English 101-51: English Composition I
Literacy and Education
Fall 2010
8:00-9:15 TR; Bryan 202
Instructor: Ms. C. Wooten
Email Address: cawooten@uncg.edu Office: MHRA 3210D
Office Hours: TR 11:00-12:30
English 101 satisfies the Reasoning and Discourse (GRD) requirement at UNCG, which asserts that
students “gain skills in intellectual discourse, including constructing cogent arguments, locating,
synthesizing and analyzing documents, and writing and speaking clearly, coherently, and effectively”
(http://www.uncg.edu/reg/Catalog/current/UnivReq/GECDescription.html).
In addition, English 101 is designed to address three of the proficiencies listed under Student Learning
Goals in the UNCG General Education Program. These proficiencies are:
·Ability to write and speak clearly, coherently, and effectively as well as to adapt modes
of communication to one’s audience;
·Ability to interpret academic writing and discourse in a variety of disciplines
·Ability to locate, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information (2007-2008 UNCG
Undergraduate Bulletin 53)
In ENG 101, you will gain practice in recognizing and producing good writing so that you can
communicate effectively in situations both within and outside an academic setting. You’ll hone your
skills in thinking, reading and writing, produce a body of written work of your own, and share your ideas
and words with an audience of readers. My goal is for you to better understand and work through the
process of writing and to begin to see how all this is connected to your life… how reading and writing
extends beyond the classroom.
English 101 Course Objectives:
1. To help students develop the ability to analyze texts, construct cogent arguments, and provide
evidence for their ideas in writing;
2. To provide students with multiple examples of argumentative and analytical discourse as
illustrated via student and professional/published texts;
3. To introduce students to rhetorical concepts of audience, writer, message and context, and how to
employ these in both formal and informal writing situations;
4. To help students develop the ability to summarize, paraphrase, and use direct quotations in
writing;
5. To promote to student writers the value of writing-to-learn through sequenced assignments rooted
in a common theme or focus;
6. To introduce students to the act of writing as a public and community-based process through the
activities of drafting, peer review, and revision.
Required Texts:
Dodson, Will, Alan Benson, and Jacob Babb, eds. Techne Rhetorike.2nd ed. Southlake, TX: Fountainhead
Press, 2010. Print. ISBN: 9781598713855.
Eggers, Dave. Zeitoun. New York: Random, 2009. ISBN: 9780307387943.
Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. They Say/I Say. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton,
2009. Print. ISBN: 9780393933611.
The Norton Mix. New York: Norton, 2010. Print. (Only available in the campus bookstore!)
Various texts on Blackboard. These must be brought to class. If you do not like printing out texts
from Blackboard, you might want to consider dropping the class.
You will also need a three-prong folder with divider tabs for use as your writing folder and one twopocket folder to use when turning in essays and drafts of essays. Regularly accessing Blackboard for
assignments and information will also be required as will printing assignments and handouts.
Evaluation:
Portfolio: 50%
Essay Drafts: 15%
Short Writing Assignments (in and out of class): 15%
Participation: 10%
Writing Folder: 5%
Reading Quizzes: 5%
Grading Scale:
90-100 A
80-89 B
70-79 C
60-69 D
0-59 F
Classroom Expectations: Eating, sleeping, or reading other materials during class are not acceptable. All
cell phones must be turned off prior to coming to class, and no text messaging or web surfing will be
tolerated. Laptops do not need to be used during class and should not be brought to class.
Although students with disciplinary problems tend to be few and far between at the college level, if
behavioral disruptions persist within a single class meeting (or, for that matter, across multiple meetings),
the student in question will be asked to leave the class with points deducted from his/her participation
grade and an absence for the day. Types of disruptive behavior can include any form of disrespectful
comment or action directed toward me, another student, or the subject matter we are studying. I reserve
the right to interpret inappropriate behaviors as I see fit and address them accordingly, and it goes without
saying that remaining in my class is a tacit acknowledgment of this right.
Participation, Attendance, and Absences: I expect you to have read your assignments and brought any
required written work with you to class. I also expect everyone to participate in class discussion. You
must also perform all in-class writing assignments, even if the assignment itself is ungraded. Failure to
live up to my expectations will be reflected in your grade.
Because class time will be largely spent in large and small group discussions, class participation and
attendance is vital. You can miss two class periods with no penalty; if you miss a third, your final grade
will be lowered by half a letter grade; if you miss four classes then you will automatically fail the
course.
If you are more than ten minutes late for class, do not bother to come. This will count as an absence.
