UCC/UGC/ECCC
Proposal for Course Change
Fall 2016
FAST TRACK (Select if this will be a fast track item. Refer to Fast Track Policy for
eligibility)
If the changes included in this proposal are significant, attach copies of original and proposed
syllabi in approved university format.
1. Course subject and number:
ENG 310W
2. Units:
See upper and lower division undergraduate course definitions.
3. College: Arts and Letters
5. Current Student Learning Outcomes of the
course.
4. Academic Unit:
3
English
Show the proposed changes in this column (if
applicable). Bold the proposed changes in this
column to differentiate from what is not
changing, and Bold with strikethrough what is
being deleted. (Resources & Examples for
Developing Course Learning Outcomes)
Learning Outcomes, with emphasis on Rhetoric, Writing,
and Digital Media Studies
General Knowledge of English
 Graduates will know about language as a system
and about language change and variation. Students
will be able to identify, describe, explain, or interpret
such features as grammar, language patterns,
language differences, the history of English, dialects,
semantics, dictionaries and lexicons, idioms, or
semiotic structures. In your Rhetoric, Writing, and
Digital Media Studies coursework, you will:
o Identify, understand, and analyze varied
rhetorical situations in texts, images, and
design.
o Analyze the appropriateness of rhetorical
choices in light of anticipated consequences.
o Develop literacies in the discourse community
employed by rhetoric, writing, and digital media
studies scholars.
 Graduates will know how effective writers and
speakers adapt language to the varying
circumstances of interpersonal communication, for
various purposes in school, the workplace, civic life,
and creative endeavors. Graduates will be able to
describe and explain such discourse features as
Effective Fall 2015
rhetorical situation (speaker, purpose, audience),
performative language, orality vs. literacy, print
literacy vs. media literacies, style, or word-choice. In
your Rhetoric, Writing, and Digital Media Studies
coursework, you will:
o Evaluate a variety of academic and nonacademic
texts, drawing on appropriate concepts and terms
from the study of rhetoric, writing, and digital media.
o Evaluate how cultural, racial, ethnic, gender, and
economic factors influence literacy and
communication practices in text and digital
environments.
o Evaluate purpose and audience in disciplinary
communication approaches and apply them to
text, images, and digital media
 Graduates will know basic concepts and terminology
in the study of literature, linguistics, rhetoric, and
creative writing. Students will know how to use
appropriate disciplinary and professional language.
In your Rhetoric, Writing, and Digital Media Studies
coursework, you will:
o Analyze key theories in rhetoric, writing, and
digital media studies and apply them to specific
areas of the field, such as literacy studies,
cultural studies, media studies, or
interdisciplinary studies.
o Demonstrate a command of historical and
contemporary rhetorical theories and approaches by
applying your knowledge to texts, images, and
design.
o Examine the fundamentals of rhetorical analysis,
with an emphasis on the importance of diverse
genres as well as the cultural contexts of
rhetoric.
 Graduates will know about forms, designs, and
genres, including appropriate traditions and histories.
They will know how formal conventions, social
contexts, and audience expectations affect
discourses purposes. Graduates will be able to
describe and explain such things as literary and
creative genres, canons, practical and professional
writing formats and genres, types of rhetorical
discourse, types of linguistic phenomena, or media
and web formats and genres. In your Rhetoric,
Writing, and Digital Media Studies coursework, you
will:
o Apply your knowledge of genre to address
audience expectations and purposes of texts or
discourses.
o Analyze and act on understandings of
audiences, purposes, and contexts to
communicate effectively and create appropriate
text, images, and digital work.
o Apply knowledge of language, images, and
design to writing, research, presentations, and
designs.
 Graduates will know how social, cultural, and
historical contexts affect personal expression; the
reception, comprehension, or study of texts; and
specific communication purposes for both writers and
readers. Graduates will be conversant with English in
Effective Fall 2015
global settings and with the increasing impact of
international forces—the history and politics of
cultural and linguistic diversity, of environmental
sustainability, and of globalization—on the discipline
of English. In your Rhetoric, Writing, and Digital
Media Studies coursework, you will:
o Develop a respect for the richness and diversity
of language that is apparent across cultures and
communities, ethnic groups, geographical
regions, and social situations.
o Evaluate the impact of historical and
contemporary rhetorical strategies on global
communication efforts.
o Analyze how cultural, racial, ethnic, gender,
economic, and environmental factors influence
communication practices in text and digital
environments.
o Evaluate the historical and contemporary role of
rhetoric in shaping local and global
environmental communication strategies.
