ENGL 1010: EXPOSITORY WRITING
LITERACY FOR LIFE
Instructor: Caty Chapman
Email:
c.chapman@mtsu.edu
Phone:
494.8930
TR 11:20-12:45
COE 247
Office Location:
Office Hours:
LIB 362A
W 2-3:30, F 9-11:30,
& by appointment
I. COURSE INFORMATION
English 1010 is the first in a two-semester freshman writing sequence that should prepare you for the many and varied
kinds of writing you will encounter in the future. This semester, we will build on previous writing experiences to discover
and refine our own most effective writing habits, learn new strategies for writing effectively in a variety of contexts, and
develop a broader understanding of how writing works. “Literacy for Life,” our course theme, means we will learn about
writing for academic and professional success as well for civic participation. As such, we’ll place particular emphasis on
writing with a clear purpose as a way to elicit response or inspire action. Writing and examining texts designed for public
audiences will allow us to examine how all aspects of a text—from organization and content to sentence structure and
word choice (and even a document’s layout)—can shape an audience’s perception of the writer and understanding of the
subject matter.
Specific Objectives
Based on departmental guidelines for English 1010 and the MTSU mission statement, the following are some of the
objectives that will shape our class this semester:
 We will become more proficient writers, developing and strengthening our best writing practices.
 We will develop our abilities as critical and creative thinkers by reading, re-reading, and analyzing traditional and
non-traditional texts. Additionally, we will treat the reading of texts as a way to improve our own writing.
 We will create texts that utilize primary research (including fieldwork and first-hand observations) and learn how to
document these sources appropriately and responsibly.
 We will improve our ability to write clearly and purposefully for a particular audience.
 Through workshopping, we will learn to be effective readers and editors of our own and our peers’ writing.
 We will become more familiar with the conventions of scholarly writing.
I also encourage you to create your own goals for this class based on the kinds of writing you anticipate doing in the
future. Making your own goals a part of our classroom dialogue will enable you to make the most of this course.
Required Course Materials
1) Johnson-Sheehan, Richard and Charles Pain. Writing Today, 2nd ed. Boston: Pearson, 2013. Print. (ISBN-13: 978-0205-21008-4)
2) Lundsford, Andrea A. Easy Writer. 4th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010. Print. (ISBN-13: 978-0-312-65031-5)
3) Other texts assigned in class or via email and D2L
4) D2L and a working knowledge of its functions (we will review this in class)
5) An MTSU email address that you check regularly (this is how I will communicate updates and important class
information)
Recommended Course Materials:


A flash drive
A binder or two-pocket folder for copies of daily work, drafts of essays, and other class materials.
A note about course materials: Access to the course materials are an important part of your success in this class. I
encourage you to keep your Easy Writer handbook for future classes. It is a great, versatile resource with information
specific to MTSU.
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II. EVALUATION, GRADE BREAKDOWN, AND ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTIONS
The following assignments will comprise your final grade for the course. In addition to the brief descriptions below, you
will receive assignment sheets, grading guidelines, and/or study guides in class or via D2L.
Daily Work
Daily Assignments
(20pts)
Attendance (10 pts)
Formal Writing
Project 1 (10pts)
The daily assignments grade includes all homework assignments, 4 formal peer reviews, and 3
informal collaborative assignments (feedback manifesto, textbook review, and composition
spotlight).
This grade begins at 10 points and falls by 1 for each absence. Missing a significant number of
classes (5 or more) will also negatively affect your Daily Assignments grade. See “Attendance”
under section III, “Student Responsibilities” for additional information.
Creation/Completion of a study abroad application, an application to form a student
organization, or job application materials.
Project 2 (15 pts)
Rhetorical analysis of a public document (group project) and writer’s commentary (individual
submission).
Project 3 (35 pts)
Profile of a community organization. This project has three parts: field research, a fieldwork
report, and the profile.
Capstone Project
(10 pts)
Creation of a writing philosophy. This project also includes three informal responses to
composition readings to be completed throughout the semester.
Final Grade Assignments
A: 90-100 / B+: 88-89 / B: 82-87 / B-: 80-81 / C+: 78-79 / C: 72-77 / C-: 70-71 / F: 69 & below
NOTE: In order to pass English 1010, you must have an overall average of 70 or above. The only exception is for first time
ENGL 1010 students: you may be eligible to receive a final grade of “N” (instead of an “F”) if you have not missed more
than 15% of class meetings and have completed all formal writing assignments. A grade of “N” will require you take ENGL
1010 again but will not affect your GPA.
III. STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Be present and punctual. Attendance is required and necessary for success in this course. In order to receive credit for
attendance each day, you will need to sign the attendance sheet that I’ll pass around at the beginning of every class. If
you are late, it is your responsibility to get the sign-in sheet from me after class to add your name and be recorded as
tardy. A note on tardiness: Being habitually late to class (or frequently leaving class early) is disruptive, so 4 late signins will be equivalent to one missed class.
