English 101.59
Instructor: Ms. Tina Romanelli
Office: MHRA 3112-C
Office Hours: TR 11:00 – 12:00
Email: c_romane@uncg.edu
Class Time: TR 9:30 – 10:45
Classroom: MHRA 1204
ENG 101 is designed to introduce students to academic discourse and prepare them for the writing and
research they will do in college. In order to complete the course successfully, students will need to become
familiar with the rhetorical situation, appeals, and canons; read and engage in scholarly conversations;
write approximately twenty pages of prose; and revise fifteen pages of that prose for inclusion in a final
portfolio.
Student Learning Outcomes
English 101 satisfies three of the six hours of the Reasoning and Discourse (GRD) requirement at UNCG,
which asserts that students “gain skills in intellectual discourse, including constructing cogent arguments,
locating, synthesizing and analyzing documents, and writing and speaking clearly, coherently, and
effectively” (http://web.uncg.edu/reg/Bulletin/Current/UnivReq/GECDescription.aspx).
In addition, English 101 is designed to address Learning Goal #1 (LG1) in the UNCG General Education
Program. This is the ability to “think critically, communicate effectively, and develop appropriate
fundamental skills in quantitative and information literacies.”
(http://web.uncg.edu/reg/Bulletin/Current/UnivReq/GECProgram.aspx)
At the completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Analyze the content and structure of complex texts (written, oral, and/or visual in nature);
2. Compose cogent, evidence-based, argumentative texts;
3. Identify and employ the rhetorical triangle, the canons, and the appeals in both formal and
informal discourse;
4. Summarize, quote, paraphrase, and synthesize source material in support of an argument;
5. Employ drafting, peer review, and revision techniques in order to improve content, style, and
structure of their own writing;
6. Appraise their own composing abilities and composing processes through critical reflection.
Required Texts and Materials
Books:
Wooten, Courtney Adams, Sally Smits, and Lavina Ensor, Eds. Rhetorical Approaches to College
Writing. Plymouth, MI: Hayden-McNeil, 2013.
Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. They Say I Say With Readings. 2nd ed. New York:
W. W. Norton & Co., 2012.
In addition to these books, you will need to print handouts from Blackboard. The handouts must be
printed and brought to class on the day they are assigned in order to receive credit for participation.
Materials:
Notebook paper with four clean edges (not torn out of a spiral notebook)
Blue or black ink pens
Electronic storage device
Access to word processing software that is compatible with MS Word 2007/2010
The ability to print (in advance of the due date – I’m serious about this)
≈ $5 to have your portfolio comb-bound at the Kinkos on Tate Street
Academic Integrity
“Academic integrity is founded upon and encompasses the following five values: honesty, trust, fairness,
respect, and responsibility. Violations include, for example, cheating, plagiarism, misuse of academic
resources, falsification, and facilitating academic dishonesty. If knowledge is to be gained and properly
evaluated, it must be pursued under conditions free from dishonesty. Deceit and misrepresentations are
incompatible with the fundamental activity of this academic institution and shall not be tolerated” (from
UNCG’s Academic Integrity Policy). To ensure that you understand the university’s policy on academic
integrity, review the guidelines and list of violations at http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu.
I expect you to abide by the Academic Integrity Policy. Infractions will be handled on a case-by-case basis
but will definitely include individual conferences with the instructor and not receiving credit for
assignments that have been plagiarized in any way. Second-time offenders will be sent to the Dean of
Students.
Attendance Policy
In addition to the valuable direct instruction you will receive from me, we will discuss our readings and
writing as a class; therefore, attendance is mandatory. I expect you to come on time and remain for the
entire period. You will not be able to make up any work done in class if you are absent.
It is very distracting for students to arrive late. If you must arrive late, come in quietly and begin
working. Three tardies is the equivalent of one absence. You may not leave class early. Simply packing
up your books and walking out of class will result in being marked absent for the day regardless of the
time it occurs. Furthermore, if I must ask you to leave class because you are not meeting my behavioral
expectations, you will be counted absent for the day.
