2011/2012
First-Year Writing Program Manual
Bradley Herzog
First-Year Writing Program Director
2010/2011
1
First-Year Writing Program Manual
Table of Contents
First-Year Writing Program Overview ...................................................................................................................... 1.0
English 080: Writing Skills (3 Credits) ....................................................................................................................... 2.0
English 080 Course Description .............................................................................................................................. 2.1
English 080 Course Outcomes ................................................................................................................................ 2.2
English 080 Course Practices .................................................................................................................................. 2.3
English 080 Methods to Achieve Outcomes ........................................................................................................... 2.4
English 080 Course Rubric – FYW Version .............................................................................................................. 2.5
English 080 Course Rubric – Student Version ........................................................................................................ 2.6
English 080 Course Texts ........................................................................................................................................ 2.7
English 111: Composition I (3 Credits) ....................................................................................................................... 3.0
English 111 Course Description .............................................................................................................................. 3.1
English 111 Course Outcomes ................................................................................................................................ 3.2
English 111 Course Practices .................................................................................................................................. 3.3
English 111 Methods to Achieve Outcomes ........................................................................................................... 3.4
English 111 Course Rubric ...................................................................................................................................... 3.5
English 111 Course Texts ........................................................................................................................................ 3.6
Syllabus and Essay Assignment Construction .......................................................................................................... 4.0
Required Syllabus Components .............................................................................................................................. 4.1
Disability Statement ............................................................................................................................................... 4.2
Plagiarism Statement ............................................................................................................................................. 4.3
Essay Assignment Guidelines ................................................................................................................................. 4.4
Training and Assessment Overview ......................................................................................................................... 5.0
New Faculty Orientation ........................................................................................................................................ 5.1
Preterm FYW Faculty Workshop ............................................................................................................................ 5.2
FYW Mentoring ...................................................................................................................................................... 5.3
Student Evaluation of the Instructor ..................................................................................................................... 5.4
Student Assessment of the Course ........................................................................................................................ 5.5
Instructor Assessment of the FYW Program .......................................................................................................... 5.6
Policies and Procedures ............................................................................................................................................ 6.0
Instructor Absence ................................................................................................................................................ 6.1
University Holidays ................................................................................................................................................. 6.2
Final Exam Period ................................................................................................................................................... 6.3
Computer Lab Use .................................................................................................................................................. 6.4
VSpace .................................................................................................................................................................... 6.5
Permission to Use Student Writing ........................................................................................................................ 6.6
Diagnostic Writing .................................................................................................................................................. 6.7
Mid-semester Assessment ..................................................................................................................................... 6.8
2
Policies and Procedures (cont.) ................................................................................................................................. 6.0
The Robert S. P. Yien First-Year Writing Awards .................................................................................................... 6.9
Writing Center/Library Orientation Sessions ....................................................................................................... 6.10
Peer Review Workshops/Student Instructor Conferences ................................................................................... 6.11
Grammar Statement ............................................................................................................................................ 6.12
Plagiarism Statement ........................................................................................................................................... 6.13
Procedure for Piloting Course Texts ..................................................................................................................... 6.14
Appendix and Forms ................................................................................................................................................. 7.0
First-Year Writing Program Instructor Agreement (Form) ..................................................................................... 7.1
Permission for Use of Student Writing (Form) ....................................................................................................... 7.2
English 080 First-Year Writing Award (Student Handout) ...................................................................................... 7.3
A Writing Process (Student Handout) .................................................................................................................... 7.4
Avoiding Plagiarism (Student Handout) ................................................................................................................. 7.5
3
First Year Writing Program Overview
1.0
T
he First-Year Writing Program at SVSU consists of two courses: English 080 (Writing Skills) and English 111
(Composition I).
Most first-year students take English 111, a three credit class which is required to be taken before registering for
four of the ten required general education courses at the university. Students are placed into English 080, a nocredit “pass/fail” course, if they have a 15 or lower composite score on their ACT or if indicated based on a writing
sample administered by the Office of Academic Advising. Once a student has passed English 080, the student can
continue onto English 111.
The First-Year Writing Program is housed in the English department, but provides an important service to the
university at large, preparing students for the rigor of writing, thinking, and reading in an academic setting. The
program is served by a First-Year Writing Coordinator and a number of talented and dedicated full and part time
faculty.
4
English 080: Writing Skills (3 Credits)
2.0
2.1 English 080 Course Description
The SVSU Course Catalog reads, “Practice in the generation of short essays and in the recognition and elimination
of errors in style, usage, and sentence structure. Attention to individual needs. Pass/no credit. See note under
Basic Skills.”
2.2 English 080 Course Outcomes
The student who successfully completes English 080 will be able to:
1.
Use writing processes that develop exploratory drafts into revised prose for specific audiences, including the
ability to:





Generate, select and focus writing topics
Plan, organize, and structure writing to develop a focus and purpose
Support positions in a manner convincing to targeted audiences
Review, critique, revise
Edit writing to conform to the general conventions of Standard English.
2.
Produce formal college level essays that exhibit the requisite skills to attain a C level or better on the course
rubric, which signals that a student is prepared to enter English 111 and engage in academic discourse at the
university level.
3.
Read critically and analyze material written for multiple audiences.
4.
Effectively participate in interactive/collaborative reading and writing activities.
2.3 English 080 Course Practices
1.
Students will write approximately 5000 words in the course, at least half of which will come from four formal
essays.
2.
Students will be provided with opportunities for in-class writing, with some attention to instruction in essay
exam strategies.
3.
Instructors will take product and process (journals, drafts, portfolios and conferences) into account when
assessing student performance in the course.
4.
Instructors will assess students using clearly defined criteria, including course rubric, sample papers, and other
materials provided by the instructor.
5
5.
Instructors will base at least 75% of a student’s final course grade on the evaluation of formal essays.
6.
Instructors can only give the grade of “C” or higher to a student who earns 70% of total points possible in the
course, and demonstrates significant competency in all course outcomes.
7.
Instructors will actively engage in strategies that work toward student retention and student success.
2.4 080 Methods to Achieve Outcomes
English 080 students need ample opportunity to write texts in which they communicate with others and with
themselves. Many students do not understand that they must write for a variety of audiences and purposes. They
may require assistance in adapting their material to meet the needs of their readers. Assignments should be
targeted to specific or varied audiences to provide practice in writing for different audiences.
1.
Use writing processes that develop exploratory drafts into revised prose for specific audiences, including
the ability to:
a.
Generate, select and focus writing topics.
To do so, students must learn something new and integrate it in writing, and come to new
conclusions or realizations about their own views through writing. Teachers should encourage
students to:






develop dialogue/response as invention
write narrative/personal experience—write about what they know
compare opposing views in writing
state and defend their own positions with reference to other writers’ views
write individual and/or dialogic journals in print or online format.
make use of valuable activities which include sharing and modeling the teacher’s own
writing experiences. Activities which encourage students to “keep at” assignments, get
past blocks and begin to trust their own abilities include freewrites, lists, webs and
clusters, brainstorming sessions, e-mail discussions, brief response papers, journals.
b. Plan, organize, and structure writing to develop a focus and purpose
Reviewing and discussing a variety of organizational patterns, analyzing the organizational
patterns of other authors’ work, outlining
c.
Use specific and credible evidence to support ideas
Analyzing the targeted audience, distinguishing fact from opinion, and using examples,
anecdotes, examples, visuals, along with statistics, charts and graphs to support general ideas
d. Review, critique, revise
Peer critique groups, the writing center, teacher conferences, self-critique using the course
rubric.
e.
Edit writing to conform to the general conventions of Standard English.
6




