ENG 100 Writing I
Section 003/010 T/Th/F2
Caudill College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Morehead State University
Instructor: Dr. Lee Skallerup Bessette
Office: Faculty House 102
Office Hours: 1-2 PM Daily or by Appointment
Phone: 606-783-2196
Email: l.skallerup@moreheadstate.edu
COURSE MATERIALS/TEXTBOOKS:
Lundsford, Andrea A. and John J. Ruszkiewicz. Everything’s an Argument. 5th Edition. Boston, New York:
Bedford/St. Martin, 2010. ISBN: 978-0-312-53862-0 (This is the one WITHOUT READINGS)
Davidson, Cathy. Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way we Live, Work,
and Learn. New York, Viking Adult, 2011. ISBN: 978-0670022823
PURPOSE OF COURSE/CATALOG DESCRIPTION
Prerequisite: 18 ACT English subscore or successful completion of ENG 099. The course is designed to develop
students’ skills in reading introductory college-level texts with comprehension and critical awareness; writing
effective academic prose; making use of current technologies to locate information relevant to select topics; and
making effective and appropriate use of a modest number of sources in expository and persuasive/argumentative
essays. This course satisfies the Core Writing I for general education.
APPROVED UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENT LEARNER OUTCOMES
1. Read college-level critical, creative and technical texts for comprehension (1b).
2. Write effectively for a variety of target audiences using conventions associated with standard English (1c).
3. Employ current technologies to locate, analyze, evaluate and use information in multiple contexts and for a
variety of purposes (2a).
4. Thoughtfully analyze and evaluate diverse points of view (2c).
LEARNER OUTCOMES: Students will be assessed according to their ability to produce papers that
1. synthesize information from two or more sources dealing with a common topic;
2. demonstrate critical thinking in analyzing and constructing arguments;
3. demonstrate facility with information literacy skills, including library research methods;
Internet research techniques, or field research techniques;
4. make fair and appropriate use of work of others in illustrating and supporting claims;
5. document their use of sources according to MLA conventions;
6. demonstrate an understanding of the rhetorical skills related to discovery, arrangement, and
style;
7. demonstrate awareness of audience and employ appropriate tone, diction, vocabulary
according to the targeted audience and purpose;
8. adhere to the conventions appropriate to academic discourse, including standard grammar,
mechanics, and usage;
9. demonstrate the ability to produce a coherent piece of writing shaped by a controlling idea; and
11. demonstrate the ability to write for different purposes, target different audiences, and employ a
range of tactics (including appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos).
CLASSROOM POLICIES:
Attendance/Participation Policy: Absences result in lower grades or failure. Make-up work is permitted only
when an acceptable explanation is documented and presented to me by the class meeting following the absence,
and the make-up work must be turned in by the class meeting following that discussion. (Note: "pop" quizzes
and group work cannot be made up regardless of the nature of your absence.) If you must be absent, call me or
email me prior to the meeting or as soon after as possible. Regardless of absence, meeting assignments on time
is still your responsibility.
Tardy Policy: If you arrive in class after the roll has been taken, your absence will remain on my records unless
you check with me after class. If you are more than ten minutes late, the absence will not be removed from the
record. Excessive tardiness translates into absences. There will be no opportunity to make up work missed
as a result of tardiness.
ADA Compliance Statement: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): In compliance with the ADA, all
students with a documented disability are entitled to reasonable accommodations and services to support their
academic success and safety. Though a request for services may be made at any time, services are best applied
when they are requested at or before the start of the semester. To receive accommodations and services the
student should immediately contact the Disability Services Coordinator in the Office of Academic and Career
Services, 223 Allie Young Hall, 606-783-5188, www.moreheadstate.edu/acs/. [NOTE: It is the student’s
responsibility to inform the instructor of any special needs before the end of the second week of classes and to
provide appropriate documentation.]
Campus Safety Statement:
Emergency response information will be discussed in class. Students should familiarize themselves with the
nearest exit routes in the event evacuation becomes necessary. You should notify your instructor at the
beginning of the semester if you have special needs or will require assistance during an emergency evacuation.
Students should familiarize themselves with emergency response protocols at
http://www.moreheadstate.edu/emergency.
PLAGIARISM: Cheating, fabrication, plagiarism or helping others to commit these acts will not be tolerated.
Academic dishonesty will result in severe disciplinary action including, but not limited to, failure of the student
assessment item or course, and/or dismissal from MSU. If you are not sure what constitutes academic
dishonesty, read The Eagle: Student Handbook or ask your instructor. The policy is located at
http://www.moreheadstate.edu/files/units/dsl/eaglehandbook/studenthandbook2008-09.pdf [pgs.11 & 39]. For
example: Copying information from the Internet is plagiarism if appropriate credit is not given.
Online Access: This course will require you to have a Twitter account and regular access to the Internet in
order to participate in discussions/blogs on Blackboard. This class is going to be as paperless as possible, so
please keep that in mind.
ASSESSMENT:
Essay #1 (Rhetorical Analysis): 15%
Essay #2 (Now You See It): 20%
Essay #3 (Persuasive): 25%
Final Exam: 10%
Library Assessment: 5%
Blog Posts/In-Class: 25%
Grading Policy: Your grade at the end of the semester will be based on a portfolio of all of your writing.
Letter grades will be assigned according to the percentage of total points earned (90-100% = A, 80-89% = B,
70-79% = C, 60-69%=D, 59 and lower=E)
Class Schedule: This schedule is tentative and should be used as an outline/guide. Check Blackboard, and
expect changes to be announced in-class.
Week 1 Jan 17-20 (F1):
Intro and Explanation
Sign up for Twitter
Reading Journal
Week 2 Jan 23-27 (F2):
Critical Reading Skills
Read Chap 1 pp. 3-36
Reading Reflection
Week 3 Jan 30-Feb 3 (F1):
Read Chap 2, 3, 4 pp. 38-93
Logos, Ethos, Pathos
Week 4 Feb 6-10 (F2):
Continue with Logos, Ethos, Pathos
Read Chap 5 pp. 95-130
Week 5 Feb 13-17 (F1):
Begin Rhetorical Analysis Essay
Readings TBA
Week 6 Feb 20-24 (F2):
Peer Review of Rhetorical Analysis Essay
Week 7 Feb 27-March 2 (F1):
Begin Now You See It
Week 8 March 5-9 (F2)
Continue Now You See It
Week 9 March 12-16 (F1)
Continue Now You See It
Week 10 SPRING BREAK
Week 11 March 26-30 (F1)
Begin Essay for Now You See It
Read Chap 6 pp. 133-170
Week 12 April 2-6 (F2)
Peer Review
Week 13 April 9-13 (F1)
Crowdsourced Unit on The Future
Week 14 April 16-20 (F2)
Crowdcourced Unit on The Future
Week 15 April 23-27 (F1)
Work on Final persuasive essay
Week 16 April 30-May 4 (F2)
Work on Final persuasive essay
Week 17 May 7-11
Final Exam to take place during Finals Week