ENGL 1102: ENGLISH COMPOSITION II

Course Description

This course builds on writing proficiencies, reading skills, and critical thinking skills developed in ENGL 1101.  It incorporates several research methods in addition to persuasive and argumentative techniques.  A passing grade is C.  Prerequisite:  C or above in ENGL 1101.

General Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Analyze, evaluate, document, and draw inferences from various sources.
• Identify, select, and analyze appropriate research methods, research questions, and evidence for a specific rhetorical situation.
• Use argumentative strategies and genres in order to engage various audiences.
• Integrate others’ ideas with their own.
• Use grammatical, stylistic, and mechanical formats and conventions appropriate for a variety of audiences.
• Critique their own and others’ work in written and oral formats.
• Produce well-reasoned, argumentative essays demonstrating rhetorical engagement.
• Reflect on what contributed to their writing process and evaluate their own work.

Required Texts

Gaillet, Lynée, Angela Hall-Godsey, Jennifer L. Vala and Kristen Ruccio. Guide to First-Year Writing. 4^th Edition. Southlake, Texas: Fountainhead P, 2014. Print.

Course Materials (Recommended)

• Three-ring binder to hold course handouts.
• Students must have access to the Internet for supplemental readings, D2L, Google Drive and GSU email. Students may find a flash-drive, GSU estorage, or other electronic storage tool useful for managing drafts and assignments.

Course Requirements and Policies

Academic Honesty/Plagiarism

Plagiarism will not be tolerated in this class. We will full discuss plagiarism in this course so there will be no reason for error.

The Department of English expects all students to adhere to the university’s Code of Student

Conduct, especially as it pertains to plagiarism, cheating, multiple submissions, and academic honesty. Please refer to the Policy on Academic Honesty (Section 409 of the Faculty Handbook). Penalty for violation of this policy will result in a zero for the assignment, possible failure of the course, and, in some cases, suspension or expulsion.

Georgia State University defines plagiarism as . . .

“ . . . any paraphrasing or summarizing of the works of another person without acknowledgment, including the submitting of another student’s work as one’s own . . . [It] frequently involves a failure to acknowledge in the text . . . the quotation of paragraphs, sentences, or even phrases written by someone else.” At GSU, “the student is responsible for understanding the legitimate use of sources . . . and the consequences of violating this responsibility.”

(For the university’s policies, see in the student catalog, “Academic Honesty,” http://www2.gsu.edu/~catalogs/2010-2011/undergraduate/1300/1380_academic_honesty.htm)

Accommodations for Students with Special Needs

Georgia State University complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students who wish to request accommodation for a disability may do so by registering with the Office of Disability Services. Students may only be accommodated upon issuance by the Office of Disability Services of a signed Accommodation Plan and are responsible for providing a copy of that plan to instructors of all classes in which accommodations are sought.

According to the ADA (http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:s3406enr.txt.pdf):

‘‘SEC. 3. DEFINITION OF DISABILITY.  ‘‘As used in this Act: ‘‘(1) DISABILITY.—The term ‘disability’ means, with respect to an individual— ‘‘(A) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual…major life activities include, but are not limited to, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working. ‘‘(B) MAJOR BODILY FUNCTIONS.—For purposes of paragraph (1), a major life activity also includes the operation of a major bodily function, including but not limited to, functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine, and reproductive functions.

Attendance and Punctuality

Attendance is mandatory and integral to success in the course, so come to class each day, on-time and prepared to work, and be sure to stay for the duration of the class. Participation and in-class assignments will account for a portion of your final grade. Students can view a summary of their absences and tardy record during instructor office hours.

The attendance grade for this class will come in the form of daily writing assignments during the first 10-15 minutes of each class. In order to get full credit for attendance, this writing assignment must be completed in full. There is no make-up work for daily writing. Also, if you are so late that you miss the daily writing, you will receive a 0 in attendance for the day, but will still be eligible to get credit for other assignments.

Classroom Conduct

Be courteous of those in your classroom and give them your full attention during presentations, lectures, and class discussions. You are expected to turn off and put away cell phones, pagers, text message devices, MP3 players, or any other distracting electronic gadgets during class time. Failure to adhere to these policies will be reflected in your daily participation grade and may result in a request for the student to leave the classroom. Please see http://www.english.gsu.edu/~lds/11858.html for additional information regarding the Disruptive Student Behavior Policy.

Electronic Communication

The preferred mode of communication with the instructor is via email to apine2@gsu.edu. The instructor also has a student email which may come up in the directory, please do not contact through this email. The instructor may only respond to you about issues/questions/concerns/etc. through the instructor email listed above.

