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UNIV 112: Focused Inquiry II
Fall 2015
Instructor: Christopher Jackson
Email: cnjackson@vcu.edu
Office Location: Harris Hall 5178
Office Hours: MWF 3-4 and by appointment
Course Goals:
As the second part of a two-semester course sequence, UNIV 112 (Focused Inquiry II) will
help you to improve your writing skills while continuing work on your critical thinking,
ethical reasoning, collaboration, oral communication, and information fluency skills. UNIV
112 is designed to provide you with practice in multimodal analysis, textual analysis and
synthesis, and argumentative writing supported by ethical reasoning. This practice will
prepare you for the types of writing you will encounter and be expected to produce
throughout your university career (and perhaps even beyond). Like UNIV 111, UNIV 112
applies the notion of the "spiral curriculum" in that you build your skills by repeating key
concepts and adding to the complexity of those concepts with each subsequent unit.
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Critical Thinking: continue to apply critical thinking to texts and ideas, with a
specific focus on analyzing and creating academic arguments that make sound
claims and support conclusions with appropriate evidence
Writing Proficiency: create formal and informal pieces of writing in a variety of
genres, to include timed, analytical, and ethical reasoning argument
Collaborative Learning: continue to work with peers on group assignments,
projects and classroom activities; practice peer response to writing assignments
Oral Communication: continue to build communication skills through active
participation in class discussions and formal presentations
Information Fluency: retrieve information through VCU Libraries, evaluate source
reliability, and critically read and respond to texts
Ethical and Civic Responsibility: consider multiple ethical points of view; apply
methods of ethical reasoning to texts and arguments
Quantitative Literacy: evaluate quantitative information when used as evidence
In UNIV 112, you will continue to develop your ability to interpret, analyze, evaluate, and
infer based on appropriate evidence. The course will emphasize writing, revising, and
proofreading. By the end of the class, you will produce work that reflects your ability to
appropriately frame writing according to both purpose and audience. More specifically, you
will be equipped to narrow your topics to an academic focus, analyze single texts, analyze
and synthesize multiple texts, construct an argument based on ethical reasoning and
scholarly evidence which contends with counter-arguments, shape your ideas for an
academic audience, correct mechanical problems in your writing, and cite sources
appropriately.
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UNIV 112 is divided up into three theoretically and thematically connected units. These
units are:
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Experience/Culture/Text
Text/Context
Context/Argument
Required Course Materials:
You must have all of these materials to be successful in the class.
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Hacker, Diana and Nancy Sommers. A Writer’s Reference, Eighth Edition with
Writing in the Disciplines and Multimodal Projects.
Hayden McNeil Custom Reader: Focused Inquiry: True Stories: Narrative &
Understanding (VCU 2015-2016 Edition).
Lepore, Jill. The Secret History of Wonder Woman (2015 Summer Reading).
VCU email account/Blackboard account and reliable daily access to those
accounts.
Core Assignments:
Writing: As in UNIV 111, students will produce one core writing assignment during each
of the three units of the course. Each piece of writing will be taken through a process of
drafting, revision, and/or reflection, which may include preliminary drafts, guided revision,
peer review, and critical self-assessment. Core writing assignments in each unit will grow
out of and evidence the critical thinking and critical reading that occurs during the unit.
When secondary research is involved, sources should be properly documented with in-text
citations and a Works Cited or References page. In addition to the core writing
assignments, students will also be expected to practice writing inside and outside of class
through various class activities, which may include blog posts, critical responses to
assigned readings and ideas, peer review feedback, and other class activities.
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Unit I: Students will produce a multimodal analysis - shaped to consider the needs
of audience and purpose - that includes a claim, reasons, and evidence.
Unit II: Students will produce a piece of analytical writing that summarizes,
analyzes, and synthesizes outside sources (minimum of 4 pages or 1000 words).
Unit III: Students will produce an Ethical Reasoning Argument (5-7 pages or 12501750 words)
Oral Communication: Each student will complete one formal (i.e. planned & rehearsed)
individual presentation and one formal collaborative oral presentation. These
presentations may be subject to specific parameters, such as time limits, use of
audio/visual aids, delivery technique, etc. In addition to these two formal presentations,
students will also regularly be asked to orally share their ideas, written work, summaries of
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readings or group discussions, and critical responses to readings, assignments, or class
activities.
