Spring 2013 Syllabus: Eng 201 for Journalism Majors

Professor Catherine Staley

Corbly 405A; [email protected]
Where and when do we meet?
Section 215
Section 225
11am-11:50am MWF
9:30am-10:45am TTh
CH 304
CH 268
What is Eng 201?
The Marshall University Course Catalog describes Eng 201 as an advanced
composition course centered on critical reading, writing, and research skills for the
discipline. My personal goals for this course are a bit more complex. Ultimately,
youll continue to develop your writing process so you can successfully tackle the
variety of assignments college requires. In your journalism courses, youll focus on
the writing demanded by that field, so I hope this class serves to bolster the
foundation of your writing skills so you can merge the two. Our textbook provides, I
think, an interesting way of approaching issues concerning the media; the authors
focus on the rules that determine how we watch, believe, eat, learn, and change.
As journalists, youll influence those rules, so the readings and class discussions will
focus on how you make and break rules.
What are the outcomes or goals for this course?
The following outcomes were created by the MU English Department for Eng
201:
1. Students will produce at least three polished formal writing projects, one of
which will be a longer, sustained research project that is connected to an idea
within their major discipline. In addition, students will produce shorter writing
pieces leading or connected to their formal writing projects. By the end of the
semester, students will have produced the equivalent of twenty-five typed,
double-spaced pages.
2. Students will formulate solid research questions exploring ideas and current
conversations in their academic disciplines, and will work with their questions in
shorter pieces and in multiple genres, and exploring one question in a longer,
sustained research project.
3. Students will position themselves within public conversations, composing a
logical argument supported by research, and attending to issues of audience,
purpose and rhetorical context as they draft, revise, proofread and edit their
research projects.
4. Students will work with different texts as researchers, developing an ability to
effectively mine for information and use research sources, including online
sources.

5. Students will recognize how and when to use quotation, summary, and
paraphrase, and will examine the ethics of research and writing as they learn
and use conventions for citation and formatting.
6. Students will learn critical reading strategies as they engage with more difficult
and dense reading material and recognize the different stakeholders in an
argument.
7. Students will inquire into and reflect on the development of their research and
writing in order to think critically and objectively about their work, internalize
and clarify their own research and writing processes, and as a means of selfassessment.
8. Students will understand the importance of grammar, mechanics and careful
proofreading, and will recognize their own strengths as writers as well as
acknowledge and attend to their weaknesses and patterns of error.
9. Students will explore the stylistic conventions and rhetorical patterns of their
disciplines through reading and writing, and will begin to recognize academic
writing as it is situated within their disciplines.

Whats expected of me?

We will frequently exchange ideas, whether during discussions, peer revision, or
group work, and I expect you to be kind and respectful of each others ideas and
writing. Were going to encounter a variety of topics in this course gender, race,
class, etc.; some of those topics might make you yawn and others will probably
make you want to yell. I ask that you strike a balance speak or write thoughtfully
or confidently about your views while allowing your classmates to do the same. If
you disrespect me or a peer with intolerant or offensive language or behavior, I will
ask you to leave.
What do I need for this course?
1) Acting Out Culture: reading and writing by James S. Miller, 2nd Ed.
ISBN:9780312624293
*you must have a copy of your book by Friday, Jan. 18; please bring your book to
class every day, regardless of homework or course schedule

2) A printer with paper and ink, or a few dollars on your student ID for printing
(10/page). I am supplementing your textbook with a few chapters from
another book that will be posted to MuOnline and youll need to print. Plus,
because this is a writing course, youll frequently be printing your homework
or drafts for class or additional readings (however, we will mostly be using
the textbook).

What if I have a question/concern about the course?

