Pittsburg State University Spring 2013
ENGL 299: INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH WRITING
Required Texts
 Spatt, Brenda. Writing from Sources. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford St. Martin's, 2011. Print.
General Education
This course counts toward the requirements in General Education for your degree program.
General Education is an important part of your educational program at Pittsburg State University
which has been designed to implement the following Philosophy of General Education:
General education is the study of humans in their global setting. The general education
curriculum, therefore, acts as the heart of a university education by developing the
capacities that typify the educated person and providing a basis for life-long learning and
intellectual, ethical, and aesthetic fulfillment. General education examines the world
around us and fosters and understanding of our interactions with the world and our place
in the universe. General education celebrates the creative capacities of humankind and
helps to preserve and transmit to future generations the values, knowledge, wisdom, and
sense of history that are our common heritage.
About This Course
English 299 is a research writing course designed to prepare students to write in, and beyond, the
academic community. "Writers accomplish their purposes by using evidence collected from print
sources," according to Kennedy and Smith, "using established forms and conventions." The
course emphasizes what Linda Flower calls reading to write, that is, "the process of a person who
reads a relevant book, an article, a letter, knowing he or she needs to write." Specifically the
course goals are leading the student to:
1. write for the academic community, including using print and Internet source evidence
and appropriate standard conventions;
2. practice "assertive" reading, which includes accurate understanding and elaboration based
on previous knowledge and experience;
3. emphasize rhetorical goals, including the purpose for writing and its intended audience;
4. develop critical thinking skills.
English 299 Section 05 is a face-to-face course that makes limited use of Canvas LMS.
Course Policies
Attendance:
Attendance will be taken. If you miss 6 scheduled classes, you may be dropped without notice. If
you must be absent, please email me within 24 hours of the absence. Only students with excused
absences may make up any work missed that day. You may be asked to provide proof of your
excuse to be absent, so be prepared. Lecture and discussion are necessary for your success in this
course. These will not be available in the book.
Computer Lab Policy:
Class meetings in the lab are designed to facilitate learning, not to enable personal Internet use.
Students caught conducting personal business in the computer lab during class hours will be
asked to leave and will lose any points available for that class period.
Points:
Grading Scale:
Points Assignment
50 Quiz & Assignments
Letter
Grade
Percentage
Point
Range
115 Assignments
A
90 - 100
675-750
80 Assessments
B
80 - 90
600-675
100 Single Source Essay Work
C
70 - 80
525-600
120 Synthesis Essay Work
D
60 - 70
450-525
155 Argument Essay Work
F
0 - 60
0 - 525
130 Attendance
750 Total Points for Course
Grading Rubric available on Canvas.
Grades of D or F will receive a No
Credit (NC) for the course. Scores
will not be rounded to the nearest
whole percentage point.
Late Work:
Late work will not be accepted. If you have extenuating circumstances, make arrangements with
me prior to the due date.
Inclement Weather:
In case of inclement weather, Dr. Scott may close the campus itself. In this case, the decision to
close campus will be made by 5:30 am and you may be notified of campus-wide closing in the
following manners: email, PSU text-messaging system, PSU website, or local media outlets. All
classes and activities will be cancelled on campus. In some cases, the campus may remain open
but class will be canceled. In this case, you will be notified by me via email by 8:30 am and this
class cancellation will apply only to English 299. In the event that classes are cancelled, you will
be responsible for logging on to Canvas and participating in the virtual classroom for that day.
Virtual classrooms activities will be due by midnight for the day class is canceled unless prior
arrangements have been made.
Quizzes
There will be unannounced quizzes in class and quizzes on Canvas. If you have an excused
absence, you may make up the quiz; it's your responsibility to speak with me to make up the
quiz.
Discussion
Critical reading and an exchange of ideas is a part of learning to write effective research papers.