Course Grading:
Weight of course components in final grade:
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Core Assignments (core writing assignments and oral presentations): 60%
Other Course Work (can include process work for core assignments): 20%
Class Attendance and Active Class Participation: 20%
Students must earn a C or better in UNIV 112 to exit the course. Students who do not
earn a C or better must repeat the course.
Course Policies:
Focused Inquiry Program Attendance Policy: UNIV 112 requires prepared, active
participation during class sessions.
 While attendance is mandatory, students should not expect to do well simply by
attending.
 Being absent from class does not relieve students of responsibility for completing all
course work by the scheduled due dates.
 The instructor has the right to lower a student's final course grade as the sole result
of his or her repeated absences and tardiness.
 Students who miss more than 25% of the classes will automatically fail. In a MWF
class, this is 11 or more absences.
 There are no “excused” or “unexcused” absences.
I keep and report daily attendance. You will receive an automated email each time you are
absent. This email is also sent to your advisor. If you receive an email in error, please let
me know immediately.
Cell Phone and Laptop Policy: Cell phone and laptop use can create significant
distractions in an active-learning class such as ours. On most class days, you will be
engaged in doing and discussing things rather than taking notes or looking things up.
Therefore, unless instructed otherwise, please leave your laptops in their cases. Turn off
and put away your cell phones before entering the classroom. (I understand that there are
occasional times when students need to be reached by cell phone-- for instance, if you have
a job that requires you to be on-call or you are a parent with a sick child. If this is the case,
please notify me as you enter the room at the start of class.)
Assignment Acceptance Policy: All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the
due date. Late core assignments will lose half a letter grade for each day they are late
(including weekends). If a situation arises in which you know a core assignment will be
late, please discuss this with me at least a week before the assignment is due in order to
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have an extended due date considered. Assignments submitted via email will not be
accepted, nor will paper copies be accepted in lieu of required electronic submissions. Late
homework and process assignments will not be graded.
Required format for written assignments (including homework): Written assignments
should conform to the following specifications. You may need to adjust their software
settings to adhere to these requirements:
 Times New Roman or Arial (or equivalent), 12-point font.
 Margins: 1 inch, left and right, top and bottom.
 Justification: left margin only.
 Line spacing: double-spaced.
 Print: dark, and on one side of the page.
 Graphics: in an appendix only.
 Documentation: MLA or APA style
See pages 436-440 in Hacker’s A Writer’s Reference for a model.
Blackboard: Essential course documents (syllabus, etc.) will be stored on Blackboard.
Blackboard will also be where your grades for major assignments and process work will be
recorded.
Rampages: Our course will have a central Rampages site where all materials pertaining to
our class (except grades) will be stored. This will be where you look for homework
assignments and the like. Please check this page daily.
Submission of online work and use of Rampages: Rampages is a VCU-wide platform for
online and connected learning across courses. The Focused Inquiry Department requires
that all students create an active Rampages account on which they will engage in online
learning activities.
VCU students have the opportunity to narrate, curate, and share the story of their learning
and achievements with the world. Universities such as Penn State, the University of
Oklahoma, Emory University, and the University of Mary Washington have offered this
opportunity to their students with great success, and we anticipate VCU’s experience will
be just as beneficial.
While we encourage you to participate in the full experience of “connected learning,” we
also want you to know that you have rights and responsibilities when posting course work
online:
 As part of this course, students must create Rampages sites that are accessible
online. Rampages allows students to control the visibility of their work (i.e.,
restricted to specific users, restricted to the VCU community, or publicly accessible).
At a minimum, students must allow their instructor to view their work. Please
consult with your instructor if you would like more information on restricting the
visibility of your Rampages site.
 Students must be in compliance with the end user licenses, platform policies, and
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applicable laws for any open- or protected-access sites that they choose to use in
support of their work for VCU. This includes sites such as Blackboard, YouTube,
Google Drive, Slideshare, or any cloud storage students choose to use. Please
familiarize yourself with any user licensing agreements and applicable laws that
may apply.
Students have intellectual property rights to work they generate in support of their
studies at VCU as described in the VCU Intellectual Property Policy. If a class project
offers use of a site that requires users to waive intellectual property rights to posted
content, students may utilize an alternate platform for posting or submission of
their materials. Please consult with your instructor for more information.
Students are responsible for the work they share online or in any manner. No group
work may be posted online or used in any manner other than submission to the
course instructor without full consent of all group members.
VCU policies and regulations regarding the network and resources are also
applicable.