2.
Produce formal college level essays that exhibit the requisite skills to attain a C level or better on the
course rubric, which signals that a student is prepared to enter English 111 and engage in academic
discourse at the university level.
a.
b.
3.
essays are assessed using clearly defined criteria
students practice using the course rubric to evaluate sample essays
Read critically and analyze material written for multiple audiences and purposes.
Students will be asked to:
a.
b.
4.
“mini-lessons” and exercises on grammar that address common errors
“editorial boards” to review papers
individualized editing conferences, review of academic formats, and prose conventions
online grammar review software
read academic texts
analyze academic texts, identifying author’s thesis, author’s purpose, author’s underlying
assumptions, author’s style and strategies, their own positions in relation to the above.
Effectively participate in interactive/collaborative reading and writing activities.
Such activities will include:
a.
b.
c.
d.
small group activities (small group discussion, peer response, electronic interchanges)
paired activities (small group discussion, peer response, electronic interchanges)
whole-group activities
Student/teacher conference
7
2.5 English 080 Course Rubric – FYW Version
No Credit: The paper does not fulfill the assignment. No Credit: The paper is illegible. No Credit: The paper is plagiarized; see English 111 Plagiarism Policy.
080
Rubric
“A”
Papers
Content
Organization
The paper engages its intended audience,
demonstrating clarity and thoughtfulness.
The paper develops and effectively supports a
single focus and purpose.
The paper correctly incorporates and
integrates relevant support.
The overall organizational structure is
appropriate to the audience and purpose.
Paragraphs are developed and logically
related and sequenced.
The opening establishes the relationship
between the reader and the paper’s
purpose.
The paper closes effectively.
The overall organizational structure is
appropriate to the audience and purpose.
Paragraphs are logically related, but may
lack a fullness of sufficient detail or
evidence.
The opening establishes the relationship
between the reader and the paper’s
purpose.
The paper comes to closure.
The overall organizational structure is
generally easy to follow and appropriate to
the audience and purpose.
At times, paragraphs may lack sufficient
support or may be mis-sequenced or
slightly off track.
The paper’s opening or closing may be
overly mechanical or trite.
Ideas within and between paragraphs
connect.
The sentences are complete, clear,
coherent, and varied.
Careful word choice and an appropriate
tone support the paper’s purpose.
Format is correct and appropriate.
The grammar, spelling, punctuation, and
usage conform to the conventions of
standard English.
Ideas within and between paragraphs
connect.
Sentences are complete, and usually they
are clear, coherent, and varied.
Word choice and tone support the paper’s
purpose.
Format is correct and appropriate.
The paper is free of serious errors in
grammar, spelling, punctuation, or
usage.
Ideas within and between paragraphs
usually connect, but the connections may
be too mechanical or awkward
Sentences are generally complete, clear
and correct; however, some may be basic,
choppy, or lack variety.
Word choice and tone generally support
the paper’s purpose.
Format is generally correct and
appropriate.
Errors in grammar, spelling,
punctuation, or usage occasionally
interfere with communication and
damage the writer's credibility.
The overall organizational structure is
illogical, unclear and/or inappropriate.
Paragraphs frequently seem unrelated or
repetitive or are poorly constructed and
contain limited support.
The opening is overly general, missing, or
misleading.
The closing is weak or missing.
Ideas within and between paragraphs may
not connect or do so ineffectively.
Sentences are frequently incomplete, basic,
choppy, or repetitive in structure and may
display lapses in clarity or coherency.
Inappropriate word choice or tone detracts
from the paper’s purpose.
Format is not consistently correct or
appropriate.
Many errors in spelling, grammar,
punctuation, and usage impede
communication and undercut the
writer's credibility.
“B”
Papers
The paper engages its intended audience.
The paper develops and supports a single
focus and purpose.
The paper correctly incorporates relevant
support.
“C”
Papers
Although adequate in content, the paper may
not fully engage its intended audience.
The paper generally develops and supports its
focus and purpose, but may occasionally
wander from its central idea.
The paper includes relevant support, although
it is not always purposeful or fully integrated.
“D”
Papers
The paper does not engage its intended
audience.
The paper fails to develop/support its focus
and purpose or wanders from its central idea.
Necessary support is lacking or, if used, is
not relevant, purposeful, or integrated.
Style
8
Conventions
2.6 English 080 Course Rubric – Student Version
This rubric can be used in conjunction with the 080 Rubric – FYW Version to help students understand the terms and ideas inherent in assessing student writing.
Content
080
Rubric
“A”
Essays
“B”
Essays
“C”
Essays
“D”
Essays
Organization
Style




Grasps reader’s attention
Always stays on a specific, single topic
Is clearly and thoughtfully written
Main idea is clearly and correctly
supported with relevant ideas
 Organized appropriately for audience
and purpose
 Paragraphs are developed and in the
proper order
 Introduction connects reader to the
essay’s purpose
 Has an effective conclusion




May grasp reader’s attention
Almost always stays on topic
Is focused and well written
Supporting ideas are relevant to topic
 Organized appropriately for audience
and purpose.
 Paragraphs are developed, but may not
be in the right order or contain enough
support
 Introduction connects reader to the
essay’s purpose
 Has a conclusion





May not catch the reader’s attention
Has some development, but may lose focus
Not always on topic
Supporting ideas may not be relevant to
topic




Doesn’t draw the reader into the essay
Does not stay on topic
Lacks purpose or focus
No supporting detail
Conventions
 Strong transition words or phrases
skillfully connect ideas and paragraphs
 Clear sentences flow smoothly and make
sense
 Strong sentence variety
 Creative and thoughtful word choice
supports tone and purpose
 Strong voice skillfully matches tone and
purpose
 Transition words or phrases connect
ideas and paragraphs
 Clear sentences flow and make sense
 Evident sentence variety
 Word choice supports tone and purpose
 Voice matches tone and purpose





Correct format
Few to no errors
Correct grammar
Correct spelling
Correct punctuation





Correct format
Not too many errors
Minimal errors in grammar
Minimal errors in spelling
Minimal errors in punctuation
 Organization is generally easy to follow
 Paragraphs not always developed, not in
the right order or do not contain enough
support
 Introduction and/or conclusion may be
unclear and difficult to understand
 Transition words or phrases sometimes
connect ideas and paragraphs
 Sentences may be basic, choppy, or lack
clarity
 Some sentence variety
 Word choice sometimes supports tone
and purpose
 Voice occasionally matches tone and
purpose





Format generally correct
Errors interfere with reading
Some errors in grammar
Some errors in spelling
Some errors in punctuation
 Organization is not easy to follow
 Paragraphs are unrelated or poorly
written with little or no support.
 The introduction and/or conclusion is
weak, or missing
 Lacking transition words or phrases that
connect ideas and paragraphs
 Sentences are often incomplete, basic,
repetitive, choppy, or lack clarity
 Little or no sentence variety
 Word choice does not support tone and
purpose
 Voice detracts from tone and purpose





