RWS 305W: Writing in Various Settings
Spring 2013
Professor: Cali Linfor
Office: Adams Humanities 3116
Office Hours: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm on Thursday.
I am on campus Tuesdays and Thursdays only.
Email: clinfor@mail.sdsu.edu
Mail: RWS Main Office, AH 3138
RWS Phone: 619-594-6515
My office phone: 619-594-6546
The best way to get a hold of me is by email.
Prerequisites:
Students must have passed the WPA with a score of 8 or passed RWS 280 with a C or better.
Required Texts and Materials:
 Various printed copies of handouts and texts on Blackboard
 They Say, I Say by Graff and Birkenstien (any edition)
 A memoir selected from a list of suggested books
 Stapled copies of papers for Peer Review Groups/Writing Workshops
 A dictionary or thesaurus
 Access to a computer for Blackboard http://blackboard.sdsu.edu
Course Description and Objectives:
In RWS 305W students learn to respond not just to academic tasks but a wider variety of genres and settings
that require diverse research methods and writing styles. The course also asks students to reflect on and
evaluate the effectiveness of their own writing style(s) within rhetorical contexts.
Rhetorical Knowledge
RWS 305W will help students identify, analyze, and respond in writing to various rhetorical situations.
Students will learn how to:
 Identify individual discourse communities and find and analyze their characteristic texts, evaluate
their credibility and principles, and apply relevant aspects of their information to other contexts
and arguments
 Analyze the details of a wide variety of writing situations (textual elements such as tone,
evidence, organizational patterns, diction, even visuals) according to the author’s purpose as well
as the audience’s needs and tastes
 Respond effectively in writing to issues and arguments raised in a variety of disciplinary, popular,
and professional texts and/or contexts
 Produce effective arguments from a variety of disciplinary, popular, and professional contexts
Critical Thinking and Reading Strategies
RWS 305W will provide students with strategies to understand the function of reading and writing in cultural,
academic, and professional communities. Students will learn how to:
 Actively read texts using a variety of reading strategies such as annotation, visual organizers,
questioning, and discussion
 Identify how a writer uses rhetorical strategies in various genres of writing
 Interpret, analyze, and evaluate demanding texts
 Apply critical thinking skills and reading strategies to evaluate their own writing and the writing
of fellow students
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
Reflect on their own progress as a working writer in relation to critical thinking and reading
strategies
Writing Processes
RWS 305W will strengthen students’ awareness of and abilities to use writing processes effectively. Students
will learn how to:
 Develop flexible strategies for creating, revising, and editing texts
 Critique their own and others’ texts
 Write with an awareness of audience, genre, context and purpose
Knowledge of Conventions
RWS 305W will provide students with strategies to identify, analyze, and apply the writing conventions of
different discourse communities and to write effectively within those communities. Students will learn to:
 Identify how discourse communities employ particular strategies for conveying, researching,
evaluating, and presenting information
 Analyze and choose the appropriate conventions for a range of audience expectations
 Integrate a variety of appropriate sources into their writings in a way that accurately reflects the
writer’s meaning and purpose
 Document sources appropriately
 Sustain reasonable correctness in grammar and mechanics to perform well in a variety of writing
contexts and professional settings
Attitudes, Values, and Preparation for Life Beyond the University
RWS 305W reflects the values of a liberal arts education, namely, to:
 Work collaboratively and cooperatively to achieve defined goals
 Respect the diverse points of view that characterize our multi-cultural classroom community
 Critically analyze a variety of texts produced for public and individual readers
 Participate confidently in public discussion on issues of importance to the workplace and the
community
 Address issues in writing
Assignments and Grading:
Discussion Board Posts
10@ 8 points each (There are 13 assigned. You
must complete 10 for full credit)
80 Points
Participation (Class Discussion,
Preparedness, Annotations)
80 Points
Peer Review and Writing Workshops
100 points
Ongoing Blog Group Project (8 Entries)
140 Points
Project One: Letter for Change
Project Three: Personal Statement
150 Points (100 points for Letter, 50 points on
Revision)
150 Points (100 points for Transcript, 50 points
on YouTube Video/Revision)
150 Points
Project Four-Career Portfolio
150 Points
Project Two: Coalition Speech
1000 Points Total
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Please see course calendar for assignment due dates. Work is due on the date it is listed on the calendar.
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Course Work
STUDENT PARTICIPATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Be present in class in order to listen, think, write, discuss, and learn.
2. Be prepared for all class meetings having done reading and/or homework assigned.
3. Schedule at least two to three hours for every one hour of class for homework and studying.
4. Be actively engaged in class by paying attention and participating in class discussions in a thoughtful
manner.
5. Work well with other students in small groups and in class by being prepared having done the
readings and homework, attending group meetings, helping with the small group assignments, and
problem-solving effectively.
