University of Waterloo
Department of English
ENGL 109
Introduction to Academic Writing
Winter 2020
EV3 3408
Monday-Wednesday: 11:30AM - 12:50AM
Instructor:
Ayesha
Altaher
Office:
PAS
2224
Office
Hours:
Wednesday
1:00-2:00
(or
by
appointment)
Email: a2altahe@uwaterloo.ca
Course Description:
The purpose of English 109 is to help you develop your abilities as a writer. I will help you to think critically and communicate effectively. You will learn and practice a variety of strategies for inventing, drafting, and editing texts written in different genres and for different audiences.
Through
this
work,
you
will
learn
ways
to
adapt
your
writing
to
different
situations,
so
that
you
can
more
effectively
and
more
powerfully
communicate.
This
course
will
prepare
you
to
succeed
throughout
your
academic
career,
regardless
of
your
discipline.
To
facilitate
this
learning,
I
will
assign
reading
and
writing
assignments
that
will
ask
you
to
study
and
reflect
on
personal,
academic,
and
civic
contexts.
You
will
be
encouraged
to
think
critically
about
your
place
in
the
world
and
the
ways
you
can
best
negotiate
it
as
a
writer
and
reader.
In
addition,
because
I
value
learning
as
a
social
activity,
and
thus
recognize
that
writers
and
readers
learn
from
one
another,
much
of
your
work
in
English
109
will
involve
different
kinds
of
collaboration,
including
small
group
workshops
and
discussions.
Finally,
I
believe
that
writing
is
an
important
process
that
takes
place
over
time.
So
you
will
have
a
chance
to
revise
your
work
many
times
before
submitting
the
final
draft.
How
can
you
succeed?
Work
hard,
revise
your
writing
as
much
as
you
possibly
can,
come
to
me
for
help,
help
your
peers
(and
learn
from
that
process),
take
risks,
and
be
original.
Course Goals and Learning Outcomes
English 109 is designed to:
-
To help you to think critically and communicate effectively
-
To give you the chance to learn and practice a variety of strategies for inventing, drafting, and editing texts
-
To give you the opportunity to learn and practice writing in a variety of academic genres
-
To help you learn to read critically
-
To help you learn to write persuasively by effectively employing elements of formal argumentation
-
To help you give and receive useful feedback on writing for the purposes of revision
- To help you learn and practice communicating to a variety of academic audiences.
Required Text
Ruskiewicz, John and Jay Dolmage. How To Write Anything: A Guide and Reference with Readings, 4th Edition. Boston: Bedford St. Martin’s Press.
Course
Requirements
and
Assessment
Overview
of
assignments:
Argument
Essay
20%:
Write
a
four-page
argument
essay.
Choose
from
the
option
on
page
119.
Presentation
15%:
Come
up
with
a
list
of
local
services
or
institutions
to
evaluate
and
provide
a
comparison.
Evaluation
Essay
21%:
Write
a
four-page
evaluation
essay.
Choose
from
the
options
on
page
143
Literary
Analyses
Essay
20%:
Write
a
five-page
literary
analyses
on
a
text
that
you
choose
Below you will find a detailed breakdown of assignments, their due date and their weight.
| Assessment |
Due date |
Weight |
|
Participation and attendance |
This mark is composed of your in-class participation as well as several in-class activities and homework assignments that you are required to complete before class. This includes, but is not limited to:
|
25% |
|
Argument Essay |
January 29th |
20% |
|
Presentations on “Local” Evaluations (Evaluation) |
February 4th |
15% |
|
Evaluation Essay |
March 2nd |
20% |
|
Literary Analyses Essay |
April 2nd |
20% |
There will be no exam in this class.
THE FOLLOWING SCHEDULE IS TENTATIVE AND LIKELY TO CHANGE. IT IS PROVIDED HERE IN A DETAILED FORM TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR SEMESTER AND TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE CLASS. PLEASE EXPECT THE SCHEDULE TO CHANGE.