Proficiencies
 Graduates will know how to read and think critically
in response to a variety of texts, drawing on
appropriate knowledge, concepts, and terms from the
study of literature, linguistics, rhetoric, and creative
writing. Graduates will know how to focus these skills
on the close interpretation of texts (which could
include film, signs, encoded cultural forms or
messages, or graphic art, in addition to printed
works) or extend these skills to the close study of
empirical data or information. Graduates will know
how to draw inferences or conclusions from their
reading or to formulate interpretive hypotheses or
arguments from primary sources or researched
information. In your Rhetoric, Writing, and Digital
Media Studies coursework, you will:
o Recognize the power and malleability of language in
written texts, images, and digital media to influence,
inform, and define knowledge and action.
o Define and properly use rhetorical terms,
theories, and concepts to communicate with
disciplinary and public audiences.
o Apply the theoretical and practical knowledge
you have gained in rhetoric, writing, and digital
media studies by carrying out course-related
and project-related work for various audiences
and purposes.
 Graduates will know how to write effectively in
several genres and for various purposes—with
appropriate design, fluency, voice, style, vividness,
self-awareness, and awareness of audience or
reader. Graduates will know how to invent, find,
develop, and support content relevant for their writing
purposes. In your Rhetoric, Writing, and Digital
Media Studies coursework, you will:
o Design texts and digital projects that analyze,
synthesize and evaluate appropriate text and digital
materials
o Design texts and digital projects that show the
ethical use of language in diverse academic,
public, and professional communities.
Effective Fall 2015
o Tailor your work to address how purpose and
audience influence design choices in text and
digital media to show understanding of
rhetorical approaches to multimedia design.
 Graduates will know how to critique and to augment,
rework, or revise both their own writing and the
writing of others. Graduates will know how to edit for
style, for grammar, and for correct spelling and
punctuation according to a text’s purpose, audience,
and level or manner of discourse. In your Rhetoric,
Writing, and Digital Media Studies coursework, you
will:
o Examine sentence level organization, wordchoice, and the rhetorical significance of
phrases, sentences, and overall arguments.
o Analyze and apply processes for writing and
communication that show preparedness for
undertaking writing in multiple environments
from academic to professional settings, from
text to images to digital media.
o Apply sentence level organization, word-choice,
and the rhetorical significance of phrases,
sentences, and overall arguments.
 Graduates will know how to use appropriate
principles and methods of research for a variety of
purposes in literature, rhetoric, writing, and
linguistics. Graduates will know how to determine
effective research scope, to apply and refine search
strategies, to analyze and evaluate information, to
synthesize and apply information, and to use
information responsibly. In your Rhetoric, Writing,
and Digital Media Studies coursework, you will:
o Incorporate multiple information resources
presented in different media, with citations in
forms appropriate to those resources, and
evaluate the reliability and comparative worth of
competing information resources.
o Research, evaluate, and apply rhetorical
principles to a paper or project to question
current norms and dominant cultural
assumptions expressed in text and digital
media.
o Apply research on significant issues related to
global learning, diversity, and sustainable
educational and environmental practices to texts
and digital projects.
o Construct a summative project that draws on current
research, scholarship in the field of rhetoric, writing,
and digital media studies.
Applications and Attitudes
 Graduates will know how to apply advanced
academic training in English to further schooling or to
public, professional, or workplace settings that
demand clear, efficiently organized informationsharing; lucid expressions of imaginative thinking;
persuasive, well-documented discourse; or concise,
accessible expository communication. Graduates will
know where and how to seek opportunities for
employment, publication, continued education, public
service, or personal enrichment. In your Rhetoric,
Effective Fall 2015
Writing, and Digital Media Studies coursework, you
will:
o Identify career and learning goals and develop a
personal career development plan based on one’s
strengths and goals.
o Effectively represent your experience, skills and
competencies through written (resume, cover
letter, social media, application materials) and
verbal (interview skills, presentation skills, etc.)
communication practices.
o Participate in research projects or internship
opportunities and present how these experiences
are connected to the theories and content acquired
in rhetoric, writing, and digital media studies.
o Collaborate with others on a project related to
rhetoric, writing, and digital media studies and
evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the
process and the final results.
 Graduates will benefit from the study of English as a
liberal arts discipline. This study imparts intellectual
growth, empowers imagination, and attunes
responsiveness to creative expression and artful
communication. The study of English fosters habits
of empathy, introspection, and ethical reasoning. It
imparts resourcefulness in communication, aptitude
for creative problem solving, and openness to
change, adaptation, and opportunity. In your
Rhetoric, Writing, and Digital Media coursework, you
will:
o Apply reflective learning practices to consciously
synthesize and integrate insights from disciplinebased and liberal studies coursework and projects.
o Show commitment to ethical communication by
applying appropriate principles and methods to
research, writing, design, and presentation that
reflect honesty, knowledge and understanding
of the issue at hand, thoughtful reasoning,
tolerance, understanding of the values of the
community, and intellectual courage.
o Demonstrate the depth and breadth of
knowledge acquired in discipline-based and
liberal studies coursework to identify, analyze,
and engage in important local, national, and
global discussions from multiple viewpoints,
with an understanding of the interdependence of
political, economic, environmental, and social
systems.