6. Be proactive in your learning by asking questions as needed, keeping track of due dates and
assignments, and coming to office hours when needed.
7. Work eagerly and enthusiastically and applying what you are learning to your own life experience and
visa versa.
Because this is a hands-on class, attendance and participation is crucial. Please see Course Policies about
attendance.
READINGS
Assigned readings must be completed before class. The readings are available on Blackboard. However, some
texts will handouts and others might require you to borrow a text from the library. You must print out all
readings and bring them to class along with lecture handouts every class meeting. Discussions,
writing, and homework will be based on the readings. These readings demand time and attention and do not
lend themselves to quick summary. See calendar for reading assignments. You will often be asked bring the
reading marked with annotations to class. You should compile a notebook with all readings and handouts
collected in it.
DISCUSSION BOARD
Homework is to be posted on Discussion Board on Blackboard. It will be label with the command Post in
the calendar. There will be approximately 13 short homework assignments during the semester. You are
required to complete 10 of them for full points. This leaves you some choice in missing some assignments.
You may do all 13 for extra credit.
CLASS DISCUSSIONS
I expect our class to be a safe place where we can give voice to our ideas and thoughts, as well as where we
can encounter new ideas, welcome new points of view, and challenge our preconceptions in an intellectually
thoughtful and respectful manner.
Regular participation during class will positively affect our collective classroom experience (and raise your
final grade). Failing to contribute your unique voice will strip the class of its diversity (and lower your final
grade).
SMALL-GROUP PRESENTIONS
I will assign informal small-group presentations throughout the semester. Most will ask you as a group to
explore an idea and/or question from a section of assigned reading. As a group, you will share-out your
findings to the class and/or lead a class discussion.
ON GOING BLOG GROUP PROJECT
In a small group, you will create and write near weekly in a blog as part of this course.
You will be writing your blog as yourselves and need to select a community to which you all belong that you
would like to be the intended audience of the blog. A group blog is a bit like your own newspaper in which
each of you is a columnist. You need to create the concept of the blog together. There will be 8 posting in all
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divided between your group members. The first and last entries needs to be created by everyone as it the
opening and closing blogs and establish the tone, audience, and content of your blog and introduces each of
the contributors. You may blog more if you like and you can co write blogs also.
You are practicing targeting exact audience in this blog as well as other writing skills we will be practicing in
the course. Blog entries vary in length but should always contain images and hyperlinks. They should be well
edited and meet the demands of the writing situation.
Many of the blog entry topics over the course of the semester will be assigned and due on a certain date.
These assignments will be labeled with the command Blog in the calendar. The required topic entries should
contain all of the required elements of the assignment. They will be four to five fully developed paragraphs in
length with images and hyperlinks. It is your group’s choice how you divide these assigned tasks.
Your independent blog entries (those not assigned) should concern problems, resources, important texts and
news in your targeted community. You need write at least one to two paragraphs per entry. Your writing
should be idea based and not just informational. Every blog entry should have a title.
I comment on the blogs through out the semester but do not grade the blog until the end. During the last
weeks, of the semester, your group should meet and revise all the blogs based on my comments.
You must read and comment on your group member’s blog posts in a way that makes it clear that you are
one of the contributors to the blog. You are encouraged to read other group’s blogs but are not required to
comment on them.
You will receive 80 points for your individual contribution to the blog and 60 points as the group score for
the blog. It is in all of your interests to create the best, most appealing, engaging blog possible that meets the
demand of the genre, the purpose and the audience. You must have at least three rich paragraphs of writing
per entry.
INDIVIDUAL WRITING PROJECTS (4)
There are four major individual writing projects in this course. You will be given detailed instructions for each
under Prompts on Blackboard and in class. All out of class formal writing must be double-spaced with oneinch margins, typed in Times New Roman, font size 12, and formatted according to MLA standards or
written according to the demands of the genre.
Each writing project is worth 150 points for a total of 600/1000 points (60% of your semester grade).
Each Project
 Project 1: A letter and letter revision
 Project 2: A Transcript of a Speech, and Revision/Video Recording of Speech.
 Project 3: The Personal Statement
 Project 4: The Career Portfolio: Graduate School/Internship/Job Report and Reflection, Cover
Letter, Resume, and Revised Personal Statement.
Your projects have two due dates. On the first due date, we begin working with your draft. If you do not
submit a draft of a project on the day it is due, you can receive no higher than a C on that project.
Your participation grade will be impacted as well. Your draft will be shared in small peer review group classes
and sometimes in pairs. Your peer review group may meet outside of class as well.
You will submit your draft via Blackboard to me under Submit Assignments/Drafts as well as to your Peer
Review Group’s File Share. The more complete your draft is the more this process will help you. In order
for a draft to count as complete, it must show a serious attempt to answer the prompt, meet the evaluation
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criteria, and page length of the paper assignment. For example, if the paper requires quotations, the draft
must contain quotations. The texts you produce are as important to the course as those we will read.