|
January 6th |
January 8th | |
|
Arguments |
Go over Syllabus |
Class Activities:
Assign
argument ------------------------------------------------ Homework: Read Chapter 10, Arguments; Read Argenti (p. 672); Come up with some topic ideas |
|
January 13th |
January 15th | |
|
Arguments |
Class Activities: Discuss Chapter 10—focus on Claiming a Topic and Imagining Your Audience Discuss Chapter 27, Shaping a Thesis Activity: Taking a Side Discuss topic ideas Discuss Argenti ----------------------------------------- Homework: Read Chapter 26, Critical Thinking; Read Wise (p. 677); Create a claim for an argument |
Class Activities: Discuss Wise Discuss claims Activity: Multivocal Arguments Discuss Chapter 10—focus on Gathering Materials Discuss Part 7, Academic Research and Sources ------------------------------------------------ Homework: Conduct research; Complete research worksheet; Create an introductory paragraph and outline for essay |
|
January 20th |
January 22nd | |
|
Arguments |
No class |
Class Activities: Discuss research |
|
Discuss introductory paragraphs and outlines Discuss Chapter 10—focus on Organizing Ideas and Choosing Style and Design Due Today: Research Worksheet and Introductory Paragraph and Outline ----------------------------------------- Homework: Draft essay; Read Chapter 31, Peer Editing | ||
|
January 27th |
January 29th | |
|
Arguments Evaluations |
Class Activities:
Peer
review Discuss Chapter 37, Strategic Transitions, and Chapter 38, Memorable Openings and Closings Due Today: Rough Draft for Peer Review ---------------------------------------- Homework: Revise; Read Chapter 30, Revising, Editing, and Proofreading |
Due Today: Argument Essay Class Activities: Assign evaluation Activity: Still-Life Writing Discuss Chapter 28, Strategies of Development Activity: Go Local ------------------------------------------------ Homework: Read Chapter 11, Evaluations; Read Martinez (p. 141) and Giller (p. 137); Read the Introduction and Chapter 48, Annotating Sources |
|
February 3rd |
February 5th | |
|
Evaluations |
Class Activities: Discuss Chapter 11, Evaluations Discuss Martinez and Giller Discuss the Introduction and Chapter 48, Annotating Sources |
Class
Activities: Due Today: Presentations on “Local” Evaluations |
|
Activity: American Idol Activity: Working with Predictable Structures Discuss Chapter 27, Shaping a Thesis ---------------------------------------- Homework: Conduct an evaluation of one of the items you brainstormed in the activity Go Local | ||
|
February 10th |
February 12th | |
|
Evaluations |
Class Activities: Due Today: Presentations on “Local” Evaluations |
Class Activities: Due Today: Presentations on “Local” Evaluations ------------------------------------------------ Homework: Choose text to evaluate; Read Chapter 49, Summarizing Sources, Chapter 50, Paraphrasing Sources, and Chapter 52, Documenting Sources |
|
February 17th |
February 19th | |
|
Family day- no class |
Reading Week- No class | |
|
February 24th |
February 26th | |
|
Evaluations |
Class Activities:
Discuss
Chapters
49,
50,
and
52
Share
texts Due Today: Bring Text to Class ---------------------------------------- Homework: Draft your evaluation; Read Part 5, Style; Read Chapter 31, Peer Editing |
Class Activities:
Peer
review ------------------------------------------------ Homework: Revise essay; Read Chapter 30, Revising, Editing, and Proofreading |
|
March 2nd |
March 4th | |
|
Evaluations Literary Analyses |
Class Activities: Writing workshop Due Today: Evaluation Essay |
Class
Activities: Discuss Chapter 28, Strategies of Development, and Chapter 25, Smart Reading ------------------------------------------------ Homework: Read Chapter 13, Literary Analyses; Select and begin to read your own literary text(s); Read Gioia (p. 172); Read the Introduction |
|
March 9th |
March 11th | |
|
Literary Analyses |
Class Activities: Discuss Chapter 13, Literary Analyses Discuss Gioia Discuss the Introduction Activity: Texts across Time and Medium ----------------------------------------- Homework: Read Sathasivan (p. 190); Read Chapter 26, Critical Thinking, and Chapter 48, Annotating Sources |
Class Activities: Discuss Sathasivan Discuss Chapter 26, Critical Thinking, and Chapter 48, Annotating Sources Begin working on notes on your text in class ------------------------------------------------ Homework: Read Chapter 28, Strategies of Development, and Chapter 29, Outlining; Develop your notes into a thesis; Read Grisham. (p. 8) |
|
March 16th |
March 18th | |
|
Literary Analyses |
Class Activities: Discuss Grisham. Discuss Chapters 27–29 Discuss Chapter 49, Summarizing Sources, Chapter 50, Paraphrasing Sources, and Chapter 52, Documenting Sources ----------------------------------------- Homework: Develop your thesis into a rough essay; Read Chapter 31, Peer Editing |
Class Activities:
Peer
review ------------------------------------------------ Homework: Revise essay; Read Chapter 30, Revising, Editing, and Proofreading |
|
March 23rd |
March 25th | |
|
Literary Analyses |
Writing workshop |
One-on-one conferences with instructor |
|
March 30th |
April 1st | |
|
Literary Analyses |
One-on-one conferences with instructor |
One-on-one conferences with instructor |
|
April 6th | ||
|
Return essays- answer any questions |
Late Work
Late papers (major assignments) will be penalized 5% per day late. All major papers must be completed – you will fail the class if any of the major papers is not completed and submitted, however late. You must also complete all other reading and writing assignments on time. Short-writing submitted late will receive a zero. Check syllabus for all due dates.
