UMASS Dartmouth
FALL 2012
ENL102 - 08
Critical Writing and Reading II: Writing about Writing (WAW)
Instructor – Professor Katy E. Whittingham
Office – Group I – 201B
Course Meeting Times: Tues/Thurs 8-9:15
Course Meeting Location: Liberal Arts 108
Office Hours – Tues/Thurs. 9:15-10:45
Mailbox – Group I – English Office - 341
Voicemail – 508-531-6611 (leave a message)
Email – kwhittingham@umassd.edu
Course Description:
Students in this section of ENL 102 will continue to develop reading-writing-thinkingresearch strategies and habits for effectively solving writing problems in a variety of
different academic and personal contexts. Students will read academic texts (produced in
composition/rhetoric and other disciplinary and/or academic communities), research
examples of professional writing in their own majors, and respond to written feedback
from their instructors. Please note: this is a second term section of the pilot, Writing
about Writing, which we will discuss at greater length.
Course Outcomes:
1. Read, discuss, write and revise texts to enter the on-going conversations of
professional researchers in composition/rhetoric and communities of practice
across the disciplines;
2. Further develop college-level critical reading skills of academic and disciplinespecific source materials;
3. Analyze the connections between and within academic/disciplinary genre
conventions and rhetorical situations;
4. Find, evaluate, select, integrate, and document appropriate resource materials
from library databases and print holdings;
5. Reflect upon and assess their own (and others’) writing processes and work
produced throughout the semester;
6. Employ appropriate mechanics and conventions in their own writing to reflect the
writing situation.
I.
Instructional Methods: Lecture, discussion, in-class writing and reading, and peer
workshop and activities.
II.
Evaluation: All written work will be evaluated on the basis of completeness,
clarity, coherence, organization, and correctness of spelling, grammar,
punctuation, and usage, according to the rules of standard American English.
Your final grade will be based on the following:
20% - Essays and Revisions (1-2)
20% - Essay #3 Writing in Your Major and Revision
20% - Workshop/Peer Evaluation/Additional Group Work
30% - Reader Responses, In-Class Writing, Participation, and Discussion
10% - Final Portfolio with Assignment Reflections
III.
Attendance Policy: I will take attendance at the beginning of every class. I will
begin by calling names. After I know every student’s name, I will check you off
as you come in. Experience has shown a strong correlation between attendance
and success in this course. Basically, if you continually miss class, you will miss
work, and you will likely fail the course.
Continued late arrivals (3) will count as a full absence. Arriving more than 20
minutes late, falling asleep, or leaving class without prior permission will count as
a full absence.
Four absences for any reason will be “excused”, although the missed work will
NOT be excused. After four, I will deduct a portion of your grade, 1/3, for each
absence. For example, if you had a B in the class, your grade would drop to a Bfor each absence.
If you come to face a prolonged medical or personal situation, you should contact
Student Affairs and email me immediately. YOU are responsible for any
information and/or work you miss due to an absence. Most work is NOT
accepted after the deadline even if an absence is “excused” unless prior
arrangements are made. In almost every case, work that is completed in class
may NOT be made up.
With this stated, I have a sincere interest in every single one of you completing
this course and doing well. Please remember communication is key. Come see
me during my office hours or email me if you are falling behind or having any
other difficulties. I don’t bite!
IV:
Text and Supplies:
Downs, Doug and Elizabeth Wardle. Writing about Writing: A College
Reader (at UMD bookstore)
Lundsford, Andrea. The Everyday Writer (Fourth Edition) (at UMD bookstore)
- A notebook for class and study notes
- A binder or folder to keep assignments that have been passed back
- A small, working stapler to use in and out of class (bring to every class)
V.
Accessibility Statement:
In accordance with University policy, if you have a documented disability and
require accommodations to obtain equal access in this course, please meet with
the instructor at the beginning of the semester and provide the appropriate
paperwork from the Center for Access and Success. The necessary paperwork is
obtained when you bring proper documentation to the Center, which is located in
Liberal Arts, Room 016; phone: 508.999.8711. Additional information can be
found at: http://www1.umassd.edu/dss/
VI.
Incomplete Policy: In accordance with departmental policy, incompletes are not
given in ENL101 or ENL102.
VII.
Academic Ethical Standards Statement:
All UMass Dartmouth students are expected to maintain high standards of
academic integrity and scholarly practice. The University does not tolerate
academic dishonesty of any variety, whether as a result of a failure to understand
required academic and scholarly procedure or as an act of intentional dishonesty.
The full policy may be reviewed at:
http://www.umassd.edu/studenthandbook/academicregs/ethicalstandards.cfm
VIII.
IX.
General Education Statement:
Every undergraduate student at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
must take ENL101 and ENL102 as part of their general education requirements.
Schedule of Assignments: See Attached.