Format is incorrect
Text is generally not readable
Many errors in grammar
Many errors in spelling
Many errors in punctuation
No Credit: The essay does not fulfill the assignment, or the essay is illegible.
9
9
2.7 English 080 Course Texts
All sections of English 080 will use the following handbook:
Raimes, Ann and Maria Jerskey,. Keys for Writers. 6th ed. Wadsworth/Cengage, 2010 (Custom edition
for Saginaw Valley State University)
In addition, all instructors will choose one of the following readers/rhetorics:
Faigley, Lester. Backpack Writing. 2nd ed. Pearson/Longman, 2010.*
Penfield, Elizabeth. Short Takes: Model Essays for Composition. Pearson/Longman, 2010
Book orders should be submitted to bookstore@svsu.edu as soon as a decision is made. If you need assistance
from the bookstore, please call (989) 964-4277. Contact the FYW Coordinator for desk copies, or contact the
publisher directly.
*Denotes default textbook for sections that do not have a book order submitted in time.
10
ENG 111: Composition I (3 Credits)
3.0
3.1 English 111 Course Description
The SVSU Course Catalog reads, “Frequent writing assignments to produce informal and formal texts, with
emphasis on academic thinking and writing. Develops effective writing processes, from inventing and investigating
through organizing, drafting, revising, and editing. Helps students meet the needs of their readers. Includes
workshop approaches to develop students' ability to analyze and evaluate their own writings as well as the
writings of others. Prerequisite: ’P’ grade in ENGL 080 or satisfactory performance on Course Placement Test in
writing.”
3.2 English 111 Course Outcomes
The student who successfully completes English 111 will be able to:
1.
Use writing processes that develop exploratory drafts into revised prose for specific audiences, including
the ability to:





Generate, select and focus writing topics
Plan, organize, and structure writing to develop a focus and purpose
Use specific and credible evidence to support positions in a convincing manner
Review, critique, revise
Edit writing to conform to the general conventions of Standard English.
2.
Produce formal college-level essays that exhibit the requisite skills to attain a C level or better on the
course rubric, which signals that a student is prepared to enter Communication Intensive courses and
engage in academic discourse at the university level.
3.
Conduct introductory library and other research, integrate facts and evidence from multiple sources, and
document appropriately.
4.
Read critically and analyze material written for multiple audiences and purposes.
5. Effectively participate in interactive/collaborative reading and writing activities.
3.3 English 111 Course Practices
1.
Students will write approximately 10,000 words in the course: a minimum of 20 double spaced pages of
formal essays, and the equivalent of 20 double spaced pages of informal writing (such as essay drafts,
discussion posts, responses to readings, journals, etc.) divided into multiple assignments with appropriate
feedback.
2.
Students will write a minimum of four formal essays; two or more of these essays will incorporate
multiple outside sources, documented appropriately.
11
3.
Students will learn about documentation with a focus on MLA and APA; they will be provided with
opportunities for in-class writing as well as instruction in essay exam strategies.
4.
Students will receive library orientation, including a tour and an introduction to hands-on and online
research resources.
5.
Students will be provided with hands-on opportunities to develop technological skills for creating and/or
sharing documents (i.e., word processing, e-mailing, and online workshopping or online discussion).
6.
Instructors will assess students' products using clearly defined criteria, including course rubric, sample
papers, and other materials provided by the instructor.
7.
Instructors may take product and process (journals, drafts, portfolios and conferences) into account when
assessing student performance in the course.
8.
Instructors will base at least 75% of a student’s final course grade on the evaluation of formal essays.
9.
Instructors can only give the grade of “C” or higher to a student who earns 70% of total points possible in
the course, and demonstrates significant competency in all course outcomes.
10. Instructors will actively engage in strategies that work toward student retention and student success.
3.4 English 111 Methods to Achieve Outcomes
English 111 students need ample opportunity to write texts in which they communicate with others and with
themselves. Many students do not understand that they must write for a variety of audiences and purposes. They
may require assistance in adapting their material to meet the needs of their readers. Assignments should be
targeted to specific or varied audiences to provide practice in writing for different audiences.
1.
Use writing processes that develop exploratory drafts into revised prose for specific audiences, including
the ability to:
a.
Generate, select and focus writing topics
To do so, students must learn something new and integrate it in writing, and come to new
conclusions or realizations about their own views through writing. Teachers should encourage
students to:





develop dialogue/response as invention
write narrative/personal experience—write about what they know
compare opposing views in writing
state and defend their own positions with reference to other writers’ views
write individual and/or dialogic journals in print or online format.
12

make use of valuable activities which include sharing and modeling the teacher’s own
writing experiences. Activities which encourage students to “keep at” assignments, get
past blocks and begin to trust their own abilities include freewrites, lists, webs and
clusters, brainstorming sessions, e-mail discussions, brief response papers, journals.
b. Plan, organize, and structure writing to develop a focus and purpose
Reviewing and discussing a variety of organizational patterns, analyzing the organizational
patterns of other authors’ work, outlining
c.
Use specific and credible evidence to support positions in a convincing manner
Analyzing the targeted audience, distinguishing fact from opinion, using facts, statistics, charts
and graphs, examples, visuals, reasons, anecdotes, etc.
d. Review, critique, revise
Peer critique groups, the writing center, teacher conferences, self-critique using the course
rubric.
e.
Edit writing to conform to the general conventions of Standard English.



