WRT 120-40—EFFECTIVE
WRITING I Fall 2013: MWF 9:00-9:50am, Recitation
101
Prof.
Spring Ulmer
SULMER@wcupa.edu
Office: Main Hall 524
Office phone: (610) 436-2626
Office Hours: M-F 7:00a.m.-8:00a.m., and by
appt.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course meets the Academic Foundations in English
Composition component of the WCU General Education curriculum. This writing
course is designed to encourage your growth as a writer. You will focus on
honing your organizational skills and awareness of styles of writing, and you
will become a critical reader of texts, audiences, and situations. Finally, you
will emerge from this course a critically thinking, rhetorically-savvy writer.
In other words, the course will enable you to recognize the nuances that make
written communication most effective. This includes understanding the
relationship of language and writing to a wide variety of contexts, including
the university environment and the larger public sphere beyond campus. To
become a successful writer, you need to read. In this course you will summarize
readings and synthesize (and/or contrast) readings. You will also focus on the
process of writing, rather than only on the final product. You will learn to
draft, analyze peer writing, revise, and revise again. By doing this, you will
engage in a deliberate composing process that includes considering rhetorical
options and cultural influences. This course should enable you to be a
successful writer in your university courses, as well as in your life.
This course meets three General Education goals that will
help you learn to: communicate effectively (examine the uses and effects of
various types of writing, noticing how different contexts for writing call for
changes in tone, syntax and genre); respond thoughtfully to diversity (by
paying careful attention to the language in which categories like race, social
class, gender, sexual orientation, age, etc., are represented), and to think
critically and analytically (to recognize and analyze patterns of argument).
COURSE OBJECTIVES AND
OUTCOMES
In WRT 120, you will learn to:
• find your authentic authorial voice, and trust your
ability to express significant ideas in your writing
• develop and support a meaningful and interesting thesis
• become a conscious user of writing technologies
• learn what plagiarism is and how to avoid it
• compose both informal and formal writings
• create texts in multiple genres and be able to recognize
and analyze the differences among these genres
• engage in all of the recursive stages of the writing
process: brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading
• engage in peer-response sessions
• review grammar, punctuation, and spelling guidelines
• learn how to be critical thinkers, readers, speakers, and
writers who can analyze a variety of cultural “texts”
• learn how to analyze a rhetorical situation: audience,
purpose, context, and tone
• learn how to function effectively in different discourse
communities; use appropriate language and vocabulary according to the different
groups of people and situations
• learn to respond thoughtfully to diversity by paying
careful attention and by becoming aware that language decisions are not simple
surface choices; learn to recognize that language may reflect personal and/or
cultural beliefs
• learn how to locate, evaluate, use, and cite sources
• write 20+ pages of finished writing
• compile a portfolio; compose a final Self-Assessment
Questionnaire
• recognize your own strengths and weaknesses as a writer,
and use support available to you to improve your writing
OVERVIEW
What does it mean to really
think about what is happening now?
What most catches our collective interest and what is our response to current
events? What do we do with news?
Throughout this writing course you will track various current events of your
choosing, as well as comment on your peers’ event selections, on a group blog. Beyond
questions like, what is news and how do we read and write about it, and who owns
the news and how does this affect what is reported, as well as how do issues of
diversity affect our reading and reactions, we will also investigate how we
consume media, and ask how best we might represent and comment upon current
events. Ultimately, you’ll come away from the course having learned something
about what responsibilities and quandaries your generation now faces. You’ll
also come away having learned something about writing and what writing can do. As a group, we will decide upon the
class’ trajectory. Perhaps we will create our own independent news organization
and broadcast and upload our own news on YouTube weekly; or maybe we will work
independently, writing in depth on the event that most consumes our individual interests.
Whatever we end up doing, we will
write about the process of what it means to immerse ourselves in the
contemporary landscape made available to us via various media sources. At the
end of the semester, you will each compile your work into a 20-page portfolio
and be asked to contemplate both your own and its existence.