Attendance
Policy
You
must
attend
all
classes.
Attendance
will
be
taken
at
all
class
sessions.
Students
who
miss
more
than
two
classes
are
in
danger
of
a
failing
participation
grade.
Always
bring
your
course
book
How
To
Write
Anything
to
both
lectures
and
workshops.
Academic Honesty
All students registered in courses in the Faculty of Arts are expected to know what constitutes an academic offence, to avoid committing academic offences, and to take responsibility for their academic actions. When the commission of an offence is established, disciplinary penalties will be imposed in accord with Policy #71 (Student Academic Discipline). For information on categories of offences and types of penalties, students are directed to consult the summary of Policy #71 which is supplied in the Undergraduate Calendar (on the Web athttp://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infoucal/UW/policy_71.html).
If you need help in learning how to avoid offences such as plagiarism, cheating, and double submission, or if you need clarification of aspects of the discipline policy, ask your course instructor for guidance. Other resources regarding the discipline policy are your academic advisor and the Undergraduate Associate Dean. Students seeking guidance on academic honesty are urged consult the following page of the Arts Faculty Web site, “How to Avoid Plagiarism and Other Written Offences: A Guide for Students and Instructors” (http://watarts.uwaterloo.ca/~sager/plagiarism.html).
Plagiarism or copying other people’s style or ideas and claiming them as your own is a serious academic offense. Any incident of plagiarism will automatically cause a paper to fail, could cause you to fail the course, and will be reported to the Dean’s office. For each major assignment you submit, you will also sign and submit an “Academic Honesty Contract” (see page 11).
Procedural Basics
Word
process
all
written
assignments
(except
for
in-class
work,
of
course).
Use
MLA
format
for
all
written
work
(see
HTWA
for
guidelines):
Times
New
Roman,
12pt.
Font,
1
inch
margins,
numbered
pages,
and
so
on.
Keep
copies
of
all
your
work,
as
hard
copy
and
electronically.
When
we
will
be
peer-reviewing
writing
in
class,
you
are
expected
to
bring
4
copies
of
your
essay
to
class
with
you.
Please
try
to
print
double-sided,
or
print
on
the
back
of
already-used
paper.
Just
be
sure
your
writing
is
not
obscured
in
any
way.
Save
multiple
versions
of
all
work.
If
you
make
changes
to
an
essay,
save
the
file
under
a
new
name.
This
will
allow
you
to
view
the
development
of
your
work
between
drafts,
show
this
development
to
your
teachers,
and
reflect
on
it.
Save
everything.
Save
peer
review
comments,
notes
from
conferences,
pre-writing,
all
in-
class
work,
and
every
draft
of
your
essays,
with
teacher
comments.
Classroom Etiquette:
We want the classroom environment to be a positive one for everyone. Together we will create a space that promotes mutual respect, positive discussions, the free exchange of ideas, and the productive use of time. No cell phone use in class – if you have it with you, turn it off and put it away. You are invited and encouraged to use laptops when and if you need to.