The second due date is the final version of your paper. Projects and drafts are due on their due dates.
Submit the paper on Blackboard for grading with a reflection on what you have done to revise the
paper when applicable. All work including projects are considered late if they are not turned in with the
first 10 minutes of class or 30 minutes before class begins on Blackboard. Please title all attached work
turned in under Submit Assignments with your last name and first initial and the title of the assignment. Final
versions of projects are often due on a Saturday.
Projects will be evaluated with written comments and will be graded with letter grades. I am more than
pleased to look over drafts during my office hours and by appointment. However, I will not be reading and
responding to your drafts individually as a matter of practice. I set aside several class periods as writing
workshops to give your writing close attention. Please take advantage of office hours. Do not wait until
you are struggling in class to do so. If my office hours do not meet your schedule, I will be happy to make an
appointment with you for a time that works for both of us.
PEER REVIEW GROUPS/Writing Workshops: GETTING FEEDBACK ON YOUR DRAFTS
Getting feedback from others and revising drafts multiple times is an important aspect of the writing process.
In fact, it is one of the most important aspects of the writing process since even professional writers do not
write an essay in just one sitting. Rather, professional writers revise their work multiple times before the
essay/project is finished.
Writers often rely on friends and colleagues to listen to ideas, to read rough drafts, and to offer suggestions
for improvement. Peer Review Groups are a rare opportunity to get constructive feedback from many other
writers who have spent time and energy reading and thinking about your paper. These groups are an essential
part of this class and participation is required.
The class will be divided into four Peer Review Groups, roughly 7-9 students. You will be assigned a group at
the beginning of the semester. Each group will meet with me during class time for each of the four writing
projects. We will read and respond to student products during this class period. When it is your turn to
present your writing for workshop review, you will need to make enough copies for your group and me (7 to
15 copies). Attendance on your Peer Review Group day is mandatory.
On the days, your peer review group does not meet with me in class your group will have peer review work to
complete. This work is turned into the Peer Review Group File Share and must be completed in written
form. You will be graded on the quality of your peer review at the end of the term. I suggest booking a
study room during class time to meet and complete the peer review activity. However, you may elect to meet
outside of this time. Please see Course Calendar for dates.
I advise that you plan time to revise all of your typed, out of class writings. This includes planning time to
meet outside of class with other students, a writing tutor, or me, in a scheduled conference, to give you
feedback on your draft before your writing is due.
A peer review schedule will be available within the first few weeks of class as well as the group assignments.
You will be assigned a new peer review group for Project 4.
OFFICE HOURS AND CONFERENCES
I encourage students to come talk with me regarding the class, readings, and writing assignments. No
appointment is necessary during my scheduled office hours. Students can also make an appointment with me
for other times, or talk to me after class. Time permitting during the semester, there will be scheduled
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conferences when students must meet with me. Please be aware I am only on campus on Tuesdays and
Thursdays this semester.
I love to speak and meet with you. It is good idea to plan to see me. Write it down like you would a due date.
Emailing me only about the state of your grade rather than the content and skills of the class is much less fun
or productive for everyone.
BLACKBOARD and OTHER TECHNOLGY
We will be using Blackboard on a regular basis to post your homework and group blog, use discussion board,
submit projects/drafts, and download handouts/text. I will post announcements on Blackboard regarding
class, homework, etc. Please make sure to check Blackboard on often.
You may reach Blackboard at https://blackboard.sdsu.edu. You will need your Red ID and password to log
on. I strongly suggest that you have you current and most regularly checked email address on Webportal
since when I email students from Blackboard, the program uses this address.
We will be writing in multiple genres and many of these genres require technology.
 Email: Be sure to have an email address that can be shared in a professional community. Your name
should be in the email address such as clinfor@, cali.linfor@, calinfor@.
 You will be asked to create a group blog using Blackboard’s Blog Tool.
 You will be recording a speech via YouTube. You need to make sure you have access to a computer
with a microphone and camera.
 Keep your work safe. Use Google Drive or other cloud based storage if your computer is suspect or
you use multiple computers.
Course Policies
CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE
I expect students to be in class on time ready to work. Please turn off all cell phones, iPods, pagers, and put
away The Daily Aztec. Once you cross the threshold of the classroom, phones should be tucked away and you
should be ready to learn and be present with your classmates. Common courtesy is expected during class
discussion. This is an academic classroom and I encourage your opinion as well as your tolerance of the
opinions of others. This is possible when your views are expressed in an academically thoughtful manner.