There is no distinction made between an excused and an unexcused absence. If you have an
emergency or illness you would like to discuss with me, please do so during my office hours or via
email. I will not discuss make-up work, absences, or emergencies during class time or in front of other
students.
Students in TR classes are allowed a maximum of two absences without a grade penalty. If you miss a
third day, a full letter grade will be deducted from your final average in participation. Students who
miss four classes on a TR schedule will fail the course. Attendance at the final exam session is
required, and therefore, absence at the final exam counts toward your semester total. Attendance at
individually scheduled conferences is required. Missing a conference is the equivalent of the number of
class days cancelled to schedule conferences (usually two).
Students are by state law allowed two excused absences due to religious holidays. These absences do
not count toward the total maximums allowed above. If a student plans to miss class due to a religious
holiday, he or she must notify the instructor via email at least 48 hours prior to the absence.
Evaluation
You will complete four polished essays and a final portfolio for this course. Each assignment has been
specifically designed to help you meet the student learning outcomes for this course. All essay and
portfolio assignments will be posted on Blackboard. Please ask questions until you feel you fully
understand the assignment. I am always happy to clarify things for you.
The percentage breakdown of your grade is as follows and is subject to change if the needs of the
course necessitate it:
Participation
SLO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6
10%
Your participation grade is based on your preparedness for class (bringing books, having
read assignments, and being attentive); the effectiveness of your contributions to class
discussions and group work; and your awareness of the conventions of the classroom discourse
community. You may want to read “I Take Your Point: Entering Class Discussions” on page 141 in
They Say, I Say for ideas about how to participate effectively. I use the following rubric:
A
Consistently prepared, contributing, and aware of environment
B
Consistently prepared, often contributing, and usually aware of environment
C
Consistently prepared, seldom contributing or aware of environment
D
Inconsistently prepared, rarely contributes or seems aware of environment
F
Rarely prepared, never contributes or is distracting to the learning
environment
Quizzes
SLO 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
10%
Quizzes will be both announced and unannounced. They will cover both the reading and the
rhetorical terms and concepts we discuss in class.
Education Essay
SLO 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
10%
This assignment asks you to enter into a conversation with at least two other authors and
make a significant claim about education. 1,800 – 2,500 words.
Pop Culture Essay
SLO 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
10%
This assignment asks you to enter into a conversation with at least two other authors and
make a significant claim about pop culture. 1,800 – 2,500 words.
Health Essay
SLO 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
10%
This assignment asks you to enter into a conversation with at least two other authors and
make a significant claim about health. 1,800 – 2,500 words.
Rhetorical Analysis
SLO 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
10%
This assignment asks you to analyze the use of rhetoric in an essay and make a claim about
its rhetorical effectiveness. 1,800 – 2,500 words.
Portfolio (including critical rationale)
SLO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6
40%
The portfolio assignment is required of all ENG 101 students and is posted on Blackboard
with a standardized rubric. We will discuss this important assignment early and often
throughout the course. Comb-bound and brought to my office by 4/25.
Total
100%
The grading scale is as follows:
A
A-
3.68 – 4.0
3.34 – 3.67
BC+
2.34 – 2.67
2.01 – 2.33
D+
D
1.01 – 1.33
0.68 – 1.0
B+
B
3.01 – 3.33
2.68 – 3.0
C
C-
1.68 – 2.0
1.34 – 1.67
DF
0.33 – 0.67
0.32 and below
Notes about assessment and grading: I do not accept late work for my own sanity and to preserve the
integrity of the work that is handed in on time. If you have an emergency, you will need to discuss it with
me outside of class either in my office or via email. I will not discuss late work or class absences with you in
front of other students.
I grade essays holistically on a rubric. The rubric is available to you on Blackboard under the Syllabus tab.
The portfolio requirements are also on Blackboard. You should print these documents in order to refer to
them throughout the semester.
All your work must be typed in MLA format and printed before the beginning of class. You are required to
save all your work to an electronic storage device. You are also required to keep all your work for this
course until after grades have been posted at the end of the semester. Your final portfolio is a huge portion
of your grade and requires evidence of drafting and revision. You must save your drafts with my
comments, peer review letters, process letters, and prewriting if you expect to receive a grade on the
portfolio.