Rights and Responsibilities
Every member of this class—instructor as well as students—has rights and responsibilities to ensure a pleasant and productive experience for all. We are all answerable to University policies governing ethical behaviour (Policy 33) and academic integrity (Policy 71), as well as to those outlining grievance or dispute procedures (Policy 70). Here are some more specific expectations for this course:
Students will:
-
be familiar with the university policies that govern their behaviour
-
attend all scheduled classes and arrive prepared: with assigned reading and writing completed
-
be active participants in their own learning, and respect the rights of others to learn
- give thoughtful consideration to instructor feedback on written and oral work
Instructor will:
-
be familiar with the university policies that govern their behaviour
-
attend all scheduled lectures and tutorials
-
be available for consultation in person and over email as per stated policies
-
return short assignments within one week, and longer assignments within 2 weeks
- provide helpful and respectful feedback on student work
Response and Evaluation
You
will
write
three
major
essays
in
this
class,
and
this
work
will
represent
the
bulk
of
your
course
grade.
You
will
receive
comments
on
your
papers
to
give
you
a
sense
of
what
you
need
to
focus
on
in
future
assignments.
Participation
is
assessed
based
not
only
on
attendance,
but
also
on
your
investment
in
class
activities
and
discussion,
and
your
ability
to
respect
and
work
well
with
others.
You
are
expected
to
write
a
lot,
and
to
engage
in
group-work
and
discussions.
There are a variety of ways to participate in this class, and they include:
-traditional modes, like volunteering to talk in class, ask questions, or provide opinions and ideas
-offering examples of writing and communication, or of texts for analysis, either by volunteering in class, or by emailing this example to me so I can share it
-asking me question by email – a question that I can address in class, and that will help all students
-offering feedback to your peers on their ideas and their writing in a respectful and constructive manner
-taking part in small groups and being an active and engaged listener
-taking notes that can be shared with classmates when we cover a difficult concept or idea; or taking notes that can be shared with classmates who might need to miss class
-contributing ideas and questions to me via email if you need to miss class yourself; or offering to review the work of peers via email if you need to miss class
Course Concerns
If you are experiencing problems with the course or with the marking, you should first discuss your difficulties with me. Students who believe that they have been wrongfully or unjustly treated or penalized have the right to grieve; refer to Policy #70, Student Grievance: http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy70.html.
A decision made or penalty imposed under Policy 70 (Student Petitions and Grievances) (other than a petition) or Policy 71 (Student Discipline) may be appealed if there is aground. A student who believes he/she has a ground for an appeal should refer to Policy 72 (Student Appeals)http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy72.htm
Accommodations
We
will
all
need
some
accommodations
in
this
class,
because
we
all
learn
differently.
If
you
need
specific
accommodations,
let
me
know.
I
will
make
an
effort
to
ensure
that
all
students
have
multiple
means
of
accessing
class
information,
multiple
ways
to
take
part
in
class
activities,
and
multiple
avenues
for
being
assessed
on
class
work.
The
University
of
Waterloo
has
a
long-standing
commitment
to
support
the
participation
and
access
to
university
programs,
services,
and
facilities
by
persons
with
all
types
of
disabilities.
All
students
who
have
a
permanent
disability
as
well
as
those
with
temporary
disabilities
have
the
right
to
what
UW
calls
“AccessAbility
Services.”
To
register
for
these
services,
you
must
provide
documentation
from
a
qualified
professional
to
verify
your
disability.
Please
contact
them
at
519-888-4567
ext.
35082
or
drop
into
Needles
Hall
1132
to
book
an
appointment
to
meet
with
an
advisor
to
discuss
their
services
and
supports.
Academic Integrity
Academic Integrity: In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of Waterloo are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. See the UWaterloo Academic Integrity webpage and the Arts Academic Integrity webpage for more information.
Discipline: A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity, to avoid committing academic offences, and to take responsibility for his/her actions. A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offence, or who needs help in learning how to avoid offences (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about “rules” for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course professor, academic advisor, or the Undergraduate Associate Dean. When misconduct has been found to have occurred, disciplinary penalties will be imposed under Policy 71 – Student Discipline. For information on categories of offenses and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71 - Student Discipline. For typical penalties check Guidelines for the Assessment of Penalties.
Grievance: A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of his/her university life has been unfair or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievance. Section 4. When in doubt, please be certain to contact the department’s administrative assistant who will provide further assistance.
Appeals: A decision made or penalty imposed under Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances (other than a petition) or Policy 71 - Student Discipline may be appealed if there is a ground. A student who believes he/she has a ground for an appeal should refer to Policy 72 - Student Appeals.