NO REQUIRED TEXTS
• Flashdrive
• Two-pocket folder for
end-of-semester portfolio
REQUIRED WORK
Additional details and expectations for each project will
be provided before they are due.
• Rhetorical, creative, and
annotated reading responses (5 pages of blog journal writing): 20%
• Group or independent research
(15 pages of finished writing): 50%
• Attendance and participation: 10%
• Final portfolio + SAQ: 15%
• Final exam: 5%
CLASS POLICIES
Attendance and Participation
Absences in this class not only mean you miss
crucial discussions, lectures on writing style and techniques you need to
succeed in college, they are an insult to class community. We rely on one
another for more than half of our grade, and for this reason it is imperative
that you attend class, and that you arrive with work prepared and in hand. That
said, only three absences of any kind are permitted. Serious medical
situations or emergencies are considered exceptions to this rule, and if you
find yourself in such a situation, it is your responsibility to contact the
Office of Judicial Affairs and Student Assistance at 610-436-3511. Too many
missed classes can seriously affect your final grade. The Office of Judicial Affairs and Student Assistance provides a
notification service on behalf of students who missed classes for an extended
period of time (three days or more) due to a medical situation or a significant
family emergency. This notification does not serve as an “excused absence,” it
simply alerts me as to why you have been absent. If you are absent for a period
longer than a week, please know that passing this course will be extremely
challenging for you, and that you must
call (610) 436-3511 to request assistance from the Office of Judicial Affairs
and Student Assistance.
Absences Policy for University-Sanctioned Events
You are advised to carefully read and comply
with the excused absences policy for university-sanctioned events contained in
the WCU Undergraduate Catalog. I
will require a “fair alternative” to attendance on those days that you must be
absent from class. I will designate such alternatives and their due
dates prior to the event. This means
that you must submit original
documentation on university letterhead signed by the activity director, coach,
or adviser detailing the specifics of the event in advance. You are also expected to turn in assignments due on
days of the event prior to their due
dates.
Diversity Fair Language
The writing for this course should
not assume the gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, disability status, or
sexual orientation of a person is a known.
Final Exam
There will be a final exam. This
exam is worth 5% of your final grade.
Grades
The goal here is to fall in love with writing
and to write as if your life and the lives of others depended on it (and you
and they do!). To achieve this aim, I will give you as much feedback and
attention as I can. I will conference with you throughout the semester to
discuss your writing and class progress.
Half of your grade in this course is dependent
upon communal work. Communal work will be graded P/F. Pass means that everyone
worked together and succeeded in examining, writing, and producing a meaningful
project. Fail means that one person shouldered other persons’ work, and that relatively
little or nothing meaningful was experienced or produced. Should a class fail,
your final individual grade (based on the 50% of your individual work) will be
dropped one letter grade. I expect no class to fail.
Final and individual grades will be
based on traditional standards:
• A (93-100), A-
(90-92)—Excellent: Work that presents original thinking or insight that is clearly, correctly, and
gracefully written. The piece reflects a sophisticated voice, rhetoric,
analysis, and language.
• B+ (87-89), B
(83-86), B- (80-82)—Good: Work that fully satisfies an assignment’s expectations with clear
competence. The level of sophistication of thought and writing that represents
an A is absent, but the piece is well written in terms of argument, mechanics,
support and structure, and choice of details.
• C+ (77-79), C
(73-76), C- (70-72)—Fair: An adequate piece of work that minimally meets an assignment’s
specifications and is generally correct in terms of mechanics and structure,
but one that lacks thorough analysis or elaboration and sharp focus.
• D+ (67-69), D
(63-66), D- (60-62)—Poor: Work that is inadequate in at least one way, including failure to maintain
focus, skimpy or illogical development, and significant errors in writing mechanics.
• F range (0-59)—Failure:
Work that fails to
respond acceptably to an assignment or that fails to be submitted on time.