Students may email the instructor Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00pm.  Emails sent to the instructor outside of this time period will likely not receive a response until the following business day.  Students are welcome to visit the instructor during the established office hours or request an appointment at a mutually convenient time.  Students are strongly encouraged to “cc” themselves on all email correspondence to ensure delivery.  Please note:  There is a chance that your instructor will not see the email on the same day that you send it.  Therefore, please anticipate waiting at least 24 hours for a response to emails.

Plan to check your GSU email daily for announcements regarding this class.  If you prefer an email address other than your GSU one, set your GSU account to forward your email to that address.

Essay Submission

Most major assignments for this class will be submitted electronically. It is the responsibility of the student to confirm that the assignment was submitted successfully. If the work is submitted through email, the instructor will indicate to the student that their work had been received within 24 hours. If you do not receive confirmation within this time, it is your responsibility to check that the instructor has gotten your email.

For English Majors

English Majors and the Graduation Portfolio

The English department at GSU requires an exit portfolio of all students graduating with a degree in English. Ideally, students should work on this every semester, selecting 1-2 papers from each course in the major and revising them, with direction from faculty members. The portfolio includes revised work and a reflective essay about what you’ve learned.

Each concentration (literature, creative writing, rhetoric/composition, and secondary education) within the major has specific items to place in the portfolio, so be sure to download the packet from our website at http://english.gsu.edu/undergraduate/undergraduate_resources/senior-portfolios/. In preparation for this assessment, each student must apply for graduation with the Graduation office and also sign up in the English Department portfolio assessment system at http://www.wac.gsu.edu/EngDept/signup.php.

The Senior Portfolio is due at the midpoint of the semester you intend to graduate. Please check the university’s academic calendar for that date. Please direct questions about your portfolio to a faculty advisor or the instructor of your senior seminar. You may also contact Dr. Stephen Dobranski, Director of Undergraduate Studies, for more information.

Incompletes

In order to receive a grade of “incomplete,” a student must inform the instructor, either in person or in writing, of his/her inability (non-academic reasons) to complete the requirements of the course. Incompletes will be assigned at the instructor’s discretion and the terms for removal of the “I” are dictated by the instructor. A grade of incomplete will only be considered for students who are a) passing the course with a C or better, b) present a legitimate, non-academic reason to the instructor, and c) have only one major assignment left to finish.

Late Work

Acceptance of late work is up to the discretion of the instructor. In general, there will be no late work accepted for daily writing, in-class assignments, or presentations. If the instructor chooses to allow late work in regards to larger assignments, such as papers, the work must be turned in before the next class period. Please see your instructor if you are having any difficulty completing an assignment before it becomes late and affects your grade.

In case of a major extenuating emergency, notify your instructor immediately. In case of a valid, documented emergency, absences can be excused and deadlines for major assignments (exams, essays, annotated bibliography) can be extended. If you have any questions or doubts as to the nature of your absence and its ability to be excused, ask your instructor as soon as possible. Your instructor is much better equipped to help you accommodate an absence with advance notice. Ultimately, your instructor reserves the right, at his or her sole discretion, to excuse (or not excuse) absences for circumstances that are not already outlined on GSU’s Lower Division Studies Attendance Policy on at http://www.english.gsu.edu/~lds/11868.html.

Peer Review

The class before the final due date of your essays with be dedicated to peer review workshops, during which we will read each other’s work.  In addition, you will have the opportunity to discuss with any questions or concerns you have about your essay.  You are required to bring a draft of your essay to participate in all peer review activities.

Policy on Social Media

Lower Division Studies and the Department of English supports the use of social media such as Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr as subjects for discussion and writing prompts in both ENGL 1101 and ENGL 1102 courses.  Student and instructor privacy, however, is of utmost importance; therefore, students will not be required to use social media.

Writing Studio

The purpose of the Writing Studio is to enhance the writing instruction by providing undergraduate and graduate students with an experienced reader who engages them in conversation about their writing assignments and ideas, and familiarizes them with audience expectations and academic genre conventions.  They focus on the rhetorical aspects of texts, and provide one-on-one, student-centered teaching that corresponds to each writer’s composing process. Although they are not a line-editing or proofreading service, the Writing Studio is happy to discuss grammar concerns with students from a holistic perspective. Tutors will be alert listeners and will ask questions, and will not judge or evaluate the work in progress. The Writing Studio offers 30 minute sessions (for undergraduate students) and 60 minute sessions (for graduate students) for face-to-face tutoring.  Through Write/Chat, our online tutoring service, they offer 15-minute sessions that address short, brief concerns.  In addition, the GSU Writing Studio will sponsor workshops, led by faculty and staff, on various topics dealing with academic writing. Please visit the Writing Studio in GCB 976 or at www.writingstudio.gsu.edu for more information.

Online Evaluation of Instructor

Your constructive assessment of this course plays an indispensable role in shaping education at Georgia State. Upon completing the course, please take time to fill out the online course evaluation.