Using The Call to Write:
Sample Syllabi and
Assignments with
Narratives on Book
Chapters
Authors: Anthony Edgington, Linda
Panczner, Suzanne Smith, and Paul Wise
Created Summer 2008
1
The following handbook was created to assist both new and experienced instructors in
using the Brief Fourth Edition of John Trimbur’s Call to Write. Within this handbook,
teachers will find the following:




Sample syllabi
Sample assignments (including both full assignment sheets and ideas for possible
assignments)
Narratives about how the four instructors created the course syllabi and
assignments
Narratives on Section III (Writing and Research Projects) and Section IV (Writers
at Work). These narratives focus on the strengths and weaknesses of each
chapter, along with pointing out important sections and noting how the chapters
could be used with other chapters/genres in the Trimbur text
Before you read over this handbook, it is important to look at two other documents first:
1. The University of Toledo Composition Program’s Faculty Handbook. This
handbook contains information on course objectives and goals, course policies
(such as attendance, late work, and plagiarism policies), prerequisites for the
course, and course requirments. In addition, information on select teaching tools,
such as peer review, conferencing, and responding to student texts, is included.
2. The Call to Write textbook. We would advise scanning through the textbook
before reading this handbook so that you have a better sense of the layout of the
book and so that you will be better able to understand the syllabi and assignments
offered here.
2
Table of Contents
Anthony Edgington’s Course
Documents…………………………………………………...page 4
 Includes Course Narrative, Sample Syllabus, Sample Profile
Assignment, and Sample Commentary Assignment
Linda Panczner’s Course
Documents………………………………………………….page 16
 Include Sample Syllabus, Sample Letter Assignments (with
chapter narrative) and Sample Review Assignments (with
chapter narrative)
Suzanne Smith’s Course
Documents……………………………………………...…..page 22
 Includes Course Narrative, Sample Syllabus, Overviews of
Chapters 8 (Reports) and 10 (Proposals), and Sample
Proposal Assignments
Paul Wise’s Course
Documents…………………………………….……………page 47
 Includes Sample Syllabus, Overview of Chapter 5 (Memoir)
and Sample Assignments, and Overview of Chapter 3
(Argument) with Sample Assignments
Information about Section III (Writing and Research
Projects)…………………………………………………….page 62
Information about Section IV (Writers at
Work)………………………………………………..……...page 67
3
Anthony Edgington’s Course
When designing my syllabus for ENGL 1110, the first question I often ask myself is
“What do incoming students at the University of Toledo need most?” I have found that I
usually answer that question in three different ways, each of which influence the syllabus
that encompasses the next few pages. First, students entering a first semester
composition course need to be introduced to successful writing strategies, ones they can
incorporate into not only the current course, but into other writing intensive courses they
will take throughout their academic career. They need to know about strong invention
strategies, like freewriting, journaling, and brainstorming. They need to be able to
conduct both rhetorical and audience analysis as they create and review different texts.
They need to be taught systems of proofreading and revision, something that is easier to
do using a portfolio system. They need to be able to not only find and use research, but
should come to see themselves as researcher, able to create research through their own
primary researching skills. And, they need to come to realize the importance of
grammar, especially how it affects readers’ views of a writer’s credibility.
Second, new students need to be able to learn about this new community they are
entering. For many students, the first year in the university brings with it new faces and
environments and often challenges previously held beliefs and assumptions. Thus, the
writing assignments I ask students to complete during the course are designed to now
only introduce them to genres and writing strategies they will encounter in future classes,
but also offers them the chance to learn more about the University of Toledo and life as a
college student. I will talk more about these assignments in the section titled “Discussion
of Assignments.”
Finally, new students should also participate in many of the activities expected inside of a
college classroom. I organize the course so that students have the opportunity to discuss
various topics and issues in small and large group formats. Students also receive
feedback on their writing through workshop groups and have the chance to talk with me
several times during the semester in one-on-one conferences. Having an opportunity to
speak to others about a topic they have researched is important; an informal presentation
on findings from their researched commentary is also included in the course. Finally, I
want students to take time to think about their strengths and weaknesses as writers and
researchers, something that is done through reflective journals, letters, and in-class
writings. This reflection will help them come to a better understanding of what they can
accomplish as writers and sets the stage for their future development in later writing
courses.
Discussion of Assignments
As outlined on the syllabus on the next few pages, students are asked to complete four
formal assignments for this course. The following are brief overviews of the four
assignments, including pertinent information from the chapters that would be highlighted:
4



Memoir Assignment: Typical of most first semester writing courses, the memoir
assignment asks student to write a narrative-based text the recounts experiences
and memories on a particular topic. For this course, keeping with the theme of
introducing students to college, I plan to ask students to write a memoir on a
fellow family member’s experiences in college or a memoir about when the
student first decided to attend college. In teaching the assignment, I would take
time to point out the reading selections in the chapter, focusing on use of detail,
how the texts are organized, and the moment of revelation (I think Trimbur’s
discussion of this on page 149-150 is a good starting point). The information
about social networking sites on page 153 is short and a little vague, but could
provide a nice starting point for a class discussion on the topic. There is also a list
of additional assignments for this genre on page 157-158. Finally, I plan to use a
good amount of the information in second half of the chapter, with a focus on the
invention strategies and information on introduction and conclusions under the
Working Draft section.
Profile Assignment: The assignment sheet for the profile assignment is listed in
this section of the handbook. My goal for the profile assignment is to not only
have students learn about this genre, but also to introduce them to different
organizations and groups on campus. The assignment has worked very well in the
past and, semesters later, I still hear from students who were working with the
group they profiled (including students working for Habitat for Humanity, the
Black Student Union, and holding an office with the Student Government). For
the profile chapter, I would use all three examples offered in the first half of the
chapter, but would stress how their profile would be not only focusing on the
group member, but also the group. I really like Trimbur’s discussion on open
form and dominant impression on page 220-221 and would make sure to point
that out to students. Again, more assignment ideas are listed on page 231-232.
During the writing strategies section of the chapter, I would point out the
important information on background information (pgs 233-234), deciding on the
dominant impression (pg. 234) and establishing perspective (pg. 237-238).
Commentary Assignment: The assignment sheet for the commentary assignment
is listed in this section of the handbook. As outlined on the assignment sheet,
students are asked to research and write a commentary on a problem affecting
college students today. In addition to information from the commentary chapter, I
often bring in short readings on possible topics, including the economic realities
of attending college, school violence, drunk driving, and paying athletes.
Newsweek’s My Turn articles work well for this assignment. Make sure to point
out the section on Ethics of Writing on page 289-290 to students. The readings
for this chapter are okay, but don’t relate directly to the assignment topics, so I
tend to use the shorter readings listed above instead and link them to Trimbur’s
analysis of his readings throughout the chapter. I’ve also found that incorporating
material from chapter three works well here, especially Trimbur’s discussion of
logos, pathos, ethos and counterarguments. Additional assignments are listed on
page 304-305. Invention strategies are important for an assignment of this nature
(especially since students will need to devote significant time to research), so
make sure to spend some time with the invention section on page 306-308. There
5

is good information on planning introductions and conclusions later in the
chapter. And, while short, the section on maintaining a reasonable tone is
important to point out to students who may be more accustomed to television and
radio commentators yelling and screaming at each other.
Letter Assignment: The final assignment for the course will ask students to write
a reflective letter about their writing and themselves as writers. This letter will be
used to introduce the final portfolio that will be submitted at the end of the
semester. Students will be asked to reflect on and assess their writing in relation
to the program objectives outlined in the faculty handbook. I will use the samples
and information in Chapter 4 to point out to students the features of writing a
formal letter to a specific audience. The reflective letter is the one formal paper
students will create that will not receive initial feedback from the instructor.
Students will be able to get feedback from peers on the letters, but I will treat this
document almost like a final exam, gauging student writing ability and progress
without my assistance.
The Portfolio
The final project for this course is a showcase portfolio. Students will include the
reflective letter along with two of the other three formal papers written for this course.
Students will also be asked to include some in-class and informal writing in the portfolio.
Odds and Ends
The course is built around some lecture and small and large group discussion. Most of
this discussion will focus on assisting students in better understanding the genres they are
writing and in introducing to them strategies that can be used as the create these genres.
Students will also work in peer groups offering feedback on peers’ texts and will meet
with me periodically for one-on-one conferences.
6
English 1110-074: College Composition I
MW 5:45-7 pm
UH 4280
Instructor: Dr. Anthony Edgington
Phone: 419-530-8578
E-mail: anthony.edgington@utoledo.edu (send email before trying to call)
Office: UH 6050
Office Hours: MW 4:00-5:00 (or by appointment)
Required Texts:
Aaron, Jane E. The Little, Brown Compact Handbook (5th edition). Longman, 2003
Trimbur, John. The Call to Write (Brief Fourth Edition). Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2008.
Course Description:
Welcome to English 1110, a course that will assist you in both your college and professional
future. The goals of this course are two-fold. First, we will engage in academic discussions and
write about the role of popular culture in our everyday lives. Second, you will be introduced to
different genres of writing, including narrative, argument, summary, and rhetorical analysis. You
will be practicing your writing skills constantly within these genres. Ideally, this course will
sharpen your critical thinking and writing skills and allow you to consider in depth a variety of
complex issues through discussion and writing.
When I think about writing, I am reminded of how individuals learn to ride a bike, play an
instrument, or drive a car. It’s all about practice, and you will be practicing your writing a lot this
semester. You will be writing texts for the instructor, along with texts for possible outside
audiences. You will be writing for and with your peers. And, you will write just for yourself.
The goal is to keep writing; the more you write, the easier it will get.
From a fortune cookie: Practice is the best of all instructors.
Prerequisites:
Prerequisite for ENGL 1110 - completion of ENGL 1100 with an NC grade or placement through
a test score or writing sample
Learning Objectives:
Students who successfully complete ENGL 1110 will learn to do the following:
 Identify the purpose and thesis in both their own writing and in the writing of others;
 Display knowledge about multiple ways to arrange a text, including the successful use of
organizational patterns, transitional and topic sentences, and audience awareness;
 Showcase the ability to develop arguments and perspectives through the successful
incorporation of research, examples, details, and counter-arguments;
 Demonstrate effective revision skills (global revision, editing, and proofreading) that
leads to clear, concise and error-free prose;
7


Develop critical reading skills, including the ability to locate rhetorical features in a text,
identify the audience for a given text, and identify strengths and weaknesses in an
author’s arguments and reasoning; and
Understand academic researching skills, including how to locate scholarly source,
evaluate the reliability of a source, and effectively use sources within a text. The ability
to cite sources in-text and develop a works cited page must be shown.
Course Requirements:
Students will produce a minimum of 5,000 words in final draft form over the course of the
semester. This will mean roughly 18 to 20 finished pages. At least one paper will be a
documented essay using MLA format and incorporating a number of sources with a sustained
discussion that results in a paper of at least 5 pages.
Assignments
(more information will be provided about each assignment later in the semester)
1. Final Portfolio (40% of final grade)
a. Students will submit a portfolio consisting of formal papers, in-class writings,
and other class documents. More information about the final portfolio will be
handed out during the last three weeks of the semester.
2. In-Class Writings (20% of final grade)
a. Students will complete both individual and group in-class writings about the
course readings throughout the semester. In-class writings will be evaluated
based on knowledge of course texts, arguments within, organization, grammar
and mechanics. More information about the in-class writings will be handed out
throughout the course.
3. Draft Grades (20% of final grade)
a. Students will receive credit for workshopping and submitting drafts of formal
papers. More information about the draft grades will be included on each formal
paper assignment sheet.
4. Reflection Journal (10% of final grade)
a. Students will maintain a reflective journal of their writing experiences throughout
this semester. The journal will be collected periodically for teacher comments.
Students will use the journal in writing their reflective letter at the end of the
semester.
5. Classroom Work (10 % of final grade)
a. Students will be evaluated based upon their work in class. This includes in-class
writing, participation in small and large group discussions, participation in
workshop groups, and any other work done during class. Simply showing up for
class does not guarantee a high class work grade; students must be active
members during group discussions, complete all written work, arrive prepared for
workshops, and respect the views and opinions of others.
Grading Scale:
89-88: B+
79-78: C+
100-92: A
87-82: B
77-72: C
8
91-90: A81-80: B-
Anything below a 72 is classified as NC
In order to pass this course, your final grade must be a C or higher. Grades below a C are
recorded as No Credit (NC). While NC does not affect your GPA, Composition I will have to be
repeated until a grade of C or better is achieved.
GROUND RULES
1. Cell phones must be turned to vibrate or turned off. If you must answer the call, please
quietly walk out of the room to answer.
2. Anyone who has a disability (physical, speech, hearing, etc) that may influence their
performance in this class should talk to me about this as soon as possible and should have
the disability documented with the Office of Accessibility (x4981 or http://www.studentservices.utoledo.edu/accessibility/)
3. Workshops: All students must bring the required number of copies of their paper to
workshop sessions. Students who do not have their paper ready and/or enough copies
will not be allowed to participate and will find his/her classroom work grade adversely
affected. Students who arrive more than five minutes late for class will not be
allowed to participate. Decisions on how to arrange groups will either be made early in
the semester or on a class-to-class basis.
4. Late Work Policy: My policy on late work is simple: I don’t accept it without a
legitimate excuse (including doctor’s note, tow truck bill, etc). All papers are due before
or during class time (see schedule). A paper turned in after the class has ended is
considered late regardless of the situation.
5. Plagiarism: Plagiarism is defined as "representing the words or ideas of someone else as
one's own in any academic exercise." Plagiarism can take different forms, including:

Outright plagiarism: using someone else’s entire paper as your own;

Ghostwriting: having someone else write your paper for you;

Cut and paste: taking sections from another paper/website and including
it in your own;

Insufficient citation: failing to cite information obtained from other
sources and/or your research.
Thus, all writing you do for this course must be your own and must be exclusively for
this course, unless the instructor stipulates differently. Please pay special attention to the
quotes, paraphrases, and documentation practices you use in your papers. If you have
any questions about plagiarism, please ask me. If you plagiarize, I reserve the right to
grant you a failure for the course and your case may be reported to the College of Arts
and Sciences. For additional information concerning plagiarism, please consult the
undergraduate catalog and/or consult a writing specialist in the Writing Center.
6. All work in this class is public, and will be read by the instructor and fellow
students. Please keep this in mind when writing texts.
7. Attendance is vital to this class; we will be discussing various concepts and issues each
class period and if you are not here, you will miss important information. PLEASE BE
9
AWARE that poor attendance can affect your classroom work grade; if you are not here,
you cannot participate and you will find your grade lowered. Students are responsible for
finding out what was missed and completing all work.
a. The University recognizes the following as excused absences: 1) personal
emergencies, including illness or death in the family; 2) religious observances; 3)
participation in University-sponsored events, such as athletics and academic
competitions; 4) government-required activities, such as military assignments
and jury duty; and 5) other absences approved by the professor in advance.
ONLY THESE ABSCENCES WILL BE RECOGNIZED IN THIS CLASS.
For more information on the universities missed class policy, please see the
University of Toledo’s Missed Class Policy
b. Students must have a viable excuse, documentation (doctor’s note, mechanic bill,
obituary, etc) may be asked for, and, if necessary, the student may have to
schedule a conference with me before turning in any major assignments. Each
case will be handled on an individual basis and the instructor reserves the right to
accept or refuse absences.
c. IMPORTANT: Any student who misses three weeks (six classes) of this
course without notifying the instructor of the reasons for the missed classes
may fail the course. If you miss six classes in a row without notifying me,
you WILL fail the course. NO EXCEPTIONS.
8. Students who have questions or concerns about grades, the class, or an assignment are
encouraged to see the instructor as soon as possible.
9. Students looking for extra assistance during this course should contact the Writing
Center, (530-4939 or http://writingcenter.utoledo.edu/about.htm). Students can meet
with writing tutors to discuss ideas and arguments in texts; the center is not a “fix-it”
shop set up to correct errors in grammar and mechanics. When going to the Center, make
sure to take two copies of your essay and the assignment sheet for the class. Feel free to
have the Writing Center contact me about your visit.
Course Schedule