6. Current catalog display in this column
title, description and units. Cut and paste, in
its entirety, from the current on-line academic
catalog* http://catalog.nau.edu/Catalog/.
Show the proposed changes in this column
Bold the proposed changes in this column to
differentiate from what is not changing, and
Bold with strikethrough what is being deleted.
ENG 310W ADVANCED WRITING FOR
DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES (3)
Description: Argumentative and stylistic features
ENG 310W TOPICS IN ACADEMIC AND
PUBLIC ADVANCED WRITING FOR
DIFFERENT DIVERSE COMMUNITIES (3)
Effective Fall 2015
of language and literacy practices. This course
fulfills NAU's junior-level writing requirement.
Letter grade only.
Units: 3
Requirement Designation: Junior Writing
Requirement and Ethnic
Prerequisite: ((ENG 105 or HON 190 or English
Placement Test Results (PLACE 60+)) and 3
hours of ENG-English coursework) or
International Exchange Student Group
Description: This course focuses on
Argumentative and stylistic features of
language and literacy practices in diverse
communities, with an emphasis on
rhetorical principles that guide traditional
and digital documents. This course fulfills
NAU's junior-level writing requirement. May be
repeated for up to 9 units of credit. Letter
grade only.
Units: 3
Requirement Designation: Junior Writing
Requirement and Ethnic
Prerequisite: ((ENG 105 or HON 190 or English
Placement Test Results (PLACE 60+)) and 3
hours of ENG-English coursework) or
International Exchange Student Group
*if there has been a previously approved UCC/UGC/ECCC change since the last catalog year, please copy the approved
text from the proposal form into this field.
7. Justification for course change.
The RWDMS area conducted curriculum revisions for its undergraduate courses, including
alignment of courses with overall departmental program learning outcomes. Modifications to
the course title and course description reflect updates based on national trends in rhetoric
and writing studies. Course learning outcomes are based on departmental learning outcomes,
with an emphasis on specific rhetoric, writing, and digital media studies outcomes. English
310 still focuses on language and literacy practices in diverse communities. Students can
grade replace with the revised course.
IN THE FOLLOWING SECTION, COMPLETE ONLY WHAT IS CHANGING
CURRENT
Current combined lecture & lab components:
Lecture:
Lab:
Current grading option:
letter grade
pass/fail
or both
Current repeat for additional units:
Yes
No
Current repeat for additional units in same term:
Yes
No
Current repeat max number of units:
0
Current Instruction Mode:
In person
Online
Hybrid
PROPOSED
Proposed combined lecture & lab components:
Lecture:
Lab:
Proposed grading option:
letter grade
pass/fail
or both
Proposed repeat for additional units:
Yes
No
Proposed repeat for additional units same term:
Yes
No
Proposed repeat max number of units:
9
Proposed Instruction Mode:
In person
Online
Hybrid
8. Is this course in any plan (major, minor, or certificate) or sub plan (emphasis)? Yes
No
If yes, list and include evidence of notification to and/or response from each impacted academic unit
as necessary.
English; B.A. (elective), English Minor (elective), Rhetoric and Writing UCRT (elective).
Effective Fall 2015
9. Is there a related plan or sub plan change proposal being submitted?
Yes
No
If no, explain.
These course title, description, and repeatability changes will not require any related plan
changes.
Answer 10-13 for UCC/ECCC only:
10. Is this course an approved Liberal Studies or Diversity course?
If yes, select all that apply.
Liberal Studies
Diversity
Yes
No
11. Do you want to remove the Liberal Studies or Diversity designation?
If yes, select all that apply.
Liberal Studies
Diversity
Both
Yes
No
12. Is this course listed in the Course Equivalency Guide?
Yes
No
Both
FLAGSTAFF MOUNTAIN CAMPUS
Scott Galland
Reviewed by Curriculum Process Associate
11/12/2015
Date
Approvals:
Department Chair/Unit Head (if appropriate)
Date
Chair of college curriculum committee
Date
Dean of college
Date
For Committee use only:
UCC/UGC Approval
Date
EXTENDED CAMPUSES
Reviewed by Curriculum Process Associate
Date
Approvals:
Academic Unit Head
Effective Fall 2015
Date
Division Curriculum Committee (Yuma, Yavapai, or Personalized Learning)
Date
Division Administrator in Extended Campuses (Yuma, Yavapai, or Personalized
Learning)
Date
Faculty Chair of Extended Campuses Curriculum Committee (Yuma, Yavapai, or
Personalized Learning)
Date
UGC Approval (Graduate-Level Courses Only)
Date
Chief Academic Officer; Extended Campuses (or Designee)
Date
PROPOSED SAMPLE TOPICS SYLLABUS
COURSE SYLLABUS – APPROVED FORMAT
General Information
 College of Arts and Letters, Department of English
 English 310w: Topics in Academic and Public Writing for Diverse Communities: Writing for
Diverse Audiences
 Fall 2016
 3 hours
 Instructor: Sibylle Gruber
 Office and Office Hours: LA 335 TTH 1-3
 Course Prerequisites: English 105, or Honors 191 and 192, and 3 hours of English
coursework, or International Student Group JWRT
Course Description
This course focuses on language and literacy practices in diverse communities, with an emphasis on
rhetorical principles that guide traditional and digital documents.
