Composition I - Fall 2013

RHET 1311 CRN 60715 Section 09

MWF 10 a.m. 10:50 a.m. Stabler Hall (SH) Rm. 402

Gail Richard, Instructor Email: gyrichard@ualr.edu Office hours: MW 8:50 a.m. 9:50 a.m. SUA 100 Phone: Department of Rhetoric office phone 501-569-3160

A Note from the Instructor

I consider it a privilege to be your writing instructor for this semester and am here to help you succeed. This course will cover ample material and will require your commitment and determination to complete all projects on time. I will give you my best and expect likewise in return. Please contact me for any concerns you have at any point through the semester. Commentary on A Note from the Instructor: Because students are new to this class, it is important to set a precedence of goodwill at the beginning of the semester. While doing so, it is also important to inform them of the workload and expectations. I end the note with an invitation to contact me about additional concerns which concludes this section in a positive manner.

Course Description
RHET 1311 Composition I Prerequisite: A minimum ACT English score of 19, a minimum SAT I verbal score of 450, or a grade of C or higher in RHET 0310 or RHET 0321. Practice in writing, with an emphasis on personal, expressive writing as well as transactional writing. Students will focus on organizing and revising ideas and writing well organized, thoroughly developed papers that achieve the writers purpose, meet the readers needs, and develop the writers voice. Final course grades are A, B, C, or NC. Students must complete this course with a grade of C or greater to take RHET 1312. This course is three credit hours. Outcomes for First-Year Composition: the Department of Rhetoric and Writing has adapted the following outcomes for first-year composition courses from the outcome statements of the Council for Writing Program Administrators.

Rhetorical Knowledge: Students will learn how audience, purpose, genre, and content shape the meaning and effectiveness of writing. Critical Reading, Thinking, and Writing: Students will use writing and reading for inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating. Students will learn that writing is a series of tasks, including finding, evaluating, analyzing, and

synthesizing appropriate primary and secondary sources. They will discover how to integrate their original ideas with the ideas of others.

Writing Process Strategies: Students will develop strategies for generating ideas, revising, and editing their writing through successive drafts. Those strategies will include collaborating with others, including giving and receiving feedback in peer groups. Knowledge of Conventions: Students will have extensive practice in writing and will develop knowledge of conventions, including organization, formats/genre, style, control of surface features, and incorporation and documentation of materials from sources. Composing in Electronic Environments: Students will learn how to use electronic environments for drafting, reviewing, revising, editing, and sharing texts. They will also be able to locate, evaluate, organize, and use research material collected from electronic sources. Additionally, they will understand and exploit the differences in the rhetorical strategies and in the capabilities of both print and electronic composing processes and texts.

Commentary on Course Description: this section informs students of what they have already accomplished to gain admittance into the course and it also indicates what they are expected to accomplish in the course. The WPA Outcomes are included to give specific examples of the expectations and goals for the semester.

Required Materials
*The Harbrace Guide to Writing, Second edition, by Cheryl Glenn; available in print from the campus bookstore and bundled with Think About It, by John Mauk; at a discounted price. *The Everyday Writer [Spiral-Bound], fifth edition, by Andrea A Lunsford; this is a custom handbook only for UALR students and is only available in print from the campus bookstore *USB flash drive *Access to computer with internet connection/printer *1 1/2 inch 3-ring binder with lots of loose leaf paper *Simple pocket folder with two pockets inside

Commentary on Required Materials: by stating clearly the required materials, there are no excuses for lack of materials and the ability to be ready to work in class.

Classroom Policies
Attendance and participation Attendance and participation in class discussions is expected of every student in order to be successful in this course. Students may miss no more than four (4) class periods during the semester. Students are encouraged to attend every class. For each missed day beyond the four (4) days will result in a lowered final letter grade. For example, if six (6) days are missed by the end of the semester and your final grade is an A that grade will be lowered to a C because of the excessive absences. If there is a serious medical issue or family emergency, documentation may need to be provided by the student. Participation is essential to do well in this class, therefore, quizzes, response papers, and in-class assignments cannot be made up or handed in at a later date. Every student will be responsible for signing their name only into the daily sign-in sheet; otherwise that student will be considered absent. In the event a student is tardy for class, they will be responsible to sign the sign-in sheet; otherwise that student will be considered absent, as well. Class Conduct There is zero tolerance for disruptive behavior in class or online. The instructor will ask anyone deemed disruptive to leave the class and be reported to the Dean of Students. Cell phones must be turned off during class. If you take phone calls, text, or use other electronic devices during class you will lose participation points and may be asked to leave. Please make every effort to be on time to class, as tardiness is disruptive to the rest of the class. Instructor Availability & Conferences There are two required conferences with many opportunities to meet regularly. In addition to those designated times, I am happy to meet with you and address any concerns you may have. I check my email daily and it is the best way to reach me. Late Work Assignments are due at the beginning of class on their due date. I do not accept late work.