The most convenient and best way to contact me is via e-mail: [email protected]
(your account may automatically change this to [email protected], but its
the same account). I do not use the MuOnline e-mail system. I will also only
communicate with students via their @marshall.edu/@live.marshall.edu addresses
(please no personal accounts). I will try my best to answer your e-mails as soon as
possible, but I do not check my mailbox frequently after 5pm M-F and on the
weekends, so please consider that when sending me a message. I have designated
Tuesdays 1-3pm and Thursday 2-3pm as e-mail office hours, which is when you
can e-mail me and expect a prompt response during that time. I also hold the
following office hours, during which you can stop by to ask questions, have me
look at a draft, or discuss concerns: Monday 3-4pm; Tuesday 11am-1pm;
Wednesday 2-4pm; Thursday 12-2pm. My office is Corbly 405A. I encourage you to
take advantage of that time.
*a note about e-mails: please be professional, courteous, and brief. Beginning
an e-mail with only hey and not including your name and section number can
make a poor impression.
What if I miss a class?
Regarding reading responses and other class activities: It is your responsibility to
contact a classmate to find out what you missed or what is due the next class
period. During the first week or two of class, youll participate in group work that will
let you make those sort of contacts. Do not contact me regarding missed work.
Furthermore, I only accept late work if you have a university-excused absence. I
need to receive an e-mail from Student Affairs regarding that absence within 7 days
of your missing class, otherwise I will not accept your work. If your absence is
unexcused, you cannot make-up homework or class activities.
Regarding minor and major assignments: if your absence if unexcused, you can turn
in late minor/major assignments for 1 letter grade deduction (i.e. if you earn a 91%,
one day late makes it an 81%) per each calendar day late beginning immediately
after class (for example, if the paper is due Wednesday during a 10am-10:50am
class, and you turn it in Wednesday at 10:51am, it is considered 1 day late,
Thursday is 2 days late, Friday is 3 days late, etc; weekends are excluded). On days
we dont meet, you can put your work in my mailbox on Corbly 3 rd Floor (open 8am4:30pm) or bring it by my office. If your absence is excused, you can turn in the
assignment for no penalty if I receive an e-mail from Student Affairs within 7 days of
your absence.
Above all, I do not accept any work via e-mail (unless prior arrangements are
made).
Whats the classs attendance policy?

My attendance policy is simple: if you miss more than three weeks of class (9
classes for MWF courses and 6 classes for TTh courses), without excused absences,
than youll automatically lose your participation points (see below), so you wont be
able to earn higher than a B in the course. That being said, each class is integral to
your development as a writer, and we will be engaging in daily discussions and
activities that will contribute to your success on major and minor assignments. You
cannot earn a high participation grade if youre not in class prepared and ready to
contribute. Your reading response grade will also begin to suffer with excessive
absences. If you have an issue arise during the semester that will cause you to miss
a substantial number of days, please let me know asap so we can strategize the
best way to ensure your success.

What is the courses plagiarism policy?

As sophomores, I assume that you have a general understanding of plagiarism and
what that means. We will discuss it further in class, and after that discussion, I
expect you to be your own best advocate, meaning that you should talk to me or
visit the Writing Center if youre confused about plagiarism and how to avoid it. If I
suspect you of plagiarism, I will e-mail you to arrange a meeting to discuss if it was
unintentional or intentional. If its unintentional, you will either have an opportunity
to revise the assignment, receive a 0 on the assignment, or receive an adjusted
grade based on the percentage of the assignment plagiarized, based on our
conversation. If you intentionally plagiarize, youll receive a 0 on the assignment, or
for the portions that were plagiarized depending on the nature of the assignment,
and Ill file a report with Student Affairs. Well discuss as a class what unintentional
and intentional plagiarism looks like.
Can I bring my laptop, cell phone, tablet, other electronics to class?
The opportunities afforded us by technology are valuable. But, they can also be very
distracting. I prefer you do not bring word processing devices to class so youre not
tempted to pay more attention to Facebook than your learning. If you need the
assistance of such a device, please let me know during the first week or so of class.
As for cell phones, please keep their usage to a minimum. I frequently use mine to
check the time and for emergency alert purposes*, and will tolerate you do the
same to an extent. When we are engaging in group work or free-writing, I expect
you to be fully engaged in those activities. If I notice that your cell phone is
distracting to you, me, or your peers, I will e-mail you with a warning or invite you to
my office hours to discuss how we can minimize that behavior. Your participation
grade also accounts for this.
*I strongly encourage you to sign-up for MUAlert so you can receive phone/text/e-mail
warnings regarding emergencies (including weather-related closings and delays). You
can do so here: http://www.marshall.edu/emergency/mualert/.