Area: Rhetoric, Writing and Digital Media Studies
Fulfills: Junior Writing Requirement and U.S. Ethnic Diversity.
In this class, we will examine the ways language structures, supports, and sustains particular
discourse communities. We will explore the language, literacy, and writing conventions used by U.S.
ethnic minorities who address issues of race, class, politics, gender, education, or sexual orientation.
We will study the language conventions used by marginalized groups to make sure that we
understand the cultural contexts in which writing happens.
The class will be structured in such a way that careful preparation on your part is necessary. We will
have discussions, in-class writing exercises, pop quizzes (yes, they'll count), etc. I'll give you the
cultural context and historical perspective for the readings we will do in class. I'll answer questions
and draw connections between readings, but you must teach yourself through critical reading and
questioning. It will be a challenging semester. You'll have "fun" only if you work at it and work with
Effective Fall 2015
me.
We will have discussion leaders and reading guides for the readings we will be studying this
semester. For the reading for which you will be the expert you will be expected to prepare a reading
guide for the class, initiate the class discussion, prepare several discussion questions or construct
exercises that help us go through the material, and make sure we "learn" the important concepts. The
assignment will be graded. You may find it helpful to form study groups with other students in the
class.
Liberal Studies Information:
English 310w fulfills the Junior Level Writing requirement. This course will engage you in the writing
process through informal and formal writing assignments. This includes writing during every class
session, response papers to readings, formal writing assignments, and writing assignments that
require you to use written, visual, and digital communication skills. Your writing will be assessed
throughout the semester, and because writing is a process, you will have opportunities to revise much
of your written work before you receive a final grade.
English 310w also fulfills your U.S. Ethnic Diversity Requirement. You will acquire an
understanding of the perspectives (e.g. theoretical; historical; social; political; economic; cultural;
religious; geographic or sense of place; environmental; or intellectual traditions and/ or ways of
knowing) of U.S. ethnic minorities. You will also learn about issues of difference with respect to U.S.
ethnic minorities; you will develop a greater understanding of yourself and respect for the complex
identities of others, their histories, and their cultures; and you will have the ability to interpret and
evaluate information from a variety of sources pertaining to U.S. Ethnic Diversity, demonstrating
analytical or critical thinking and writing skills.
Student Learning Expectations/Outcomes for this course
**Please take a look at the specific learning outcomes addressed in rhetoric and writing courses in
the Department of English. I have highlighted the ones that we will focus on in English 310w:
Learning Outcomes, with emphasis on Rhetoric, Writing, and Digital Media Studies
General Knowledge of English
 Graduates will know about language as a system and about language change and variation.
Students will be able to identify, describe, explain, or interpret such features as grammar,
language patterns, language differences, the history of English, dialects, semantics, dictionaries
and lexicons, idioms, or semiotic structures. In your Rhetoric, Writing, and Digital Media Studies
coursework, you will:
o Identify, understand, and analyze varied rhetorical situations in texts, images, and design.
o Analyze the appropriateness of rhetorical choices in light of anticipated consequences.
o Develop literacies in the discourse community employed by rhetoric, writing, and digital
media studies scholars.
 Graduates will know how effective writers and speakers adapt language to the varying
circumstances of interpersonal communication, for various purposes in school, the workplace,
civic life, and creative endeavors. Graduates will be able to describe and explain such discourse
features as rhetorical situation (speaker, purpose, audience), performative language, orality vs.
literacy, print literacy vs. media literacies, style, or word-choice. In your Rhetoric, Writing, and
Digital Media Studies coursework, you will:
o Evaluate a variety of academic and nonacademic texts, drawing on appropriate concepts and
terms from the study of rhetoric, writing, and digital media.
o Evaluate how cultural, racial, ethnic, gender, and economic factors influence literacy and
communication practices in text and digital environments.
Effective Fall 2015
o Evaluate purpose and audience in disciplinary communication approaches and apply them
to text, images, and digital media

Graduates will know basic concepts and terminology in the study of literature, linguistics, rhetoric,
and creative writing. Students will know how to use appropriate disciplinary and professional
language. In your Rhetoric, Writing, and Digital Media Studies coursework, you will:
o Analyze key theories in rhetoric, writing, and digital media studies and apply them to
specific areas of the field, such as literacy studies, cultural studies, media studies, or
interdisciplinary studies.
o Demonstrate a command of historical and contemporary rhetorical theories and approaches by
applying your knowledge to texts, images, and design.
o Examine the fundamentals of rhetorical analysis, with an emphasis on the importance of
diverse genres as well as the cultural contexts of rhetoric.