Commentary on Classroom Policies: attendance and participation are imperative to learning the content in this class; therefore, I implement an attendance policy that allows four absences. The absences may be used at the students discretion but the grade drops a letter for each additional absence. I do make allowances for emergencies with proper documentation. I use the sign-in sheets so I have documentation of their presence or absence for each day of class. Class conduct is addressed to eliminate any confusion regarding the definition of disruptive behavior. Instructor Availability & Conferences announces two scheduled opportunities for students to meet with me to discuss grades and concerns. They are invited to contact me additionally, if needed, which is an indication of my interest in their success.

Course Elements
The following three elements are a means of assuring your exposure toand subsequent understanding ofthe learning outcomes outlined on the first page of this syllabus. There are 1000 points possible. Note: I will adjust the timeline as needed based on class progress and need. Major Assignments60% of final gradethis element is composed of 3 major assignments. A detailed guide will be provided at the beginning of each module with specific guidelines. Memoir Connection200 ptswhich personal experience of yours speaks to a larger social issue? Rhetorical Analysis200 ptshow do the parts of a document make it rhetorically (in)effective? Proposal200 ptswhat could you fix with $5,000?

Peer Review Groups will be made up of the other classmates. Periodically, class time will be used as draft sessions in which students will review and discuss their peers writings. Also, a reflective piece will be required with every writing project. No reflective no credit.

Minor Assignments20% of final gradethis element is composed of 2 important parts: 1. Online Reading Blog20 ptsThere will be five blog opportunities for you to earn 4 points each. You are required to write a blog in response to a reading I will post ahead of time. Your blog entry must be 250-500 words posted in your own blackboard blog. The blogs are due as listed in the course schedule. Blogs may not be submitted late and must contain following information to receive full credit: Complete summary of the articles main points. Thorough discussion of at least two things that interested you in the article. Thorough discussion of at least two things you noticed about the writers style and/or strategies. 2. Class participation180 ptsduring the semester, we will have scheduled quizzes, short writings and other writing tasks. Please note that this is separate from your attendance record. It is possible to attend class and receive no participation points. Final Portfolio20% of final gradethis element requires you to produce a portfolio of your work with an accompanying analysis of your growth as a writer and your knowledge in the context of the WPA Learning Outcomes for this course. A portfolio guide is included in the required handbook for this class.

Commentary on Course Elements: many factors contribute to the students success in a writing program. While major assignments are important, minor assignments build scaffolding needed for success. It is important that students have opportunities to practice a new skill with a low-stakes assignment before embarking on a major assignment. For this reason there are only three major assignments. Each one is worth 20% of the final grade. Many minor assignments through the semester comprise 20% of the grade. The final portfolio which showcases the

students work through the semester is worth 20% of the total points available. The portfolio must have a cover letter that addresses all sections of the WPA outcomes with examples of how students have demonstrated them through examples pulled from their major assignments.

Daily Assignments
Every Monday class will begin with a daily writers prompt. The prompt will be written on the board. Each writers prompt should be 1-2 paragraphs in length and handwritten legibly on loose leaf paper (spiral notebook paper will not be accepted). Every Monday reading assignments will be due, in which a response from the reading is required to be completed by Wednesday of that same week. Each response should be typed, 12 point font, 1 pg. in length and printed copy kept in binder. Commentary on Daily Assignments: it is imperative that students have ample opportunities to write both in and outside of the classroom. They become proficient writers by practicing the skill frequently. As their instructor, it is my job to provide those opportunities.

Other Important Information

The Writing Center The Writing Center is a great resource to help with writing improvement. They provide individual help with writing assignments, such as grammar, flow, structure, and information on style guides (APA, MLA, etc). The Writing Center is located in Student Union B (SUB), Room 116. The web address is http://ualr.edu/writingcenter/ and the contact number is (501) 569-8343. Please take advantage in order to maximize your learning. Hours: Mon. 9 a.m. noon, 1:30 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Tues/Thurs. 9:00 a.m. 8:00 p.m. Wed. 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Fri. 9:00 a.m. - noon Public Nature of the Classroom Please consider all writing for this class to be "public. Part of becoming an effective writer is learning to appreciate the ideas and feedback of others; in this course, our purpose is to come together as a writing community. Remember that all students will be expected to share writing with others. Avoid writing about topics that you wish to keep private or that you feel so strongly about that you are unwilling to listen to the perspectives of others. Additionally, the feedback that is provided is intended to help improve your writing; be open to the suggestions about your writing.