On peer review days, you must bring two printed copies of your paper to class. Peer review is a vital part of
the writing process we are attempting to master in this course. If you do not participate in peer review, you
are not eligible to earn higher than a C on your final paper grade.
You earn your grade in this course. I do not give grades. If you have questions about your grade at any
point, please feel free to discuss them with me in my office or via email. Please be professional. I am very
open to hearing your thoughts as long as we can keep the conversation polite and appropriate.
Expectations
Behavior
We will discuss our expectations of each other in class; however, these “rules” are always in play:

Each student has the right to learn in the classroom. Disruptions to the learning environment
will not be tolerated.

You must treat yourself, your peers, and your instructor with respect at all times.

All personal issues discussed or read in this class must be kept confidential.

Problems or grievances must be handled in an appropriate manner and according to the correct
organizational structure (student/student, student/instructor, student/director of
composition).

You are responsible for your own success in this course. Try your best.
Electronic Devices
Cell phones and other electronic devices should be turned off or on silent during class. You may not
text or make calls during class time. Emergencies must be discussed with the instructor.
Laptops may be used in class only by students having a special need for purposes of note-taking or
other classroom activities. Students with such a need should make specific arrangements with the
instructor. No student may use a laptop in class without a prior arrangement with the instructor.
Contacting the Instructor
I am available during my office hours to discuss any concerns or questions you might have about our
course. Outside of my office hours, the best way to contact me is via email.
As a written form of communication, emails need to be written with care and in a professional manner.
You should always include a greeting and a closing with your full name and your class and section. Be
conscious of tone. Do not type in all capital letters. See the following example:
Dear Ms. Romanelli,
I will be unable to attend class today because I am ill. I will check Blackboard for my
assignments. Please let me know if there is anything I need to do that will not be posted on
Blackboard.
Thank you,
Student Name
ENG 101.59
If you have followed these guidelines, I will respond to your email within one school day unless I have
an emergency. If you do not follow these guidelines, I will likely not respond at all.
Disability Services
Students with documentation of special needs should arrange to see me about accommodations as soon
as possible. If you believe you could benefit from such accommodations, you must first register with the
Office of Disability Services on campus before such accommodations can be made. The office is located on
the second floor of the Elliott University Center (EUC) in Suite 215, and the office is open 8am to 5pm,
Monday - Friday. Telephone: 334-5440; e-mail: ods@uncg.edu.
Learning Assistance Center
The Learning Assistance Center offers free services to the entire UNCG undergraduate community and is
located in McIver Hall, rooms 101-104, and 150. Telephone: 334-3878; e-mail: lac@uncg.edu.
Writing Center
The purpose of the Writing Center is to enhance the confidence and competence of student writers by
providing free, individual assistance at any stage of any writing project. Staff consultants are experienced
writers and alert readers, prepared to offer feedback and suggestions on drafts of papers, help students
find answers to their questions about writing, and provide one-on-one instruction as needed. Located in
the Moore Humanities and Research Building, room 3211. Extra credit may be available for visiting the
Writing Center.
Course Schedule
RA = Rhetorical Approaches to College Writing
TSIS = They Say, I Say
Readings are due on the date for which they are listed. Course schedule (like percentage breakdown of
grades) is subject to change due to the needs of the individual class or the instructor.