Plagiarism and Academic Integrity
Plagiarism—passing off the work of
another person’s as your own—is a serious offense. In the academic world, plagiarism
is theft (and punishable). Information from sources, whether quoted,
paraphrased, or summarized, must be given credit through citations. It is especially important that paraphrase be both cited and put into your
own words. Merely rearranging a sentence or changing a few words is not
sufficient. It is your responsibility
to adhere to the university’s standards for academic integrity. Violations of
academic integrity include any act that violates the rights of another student
in academic work, that involves misrepresentation of your own work, or that
disrupts the instruction of the course. In addition to plagiarizing, other
violations include (but are not limited to): cheating on assignments or
examinations; selling, purchasing, or exchanging of term papers; falsifying of
information; and using your own work from one class to fulfill the assignment
for another class without significant modification. Proof of academic
misconduct can result in the automatic failure and removal from this course. For
questions, refer to the English Department’s Undergraduate Handbook, the
Undergraduate Catalogue, the Ram’s Eye View, and the University website.
No Grade, Violation of Academic Integrity,
and Violation of Student Code of Conduct
For questions regarding Academic Dishonesty, the No-Grade Policy,
Sexual Harassment, or the Student Code of Conduct, refer to the English Department’s
Undergraduate Handbook, the Undergraduate Catalogue, the Ram’s Eye View, and
the University website. Please understand that improper conduct in any of these
areas will not be tolerated and may result in immediate ejection from the
class.
Z Grade Policy
The ‘Z’ Grade
designation will be given to a student who stops attending class, does not
complete assignments, and fails to officially withdraw from a course by the 9th
week of the semester. This grade has the same value as an F for all academic
purposes, including computation of the cumulative average.
Informal Assignments
These will include keeping field
notes, annotated bibliographies, and writing the Reflective Letter. Note that
these minor assignments collectively will be worth more than 25% of your final
grade.
Papers
You
will draft and complete a number of formal writing assignments, totaling 20
pages of finished writing. These assignments will give you the opportunity to
write in several different genres. You will be given opportunities to revise
your writing with the benefit of feedback from the instructor and peers.
Paper Format
Always
include your name, the date, and course number and section on the top right
corner of the page. Number your pages. Double space the lines. Staple multiple
pages. Use 12-pt Times New Roman font.
Assignment Policy
I will accept NO late papers. (The only papers
that are handed in post-deadline that I may award passing grades to will be
written by students with documented,
excused absences.) Papers must
arrive in class on the day they are due, typed, and in paper form.
Portfolio
All students taking any level WRT
course will complete a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ), which asks
questions about what you learned in the WRT writing class. All students taking
any level WRT course will also compile a portfolio of formal writing completed
in the course this semester. The portfolio will contain a portfolio checklist.
The SAQ and portfolio help the Composition Program assess the effectiveness of
our courses at meeting specific general education goals. In order to pass the course, this portfolio
must be correctly assembled and submitted
on time.
Writing Center
Visit the University Writing
Center! Lawrence 214: 610-436-2121.
Library Support
FHG Library offers services to help
students, including advice on locating traditional and electronic sources, and
interlibrary loan (free of charge).
Approach a reference librarian for assistance or visit the library web
site for additional information.
Students with Disabilities
If you have a disability that
requires accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please
present your letter of accommodations and meet with me as soon as possible so
that I can support your success. If you
would like to know more about West Chester University’s Services for Students
with Disabilities (OSSD), please contact the OSSD which is located at 223
Lawrence Center. OSSD hours of Operation are
Monday – Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm. Phone number: 610-436-2564. Fax number: 610-430-5860. Email
address: ossd@wcupa.edu Web address: http://www.wcupa.edu/ussss/ossd/
APSCUF
I am a member of
APSCUF, the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties.
We uphold the highest standards of teaching, scholarly inquiry, and service. We
are an organization that is committed to promoting excellence in all that we do
to ensure that our students receive the highest quality education. For more on
our organization, see www.apscuf.org.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
You are encouraged
to sign up for the University’s free WCU ALERT service, which delivers official
WCU emergency text messages directly to your cell phone. For more information
and to sign up, visit www.wcupa.edu/wcualert. To report an emergency, call the
Department of Public Safety at 610-436-3311.