During class, we will be discussing readings on current topics as well as principles of reading
and writing. Participation is necessary for effective class discussion. Respect of other students is
also necessary. You can disagree with another person's argument without attacking the other
person or disrespecting the other person personally. Students who cannot maintain a level of
respect for others during class discussion periods will be asked to leave and may be marked as
unexcused. Students who do not participate in class discussions or who choose to do other
activities, such as texting, during class may find their overall grade reduced. Mental attendance is
just as important as physical attendance.
Syllabus Supplement
There is supplemental syllabus information available to you on Canvas. Please visit and read this
portion of the syllabus. You may also find it here:
http://www.pittstate.edu/dotAsset/951abb38-06ee-4727-9356-fcdbf1bf497f.pdf
Academic Honesty and Integrity Policy
Academic integrity is vital to a successful university program. In addition to the academic
honesty and integrity policies outlined in the syllabus supplement (see above), there are specific
policies you must follow when submitting essays for any course:
1. All essays must be your own work. "Plagiarism-free" essays obtained from online
sources become plagiarized the moment you claim them as yours.
2. You may not turn in the same work for different courses without permission from both
instructors. Each assignment requires original work you create for each assignment.
3. You may not turn in work you've written for similar assignments that you have
completed for courses taken previously. If you have withdrawn from English 299 in
previous semesters, you may not turn in any work you've completed from that course for
your current course.
Week 1
Mon, Jan 14 Day 1:  Course Introduction and Instructor Policies
 Why We Write
 Reading: You're Probably Doing It wrong
Wed, Jan 16 Day 2:  Reading Responsively
 Annotation Writing pp 3-7
Fri, Jan 18 Day 3: Due: Canvas Orientation by 3pm
 Asking Questions Writing pp 12-13
 Steingarten: eHandout
Week 2
Mon, Jan 21 Day 4:  No Class: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Wed, Jan 23 Day 5: Due: Evaluation Essay by midnight on Canvas
 Essay Logic: eHandout from Canvas
 Essay Logical Unit: eHandout from Canvas
 Orlov Essay: eHandout from Canvas
Fri, Jan 25 Day 6: Due: Orlov Essay Logic Analsysis by midnight on Canvas
 Orlov Essay Logic Analysis
Week 3
Mon, Jan 28 Day 7:  Logic and logical fallacies Writing pp 56-64
 Research Writing in Context
 Assign Cover Letter
Wed, Jan 30 Day 8:  Rhetorical Situation
 Researching the Rhetorical Situation
 Steingarten: eHandout
Fri, Feb 1 Day 9: Due: Cover Letter by midnight on Canvas
 Questioning the Author Writing pp 25-35
 Steingarten: eHandout
 Assign: Annotation & Questioning Exercise with Steingarten
Week 4
Mon, Feb 4 Day 10: Due: Steingarten Annotation & Questioning in class
 Using Evidence and Reasoning Writing pp 40-43
 Interpreting Evidence Writing pp 47-51
 Assign: Steingarten Logic Analysis
Wed, Feb 6 Day 11:  Summarizing a Brief Passage (box) Writing p 78
Computer Lab  Summarizing an Article Writing pp 83-85
 LeGuin "Staying Awake…." Writing pp 175-176
 In Class Work: Brief Summary Exercise
Fri, Feb 8 Day 12: Due: Steingarten Logic Analysis by midnight on Canvas