Academic Integrity Statement College and University regulations regarding academic dishonesty, as set forth in the UALR student handbook and other University documents and publications, will be strictly enforced in this class. Any student who submits work that he/she did not produce for the given assignment will be assigned a grade of zero points (F) for the assignment in question, and may possibly fail the class. In accordance with Section VI: Statement of Student Behavior, under the code of student rights, responsibilities, and behavior, the university defines academic dishonesty under the classifications of cheating, plagiarism, collusion, and duplicity. Cheating and blatant plagiarism in this class can result in disciplinary sanction. Students with Disabilities Statement Your success in this class is important, and it is the policy and practice of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to create inclusive learning environments consistent with federal and state law. If you have a documented disability (or need to have a disability documented), and need an accommodation, please contact me privately as soon as possible, so that we can discuss with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) how to meet your specific needs and the requirements of the course. The DRC offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process among you, your instructor(s) and the DRC. Thus, if you have a disability, please contact DRC, at 501-569-3143 (V/TTY) or 501-683-7629 (VP). For more information, please visit the DRC website at www.ualr.edu/disability. Web Accessibility Statement It is the policy and practice of UALR to make all web information accessible to students with disabilities. If you, as a student with a disability, have difficulty accessing any part of the online course materials for this class, please notify the instructor immediately.

Weather Policy The UALR website, UALR email, the Universitys main telephone number (501.569.3000), and the campus emergency alert system are the official means of communicating all information concerning weather-related closing. Local television and radio stations will also be notified. Weather and road conditions vary from place to place. Employees and students are expected to exercise good judgment regarding the safety of travel when road conditions are affected by the weather.

Academic Calendar (projected)

Dates Aug. 19-23 Assignments Classes begin 8/19, Introductions, Review Syllabus, Syllabus quiz, HGW Chapter 1, Reading Quiz, Everyday Writer, Collect Forms, Last day to drop/add classes (with refund) 8/23 HGW Chapter 2, Reading Quiz, MA Memoir Connection brainstorm activity, Blog # 1 due 12 p.m. Sun. Sept. 1 Labor Day - no class on Monday Sept. 2, HGW Chapter 3, Reading Quiz, Blog reading #2 available in Blackboard. Memoir Connection Draft due, Peer Reviews. Mon.-Writing Center Tour, HGW Chapter 3, Reading Quiz, In Class reading and blog activity, Memoir Connection due Fri at 10 a.m. Blog # 2 due 12 p.m. Sun. Sept. 15. HGW Chapter 4, Reading Quiz, Rhetorical Analysis samples and class activities, HGW Chapter 8 Discussion, MA Rhetorical Analysis draft due and peer reviews. Memoir Connection Revision due.

Aug. 26 - 30

Sept. 2 - 6

Sept. 9 - 13

Sept. 16 - 20

Sept. 23 - 27

Sept. 30 Oct. 4 HGW Chapter 8 Quiz, Final Rhetorical Analysis due Fri. at 10 a.m., Blog # 3 due 12 p.m. Sun. Oct. 6 Oct. 7 - 11 Oct. 16 - 18 Conferences Mon & Wed., Class work (TBA), Fall break (no classes) Oct. 14-15, MA Proposal Examples/Discussion, Proposal brainstorm activity. Rhetorical Analysis Revision due Fri. Class work (TBA), Proposal Draft due, Peer Reviews, Blog # 4 due 12 p.m. Sun. Oct. 27. MA Proposal due Fri. at 10 a. m. Scholarly Research Components (Databases> Ebsco, Academic Search Complete, Jstor, etc; How to do Scholarly Research, Portfolio discussion, Classwork (TBA) Cover Letter examples & Discussion, Cover Letter Brainstorm activity, Blog # 5 due 12 p.m. Sun. Nov. 17, Proposal Revisions Due Conferences, Cover Letter Draft Due, Peer Reveiws

Oct. 21 - 25 Oct. 28 Nov. 1

Nov. 4 - 8 Nov. 11 - 15

Nov. 18 - 22

Nov. 25 Dec. 2 - 6 Dec. 9

Portfolio Workshop, Thanksgiving Holiday-No class Wed.11/27 & Fri. 11/29. Have a Happy Thanksgiving! Portfolio Workshop, Final Cover Essay due. Last Class, Presentations, Dec. 10 Consultation Day- 4PM: Final exams begin. See Final Exam Schedule at: http://ualr.edu/records/examschedule/201360.php

Commentary on Academic Calendar: I provide a complete academic calendar for the semester to provide a reference point for the student at any given time. I do reserve the right to move an assignment date up or back depending on class needs. Despite minor adjustments, all objectives for the semester are accomplished.