2.
“mini-lessons” and exercises on grammar that address common errors
“editorial boards” to review papers
individualized editing conferences, review of academic formats and prose conventions
Produce formal college-level essays that exhibit the requisite skills to attain a C level or better on
the course rubric, which signals that a student is prepared to enter Communication Intensive
courses and engage in academic discourse at the university level.
a.
Essays are assessed using clearly defined criteria.
b. Students practice using the course rubric to evaluate sample essays.
3.
Conduct introductory library and other research, integrate facts and evidence from multiple
sources, and document appropriately.
While English 111 will introduce students to research and documentation, subsequent courses will
extend and refine these processes. In English 111, students will:
a.
engage in a range of investigative activities: interviews, surveys, library search, use of print
and electronic sources
b. write papers that incorporate and synthesize other texts and resources, argue a point with
support, summarize other texts and perspectives
c. use documentation appropriately
d. attend library skills orientation as a class.
4.
Read critically and analyze material written for multiple audiences and purposes.
Students will be asked to:
a.
read academic texts
13
b. analyze academic texts, identifying author’s thesis author’s purpose, author’s underlying
assumptions, author’s style and strategies, their own positions in relation to the above.
5.
Effectively participate in interactive/collaborative reading and writing activities.
Such activities will include:
a.
b.
c.
d.
small group activities (small group discussion, peer response, electronic interchanges)
paired activities (small group discussion, peer response, electronic interchanges)
whole-group activities
student/teacher conferences.
14
3.5 English 111 Rubric
No Credit: The paper does not fulfill the assignment. No Credit: The paper is illegible. No Credit: The paper is plagiarized; see English 111 Plagiarism
Policy.
111 Rubric
Content
Organization
Style
Conventions
“A” Papers
•The paper engages its intended audience,
demonstrating insight and complexity.
•The paper convincingly, richly, and
logically develops and supports a single
focus and purpose.
•When appropriate, the paper effectively
integrates relevant outside sources.
•The overall organizational structure is
appropriate to the audience and purpose.
•Paragraphs are thoughtfully and
logically related and sequenced.
•The opening effectively establishes the
relationship between the reader and the
paper’s purpose, and the paper closes
effectively.
•Connections within and between
paragraphs create cohesion.
•The sentences are consistently clear,
coherent, and syntactically varied.
•Precise word choice and an appropriate
tone support the paper’s purpose and
display a command of the conventions of
academic writing.
•The grammar, spelling, punctuation, and
usage conform to conventions of
academic writing and lend credibility to
the writer.
•References to sources are accurately
cited and documented according to the
appropriate style manual.
•Format is consistently correct and
appropriate.
“B” Papers
•The paper engages its intended audience.
•The paper develops/supports a single focus
and purpose, with some richness of detail or
evidence.
•When appropriate, the paper correctly
incorporates relevant outside sources.
•The overall organizational structure is
appropriate to the audience and purpose.
•Paragraphs are logically related.
•The opening establishes the relationship
between the reader and the paper’s
purpose, and the paper comes to closure.
•Connections within and between
paragraphs usually create cohesion.
•Sentences are usually clear, coherent,
and syntactically varied.
•Word choice and tone support the
paper’s purpose and usually display a
command of the conventions of
academic writing.
•The paper is free of serious errors in
grammar, spelling, punctuation, or usage.
•References to outside sources are
usually accurately cited and documented
according to the
appropriate style manual.
•Format is correct and appropriate.
“C” Papers
•Although adequate in content, the paper
may not fully engage its intended audience.
•The paper generally develops/supports its
focus and purpose, but may occasionally
wander from its central idea.
•The paper has adequate support but lacks
some richness of detail.
•When appropriate, the paper includes
relevant outside sources, although they are
not always purposeful or integrated.
•The overall organizational structure is
generally easy to follow and appropriate
to the audience and purpose.
•At times, paragraphs may lack internal
coherence or may be mis-sequenced or
slightly off track.
•The paper’s opening or closing may be
mechanical or trite.
•Connections within and between
paragraphs are evident, but may be
awkward, mechanical, or ineffective.
•Sentences are generally clear and
correct; however, some may be basic,
choppy, or lack syntactic variety.
•Word choice and tone generally support
the paper’s purpose but may less
consistently display a command of the
conventions of academic writing.
•Errors in grammar, spelling,
punctuation, or usage occasionally
interfere with communication and
damage the writer's credibility.
•References to outside sources are
generally cited and documented, but not
always in the appropriate style.
•Format is generally correct and
appropriate.
“D” or “F”
Papers
(depending
on severity
of concerns)
•The paper does not engage its intended
audience.
•The paper fails to develop/support its focus
and purpose or wanders from its central
idea.
•The paper contains limited, irrelevant, or
no supporting details.
•Necessary outside sources are lacking or, if
used, are not relevant, purposeful, clearly
introduced or integrated.
•The overall organizational structure is
illogical, unclear and/or inappropriate.
Paragraphs frequently seem unrelated or
repetitive or are poorly constructed.
•The opening is overly general, missing,
or misleading. The closing is weak or
missing.
•Connections between and within
paragraphs are missing or ineffective.
•Sentences are frequently basic, choppy,
or repetitive in structure and may display
lapses in clarity or coherency.
•Inappropriate word choice or tone
detracts from the paper’s purpose and
frequently displays a lack of command
of the conventions of academic writing.
•Many errors in spelling, grammar,
punctuation, and usage impede
communication and undercut the writer's
credibility.
•References to outside sources are not
clearly cited; documentation style is
generally inappropriate.
•Format is not consistently correct or
appropriate.
15
3.6 English 111 Course Texts
All sections will use the following:
Raimes, Ann and Maria Jerskey. Keys for Writers. 6th ed. Wadsworth/Cengage: 2010 (Custom edition for
Saginaw Valley State University)
In addition to the grammar text, all instructors will choose one of the following readers/rhetorics:
Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. The Allyn and Bacon Guide to Writing. Brief 6th ed.
Boston: Pearson/Longman, 2011*
Johnson-Sheehan, Richard and Charles Paine. Writing Today. Pearson/Longman, 2010
Mauk, John and John Metz. Composition of Everyday Life: A Guide to Writing. Brief 3rd ed.
Wadsworth/Cengage, 2010: 13 Digit ISBN: 978-0-4-9580204-4
Book orders should be submitted to bookstore@svsu.edu as soon as a decision is made. If you need assistance
from the bookstore, please call (989) 964-4277. Contact the FYW Coordinator for desk copies, or contact the
publisher directly.
*Denotes default textbook for sections that do not have a book order submitted in time.
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Syllabus and Essay Assignment Construction
4.0
4.1 Required Syllabus Components
The English 080 and English 111 student syllabus will include all of the items listed below:
1.
Course information (including course number and title, line number, section, meeting times, credits,
course meeting times and room assignments).
2.
Instructor contact information (including name, office number, office hours, office phone, e-mail address).
3.
Course description, course outcomes, and course practices (for Eng 080, see sections2.1, 2.2 and 2.3; for
Eng 111, see sections 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3).
4.
All required and optional course texts.
5.
A brief summary of all major course assignments (including and percentages or point totals for
assignments, the purpose of the assignment in relation to the course outcomes, and, if a writing
assignment, a range in number of words/pages.
6.
Clear criteria for computing final course grade (including grading scale).
7.
Disability Statement (See section 4.2)
8.
Academic Integrity Statement (See Section 4.3)
9.
Other course policies (including attendance and late assignment policy).
10.
A tentative course calendar that includes:
a.
b.
key university dates (i.e., holidays, course withdrawal deadlines, exams week, etc.)
due dates for all reading and writing assignments clearly noted
c. time allotted for writing center instruction, library skills instruction, student evaluation of the
instructor, student assessment of the course, and final exam
Note: A syllabus shell is available on the “FYW Program” V-Space site for both 080 and 111.
4.2 Disability Statement (Required)
Students with disabilities which may restrict their full participation in course activities are encouraged to meet with
the instructor and contact the SVSU Office of Disability Services, Curtis Hall, Room C-112, Phone # 964-4168.
SVSU does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical
impairment, disability, or veteran status in the provision of education, employment, and other services.
4.3 Academic Integrity Statement (Required)
According to the SVSU Student Handbook, “Academic integrity is undermined whenever one is dishonest in the
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pursuit of knowledge. Dishonesty takes many forms, including cheating, plagiarism, and other activities for
undermining the educational process.
“ ‘Cheating’ occurs whenever one attempts to gain an advantage through a violation of rules regarding
the relevant behavior. It should be assumed that collaboration is cheating unless explicitly authorized”
(16).
In English 080 and 111, cheating in any form will result in a grade of zero (0) for that assignment.
“’Plagiarism’ involves intentionally or unintentionally presenting another person’s expressions – ideas,
opinions, illustrations, data, style – as one’s own expression” (16).
Forms of plagiarism include directly transcribing (copying) without quotation and attribution, summarizing without
attribution, paraphrasing or patchwork paraphrasing without attribution, patching electronic materials (including
pictures, graphs, and/or charts) without attribution.
In English 080 and 111, deliberate plagiarism, whether on a paper’s early draft or on a paper’s final draft, will
result in the grade of zero (0) for the entire assignment.
“’Undermining the Educational Process’ occurs whenever one attempts to prevent another’s learning or
subverts the recognized means by which learning occurs” (16).
The goal of SVSU faculty is to help each student achieve success through learning the concepts and skills for which
the course was designed. In a university classroom, the learning that takes place is determined by the quality of
the interactions of all members of the class.
Specifically the SVSU Student Handbook states:
No student shall engage in conduct that disrupts or interferes with the educational activities in classrooms
. . . computer laboratories . . . or any other place where education and teaching activities take place. This