Being habitually late (more than three times) will also count as an absence.
Participation Rubric:
A
B
C
D
F
Superior communicative skills; excellent preparation for class discussion; always volunteers;
student exemplifies mastery, rigor, and intellectual curiosity regarding course readings and
concepts while also introducing relevant independent insights to the discussion; student
demonstrates enthusiasm and takes initiative, particularly during group activities.
Good communicative skills; solid preparation for class discussion; consistently volunteers;
student exemplifies interest and engagement regarding course readings and concepts; student
demonstrates positive attitude; makes meaningful contributions during group activities.
Adequate communicative skills; fair preparation for class discussion; occasionally volunteers;
student exemplifies competence regarding course readings and concepts; student demonstrates
an inoffensive, but noncommittal attitude; sporadic contributions during group activities.
Limited communicative skills; uneven preparation for class; rarely volunteers; demonstrates
indifference or irritation when prompted; inattentive during class; rare contributions during
group activities. [Performance may be marked by other flaws: consistent tardiness; disruptive;
etc.]
Weak communicative skills; little to no preparation for class; little evidence of reading
assignments (this can include not buying or printing the course texts or not making up missed
material); never volunteers, or doesn’t respond when prompted; demonstrates potential hostility
to discussion; irrelevant, distracting, or no contributions to group activities.
Late Work: I will not accept any work after I collect it in class. If you are not in class, YOU MAY NOT
SUBMIT YOUR WORK. Work may not be dropped off in my mailbox, and you may not e-mail papers
to me. Work is taken up in class the day it is due, and that is it. If a major essay is due on a certain day,
and you are absent, you may not turn in your essay. You get a zero. If you know you need to miss a class
that has work due, let me know ahead of time and you will be allowed to turn in your work EARLY. Not
late.
Academic Integrity: “Academic integrity is founded upon and encompasses the following five values:
honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. Violations include, for example, cheating, plagiarism,
misuse of academic resources, falsification, and facilitating academic dishonesty. If knowledge is to be
gained and properly evaluated, it must be pursued under conditions free from dishonesty. Deceit and
misrepresentations are incompatible with the fundamental activity of this academic institution and shall
not be tolerated” (from UNCG’s Academic Integrity Policy). To ensure that you understand the
university’s policy on academic integrity, review the guidelines and list of violations at
<http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu>. I expect you to abide by the Academic Integrity Policy. Penalties for
violation of academic integrity range from receiving an F on individual assignments to an F in the class to
university expulsion.
Essay Format: Turn in all work in MLA format (1” margins, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12 pt.
font, 8 ½ x 11” unlined white paper), and be sure to cite anything you do not come up with yourself.
Drafts of essays: A draft is a piece of writing in progress. You will write, rewrite, and revise your essays
en-route to producing a final draft for your portfolio. Therefore, keep all earlier versions and revisions of
each assignment in your writing folder; they may be requested for use in class discussion, conferencing,
or for your portfolio. All other written work should also be saved as they will be used throughout the
semester and in your portfolio. SAVE EVERYTHING YOU WRITE UNTIL THE END OF THE
SEMESTER.
Peer Workshops: In addition to writing essays, you will participate in peer workshops. You will
read and comment on drafts of your classmates’ papers. Take this activity seriously. Not only
will your classmates depend on your comments to strengthen their writing, but you will depend
on theirs. The quality of your peer editing efforts will be reflected in your essay grades; if you
are not prepared for peer workshops (i.e. you do not have a draft of your own to share) then you
may be asked to leave and you will be given an absence for that day.
Conferences and Communication: At mid-semester and near the end of the semester, you will meet
with me individually and informally to discuss your work in the class. These are times to reflect on your
progress, set goals, discuss challenges, and begin to make decisions regarding the final writing portfolio.
You will be asked to prepare for these conferences. Missing a conference will be counted as a class
absence.
If you wish to meet with me at other times during the semester, please avail yourself of my office hours.
You may also email me with questions between 8am and 7pm, weekdays and weekends. I will not be
available before or after these times. You can expect a response within 24 hours; if you do not receive a
response within this time period, you should assume I did not receive your email and try again. In the
spirit of courtesy, you should also acknowledge via email that you received my reply.
Writing Folder: This should be a three-prong folder with divided tabs in which you keep all of the
writing you do during the semester in relation to this class (excluding your notes). This should include
copies of essays during all stages of the writing and revision process. This will provide you with much of
the material you will need to include in your writing portfolio. At several points in the semester, I will ask
you to submit these folders to ensure that you are making progress and are keeping everything you need
to. Rather than simply throwing everything into the folder, you should organize the work so that you and I
can easily find what we need to look at. You can organize by project, date, or type.