About the Syllabus: The course syllabus is a type of contract between student and
teacher. It provides information to help you understand what you can expect from the
course and what will be expected of you. You should bring your syllabus to every class
period and consult it for upcoming assignments and activities. You should also review
policies, grading, and objectives when you have questions. Before asking when an
assignment is due, check the syllabus first. If approached with a question about a due
date, I will often refer you to the syllabus. I try my best not to change due dates on the
schedule of assignments, but because of unforeseen circumstances like my absence from
class or inclement weather, sometimes changes do have to made. If you have your
syllabus in class, you will be able to make these changes.
About the Texts: You will need Writing about Writing for in-class writing, reader
responses, and some of your essays. The Everyday Writer will be your main source for
documenting sources in your papers. You will not be able to complete the course work,
if you do not have the texts. If you do not complete course work, you will fail the course.
Therefore, you will need all of the texts and materials immediately.
About Reading Responses, In-Class Writing, Active Participation, and Discussion:
Topics for all in-class writing samples will be announced the class period they are
scheduled. You may NOT make up an in-class writing sample, so please do not ask.
There are NO exceptions. You will often need Writing about Writing for in-class writing
samples. In-class samples are evaluated on a 5-point scale.
For Reading Responses you will need to complete the assigned reading and respond
critically to that reading to participate in our class discussions, and you will need to
participate in discussions to succeed in this class. Your critical responses should be
either typed or printed VERY neatly on lined paper, as they will be turned in after class.
Since credit is based on your verbal and written response to the reading, you will not
receive full credit if you are absent the day we discuss the reading or do not participate.
Reader responses are evaluated on a 5-point scale. Although you can see on the schedule
when readings are due, the readings are not listed. You must be in class to get the
reading assignments. If you are absent when reading is assigned, please contact me or
someone in class, so you won’t show up unprepared for the next class.
Other assignments, usually prewriting and other preparation for the papers, and additional
reading and activities count toward this 30%. Basically you need to be in class, be
prepared with your materials and work completed, and participate.
About Extra Credit: No class work can be made up. If you are absent and miss the
activity, you do not receive credit. If you have missed an activity, you can propose an
extra credit assignment for possible credit. I may also assign one or two extra credit
activities. Extra Credit may not be used for missed essays, workshop, or discussion.
About Groups: You will be divided into small work groups in the beginning of the
semester based on your specific major and/or larger discipline of study. Your group will
remain the same throughout the semester, so you will get to know these other students
well. Often, you will meet in group before discussions, complete class activities together,
and even work on research related projects. You should have contact information for all
group members and reach out to them when you have a question or issue. In addition to
me, your group is another set of folks there to help you.
About Essays 1-3: All essays are due at the beginning of the class period (dates
indicated on schedule of assignments). Please plan ahead to avoid printing problems and
last minute issues. Late assignments will NOT be accepted due to the nature of the class.
If you don’t hand your essay in the day it is due, you will also miss out on the opportunity
to workshop.
A revision is required for all essays, unless you receive above an A or A- on your first
draft. If you receive below an A-, you will complete a revision and staple it to your
graded first draft. Your grade for the essay will be the average between your draft grade
and your revision grade. If you do not hand in a revision, a zero will be averaged with
your draft grade.
All essays should be typed and double spaced using a 12-point font with 1” margins.
Your essays should be stapled before class and ready to hand in. I will not accept essays
that are not stapled. Your heading should be formatted according to the appropriate
documentation style, but you should include the following information:
Your Name
Class # and Section #
Essay # and Draft #
Date Essay is Due
** Please Note: I do NOT accept emailed essays. You are responsible for printing hard
copies out to hand in the day they are due. There are NO exceptions aside from the final
portfolio. This rule still applies if you are unable to attend class. I will always accept
essays early, or you can arrange for someone to put the essay in my mailbox in the
English Department, Group I – 341.
About Workshop: Before turning in your essay draft, you will workshop with a partner
or small group depending on the assignment. You will be asked to read your partner’s
essay and provide detailed written feedback. These responses should go beyond simple
peer editing. This process will take time because you want to provide specific
constructive criticism to help the student revise their first draft. The individual feedback
you provide also determines whether you will get full credit for workshop.
About the Portfolio: Your final portfolio will include Revisions 1- 3 and written
reflections on assignments 1-3 covering everything from the initial assignment sheet to
discussion to related readings to prewriting to drafting to workshopping to revising. It is
very important that you keep your revisions and drafts saved on your computer (always
backup) and/or a USB drive.
About Academic Dishonesty Including Plagiarism and Cheating: Plagiarism can be
defined as taking the ideas and/or writings of another and passing them off as your own.
While there is a difference between intentional and unintentional plagiarism, any student
found plagiarizing or cheating in any way could fail the course and be subject to further
disciplinary action according to college policy. If you don’t know how to cite something,
consult your handbook. If you still have questions, go to the Writing Center, consult a
librarian, or see me.