includes, but is not limited to, such behaviors as talking at inappropriate times, drawing unwarranted
attention to him or herself, engaging in loud and distracting behaviors, displaying defiance or disrespect
to peers or threatening any University employee or student. No student shall engage in conduct that is
disruptive or interferes with the rights of others on University property . . . nor shall a student obstruct,
disrupt, interfere, or attempt to interfere with another student’s right to learn or complete academic
requirements. (34)
In English 080 and 111, any student who engages in any of these behaviors that undermine the educational
process will be asked to leave the class immediately and lose any possible credit for that class period. To return
to the class, the student will be required to schedule a meeting with the instructor to discuss his or her plans for
modifying their behavior in question.
Important Note: In any case of cheating, plagiarism, or engaging in behavior that undermines the educational
process, in addition to the consequences outlined above, the instructor may choose to report the behavior to
the Office of Student Conduct, following the protocols outlined on pages 32-37 in the SVSU Student Handbook.
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4.4 Essay Assignment Guidelines
Students in English 080 are required to complete at least four formal essays, and students in English 111 are
required to complete at least five formal essays. The First-Year Writing program has intentionally left it to
individual instructors to design and sequence the formal essay assignments that they give students. It is our hope
that this freedom will encourage individual instructors to tailor essay assignments to their own strengths,
knowledge base and interests, as well as facilitate a seamless relationship between assigned readings and other
writing assignments in the course.
While we accept as a program that there are multiple methods for constructing and delivering essay assignments,
in order to ensure consistency across the program and the quality of essay assignments, we have adopted a set of
guidelines for English 080 and English 111 essay assignments. Instructors must include the following elements in
their essay assignments, or explicitly direct students to where they can find the required information (i.e. a specific
page in the syllabus, course texts, handouts, etc.). Deviations from the language, headings, and organization are
permitted so long as the changes are purposeful and in the spirit of the guidelines. Finally, a hard copy or
electronic copy of every essay assignment should be made available to students during the unit in which they are
working on said assignment; however, instructors may opt to assign ONE essay orally or in otherwise abbreviated
form when necessary to meet course objectives.
To encourage format consistency between English composition assignments, please include the following
information in the order listed below:
Instructor/Course Information:
Give Instructor’s full name, email, phone number, and office hours at the top of the page. Also include class
number and section, semester and year.
Assignment Title/Due Dates:
Provide a short title which represents the focus of the assignment. Specify all due dates (for first drafts, peer
group drafts, and final drafts, etc.) in this section as well.
Assignment Overview:
 Clearly state the essay topic, including expectations and terms. (If students can select their own topic, give a
set of general guidelines for selecting topics)
 Provide typical structure(s) for essay: counter argument, summary/analysis, etc.
 Indicate the audience for the assignment
 If students can select their own topic, give a set of general guidelines for selecting topics
 Give target page range or word count (minimum and maximum)
 Indicate if the paper should use outside sources, and if so, what type and how many
 Specify documentation format: MLA or APA
 Indicate which course outcomes this assignment addresses
 Explain how this assignment builds skills to write effectively in the university: How does this assignment make
the student a better writer?
 Suggest a time line/proposed plan/process for writing the assignment
Possible Problem Areas:
Indicate where students might struggle with assignment, and give suggestions for avoiding these issues. Provide
references to the handbook and the reader/rhetoric to review key concepts needed for assignmen
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Where to Find Assistance:
Encourage students to contact you with questions first. Point students to the assignment rubric and sample
assignment papers. Students can also go to the Writing Center for assistance during any portion of the writing
process.
Note: Sample syllabi and assignments for English 080 and 111 can be found on the “FYW Program” VSpace site.
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Training and Assessment Overview
5.0
5.1 New Faculty Orientation
As a member of the FYW faculty, all faculty teaching English 080 or English 111 for the first time must attend a new
faculty orientation held before each new academic year. This orientation will be facilitated by the Coordinator of
First-Year Writing. (Part-time faculty will be paid for attending this meeting.)
5.2 Preterm FYW Faculty Workshop
Before the beginning of each new academic year, the Coordinator of First-Year Writing will facilitate an annual
daylong meeting for all FYW faculty to discuss program changes, university procedures, updated texts, along with
providing opportunities for pedagogical workshops and discussion of best practices. All English 080 and English 111
faculty are expected to attend. (Part time faculty will be paid for attending this meeting.)
5.3 FYW Workshops
Three times throughout the fall semester and two times during the winter semester, all English 080 and English
111 faculty will participate in a three hour workshop to share best practices, discuss programmatic changes, and
conduct norming on sets of student papers.
In order to facilitate these norming sessions, instructors of English 080 and English 111 will be required to provide
the Coordinator of First-Year Writing with two different sets of papers throughout the term. These papers should
not contain students’ names (please use white-out); they should have no teacher comments on them. Grades
should be written on the back of each paper.
PAPER SET ONE: At mid-semester (specific date TBD), instructors will provide the Coordinator of First-Year
Writing with a set of papers from the mid-semester assessment which should contain one above average
mid-semester assessment (A or B), one average mid-semester assessment (C), and one below average
mid-semester assessment (D or F).
PAPER SET TWO: By the end of exam week (specific date TBD), instructors will provide the Coordinator of
First-Year with one above average essay (A or B), one average essay (C), and one below average essay (D
or F) as well as the corresponding essay assignment(s) from one of their final essay assignments. Note:
English 111 instructors are required to submit essays that required students to incorporate documented
research.
Instructors do not need to submit sets from every course they teach. However, an instructor who teaches one
section of English 080 and one section of English 111 will need to submit sets of papers for each course.
5.4 FYW Mentoring
Mentoring:
To support and assist faculty in the First-Year Writing Program, to promote on-going discussions in the teaching
and learning of English 111, and to provide for increased collegiality, a mentoring program will be an important
component of the First-Year Writing Program at Saginaw Valley State University. All English 080 and English 111
part-time faculty and full-time faculty during their first semester of teaching English 080 and English 111 will be
paired with an experienced FYW faculty mentor with whom they can discuss and share their teaching plans and
21
practices in these courses and with whom they can feel free to query about resources and instruction as well as
university procedures, practices, and resources. All English 080 and English 111 part-time teachers will be
evaluated for a total of two semesters.
Faculty Evaluation:
During the first semester of teaching at SVSU, all English 080 and English 111 part-time faculty will be evaluated by
the FYW Coordinator. During the second semester of teaching at SVSU, all English 080 and English 111 part-time
faculty will be evaluated by an experienced FYW faculty mentor. This written evaluation will be based on the
following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
An observation of a class session, the date to be determined by mutual consent.
A review of a set of papers evaluated by the instructor to determine if evaluations conform to standards
as set in norming sessions.
An examination of the rationale statement, course syllabus, and first assignment to determine if the type
and sequence of assignments help students gain the proficiencies needed to meet student outcomes.
A meeting between the instructor and FYW coordinator or experienced FYW faculty mentor (during the
second semester of teaching) that discusses course practices, grading policies, course documents, and any
other issues related to teaching composition.
This written evaluation will be completed by week fourteen of the semester. This evaluation will include comments
on course design and alignment with course outcomes; syllabus construction and the design, clarity, and sequence
of assignments; incorporation of the course rubric into both student assessment and critique; methods and
manner of responding to student work; pace, variety and purposeful nature of classroom activities; and
student/teacher interaction. A copy of this evaluation will be sent to the instructor, the English department chair,
and a copy will be retained by the FYW Coordinator.
Based on mentor reports and student evaluations (see section 5.5), the FYW Coordinator will make
recommendations to the Department Chair and to the Dean of ABS as to the continuance and scheduling of part
time faculty in the English 080 and English 111 programs.
5.5 Student Evaluation of the Instructor
Near the end of the semester (before finals week), all students will complete standard SVSU Faculty Evaluations.
Forms are available from faculty secretaries or from Evening Services/Adjunct Faculty Services. Please remember
that you should not be in the room when your students complete the form and should not look at the evaluations;
one of your students (or a mentor in the case of new faculty) should collect the forms in an envelope, seal the
envelope, and turn it in to Wickes 216.
Full time faculty (who are not being evaluated by a team) may pick up their evaluations from Wickes 216 at the
beginning of the next semester. Evaluations for part-time faculty will be picked up and reviewed by the
Coordinator or First-Year Writing, who will confer with English 080 and English 111 mentors, if appropriate, before
the evaluations are returned to instructors.
5.6 Student Assessment of the Course
In the 14th week of class, students will complete a ten minute Final Course Assessment using the SNAP 080 or 111
assessment, found on the FYW VSpace site and completed while students are in the computer lab.
5.7 Instructor Assessment of the FYW Program
At the end of the semester every English 080/111 instructor will complete a ten minute Program Assessment using
the SNAP survey, found on the FYW VSpace site posted near the end of the term.
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6.0
Policies and Procedures
6.1 Instructor Absence