 Graduates will know about forms, designs, and genres, including appropriate traditions and
histories. They will know how formal conventions, social contexts, and audience expectations
affect discourses purposes. Graduates will be able to describe and explain such things as literary
and creative genres, canons, practical and professional writing formats and genres, types of
rhetorical discourse, types of linguistic phenomena, or media and web formats and genres. In your
Rhetoric, Writing, and Digital Media Studies coursework, you will:
o Apply your knowledge of genre to address audience expectations and purposes of texts or
discourses.
o Analyze and act on understandings of audiences, purposes, and contexts to communicate
effectively and create appropriate text, images, and digital work.
o Apply knowledge of language, images, and design to writing, research, presentations, and
designs.
 Graduates will know how social, cultural, and historical contexts affect personal expression; the
reception, comprehension, or study of texts; and specific communication purposes for both writers
and readers. Graduates will be conversant with English in global settings and with the increasing
impact of international forces—the history and politics of cultural and linguistic diversity, of
environmental sustainability, and of globalization—on the discipline of English. In your Rhetoric,
Writing, and Digital Media Studies coursework, you will:
o Develop a respect for the richness and diversity of language that is apparent across
cultures and communities, ethnic groups, geographical regions, and social situations.
o Evaluate the impact of historical and contemporary rhetorical strategies on global
communication efforts.
o Analyze how cultural, racial, ethnic, gender, economic, and environmental factors
influence communication practices in text and digital environments.
o Evaluate the historical and contemporary role of rhetoric in shaping local and global
environmental communication strategies.
Proficiencies
 Graduates will know how to read and think critically in response to a variety of texts, drawing on
appropriate knowledge, concepts, and terms from the study of literature, linguistics, rhetoric, and
creative writing. Graduates will know how to focus these skills on the close interpretation of texts
(which could include film, signs, encoded cultural forms or messages, or graphic art, in addition to
printed works) or extend these skills to the close study of empirical data or information. Graduates
will know how to draw inferences or conclusions from their reading or to formulate interpretive
hypotheses or arguments from primary sources or researched information. In your Rhetoric,
Writing, and Digital Media Studies coursework, you will:
o Recognize the power and malleability of language in written texts, images, and digital media to
influence, inform, and define knowledge and action.
Effective Fall 2015
o Define and properly use rhetorical terms, theories, and concepts to communicate with
disciplinary and public audiences.
o Apply the theoretical and practical knowledge you have gained in rhetoric, writing, and
digital media studies by carrying out course-related and project-related work for various
audiences and purposes.
 Graduates will know how to write effectively in several genres and for various purposes—with
appropriate design, fluency, voice, style, vividness, self-awareness, and awareness of audience or
reader. Graduates will know how to invent, find, develop, and support content relevant for their
writing purposes. In your Rhetoric, Writing, and Digital Media Studies coursework, you will:
o Design texts and digital projects that analyze, synthesize and evaluate appropriate text
and digital materials
o Design texts and digital projects that show the ethical use of language in diverse
academic, public, and professional communities.
o Tailor your work to address how purpose and audience influence design choices in text
and digital media to show understanding of rhetorical approaches to multimedia design.
 Graduates will know how to critique and to augment, rework, or revise both their own writing and
the writing of others. Graduates will know how to edit for style, for grammar, and for correct
spelling and punctuation according to a text’s purpose, audience, and level or manner of
discourse. In your Rhetoric, Writing, and Digital Media Studies coursework, you will:
o Examine sentence level organization, word-choice, and the rhetorical significance of
phrases, sentences, and overall arguments.
o Analyze and apply processes for writing and communication that show preparedness for
undertaking writing in multiple environments from academic to professional settings, from
text to images to digital media.
o Apply sentence level organization, word-choice, and the rhetorical significance of phrases,
sentences, and overall arguments.
 Graduates will know how to use appropriate principles and methods of research for a variety of
purposes in literature, rhetoric, writing, and linguistics. Graduates will know how to determine
effective research scope, to apply and refine search strategies, to analyze and evaluate
information, to synthesize and apply information, and to use information responsibly. In your
Rhetoric, Writing, and Digital Media Studies coursework, you will:
o Incorporate multiple information resources presented in different media, with citations in
forms appropriate to those resources, and evaluate the reliability and comparative worth
of competing information resources.
o Research, evaluate, and apply rhetorical principles to a paper or project to question
current norms and dominant cultural assumptions expressed in text and digital media.
o Apply research on significant issues related to global learning, diversity, and sustainable
educational and environmental practices to texts and digital projects.
o Construct a summative project that draws on current research, scholarship in the field of rhetoric,
writing, and digital media studies.