University Policies:
E-mail Policy: Email is considered an official method for communication at VCU because it
delivers information in a convenient, timely, cost-effective, and environmentally aware
manner. Students are expected to check their official VCU email on a frequent and
consistent basis in order to remain informed of university-related communications. The
university recommends checking email daily. Students are responsible for the
consequences of not reading, in a timely fashion, university-related communications sent to
their official VCU student email account. This policy ensures that all students have access to
this important form of communication. It ensures students can be reached through a
standardized channel by faculty and other staff of the university as needed. Mail sent to the
VCU email address may include notification of university-related actions, including
disciplinary action. Please read the policy in its entirety.
VCU Honor System - Upholding Academic Integrity: The VCU Honor System policy
describes the responsibilities of students, faculty and administration in upholding
academic integrity, while at the same time respecting the rights of individuals to the due
process offered by administrative hearings and appeals. According to this policy, "Members
of the academic community are required to conduct themselves in accordance with the
highest standards of academic honesty and integrity." In addition, "All members of the VCU
community are presumed to have an understanding of the VCU Honor System and are
required to:
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Agree to be bound by the Honor System policy and its procedures;
Report suspicion or knowledge of possible violations of the Honor System;
Support an environment that reflects a commitment to academic integrity;
Answer truthfully when called upon to do so regarding Honor System cases;
Maintain confidentiality regarding specific information in Honor System cases."
More information can be found at in the VCU policy library.
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In this class, because coursework will be at times collaborative, particular issues of
integrity arise. You should not copy or print another student’s work without permission.
Any material (this includes ideas and language) from another source must be credited,
whether that material is quoted directly, summarized, or paraphrased. In other words, you
should respect the work of others and in no way present it as your own.
Student Conduct in the Classroom: According to the Faculty Guide to Student Conduct in
Instructional Settings, "The university is a community of learners. Students, as well as
faculty, have a responsibility for creating and maintaining an environment that supports
effective instruction. In order for faculty members (including graduate teaching assistants)
to provide and students to receive effective instruction in classrooms, laboratories, studios,
online courses, and other learning areas, the university expects students to conduct
themselves in an orderly and cooperative manner." Among other things, cell phones and
beepers should be turned off while in the classroom. The Student Code of Conduct also
prohibits the possession of or carrying of any weapon. For more information see here.
Students with Disabilities: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, require that VCU provide "academic
adjustments" or "reasonable accommodations" to any student who has a physical or mental
impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. To receive accommodations,
students must request them by contacting the Disability Support Services Office on the
Monroe Park Campus (828-2253) or the Division for Academic Success on the MCV campus
(828-9782). Please also visit the Disability Support Services website and/or the Division
for Academic Success website for additional information.
Any student who has a disability that requires an accommodation should schedule a
meeting with the instructor at the student's earliest convenience. Additionally, if
coursework requires the student to work in a lab environment, the student should advise
the instructor or a department chairperson of any concerns that the student may have
regarding safety issues related to a disability. Students should follow this procedure for all
courses in the academic semester.
Statement on Military Short-Term Training or Deployment: If military students receive
orders for short-term training or deployment, they should inform and present their orders
to Military Student Services and to their professor(s). For further information on policies
and procedures contact Military Services at 828-5993 or access the corresponding policies.
Excused Absences for Students Representing the University: All student athletes
should provide their schedule to the instructor at the beginning of the semester.
Campus Emergency information: What to know and do to be prepared for emergencies
at VCU -
Sign up to receive VCU text messaging alerts. Keep your information up-to-date.
Within the classroom, the professor will keep his or her phone on to receive any
emergency transmissions.
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Know the safe evacuation route from each of your classrooms. Emergency
evacuation routes are posted in on-campus classrooms.
Listen for and follow instructions from VCU or other designated authorities. Within
the classroom, follow your professor's instructions.
Know where to go for additional emergency information.
Know the emergency phone number for the VCU Police (828-1234).
Report suspicious activities and objects.
Keep your permanent address and emergency contact information current in
eServices.
Important Dates: View important dates for the Fall 2015 semester.
VCU Mobile: The VCU Mobile application is a valuable tool to get the latest VCU
information on the go. The application contains helpful information including the VCU
directory, events, course schedules, campus maps, athletics and general VCU news,
emergency information, library resources, Blackboard and more. To download the
application on your smart phone or for more information, please visit http://m.vcu.edu.
Class Registration Required for Attendance: Students may attend only those classes for
which they have registered. Faculty may not add students to class rosters. Therefore, if
students are attending a class for which they have not registered, they must stop attending.