You may have a laptop or a tablet computer but you should not be checking email, a social networking site or
any other destination not relevant to class work. You are not excused from bring hard copies of your drafts,
texts, or handouts because you have a computer version. Please bring your own school supplies, which
include your required texts, writing instruments, and paper. Bring your textbook and your notebook with
texts and handouts to every class.
ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION
This is a skills based class that requires you to practice those skills in class with guidance. Content can not
simply be memorized. Classes are a time for you to participate in your learning through enlightening smallgroup and whole-class discussions as well as my brilliant insights and experience on rhetoric, argument, and
the topics we read. Class activities are designed to give you the essential tools to deepen your understanding
of the readings, practice your writing skills, and succeed in this class. Regular attendance and participation
during class greatly enhances your learning, and helps create a positive learning community. Students who
regularly attend and participate tend to do much better on their assignments than students who do not.
You are expected to attend all scheduled classes. However, emergencies do arise, so you will be allowed to miss two
(2) classes. After that, your participation grade will be docked 5 points a missed class for lack of participation.
Please note, no distinction will be made between excused or unexcused absences. Your sister’s wedding or great surf
are the same as a migraine, a sore throat, a visit to the doctor, or an out-of-town game, so use your absences wisely.
Doctor’s notes will not be accepted (except in the case of a prolonged, serious illness).
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WHEN YOU ARE ABSENT
When absent, you are still responsible for knowing what was covered in class, what the homework is, and
what is due. If you miss a class, you are responsible for finding out what went on in class and for any
additional instructions I gave on assignments.
To help you stay caught up, I suggest you exchange phone numbers, and best time(s) to call, with at least 2 of your
classmates. That way, if you are absent, you won’t lose points for being unprepared when you return. Note: if you are
in trouble, see me before it is too late! Luckily all assignments are submitted via Blackboard so as long as you have
computer and internet access, your work is easily submitted on time even if you can’t attend class.
ASSIGNMENT DUE DATES
All writing assignments must be turned in within the first 10 minutes of class and/or 30 minutes before class
on Blackboard. Some assignments you will post on Blackboard by a specified time. Most final version of
projects are due at 11:30 pm on a Saturday. Reading assignments must also be completed before class. Many
activities and discussion are structured around your completion of the reading.
DOCUMENT BACK UP, ATTACHMENT, PROOFING and LABELING
 Keep copies of everything you do for this class.
 Print out your work early and save often. This is especially true for your Blog work.
 Cut and paste your work into the Discussion Board from a word document.
 Hard drive crashes, Blackboard glitches, printer malfunctions and disk failures are terrible things.
 Use the spell check on Blackboard for your work submitted under the Discussion Board.
 Attach files only under Submit Assignments never to the Discussion Board.
 Only place comments in the comment section of Submit Assignments.
 Do not cut and paste whole documents there.
 Save files as Doc or RTF.
 Name posts and documents clearly and uniquely. Title assignments documents that are attached with your
first initial, last name and assignment title.
 Be sure to back up your assignments.
 You may turn in a hard copy of work to me so that it is on time if you have had a technology failure but it
must be posted to Blackboard by next class period.
 Do not email me assignments.
 Avoid working from strange computers or at least make regular use of Google Docs or a flash drive so you
may easily retrieve your work.
 Go to http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/humanities/sample.html to see a sample MLA formatted paper.
LATE WORK
All work must be turned in on time. You are allowed one late assignment during the semester. Submit late work to
Submit Assignments/Late Work on Blackboard. You have one week to submit late work after the original due date.
Blog entries can not be late.
If the case of a prolonged emergency, you may make arrangements with me either in person or by email regarding an
exception, if these arrangements are not made via you or a loved one (in the circumstance that you are unable) while the
emergency is occurring, late work will not be accepted. You will need documents to verify the emergency.
PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism is a grave academic offense, and it is illegal. Carefully consider the following SDSU policy:
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Plagiarism shall be defined as the act of incorporating ideas, words, or specific
substance of another, whether purchased, borrowed, or otherwise obtained, and submitting
same to the University as one's own work to fulfill academic requirements without giving
credit to the appropriate source. Plagiarism shall include but not be limited to (a) submitting
work, either in part or in whole, completed by another; (b) omitting footnotes for ideas,
statements, facts, or conclusions that belong to another; (c) omitting quotation marks when
quoting directly from another, whether it be a paragraph, sentence, or part thereof; (d) close
and lengthy paraphrasing of the writings of another; …(f) submitting as one's own work
papers purchased from research companies.
The minimum for any student caught deliberately plagiarizing will receive an automatic F on the assignment.
More significant consequences, including reporting the plagiarism to the Center for Student Rights and
Responsibilities may be imposed. Needless to say, the best policy is to always turn in only your own work.
SPECIAL NEEDS
Students with special needs who may need academic accommodations should discuss options with me the
first two weeks of class. It is the student’s responsibility to make the necessary arrangements with Student
Disability Services.
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