Writing Portfolio: At the end of the semester, you will submit a writing portfolio for formal evaluation.
Your portfolio will include examples of work you have done for 101, including informal and formal
writing. These should be either bound at Kinko’s or UNCG Graphics and Printing on Tate St. or placed in
a three-prong folder (not a binder). See the handout on Blackboard for more information.
Disability Services: Students with documentation of special needs should arrange to see me about
accommodations as soon as possible. If you believe you could benefit from such accommodations, you
must first register with the Office of Disability Services on campus before such accommodations can be
made. The office is located on the second floor of the Elliott University Center (EUC) in Suite 215, and
the office is open 8am to 5pm, Monday - Friday. Telephone: 334-5440; e-mail: ods@uncg.edu.
The Writing Center: The purpose of the Writing Center is to enhance the confidence and competence of
student writers by providing free, individual assistance at any stage of any writing project. Staff
consultants are experienced writers and alert readers, prepared to offer feedback and suggestions on drafts
of papers, help students find answers to their questions about writing, and provide one-on-one instruction
as needed. Located in the Moore Humanities and Research Building, room 3211.
Essay Rubric:
Response to Prompt
Thesis
Support
Structure
Language
sophisticated
analysis; original;
shows command of
interpretive and
conceptual tasks;
fulfills then exceeds
the expectations of
the assignment in
some critical way
essay controlled by
clear, precise, welldefined thesis;
sophisticated in both
statement and
insight; attempts or
achieves innovation
of the argument or
issue being studied
provides substantial,
well-chosen evidence
(quotations or
specific examples)
used strategically;
connections between
ideas are evident;
thesis consistently
supported
apt, seemingly
inevitable
sequence of
paragraphs;
appropriate, clear
and skillful
transitions
between
sentences and
paragraphs
precise diction;
syntactic variety and
sophistication; clear
command of Standard
English; no or few
errors; imaginative but
mature use of
vocabulary and
sentence structure
shows good
understanding of the
texts, ideas, and
methods of the
assignment; goes
beyond the obvious
clear, specific,
argumentative thesis
central to essay;
may have minor
terms undefined
pursues thesis
consistently; clearly
develops a main
argument with clear
major points and
appropriate evidence;
makes effort to link
rather than stack
ideas
distinct units of
thought in
paragraphs; clear
transitions
between
developed,
coherently
arranged
paragraphs
some stylistic
difficulties; occasional
problematic word
choices or awkward
syntax; some
wordiness (or
distractingly pompous
diction); a few minor
errors; some syntactic
variety
shows an
understanding of the
basic ideas and
information
involved; may have
some factual or
conceptual errors
general central
thesis or controlling
ideas; gives little
indication of
organization to
follow; lacking
some specifics
provides some
evidence, but not
always relevant,
sufficient, or
integrated into paper;
undeveloped ideas or
little analysis; limited
use of textual
evidence
some awkward
transitions; some
brief, weakly
unified, or
undeveloped
paragraphs;
uneven
paragraphing
more than a few minor
grammatical errors;
imprecise diction;
awkward syntax;
wordiness; overreliance on passive
voice; quotations
poorly integrated
D
confuses some
significant concepts;
does not respond
directly to the
assignment
vague thesis; mostly
factual rather than
argumentative;
unspecified
elements
evidence scant,
vague, or awkwardly
incorporated;
digresses without
developing ideas; no
analysis
tends to narrate
or merely
summarize;
wanders;
repetitive;
illogical
arrangement of
ideas
some major
grammatical errors
(subject-verb
agreement, fragments,
etc.); numerous minor
errors; repeated inexact
word choice;
inappropriate format
F
no clear
understanding of
reading or concepts;
inappropriate
response to
assignment
no discernable
thesis; contradictory
or unsustainable
thesis
little or no
development;
evidence simply
listed or missing;
plagiarizes
arbitrary or no
paragraph
structure;
illogical or no
transitions
errors in almost every
sentence; several major
errors (subject-verb
agreement, fragments,
etc.)
