://www.mtsu.edu/~english for more information on MTSU’s policies.
*Note: I reserve the right to make changes to the course schedule if necessary. All schedule changes will be updated on
D2L and announced in class or through email.*
WEEKLY SCHEDULE—ENGLISH 1010-034
Please bring both of your course textbooks, Writing Today (WT) and Easy Writer (EW), to class with you each day
(we will also be using readings uploaded or linked to D2L). Also, you should bring in-progress drafts of your writing
to class every day. Because we will be working in a computer classroom, please arrange to have access to an
electronic copy of your projects for writing and workshopping purposes. I reserve the right to make changes to this
schedule as needed.
Week
1
Date
R 1/16
2
M 1/20
T 1/21
R 1/23
3
T 1/28
W 1/29
R 1/30
4
T 2/4
R 2/6
5
T 2/11
R 2/13
6
T 2/18
R 2/20
7
T 2/25
R 2/27
Topic and Activity
Topic: Course introduction
Workshop: Brainstorming for course project
NO CLASSES—Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
Topic: Introduce course project proposal
Group discussions of proposal examples
Workshop: Planning your project trajectory
and field research
Topic: Introduction to writing as a field of
study
Reading like a writer
Workshop: proposal drafting (WT Ch. 14)
Topic: Introduce Profile
Workshop: Planning an effective interview
(WT 485-86)
LAST DAY TO DROP WITHOUT A GRADE
Topic: Creating a dominant impression
Workshop: Background research and drafting
(WT Ch. 15)
Topic: Introduction to visual rhetoric
Workshop: Finding, using, and attributing
images effectively; software investigation
Sketch of profile (WT Ch. 15)
NO CLASS—INSTRUCTOR AT CONFERENCE
Out-of-class assignment on D2L
Topic: Giving meaningful feedback
Workshop: Feedback manifesto
Topic: Present group feedback manifestos
Workshop: Peer Revision Workshop
(handout)
Topic: Introduce Report
Workshop: Gathering survey data (WT 48688)
Topic: Adapting your report for audience
“What Kids Are Reading” activity
Workshop: Analyzing an assignment (EW 1217)
Topic: Objectivity vs. Subjectivity—where
does the writer fit into the report?
Analyzing your data
Workshop: drafting (WT Ch. 15)
Topic: Structuring your report
Workshop: Outlining, categorizing, and
drafting (handout)
Readings and Due Dates
Have read: “Writing in the Disciplines,” EW 4651 & “Field Research,” EW 182-83; Skim WT 22441
Due: 3 reading questions (in class); Discussion
Post 1 to D2 by 11:59pm
Have read: “The Novice as Expert,” D2L
DUE: PROPOSAL TO DROPBOX BY 11:59PM
Have read: “Profiles,” WT 63-76; Sample
profiles, D2L
Due: Discussion Post 2 by 11:59pm
Have read: “Dave Grohl,” WT 622-26; “Bodies in
Motion,” WT 630-32; “Prudencia,” WT 627-29
Have read: Excerpt from Understanding and
Composing MM Projects, D2L; “Designing
Documents,” EW 51-60
Due: Discussion Post 3 by 11:59pm
Due: 3 reading questions
Have read: “Critique of Pure Tutoring” &
“Minimalist Tutoring,” D2L
Due: Bring hard or digital copy of your profile
DUE: PROFILE (PDF) TO DROPBOX BY 11:59PM
Have read: “Reports,” WT 265-285; sample
student report, D2L
Due: Discussion Post 4 by 11:59pm
Have read: “Underage Alcohol Use,” WT 742-46;
“Freshman Fifteen,” WT 751-54
Due: Respond to reading questions listed on
D2L and bring to class
Have Read: “7 Days on Craigslist” WT, 747-50;
“More Than Just a Pretty Face,” WT 755-761
Due: Discussion Post 5 by 11:59pm
Have read: “Gender Stereotypes” and student
example, D2L
8
9
10
T 3/4
Topic: Writing and researching responsibly
Workshop: Group scenario analysis
R 3/6
Topic: Introduce Discourse Analysis
Workshop: Choosing a publication for analysis
Editing workshop (EW 23)
SPRING BREAK—NO CLASSES
3/11 &
3/13
T3/18
R 3/20
11
F 3/21
T 3/25
R 3/27
12
13
F 3/28
T 4/1
Topic: Group discourse analysis
Workshop: Investigating your publication and
planning (checklist)
Topic: Effectively integrating elements of your
discourse analysis
Workshop: Organizing & drafting (WT Ch. 15)
MIDTERM GRADE REPORTS
Topic: Concluding your analysis—the
takeaway
Workshop: Drafting (WT Ch. 15)
Topic: Assessing your own writing and
creating a revision plan
Workshop: Peer revision workshop (handout)
LAST DAY TO DROP WITH A GRADE OF W
Topic: Introduce Webpage
Workshop: Planning your website (EW 40-41)
R 4/3
Topic: Writing to a digital audience
Workshop: Planning—drawing from profile,
report, and discourse analysis
T 4/8
Topic: Web design for dummies
Workshop: Establishing design criteria
(generated by class); Weebly & Wix
Topic: Organizing your website
Workshop: Mapping it all out (EW 40-41)
R 4/10
14
T 4/15
Writer’s choice workshop (resource TBA)
15
R 4/17
M 4/21
16
T 4/22
R 4/24
T 4/29
FINAL
EXAM
R 5/1
T 5/6
8-10am
Workshop: Peer revision workshop (handout)
DUE: LINK TO WEBPAGE VIA EMAIL BY
11:59PM
Student webpage presentations
Student webpage presentations
Topic: Introduce writing philosophy
assignment
Workshop: Incorporating Comp articles
STUDY DAY—NO CLASSES
FINAL EXAM—IN-CLASS ESSAY: WRITING
PHILOSOPHY
Due: Peer Revision letters due to peer by class
time via D2L
Have read: “Avoiding Plagiarism,” EW197-202
DUE: REPORT TO DROPBOX BY 11:59PM
Have read: “Discourse Communities and
Communities of Practice” & CCCCs handout, D2L
Due: Discussion Post 6 by 11:59pm
Have read: Student examples, D2L; “Analysis,”
D2L; “Writing in the Disciplines,” EW 46-51
Due: Analysis outline of 1 of the readings
Have read: “How Obama,” WT 162-64;
“Shooting From the Hip,” WT 674-77
Due: Discussion Post 7 by 11:59pm
Have read: “What’s a Girl to Read?” WT 165-67;
“Critical Thinking,” EW 25-38
Bring full draft (hard or digital copy) to class
Have read: “Revision Strategies,” on D2L
DUE: DISCOURSE ANALYSIS TO DROPBOX BY
11:59PM
Have read: sample student webpages, links on
D2L; “Using the Internet,” WT 554-561
Due: Discussion Post 8 by 11:59pm
Have read: “Audience In an Age of New
Literacies,” D2L; “Writing to the World,” EW
142-45
Due: Discussion Post 9 by 11:59pm
Have read: “50 Best and Worst State Websites,”
link on D2L; “Designing Documents,” EW 51-60
Due: 3 discussion questions from reading
Have read: “The Word on the Street,” Diana
George, D2L
Due: Discussion Post 10 by 11:59pm
Have read: Link to National Writing Report, D2L
Bring full draft (hard or digital copy) to class
Have read: “Presenting Your Work,” WT 586-97
Due: 1-page reading response to composition
article of your choice
Have read: Sample writing philosophies
DUE: LAST DAY TO TURN IN REVISIONS
(PROJECTS 2-4)