Date
Tuesday 8/21
Thursday 8/23
Tuesday 8/28
Thursday 8/30
Tuesday 9/4
Thursday 9/6
Tuesday 9/11
Thursday 9/13
Tuesday 9/18
Readings
Syllabus
Morehead’s “The Genre of Academic Discourse” (RA
105-110);
Benson’s “The Writing Center: Where Writer’s Meet”
(RA 186-189);
Introduction and Chapter 1 (TSIS 1-29)
Blades’ “Reading Critically” (RA 55-62);
Chapters 2-3 (TSIS 30-51);
Ungar’s “The New Liberal Arts” (TSIS 190);
Murray’s “Are Too Many People Going to College?” (TSIS
222)
Leuschen’s “Asking Questions to Find a Starting Point”
(RA 63-66);
Chapters 4-5 (TSIS 55-77);
Rose’s “Blue-Collar Brilliance” (TSIS 243)
McAlpin’s “How the Thesis Guides Effective Writing” (RA
67-71);
Skelley’s “Arrangement as Rhetorical Composing” (RA
72-77);
Chapters 6-7 (TSIS 78-101);
Wilson’s “A Lifetime of Student Debt? Not Likely” (TSIS
256)
Lancaster’s “Beginning and Ending with Power” (RA 7882);
Ensor’s “Viewing Peer Review as a Rhetorical Process”
(RA 147);
Chapters 8 and 10 (TSIS 105-120 and 129-138)
Mullins’ “Revision is Writing” (RA 89-92);
Ray’s “The Portfolio Process” (RA 47-51);
Chapters 11 -12 (TSIS 141 – 155)
Wooten’s “Finding a Conversation to Find Research” (RA
111-115);
Johnson’s “Watching TV Makes You Smarter” (TSIS 277294)
Stevens’ “Thinking Outside the Idiot Box” (TSIS 295-298)
Benson and Lyda’s “Researching Rhetorically” (RA 116120);
Gladwell’s “Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not
Be Tweeted” (TSIS 312-328)
Activities
Writing and Speaking Center
Orientations
Education Essay Assigned
Peer Review
Education Essay Due
Thursday 9/20
Tuesday 9/25
Thursday 9/27
Tuesday 10/2
Thursday 10/4
Tuesday 10/9
Thursday 10/11
Tuesday 10/16
Thursday 10/18
Tuesday 10/23
Thursday 10/25
Tuesday 10/30
Thursday 11/1
Tuesday 11/6
Thursday 11/8
Tuesday 11/13
Thursday 11/15
Tuesday 11/20
Thursday 11/22
Tuesday 11/27
Thursday 11/29
Baron’s “Reforming Egypt in 140 Characters” (TSIS 329334)
Johnson’s “Situating Evidence through
Contextualization” (RA 121-126);
Bissell’s “Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter” (TSIS
349-362)
Ray’s “The Art of Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and
Quoting” (RA 127-132);
Zinser’s “The Good, the Bad, and The Daily Show” (TSIS
363-379)
Ensor’s “Understanding the Rhetorical Dimensions of
Academic Citation” (RA 134-140);
Library Visit
Meriwether’s “Conferencing Rhetorically” (RA 152-154)
Conferences
Conferences
Fall Break
Pollan’s “Escape from the Western Diet” (TSIS 434-441);
Maxfield’s “Food as Thought: Resisting the Moralization
of Eating” (TSIS 442-447)
Orbach’s “Fat is a Feminist Issue” (TSIS 448-453);
Freeman and Merskin’s “Having it His Way: The
Construction of Masculinity in Fast-Food TV Advertising”
(TSIS 454-479)
Babb’s “An Introduction to Rhetoric and the Rhetorical
Triangle” (RA 3-12)
Romanelli’s “Writing with the Rhetorical Appeals” (RA
13-20);
Speeches on Blackboard
Shook’s “Reading for the Rhetorical Appeals” (RA 21-29);
Laminack’s “Rhetorical Analysis and Visual Media” (RA
167-173)
Dodson’s “The Canons of Rhetoric as Phases of
Composition” (RA 30-39);
Burns’ “Analyzing Film Rhetoric” (RA 174-185)
Babb’s “Developing an Idea of the Audience” (RA 83-88)
Webb’s “Understanding Tone” (RA 93-97)
Bufter’s “Understanding Voice” (RA 98-102)
Sample Rationales on Blackboard
Thanksgiving Break
Pop Culture Essay Assigned
Peer Review
Pop Culture Essay Due
Health Essay Assigned
Peer Review
Health Essay Due
Rhetorical Analysis Assigned
Peer Review
Rhetorical Analysis Due
Critical Rationale Assigned
Peer Review
Final Portfolio Due in class
Final Exam – Thursday, December 6th, 8:00 a.m.