Course Description
Prerequisite: Satisfactory performance on a placement test or EDCP 103. Practice in effective
writing and clear thinking at all levels, including the sentence and paragraph, with emphasis on
the essay and research report. The objective is to apply specific steps within the writing process,
including formulating purpose, identifying an audience, and selecting and using research
resources and methods of development. Revision and recursive writing practice are emphasized
and encouraged. Assignments include comparison-contrast and research essays, as well as other
rhetorical tasks. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: ENGL 101,
ENGL 101X, WRTG 101, WRTG 101S, or WRTG 101X.
Course Goals/Objectives
After completing this course, you should be able to




apply the writing process to develop essays using various rhetorical patterns in order to
inform and persuade an audience
construct unified, coherent, and well-supported paragraphs using principles of persuasion
and exposition
demonstrate accurate grammar and mechanics in writing
analyze source material in order to integrate valid and reliable sources using accepted
documentation style
Course Introduction
This course will help you develop the writing skills demanded by college-level writing
assignments. We will discuss the writing process, practice writing for specific audiences, review
strategies for revision, and analyze model writings. You will practice identifying and applying
expository (conveying information by means of classification, comparison-contrast, process
analysis, causal analysis, and other rhetorical forms) and persuasive (argument supported by
reasoning and evidence) modes of writing. Your work this semester will culminate in a researchsupported essay that combines these modes of writing. Research-supported writing will give you
practice in gathering, evaluating, integrating, and documenting sources of evidence as supporting
material in your own writing.
Courses that fulfill the General Education Requirements (GERs) at UMUC all have a common
theme—technological transformations. In following this theme throughout this semester in
WRTG 101, we will read the analysis of one author, Neil Postman, on the impact of technology
on various aspects of society.
The course consists of the following modules:



Module 1: The Writer's Toolbox
Module 2: Expository Writing
Module 3: Persuasive Writing

Module 4: Writing for Research
Project Descriptions
Essay 1: Summary Essay
This assignment requires you to summarize in a few paragraphs the content of Postman's first
two chapters. Your instructor will provide more details on the assignment. The essay should be
500 words.
Essay 2: Synthesis Essay
This assignment requires you to combine information from Part I of the Postman text and some
other sources to write an essay that examines the role of technology in transforming society. In
this "three-source" essay, you must demonstrate the ability to synthesize your findings in a sound
organizational pattern and with a clear thesis statement. This essay will be written in at least two
drafts. Your instructor will provide more details on the assignment. The essay should be 1000 1200 words.
Essay 3: Research-Supported Essay
You will be given several choices for selecting a topic for this essay. The choices will related to
the themes in Portman's text. You will choose a topic, gather source material, focus on a
particular thesis, analyze and gather additional materials, and in the process write an essay that
examines the topic based upon a carefully developed and clearly stated thesis. Use of UMUC's
Information and Library Resources databases is required. This essay will be written in at least
two drafts. The essay should be 1500 - 2000 words and include a references page.
Final Project: Reflective Essay
You will be given two choices to approach this essay. The essay will represent your own
reflections on your writing overall or your research journey overall during the semester. This
essay should be 800-1200 words.
Course Schedule
Wee
k
1
Topics
Readings/Assignments
Reading from Postman (Foreward, chapter 1, and chapter 2)
From N.
Postman:
-The
medium as
a metaphor Watch videos on chapters 1 and 2 of Amusing Ourselves to Death
-Media as
epistemolo
gy

Chapter 1:
Other
Writing
Topics:
http://info.umuc.edu/academicwrtg/Postman_Amusing/Postman_Amusing_ch
Orientation 1_sm_anim.html
to Writer's
Help

Chapter 2:
http://info.umuc.edu/academicwrtg/Postman_Amusing/Postman_Amusing_ch
2.html
Conference Due Dates: Original Post(s) by Thursday and Follow-Up Post(s)
by Saturday.
From N.
Postman:
Typographi
c America
-The
typographi
Reading from Postman (chapter 3 and chapter 4)
c mind
Tutorials on using OneSearch
2
Other
Writing
Topics:
-Library
research
Summarizi
ng ,
paraphrasin
g, and
quoting
-The thesis
statement
Conference Due Dates: Original Post(s) by Thursday and Follow-Up Post(s)
by Saturday.
Writer's Help exercises
First draft of Summary Essay #1 due in Study Groups.
Introductor
y
paragraphs
Concluding
paragraphs
3
From N.
Postman:
-The Peeka-Boo
World
-The Age
of Show
Reading from Postman (chapter 5 and chapter 6)
Business
Tutorials on using OneSearch (cont.)
Conference Due Dates: Original Post(s) by Thursday and Follow-Up Post(s)
Other
by Saturday.
Exercises from Writer's Help
Writing
Topics:
-Library
Final draft of Essay #1 due in Assignment Folder
research
(cont.)
-Effective
paragraphs
and topic
sentences
4
From N.
Postman:
“Now…Th
Reading from Postman (chapter 7 and chapter 8)
is”
Mini-annotated bibliography of three sources
-Shuffle
Video tutorial on synthesizing sources –
Off to
Bethlehem
http://polaris.umuc.edu/ewc/web/writ_synth.html
Other
Video tutorial on developing transitions in one's writing -Writing
http://polaris.umuc.edu/ewc/tutorials/transitions/
Topics:
Conference Due Dates: Original Post(s) by Thursday and Follow-Up Post(s)
-Library
by Saturday.
research
Exercises from Writer's Help
(cont.)
First draft of Synthesis Essay #2 due in Study Groups.
Transitions
Synthesizin
g sources
5
From N.
Postman:
-Reach Out
and Elect
Someone
-Teaching
as an
Amusing Reading from Postman (chapter 9 and chapter 10)
Activity
Conference Due Dates: Original Post(s) by Thursday and Follow-Up Post(s)
by Saturday.
Other
APA citation exercises from Writer's Help
Writing
Final draft of Synthesis Essay #2 due in Assignment Folder.
Topics:
-The
writing of
the
researchsupported
essay
From N.
Postman:
-The
Huxleyan
Warning
6
Other
Writing
Topics:
-APA style
-Library
and
research
skills
(cont.)
-Grammar
review
Reading from Postman (chapter 11)
Conference Due Dates: Original Post(s) by Thursday and Follow-Up Post(s)
by Saturday.
APA citation exercises from Writer's Help
First draft of Research-Supported Essay #3 due in Study Groups.
7
Reflective
Conference Due Dates: Original Post(s) by Thursday and Follow-Up Post(s)
writing
by Saturday.
Grammar
Final draft of Research-Supported Essay #3 due in Assignment Folder
review
8
Conference Due Dates: Original Post(s) by Thursday and Follow-Up Post(s)
Reflective
by Saturday.
writing
Final project, the Reflective Essay, due in Assignment Folder.
NO ESSAYS ACCEPTED AFTER 7 / 7 / 13