Applications and Attitudes
 Graduates will know how to apply advanced academic training in English to further schooling or to
public, professional, or workplace settings that demand clear, efficiently organized informationsharing; lucid expressions of imaginative thinking; persuasive, well-documented discourse; or
concise, accessible expository communication. Graduates will know where and how to seek
opportunities for employment, publication, continued education, public service, or personal
enrichment. In your Rhetoric, Writing, and Digital Media Studies coursework, you will:
o Identify career and learning goals and develop a personal career development plan based on
one’s strengths and goals.
Effective Fall 2015
o Effectively represent your experience, skills and competencies through written (resume,
cover letter, social media, application materials) and verbal (interview skills, presentation
skills, etc.) communication practices.
o Participate in research projects or internship opportunities and present how these experiences
are connected to the theories and content acquired in rhetoric, writing, and digital media studies.
o Collaborate with others on a project related to rhetoric, writing, and digital media studies
and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the process and the final results.
 Graduates will benefit from the study of English as a liberal arts discipline. This study imparts
intellectual growth, empowers imagination, and attunes responsiveness to creative expression
and artful communication. The study of English fosters habits of empathy, introspection, and
ethical reasoning. It imparts resourcefulness in communication, aptitude for creative problem
solving, and openness to change, adaptation, and opportunity. In your Rhetoric, Writing, and
Digital Media coursework, you will:
o Apply reflective learning practices to consciously synthesize and integrate insights from
discipline-based and liberal studies coursework and projects.
o Show commitment to ethical communication by applying appropriate principles and
methods to research, writing, design, and presentation that reflect honesty, knowledge
and understanding of the issue at hand, thoughtful reasoning, tolerance, understanding of
the values of the community, and intellectual courage.
o Demonstrate the depth and breadth of knowledge acquired in discipline-based and liberal
studies coursework to identify, analyze, and engage in important local, national, and
global discussions from multiple viewpoints, with an understanding of the
interdependence of political, economic, environmental, and social systems.
Course structure/approach
English 310w is based on the principles of learning-centered education. This approach is intended to
help you acquire competency in specific skill areas and encourage you to become lifelong learners.
We follow the paradigm outlined by Mary Huba and Jeann Freed in Learner-Centered Assessment on
College Campuses: Shifting the Focus from Teaching to Learning:
1. Students construct knowledge through gathering and synthesizing information and integrating
it with the general skills of inquiry, communication, critical thinking, problem solving, and so on.
2. Emphasis is on using and communicating knowledge effectively to address enduring and
emerging issues and problems in real-life contexts.
2. Professor’s role is to coach and facilitate.
3. Professor and students evaluate learning together.
4. Teaching and assessing are intertwined.
5. Assessment is used to promote and diagnose learning.
6. Emphasis is on generating better questions and learning from errors.
7. Desired learning is assessed directly through papers, projects, performances, portfolios and
the like.
8. Approach is compatible with interdisciplinary investigation.
9. Culture is cooperative, and supportive.
10. Professor and student learn together.
Textbook and required materials
All readings will be available through Vista. You will learn about different literate practices by reading
many different authors and working through many different perspectives. Your readings will include
work by African-American, Latino, Native American, and Asian-American authors, including Frederick
Douglass, Phillis Weatley, Booker T. Washington, WEB DuBois, Amy Tan, Zitkala-Sa, Richard
Rodriguez, Gloria Anzaldua, Norma Gonzalez, Simon Ortiz, Sandra Cisneros, Nancy Barron, Juan
Guerra, Louise Erdrich, and Ruben Navarette. In addition, you will read about the theories of literacy
explored by David Barton and Paulo Freire.
Effective Fall 2015
Recommended optional materials/references
We will read excerpts from a variety of books. You are not required to buy each book, but I encourage
you to check them out from the library or buy them for your own enjoyment.
You will find many speeches, including Booker T. Washington, Chief Joseph, MLK, Malcolm X,
Shirley Chisholm, Barbara Jordan, Nikki Giovanni, Cesar Chavez, Denzel Washington, Barak
Obama, etc., on American Rhetoric: http://americanrhetoric.com/
Course outline:
Week
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Effective Fall 2015
Readings
Introduction to the course, discussion of origins
and definition of language, literacy, and writing in
different communities
Definitions of Literacy
David Barton, from: Literacy: An Introduction to
the Ecology of Written Language
Jamie Candelaria Greene, "Misperspectives on
Literacy: A Critique of an Anglocentric Bias in
Histories of American Literacy."