This schedule is subject to change if necessary. The instructor will make every effort to
inform students about changes as soon as possible.
All readings should be read for the day listed, and the instructor may increase or decrease
reading loads if necessary.
If the instructor feels readings are not being finished, he reserves the right to schedule
unannounced quizzes to gauge student reading.
August
25: Introductions
27: Read Chapter 1 (5-30)
September
1: NO CLASS (Labor Day)
3: Introduce Memoir Assignment; Read 137-157
10
8: Read 159-170
10: Read 521-541
15: Discuss Peer Workshops
17: Bring in four copies of Memoir Assignment for Workshops
Post revised version of Memoir Assignment to Epsilen Share It folder by no later than noon
on Friday, September 19
22: Conferences (Submit Reflective Journal)
24: Conferences (Submit Reflective Journal)
29: Introduce Profile Assignment; Read 209-231
October
1: Read 232-242
6: Read Chapter 15 (476-500)
8: Read 388-391 and Chapters 1-3 of Understanding Plagiarism
13: Read Chapters 4-6 of Understanding Plagiarism
15: Bring in four copies of Profile Assignment for Workshops
Post revised version of Profile Assignment to Epsilen Share It folder by no later than noon
on Friday, October 17
20: NO CLASS (Fall Break)
22: Conferences (Submit Reflective Journal)
27: Conferences (Submit Reflective Journal)
29: Introduce Commentary Assignment; Read 288-304 of CTW
November
3: Read 306-317, 419-425
5: Read Chapter 14 (468-475); Library Orientation
10: Read 56-74
12: Read 85-91 and 426-438
17: Bring in four copies of Commentary Assignment for Workshops
Post revised version of Commentary Assignment to Epsilen Share It folder by no later than
noon on Wednesday, November 19
19: Conferences
24: Conferences
26: NO CLASS (Thanksgiving Break)
11
December
1: Introduce Reflective Letter Assignment; Read 102-124
3: Read 125-136
8: Bring in four copies of Reflective Letter for Workshops
10: Wrap-Ups, Portfolios, etc
Portfolio Turn-in Date: TBA
Profile Assignment (3-4 pages)
General: For this assignment, you will write a short profile of a member, volunteer, or
participant in an organization or group affiliated with the University of Toledo. My hope is that,
by the end of the semester, each student in the class will receive a booklet that includes all of the
different profiles so that we will know more about the different organizations on campus.
Specifics: You have been asked by the Student Senate to be involved in an informal
undergraduate handbook that will be distributed to new students during orientation at the
University of Toledo. This handbook will include information on different groups, organizations,
departments, and activity groups that are affiliated with the University of Toledo.
However, the group wants this handbook to be different than the other material already out there
(websites, pamphlets, etc). They are hoping to capture the “feel” of these particular
organizations, not just general information. Thus, they are asking you to write a profile of
someone directly affiliated with the group that will not only inform readers, but will also give
them an idea of the interesting aspects of this group and what it is like to be a member, volunteer,
or client. For example, the profile could focus on:
 A volunteer as he or she works for the organization;
 An individual who is employed by the organization;
 An athlete who competes as part of the organization;
 A student who uses the organization, such as a student who uses career services or a
student who attends the writing center.
To accomplish this task, the Senate is asking you to do the following:



Obtain informational material on the group (websites, handouts, public relation
materials);
Spend at least two to three hours observing the individual in action (possible during an
initial visit, a meeting, an organizational activity, or just a day in the individual’s office);
Interview the individual to gain their reactions and insights about the group and their
thoughts on if and why the group is important to the campus culture. Interviews can be
face-to-face, over the phone, or through email/instant messenger.
As you gather information and write the profile, keep the following in mind:



What is the important information that a new audience needs to know about this group?
What is the most interesting aspect or event that occurs during your research? Use this to
sell the group to readers.
How does someone get involved (either as a volunteer, employer, or client)?
12



Any current or potential problems affecting the group?
What does the group do? Who do they represent? What does the individual do while
you are observing him/her?
What is your reactions to and analysis of the group?
Criteria: Some of the criteria I will be using while looking at these profiles include:
Use of research and level of detail and specificity about the individual and group
Connection to the audience(s)
Introductions/Conclusions
Organization
Grammar/Sentence Structure
Possible Group Topics
The following is a list of possible organizations and groups that could be researched for this
paper. To ensure that we get the most out of this project as a class, I am asking that each person
in the class research a different organization; if we have two or more people interested in
researching the same group, then we will make decisions on who will research this topic.
Acacia Club
Active Christians Today
Admission Ambassadors
Affirmative Action Office
American Constitution Society
American Marketing Association
American Society of Civil Engineers
Apple Tree Child Care
Arab Student Union
Archives (Library)
Association for the Advancement of Africa
American Women
Association of Non-Traditional Service
Students
Badminton Club
Black Law Students Association
Black Student Union
Blue Crew
Camp Adventure
Campus Student Movement
Career Services
Chinese Student Union
Carter Hall Activities Management People
Circle K
College Libertarians
College Republicans
Commuter and Off-Campus Services
Continuing Education
Dance Marathon Commission
Eberly Center for Women
Environmental Law Society
Federalist Society
Hillel
Homecoming Commission
Indian Student Cultural Organization
International Student Association
Junior Year in England Program
Lacrosse Club
Latino Student Union
Muslim Student Association
NAACP
National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc
National Society of Pershing Rifles, Troop
L-1
National Student Speech, Language,
Hearing Association
Office of Accessibility
Office of Recreational Sports
Pakistan Student Association
Peer Networking Association
Philosophy Club
Public Relations Student Society of
America
Recreation Center
Resident Student Association
Ritter Planetarium
Rotaract
Spectrum
Sports Law Association
Stranahan Arboretum
Student African American Brotherhood
Student Alumni Association
Student Government
Student Support Services
13
Fire Dance Squad
First Year Experience
Fossils Artifacts Culture over Time
German Club
Habitat for Humanity
Student Success Center
Toledo Museum of Art (this can be broken
down into specific areas in the
museum)
Writing Center
For more information, check out the organization’s webpages and/or the following pages:
http://www.utoledo.edu/studentaffairs/dos/
http://utoledo.edu/studentaffairs/
http://www.utoledo.edu/fye/
Commentary Assignment: College Life
General: For this paper, you will have the chance to write a commentary about a problem that
affects college students (either nationally or locally at the University of Toledo). In addition, you
will learn how to use the commentary to structure and advance an argument. Some key writing
tools will include structuring arguments, using tools of persuasion, identifying a call to action,
and incorporating research into a commentary.
Specifics: For this assignment, you are being asked to write a My Turn article (like the ones we
have read in class) that will offer a commentary on a problem affecting college student life
(including academic, social, economic, political, and cultural lives). The topic you pick can be
general (i.e. affects college students in different areas and contexts), local (a problem that
currently affects students at the University of Toledo) or both (general and local). Your goals
will be to summarize the current problem, recount other perspectives/arguments on the topic, and
then advance your argument and call to action in relation to that topic. For this paper, you will
choose an audience(s) for the text. However, as you write this commentary, keep in mind that
your readers may have different levels of knowledge on your topic; thus, part of your job will be
to provide some background information for these readers as well.
For the assignment, you will write three documents:
1. A Casebook (3-4 pages)
2. The My Turn article (4-5 pages)
3. Reflective letter (1-2 page)
Questions: As you write your commentary, keep in mind the following questions:





Why is this a problem? Does everyone agree that this is a problem and, if not, what are
other perspectives on this issue?
Which audiences will be most interested in reading this commentary? What do readers
need to know about this topic in order to both understand it and to understand why it is a
problem?
What is your perspective/argument on this topic? What is most interesting and/or
persuasive about the topic? What are some possible problems with the topic?
What types of evidence, research, emotional appeals, and statements from authority will
you need to strengthen your argument?
What are possible solutions? What is the possible call to action?
14
Criteria: As I look over your commentaries, I will keep in mind the following criteria:
Summary of issue
Use of evidence/research
Fitting commentary to the audience
Clarity and Strength of Argument
Effective introduction
Effective conclusion
Strong organization
Strong Mechanics
Important Dates:
November 8: Turn in Casebook to me for any comments
November 17: Peer Review
November 22: Turn in Review Assignment for Teacher Comments
The Casebook
A casebook is a document that is constructed prior to writing a formal research paper that outlines
the research you have done and your understanding of this research, allowing you to organize it
for your commentary. To construct a casebook, follow these steps:
1. You will first need to conduct research on your chosen topic. Find at least five sources
(you can include more) on your topic (books, articles, websites, primary sources, media,
etc) that will assist you in writing your commentary. Look especially for other
commentaries that support and contradict your position on the issue. In order to get you
into the library, you are not allowed to include more than two websites. One source can
be a primary source (i.e. interview, survey, observation, etc). INCLUDE YOUR
EMAIL WITH THE CASEBOOK SO I CAN EMAIL A RESPONSE TO YOU.
2. In the casebook itself, you will include the following:
a. A brief introduction that gives readers an overview of the problem, including
what it is, why you chose it, what you know about it, and why it is controversial
(i.e. why it is a problem);
b. After the introduction, you should have a half to three-fourths page summary for
each of your sources. Each summary should begin with the citation information
for the source. The summary should provide readers with a general overview of
what the source says on your problem, along with a statement on how this source
will be used in your research;
c. At the end of the casebook, include several questions that you will be pursuing in
your own commentary (questions that originate in the sources you are reading).
The Reflective Letter
Finally, when you turn in your completed commentary, I also want you to turn in a 1-2 page
reflective letter that addresses each of the following points:




How you feel about the commentary? What are the commentary’s strengths and
weaknesses?
Who do you see as the audience(s) for this commentary? Why?
What are any problems you experienced while writing the commentary?
What are any suggestions you would offer another student while doing this
assignment?
The reflective letter should be written to me as your audience.
15
Linda Panczner’s Course
Suggested syllabus that uses The Call to Write, 4th ed.
Composition I with Workshop
1100-Section #
Fall 2008
Classes meet on Mondays/Wednesdays from 8-9:40 in HH
3320,
and on Fridays from 8-8:50 in UH3780
Instructor’s Name:
Instructor’s Email address, office phone, other contact
information
Office Hours – days, times, and locations
Composition I requires students to observe, think, read, and write at an advanced
academic level, so throughout the course, they’ll be introduced to techniques for
improving their skills. Students will practice addressing diverse target audiences through
use of different “voices” reflecting various perspectives, along with evaluating,
analyzing, and “arguing” a range of topics. Also, students will engage in exercises to
strengthen grammatical and research applications, including use of both in-text and
Works Cited citations. Frequent writing assignments and larger papers will demonstrate
students’ ability to effectively communicate in writing.
In addition, we will use the online WebCT/Blackboard website as a supplemental tool –
note the class dates when students use WebCT/Blackboard rather than meet in the
classroom, to complete assignments posted online. To access this course in
WebCT/Blackboard, you must activate your UTAD account. The online site is
www.dl.toledo.edu/login.htm . If you have technical problems accessing or using this
website, call Distance Learning at (419) 321-5130 or email them at
www.dl.utoledo.edu/help_desk/help.htm
Classes start on time! You may be marked absent if you arrive late or leave early.
Scheduling other appointments that interfere with your ability to attend these
classes and/or arrive on time or stay for the class duration could affect the final
course grade. ATTENDANCE COUNTS! I DO NOT ACCEPT ASSIGNMENTS
16
BY EMAIL AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR ATTENDING CLASS. Simply submitting
the papers that receive a letter grade instead of attending classes will reflect
negatively on the final course grade, since in-class work contributes to 40% of the
course grade. Two absences and two missed writing assignments are allowed before
additional misses may count against the course grade. This allowance should cover
any unforeseen or planned absences. Students who complete the semester with NO
attendance or assignment misses will receive extra credit toward the final course
grade.
Course textbook:
Trimbur, John. The Call to Write. 4th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2008.
Recommended supplemental textbook for citation/grammar guide:
Little Brown Compact Handbook
In-Class Conference:. Students whose work is problematic meet with the instructor at
the semester mid-point, though all students are encouraged to meet with the instructor
regarding any concerns. Meeting with instructor during office hours does not substitute
for class attendance.
Policy: The UT plagiarism policy: representing the work of another as your own,
whether through direct copying, un-attributed paraphrasing, or inadequate citation
practices constitutes plagiarism. Give credit where/when credit is due. A paper that is
plagiarized in whole or even in part can receive an F, and it may be turned over to the
administrative supervisors for further action, even college dismissal.
Grading: Sixty percent of the course grade reflects the three letter grades that students
will receive for developing three papers outside of class. Submit both draft and final
versions of these papers by the recorded due dates. In addition, students will complete
writing assignments in class or via online assignments, which are not graded, but are
marked as: √ (for average), or √+ (for above average), or √- (for below average),
and will be tallied at the end of the semester to contribute positively or negatively toward
the final course grade. The other forty percent of the course grade is based on the writing
assignments, final group oral presentation, and participation in class activities. Following
are the grades/points calculation for the university grading policy.
A = 4.00
A- = 3.67
Bt = 3.33
B = 3.00
B- = 2.67
C+ = 2.33
C = 2.00
C- = 1.67
D+ = 1.33
D = 1.00
D- = .67
F=0
Turn to next page for some details of weekly schedule
17
Weekly Schedule for Comp I with Workshop, 1100 - ###
Here is an outline for classes throughout the semester. Obviously, more activities will
occur during each class, including frequent writing assignments, class participation
exercises, and audio/visual presentations. Students must attend 5 of the 8 Friday
workshops, while all students should do the work posted in WebCT/Blackboard on
Fridays and other days.
Week 1:
Mon. 8/25
Wed. 8/27
w/message
Fri. 8/29
Dept.
Introduction of textbooks, syllabus, WebCT/Blackboard
Definitions, pp 2-3. Chapter 1. Homework: bring in t-shirt (or object)
to Friday’s class.
Start with “scavenger hunt” via Carlson Library, Writing Center, English
Office/mailroom, and instructor’s office. Back in classroom: share
homework.
Week 2:
Mon. 9/1
Wed. 9/3
Fri. 9/5
Week 3:
Mon. 9/8
persuasive
Wed. 9/10
Fri. 9/12
HOLIDAY
Chapter 2: rhetorical analysis
Chapter 5: memoirs
Receive Paper 1 Instructions: personal narrative – Chapter 3:
Arguments, 1st half
Chapter 3: 2nd half
Chapter 17: essay construction
Week 4:
Mon. 9/15
Wed. 9/17
Fri. 919
WebCT
Chapter 12: research process
Submit Paper 1 Draft -- Chapter 13: research sources
Use WebCT/Blackboard instead of coming to class – do assignment posted on
Week 5:
Mon. 9/22
Wed. 9/24
Fri. 9/26
practice
drafts returned w/comments – Chapter 14: online sources
Chapter 15: fieldwork
1st optional workshop: in-text and Works Cited citation
Week 6:
Mon. 9/29
and
Submit Paper 1 Final – Receive Paper 2 Instructions: a researched
Wed. 10/1
cited report -- Chapter 8: reports, 1st half
Chapter 8, 2nd half
18
Fri. 10/3
Week 7:
Mon. 10/6
Wed. 10/8
Fri. 10/10
Week 8:
Mon. 10/13
WebCT
Wed. 10/15
Fri. 10/17
same
2nd optional workshop: reports practice
Bring hard copies of Paper 2 sources w/all citation info. –
develop Works Cited page in class
Chapter 11: reviews
3rd optional workshop: reviews practice
Use WebCT/Blackboard instead of coming to class – do assignment posted on
Submit Paper 2 Draft -- Chapter 4: letters
4th optional workshop: letters to the editor & responses to
Week 9:
Mon. 10/20
Wed. 10/22
Fri. 10/24
FALL BREAK
drafts returned w/comments – Chapter 9: commentary
5th optional workshop: mock interviews/debates
Week 10:
Mon. 10/27
Wed. 10/29
Fri. 10/31
Film, first half
Film, second half – Submit Paper 2 Final
6th optional workshop: grammar glitches
Week 11:
Mon. 11/3
Wed. 11/5
Fri. 11/7
WebCT
Week 12:
Mon. 11/10
Wed. 11/12
Fri. 11/14
Week 13:
Mon. 11/17
Wed. 11/19
report
Fri. 11/21
Week 14:
Mon. 11/24
Receive Paper 3 Instructions: collaborative project – choose groups –
Chapter 19: visuals, 1st half
Chapter 19, 2nd half – group work on Paper 3
Use WebCT/Blackboard instead of coming to class – do assignment posted on
Chapter 10: proposals, 1st half – group work
Submit Part 1 of Paper 3 draft for peer-review – (optional copy for
instructor) -- Chapter 10, 2nd half -- group work and submit group proposal
7th optional workshop: students’ choice
Chapter 16: case study – optional drafts returned – group work
Chapter 18: collaborative writing – group work and submit group progress
8th optional workshop: students’ choice
Submit Part 2 of Paper 3 draft for peer-review - group-work
19
Wed. 11/26
Fri. 11/28
HOLIDAY
HOLIDAY
Week 15:
Mon. 12/1
Wed. 12/3
Fri. 12/5
WebCT
group work – optional drafts returned
group work
Use WebCT/Blackboard instead of coming to class – do assignment posted on
Week 16:
Mon. 12/8
Wed. 12/10
Fri. 12/12
Presentations
Presentations
Submit Paper 3 Final – In-class essay prompt response
The Call to Write
Part 2: Writing Projects - Letters and Reviews
Part 2: Writing Projects provides a goldmine of information and assignment ideas. Even
if instructors choose not to use the text examples, likely they’ll be inspired by Trimbur’s
suggestions. Below are my examples of writing assignments that can be used for
practicing
1) Letters – Chapter 4
and
2) Reviews – Chapter 11
along with some comments on Trimbur’s suggestions for practicing in these genres.
Writing assignments for Letters, Chapter 4:
This chapter begins by pointing out the recognizable standard format of letters and their
conversational tone. The function of letters depends on their intent: to convey or request
information.
1)
Trimbur’s inclusion of the column by Mark Patinkin (“Commit a Crime …,” 108)
and the resulting opposing Letters to the Editor (109-111) are insightful examples of the
power of the pen, and the example of a student’s response to those letters (Michael
Brody’s Letter to Editor, 132-35) offers further exam of reading and response. So, after
an in-class reading and observation of these text samples, refer to Trimbur’s suggestion
on page 125 in Alternative Assignments – Working with Sources, to “Look at the letters
in the editor section … find an article … that prompted [those] letters. Write your own
letter that responds to both the article and the letters.”
2)
This next assignment can be done in groups but I prefer each student have the
opportunity to demonstrate these skills on their own, at least the first time. Students are
directed to write a letter from you, as a representative of a new UT student group, to a
20
(fictional) organization, requesting information. This letter should be directed to a
specific person, so students use the correct letter formatting for an inside address and
salutation. Print the letter on letterhead designed paper that you design for the UT
organization, including a logo, a motto, and contact information. In this one-page letter
soliciting information (for example, in the spring semester, students could write to a
resort requesting information about their spring break packages), students should request
a response from the company, in order to set up the second part of this assignment. Also,
students should “carbon-copy” the letter to the instructor. Last, students should fold their
letter into a properly formatted and printed envelope.
Part two of this assignment is to collect those letters and distribute them to other students.
Each student should write a response letter to the student-request letter given to them. In
their response, (which should be on company letterhead design) they should include an
enclosure. For the sake of time, either they can simply mention an enclosure, or, (if
instructor wants to turn this into a larger project), ask the student to create and include
that enclosure (such as a flyer, 2-fold/6-column brochure, …).
3) James Baldwin’s letter to his nephew on pages 112-115 successfully serves two
purposes: 1) delivers an impassioned personal plea, and 2) conveys a message
that applies to a larger audience. Before reading this letter in class, instructors
might want to point out Trimbur’s “Analysis: Private & Public Audiences” on
page 116. One of Trimbur’s writing assignments on page 124 include a
suggestion (4th bullet) to use the Baldwin letter as a model to write “a letter to a
younger relative or student” that includes a message for a public audience about a
social issue. Students could write to a high school student, advising them about
an encounter outside of their comfort zone. Or, a variation on this, I’ve asked
students to write a letter to an imagined relative in, say, 100 years from now (this
letter was enclosed in a “time capsule”), in which the student apologizes or boasts
about an imagined condition or state of affairs in the future that is influenced by
today’s activities. For example, some students choose to apologize to the future
generation for global pollution, based on lack of attention for global warning
issues now.
Writing assignments for Reviews, Chapter 11:
Trimbur points out explicit opposing reviews of a music CD, an implicit critique of a
film, an explicit video game review, and a student-authored book review. Any or all of
these examples can be given a closer look, though only the CD review (355-60) includes
both pro and con critiques.
1)
Instructional and entertaining: this is a good time to show a film that is relevant
to the instructor’s chosen topic. Before showing the film, read to the class a published
good review and poor review of that movie (therefore, limiting film choice to those for
which instructor can find both good/bad reviews, and a film that not too many/if any
students have seen, since it is better not to have any pre-formed opinions on it). Based on
the review, note how many students think the film will be interesting to them. After
21
showing the film, ask students if they liked the movie, and why. They write their own
review, including 2 criteria: 1) they must be explicit in their statements, and 2) they must
include a comparison of the movie to another film. A third option is to ask students to
include their analysis of the comments in the published good/poor reviews read to them
before viewing the film. Students write whether they agree/disagree with those critiques.
A follow-up assignment to the above can be to ask students to make the film choice this
time, by recommending a film that can be targeted to two different target audiences
(could be kids 5-10, while also appealing to adults). Students write two reviews of their
chosen film: the first review noting the appeal of this film for one target audience, and
the second review noting the appeal for the other audience. Obviously, students have to
choose a film carefully, so it has that universal appeal. (For example, an animated film
may be interesting to young kids because of its cartoon portrayals, while its doubleentendre dialogue and clever cinematography interest adults.)
One more possible follow-up to this assignment is to stage some debates between two
“film critics” in front of the class. Two students are assigned to write opposing views on
the same movie, and present their perspectives to the class.
2)
Trimbur’s inclusion of travel guide reviews (370-72) can spark some interesting
assignments. Critical Inquiry, #2 on page 372 states, “Design a similar presentation of
the top ten highlights for your college ….” This suggestion can result in an interesting
comparison of responses. As part of a larger project, I’ve asked students (individually or
in groups) to create a flyer that portrays (five) attractions that visitors to the Toledo area
can cover in one day. Another idea is to ask students to create a list (or brochure) that
includes an alternative UT tour, to avoid the obvious sites. (Yes, favorite alcohol
hangouts are a popular alternative tour package.) In all of these suggestions, students
must include a rationale for why the specific sites were chosen, and “talk them up” in a
way that uses effective description and facts.
3)
The assignments that Trimbur suggests, starting on page 373 work well. He starts
with genres that are particularly popular with students. However, I’d probably take
advantage of this fall’s presidential candidate debates to add this assignment suggestion.
Start by recording various editorial feedback that airs immediately following a recent
national debate, and/or clipping next-day print editorials, to share with students. Point
out the implicit and explicit statements for/against a candidate. (As a sideline, these
supposedly unbiased [??] editorials can be compared to the candidate-endorsed
commercials.) In turn, students can be directed to view an upcoming debate and
view/read at least two of the follow-up reviews, and then compare their commentary on
the debate with the reviewers’ input. Perhaps different students can be assigned to seek
reviews from specific media outlets that are known for their objective or their subjective
sway, (such as Fox, CNN, Christian Monitor, …).
Last, an opportunity to turn the above assignment into an oral presentation: years ago,
the TV show Sixty Minutes ended with a Point-Counterpoint segment with two
commentators representing opposing views on a given topic. Each commentator had the
22
chance to state their respective overview of the topic; concede an opponent’s view and
then refute it with their own claim; and then wrap up their view with a statement for their
perspective. In similar fashion, students can be assigned to two-people teams to write
opposing reviews and present them in front of the class. In response, the other students
can write their response to the presentation, noting which side they agree with, and why,
or why they choose to compromise.
23
Suzanne Smith’s Course
I design a syllabus based on the premise that students in Composition I should write often in a
variety of contexts and genres, be involved in the evaluation of their own and each others’ work,
and learn the academic conventions in which they will be expected to research and write.
Reflecting this approach in my course involves the following strategies:

Staging assignments and activities to increase in complexity of ideas and acquisition of
skills needed for college-level writing

Underscoring the textbook’s approach to discovering a “call” to write and to writing in
different genres according to situation, purpose and audience

Discovering meaning in written as well as visual texts through close rhetorical analysis

Creating original meaning in their own written and visual texts

Introducing argument and conventions of research to situate students as writers in public
and academic discourse

Reinforcing the collaborative nature of planning, writing and reviewing work with other
writers

Writing and collaborating in an online environment to foster the literacy practices they are
likely to need in their professions

Compiling a portfolio to emphasize ongoing reflection and revision of written text as well as
the “presentational” nature of public writing
Each assignment in my syllabus is intended to engage students in conversation and inquiry about
writing. Dialogue about how and why we write and about the decisions writers make to achieve
particular rhetorical goals take place in class and online as we work through the syllabus. The
selection and staging of assignments progresses students from personal-centered writing to more
public and academic modes of inquiry and presentation. The sequence is in keeping with one of
the aims of The Call to Write, as stated by John Trimbur: “enabling [students] to see how writing
connects individuals to others and to the cultural practices and social institutions that shape their
lives” (xxxiv). The rationale behind my syllabus is that writing in Composition I should prepare
students to participate as thinkers and writers in varied academic and professional contexts.
Accordingly, I have chosen the following sequence of assignments from among several
possibilities in CTW for this semester:
Memoir: It is common to start a freshman composition class writing about personal experience and
with good reason. Many freshmen enter Comp I comfortable with writing about themselves, a topic
they think they know well. However, it is not likely that they have fully examined their personal
experiences to discover meaning beneath the surface and a purpose for writing about it. Nor is it
24
likely that they have considered how to make personal experience significant to another reader.
The memoir assignment, then, is a good way to introduce analysis, writing with a purpose, and
audience awareness.
Commentary / blog: Students like opportunities to choose their own topics to write about (well,
some do)—whatever attracts their attention in their lives outside the classroom. Blogging and the
expanded commentaries that develop from these entries call on students to respond to events and
ideas of their own choosing (from other classes, dorms, jobs, news, media, etc.) and to develop
their writer’s “voice” in a public context. Blogging also opens the conversation about a writer’s
ethos in online writing which I think students need to consider---beyond text messaging and
emailing. It also introduces them to argument strategies.
Review: Writing a review or evaluation is another way to explore analytic reasoning and argument.
A review requires a claim (argument), reasons for supporting the claim (criteria) and use of
evidence. While this assignment does not necessarily require research, it does move the student in
the direction of defending a claim with observable and verifiable evidence while writing about
something they may think they know well, such as music and movies. In this assignment they have
to think about why and how to get their point of view across to a reader and to be persuasive.
Collaborative Proposal: A proposal is an exercise in analysis and problem-solving. It asks students
to analyze the causes and effects involved in a problem situation and apply creativity and
persuasion to present and defend solutions. As such, it promotes the kind of critical thinking and
analysis students will need in their college coursework. I use this assignment to introduce primary
research (fieldwork) and integrating visual elements (graphs, charts, diagrams, photos) with written
text. I frame the proposal as a collaborative assignment so that students learn to work with other
writers according to their strengths and weaknesses in coordinating and producing a document for
a defined audience.
Critical Essay with Research : This assignment is the student’s more formal introduction to a
common type of college writing: the research paper. It opens the conversation about why and how
academics conduct research and how student writers can enter the academic conversation. In
addition to forming a purpose, analyzing a topic, selecting and presenting evidence and writing to
an audience (all skills they have practiced up to this point), specific research skills are introduced
including the evaluation and use of sources and the conventions of academic writing, including
citation practices.
Portfolio
The rationale for portfolio assessment is described in my syllabus, and I also frequently talk with
students in class about the necessity and power of ongoing reflection and revision in their writing.
When one considers how many of our Comp I students come into this class directly from high
school and how much growth can take place in their writing during a first semester in Comp I, it is
incumbent on us to help students experience that progress for themselves as they reconsider and
revise selected assignments. In addition, a portfolio underscores the “presentational” and public
nature of student writing.
25
These assignments and preliminary writings leading up to them can offer flexible options for
presenting written work in a variety of genres such as letters, fact sheets, policy statements, travel
guides (the review), annotated source lists, or oral presentations and power points.
26
FALL 2008 Syllabus—College Composition I
Writing is an exploration; you start from nothing and learn as you go—E.L. Doctorow
Instructor Information
Name:
Suzanne E. Smith
Email:
ssmith3@utnet.utoledo.edu
Office location:
UH-2280D
Office hours:
TO BE filled in
Phone:
419-530-4405
Course Information
Composition I provides instruction and practice in critical thinking and informed writing using
the writing process in various genres. Students will engage in sequenced writing tasks based on
responding effectively to texts, classroom interaction, and ongoing public arguments.
Introduction to research writing and documenting sources is incorporated. Our goal is to develop
personal, public and academic literacy in response to specific purposes and audiences.
Course methodology will include: lecture in writing instruction, practice in planning, drafting and
revision, collaborative writing, one-on-one conferences with the instructor, class discussion, peer
and instructor review, and self evaluation. A portfolio method of assessment will be used for the
final grade.
Required Textbooks
The Call to Write , J. Trimbur , Brief Fourth Edition, Houghton Mifflin (2008), ISBN: 978-0-54705016-4
The Little, Brown Compact Handbook, J. Aaron, 6th ed, Longman (2007), ISBN:0-321-10495-1
Course Goals
In Composition I students will learn to:







Develop a clear purpose that shapes the organization and development of written
communication
Effectively communicate a purpose and message to multiple audiences
Make informed decisions about organization and sequence of ideas
Present information and ideas in various genres to particular communities of readers
Incorporate research material to present evidence and support arguments
Use standard written English (grammar and mechanics) and effective word choices as
rhetorical strategies
Develop an effective writing process of successive drafting, reflection and revision.
In addition, course activity and instruction will include the following:
27






Students will write a minimum of 5,000 words in final draft form, for a total of 18 to 20
finished pages.
Course assignments will include writing in a variety of genres including personal
narrative, expository essays, argument, academic research, analysis of visual images and
media criticism, public documents, and others—on a wide range of topics drawn from
contemporary culture.
Instruction and practice in using the UT Carlson Library research databases will be
required for one or more of the major assignments.
In-class and online writing assignments in response to required reading will be assigned
weekly
In-class and online peer review will be a required feature of class participation
Students will prepare a final presentation portfolio to be submitted to the “Epsilen
Environment for Student ePortfolios” (details forthcoming)
Note:
All work submitted for the course is considered “public (classroom) domain,” meaning it is subject to be
read and reviewed by fellow students as well as by the instructor. If there is reason why you may wish to
exempt a particular text from this requirement (one time), please let me know ahead of time.
Grading and Evaluation
Assignments are typically worth 100-200 points, depending on their scope and degree of required
preparation. Point values and the grading scale for individual assignments will be posted with
each assignment. The scale will be adjusted according to the number of points to be achieved
with each assignment, but will be based on the following conversion of percentage points to letter
grades:
93-100=A
90-92=A87-89=B+
83-86=B
80-82=B77-79=C+
73-76=C
70-72=C0-67= NC
28
Assignments will receive a letter grade, A through C. Pluses and minuses are used. A grade of Cor below results in the grade of No Credit or NC. Although an NC will not affect your GPA,
Composition I must be repeated until a grade of C or better is achieved. A student who does not
complete the course–either by poor participation or by not completing all assignments–is also
required to repeat the course.
All course material will be organized and presented at the end of the semester in a final
presentation portfolio of your best writing along with a reflective self-evaluation essay. Details
concerning the preparation of the portfolio and grading policies connected with it will be
presented in class by mid-term. The quality of your portfolio will determine your final grade in
the class and whether or not you move on to Composition II
Assignments will include : See “Writing in Composition I” at end of syllabus for more
information



4-6 presentation essays
70% (portfolio presentation)
o Includes 4 assigned essays and 2 independent commentaries
In-class/online writings/blog
20%
Research assignment
10%
All required coursework must be completed in order to receive full credit for Composition I. In
addition, the following policies will apply throughout the semester:
 Assignments will be prepared according to specific instructions posted with the
assignment.
 E-mailed assignments are never accepted unless by prior arrangement with me.
 All writing is to be word-processed in conventional 12-point font and must be formatted
according to format requirements presented in class.
 All writing should be carefully edited and proofread before submission. This includes inclass writings and responses/discussions carried out online.
 Keep all of the work you prepare for this class—all preliminary assignments leading to
drafts, successive drafts, final graded copies, reading responses, etc. You must be able to
show evidence that you are completing your own work, whether online or in the
classroom. No assignments will be accepted if you cannot show evidence of having
completed the appropriate preliminary work leading to the final presentation.
 Writings that are chosen for revision and submission in your presentation portfolio will
be loaded into a Learning Matrix on Epsilen.
Your writing this semester will be evaluated primarily for its rhetorical effectiveness. This
means:
 Sense of purpose: Does it have a clear purpose relative to the aims and
requirements of the assignment? Furthermore, does it present a specific focus and
overall main idea to readers?
 Awareness of audience: Does it adequately consider the needs of the audience to
whom it is addressed? Is it convincing, interesting and inventive?
 Academic value: Does it contribute to the production and dissemination of new
knowledge to an audience of peer scholars? Does it reflect the conventions of
academic discourse as required by its topic, genre and purpose?
29
 Presentation: Is it written in clearly understandable, standard English with
effective construction of sentences and word choices? Is it presented in a
readable and academically appropriate format?
 Does it adequately and honestly reflect the ethos and skill of its writer?
You will be expected to demonstrate thoughtful and edited writing in all class assignments,
including in-class, online, and blog writings.
WebCT and Epsilen
We will use WebCT as a companion website for this course. Course materials and assignments
will be posted on WebCT and you will be asked to access them there for class use. Also, we will
conduct some class activities, such as peer review, on WebCT and use its email feature
exclusively (see “Contacting Instructor”). A complete introduction to WebCT and the features we
will use will be presented in class during the first two weeks of the semester. If you have not
already done so, you will need to activate your UTAD account in order to log in to WebCT.
o
Go to www.utoledo.edu and click on myUT Web Portal. On the UT Web Portal
main page, click on Need login help? Here you will find instructions for
activating your UTAD account. Or, you may go directly to the Distance Learning
site at www.dl.utoledo.edu which is the portal for WebCT. There, you will also
find directions for establishing your UTAD account as well as directions for
logging into WebCT for the first time.
Please take care of activating your UTAD account and securing access to our WebCT site by
September 5.
Many of you established your eFolio account on Epsilen during your orientation session in the
summer, so I will assume that you are able to log into your eFolio account and perhaps have
already begun to set up your homepage. Those of you who have not established an Epsilen
account will be asked to do so in order that you can link up to the Learning Matrix and upload
your portfolio of work at the end of the semester. Instructions for setting up your Epsilen account
will be presented in class during the first two weeks of the semester and also posted on WebCT. It
will be your responsibility to create your Epsilen account by September 12.
Course Policies
These are the policies and procedures by which I keep this course running smoothly and insure
optimum success for all students. Please read through this section carefully and make sure you
understand all of the policies by which this course will operate. Ask questions now if there is
anything you do not understand or about which you feel you need clarification. Both of us—you
and me—will be expected to know and abide by these procedures during the term.
Attendance
Your consistent and active presence and participation in this writing class will help you to
achieve the goals of the course and your personal academic goals as well. Accordingly, I expect
that you will attend every class meeting, as will I, unless an unforeseeable problem presents itself.
This would include personal illness or another unavoidable emergency or obligation. I do NOT
repeat course instruction via email or office hour conferences. I use those means to answer
specific questions about course material, but not to replace it. If you miss a class, do NOT email
me and ask me to inform you “what we did for the day.” I simply don’t have time or patience for
that. You might arrange to exchange emails with another student for that purpose.
30
I take attendance at the beginning of every class meeting—not 20 minutes later. It is your
responsibility, should you arrive after attendance has been taken, to ask me to record your
attendance for the day. See me after class (not during) for that purpose. However, if you are
consistently late for class or if you routinely leave class early, your attendance will not be
recorded. Repeated absences may cause you to fail the course as I will assume that you have not
availed yourself of the instruction required for entry into Composition II.
My stance on missing class due to personal illness is addressed in the next section, so please read
that. Let me also mention, however, that there are two reasons for missing class that are much
overused and I do not consider legitimate: 1) “I have to work”; and 2) “I have a doctor’s
appointment.” Neither of these must necessarily take place during our class time. I try to be
tolerant and understanding of unexpected exigencies that take place in all of our busy lives,
including my own, but I do ask that you keep these “emergencies” to a minimum and that you do
not abuse my desire to accommodate your circumstances.
Occasionally, a class or two may be cancelled so that I can conduct individual conferences with
students to discuss progress. One round of conferences will take place at mid-term and others
may be scheduled. These conference appointments are mandatory and are counted double for
attendance (likewise, double for lack of attendance).
Missing Class and/or Assignments
If you miss class when an assignment is due, you may or may not be able to make up the work.
Read on:
If your absence is an excused absence as defined in the University of Toledo Missed Class Policy,
you may be asked to provide documentation in order to make up missed work. Excused absences
include:
o Personal emergencies due to student illness (but see special note** below)
o Death in the family
o Recognized religious observances
o Participation in some University-sponsored activities
o Military duty, jury duty, and court appearances.
Please familiarize yourself with the entire UT Missed Class Policy in your Student Handbook.
**Special Note on Student Illness:
Determining the legitimacy of student illnesses will be at my discretion. If your illness
becomes prolonged or chronic, you must contact me when you recognize that the illness
is interfering with your class work and I will expect some sort of documentation (doctor’s
verification of treatment, etc.) at that point. In that event, I will attempt to accommodate
you to facilitate your completion of course requirements, within reason. However, if
illness regularly prevents you from attending class and turning in assignments, you will
want to consider pursuing a medical withdrawal from the course.
In the event of illness, you must contact me either in person or via WebCT email as soon
as possible and you will be granted an alternate day and time by which to make up most
assignments (again, at my discretion). However, in-class assignments, designed to be
written and used for class discussion on a particular day, cannot be made up. If you do
31
not contact me immediately (e.g., same or next day) about a missed assignment due to
illness, you forfeit the opportunity to make up that assignment.
Penalties for late assignments
If you miss an assignment deadline for an unexcused reason, it will receive a 10 percent penalty
(10 percent of the total number of points for that assignment) for each calendar day it is late,
regardless of the reason. In-class activities (including reading responses and peer review) cannot
be made up. Any assignment late by one week or more will not be accepted for credit and will
receive a grade of NC. Missing 3 turn-in dates will cause you to fail the course.
Contacting Instructor
Please feel free to drop by my scheduled office hours any time you have a question or just want to
chat. You don’t need an appointment as long as it is during the times I have set aside for the
purpose. I am located on the second floor of University Hall (2280), next to the elevator. If you
need to schedule another time, please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate you.
If you would like to email me, please use the E-MAIL tool on our WebCT course site. Use email
to ask questions about class assignments or to pass along concerns. I am usually able to respond
in a timely manner, as I check my UT email every day. For security reasons, I will not read or
respond to emails sent from another email service you may have (hotmail, yahoo, etc.) to conduct
class business. In fact, I do not even open these emails so don’t expect a response.
I also have a phone extension in my office (530-4405), but I do not check this very often simply
because I am so accustomed to email. You may leave a voice-mail message if you wish, but there
may be a delay before I am able to respond to it. Therefore, matters which require my immediate
attention or a quick response should not be left on a voice-mail message. E-mail or a personal
visit to my office during scheduled hours are the best options.
Available Resources
 Should you encounter a problem with the course, our Director of Composition is
available to you. She is Dr. Barbara Schneider; her office is in University Hall 6050. You
may call the English Department (530-2318) for her office hours. Her phone is 530-2086.
However, both Dr. Schneider and I request that you first attempt to resolve your problem
with me as your instructor.
 If you decide you could use some extra help with one of your writing assignments, then
you might try UT's Writing Center. This is a free peer tutoring service available to you
whenever you feel you could use an extra eye or ear to help out with your writing—and
we can all use that from time to time. The Writing Center is located in the hallway across
from the entrance to Carlson Library. I encourage you to check it out at least once during
the semester, and I may even refer you to their services if I think you would benefit. I will
pass along their semester hours as soon as I know them at the beginning of the term.
 If you require any special accommodations for completing your work in this course, you
should be registered with the Office of Accessibility. Please let me know and present
documentation from that office during the first week of class so that I can plan to help
you succeed.
Classroom Environment
32
CELL PHONES AND ALL OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES MAY NOT BE USED DURING
CLASS TIME!
TEXT MESSAGING DURING CLASS TIME IS PROHIBITED!
PUT THE IPODS AND OTHER MP3 PLAYERS AWAY DURING CLASS TIME!
This is not high school, folks; I cannot and will not “confiscate” your cell phone (etc.) and take it
to the principal’s office, right? Likewise, you are no longer high school students, and you are
expected to adjust your academic classroom behaviors accordingly!
Here’s what I can and will do: If you have your cell phone and/or Ipods out during class time, if
you use your cell phone and/or Ipods during class time (and this includes the BlueTooth devices),
I will cancel your attendance for that day—in other words, strike it out. I do also have the right,
according to the University’s Student Code of Conduct, to ask you to leave the classroom for the
day as the use of electronic devices during class session is disruptive to me and to other students.
You may bring something to drink (non-alcoholic, of course) during class time and a light snack
if necessary, but please do not bring entire meals to be consumed during class time. As a matter
of respect, please do not read the newspaper or material for another class during our class time. If
you cannot show me or your class that respect, then I assume you believe that class is not worth
your time and you should stay home. Children (and pets—yes, I have had that happen) are not to
be brought to class.
Finally, I assume that we will conduct our course activity with respect and support for each other.
Everyone’s views and lifestyles are to be respected, whether you agree with them or not. We can
have spirited debates on many different matters (I hope we do!) and may very much disagree with
each other, but no personal verbal attacks will be tolerated. Likewise, please do not use our
course email to contact another student in this class except on a legitimate classroom matter. Let
me know immediately if you feel this policy is being violated. In the event of a disciplinary
problem–which I am certainly not anticipating–I will follow the procedures outlined in “The
Student Code of Conduct” in the Student Handbook.
Academic Dishonesty
Plagiarism is representing the work of another writer (author or student) as your own, through:
 direct copying of another writer’s words
 paraphrasing ideas, word and sentence structure from another writer without
acknowledging its source
 failing to cite source material through a conventional citation system such as MLA or
APA.
 submitting work for this course prepared by another student or for another course
 direct cutting and pasting of web source material into your paper (web material is not
there for the taking!)
The University’s policy on plagiarism may be found in detail in your UT catalog. Familiarize
yourself with it, as I will follow the University’s printed policy in penalizing plagiarism. It
includes the following: Any writing assignment that is determined to be plagiarized in whole or in
part will receive an F, and the paper will be turned over to administrative supervisors to
determine further action. This may result in a grade of F for the course and/or academic
suspension.
33
You will receive specific instruction in Composition I on how to properly integrate source
material into your own writing, as this is a common feature of academic writing and a skill we
want you to learn to perform—honestly. If at any point while you are preparing a writing
assignment, you feel you do not know how to give credit to another author’s work, please let me
know and we will review the process. I like to believe that most instances of plagiarism are
unintentional, but let’s not allow unintentional plagiarism to be construed as intentional
plagiarism. The responsibility to ask what you don’t know is yours.
If you have any questions about the information and policies presented in this syllabus,
please let me know during the first week of classes. I look forward to working with all of
you this semester.
Important Fall Semester Dates
8/25
Fall classes begin
9/1
Labor Day—no class
9/8
Last day to Add/Drop
10/20-21 Fall Break
10/31
Last day to withdraw
11/11
Veteran’s Day—no class
11/26-28 Thanksgiving Break
12/12
Fall classes end
Writing in Composition I
Writing activities in this course will take shape in various genres and contexts, and be directed to
multiple audiences. As a result, the course will give you ample practice in expressing your ideas
and finding your strengths and voice as a writer. Writing assignments in and out of class are
sequenced so that one assignment helps you to practice ideas and generate evidence for another.
You can expect to complete the following types of assignments:
Presentation/Portfolio essays
Presentation essays are major writing assignments which we will take through several
stages of planning, drafting, reviewing and revising. I will collect them on the day they
are due and return them with an “advisory” or provisional grade. You will select two of
these for revision and inclusion in your final presentation portfolio where they will be
assessed again, this time according to criteria that pertain at the end of a 16-week writing
course. All essays in the final portfolio must exhibit passable writing in order for the
portfolio to pass and insure that you move on to Composition II.
Evidence of successive drafting and peer reviews must be submitted with each
presentation paper in order to receive credit for completion. No presentation essay will be
read without this accompanying material. Submit successive drafts for each assignment,
along with the final, in a manila or thin pocket folder with your name clearly marked on
the front. I will not accept stapled packets of papers or loose pages under any
circumstances.
34
If you fail to complete a presentation essay, it cannot be included in your portfolio for
credit.
In-class or online writings
You will write in class or on WebCT at least once a week, usually in about 30 minutes of
sustained planning and writing. These writings will be based on:
o questions and topics related to assigned reading from the textbook
o follow-ups and reactions to class discussions
o brief research activities
o warm-up writings for major essays
While some of these assignments may not be assessed with a letter grade, they will be
collected and checked for completion. Together, you and I will choose a sampling of your inclass/online work to be expanded and revised for your presentation portfolio at the end of the
semester.
In-class /online writings cannot be made up outside of class or at a later time, as their
purpose is to enhance and contribute to class discussion on a given day and to explore ideas
in writing within a particular context and time frame. Consequently, if you miss an in-class
assignment, that assignment will not be eligible for inclusion in your final portfolio. Missing
a number of in-class or homework writing activities may therefore affect your ability to pass
the course.
Epsilen Blog
As a component of your online writing, you will create and maintain a blog on your
Epsilen eFolio homepage. Your blog will serve a couple of different purposes: 1) it
provides more practice in thinking and writing about issues important to you outside of
the classroom environment; 2) it will help you generate ideas for your independent
commentaries (see below) to be expanded and included in your end-of-semester
portfolio; 3) it provides a more public audience for your writing. You should expect to
receive responses from members of the Epsilen community on your writings.
You will be expected to contribute a minimum of seven substantial blogs (multiple
paragraphs each) throughout the semester on topics of interest and significance to you
and your audience of peers. These topics may be drawn from your personal experiences,
your reading in this and other classes, your exposure to media sources such as news,
television, music and the Internet. We will discuss several potential sources for “blog”
material in class.
Scheduled reviews of your blog are listed on your course schedule. Details about using
Epsilen and creating this blog will come in a separate handout.
Commentaries
You will produce two 2-4 page commentaries based on topics approached in your Epsilen
blog. We will read about the genre of commentaries in Chapter 9 in Trimbur and
particularly on “Writing in a Digital World.” I will collect these commentaries twice
during the semester (dates tba) to check for completion and to get a sense of what topics
have engaged you. While I will not put a grade on them at that point, I will write my
35
reactions and comments as guidance for later revision. If time allows, we may also
review these in class to get your classmates’ responses as well.
Research exercise(s)
Research activities in Composition I are designed to introduce you to basic research and
documentation skills you will need to write in an academic context. You may be asked to
do an interview and report on your findings, to summarize and critique an article you find
in research databases, or to provide an annotated bibliography of several sources you
consult on a topic we have encountered in class. In addition, the Critical Essay in your
portfolio must show evidence that you can conduct relevant research and document
sources appropriately.
36
COMPOSITION I SCHEDULE
FALL 2008
All page numbers refer to Call to Write unless otherwise noted. Reading and work from
the Little, Brown Compact Handbook will be added to this schedule as needed.
37
I
WEEK
8/25 – 8/29
ASSIGNMENT
Intro to syllabus; syllabus q&a
Intro, 2-4; “Writing in School” 1723; Intro to LB Handbook
II
9/2 – 9/5
Begin memoir: 137-150
Essay assignment #1
“Invention” 159-163
“Working draft” : 163-64 (Framing)
Peer Commentary: 164-5
9/1 Labor Day
III
9/8 – 9/12
9/8 Last day to
add/drop
IV
9/15 – 9/19
V
9/22 – 9/26
VI
9/29 – 10/3
VII
10/6 – 10/10
VIII 10/13 – 10/17
IX
10/20 – 10/24
10/20-21 Fall
Break
X
10/27 – 10/31
10/31 Last day
to withdraw
XI
XII
11/3 – 11/7
11/10-11/14
11/11 Veteran’s
Day
XIII 11/17 – 11/21
XIV 11/24 – 11/25
11/26-11/28
Thanksgiving
Break
Revising: 165-66
Chap 9 on Commentary: 288-292;
298-301 (“Writing in a Digital
World”)
Analyzing writing: 41-49
Begin chapter on Reviews: 353-361
Essay assignment #2: p. 373-4
“Invention” & “Criteria” 375-377
“Planning” 378-9
“Working Draft” 379-81
Finish revisions on Reviews
Ch. 18 “Working Together” 551-555
Begin Proposal (assignment #3)
Ch. 10: 318-322 “Rx for an Ailing
Planet”
Form writing groups / “jobs” signup
Continue work on proposals: 333338; 338-344
Planning fieldwork (Ch. 15 tba as
needed) and visuals Ch. 19 “Visual
Design” (tba as needed)
Mid-term conferences (22-24)
Ch. 10: “Working Draft” 344
Blog review
In-class group exchange and review
of proposals
“Peer Commentary” 344-5
“Confidential Self-Evaluation” 557
Groups: finish proposal revisions
Critical Essay assignment &
topic selection: 388-89 and 390-91
Finding and Evaluating Sources:
426-434
“Assembling a Casebook”, 304
Intro to library research / databases
“Making an Argument” 435-437
Ch. 13 Working with Sources 439441
Plagiarism 441-444
38
Integrating Sources 444-51
DUE
Diagnostic response
to writing prompt
(high school vs.
college writing)
WebCT sign up
Epsilen sign up
Link ELM
Rough draft due
Memoir due
Begin blog**
Submit topic
selection email
Rough draft due
Review due
DB on solving
problems
Submit prop topic
DB group
collaboration
Write “Progress
report” on WebCT
Full proposal draft
due
Group evaluations
online
Group Proposal due
Research exercise in
class
Brief research
exercise due
In-class exercises on
quoting/paraphrasing,
using sources
** I have not scheduled your required (minimum) 7 blog entries on your Epsilen site; you
need to plan these into your schedule yourself. However, your first blog should take place
in week 3 or 4 and the rest should be spread somewhat evenly throughout the semester as
I will check on them periodically, particularly at mid-term. Do not leave all of these for
the end of the term; you will be too busy. See “Epsilen Blog” in Writing in Composition
I at the end of the syllabus.
Using Chapter 8 “Reports: Informing and Explaining”
Chapter 8 of The Call to Write can be used to introduce basic research skills into the
Composition I curriculum, particularly those of gathering information and presenting it to
inform an audience. Students could be assigned a full investigative report of several
pages or smaller assignments, such as news reports and fact sheets, in which they attempt
to give readers a factual overview of an issue. The chapter also would be useful in
conjunction with Part 3 “Writing and Research Projects,” in which Chapters 12 and 13
introduce students to working with sources responsibly.
Writing a “report” initially draws on what students coming into Composition I think they
already know how to do and have probably performed several times in high school:
gathering facts and data from websites. However, as this chapter points out, even the
facts can be “framed” in such a way as to serve different rhetorical purposes. The two
news reports on the link between mental illness and violence that Trimbur includes on pp.
244-249 show how two writers can organize and present the results of the same study
with varied emphases, leading their audience to two “readings” of the same issue. Thus,
the persuasive nature of organizing information (Trimbur calls this “framing”) might be
pointed out to students who often do not critically work with the data they gather.
The “Fact Sheet” on Prisons and Prisoners on pp. 250-255 could be reviewed with
students to demonstrate that information is rarely “neutral” but is selected and presented
according to the rhetorical perspective of the writer. As Trimbur says in his analysis of
this multi-page fact sheet, “information and persuasion are closely linked” (256).
Students could be lead into a discussion of the influence and responsibility of a writer in
39
gathering and reporting information—a good introduction to research skills and ethics
they will need to practice in their college writing.
The next two examples in chapter 8 are included to show how explanatory reports—one
about the nature of graphic design and the other on scientific research—shape
information to explain concepts to a non-professional audience. The science report from
Scientific American (263) on a decline in fish populations illustrates how information is
translated to a general audience in both text and visuals (photographs, diagrams, maps,
etc.). Students might write a similar type of explanatory paper (with text and illustrations)
on a specialized concept they know well drawn from their hobbies, academic classes, or
personal experiences.
In these examples, Trimbur emphasizes that report writers do more than just give
information. They also draw conclusions and make recommendations from the evidence
they present. In explanatory writing, he says, “report writers create the impression that
their conclusions have been suggested by the data” (244). Drawing conclusions from
evidence is an important research and writing skill to teach students who may not
recognize a link between gathered data and its use, purpose or meaning. The report on
fish population makes specific recommendations (in very small print on p. 268!) that
could be evaluated in terms of how they are drawn from the evidence presented in the
report. Ask students if they would draw similar or different conclusions from the
information they have read. Assess the validity of the conclusions drawn.
In addition to the report examples, Chapter 8 offers opportunities for students to organize
information in multiple genres. (See pp. 275-76 for assignment topic and genre
suggestions.) Presenting information in alternative forms imparts shape and purpose to
facts gathered from sources that is very different from students’ prior experiences with
the traditional high school research paper. Students may also see how genre and purpose
come together in presenting text effectively. Here are some other ideas:

Working in groups or as a whole class, have students put together a newsletter or
website of news reports on one issue or several current topics in the news,
following the readings and discussion of this genre on pp. 244-249. Students
could follow up with a brief (2-3 page) rhetorical analysis of what they have
learned about how information is framed to inform and to persuade.

Since we are in the middle of a presidential campaign, an assignment might be to
have students see how information on a particular issue (e.g., the troop surge in
Iraq, the facts about off-shore oil drilling, illegal immigration) is “framed”
differently by each campaign. How does each campaign use similar data to
persuade voters to accept a particular perspective on the issue?

Ask students to gather and present data on a specific topic visually, in an original
graph, chart, diagram, etc. Examples of presenting research information to an
audience in visual form can be seen throughout chapter 8, such as on pp. 254-255
and in the “report on scientific research” on 263-268. Chapter 19 on “Visual
40
Design” (see page 567) could be useful here as well. An oral presentation
(chapter 21) explaining the visual could accompany this assignment.

Prepare an informational brochure on a topic related to travel, such as health or
safety precautions one must take to travel to a particular foreign country. Other
suggestions for writing brochures to inform the public are on p. 275.

Have students write a brief explanatory essay or a fact sheet on one aspect of a
topic they have chosen for a research paper (in this or another class) or for a topic
selected for the casebook assignment. This assignment could be included in the
casebook as well.

Design a brief assignment in which data is gathered on a topic (4-5 different
sources) and ask students not only to report on what information they have
learned from the sources but also what conclusions they would draw from the data
gathered (for instance, about the environmental impact of off-shore oil drilling or
perhaps a current campus topic).
Trimbur provides plenty of useful inventing, planning and drafting strategies at the end of
this chapter, as well as questions for peer review and revising.
Using Chapter 10 Proposals: formulating and solving problems
Writing proposals teaches a couple of valuable academic skills: defining and analyzing a
problem to be solved and assessing viable solutions. Proposals involve students in the
skills of problem-solving as well as primary and secondary research in support of
presenting the problem and finding solutions. A proposal is essentially a persuasive
document, so Chapter 10 could be usefully combined with Chapter 6 on writing other
forms of public documents, or as an early document in planning a research project (the
research proposal). The proposal can be used not only to inspire critical thinking in the
form of problem-solving but also to introduce fieldwork and using visuals to present
information.
It might be good to start this chapter with Leon Botstein’s “Let Teenagers Try
Adulthood” (329-331). This proposal essay could bring about a lively class discussion for
one class meeting since he proposes to “abolish high school as we currently know it.”
This is a topic that most if not all students will have in common; in fact, no doubt they
may have already thought about several ways in which they would change their high
schools, especially from their fresh perspectives as recent graduates and now college
freshmen. Also, to get students warmed up to the idea of proposing a problem and
offering a solution, it is worth examining a couple of questions Trimbur poses at the end
of this essay on p. 331: such as #2 in which students have to think about the assumptions
on which Botstein’s argument rests and question #4 in which they are asked to consider
the feasibility of his plan. Both of these questions are good practice in analyzing
proposals as well as arguments and are likely to spark a few debates among students in
the classroom as well (e.g., should young people really graduate at 16 rather than 18?)
41
To broaden the scope of the discussion, consider “Rx for an Ailing Planet” (320-22). In
an election year, proposals for various ways to solve national problems are in the news
every day. This particular article is a timely choice since addressing environmental
concerns (energy consumption and global warming) is one of the more hotly-contested
issues in the national debate. It would be useful to assign and analyze this proposal and
perhaps have students compare it to others on this topic that they find in newspapers and
magazines. Students will see that how the problem is framed is as important as the
viability of the solutions offered—there is room for disagreement and interpretation just
on defining the issue as well as solving it.
The “Fieldwork proposal” on pp. 323-327 closely models a research proposal; if students
are asked to write a proposal of this type, this sample could be reviewed for its
organization into various sections. It also serves as a good introduction to planning
primary research.
Another good choice, especially if students will be writing their own proposals to solve a
local or national problem, is “Proposal for a Neighborhood Street Tree Program” on 333337. This sample includes visual elements as well and the presentation is broken down
into useful sub-headings that Trimbur calls “a familiar pattern of organizing proposals” in
his brief analysis on page 336. Use this opportunity to instruct students on integrating
visual elements with accompanying text effectively so that visuals do not become mere
“decorations” in a document (consult chapter 19, “Visual Design”).
Chapter 10 contains copious notes for inventing and planning a proposal assignment on
pp. 340-344, including: providing background information to make the problem
convincing, assessing alternative solutions and choosing the one which best addresses the
problem, and developing a organizational outline for drafting. Included in this handbook
is a sample assignment that follows this proposed assignment sequence. This planning
and drafting material is followed by a useful sample of a collaborative student proposal
for a campus coffee house in the “Writers’ Workshop beginning on 347. It serves as the
model for the proposal assignment presented in this handbook.
Proposals are a good introduction to critical thinking, defense of argument, presentation
of evidence and beginning research skills. See the sample proposal assignment that
follows as well as a list of alternate assignments that could be used in conjunction with
this chapter.
42
The following is a sample assignment I do with Chapter 10 on Proposals.
Composition I
Assignment #3
Collaborative Project: Proposals
Required background reading: Chapter 10, “Proposals: Formulating and Solving
Problems” and Chapter 18, “Working Together: Collaborative Writing Projects” 551-559.
For this paper, you will be assigned to work in groups of four students to prepare a proposal that
presents a problem and assesses solutions. While each of you will take on a specific task in
helping to prepare this project, everyone will share equally in the writing.
“Proposals put forth plans of action and seek to persuade readers that those plans should be
implemented” (Trimbur 318). A proposal requires you to determine the factors, causes and
consequences of a problem situation, consider alternative solutions, and persuade a designated
audience to accept the feasibility of a specific solution you have chosen.
Task
Each group will write a proposal that identifies and offers a solution to a problem on the
University of Toledo campus. This may be a proposal to:
 solve an existing problem, such as freshman parking at Scott Park
43


