Basic Reading & Writing II

Course Orientation

ENGH 0990 - Basic Reading and Writing II

5.0 : 5.0 : 0.0 fall, spring, summer
Prerequisite(s): ENGH 0890 or appropriate placement scores

Focuses on reading-based writing (reading-to-write); expands reading and writing concepts from 0890. Emphasizes interrelated academic writing activities of summarizing, analyzing, and synthesizing. All formal essay assignments rely heavily for content on assigned readings. Formal essays for this course may contain argumentative thesis statements (opinionated statements that require evidence to support), at least one essay assignment uses, ethos, logos, pathos and opposing viewpoints, etc.)

ENGH 0990 Outcomes

 

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

1. Understand writing as a rhetorical act, recognizing when rhetorical strategies are used in the work of others and use such strategies in their own work to effectively communicate in a variety of situations, academic and otherwise.
2. Develop the ability to read and write rhetorically and in a style common to academic genres as well as genres more common outside the university and to recognize the difference.
3. Understand and use a rhetorical vocabulary to identify and make informed choices about writing within multiple contexts and for a variety of audiences.
4. Recognize the difference between summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting, and implement these strategies effectively for a variety of genres, audiences, and purposes.
5. Apply “Standard English” grammatical/usage rules, controlling for surface errors in syntax, spelling, and punctuation when appropriate to meet the needs of an identified audience.
6. Use readings from across the curriculum and from current events; and to refer to social issues discussed in class, student’s journal writing, and other class assignments as invention strategies to move their ideas forward.
7. Use rhetorical appeals to effectively and ethically support claims and build strong and convincing arguments for particular audiences and purposes.
8. Express clear objectives to achieve an identified purpose in writing and speech.
9. Use a word processor to format both traditional and non-traditional texts, such as blogs, e-mails, interview protocols, proposals, timelines, as well as traditional academic essays requiring MLA or APA formatting.
10. Evaluate the credibility of an online source relevant to a particular project and for an identified audience.
11. Apply knowledge of the rhetorical situation to effectively respond to peers’ work.
12. Successfully compose 7-9 pages of revised writing over the course of the semester, incorporating visual elements to effectively argue a point of view.
13. Demonstrate an understanding that the writing process involves a series of tasks, invention, drafting, revising, and editing.

Required Materials

The required text for this course is Cheryl Glenn’s The Harbrace Guide to Writing, 2nd Edition Concise, E-book . Click here to link to the site where you can purchase the book. You will also need access to a computer with the following:

• Firefox (PC) or Chrome (PC or Mac) internet browser. You can download these browsers for free. Using another browser such as Internet Explorer is not advised because it may not allow you to access all course content.
• Adobe PDF Reader. This freely downloadable program will allow you to access and take notes on course readings in .PDF format.
• Adobe Flash Player. This freely downloadable standard player will allow you to access the many interactive elements of the course.
• A word processing program. The program you use must allow you to save your documents as .doc or .docx files. Assignments that end in anything other than “.doc” or “.docx” cannot be submitted. Microsoft Word is the preferred program and is available at a student discount.
• An internal or external microphone. Most laptops come with internal microphones. You may also use an external microphone or a digital recorder that can upload files to your computer. Microphones are needed during week six.
• A webcam (optional). During the semester, you will use the webcam to conference with your instructor. You may use the internal webcam that comes with most laptops or may use an external webcam.

Acquire the required materials and download the needed programs by the first week of course. It is also suggested that you update your operating system (i.e. Windows) as you begin the course. English 0990 includes many multimedia elements, interactives, videos, and podcasts. An updated operating system will give you the best experience.

How This Course Works

In this course, you will develop the knowledge and skills needed to successfully write in university courses and in the community. You will start to think about your own writing as a process that includes careful revision and peer-review. You will also consider how the situation you are writing in (your audience, your purpose, the time and place, etc.) should influence the way you write. Finally, you will have the opportunity to apply this knowledge by completing a culminating writing project on a topic that is particularly meaningful to you.

Most English classes focus on teaching students about genre (the “rules” applied to specific types of writing like argumentative papers or summaries). But, this class is different.