Why Critical Literacy
Paulo Freire, from: Pedagogy of the Oppressed
bell hooks, Cultural Criticism and Transformation
(documentary)
The Importance of Literacy
Frederick Douglass, From: Narrative of the Life of
Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
Phillis Weatley, from The Poems of Phillis
Weatley
The Importance of Literacy
Booker T. Washington, from Up from Slavery
WEB DuBois, from The Souls of Black Folk
Whose Literacy?
Haig Bosmajian, From The Language of
Oppression
Zitkala-Sa, From American Indian Stories
Whose Language?
Amy Tan, from The Opposite of Fate: A Book of
Musings
Richard Rodriguez, from Brown: The Last
Discovery of America
Whose Language?
Gloria Anzaldua, “La Conciencia de la Mestiza”
Norma Gonzalez, “Who Speaks for the
Subaltern?”
Identity and Writing
James Baldwin, from Nobody Knows My Name
Jessica Parker, “Language”
Identity and Writing
Simon Ortiz, “Indians Sure Came in Handy”
Polingaysi Qoyawayma, No Turning Back
(selections)
Culture and Writing
Sandra Cisneros, from House on Mango Street
Louise Erdrich, from The Beet Queen
Culture and Writing
Nancy G. Barron, “Dear Saints, Dear Stella”
Writing Assignments, Presentations
Reading Responses
Reading Response
Paper 1
Reading Response
Reading Response
Paper 2
Reading Response
Group Project Proposal due
Reading Response
Paper 3
Reading Response
Final Project Proposal due
Reading Response
Group Projects
Reading Response
Reading Response
Progress Report Presentations
Reading Response
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Juan Guerra, “Emerging Representations,
Situated Literacies, and the Practice of
Transcultural Repositioning
Writing Ourselves into/out of Being
Ruben Navarrette, “Hate in the Immigration
Debate”
Ralph Ellison, from Invisible Man
Presentations
Presentations
Final Project draft due
Revisions to Final Project due with Cover
Letter and Resume
Assessment of Learning Outcomes
 Methods of Assessment
To make sure that you understand the key principles taught in this course, you will be assessed for
the following activities/writing assignments:
 10 points: Participation in class discussions and class activities
 15 points: Reader Responses
 5 points: reading presentations
 10 points: Group Project including proposal (3 points), group presentation (3 points), and
individual write-up (4 points)
 30 points: 3 short papers at 10 points each
 30 points: Final Project including proposal (3 points), progress report/presentation (3 points),
project (15 points), and cover letter and resume (4 points)
Your work will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
Excellent/strong: Your work reveals strong writing skills and a deep understanding of rhetorical
principles as applied to specific writing contexts; your writing shows exceptional content
knowledge, research, and preparedness; your document needs very few minor editorial
adjustments.
Good: Your work reveals above average writing skills and a good understanding of rhetorical
principles as applied to specific writing contexts; your writing shows good content knowledge,
research, and preparedness; your document needs several minor editorial adjustments.
Acceptable: Your work reveals average writing skills and a basic understanding of rhetorical
principles; your writing shows basic content knowledge, research, and preparedness; your
document needs major editorial adjustments.
Poor: Your work reveals significant problems in terms of writing ability and/or major
misunderstanding of rhetorical principles as applied to professional writing contexts; your writing
shows inadequate or inconsistent content knowledge, research, and preparedness; your
document cannot be understood without significant editorial adjustments.
Timeline for Assessment
Your participation, response papers, and informal writing will be assessed on an ongoing basis. Your
presentation, group project, and formal essay assignments will be graded within 1-2 weeks after the
assignment is due.
Attendance:
Attendance can't be made up. If you miss more than 2 classes, your grade will drop 5% for every
additional class you miss. Use the 2 classes wisely. You never know when you will get sick.
Being late to class or leaving early:
Effective Fall 2015
If you are less than 10 minutes late, or leave less than 10 minutes early, you will receive a tardy. 2
tardies are 1 absence.
If you are more than 10 minutes late or leave more than 10 minutes early, you will be counted absent.
Assignment due dates:
All assignments are due on the date assigned in the syllabus. I accept no late work without prior
approval. Late papers will be penalized:
1 day late: 5%
2 days late: 10 %
3 days late: 20 %
4 days late: 40 %
5 days late: 80 %
6 days late: 100 %
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a form of theft. It is grounds for failing the course. Plagiarism occurs when a writer uses
someone else’s phrasing, sentences, or distinctive insights without giving proper credit. Be sure to
acknowledge your sources! In this age of downloadable papers, remember that turning in work that,
in whole or in part, is not your own is also plagiarism. When in doubt about quotation, citation, or
acknowledgment of sources, see your instructor.
If two students turn in the same work for an assignment, both will earn a "0" for that assignment.