Withdrawal from Classes: Before withdrawing from classes, students should consult their
instructor as well as other appropriate university offices. Withdrawing from classes may
negatively impact a student’s financial aid award and his or her semester charges. To
discuss financial aid and the student bill, visit the Student Services Center at 1015 Floyd
Avenue (Harris Hall) and/or contact your financial aid counselor regarding the impact on
your financial aid. Contact information for the University Financial Aid Office is available
online.
Student Financial Responsibility: Students assume the responsibility of full payment of
tuition and fees generated from their registration and all charges for housing and dining
services, and other applicable miscellaneous charges. Students are ultimately responsible
for any unpaid balance on their account as a result of the University Financial Aid Office or
their third party sponsor canceling or reducing their award(s).
Make a Commitment to Community Learning:
Your learning here at VCU is not limited to what goes on in your classrooms; in fact, part of
a full and rich college experience is tapping into as many different kinds of learning as
possible. Learning happens as a result of being exposed to different ideas and different
experiences, both in the classroom and beyond, in the larger University community. It often
takes other peoples’ perspectives and opinions to spark in us new and deeper ways of
seeing something. Think, for example, when you listen to other people in class or in general
conversation, how many times you have said to yourself, “Gee. I never thought of it that
way before.” Thus, we learn and think through social exchange. Be a social learner while
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you are here. There are a number of social learning communities that should be of
particular interest to you as a first-year student.
Campus Learning
Center
Hibbs Hall, 1st Floor
827-8108
The University College Campus Learning Center offers a
variety of community learning opportunities to support your
work in most 100 and 200 level courses. You can receive oneon-one or group based learning support at no charge. Study
skills assistance is also available. Check out the CLC website
for complete information.
VCU Libraries
VCU Libraries are one of the largest research libraries in
Cabell Library Research & Virginia – with nearly two million volumes; almost 24,000
Instructional Services for journal and other serial titles; more than 3.18 million
UNIV 111 and UNIV 112
microforms; film, video, sound, comic, manuscript and book
Focused Inquiry Guides art collections; and the largest health sciences library in
Virginia. James Branch Cabell Library is the university’s
center for study and research in the arts, humanities, social
sciences, and physical sciences.
Academic Advising
The University College provides academic advising for all
st
Hibbs Hall, 1 Floor
first-year students and for those who are not yet admitted
827-8648 (UNIV)
into a professional school or academic program. Your advisor
can help you find your way around the university, especially
in helping you understand academic requirements and
policies, choosing an appropriate program of study, and
identifying educational and career goals.
The Writing Center
The University College Writing Center offers support for
Academic Learning
currently enrolled VCU students and faculty. Services for
Commons, 4th Floor,
students include one-on-one consultations and workshops on
Room 4203
a wide variety of topics associated with academic writing,
828-4851
reading, and critical thinking. As you work on your writing
assignments, you will benefit the most if you plan multiple
visits to the Writing Center – for brainstorming and planning,
for developing and organizing, and then for revising.
Students are now able to schedule appointments online. They
can do this via UCMe, or they can also click "Advising
Appointments" in the VCU portal.
English Language
Resources @ the
Writing Center
Academic Learning
Commons, 4th Floor,
Room 4203
828-4851
English Language Resources @ the Writing Center provides
specialized support to English Language Learners at VCU.
This service encourages success by helping students develop
their vocabulary and reading comprehension, fluency in
composition, oral communication, and understanding of
American academic rhetorical expectations. Stop by the
Writing Center or call to ask for an ELR consultation!
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UNIV 112 Basic Calendar: Fall 2015
Monday
24
31
Wednesday
August 19
Unit I Begins
26
NOTE: the 26th is the last day
to add/drop classes.
September 2
Friday
21
28
4
Deadline for students to
provide advance written
notification to observe
religious holidays.
11
7
University Closed
14
9
21
Reading Days – No classes
28
Unit II Begins
5
9
12
23
Reading Days – No classes
30
18
Unit 1 Core Assignment
Due
25
Reading Days – No classes
October 2
7
11
14
9
13
16
19
21
26
Unit III begins
28
November 2
9
16
23
4
11
18
25
University closes at 12pm
December 2
23
Unit 2 Core Assignment
Due
30
This is the last day to
withdraw from class with a
“W.” Consult with your
academic advisor before
dropping a class.
6
13
20
27
University closed
4
Unit 3 Core Assignment
Due
30
16