Rather than focusing only on the “rules,” you will learn by designing and completing writing projects. Through these projects, you will learn how to reflect on the situation you are writing in and adjust your writing accordingly. Your ability to assess the situation will help you whenever you need to write – whether you need to compose an essay for your next English class, a Facebook invite for an event, or a memo for your company. You’ll use writing as a tool for helping you explore topics that matter to you, helping you consider critically problems related to these topics and ultimately as a way to contribute to solving a problem that you care about.

Click through the presentation below to see what types of projects you can expect to take on during the semester. The best way to view the presentation is to click "More" on on the bottom right hand after the presentation begins and then select "Full Screen.

English 0990 - A Different Kind of English Course on Prezi

As you proceed through each of the three modules, you will receive full credit for turning in your assignments on time and will also be given feedback from your instructor. During each module, you will revise your writing based on what you have learned and the feedback you have received. You will then compile your work into an electronic portfolio for a traditional grade.

As you can see, we have some interesting work cut out for us in this project-based course. As you begin the semester, keep in mind that project-based courses require students to be fully engaged in the coursework, putting forth their best efforts to succeed.

Communicating, Submission, and Grading Procedures

Communicating with the Professor

Please review the Instructor Information page in the Course Information module to see how your professor would prefer to be contacted. Feel free to schedule an online or phone conference with your professor during office hours throughout the semester.

It’s important to note that your professor cannot help you with technology problems.  For help with Canvas, you need to contact the UVU Help Desk or Distance Education Support Services by phone: 801-863-8255 or e-mail: dehelp@uvu.edu.

Writing Processes

Improvement in your writing increases exponentially when you learn to identify in your own writing what needs to be revised and take the time to make those changes. Much of the work you do in this course is designed so that you can learn this valuable skill. This is an area of expertise that you will want to take time cultivating. You are expected to pay close attention to “The Revision Tasks” provided for each major writing assignment. While you will receive feedback on most major assignments, you should take the initiative throughout the semester to ask for detailed comments on any assignment if you are unsure of your work and how to proceed or revise.

Late Work

Assignments are due by 11:59 p.m. on the date specified. Late assignments can receive a maximum of half-credit and will not receive any credit if submitted more than a week after the due date. Keep up with the readings, videos, and recordings on a weekly basis. Discussion postings and other assignments will assume that you have completed all previous assignments and familiarized yourself with the reading.

Academic Honesty

In cases where a student is suspected of plagiarism or “cheating” the student is likely to receive an “F” for the assignment; a second offense means that you fail the course and will be reported to the Department Chair and to the Career and Academic Counseling Center.

Incidents of plagiarism take place for a number of reasons: when students fear that they do not have the skills or the time to complete the work assigned and when students are unaware of the expectations regarding the use of other’s work. You will want to make every effort to both avoid falling behind and to speak with your instructor to ensure that you understand how and when to use the work of others appropriately.

Below are some definitions of what constitutes academic misconduct taken from the 2008-2009 Utah Valley University Catalog.  Please read the complete "Student Rights and Responsibilities" section on pp. 31-32 so that you are aware of your academic responsibilities.

Plagiarism/ Fabrication

Fabrication is the use of invented information or the falsification of research or other findings.  "Plagiarism is the act of appropriating any other person's or group's ideas or work (written, computerized, artistic, etc.) or portions thereof and passing them off as the product of one's own work in any academic exercise or activity.” A primary objective in this course is to demonstrate the ability to discern what is and is not plagiarism. As our access and use of digital information increases, this presents an increasing challenge to students and instructors. It’s important that you consult with your instructor regarding the use of others words and thoughts.

Ways to Avoid Plagiarism and Fabrication and effectively ”Recycle" the work of others:

• Quoting: word-for-word copy of the original text with citation
• Paraphrasing: restatement of the original text in [your own words], while giving credit to the original author.
• Summarizing: restatement of a longer original text into a shorter text, making certain to give credit to the original author.
• Allusions (or, Intertextual Uses): restatement-making reference to the original text.
• Collocation: common language (of the length of a few words) occurring in numerous texts. (This is an acceptable method for learning to write in most beginning composition classes. Be sure to check with your instructor.)