Grading System
A: Outstanding work (90-100 %)
B: Above average work (80-89%)
C: Average work (70-79%)
D: Below average work (60-69%)
F: Failing Grade (0-59%)
NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY
POLICY STATEMENTS FOR COURSE SYLLABI
SAFE ENVIRONMENT POLICY
NAU’s Safe Working and Learning Environment Policy prohibits sexual harassment and assault, and
discrimination and harassment on the basis of sex, race, color, age, national origin, religion, sexual
orientation, gender, gender identity, disability, or veteran status by anyone at this university. Retaliation
of any kind as a result of making a complaint under the policy or participating in an investigation is also
prohibited. The Director of the Equity and Access Office (EAO) serves as the university’s compliance
officer for affirmative action, civil rights, and Title IX, and is the ADA/504 Coordinator. EAO also assists
with religious accommodations. You may obtain a copy of this policy from the college dean’s office or
from NAU’s Equity and Access Office website nau.edu/diversity/. If you have questions or concerns
about this policy, it is important that you contact the departmental chair, dean’s office, the Office of
Student Life (928-523-5181), or NAU’s Equity and Access Office (928) 523-3312 (voice), (928) 5239977 (fax), (928) 523-1006 (TTD) or equityandaccess@nau.edu.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
If you have a documented disability, you can arrange for accommodations by contacting Disability
Resources (DR) at 523-8773 (voice) or 523-6906 (TTY), dr@nau.edu (e-mail) or 928-523-8747 (fax).
Students needing academic accommodations are required to register with DR and provide required
Effective Fall 2015
disability related documentation. Although you may request an accommodation at any time, in order for
DR to best meet your individual needs, you are urged to register and submit necessary documentation
(www.nau.edu/dr) 8 weeks prior to the time you wish to receive accommodations. DR is strongly
committed to the needs of student with disabilities and the promotion of Universal Design. Concerns or
questions related to the accessibility of programs and facilities at NAU may be brought to the attention
of DR or the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity (523-3312).
ACADEMIC CONTACT HOUR POLICY
Based on the Arizona Board of Regents Academic Contact Hour Policy (ABOR Handbook, 2-224), for
every unit of credit, a student should expect, on average, to do a minimum of three hours of work per
week, including but not limited to class time, preparation, homework, studying.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Integrity is expected of every member of the NAU community in all academic undertakings. Integrity
entails a firm adherence to a set of values, and the values most essential to an academic community
are grounded in honesty with respect to all intellectual efforts of oneself and others. Academic
integrity is expected not only in formal coursework situations, but in all University relationships and
interactions connected to the educational process, including the use of University resources. An NAU
student’s submission of work is an implicit declaration that the work is the student’s own. All outside
assistance should be acknowledged, and the student’s academic contribution truthfully reported at all
times. In addition, NAU students have a right to expect academic integrity from each of their peers.
Individual students and faculty members are responsible for identifying potential violations of the
university’s academic integrity policy. Instances of potential violations are adjudicated using the
process found in the university Academic Integrity Policy.
RESEARCH INTEGRITY
The Responsible Conduct of Research policy is intended to ensure that NAU personnel including NAU
students engaged in research are adequately trained in the basic principles of ethics in research.
Additionally, this policy assists NAU in meeting the RCR training and compliance requirements of the
National Science Foundation (NSF)-The America COMPETES Act (Creating Opportunities to
Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education and Science); 42 U.S.C 18620-1, Section
7009, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) policy on the instruction of the RCR (NOT-OD-10-019;
“Update on the Requirement for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research”). For more
information on the policy and the training activities required for personnel and students conducting
research, at NAU, visit: http://nau.edu/Research/Compliance/Research-Integrity/
SENSITIVE COURSE MATERIALS
University education aims to expand student understanding and awareness. Thus, it necessarily
involves engagement with a wide range of information, ideas, and creative representations. In the
course of college studies, students can expect to encounter—and critically appraise—materials that
may differ from and perhaps challenge familiar understandings, ideas, and beliefs. Students are
encouraged to discuss these matters with faculty.
CLASSROOM DISRUPTION POLICY
Membership in the academic community places a special obligation on all participants to preserve an
atmosphere conducive to a safe and positive learning environment. Part of that obligation implies the
responsibility of each member of the NAU community to maintain an environment in which the
behavior of any individual is not disruptive. Instructors have the authority and the responsibility to
manage their classes in accordance with University regulations. Instructors have the right and
obligation to confront disruptive behavior thereby promoting and enforcing standards of behavior
Effective Fall 2015
necessary for maintaining an atmosphere conducive to teaching and learning. Instructors are
responsible for establishing, communicating, and enforcing reasonable expectations and rules of
classroom behavior. These expectations are to be communicated to students in the syllabus and in
class discussions and activities at the outset of the course. Each student is responsible for behaving
in a manner that supports a positive learning environment and that does not interrupt nor disrupt the
delivery of education by instructors or receipt of education by students, within or outside a class. The
complete classroom disruption policy is in Appendices of NAU’s Student Handbook.
August 25, 2015
Effective Fall 2015