provide a new service that does not currently exist on campus, such as a campus
cybercafé or a movie theater
improve a service that currently does exist but is not working effectively, such as online
registration procedures
See other suggestions for topics on pages 339 and 340. Each group must take on a different
problem; no two groups can write about the same issue. I will provide an proposal topic of my
own as well as samples of previous proposals written by students in Composition I.
You will also need to identify a specific audience for your proposal by working through point #5
on page 340. Who would be most likely to be concerned about the problem you describe and
carry out the solution you propose? I will help you to identify an appropriate UT audience for
your proposal (administrators, organizations, offices, etc.).
Your proposal must also include:

primary research (fieldwork, observation interviews, surveys). For this purpose, we will
review pp. 486-500

one or two visuals to explain and illustrate the problem or your proposed solution. See
pp. 333-336 and Chapter 19.
Both of these components will be reviewed and practiced in class. You may also decide to
include a small amount of secondary research material drawn from reputable web sources and
from the UT library databases. Again, we will devote class time to explaining and reviewing this
secondary research option.
Collaborative Writing
Your writing groups will meet in class and on WebCT’s Discussion Board to carry out the
planning, drafting and revising of this proposal. We will not be able to complete every facet of
this project in our allotted class time. Each group should plan on working outside of class on
Discussion Board, especially between Wednesdays and Mondays.
The first task of your group will be to brainstorm ideas about campus problems that you believe
warrant solutions and to agree on which one your group will write about for this project. Then,
you will need to decide how to assign tasks within the group (see “Jobs” below). Keep in mind
that it is mandatory that each student in the group is involved in writing text for this assignment.
To plan your proposal, your group will work through the Invention and Planning advice
(exercises) offered in Trimbur on pages 340-344. This material will help you to: a) choose your
topic; b) formulate the problem adequately; c) identify and assess the strengths and weaknesses of
alternative solutions; d) present and defend your preferred solution, and e) plan the outline of
paragraphs for your draft.
You will also all need to agree on a time when you can carry out the required fieldwork (site visit,
observation, interview) for this project. I will try to leave some class time available for the
purpose.
Jobs
44
Everyone in the group must help to write the proposal, and everyone is expected to contribute
ideas about research and visual elements. However, each group will need one person primarily
responsible for carrying out certain tasks. Which of these do you think best represents your
strengths? Which are you most qualified to do?

Group Leader: responsible for assigning and coordinating writing assignments with the
group, keeping group on task and on deadlines, leading online collaboration, resolving
issues, communicating with instructor

Editor/Proofreader: responsible for compiling, typing and editing the document,
insuring the continuity of the document, and editing/proofreading for final presentation

Visual Designer: responsible for formatting the appearance of the proposal, and
designing and integrating all visual elements into the text.

Researcher: responsible for planning and coordinating primary research for the proposal,
and conducting secondary research as needed.
Other “jobs” may come up during the preparation of this assignment that are not anticipated here;
it will be up to the group leader to disperse these tasks. Also, there is certainly room for overlap
in these job descriptions. However, final responsibility for each area must fall to one person.
For models of presentation, we will use the “Proposal for a Neighborhood Street Tree Program”
on pp. 333-36 and “Proposal for a Campus Coffee House” on pp. 347-50.
Major parts of the project and their due dates are as follows:
Task
Due
Form writing groups / choose “jobs”/ decide on topic/audience
Carry out fieldwork / work through Invention and Planning
Assign writing tasks / being online collaboration
* This is mid-term conference week and Fall Break
Draft due for in-class proposal review
Final revisions / online group evaluations /conferences w me
PROPOSAL DUE
10/6 – 10/10
10/13-10/17
10/20-10/22
Progress report on Web Ct
10/29
11/3-11/7
11/10
Evaluating a collaborative project
Each of you will receive an individual grade for this assignment, and it is assumed that everyone
in the group will receive the same grade. However, failure to adequately participate in your group
may result in a letter-grade deduction (or more) in your individual grade. This will be determined
by a consensus of confidential evaluations submitted on WebCT at the end of the project in which
each group member will have an opportunity to assess his/her own participation and other
members’ performance in this project. I will mediate any differences in opinion within groups.
45
This proposal will be eligible for group revision near the end of the term and inclusion in the portfolio.
Each group member should have a hard and electronic copy of the final proposal for portfolio and for
uploading into the Epsilen Learning Matrix.
Alternate assignments from Chapter 10
 An alternate group proposal could be written on larger national issues like global
warming, energy consumption or illegal immigration. While I often steer clear of such
large issues for an individual students assignment in Composition I, it might be more
feasible for a group to explore problems and solutions of this scope. Also, it would be
interesting to see how students frame the problem: for instance, there might be
disagreement about how to define the problems of global warming or illegal immigrants
as well as how to solve them. Proposals on such topics would require group members to
find “common ground” (a good exercise in argument and persuasion).
 Students could use Chapter 10 to write a research proposal for the casebook or critical
essay assignments. Trimbur discusses research proposals briefly on p. 328.
 A topic proposal could be assigned for another paper, such as the review, a persuasive
argument, a report, a commentary, or a critical essay. Students would be asked to provide
a rationale for pursuing a particular topic, including background information, a tentative
thesis, a list of supportive points and even a brief description of planning or research
methodology. Such a topic proposal might be submitted to provide evidence of planning
or to request approval to proceed with an assignment.
 Students could write a proposal to the Board of Education of their local school district
identifying a problem they encountered in their high school and suggesting a feasible
solution. Students are usually quite prepared and even eager to be able to have their say
on policies, procedures or even curriculum at their former schools.
46
 As a class, conduct a rhetorical analysis of Leon Botstein’s “Let Teenagers Try
Adulthood”(329-331) and have each student write a letter to Botstein in response to his
proposal (the way he frames the problem, the assumptions he makes, and the feasibility
of his solution) or write an alternate proposal based on his “proposal to abolish high
school as we currently know it” (331).
 Look up proposals online (public campaigns on the Internet) and write an analysis of
how advocacy groups identify problems and propose solutions. One example I have used
is the “Crips’ and Bloods’ Plan for the Reconstruction of Los Angeles,” a surprisingly
effective proposal jointly prepared by rival gangs for improving conditions in Los
Angeles following the Rodney King riots in the 1990s. This example is a bit dated now,
but other advocacy and community groups use proposals on the Internet to advance
causes. These can be researched and subjected to rhetorical analysis, perhaps in a review
paper. (See Trimbur, p. 332 regarding public campaigns).
 Since this is an election year, have students examine a proposal on any one issue put forth
by both presidential candidates (such as energy, illegal immigrants, the war in Iraq,
terrorism, global warming, gas prices, or the housing crisis). Ask them to compare and
contrast how each candidate frames and describes the problem and the feasibility of their
solutions.
Paul Wise’s Course
Syllabus
Course Information
ENGL 1110, Sct. 008
College Composition I
MW 8-9:15
LEC 151
Fall 08
Instructor Information
Dr. Paul Wise
Office: 2280B University Hall
Office Hours: M 9:15-10:15, in
classroom; TR 1-3, in office.
Email: paul.wise@utoledo.edu
Phone (answered during
office hours): *2708
Textbook:
The Call to Write, brief 4/e. John Trimbur. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2008.
Operating Principles:
Why We Write
In writing we actively comprehend and engage our world, whether in its social,
47
ecological, professional, or academic dimensions. It is a process of learning, not merely
of informing. As a fundamentally social activity, writing draws us into conversation with
others, and engages us more closely with the communities we inhabit. When we write,
we expand our capacities for perceiving, reflecting, and acting.
What We Write
We will write personal memoirs, informative documents, an argumentative essay, and a
research paper. Though they represent different genres of writing, each assignment will
call on you to carefully examine and communicate the importance of experiences and
ideas--as does academic writing generally.
At the end of the semester, you will also assemble a portfolio containing revised
selections of major assignments.
How We Do It
Whether one is writing a story, an opinion essay, or a research paper, writing requires
imagination, reflection, planning, and artful delivery. We will practice all these in online
discussions and invention work. Each assignment will proceed in stages: you will need to
prepare prewriting exercises or portions of your essay before the rough draft due date.
We will share papers for peer review on rough drafts to guide the revision of your essays.
Through these activities, we will, hopefully, form an online community that encourages
conscientious and engaged writing.
My Role as Teacher
My job is, first of all, to create an atmosphere in which all feel comfortable, and that
supports class aims. For each assignment, it is my responsibility to clearly set forth
objectives and engage you in activities that will help you achieve them. My work with
you, individually and collectively, will emphasize generating, developing, and
articulating ideas you find substantive and meaningful. I will evaluate your work with the
aim of teaching you to evaluate your own. Though I will offer guidance with certain tasks
and techniques, my primary objective is to help you move toward independence and selfdirection as writers.
Your Role As Student
If you remain in this class beyond the drop/add period, you commit yourself to the
following:
* Regularly visiting the class web site; I recommend you check in every Monday.
* Treating your classmates and the instructor with respect.
* Becoming familiar with information in DL primer and syllabus, and keeping track of
work in the class schedule.
*Giving thoughtful and honest feedback in peer reviews and web discussions.
48
* Completing all reading assignments AND being prepared to comment on them.
* Completing all work on time.
Policies:
ATTENDANCE: Attendance—both physical and mental—is mandatory. I will take
attendance at the beginning of each class, and my attendance records will remain open for
ten minutes afterward. If you are more than ten minutes late, you will be marked absent.
If you leave early without presenting me with your reason for leaving at the beginning of
class, you will be marked absent. Sleeping in class, using electronic devices such as
phones, text messengers, etc. in class, or failing to bring rough drafts for peer review
days, will also result in an absence.
I allow each student three unexcused absences without penalty. For each subsequent
absence, I will deduct .1 from your semester average. Excused absences require
documentation. For definition of what constitutes an excused absence, see the
university’s Missed Class Policy at http://www.utoledo.edu/_campus-info/facultysenate/missed-class-policy.htm.
LATE WORK: Late work hinders your participation in our class writing process. You
will not receive participation credit for major assignments handed in late. I will not
accept late minor writing assignments. I will waive these penalties if I determine an
excused absence prevented your turning an assignment in on time.
PARTICIPATION: Your participation in class will count for 30% of your grade.
Participation includes: Speaking up and listening attentively during class and small group
discussions; working diligently during in-class writing periods; handing in major
assignments on time, including having rough drafts ready for peer review days; giving
honest and thorough evaluations of others’ papers in peer reviews; and being prepared for
student/instructor conferences.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES: Please turn off any laptops, mobile phones, pagers, etc.
before coming into our classroom. You may use a laptop computer to take notes only if
the Office of Accessibility notifies me that you require one. Use of phones, text
messengers, etc, will have a toxic effect on your participation grade.
PLAGIARISM: Representing the work of another as your own constitutes plagiarism.
Examples of plagiarism include: • Having someone else write your paper in whole or
part. • Having someone give you substantial help with the substance of your paper. •
Using the words or thoughts of another person in your paper without giving them proper
credit through in-text citations and a works cited page. Note that you must give credit for
ideas and thoughts, not just for direct quotes. • Cutting and pasting materials from
sources without integrating them into a coherent paper and without giving them credit. A
paper plagiarized in part or whole will receive an F, and the student producing it may
receive an F in the course. The paper may be turned over to administrative supervisors for
49
further action. Plagiarism can result in dismissal from the University. Please review the
University’s plagiarism policy at:
http://www.dl.utoledo.edu/current_students/academic_dishonesty.htm
PAPER FORMAT: Unless I indicate otherwise, all essays submitted for a grade must
comply with MLA formatting requirements, typed in a standard 12-point font, doublespaced, with one-inch margins. Papers must have a title.
EVALUATION: Your writing will be graded primarily for its rhetorical effectiveness.
You will receive credit to the extent that your work:
*Demonstrates a well defined purpose.
*Is directed toward a distinct audience.
* Advances its purpose consistently using rhetorical tools appropriate to the audience and
the genre of the assignment.
Ideal essays will demonstrate conscientious reflection on the topic, be convincing and/or
attention-getting, written in a fresh and distinctive style, and will lead your readers to
understand your subject in new ways. Papers that lack an apparent context and purpose,
or that do not take up the task presented by each assignment, no matter how well written,
will not receive high grades.
GRADING: In order to pass this course, your final grade must be a C (2.0) or above. A
grade of "incomplete" is only given in rare circumstances, and only for a student who is
unable to complete a small portion of coursework because of excused absences and who
is likely to pass the work only when completed. If you believe you may qualify for and
IN, please see me no later than two weeks before the end of the semester.
Each course component will be graded on the 4.0 scale (A=4.0 etc.). The first three
major essays will not earn credit toward the final grade, but will be given an advisory
grade, indicating what grade the assignment would earn if it contributed to your course
grade. They will also earn participation credit (see below). When submitted with your
portfolio, these assignments will earn a number grade that will contribute toward the
grade for your full portfolio.
Assignments are weighted as follows:




Minor Assignments 5%50% for argument analysis/50% for MLA quiz):
Participation: 35% (50% for major assignment drafts/50% for discussion)
Research Paper: 25%
Semester Portfolio: 35%
Participation credit for papers:
50
Drafts of major assignment papers, with any specified supporting work, count for 50% of
your participation grade. If they are submitted on time and meet all format and content
requirements, they will earn a 4.0 participation grade regardless of the advisory grade the
paper receives. If they are missing one or two required elements, they will earn half
credit. If they are missing more, they will earn no participation credit. Penalties for late
work are described above.
Schedule
We will try to maintain this schedule as closely as possible, though readings and due
dates may be changed at the instructor’s discretion. Reading assignments should be
completed by the day they are scheduled here.
WEEK
1
MONDAY
Introduction
8/25-29
2
WEDNESDAY
Begin Memoir Project
Telling Your Story
Labor Day—No
Class
Reading: Dillard, from
An American Childhood
Reflecting on
Experience
9/1-5
3
Organization
Reading: Soto
Due—First Draft,
Memoir.
Reading: Caldwell
Peer Review
Due—Revised
Draft, Memoir.
Revision
Due—First Draft,
Memoir.
9/8-12
4
9/15-19
Begin Unit II,
Reporting and
Explaining.
5
9/22-26
Peer Review
Revision
Researching
Begin Unit II,
Reporting and
Explaining.
Reading: The
Sentencing Project
Reporting and Using
Information
51
6
Reading: Articles on
Mental Illness
Surveying your
Subject
9/29-10/3
7
10/6-10/10
Organization.
Reading Pauly &
Watson; The
Triangle Factory
Fire
Due—First Draft,
Informative
Document.
Peer Review
In-class writing
Due—Revised Draft,
Informative
Document.
Begin Unit III, Arguing
Why Argue?
8
10/13-17
Reading: Liu
Structures of
argument
9 10/20-24
Reading: pp. 73-85,
CTW
No Class--Fall Break
Reading: pp. 56-68,; 9497, CTW
Defining your topic,
controversy.
Reading: Pp. 68-85,
537-39; Rand
Due—Argument
Analysis.
Summary Outline
begin/Ending strategies.
10
Organization.
Due—First Draft,
Argument.
10/27-31
11
Reading: pp. 521-47,
CTW
Due—Revised
Draft, Argument
Peer Review
Begin Unit IV,
Research.
Begin Unit IV,
Research.
The Research
Process
The Research Process
Due—Revised Draft,
Argument
11/3-7
52
12
Reading: pp. 419-26,
CTW
The Research
Process, cont.
11/10-14
13
Using Sources, cont.
11/17-21
Plagiarism
11/24-28
15
Due: Proposals
Using Sources
Reading: pp. 439-51,
CTW
14
Reading: pp. 419-26,
CTW
Sign up for
conferences.
Introductions
Due: Progress
Report
No Class-Conferences
No Class--Thanksgiving
Break
No Class-Conferences
Due—First
Draft, Research Paper
12/1-5
Peer Review.
16
EXAM WEEK
Due—Revised
Draft, Research
Paper
Work on Porfolios
Pick up Research
Papers/Turn in
Porfolios During
Scheduled Exam
Time, TBA
Intro to Portfolios
Work on Porfolios
Have a good break!
53
Teaching Memoir with Ch. 5 of The Call to Write
Memoirs can provide a bridge between the students’ previous writing experiences and the
work they will undertake in composition classes. They call for the writing about personal
experience with which students are often comfortable and fluent, yet also require writers
to gather, analyze, and synthesize information as they would in writing research essays,
fact sheets, or profiles. These higher-level skills come into play as students try to move
from simply telling something that happened to presenting the reader with a vivid and
reflective account of their experience that reveals some broadly resonant meaning.
Invention activities and discussion prompts from chapter five can help students recognize
and negotiate the intellectual and rhetorical challenges that come with writing memoir.
After students have chosen an experience to write about, the initial focus of their efforts
should be generating details of that experience which will allow them to present a
concrete and engaging recollection of it. The “Sketching” exercise on pp. 159-60 will
help students lay down a diverse array of particulars relating to their experience. The
“Writing From Experience” exercise on p. 138 offers a trial run at this activity. It might
be used either in conjunction with one of the readings, after discussing how the author
used details to flesh out his or her recollection, or as an icebreaker activity for this
project, prior to considering readings or the assignment guidelines. The examination of
social network sites could be used to introduce the sketching exercise, or, like the
“Writing From Experience” activity, as an informal introduction the invention work
underlying successful memoirs. However pursued, the process of assembling details to
use in writing about past events and people connected with them naturally raises
54
questions about what constitutes a fair and accurate representation of them, providing an
opening for taking up the issues considered in the “Ethics of Writing” box on p. 157.
It is a good idea to instruct students to keep and draw upon lists or observations generated
though the sketching activity and other invention exercises as they work on their memoir
draft—sometimes things get lost if they’re not being collected. You may wish to ask
students to submit all invention work along with drafts and count them as a portion of the
assignment grade.
What students often struggle most with in the memoir assignment is presenting the
significance of the experience they write about. Some simply recount the experience
with little interpretation, while others do not adequately connect the experience with its
significance. The exercise “Exploring Past and Present Perspectives” on p. 161 will help
students better define and set in context the meaning they draw from the experience.
“Background Research: Putting Events in Context” on pp. 161-62 prompts students to
look beyond their immediate experience to its broader historic or cultural context, a too
seldom attempted move that can greatly enhance the import of the students’ observations.
The Planning/Arranging prompts on pp. 162-63 have the benefit not only of giving
students ideas for structuring the paper but of prompting them to think about how they
might incorporate analysis of the experience and presentation of its meaning into
different sections of the paper.
Chapter readings suggest a variety of ways to incorporate the revelation emerging from
the experience into the memoir; these should receive attention in discussions of the
readings or in conjunction with the invention exercises looking at past and present
perspectives or the experience’s broader context (Discussion prompts often address this).
Point out how writers foreshadow or reinforce the significance of an episode throughout
their narrative. Focusing attention on conveying this significance also will help students
sort through details generated though sketching to pull out those which can support or
communicate it. (This, incidentally, gives students an experience of how a paper’s
controlling idea or thesis can help to organize a paper and to identify which research
findings are pertinent and which aren’t; you can refer back to this when your class takes
up assignments that require work with external sources.)
Memoir projects risk eliciting purely expressive writing that lacks the awareness of
purpose and audience work in college composition requires, but they can avoid this result
by deliberately challenging students to bring the world of their past to life for readers and
to illuminate what something in it meant. They allow students to keep one foot in their
comfort zone while cultivating the rhetorical consciousness they will need in writing that
takes them beyond it.
55
ENG 1110
F08
P. Wise
Assignment #1--Memoir
Directions: Write a personal essay of 3-4 pp. relating a memorable experience in your
life. You may wish to use one of the suggested approaches on p. 158. The essay should
combine direct description with personal reflection on the things you see, or saw.
Your objectives in this assignment are:
1) To convey a rich and detailed impression of the experience and its setting. What are
the sights, sounds, or smells you encounter. What happens there? What was happening or
what was of interest at the time you observed it? Help the reader to see or experience
what you did.
2) To communicate some significance about the experience. What about your experience
is noteworthy? Does it help you understand something about yourself or your world? Did
it mark a turning point in your life or have a lasting effect or you or those close to you?
The significance of the experience---whether your state it overtly or imply it-- should
provide a center of gravity (or thesis) for your essay. Present the experience to the reader
in ways that will support and develop that idea.
56
The narration of the experience and your interpretation of it should be integrated.
Descriptive details should prepare reader for and support the meaning you discern in your
experiences. Use transitions that smoothly connect descriptive/narrative and reflective
passages.
Write in the first person, and keep your perspective in front in this essay. You are
presenting the experience and its importance through your eyes‚ not giving a purely
objective description.
See the memoir project page on our web site for due dates and information on peer
reviews and submitting drafts.
ENG 1140
F07
P. Wise
Assignment #1--Place Memoir
Directions: Write a personal essay of approximately 4 pp. relating a visit to or
observation of a certain location, either recently or in the past. The essay should combine
direct description with personal reflection on the things you see, or saw.
Your objectives in this assignment are:
1) To convey a rich and detailed impression of the place. What are the sights, sounds, or
smells you encounter. What happens there? What was happening or what was of interest
at the time you observed it? Help the reader to see or experience what you did.
2) To communicate some significance about the place. What about this place or your
experience there is noteworthy? Does this place help you understand something about
yourself your world? Is this a place especially worth paying attention to? Does it play
some important role in the life of a community? Does it register some kind of larger
social or environmental trend? Help the reader understand why this place is meaning-ful.
57
The significance you perceive in the place---whether your state it overtly or imply it-should provide a center of gravity (or thesis) for your essay. Present the place to the
reader in ways that will support and develop that idea.
To begin your essay, look to journal entries you’ve made for your individual or class
outings, or about memories of other places. Where do those contain details that can help
the reader see this place vividly? What did you record there that helps you get a sense of
why the place is significant? Through freewriting and drafting, build upon those details to
create a coherent narrative of your experience in the place and the significance it reveals:
try to remember more about what you saw or what was happening when you recorded
those details, or to reconstruct the context in which you saw them; think about what
impressions lay behind your sense of the place, its significance, and how they may
translate into ideas about that significance. What ideas or emotions inform your reactions
to the place?
Write in the first person, and keep your perspective in front in this essay. You are
presenting this place and its importance through your eyes, not giving a purely objective
description.
A first draft is due in class on Mon., 9/15 for peer review. Turn in revised drafts on Wed.,
9/17
Teaching Argument with Ch. 3 of The Call to Write
Chapter 3 of The Call to Write is a versatile resource that can be used as the basis for a
major assignment or to complement work on other assignments that call for
argumentation, especially commentaries or research projects. It examines concepts of
logical argument and presents argumentative strategies and structures. The chapter ends
with an assignment directing students to write an analysis of a brief argumentative essay,
but instructors may adapt it to “reverse engineer” a more traditional, issue-focused
argumentative essay assignment.
The “Working Together” exercise on pp. 57-58 invites students to think through their
experiences of argument and begin forming their own sense of what makes arguments
effective and of the interpersonal considerations behind successful argument. The
opening section on Understanding Argument builds on this by distinguishing reasoned
argument from shouting matches or simple assertions of opinion, and examining
expectations audiences bring to reading arguments. It might be interesting to look
concurrently at some of poorly reasoned, uncontextualized, or hyperbolic arguments that
abound in popular discourse; the letter exchange presents a starting point for this
discussion.
Pp. 64-69 comprise some of the most valuable portions of the chapter, and possibly of the
book. Here, Trimbur discusses how to define a suitable argumentative approach to a
58
topic and form an arguable claim about it. The section opens up a view of argumentative
paper topics as active controversies that comprehend a variety of different issues that
writers argue about rather than monolithic propositions one may take a position for or
against. It is common for composition students to take these simplistic, pro/con
approaches to argumentative writing. The section could be used to expand upon the
guide to formulating a research question on pp. 420-25.
The sections on argumentative appeals and argument structure give students tools for
turning opinions about issues into purposeful and credible arguments. When introducing
these elements, it is often helpful to have students work in groups to lay out tentative
arguments on topics of their choosing that employ and identify them. Have each group
outline their argument on the blackboard/screen for class critique. The outline of an
argument about school uniforms on pp. 83-84 offers a model for this exercise.
If you use the commentary assignment from ch. 9, you might present the structure for
presenting claims and backing points discussed ch. 3 as an option for developing ideas in
the body of the paper. Likewise, it can be used to help students expand upon “topic
chains” for outlining research papers discussed on p. 539 in ch. 17 (“The Shape of the
Essay”).
The argument analysis project on pp. 94-97 will help students analyze and practice
argumentation more proficiently, and is useful to assign even (and perhaps especially) if
your syllabus does not include a designated “argumentative essay.” Students may
initially need help recognizing a suitable piece of writing to analyze. Some class time
may be devoted to learning to distinguish argumentative writing from writing that makes
some reference to an argument ( a common point of confusion), and directing students to
the “Opinion” section of Yahoo! News (or a similar resource) will lead them to
appropriate pieces quickly. In addition to writing the analytic essay, students should
annotate a copy of their chosen article, noting the various elements, appeals, etc. and turn
it in with the essay.
Argumentation will feature in many of the genres that The Call to Write presents, though
it doesn’t receive the attention it needs in many of the assignment chapters. Ch. 3 can fill
that lack, or provide an intensive introduction to argument through a major assignment
built around it.
59
ENG 1110
P. Wise
F08
Project #3—Argument
For this assignment, you will create an essay or website that interprets and/or argues a
position on topic of your choosing. Whatever you choose to write about should be
controversial, and subject to varying interpretations or points of view. Pp. 66-67 and
304-05 suggest some possible approaches to the assignment. Your objective, regardless
of subject or approach, is to present and support, a well-defined position on some issue
within the chosen the subject; your document should attempt to bring readers to accept
your opinion about the issue and give them good reason to do so.
Your genre options for completing the assignment are as follows:
1) A 5 pp. argumentative essay. Your paper must contain (explicitly or implicitly) all
the features of argument outlined on p. 75, and incorporate the three rhetorical appeals
from p. 70. Which appeal to give priority to is a choice you will need to make as a
writer, based on the subject and the audience’s relation to it and to you. Give your
audience enough background information about the topic to understand the controversy
surrounding it and follow the argument you make about it. You must use at least THREE
60
outside sources, documented in MLA format, including a Works Cited page. (The WC
page does not count toward the 5 pp. requirement.) Sources may help you to support
claims, to provide background on the issue, or to present opposing views.
2) Create a website gathering opinion and information about your topic. The site should
itself be argumentative, representing a particular point of view on the subject rather than
an objective overview. This site should consist of pages developing, through words
AND images important issues and ideas related to the topic—in some way, the pages
should develop through various media your perspective on and major claim about the
topic. The pages might combine several of these elements: photos, videos, quotes, graphs,
other self-created designs. Include a link to an essay of roughly 3 pp. presenting your
opinion on the subject, which should have the same features as the longer essay described
in the option above. Along with your essay, include links to at least three other opinion
articles on the subject that take a position similar to yours and at least three news
articles on the subject. (Think carefully about how to integrate these links into the site)
Your links may include sources used for writing your essay. Your essay should include a
Works Cited list in MLA format.
If you choose the essay option, bring a rough draft to class on Wed., 10/29 for peer
review. If you are creating a web site, be sure your site is complete and functional by that
day and tell your peer review the URL when you come to class. A revised draft is due on
Mon. 11/3.
ENG 1110
Argument Analysis Assignment
Select one brief piece of argumentative writing and evaluate its structure and credibility.
This assignment consists of two parts:
1) Clip or copy/print the article you will discuss. On it, underline (or highlight) and label
the thesis (central point/argumentative statement), all reasons offered in support of the
argument, and any counterarguments (consideration of opposing or alternative views) it
contains. This portion of the assignment will count for half your score.
2) An essay of @ 1 ½ pp. in which you—
a) describe the purpose and likely audience of the article, as well as the kinds of
evidence (statistics, examples, comparisons, expert opinion, etc.) offered in
support of each of the reasons
b) Identify the types of appeals (emotional, logical, ethical) the author makes on
behalf of his/her argument.
61
c) evaluate how convincing the argument is. Do you accept the writer’s
conclusions? What questions do you have about his/her reasoning? How
effectively does the writer refute opposing views?
When you turn in your analysis, please staple your copy/printout of the article to your
essay. The assignment is due Thurs., 10/11.
Teaching from Section III of The Call to Write
Despite the groans that inevitably accompany any announcement that some class time
will be devoted to the subject of research, the various aspects of research (therefore, the
