ENG 100 Writing I
Breathitt High School Early College Program
Caudill College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Morehead State University
Instructor: Tonya Raines
Office: Room 112
Office Hours: 7:55-8:45 AM, M-F
Phone: 606-666-7511, x227
Email: tonya.raines@breathitt.kyschools.us
COURSE MATERIALS/TEXTBOOKS: REQUIRED, BRING TO CLASS EVERY DAY UNLESS INSTRCUTED
OTHERWISE BEFOREHAND. DO NOT WALK THROUGH THE DOOR EMPTY-HANDED.
Textbook:
Lunsford, Andrea A., John J. Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters. Everything’s An Argument. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/St.
Martin’s, 2010. ISBN (with readings): 978-0-312-53861-3
Additional Materials:
Paper
Pencils and pens
Jump drive
Highlighters
Binder or folder for storing class handouts
Post-it Notes
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: Students are expected to attend class every day. Your daily participation is an
important component of the class. After nine absences, excused or unexcused, your grade will be lowered ONE
1
PERCENTAGE POINT for each additional absence. For example, you will lose one percentage point for ten absences,
two percentage points for eleven absences, three percentage points for twelve absence, etc. Please try to schedule
appointments around this class so you don’t have to miss. In addition, talk to your club sponsors and schedule your club
activities around this class. In the event extenuating circumstances require an absence beyond the reasonable nineabsence policy, that absence must be documented and excused by me to avoid the penalty. Only extenuating
circumstances such as a death in the family or serious illness will be excused in these cases. Regardless of the reason
you are absent, it is your responsibility to find out what was covered in class that day. In addition, regardless of the reason
you are absent, you are expected to meet deadlines. If you are absent, there is no option to make up in-class writing
assignments, reading quizzes, or class discussions.
Tardy Policy: Coming to class late or leaving class early three times will be the equivalent of one absence. If this causes
your total absences to exceed nine, your grade will be lowered by one percentage point as outlined above.
Late/Makeup Work: All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the announced date. In-class writing
assignments, reading quizzes, and class discussions cannot be made up. You must submit your essays in the appropriate
drop box on Blackboard. Essays must be in the drop box on the due date and before the class period begins. Formal
essays will be penalized 10 points if they are more than fifteen minutes late but still submitted on the due date. After the
due date, they will be penalized 20 points per day late, excluding weekends. All essays must be completed and submitted
in order to receive a grade for the class. If you do not have two hard copies of your drafts on peer review dates at the
beginning of class, you will receive a grade of zero for that class period. Assigned readings should be completed prior to
class. Major papers and basic reading assignments are on the course outline. Shorter writing assignments or readings
and quizzes may or may not be announced prior to class.
Cell Phone/Electronic Devices Policy: The use of electronic devices during class is not allowed. These devices include,
but are not limited to, cell phones, iPods or other mp3 players, and cameras. These items should remain out of sight
during the entire class period. Phones should be set to silent. Do not take calls, text, or take pictures during class. You
need to show respect to others (teacher and peers) by listening carefully and responding thoughtfully. Failure to follow this
policy will be documented. Blatant disregard (any instance after the second offense) will result in the student being given a
“tardy” and the tardy policy outlined above will be followed.
Essays: Specific criteria for each formal writing assignment will be explained on the date the writing is assigned. There
are some general guidelines which must apply to all formal writing assignments. All drafts and essays must be typed (no
handwritten submissions), double-spaced, using Times New Roman font in size 12. All drafts and essays must have a title
page. The title page should include the following information: title of your essay, your name, ENGLISH 100, the date
submitted, and the word count. You should bring two hard copies of a draft on peer review days. The title cannot be the
assignment (synthesis essay, research paper, or rhetorical analysis). There must be a title that reflects the nature of your
paper. To receive credit, a rough draft should be the approximate length of the assigned essay. All drafts and essays
should have a properly formatted works cited page and should contain properly formatted in-text citations. You may
choose to include a running head that includes your last name and the page number.
Discussion Board Posts: You are required to respond to a discussion board prompt weekly on Blackboard. Weeks will
run Sunday through Saturday. Be sure your response is your own, original work. If necessary, cite sources. Original
discussion board posts should be approximately 250-300 words. Discussion board posts should be treated as formal
writing and appropriate standards should be followed. In addition, you are to respond to at least one class member’s post
each week. That response should be 150-200 words. Responses deemed inappropriate will not receive credit. If a prompt
has multiple parts, be sure to address all parts of the prompt. For some responses, only one student will be allowed to
write about a particular topic. In those cases, be sure you’re not writing your original post about the same topic someone
else has already chosen because you will not get credit. The first to post will receive the credit. Discussion board posts
will be worth 10 points each week – 5 for your original post and 5 for your response to a classmate. Original posts to the
prompt must be submitted by noon on Wednesday of each week. Responses to peers must be made by noon on Friday of
each week. Late posts will be penalized. No posts will be accepted for credit after 11:59 P.M. on Saturday. The discussion
board posts will count a total of 10% of the final grade.
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,
2
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 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 as academic dishonesty, read The Eagle Student
Handbook or ask your instructor. The handbook is located at
http://moreheadstate.edu/files/units/dsl/eaglehandbook/studenthandbook2008-09.pdf
ASSESSMENT:
Assessment
Summary Essay
Synthesis Essay
Rhetorical Analysis Essay
Annotated Bibliography
Research Paper
Discussion Board Posts
Library Test
Quizzes, homework, in-class
activities
Oral Presentation
Final exam
Description
300-400 words; summary of an assigned article.
1300-1500 words; an argument paper developed by
integrating information from at least three sources, two of
which must be articles from the textbook.
800-1000; an analysis of an article’s organization, support,
errors in reasoning (fallacies), tone, etc.
A list of 8 sources which you expect to use in writing your
research paper, with an 85-100 word summary of each
source. Each source must be in appropriate MLA format.
1800-2100 words; an argument paper based on a
controversial subject in your anticipated major; minimum 5
sources.
Weekly postings to the discussion board on Blackboard.
A timed, computer-based research test on the use of the
online library catalog, library databases, and Internet search
engines.
Announced and unannounced quizzes, homework
assignments, participation, etc.
An oral presentation to the class of the main findings in your
research paper.
Common MSU final exam for Eng 100
Points (to
total 1000)
100
100
Weight (to
equal 100%)
10%
10%
100
10%
100
10%
250
25%
100
50
10%
5%
50
5%
50
5%
100
10%
GRADING POLICIES: The grading scale is listed below. Refer to “assessment” above for specific assignments, point
values, and weights.
90 – 100% is an A, 80-89 % is a B, 70-79% is a C, 60-69% is a D, and 59% and below is an E.
SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS: (Schedule is subject to change with advance notice. Minor changes will be made if
needed. Inclement weather and the schedule of Breathitt High School may dictate changes. Please note that with
scheduled days off, some weeks are shorter than others.)
Week 1 – Aug 8-17:






MSU paperwork
Syllabus
Resource Packet
Essay Writing Strategies
Active Reading Strategies
Aug. 15, noon – Discussion Board Post #1 due
3


Aug. 16 – Reading due – Chapter 1, Everything’s an Argument
Aug. 17, noon – Discussion Board Response #1 due
Week 2 – Aug 20-24:






Summaries & Paraphrasing
Aug. 20 – Reading due – “The World Food Crisis: An Overview of the Causes and Consequences and Food
Crisis Information and Resources” pg. 794
Aug. 22 – Assign Summary Essay (“The Well-to-Do Get Less So, and Teenagers Feel the Crunch”, pg. 977)
Aug. 22, noon – Discussion Board Post #2 due
Aug. 23 – Reading due – Chapter 19, Evaluating and Using Sources
Aug. 24, noon – Discussion Board Response #2 due
Week 3 – Aug 27-31:






Identifying Plagiarism
Aug. 27 – Reading Due – Chapter 18, Intellectual Property, Academic Integrity, and Avoiding Plagiarism
Aug. 28 – Peer Review Summary Essay (2 hard copies)
Aug. 29, noon – Discussion Board Post #3 due
Aug. 29 – Evaluating sources handout due
Aug. 31, noon – Discussion Board Response #3 due (no school)
Week 4 – Sept. 3-7:







Sept. 3 – No School, Labor Day
Sept. 4 – SUMMARY ESSAY DUE
Sept. 4 – Reading due – Chapter 2, Pathos
Sept. 5, noon – Discussion Board Post #4 due
Sept. 6 – Reading due – Chapter 3, Ethos
Sept. 7, noon – Discussion Board Response #4 due
Sept. 7 – Reading due – Chapter 4, Logos
Week 5 – Sept. 10-14:






Thesis Statements
Sept. 11 – Assign Synthesis Essay
Sept. 12, noon – Discussion Board Post #5 due
Sept. 12 – Reading due – Chapter 5, Thinking Rhetorically
Sept. 14, noon – Discussion Board Response #5 due
Sept. 14 – Reading due – “Protecting Freedom of Expression at Harvard” and “A Curse and a Blessing”, pg. 118
Week 6 – Sep 17-21:




Sept. 17 – Reading due – Chapter 6, Academic Arguments
Sept. 18 – Peer Review Synthesis Essay (2 hard copies)
Sept. 19, noon – Discussion Board Post #6 due
Sept. 21, noon – Discussion Board Response #6 due
Week 7 – Sep 24-28:





Sept. 24 – SYNTHESIS ESSAY DUE
Sept. 24 – Assign Rhetorical Essay (either “The F-Word”, pg. 751, or “The Separation of Church and State”, pg.
877)
Sept. 26, noon – Discussion Board Post #7 due
Sept. 26 – Readings due – Chapters 8-12: Types of Argument (Fact, Definition, Evaluation, Causal, Proposal)
Sept. 28, noon – Discussion Board Response #7 due
4
Week 8 – Oct. 1-5:






Continue Chapters 8-12
Oct. 2 – Peer Review Rhetorical Analysis (2 hard copies)
Oct. 3, noon – Discussion Board Post #8 due
Oct. 3 – Reading due – Chapter 16, What Counts as Evidence?
Oct. 4 – Reading due – Chapter 7, Structure in Argument
Oct. 5, noon – Discussion Board Response #8 due
Week 9 – Oct. 8-12:





Oct. 9 – RHETORICAL ANALYSIS DUE
Oct. 9 – Assign Annotated Bibliography and Research Paper
Oct. 10, noon – Discussion Board Post #9 due
Oct. 11 – no school
Oct. 12, noon – Discussion Board Response #9 due (no school)
Week 10 – Oct. 15-19:





Oct. 15 – Reading due – Chapter 17, Fallacies of Argument
Oct. 16 – Peer review annotated bibliography (2 hard copies)
Oct. 17, noon – Discussion Board Post #10 due
Oct. 18 – Reading due – “Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship”, pg. 653
Oct. 19, noon – Discussion Board Response #10 due
Week 11 – Oct. 22-26:




Oct. 22 – Reading due – Chapter 13, Style in Argument
Oct. 23 – ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY DUE
Oct. 24, noon – Discussion Board Post #11 due
Oct. 26, noon – Discussion Board Response #11 due
Week 12 – Oct 29-Nov. 2:







Oct. 29 – Reading Due – Chapter 14, Visual Arguments
Oct. 30 – Reading Due – Chapter 15, Presenting Arguments
Oct. 31, noon – Discussion Board Post #12 due
Oct. 31 – Reading due – “One in Five Employers Uses Social Networking Sites in Hiring”, pg. 673
Nov. 1 – Reading due – “A Friend of a Friend of a Friend Knows You’re on Vacation”, pg. 669
Nov. 2 – Reading due – “Study Finds Teenagers’ Internet Socializing Isn’t Such a Bad Thing”, pg. 676
Nov. 2, noon – Discussion Board Response #12 due
Week 13 – Nov. 5-9:





Nov. 5 – no school
Nov. 6 – no school
Nov. 7 – Begin research paper conferencing (2 hard copies)
Nov. 7, noon – Discussion Board Post #13 due
Nov. 9, noon – Discussion Board Response #13 due
Week 14 – Nov. 12-16:


Finish research paper conferencing
Library Videos
5



Library Quiz
Nov. 14, noon – Discussion Board Post #14 due
Nov. 16, noon – Discussion Board Response #14 due
Week 15 – Nov. 19-23:



Nov. 20 – RESEARCH PAPER DUE
No Discussion Board Posts due this week.
Thanksgiving Break
Week 16 – Nov. 26-30:



Nov. 26 – Begin Oral Presentations of Research Papers
Nov. 28, noon – Discussion Board Post #15 due
Nov. 30, noon – Discussion Board Response #15 due
Week 17 – Dec. 3-7:



Review of active reading and essay writing strategies
Dec. 5, noon – Discussion Board Post #16 due
Dec. 7, noon – Discussion Board Response #16 due
Week 18 – Dec. 10-14:
Final Exam: To be administered during the regularly scheduled final exam period for each section.
6