A
B
C
*** This schedule is tentative. I reserve the right to change its contents at any time. The “Readings” and
“Writing” columns list what you should read or work on before the day’s class. All out of class writing
assignments should be typed and follow MLA format. ***
Day
Readings
Writing
WEEK 1: Intro to the Course and Writing
Basics
Tues., Aug. 24
Thurs., Aug. 26
Fri., Aug. 27
Tues., Aug. 31
Thurs., Sept. 2
Tues., Sept. 7
Thurs., Sept. 9
Tues., Sept. 14
Intro to the Course
In-class essay: What is Literacy?
Intro to Literacy Narratives and Writing Basics
I
NM: “A Homemade Education,” Malcolm X
TR: Dodson, “Introduction to Rhetorical
Concepts,” 12-23; Sparks, “How to Read an
Assignment Sheet,” 48-55
Bb: Print Essay 1 Assignment
Add/Drop Ends
WEEK 2: Writing Basics; Peer Workshops
Writing Basics II
NM: “Learning to Read,” Frederick Douglass
TR: Guy-McAlpin, “Keeping the Beat,” 131-136
Bb Readings: “Paragraphs,” Safire; “Shitty First
Drafts,” Lamott
Write and bring to class a 2 pg.
account of one important moment in
your learning to read or write.
Write and bring to class a 2 pg.
account of how you learned to read
and write (who taught you, what
role did you play in teaching
yourself, what materials did you
use, where did this learning occur,
etc.)
Write and bring to class a 1 pg.
reflection on language you use at
home or out of school and how that
relates to school literacy
Peer Workshop Practice and
Writing to Enter the Academic Community
NM: “Mother Tongue,” Tan
TR: Morehead, “The Genre of Academic
Discourse,” 33-39
Bb Readings: “Peer Response,” Gillam
WEEK 3: Maintaining Ethos
Bring four copies of Essay 1 Draft
Essay 1 Workshop
Bb: Print Essay 1 Workshop questions (don’t
to class
answer yet)
Bring one paragraph from your first
Academic Integrity
TR: Tedder, “Academic Integrity,” 24-32
essay on its own sheet – we will
Bb Readings: “The Copy Shop Plagiarism,” Baron focus on these in class
WEEK 4: Using Language; Writing a
Rhetorical Analysis
Language and Style; In-Class Post-write
NM: “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” Anzaldua,
43-55
TS: “Ain’t So/Is Not,” 115-122
Essay 1 Due – submit previous
drafts and workshop sheets
Thurs., Sept. 16
Tues., Sept. 21
Thurs., Sept. 23
Tues., Sept. 28
Thurs., Sept. 30
Tues., Oct. 5
Thurs., Oct. 7
Tues., Oct. 12
Thurs., Oct. 14
Tues., Oct. 19
TR: Webb, “Performing Rhetorically,” 63-68;
Bufter, “Rhetoric of Voice,” 69-75
Bb: print Essay 1 Post-write (don’t complete)
Write and bring to class a 1 pg.
Rhetorical Analysis I
NM: “Aria,” Rodriguez,
discussion of how Rodriguez
TR: Ray, “Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and
defines his audience and purpose;
Quoting,” 40-46
Writing Folder Check-in (with
Bb Reading: “Guide to Writing a Rhetorical
Reflection 1 – see assignment
Analysis,” EAA
on Blackboard)
WEEK 5: Writing a Rhetorical Analysis (cont.)
Write and bring to class a 2 pg.
Rhetorical Analysis II
NM: “The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society,”
analysis of Kozol as an example of
Kozol
and argument based on facts and
Bb: Print Essay 2 Assignment
reason and an argument based on
Bb Readings: “Arguments Based on Facts and
character.
Reason,” EAA; “Arguments Based on Character,”
EAA
Write and bring to class a 1 pg.