If you will miss a significant number of classes for university sanctioned events or for military service, speak with me
as early as possible so that we can make arrangements to keep you from falling behind. Such absences will not count
against you, provided you keep up with course work, submit assignments on or before due dates, and keep informed
about what we cover in-class.
2. Submit assignments on time. In-class assignments (including all daily work and homework) are for the benefit of inclass activities and so cannot be turned in late. I will accept formal writing assignments late; however, late
assignments will result in a letter-grade deduction for each day (day, not class period) that the essay is late.
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3. Demonstrate academic integrity. One of the goals of English 1010 is to introduce you to many of the kinds of writing—
academic and otherwise—that you will encounter in the future and to prepare you to make effective and responsible
choices in your writing. As a student in this class, you should feel comfortable discussing issues related to responsible
writing practices openly and honestly, and we will have numerous opportunities to do so throughout the semester.
That said, you have an obligation as a student to submit original work. Unintentional plagiarism—misusing a source or
citing a source incorrectly—may be considered a “teaching moment.” However, intentional plagiarism—for
example, downloading a paper, having someone else write your essay, or cutting-and-pasting with no
acknowledgement of the original source—is considered academic misconduct and will likely result in a failing
grade for the assignment. Furthermore, I am obligated by MTSU to notify Academic Affairs about instances of
academic misconduct, so you could face additional sanctions imposed by the university. If you ever have questions
about whether or not information (a) needs to be cited or (b) is adequately cited, the best time to talk with me is
BEFORE you submit the assignment.
4. Work to maintain a productive and respectful classroom environment. Throughout the semester, you will be
encouraged to discuss your own experiences and viewpoints as they relate to class topics, and, while you don’t have
to agree with everything said in class, you are expected to be able to discuss ideas thoughtfully and respectfully.
Blatant discrimination and threatening or derogatory language or actions is disruptive behavior and will not be
tolerated (see also: http://www.mtsu.edu/judaff/integrity.php). Other kinds of disruptive behavior include having
private conversations during class, intentionally antagonizing anyone in class, and/or engaging in other activities that
are detrimental to a productive learning environment. If you are asked to leave class because of disruptive behavior,
you may be recorded as absent and receive a zero for any daily work for that day. In extreme cases, incidents of
disruptive behavior may be reported to the Office of Judicial Affairs.
Instructor Responsibilities
Like you, I must show up to class each day on time and prepared. I must keep up with assigned readings, and work to
maintain a productive classroom environment. The following are additional guidelines that I will follow this semester:
 I will work to maintain a classroom environment that encourages thoughtful and respectful discussion of matters
related to coursework.
 I will be transparent about the work assigned and how it supports departmental objectives.
 I will work with you to find ways to connect the work in this course to your personal, academic, and professional
goals.
 I will provide you with an indication of my grading criteria for individual assignments prior to the assignment due
date (in most cases, grading criteria is provided with individual assignment sheets).
 I will make every reasonable effort to be available if you need to meet with me by appointment outside of my
scheduled office hours.
 If class is cancelled for any reason, I will do my best to notify you as soon as possible via email. I will also post the
cancellation to D2L. For cancellations due to extreme weather conditions, please check www.mtsu.edu/~proffice or
call the news line at 904-8215.
IV. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND CAMPUS RESOURCES
The Writing Center
The Writing Center, located in the James E. Walker Library (LIB 362) and online at www.mtsu.edu/uwc, is a great FREE
resource for student writers. Regardless of whether you are confident in your writing abilities or have struggled in past
writing classes, consider visiting the WC to talk through ideas you have for a project or to strengthen your writing skills.
We will talk a great deal this semester about the importance of considering audience as you write and a visit to the
Writing Center can be a great way to get a sense of an audience’s response to your writing. Call 904.8237 to schedule an
appointment with writing consultant!
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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.
Lottery Scholarship Requirements
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.
One More Thing!
To succeed in this course, you will need to be proactive. Speak up if you have questions or concerns, familiarize yourself
with your many resources on campus, and start early on writing assignments. This will be a fast-paced course, and you
should be prepared to do a great deal of writing and reading. The best advice I can give you is this: start work early, keep
up with the readings, be physically and mentally present in class, and look for ways to make the work you do in this course
relevant to your professional, academic, and/or personal interests. Don’t be afraid to speak with me if you feel like you
are falling behind; I am always happy to talk with you about an assignment, idea, or grade.
IV. COURSE CALENDAR
The following schedule is subject to change. Changes from the schedule will also be communicated in class and/or via
D2L. WT on the schedule refers to our class textbook, Writing Today, and EW refers to our Easy Writer handbook.
Don’t forget: Being prepared for class each day means…
 Having read each assigned text for the day.
 Having your textbooks, a notebook, and any written work required for the day.
 Having any additional materials noted on the schedule.
 Being on time.
