ENG 200 Writing II
Section 010 MW 1:50-3:05 BCB 207
Section 015 MW 3:15-4:30 BCB 207
Caudill College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Morehead State University
Instructor: Dr. Lee Skallerup Bessette
Office: Faculty House 102
Office Hours: MW AM by appointment; T-Th 9:00-11:15 AM
Phone: 606-783-2196
Email: l.skallerup@moreheadstate.edu
COURSE MATERIALS/TEXTBOOKS:
Austin, Michael. Reading the World: Ideas That Matter. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2010.
ISBN: 978-0-393-93349-9
PURPOSE OF COURSE/CATALOG DESCRIPTION
Prerequisite: successful completion of Writing I. An exploration of diverse texts with an emphasis on
articulating written responses to these works from interdisciplinary perspectives. Building on
information-literacy skills developed in Writing I and other general education courses, students
read, analyze, and evaluate diverse cultural texts from different perspectives to find connections
across the natural sciences, the social and behavioral sciences, and the humanities. This course
satisfies the Core Writing II general education requirement.
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 at the completion of the course be able to:
1. produce a sustained piece of writing related to a specific text that maintains a clear focus with
all parts working together to achieve a definite purpose or to develop a single dominant idea;
2. locate through library resources and current technology peer-reviewed sources appropriate
to their exploration of a given topic;
3. write a summary of published research on a specific text;
4. integrate source material within an essay of their own, keeping the borrowed content clearly
subordinate to their distinctive purpose and line of reasoning and using disciplineappropriate source citations;
5. produce written texts that conform to standard academic English;
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6. read and apply critical reasoning to texts from the world cultural heritage;
7. articulate ethical positions in response to texts from the world cultural heritage; and
8. analyze the use of inductive and deductive reasoning in an argumentative text.
CLASSROOM POLICIES:
Attendance/Participation Policy: Absences result in lower grades or failure. Make-up work is permitted
only when an acceptable explanation is documented and presented to me by the class meeting
following the absence, and the make-up work must be turned in by the class meeting following that
discussion. (Note: "pop" quizzes and group work cannot be made up regardless of the nature of your
absence.) If you must be absent, call me or email me prior to the meeting or as soon after as possible.
Regardless of absence, meeting assignments on time is still your responsibility.
Tardy Policy: If you arrive in class after the roll has been taken, your absence will remain on my records
unless you check with me after class. If you are more than ten minutes late, the absence will not be
removed from the record. Excessive tardiness translates into absences. There will be no opportunity to
make up work missed as a result of tardiness.
Please eat, send or receive cellular phone calls, chat with classmates, and tend to other personal needs
before or after class. I will not tolerate text messaging or cell phone use during class. Should you
engage in either activity during class, you will be asked to leave the classroom, and you will be given an
absence for that day.
ADA Compliance Statement: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): In compliance with the ADA, all
students with a documented disability are entitled to reasonable accommodations and services to
support their academic success and safety. Though a request for services may be made at any time,
services are best applied when they are requested at or before the start of the semester. To receive
accommodations and services the student should immediately contact the Disability Services
Coordinator in the Office of Academic and Career Services, 223 Allie Young Hall, 606-783-5188,
www.moreheadstate.edu/acs/. [NOTE: It is the student’s responsibility to inform the instructor of any
special needs before the end of the second week of classes and to provide appropriate documentation.]
Campus Safety Statement:
Emergency response information will be discussed in class. Students should familiarize themselves with
the nearest exit routes in the event evacuation becomes necessary. You should notify your instructor at
the beginning of the semester if you have special needs or will require assistance during an emergency
evacuation. Students should familiarize themselves with emergency response protocols at
http://www.moreheadstate.edu/emergency.
PLAGIARISM: Cheating, fabrication, plagiarism or helping others to commit these acts will not be
tolerated. Academic dishonesty will result in severe disciplinary action including, but not limited to,
failure of the student assessment item or course, and/or dismissal from MSU. If you are not sure what
constitutes academic dishonesty, read The Eagle: Student Handbook or ask your instructor. The policy is
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located at http://www.moreheadstate.edu/files/units/dsl/eaglehandbook/studenthandbook2008-09.pdf
[pgs.11 & 39]. For example: Copying information from the Internet is plagiarism if appropriate credit is
not given.
ASSESSMENT:
5-7 page paper on Rhetorical Strategies: 15%
250 Word Summary on Constitution: 5%
Quiz on Constitution: 5%
Book Review: 10%
5-7 page Educational Reform Essay: 20%
Course Design Proposal: 25%
In-Class work/Drafts/Homework/Library Assessment/Online Contributions: 20%
For this class, we will be using Twitter and blogs in order to examine current issues in education. This
will be explained more fully in class.
Grading Policy: Final papers and other assignments will be evaluated on a numerical basis. Letter
grades will be assigned according to the percentage of total points earned (90-100% = A, 80-89% = B, 7079% = C, 60-69%=D, 59 and lower=E)
Class Schedule: This schedule is tentative and should be used as an outline/guide. Check Blackboard,
and expect changes to be announced in-class.
Week 1 – Aug 23-27
Introduction to course, overview of class
Read Chapter 8
Read Meeks, “Reading as a Writer” (http://www.efuse.com/Design/wa-read.html)
Read Adler, “How to Mark a Book” (http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/adler.html)
Week 2 – Aug 3-Sept 3
Read 467-502: On Rhetoric
Week 3 – Sept 6-10
Read “Propaganda: How to be Bamboozled,” “Politics of the English Language,” “Language of
Doublespeak,” “The E Word.” (To be distributed through Blackboard).
Week 4 – Sept 13-17
Rhetorical Analysis assignment introduction
Book Review Introduction
Week 5 – Sept 20-24
In-class workshops on Rhetorical Analysis
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Week 6 – 27-Oct 1
Rhetorical Analysis paper due first class of the week.
“The Constitution” Week
Week 7 – Oct 4-8
Read Chapter 1, Education, 1-82
Week 8 – Oct 11-13 Fall Break
Continue w/ Chapter 1, Education.
Week 9 – Oct 18-22
Read “Big Brother is Listening,” “Who Says PC is Passé?,” “The Language Police.” (To be distributed on
Blackboard)
Other online essays concerning current education policy/practice (TBA on Blackboard)
Week 10 – Oct 25-29
Library Research Assignment on Diane Ravitch
Book Review Due on last day of class of the week.
Week 11 – Nov 1-5
Introduction to Essay on School Reform
Research, writing, in-class workshops
Readings TBA
Week 12 - Nov 8-12
In-class workshop on School Reform essay.
Week 13 – Nov 15-19
School Reform Essay Due on first class of the week.
Introduction to Course Design Assignment
Readings TBA
Week 14 – Nov 22-23 Thanksgiving
Workshop Course Design Assignment
Readings TBA
Week 15 – Nov 29-Dec 3
Workshop Course Design Assignment
Week 16 – Dec 6-10
Course Design Assignment Due on last day of class.
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