SCHEDULE
Week Four: CURRENT EVENTS (WHO
OWNS THE NEWS?)
Sept 16 Rhetorically and
culturally analyzing your found articles, annotating our media research.
Homework
for Sept 18: annotated current event blog entry; must analyze or critique news
producer
and/or author, as well as comment upon cultural information found within the
text. Also:
respond to another student’s blog entry.
Sept 18 Discussion. Observation, inference, analysis. Homework for Sept 20:
annotated current
event
blog entry; must analyze or critique news producer and/or author, as well as
comment upon cultural information found within the text. Also: respond to
another student’s blog entry.
Sept 20 Real analysis versus clichéd
conclusion. Homework for Sept 23: annotated current event
blog
entry; must analyze or critique news producer and/or author, as well as comment
upon cultural information found within the text. Also: respond to another
student’s blog entry.
Week Five: DIVERSITY IN THE MEDIA
Sept 23 Clips from Orientalism. Homework for Sept 25: Research
one of your topics from last
week in
greater depth. What do you discover? 1 page (post on blog). Also: respond to
another
student’s blog entry.
Sept 25 Showing of Control Room. Homework for Sept 27:
Reflect on how your own subject
position
affects how you read media sources. 1 page (post on blog). Also: respond to
another
student’s blog entry.
Sept 27 Group brainstorm about
how to re-present news. Listen to a journalist who follows
stories
via Twitter. Considering Twitter, blogs, Instagram, and other social media.
Homework
for Sept 30: What social media do you use and how do you use it? What does
it do? 1
page (post on blog). Also: respond to another student’s blog entry.
Week Six: QUESTIONS OF GENRE
Sept 30 Ideas for 15-page “essay.”
Drafting proposals.
Oct 2 Conference.
Oct 4 Conference.
Week Seven
Fall Break - No Classes: Monday - Tuesday October 7-8
Oct 9 Large group thesis and
proposal drafting of final project.
Oct 11 Library trip. Homework
for Oct 14: blog your summary, opinion, and bibliographic
citation
for three texts you determine relevant to your project. Draft five pages of formal
writing
in which you synthesize the data you’ve gathered and begin to discover a shape
to your part in the class project, citing references as appropriate. Work Cited
page mandatory.
Week Eight
Oct 14 Overview, organization,
in text citation, and how to proceed with project. Homework for
Oct 16:
For class on Oct 16, bring in copies of your final project thus far.
Oct 16 Peer Review.
Oct 18 Peer Review. Homework for
Oct 21: Revise your work.
Week Nine
Oct 21Conferences. Bring your
folder with all your writings thus far.
Oct 23 Conferences. Bring your
folder with all your writings thus far.
Oct 25 Conferences. Bring your
folder with all your writings thus far.
End of course withdrawal period: Friday October 25
Last day to submit work for NG grades and arrange for P/F
or Audit: Friday October 25
Week Ten
Oct 28 Final project. The goal
is to generate at least one page of writing per day from now
through
Nov 18.
Oct 30 Final project.
Nov 1 Final project.
Week Eleven
Nov 4 Final project.
Nov 6 Final project.
Nov 8 Final project.
Week Twelve
Nov 11 Revision
Nov 13 Revision.
Nov 15 Presentations.
Week Thirteen
Nov 18 Presentations.
Nov 20 Presentations.
Nov 22 Presentations.
Week Fourteen
Nov 25 Discussion, understanding
the portfolio, checklist, and SAQ, and prep for final exam.
Homework
for Dec 2: Portfolio construction, SAQ drafting.
Thanksgiving Break - No Classes: Wed. - Friday November
27-29
Week Fifteen
End of term withdrawal period: Monday December 2
Dec 2 Questions, celebration.
Homework for Dec 4: Finish readying portfolio.
Dec 4 Portfolio Due. Drawing names for goodbye gifts. Homework: Make
gift.
Dec 6 Gift exchange. Last
questions, remarks.
Reading Days: Saturday - Sunday December 7-8
Final Examinations: Tuesday - Saturday December 10-14
FINAL for this class: TBA
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