Grading

College writing is treated in this course as a tool to help students understand how language shapes our worldview, to make connections between others and ourselves and to generate new ideas. You are being asked in this course to practice, take risks, make connections, and develop both the rhetorical awareness and skills needed to improve your writing. Competence in this course is marked by a willingness and an increasing capacity to choose topics for assignments thoughtfully and participate actively in the revision process, as well as respond effectively to other’s work. You will have an opportunity to reflect and weigh in on your own progress, and you should feel free to meet with your professor online and in person to discuss your progress anytime throughout the semester.

During the semester, you will receive full credit for turning in most assignments in the form of Active Learning points. In order to place emphasis on writing and engagement and to focus attention on writing to learn and writing to persuade vs. writing for a grade, you will not receive a grade on individual papers. However, you will receive detailed instruction on how to revise the various assignments in preparation for submitting these for an portfolio grade. Stay in close contact with your professor during each module and work on revising each assignment before it is due as a part of an eportfolio.

Your professor will assess your progress with a numerical grade three times during the semester. At these times, you will collect writing into an eportfolio. The first eportfolio is a narrative portfolio, the second is a research portfolio, and the final portfolio is a project portfolio.

Each e-portfolio will receive a single grade for the collection of work as a whole. Your grade will be based on the quality of your work, your responsiveness to instructor feedback, and your revisions.

Grades assigned in this course are based on the following scale:

Incomplete Grades

• Incomplete (I) grades are only given in accordance with UVU policy. Note the following:
  An "I" is given only in rare cases when hardship circumstances beyond the student's control make it impossible to complete the required work within the prescribed time.
• "I" grades should not be requested nor will one be given for lack of completion of work resulting from such reasons as personal problems, financial problems, procrastination, or dissatisfaction with the grade earned as a result of uncompleted or incomplete work.

Table of Assignments & Assessments

The table below provides details about each of the modules in this course. You can always click on "Schedule" on the left navigation bar to see which assignments are due on any given week. You will want to print a copy to keep by your computer and refer to throughout the course. Note that the final paper for this course is a project proposal, not a traditional research paper.

Description of Assignments & Assessments

Active Learning Grade – The Active Learning grade includes all of the rough drafts, Dear Professor letters, peer-reviews, discussion board posts, and other smaller assignments during the semester. These assignments are graded as either complete (full credit) or incomplete (no credit). You will receive full credit for following the instructions and turning the assignments in on time.

Module #1 ePortfolio – This narrative portfolio consists of your revised Dear Professor letters and three revised papers. The first paper (1-2 pages) is a short reflection on a memorable event. The second paper (2-3 pages) asks you to turn your reflection into a first person short-story, including description and dialogue. The final paper (1-2 pages) asks you to write a perspectives radio essay on this same topic incorporating a clearly defined thesis.

The assignments in this portfolio are designed to highlight how writing is shaped by the situation you are writing in (the rhetorical situation).

Module #2 ePortfolio – In this research portfolio, you will submit the revised work you do towards researching a problem that you’re passionate about solving. The portfolio will include an e-mail, an interview protocol, an annotated bibliography, and a 3-page research report.

Ultimately, the research you conduct for this portfolio will help you write your final paper – a proposal convincing an individual or an organization to sponsor your idea for a project. By asking you to identify problems and explore solutions, you will learn to make claims, build strong thesis statements, research with a clear understanding of what you are attempting to accomplish, and think critically about issues that are both of interest to you and relevant to the wider community.

Module #3 ePortfolio – In your project portfolio, you will include your revised 3-5 page final paper – a proposal convincing an individual or an organization to sponsor your idea for a project. (It’s important to keep in mind that this assignment is not a traditional research paper). You will also include a short multimedia presentation and a 2-3 page portfolio self-assessment. Optionally, you may create and include a document that will help support your project such as a brochure, flyer, video, webpage, blog site, or short newspaper article.

Through these assignments, you will develop the technical skills needed to present your work to a real audience and carefully consider how the situation you are in must shape the way you write. Here, you have an opportunity to apply the tools of academic writing to a compelling situation within your community.