Rhetorical Analysis III
NM: “How to Write a Letter,” Keillor; “How to
analysis of either Keillor or Shipley
Write [the Perfect] Email,” Shipley and Schwalbe and Schwalbe as an example of an
Bb Readings: “Arguments From the Heart,” EAA argument from the heart
WEEK 6: Revising
Bring four copies of Essay 2 Draft
Essay 2 Workshop
Bb: Print Essay 2 Workshop questions
to class
Bring draft of Essay 1 or Essay 2 to
Revision
TR: Mullins, “Revision is Writing,” 76-100
class for an in-class revision
Bb: print out Essay 3 assignment and Revision
workshop
Worksheet
Bb Readings: “How to Write a Great Novel,”
Alter
WEEK 7: Finding Research
No Class – Conferences; sign up on Google Docs
TR: Meriwether, “Conferencing Rhetorically,”
180-183
Bb: Bring Essay 2 drafts to conferences
Research I – Meet in the library CITI lab
Essay 2 Due – submit previous
TR: Lyda and Benson, “Researching Rhetorically,” drafts and workshop sheets;
112-117
Complete Essay 2 Post-write out
of class and turn in with essay
WEEK 8: Finding a Conversation to Join
Fall Break
Analyzing the Argument
Write and bring to class a oneTS: “Introduction” and “They Say,” 1-29
paragraph summary of Bird’s essay
TR: Wooten, “Finding a Conversation to Find
Research,” 118-123
NM: “The Case Against College,” Bird
WEEK 9: Using Research
Bring at least two possible sources
Research II
Thurs., Oct. 21
Tues., Oct. 26
Thurs., Oct. 28
Tues., Nov. 2
Thurs., Nov. 4
Tues., Nov. 9
Thurs., Nov. 11
TS: “Her Point Is,” 30-41
TR: “Using MLA,” 278-300
NM: “The ‘Banking’ Concept of Education,”
Freire
Research III
TS: “As He Himself Puts It,” 42-51
NM: “Keeping Close to Home: Class and
Education,” hooks
WEEK 10: Incorporating Voices
Defining Your Argument
TS: “Yes/No/Okay, But,” 55-67
Bb Readings: “Organizing Your Argument,”
Hatch; “The Growing College Gap,” Draut
Using Voice Markers and Evaluating Sources
TS: “And Yet” 68-77
NM: “Cancel Student Loan Debt to Stimulate the
Economy,” Applebaum
Bb: print and review evaluating sources checklist
WEEK 11: Making Your Claim Matter
Speaking to the Other Side
TS: “Skeptics May Object,” 78-91
NM: “Can You Be Educated from a Distance?”
Barszcz; “A Proposal to Abolish Grading,”
Goodman
Defining Why Your Argument Matters
TS: “So What? Who Cares?” 92-101
NM: “Colleges Won’t Help Students By Fearing
Them,” Pavela
WEEK 12: Guiding Readers Through Your
Claim
Essay 3 Workshop and Revisiting the Portfolio
Bb: print Essay 3 workshop questions; print and
review portfolio guidelines
Clarifying Your Argument
NM: “Graduation,” Angelou,
TS: “But Don’t Get Me Wrong,” 129-138
for Essay 3 to class with all
publication information
Write a summary of hooks that
incorporates quotations.
Write one paragraph that clearly
explains the stance you take in
relation to Draut - make
sure you clearly take one of the
three stances from TS – and one
paragraph that explains your own
stance in relation to her argument.
Writing Folder Check-in (with
Reflection 2 – see assignment on
Blackboard)
Write a one page response to
Applebaum’s essay, using voice
markers as appropriate. List four
sources you plan on using for Essay
3 on a Works Cited page (including
one web site)
Write one paragraph detailing your
response to either Barszcz or
Goodman, explaining objections the
other side may have, what points
they are right about (concessions),
and why your stance is overall still
correct (rebuttal)
Write one paragraph that could
serve as a conclusion to an essay
written in response to Pavela’s,
including answers to “so what?”
and “who cares?”
Bring four copies of Essay 3 draft to
class
Revise your response to
Applebaum’s essay to include
metacommentary. Create three
appropriate titles for your third
essay, choose one, and in one
paragraph describe why this was
more appropriate than the others
Tues., Nov. 16
Thurs., Nov. 18
Tues., Nov. 23
Thurs., Nov. 25
Tues., Nov. 30
Thurs., Dec. 2
Tues., Dec. 7
Thurs., Dec. 9 –
8:00
WEEK 13: Revisiting the Portfolio;
Interrogating Zeitoun
No Class – Conferences; sign up on Google Docs
Z: Part IV, 236-290
Portfolios and In-class post-write on Essay 3
Z:Part IV, 205-236
TR: Ray, “The Portfolio Process,” 184-189
Bb: print and review reflective intros guidelines;
print post-write for Essay 3 (don’t complete)
WEEK 14: Reflective Introductions;
Interrogating Zeitoun (cont.)
Reflective Intros Workshop
Z: Part V, 293-325
Bb: print Reflective Intro workshop questions
Thanksgiving Break
WEEK 15: Wrapping Up
Putting It All Together: In-Class Essay
Bb: bring your copy of Zeitoun to class
Reflection on Semester
Reading Day
Final Exam Period
Essay 3 Due – submit previous
drafts and workshop sheets
Bring four copies of Reflective
Intro draft to class
Revise in-class essay for your
portfolio
Portfolios Due