Full- Time Faculty: If you must be absent from a day class (8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.) and your absence is not prearranged (i.e. for a conference presentation), call the ABS Dean’s office–964-7111 and notify them of your absence
so that a note may be posted on your classroom door. If you have instructions for your students, also notify the
Dean’s Office. When you return, please fill out an absence sheet and send it to the English Department Chair, who
will send it on to the Dean.
If you are absent from a night class (4:00 – 10:00 p.m.), please notify Evening Services at 964-4050. Then follow
procedures as above.
If you are absent from a class because of a conference or because of some other pre-arranged activity, please fillout an absence sheet in advance of your absence and send it to the Chair. On it you will want to include the plans
you have made for the continuance of your classes in your absence; attending or presenting at conferences does
not remove our obligation to ensure that something meaningful is going on in our classes while we are gone. You
will also want to indicate how any missed office hours will be made up.
Part-time Faculty: Adjunct faculty should follow the attendance procedure established by Evening Services/Office
of Adjunct Faculty Support located in 201 Science East. All absences must be reported to the Office of Adjunct
Faculty support (989) 964-4050 and documented using the designated absence report form they provide. The
Office of Adjunct Faculty Support will contact the chair and dean.
6.2 University Holidays
The Labor Day recess is a two-day holiday; that is, there are no classes Monday or Tuesday. We miss a
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at Thanksgiving, thus making an even week during the term. For other important
dates, see Cardinal Direct.
6.3 Final Exam Period
We are all required to do some type of meaningful instruction during the final exam period. That might mean
meeting for final presentations, a final exam, a last discussion and assessment--or it could even mean doing exit
conferences with individual students. It does not, though, mean that you can simply collect papers—and certainly
does not mean that papers can simply be submitted to you (electronically or otherwise) without some type of
meaningful meeting during finals week. The finals schedule is available at Cardinal Direct. Generally, though, be
advised that this is an issue of great concern—and rightly so, given that it's a week of instruction—to the
University's administration.
6.4 Computer Lab Use
The door code for all of the computer classrooms will be provided by the FYW Coordinator in an email at the
beginning of the semester. The pads are a bit old, so go slowly and press keys firmly. Call ext. 4225 with any
questions.
Almost all English 080 and 111 courses are taught with weekly classroom time in the computer lab (check your lab
23
days/times on Cardinal Direct). Since the purpose of the lab is to assist students in using technology to develop
their writing, you are encouraged to have the students use the computers in the lab regularly through writing
workshops, VSpace assignments, evaluation of online sources, etc. However, you do not need to use the
computers everyday you are in the lab: if they will not be used, simply ask the students to turn the monitors off.
ITD provides technology workshops for faculty. For more information call 964-7475. Please remember that there
is no food or drink allowed in the computer.
6.5 VSpace
VSpace is SVSU’s version of Sakai, an online teaching/learning system. VSpace allows you as the course instructor
to post your assignments, class resources, and grades online, conduct discussions via a discussion board, and send
group and individual emails.
All FYW faculty are expected to use VSpace to access the resources on the “FYW Program” VSpace site. In
addition, all faculty are strongly encouraged to use VSpace in their classes.
Individual training sessions, along with regularly scheduled training sessions, can be scheduled by contacting the
VSpace support office, 964-2730 or via email at wits@svsu.edu.
Note: A “VSpace Basics Training Manual” is found in the SVSU FYW Program Instructor’s Guide.
6.6 Permission to Use Student Writing
During the first class of the term, instructors should present to their students the Permission for Use of Student
Writing sign-up form and instructions (see section 7.2) This form gives instructors permission to use student
writing anonymously for grade norming, classroom instruction, and other scholarly endeavors. This form should be
submitted to the FYW Coordinator by the end of week one of the semester.
6.7 Diagnostic Writing
All instructors are required to solicit a piece of writing from their students during the first week of classes in order
to ascertain student ability. Students are given a class period (or, in the case of a three hour class, an hour to an
hour and 15 minutes) to write an impromptu essay in class.
Listed below are the prompts for both 080 and 111. While you may adapt the language of the prompt, the basic
idea of the prompt must stay the same.
080 Prompt:
“Write about a person who had an influence (positive or negative) on your life. Specifically, describe this
person, explain what you learned from this person, and discuss how this person has influenced your life.”
111 Prompt:
“Write about writing!” (Some options may include asking the student to write about their own
experience and history of writing, to discuss why writing is a valuable skill, to explore ways technology has
changed the way we write (and read), or to examine their strengths and weaknesses as a writer and
overall goals for this writing course).
Based on this diagnostic, if you have a student in English 111 whose writing skills seem to place him or her in
English 080, please submit the paper to the FYW Coordinator. The Coordinator will check on the student’s ACT
scores, and may counsel the student to take 080. Likewise, if you have a student in 080 whose writing skills seem
to place him or her in English 111, please submit the paper to the FYW Coordinator, who will again check the
24
student’s ACT scores, and may advise the student to take English 111. The student may be moved from 080 or 111
if the student chooses to move, and if room is available in the desired section. Please note that it is very, very rare
that students are moved from one course to another. All such re-placement will occur by the end of the second
week of the semester.
Note: A Diagnostic Instruction Sheet for Students,” explaining the expectations for writing this essay, can be
found on the “FYW Program” VSpace site.
6.8 Mid-Semester Assessment
During the eighth week of each semester, students are assigned an in-class writing assessment. Students are given
a short reading (in English 111, the reading is a NY Times editorial; in English 080, the reading is a “This I Believe”
essay from NPR), and given class time to write a summary and response.
Both the prompt for the students and the reading itself will be posted on the FYW VSpace site on week prior to the
assessment.
Students in all courses are given an hour and twenty minutes to read the prompt and construct their
summary/response. Their summary/response may be handwritten or computer-generated, and their writing,
along with the prompt and reading, is submitted to the instructor at the end of the class period. Students should
NOT see the prompt or the reading in advance.
The purpose of this assessment is to gauge students’ ability to read and respond to a piece of written text at midsemester; with this in mind, the assessment has to count in some way towards the final grade (as extra credit, a
small assignment, or an early draft of a larger essay).
A sample set of midterm assessments will be submitted to the FYW Coordinator (see schedule for exact dates).
6.9 The Robert S. P. Yien First-Year Writing Awards
The Robert S. P. Yien First-Year Writing Awards were created to recognize outstanding first-year writing students.
At the end of every fall semester, instructors are encouraged to solicit essays from their students that are
examples of good student writing to be considered for this award. Instructors are asked to distribute copies of the
student handout discussing the awards to all students. (For the “080 First-Year Writing Award” student handout,
see section 7.3; for the “English 111 First-Year Writing Award” student handout, see section 7.4.)
For English 080 there may be up to three winners, with cash prizes ranging between $100.00 – $50.00; for English
111, there may be up to five winners, with cash prizes ranging between $500.00-$100.00.
Students are asked to submit one entry only. All submissions will be judged by the FYW Coordinator and a
selected group of FYW faculty. All winning submissions will be featured in a publication and honored at the FYW
Awards Ceremony held during the winter semester.
All submissions are due in rtf. format, along with an rtf cover sheet, to the individual course instructors by the end
of the fall semester. Instructors can either upload these documents on the “FYW Program” VSpace site
themselves, under the “Assignments” function, or email the submissions to the FYW Coordinator , who will post
them on the “FYW Program” VSpace site by the deadline. No late entries will be accepted.
(Note: See schedule for specific due dates and times)
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6.10 Writing Center/Library Orientation Sessions
All English 080 and 111 instructors are required to bring their students to a Writing Center orientation at the
beginning of the academic year. These orientations are scheduled by the Writing Center: please check the “FYW
Program” VSpace site for your exact day/time. These orientations take an hour and fifteen minutes, and are held
in Zahnow 303.
English 080 Orientation:
A Writing Center tutor will discuss the Writing Center services and conduct brainstorming/group tutoring sessions
with students based on their first assignment.
English 111 Orientation:
Half of the class period, a tutor will discuss the Writing Center services; the other half of the class, a librarian will
give a brief overview of the library and its services.
All English 111 instructors are required to schedule a second hour and twenty minute library orientation during
the second half of the semester to correspond with a research based paper assignment. Instructors will register
for this orientation using the library homepage (see “Faculty and Staff”/”Library Instruction”/”Request for Library
Instruction Form”).
This second orientation will take place in Zahnow 111, and will be focused on using the library cardcat and
database systems.
At the end of the presentation, there will be twenty minutes left of the orientation for students to begin working
on their research for their assignment; the “English 111 Library Research Form” will be distributed by the librarian
and should be used as a guide for the students to conduct their research.
Any instructor whose courses do not attend the scheduled orientations, or who dismisses their courses early during
the second orientation should fill out an absence report (see section 6.1) and submit it to the Chair.
6.11 Peer Review Workshops/Student Teacher Conferences
The FYW Program strongly encourages students to engage in peer review for at least one of their essays, and asks
each instructor to schedule at least one individual student teacher conference over one of their essays.
6.12 Grammar Statement
Instructors should not over emphasize grammar instruction in their writing courses. Instructors of English 080/111
have agreed to focus grammar instruction primarily on these key points:






Sentence boundary problems: run-ons, comma splices and fragments
Subject/verb agreement
Irregular verb forms: (do, did, done; went, gone; write, wrote, written; etc.)
Commas after introductory phrases and clauses
Verb tense agreement
Possessives and possessives versus plurals: apostrophe use
In addition, writers often carelessly confuse sound-alike words: to, too; lie, lay; accept, except; affect, effect; their,
26
there, they’re; where, were. Therefore, we will insist on accuracy in such usages and offer instruction as necessary.
6.13 Plagiarism Statement
The following statement is the official position of the English department regarding classroom practices that
discourage plagiarism. If you suspect of student of plagiarism, please refer to pages 32-37 in the SVSU Student
Handbook.
To develop student academic responsibility and integrity, all English 080/111 teachers have a
responsibility to: A. introduce students to and teach about academic practices, including the
appropriate use of outside resources; B. provide students with examples that illustrate the
conventions of citation and methods to avoid plagiarism; C. actively engage students in writing
process practices that lessen, if not eliminate, students’ opportunities to plagiarize; D. provide
consequences for plagiarism that occurs after instruction and illustration have taken place in the
instructional setting.
1.
Teach about citation and plagiarism positively and non-punitively, demonstrating with examples of both
appropriate and inappropriate citations. Simply assigning students to read about citation and the
responsible use of resources in a textbook without classroom discussion and illustration will not eliminate
plagiarism; while most students readily understand the concept of direct transcription, many have
particular difficulty with summarizing and/or paraphrasing and with the decision of when and how often
to cite.
2.
Distinguish inexperience and mistakes from deliberate plagiarism.
3.
Design and sequence research assignments with process-based checkpoints so that students choose
topics of personal and local interest in which they have a stake; broad and over-done topics like capital
punishment and the legalization of drugs may promote plagiarism due to the many canned papers readily
available on such topics; students have time to explore topics in depth and adequately develop
responsible citation practices
4.
Stay well informed as to students’ topics and support their research processes and progress as papers are
drafted and redrafted.
5.
Guide students so that their selections of research materials are timely and reliable.
6.
Require the submission of research materials as drafts of papers are submitted.
7.
Intervene at the early draft stage when finding evidence of plagiarism; ask about documentation directly
and assist students to document correctly.”
Note: see section 4.3 for the syllabus statement on “Academic Integrity,” and section 7.5 for the “Student
Handout on Avoiding Plagiarism.”
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6.14 Procedure for Piloting Course Texts
The process of choosing the best textbooks for English 111 and English 080 is a very important task because
textbook decisions affect thousands of students annually. In an effort to keep our lists current, and to give
experienced faculty the chance to pilot textbooks that others then can use, the following procedure has been
instituted:
Full-time faculty who are no longer being mentored and adjunct faculty with at least six semesters of SVSU
experience teaching first-year writing may apply to the First-Year Writing Committee for approval to pilot a
replacement or supplemental text in their English 080 or English 111 course(s). No deviations from the programwide handbook will be permitted, and the total combination of all assigned texts must provide students with
access to both rhetorical instruction and readings. To obtain such permission for any Fall semester, the applicant
must submit the following to the First-Year Writing Committee:
1) Prior to Spring Break of each year: A list of proposed text(s) (and one set of desk copies), a reading
schedule, and narrative explanation of how the texts will be used in the class to help students achieve
course outcomes.
2)
At the end of the term: An evaluation of the effectiveness of the text(s), the final reading schedule, and
all writing assignments given to students throughout the term. At that time, the First-Year Writing
Committee may recommend the piloted text(s) as a continuing option for the individual faculty member
or for the entire faculty. Or the First-Year Writing Committee may revoke permission to use piloted
text(s).
Faculty who do not submit an end-of-term report will not be granted permission to pilot texts during the next
academic year or to continue using the previously piloted text(s).
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7.0
Appendix and Forms
7.1 First-Year Writing Program Instructor Agreement (Form)
To be submitted to the FYW Coordinator by the end of Week ONE
Assessable program outcomes are essential to the continued improvement of any successful university program.
Thus, to ensure a higher degree of consistency of course content and delivery and to increase the coherency of the
First-Year Writing Program in accordance with the outcomes specified in this framework document, all persons
teaching English 080 and/or English 111 will indicate their intent to adhere to the following by signing below.
As a teacher of English 111 and/or English 080, I agree
To use the First-Year Writing Program framework as the basis for my own course syllabus, copies of which
will be provided to students and to the Coordinator of First-Year Writing for review during the first week
of each semester. Teachers new to the first-year writing program may be asked to review their syllabi
with the Coordinator one week prior to the beginning of classes each semester;
To attend training sessions which shall be facilitated by the Coordinator of First-Year Writing. Dates of
trainings will be announced well in advance;
To select and teach from textbooks listed by the First-Year Writing Committee;
To participate in program assessment;
To cooperate with supervision and review by the First-Year Writing Faculty Coordinator.
Signature: ____________________________
Date: ______________________________
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7.2 Permission for Use of Student Writing (Form)
By signing my name below, I give permission for my English 080/ English 111 (instructor please circle the
appropriate course) writing to be used for educational purposes. I understand the educational purposes are
limited to the following: 1.) Classroom instruction—papers to be used anonymously. 2.) Course and University
assessments—papers to be used anonymously. 3.) Quoted/cited passages in professional conference
presentations. 4.) Quoted/cited passages in professional publications. I also understand that by placing an A after
my signed name, I ensure that any of my work used in professional publications/conference presentations will be
used anonymously.
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7.3 English 080 First-Year Writing Award (Student Handout)
You are invited to submit work from your English 080 course to be considered for the Robert S. P. Yien First-Year
Writing Awards. These awards showcase outstanding work by first-year composition students in English 080 and
English 111. Papers will be judged by a committee comprised of the First-Year Writing Coordinator and selected
English Department faculty. Winners will be announced at a campus-wide reception at the beginning of the 2011
Winter semester. Winning papers will be published in an English Department publication, online, and may be
awarded the following cash prizes: First Place: $100.00; Second Place: $75.00; Third Place: $50.00.
Guidelines for submission:
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Papers are to be newly created during the 2011 Winter 080 course or the 2011 Fall 080 course and written in
response to an assignment in that course.
Papers should exhibit the qualities endorsed by the English 080 rubric.
Papers must be typed and double-spaced.
Only one entry per student will be accepted.
Some minor editing changes may be required before publication.
An electronic version of your paper and a cover sheet (see below), both saved as rtf. documents, should be
submitted to your English 080 instructor by the last week of class. No late entries will be accepted.
By submitting your entry, you are also granting permission for your essay to appear in an English Department
publication (if your essay is among the winning entries). No remuneration will be given for the right to publish
your essay.
Papers must also include a separate rtf. document as a “cover page” that includes the following:
Title of Essay:
Contact Information and Permission:
Name:
Date:
Street Address:
City, State, and Zip Code:
Phone # (w/ Area Code):
SVSU Student ID #:
Email Address:
Instructor Name:
Instructor Email Address:
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7.4 English 111 First-Year Writing Award (Student Handout)
You are invited to submit work from your English 111 course to be considered for the Robert S. P. Yien First-Year
Writing Awards. These awards showcase outstanding work by first-year composition students in English 080 and
English 111. Papers will be judged by a committee comprised of the First-Year Writing Coordinator and selected
English Department faculty. Winners will be announced at a campus-wide reception at the beginning of the 2011
Winter semester. Winning papers will be published in an English Department publication, online, and may be
awarded the following cash prizes: First Place: $500.00; Second Place: $400.00; Third Place: $300.00; Fourth Place:
$200.00; Fifth Place: $100.00.
Guidelines for Submission:









Papers are to be newly created during the Fall 111 course and written in response to an assignment in that
course.
Papers should stand alone—except in the case of a summary/response entry, in which case a copy of the
piece summarized must be included.
Papers should be engaging and significant within their genre, and should exhibit the qualities endorsed by
the English 111 rubric.
All papers should be typed and double spaced. Citations, if used, should be formatted in MLA or APA style.
Only one entry per student will be accepted.
Some minor editing changes may be required before publication
An electronic version of your paper and a cover sheet (see below), both saved as rtf. documents, should be
submitted to your English 111 instructor by the last week of class. No late entries will be accepted.
By submitting your entry, you are also granting permission for your essay to appear in and English
Department publication. No remuneration will be given for the right to publish your essay.
Papers must also include a separate rtf. document as a “cover page” that includes the following:
Title of Essay:
Type or Genre of Essay:
Contact Information and Permission:
Name:
Date:
Street Address:
City, State, and Zip Code:
Phone # (w/ Area Code):
SVSU Student ID #:
Email Address:
Instructor Name:
Instructor Email Address:
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7.5 A Writing Process (Student Handout)
Prewriting
Use a variety of brainstorming and invention strategies to generate, develop, and focus topics
Write informally in journals or notebooks as an ongoing writer’s activity
Analyze audience as a method of planning and focusing
Consider purpose, style, and form in relation to audience needs
Draw from a variety of formal and stylistic options during the planning stages
Generate and select students’ own methods of development
Confer with others
Read published material critically
Write and speak about themselves as writers
Use basic reference materials (dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia)
Use introductory research as a form of generating ideas and planning writing
Drafting
Translate prewriting activities into early drafts
Write for a variety of specific audiences
Vary content, diction, and tone according to audience
Identify and state each paper’s focus
Maintain a consistent style throughout individual pieces
Support ideas and observations with details
Integrate ideas and information from outside sources
Vary sentence syntax
Revising
Write multiple drafts
Apply course rubric for self-evaluation
Confer with others—peers, teacher, writing center—for purposes of critique and revision
Revise to adapt writing style to suit purpose and audience
Revise for focus, development, structure, balance, and emphasis
Add, delete, change, or recast material to suit purpose and audience
Clarify purpose and focus and align writing with that purpose and focus
Editing
Read work aloud slowly, looking carefully at each word and phrase and listening to the paper’s flow and
connectedness
Proofread all writing intended for public audiences
Use a dictionary, thesaurus, and handbook for editing
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7.5 Avoiding Plagiarism (Student Handout)
Guidelines for Students to Avoid Plagiarism:
1.
Read assigned material that defines and illustrates both direct and inadvertent plagiarism and actively
participate in class instruction about plagiarism. Ask for examples and illustrations.
2.
Ask questions throughout your research and drafting processes; instructors are eager to help you
responsibly use and cite research materials.
3.
Be sure you clearly understand the consequences of plagiarism as stated above.
4.
Take careful notes as you research, being sure to distinguish which materials you are paraphrasing or
summarizing and which you are transcribing directly.
5.
Keep copies of all materials used for your research and be prepared to submit them with the drafts of
your papers.
6.
Within the parameters of assignments, choose topics in which you are vitally interested and in which you
have a personal stake.
7.
Allow yourself adequate time to research topics in depth.
8.
When in doubt about the correct use of resources, confer with your teacher.
9.
Avoid plagiarism by following seven important rules. A.) Provide clear attribution of outside sources with
parenthetical citations, lead-in or signal phrases, or a combination of both. B.) Follow all quotations,
paraphrases, and summaries of outside sources with appropriate and complete parenthetical citations. C.)
Provide documentation for all visual images, charts, and graphs from printed or electronic sources. D.)
Identify all words, phrases, and passages taken from sources by enclosing them within quotation marks or
by using block quote format for long quotations. E.) Use your own words and sentence structure when
you paraphrase or summarize. F.) Be sure that all summaries and paraphrases of your sources are
accurate and objective. G.) Include all of the sources cited in your paper in the MLA Works Cited page or
the APA Reference list that follows the body of your paper (Adapted from “Avoiding Plagiarism,” What Is
Plagiarism? 2002).
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