I urge you to also review the UMASS Dartmouth Student Academic Integrity Policy:
Academic Regulations and Procedures. This policy appears in the undergraduate
catalogue, in the student handbook, and by following the link below:
http://www.umassd.edu/studentaffairs/studenthandbookintroduction/academicr
egulationsandprocedures/
About Mutual Respect: It is my sincere hope that this classroom will be a comfortable
and productive learning environment for all. For this to happen, the following is
expected:
- All cell phones, MP3 players, iPads, and/or any other technology must be put away
and out of sight BEFORE you enter the classroom. You are free to use technology
outside of the classroom until the class period starts, but the classroom, aside from quiet
talking among classmates, should be completely free of distractions for those who
would like to use the time to study and prepare for the upcoming class period. If you
are in the classroom, and the technology is seen, I will ask you to put it away. If this
continues, you will be asked to leave class and be marked absent for that class period.
As texting seems to be the worst offense, there will only be one warning before you are
marked absent.
- If you leave class early without special permission, you will be marked absent.
- This may seem obvious, but if you are sleeping, you are not in “attendance” and will be
marked absent.
- When possible try to use the restroom before class starts. Walking out during
discussion or other class activities can be disruptive.
- Unless you are using a laptop for class purposes, it should be closed. Because typing is
distracting, you should never be typing when another student is talking or presenting.
- Arrive promptly to class. Lateness is disruptive and should be avoided. If your
schedule prevents you from being here on time because of work commitments, personal
commitments, or commitments for another class, then you should transfer out of this
class as soon as possible to avoid problems. Continued late arrivals will be marked as
absences.
- If food or beverages brought to class become disruptive or prevent you from
participating in class, I will ask you to put the items away. If you have a peanut or tree
nut allergy, please alert me as soon as possible.
- This class will involve sharing writing and thoughts in an open forum. Debate,
feedback, and any criticism should be constructive. You will find that if you respect
the ideas and beliefs of others, even if they differ from your own, this usually will be
reciprocated.
SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS
INTRODUCTION – WELCOME
Week 1
Thurs. 9/6: Syllabus Review/ Discuss Groups and Majors /HW: Purchase Texts &
Materials and Reading
UNIT I - THIS I BELIEVE ABOUT READING AND WRITING
Week 2
Tues. 9/11: WAW Philosophy/ In-Class #1/ HW: Read and Respond #1 (R&R #1)
Thurs. 9/13: Discuss R&R #1/ Text Check/ Assign Essay #1/ Group Meet and Greet/
HW: Reading for Essay and Exercise #1
Week 3
Tues. 9/18: Work in Groups Exercise #1/ Writing Metaphors/ HW: R&R #2
Thurs. 9/20: Discuss R&R #2/ HW: Essay #1
UNIT II – LITERACY
Week 4
Tues. 9/25: Essay #1 Due/ Workshop Essay #1/ HW: Literacy Exercise #2 and R&R #3
Thurs. 9/27: Discuss Exercise #2 and R&R #3/ HW: Image Exercise #3
Week 5
Tues. 10/2: Work in groups Image Exercise #3/ Assign Essay #2/ HW: Revision #1
Thurs. 10/4: Revision #1/ In-Class #2/ HW: Exercise #4
UNIT III – DISCOURSE COMMUNITIES
Week 6
Tues. 10/9: Discuss Exercise #4/ HW: Work on Observations
Thurs. 10/11: In-Class #3/ HW: Work on Observations and R&R #4
Week 7
Tues. 10/16: Discuss R&R #4/ Say What???/ HW: Observation
Thurs. 10/18: Bring in Observation and Work with Group/ HW: Essay #2
Week 8 -- Midterm
Tues. 10/23: Essay #2 Due/ Workshop #2/ HW: Reading
Thurs. 10/25: In-Class #4/ Assign Essay #3/ HW: Exercise #5
UNIT IV – COLLEGE WRITING AND BEYOND
Week 9
Tues. 10/30: Discuss Exercise #5/ Discuss Disciplines and Documentation Style/ HW:
Set up Interviews and other Primary Research as soon as possible
Thurs. 11/1: Conferences (Bring Revision #2)
Week 10
Tues. 11/6: MANDATORY LIBRARY VISIT – Location TBA
Thurs. 11/8: Conferences (Bring Revision #2)/ HW: College Writing Log and Outline
Week 11
Tues. 11/13: Work in Groups College Writing Log and Outline / HW: Annotated
Bibliography
Thurs. 11/15: Annotated Bibliography/ HW: Essay #3
Week 12
Tues. 11/20: Essay #3/ Workshop #3/ HW: R&R #5
Thurs. 11/22: NO CLASS – THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Week 13
Tues. 11/27: Discuss R&R #5/ Assign Portfolios/ HW: Reading
Thurs. 11/29: In-Class #5/ HW: Writing Story
Week 14
Tues. 12/4: Share Writing Story in Class/ HW: Revision #3
Thurs. 12/6: Revision #3/ Instructor Evaluations/ HW: Portfolio
Portfolio
** Portfolio (submitted electronically) no later than 4pm Monday,
December 10th
Please Note: the last day to withdraw from a full semester class is Wednesday,
November 14th