chapters in Part 3), are important inclusions that should be presented to students. Part 3
(Writing and Research Projects) points out that research is a skill students have already
practiced in academics and in their personal lives. Sure, anyone can seek answers, but
can they discern among legitimate sources by knowing where to look, what to look for,
how to extract relevant information, and understand the correct ways in which to apply
it?
Chapter 12: “The Research Process: Critical Essays and
Research Projects”
Textbook author, John Trimbur, distinguishes between simply researching a topic for
information and researching a topic in order to understand the opposing viewpoints of
various spokespeople. In so doing, students find which views and authors they agree
with, and methods for arguing for that perspective.
In the first half of chapter 12 are three student papers that illustrate how a student writer
develops an argument and supports it, based on their research. If time permits pointing
out only one of these writings, I prefer the second paper, “The Prison Privatization
Debate: The Need for a New Focus” (398-408), because of its clear-cut, organized style,
62
appropriate MLA citations, and directional transitions. Also, the conclusion effectively
summarizes opposing viewpoints, showing not only which perspective the student writer
agrees with, but why. Any student can conduct research; this research paper exemplifies
how that research is applied (both with appropriate citation extractions and correct MLA
formatting) and what opinion the writer surmises from it. Before students read this
research paper, I’d point out Trimbur’s Analysis: Finding a Place in a Debate on pages
408-409. Next, I’d assign students to “quick-read” this research paper on their own time,
so that it can be picked apart in the next class. I’d also address a common problem with
citation use (in-text citations that do not match with reference page citations) by asking
students to use a highlighter to match every use of a citation in-text with its notation on
the Works Cited page.
Moving along in chapter 12, the MLA/APA Checklist on page 410 is a handy source of
information, though the following chapter 13 presents much more detailed facts.
The second half of chapter 12 backtracks to the preliminary steps taken before the actual
writing process begins. On pages 420-438, Trimbur breaks down the initial process with
definitive and illustrative step-by-step details (select a topic overview – search for
appropriate sources – analyze the worthiness of sources and take notes on relevant
citations – determine whose opinion reflects the student’s view – and how to formulate an
argument that effectively reflects those opinions). The example assignment in the second
half of chapter 12 calls for students to choose any aspect in the history of American
immigration to research. What a topical issue this is: not only are immigration issues
popular commentaries in the news, but it’s a hot topic in the current presidential
candidate debates.
A writing assignment for practicing the research process: students could meet in a
reserved computer classroom in Carlson Library, or in their regular classroom if a
computer/overhead screen is present, so that a librarian representative can give a
presentation about the library’s research tools. Practice gathering information on a given
topic by demonstrating a search for (three) legitimate sources. As each source is
obtained, ask students to record the citation information, as noted on page 428 in the
citation checklist, that they’ll need to cite on a bibliography (Works Cited) page. Then
have students format that information into the correct arrangement for the reference page.
Chapter 13: “Working with Sources”
A common misconception among many students is that their job merely is to report what
others state about a topic; if they’re honest, they’ll credit those sources as they present
those statements. Although it is understandable why intentional plagiarism needs to be
addressed, so does unintentional. Students who try to credit sources are halfway there,
but they need to know why they’ve made mistakes, what to cite, and the correct way to
do it. Finally, another problem that accompanies plagiarism is when students assume that
simply presenting source material (cited or not) fulfills the writing assignment; yet,
they’ve neglected to balance the paper by presenting their point of view. They have to
63
understand why and how their writing should present their own thoughts and words; and
the citation information should only enhance the student’s view rather than substitute for
the student’s voice. Chapter 13 includes clear explanations that point out: 1) what
plagiarism is; 2) how to identify it and avoid it; and 3) how to incorporate citations
around the writer’s commentary. Many textbooks present this information, but chapter
13 includes enough explanation and examples so students can understand the research
rationale and application. For those who prefer a backup, the Little Brown Handbook
devotes a significant portion to referencing techniques.
In preparation for the citation work that students produce in their major papers, I assign at
least a few small assignments that practice creating both in-text and Works Cited
citations.
A writing assignment for practice with citations: hand out to students copies of the one
or two pages that contain the citation information from each of these sources: a book
with two authors, and an article within a magazine/journal. Ask the students to prepare a
Works Cited page from the information on these pages. In addition, ask them to include
the citation information for: 1) a personal interview, 2) the course textbook, and 3) an
online source (assign a topic). For the online source, students are required to print out the
first page of that source, (the page that includes the citation information for that source),
and highlight that citation information. When they submit their Works Cited page,
submit that highlighted printout of the online site as well. Also, on the back of their
Works Cited page, students are required to write a few sentences on the source topic, in
which they include a (properly formatted) in-text citation, which can be a direct quote or
a paraphrase. Because the instructor has provided two of the citation sources, and the
student has to print out the online source citation information, the instructor is able to see
if the students have correctly chosen what information to cite, and if they have done so
correctly.
Another writing assignment distinguishes a paraphrase from a direct quote. Read
something to the class (such as a politically-correct bedtime story, a paragraph-long
quotation, excerpt from a speech, …) and then ask students to write a few sentences on
that topic, including a paraphrase from the reading. Next, hand out printed copies of that
reading and ask students to write a few more sentences on the topic, this time including a
direct quote from that source. Before the reading, instructors could put the author’s name
and the source on the blackboard or overhead screen so students can correctly note the intext citation information as well. A third option on this assignment is to practice using
ellipses: rather than record a long quotation, extract only the key words in the quote,
using ellipses in between.
Chapter 14: A Guide to Print, Electronic, and Other Sources
Chapter 14 focuses on helping students understand the differences between many of the
sources they will encounter when working in the library on research papers. Trimbur
goes into detail about many of these sources and explains how they are similar to and
64
different from each other. The first section deals with books and periodicals. Under
books, Trimbur offers information on scholarly books and trade books, including how
reputable each one is in the area of research. There is also a listing for other books,
where he includes texts from nonprofits, trade unions, and religious or political presses.
The section on periodicals goes into detail about the differences between scholarly
journals (a particularly difficult topic for new students that is explained well here), public
affairs magazines, newsmagazines, trade magazines, and popular magazines. Trimbur
then offers some discussion on how to work within the library, including basic
information on the library catalog (you may have to supplement this information with
information from the UT library), using reference books, and working with electronic
sources (such as Lexis/Nexis and InfoTrac). Trimbur then includes a short section on
using online search engines (Google, Yahoo, AltaVista); there is a nice discussion on the
bottom of page 473 on using keywords with search engines that would be very beneficial
for new students. Finally, the chapter ends with a short section on government
documents and then information on other potential research sources such as
performances, museums, and media (if you plan on working with the Toledo Museum of
Art at all, the section here could be valuable).
Chapter 14 would work well as an introduction for students to doing secondary research.
One idea would be to assign the chapter as reading prior to library orientation (for more
information on setting up an orientation to the library for your class, go to
http://www.utoledo.edu/library/serv/fac.html and look under Instructional Services for
your class). The chapter may also work well when an instructor begins to discuss how to
conduct web research, including how to analyze and evaluate potential web sources. The
section on periodicals is especially important, as students do have difficulty
understanding the differences between journals and magazines. The section here would
work well as a starting point for beginning a discussion on these types of sources.
Chapter 15: Fieldwork and the Research Report
Chapter 15 deals with one of my favorite topics: students conducting their own fieldwork
while conducing research. Pay particular attention to the Ethics of Research section on
the top of page 477; while most freshman papers do not require the submission of
informed consent forms, students should be aware of the ethical responsibilities that
comes with studying other individuals and should be prepared to ask for consent before
doing research.
Trimbur then moves into a discussion of the research report, including providing a
sample research paper with marginal notes on different issues to recognize and
understand. Following the sample paper, he provides a nice overview and analysis of the
text, helping students note how the different sections of the paper work together (teachers
may find the information on page 485 under Introduction to be important for new
students to understand). The working together section on page 486 is a good classroom
activity students can work on to better understand the research paper.
65
Trimbur then moves into discussions of different field research. After offering some
strong questions to consider on pages 486-487 and a brief overview of how to write a
fieldwork proposal (this may need to be supplemented with more specific information),
he begins his discussion of fieldwork with a look at observations. A detailed overview of
the steps needed to conduct observations is included (don’t move to quickly past the
information on the bottom of page 488 under Three Considerations. This is information
that can prove useful to students as they conduct their research). The section on
analyzing your notes is a strong one; I would also mention to students to conduct this
analysis as soon after their observation as possible, so they don’t forget anything.
The next section deals with interviews. Again, there is a detailed overview of the
interview process (Trimbur does not include an overly strong discussion of types of
interview questions—i.e. open, closed, leading—so you may need to supplement this
with additional information). I was happy to see that Trimbur included information on
doing email and telephone interviews; because of time and difficulty getting off campus,
many students will rely on these two types for their research. Again, there is a good
discussion of how to analyze notes/transcripts from an interview.
The last method discussed is using surveys. I would stress the shorter section on Getting
Background Information, as students often don’t reflect on what they already know
before creating the survey. Again, the Ethics of Research section on page 496 is
important (you may also want to stress this when discussing interviews). On pages 497499, Trimbur gives a nice overview of the different types of questions that can be
included on a survey; I would stress to students to use different types of questions on the
survey, not all of one type. This will help them get back different perspectives and types
of data for their projects. Finally, the section ends with information on compiling,
analyzing, and presenting results. This is a quick overview of this topic, but one
sufficient enough for the type of survey data a first year student will create.
Chapter 15 is one that can be used in conjunction with many of the projects in Part 2.
Discussing observations would work well with profiles, reports, commentary, maybe
even reviews (depending upon what is being reviewed). Interviews are a necessary part
of profiles, and can also be used with public documents, reports, commentary and
proposals. Surveys could work well with reports, proposals, commentaries, and possibly
reviews.
66
Teaching from Section IV of The Call to Write
The chapters in Part IV of The Call to Write acquaint students with habits and practices
essential to developing a mature approach to writing. Its contents can be used in
conjunction with other assignments or for creating short exercises to prepare students for
genre-based assignments presented by other chapters.
Chapter 16 leads students through basic stages of the writing process, explaining them
and demonstrating them by following one student’s work on a paper. You might employ
this chapter as the class begins working through its first major paper assignment, as it is
not uncommon for students to arrive at college accustomed to writing a paper in one
sitting the night before it is due. The exercise on p. 503, asking students to analyze a
recent writing task, is suitable to use in class or to assign as an informal essay, to start
students thinking about their own writing process.
Whether or not you work through the entire chapter, the section on peer commentary (pp.
510-18) is especially worth the class’s attention. It provides a model of how peer
reviewers can write well-developed and targeted responses to their peers’ work and how
writers can incorporate those responses into the revision process. Students often claim
that they are not qualified to review each others' papers and may not put much effort into
the process unless strategies and guidelines are discussed in class.
67
Chapter 17, “The Shape of the Essay,” offers a palate of options for how to organize
written work and raises considerations to help student writers decide which to employ
and how. The three ordering strategies examined in pp. 522-34—top-down, culminating
and “open”— might be discussed in relation to informative, argumentative, commentary,
and research projects, or any assignment requiring students to present complex ideas in
purposeful and accessible ways. Students often come into their first college writing
course with arbitrary and inflexible notions of the “5-paragraph” essay with a thesis at the
beginning. Chapter 17 gets them thinking about why a writer may decide to use that “topdown” order or another strategy according to his or her purpose, genre and awareness of
reader needs.
Since the hardest part of a writing project often is getting it started, the discussion of
introductions (pp. 535-36) is helpful to bring up in the course of at least one major
writing assignment. In addition to—or in place of—the exercise at the top of p. 536, you
may wish to spend a class period asking students to draft tentative introductions to their
paper using at least two of the strategies listed on p. 535 then read each to their
classmates and receive feedback on which is most effective and why. You might do
something similar with conclusions—perhaps in the course of a different assignment.
Returning to parts of Chapter 17 intermittently throughout the semester as writers gain
more experience may help to reinforce the strategies presented.
While it is common for many handbooks and textbooks to focus on introductions and
conclusions, too often they offer few ideas on connecting the body of the essay in a
cohesive sequence, aside from employing transitional words and phrases. Trimbur’s
emphasis on “the middle section” (539) is helpful. Using “reasons” to explain an idea,
as demonstrated on pp. 538-39, models an approach to developing an argumentative
essay or research paper. (You can equate these reasons with backing points described in
Ch. 3.) The “topic chain” sketched there suggests a means of establishing and
maintaining an essay's center of gravity through a useful metaphor that students can
visualize. This is followed by the more customary discussion of transition strategies. The
chapter’s approach to paragraph design as both a “visual” and “psychological” unit also
offers a unique way to get students to think about the shape that their writing may take—
while also introducing the more traditional notions of topic sentences and paragraph
unity. The exercise on p. 543 could result in good discussion in small groups about
paragraphing on both levels—appearance and focus. Trimbur’s discussion of the topic
sentence (546) as driven by the writer’s purpose and the reader’s needs and not as a
necessary “rule” of writing may be meaningful to students.
The presentation of traditional rhetorical patterns of paragraph development would be
most usefully introduced as they may be needed in different writing assignments where,
for instance, comparison/contrast is called for, or a definition needs to be established—
such as in commentary and research. A class period could be devoted to developing
paragraphs according to one or more of these patterns with topics provided by the
instructor, perhaps related to a current writing project.
68
If your course will include collaborative work, Chapter 18 surveys matters that are
important for you and your students to take into consideration. Review "Guidelines for
Collaborating in Groups" on pp. 551-55 with your class at the beginning of any
collaborative project. Collaborative work usually goes more smoothly when students
prepare and submit several documents to plan and assess their work. First, a project
proposal as described on pp. 555-56 greatly increases the likelihood of successful
collaboration; assigning specific responsibilities to each group member and outlining a
timetable for completing stages of the project gives members a direction and helps
eliminate confusion over how the work should proceed. Second, requiring groups to
submit progress reports at some stage in the project helps prevent procrastination and can
help identify problems the members may be having with the assignment or each other.
You might also ask groups to submit (with the progress report and/or with the final draft
of their project) minutes of each meeting or at least a short summary of what happened at
each. Finally, either at different stages in the project or at the end, self-evaluations will
help bring into focus for students what worked, or didn’t, in collaborative
efforts. Confidential self-evaluations can also help instructors assess grades for a
collaborative project.
Paul Wise, Suzanne Smith
69