Wk
1
Date
R 1/16
Daily Activities
Topic: Course introduction
Readings/Assignments Due
2
T 1/21
Topic: Introductory Essay
Read: Emig, “Writing as a Mode of Learning”
(D2L), “Temple Grandin” (link to the
interview on D2L)
R 1/23
Topic: Introduce Project 1; Considering genres
Workshop: Practice genre writing, Goals workshop
Read: WT 4-11, 14-24, 27-37
T 1/28
Topic: Considering audience and purpose
Workshop: Choosing and working with a framework for
your project
Read: EW 142-147, Lundsford and Ede,
“’Among the Audience’” (D2L—focus most
on the last two sections)
Due: Topic choice for P1 along with all
3
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R 1/30
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
T 2/4
5
Topic: The Review Process (giving and getting Feedback)
Workshop: Feedback Manifesto (collaborative assignment
#1)
Topic: Ins and Outs of Peer Review
Workshop: Practice Peer Review for Project 1
relevant application materials
Read: Sommers, “Responding to and
Evaluating Student Writing” (D2L)
Due: Feedback Manifesto (one per group)
Read: Brooks, “Minimalist Tutoring” (D2L),
Shamoon and Burns, “A Critique of Pure
Tutoring (D2L)
Due: Draft of Project 1
Due: Complete Project 1 Peer Review and
Self Evaluation on D2L.
R 2/6
Topic: CLASS WILL NOT MEET!
T 2/11
Topic: Project 1 Q & A; Introduce Project 2
Workshop: Group introductions
Read: WT 143-168
Due: Revised draft of Project 1
R 2/13
Topic: Writing a Proposal (genre study)
Workshop: Organizing group tasks and selecting a topic
Read: WT 224-247
Due: Project 1 Due (in class)
T 2/18
Topic: Working and Writing Collaboratively
Workshop: Work collaboratively on Project 2 Proposal
Read: WT 455-462; Fontaine and Hunter,
“You Think/I Think” (D2L)
Due: P2 Proposal (D2L)
R 2/20
Topic: Analyzing a text; Organizing your analysis
Workshop: Review models for rhetorical analysis, create
options for organizing your project
Read: WT 669-671, 672-673, review sample
essay on 158-160
T 2/25
Topic: Presenting your Analysis
Workshop: Profile of audience for Project 2
Due: Bring all writing, notes, and materials
for Project 2 to class.
R 2/27
Topic: P2 Group Meetings (meet in classroom during your
group’s assigned meeting time)
Workshop: Optional draft workshop
Due: Complete draft of P2 due
T 3/4
Topic: Purposeful Revision, meaningful editing
Workshop: Revising collaboratively
Read: WT 389-402
Due: Complete draft of P2 due
R 3/6
Topic: Project 2 peer review
Workshop: Peer review workshop
Due: 3/7 Project 2 Due (D2L), 3/7 Writer’s
Commentary Due (D2L)
T 3/11
R 3/13
T 3/18
SPRING BREAK
SPRING BREAK
Topic: Introduce Project 3
Workshop: Exploring the genre, topic brainstorming
R 3/20
Topic: The many uses of a profile
Workshop: Look at models and identify purpose and
audience; Topic brainstorming, cont’d
Read: Cushman, “The Rhetorician” (D2L),
Cherokee Nation MSU Students, “’The
Rhetorician’” (D2L)
Due: Top choices for organization to profile
T 3/25
Topic: Researching and writing a profile
Workshop: Project 3 planning workshop
Read: WT 67-69; 77-81; 633-635
Due: Choice for organization
Read: Sample profile; WT 64-67, 485-488;
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R 3/27
12
13
14
15
16
6
Topic: Conducting fieldwork, email etiquette
Workshop: Create a list of questions, create potential
interview questions
Last day to withdraw with a grade of ‘W’
Topic: Writing a Report (genre study)
Workshop: Look at models; explore “writing in [my]
discipline”
Read: WT 466-467, 485-488
R 4/3
Topic: Report writing cont’d
Workshop: Look at sample fieldwork reports; plan and
organize P2 Report
Read: “FieldWriting” (D2L)
Due: Preliminary field notes
T 4/8
Workshop: Small group peer review
Due: Draft of P3 Report
R 4/10
Topic: Writing a Profile (genre study)
Workshop: Planning workshop Project 3—Identifying
purpose, goal(s), and audience
Read: WT 69-83
Due: Project 3 Fieldwork Report
T 4/15
Topic: Designing a document with audience, purpose, and
technological possibilities (and limitations) in mind
Workshop: Design workshop
Read: WT 374-387
Due: Bring all notes and writing for P3
R 4/17
Topic: Writing Reviews (genre study);
Workshop: Textbook Review (collab. assignment #2)
T 4/22
Topic: Project 3 Peer Review—Writing and Design
Read: WT 84-87, 91-94
Due: Submit textbook review by the end of
the day if not completed in class.
Read: EW 51-58
Due: Complete draft of P3 Profile
R 4/24
Topic: Project 3 Peer Review—Writing and Design
Due: Complete draft of P3 Profile
T 4/29
Topic: Capstone Project prompt; Writing Philosophies
Workshop: Composition Spotlight (collaborative assignment
#3)
Due: Project 3 Profile
T 5/6
FINAL EXAM (10:30 to 12:30)
Due: Capstone Project Due
F 3/28
T 4/1
Read: WT 265-289