 Questioning the Author Writing pp 25-35
 Steingarten: eHandout
Week 5
Mon, Feb 11 Day 13:  Summarizing a Complex Essay Writing pp 88-93
 Gould "Evolution…" eHandout, Print from Canvas, bring to class
 Assign Complex Summary
Wed, Feb 13 Day 14: Library Orientation, Axe Library Classroom
Fri, Feb 15 Day 15: Due: Complex Summary box by midnight on Canvas
 Group 1 Discussion: Prose
Week 6
Mon, Feb 18 Day 16:  Single Source Essay Strategy Two Writing pp 200-207
 Gould "Evolution…" eHandout, Print from Canvas, bring to class
Wed, Feb 20 Day 17:  Single Source Essay Strategy One Writing pp 183-191
 Contexts for Evolution… eHandout, Print from Canvas, bring to class
 Assign Discovery Draft
Fri, Feb 22 Day 18:  Group 2 Discussion: Focusing
Week 7
Mon, Feb 25 Day 19: Due: Bring Discovery Draft to class
 Comparison: Strategies One & Two
 Working with a Discovery Draft
 Selecting a Topic
 Assign Single Source Essay
Wed, Feb 27 Day 20:  eHandout: Thesis Statements
 Essay Planning and Outlines
 Rhetorical Situation
Fri, Mar 1 Day 21:  Group 3 Discussion: Audience
Week 8
Mon, Mar 4 Day 22: Due: Single Source Essay Plan by midnight on Canvas
 Rebuttal & Structural Strategies with Revision
 Essay Logic, Argument, & Evidence
Wed, Mar 6 Day 23:  No Class: Conference 1
Fri, Mar 8 Day 24:  Group 4 Discussion: Structure
Week 9
Mon, Mar 11 Day 25: Due: Single Source Essay Rough Draft by 9 am on Canvas
Computer Lab  Peer Review
Wed, Mar 13 Day 26:  Revision Writing pp 207-208
Fri, Mar 15 Day 27: Due: Single Source Essay Final Draft by midnight on Canvas
 Group 1 Discussion
Week 10
Mon, Mar 25 Day 28:  Analyzing Multiple Sources Writing pp 218-224
 Annotated Bibliography: eHandout
 Assign Synthesis Essay
Wed, Mar 27 Day 29:  Organizing Multiple Sources Writing pp 237-238
 In Class exercise: Organizing Sources
Fri, Mar 29 Day 30: Due: Synthesis Essay Plan & Bibliography by midnight on Canvas
 Group 1 Discussion
Week 11
Mon, Apr 1 Day 31:  When to Synthesize Writing pp 258-260
 TBA eHandout
 Assignment Discussion & Source Pooling
Wed, Apr 3 Day 32: Due: Synthesis Essay Rough Draft by 9 am on Canvas
Computer Lab  Peer Review
Fri, Apr 5 Day 33:  Group 2 Discussion
Week 12
Mon, Apr 8 Day 33: Due: Synthesis Essay Final Draft by midnight on Canvas
 Topic Narrowing Writing pp 289-296
 Developing a List of Topics Writing pp 399-400
 Using Preliminary Research to Develop a Topic
 Assign Argument Essay
Wed, Apr 10 Day 34: Informal Topic Proposal due in class, typed
 Present topic proposal
Fri, Apr 12 Day 35:  Group 3 Discussion
Week 13
Mon, Apr 15 Day 36:  Evaluating Sources & Using Wikipedia
 Research Logs
Wed, Apr 17 Day 37:  No Class: Conference Two
Fri, Apr 19 Day 38: Due: Argument Essay Plan by midnight on Canvas
 Group 4 Discussion
Week 14
Mon, Apr 22 Day 39:  Integrating Visuals Writing pp 426-427
 Visuals: eHandout
Wed, Apr 24 Day 40: Due: Research Logs in Class
 Accommodating Argument Writing pp 410-416
 Franks "Failure Is Not an Option …" eHandout
 Steingarten eHandout
Fri, Apr 26 Day 41:  Group Discussion A & Final Quiz
Week 15
Mon, Apr 29 Day 42:  Discuss Assessment
 Review
 Conference Three
Wed, May 1 Day 43:  Group Discussion B & Final Quiz
Fri, May 3 Day 44: Argument Essay Rough Draft due by noon
Computer Lab  Peer Review
Finals Week
Mon, May 6 Day 45: Assessment, 10:00 to 10:50 in Grubbs 101
Thu, May 9 Argument Essay Final Draft due by midnight