Miami Composition Guide (2014)
Incoming first-year students need to complete six semester hours of credit in composition,
usually by taking English 111, Composition and Rhetoric, in their first semester, and English
112, Composition and Literature, in their second semester.
What about AP credit for Composition?
Students who score 3 or 4 on one or both of the AP English exams may earn 3 credits toward
fulfilling the composition requirement of the Miami Plan. Students who earn a 5 on one or
both of the AP English exams receive credit for both 111 and 112. If you have received or
expect you are likely to receive a 3 or 4 on either AP English exam, we recommend you
sign up for English 112 in the fall; Eng 111 and Eng 112 focus on different kinds of writing
so it would be acceptable to take 112 before 111 in the event that you did not receive the AP
credit you were expecting. Below is the table indicating what course credits students will
receive for which AP exams and scores.
AP Subject
AP
Score
Course
Number
Course Title
Hours Awarded
English
Language
OR
3-4
ENG 111
Composition and Rhetoric
3 (students take
ENG 112)
3-4
ENG 111
Composition and Rhetoric
ENG 122
Popular Literature
6 (students still
must take ENG
112)
ENG 111
ENG 112
Composition and Rhetoric,
Composition and Literature
English
Literature
English
Language
AND
English
Literature
English
Language
AND/OR
English
Literature
5
6 (students have
fulfilled all
composition
requirements)
What about the First-Year Portfolio for composition credit?
For incoming first-year students only, you can submit a portfolio of work you have done in
high school. For further details, see http://www.units.muohio.edu/portfolio/. Submit your
portfolio anytime between May 1 and June 23rd the summer before enrollment. Students may
earn credit for 111, 112, or both.
Please note: For students who take the AP exam(s) and who also submit a first-year portfolio,
you can receive credits from the one or the other, but not both combined. (For example, if you
receive three credits from the AP exam and three credits from the portfolio exam, you will be
awarded three credits, not six.) In instances where the AP exam(s) and the portfolio exam
generate the same result (the same number of composition credits awarded), the AP exam
score takes precedence.
What about transferring courses from other universities?
For transfer students, you can transfer a course you have taken at another university that is
deemed equivalent to ENG 111 or ENG 112.
(a) If the course is already recognized as equivalent, then it is listed in the transfer database at
http://www.transfer.org. Sometime after you have officially transferred to Miami, check your
transcript to make sure that the Registrar has processed this course transfer and assigned it to
your Foundation composition requirement.
(b) If the course is not already recognized as equivalent, you can apply to the Director of
Composition, Jason Palmeri, to review the course. Please email palmerjr@miamioh.edu a
syllabus for the course you took as well as your Banner ID and he will review it within a week.
The director may ask for additional information or writing samples if the syllabus is not
sufficiently clear about the nature of the course.
What if all sections of composition classes are closed on Bannerweb? What
is the force-add policy?
If you are unable to find and register for an open section of English 108, 109, 111, or 112 on
the Oxford campus through Bannerweb, you may request to be “force added” by the English
Department composition program office. We will process force add requests via email to
english@miamioh.edu from July 14th to August 21st for fall semester 2014 on a first come,
first served basis. After August 21, you will need to come in person to Bachelor 356 to request
a force add. Please note that force add requests will only be granted for students who cannot
find any open section on Bannerweb that they could possibly take due to class scheduling
conflicts. We will NOT grant force add requests to accommodate preferences for
instructor, time of day, or convenience.
When you email english@miamioh.edu to request a force add, please use the subject line
“composition force add”, and be sure to answer the following four questions:
1) What is your name and your Banner ID number (the number that begins with a +)?
2) What class (108, 109, 111, or 112) do you need to add?
3) What is your current course schedule? (List days and times when you are NOT able
to take a composition class; you can also include any important extracurricular
commitments that would prevent you from taking a class at a particular day or time).
4) Are you currently enrolled in a section of composition? If so, which section and why
do you want to change -- why is it not possible for you to stay in that section)? Please
note that preference will be given to students who are not enrolled in ANY section. As
stated above, we cannot accommodate preferences for instructor or time of day.
What can I expect in first-year composition courses?
English 111, Composition and Rhetoric, is a writing course focused on principles of rhetoric
and practices of composition useful for producing writing that is effective for its purpose,
audience, and context. You’ll practice the processes of writing (invention, research, drafting,
revising, editing); learn how to assess a rhetorical situation in order to write effectively for
different audiences and purposes in a variety of genres; and use writing for critical research
inquiry and engaging with others. All sections of ENG 111 require five major writing projects
(5-7 pages each, or the equivalent), including assignments such as a reflective essay, a
rhetorical analysis, an argumentative paper, and a final reflective portfolio. All sections of ENG
111 are taught in laptop classrooms or computer labs.
English 112, Composition and Literature, is a writing course focused on writing critically and
analytically about texts. English 112 will help expand your understanding of what constitutes
a text; will teach you techniques for responding to, interpreting, critiquing, and evaluating
texts; and will help you write analytical arguments about texts for academic, disciplinary
audiences. All sections of ENG 112 require four major writing projects (5-7 pages each, or the
equivalent), including assignments such as a close reading essay, a critical-historical analysis,
and a final reflective portfolio.
Can I Take 111 online this summer?
Yes! We will offer one section of English 111 fully online this summer. The online format will
enable you to work closely and intensively on your writing, receiving timely individualized
feedback from an experienced composition instructor. You will be able to begin the fall
semester confident that you are well prepared to handle the challenges of college-level
writing and reading. In addition to getting a head start on your Miami Plan requirements,
you’ll have the chance to meet and get to know some of your classmates before face-to-face
classes begin in the fall.
If you have more questions about Online 111, see
http://www.units.muohio.edu/composition/ENG111Online.html or contact the Online 111
Course Coordinator, Jason Palmeri (palmerjr@miamioh.edu).