How will I know if class is cancelled?

Marshall sometimes closes the university due to inclement weather. They will issue
emergency alerts that well follow. If I personally feel like the weather is going to be
an issue, Ill e-mail as early as possible. If I need to cancel class for any other
reason, I will e-mail you and the department will post a sign on the classroom door.
So, check your e-mail frequently.
What other policies do I need to know?
By enrolling in this course, you agree to the University Policies listed below. Please
read the full text of each policy be going to www.marshall.edu/academic-affairs and
clicking on Marshall University Policies. Or, you can access the policies directly by
going to http://www.marshall.edu/academic-affairs/?page_id=802 . Policies include:
Academic Dishonesty/ Excused Absence Policy for Undergraduates/ Computing
Services Acceptable Use/ Inclement Weather/ Dead Week/ Students with Disabilities/
Academic Forgiveness/ Academic Probation and Suspension/ Academic Rights and
Responsibilities of Students/ Affirmative Action/ Sexual Harassment
How will I be graded?
Reading Responses (10% total): well be reading quite a bit for this class, so
your reading responses help you collect your thoughts for class discussion, practice
in-depth engagement with a text, and let me provide constant feedback on your
writing. Its your responsibility to check the class schedules Ill distribute every 4-6
weeks for weeks these are due. You are only responsible for turning in one response
per week, so we might read 3 essays one week, but you only need to respond to
one. These are due on the day the reading youre responding to is due for class.
Those responses should be at least 2 full double-spaced pages. Each reading
response is graded on the following scale:
+ : completely fulfills the assignment and follows all formatting
requirements; displays critical thinking and engagement with the text; avoids
summary (unless otherwise assigned) but instead focuses on the writers
ideas and reactions surrounding the text; for example, you might agree or
disagree with the author; connect his/her ideas to your other classes, major,
or current events; offer an alternative argument or perspective than the
authors, etc. (100%)
: completely fulfills the assignment and follows all formatting requirements;
tends to summarize the text rather than react to it; begins to demonstrate
critical thinking but lacks focus or understanding of the text (75%)
-: does not fulfill the assignment or formatting requirements but attempts to
(50%)
0: missing assignment (0%)

If I find that the majority of the class is not completing the readings, and thus class
discussions are suffering, Ill give reading quizzes that will be graded on a similar
scale as above and factor into this grade.
Participation (10%): your participation in this class is based on thoughtful
contribution to class discussion, alertness during class activities/discussions,
completion of free-writes, minimal use of your cell phone, active listening to your
peers and me, and eager involvement in group work. Occasionally, I will collect inclass writing (free-writes, group work, other writing) and your thoughtfulness and
completion of those factors into this grade. As stated in the attendance policy,
missing 3 weeks of class will cause you to automatically lose all of these points.
Peer Revision (10% total): For two major assignments, youll engage in peer
revision activities (5% each). Ill grade those based on assignment sheets and
rubrics distributed to you. If you fail to come to class for the day we exchange drafts
or workshop (without an excused absence) or you dont bring a draft/peer revision
materials with you, youll receive 0 points.
Minor Assignments (10% total): We will have 3 minor assignments this
semester. These are low stakes assignments, meaning they let you practice skills
weve been working on while gaining feedback from me before the major
assignments. Ill grade these based on formal rubrics. Youll also have the
opportunity to revise two minor assignments, and Ill drop the lowest grade between
the original and revised one. You cannot revise an assignment unless you originally
turned it in on time. Well discuss those revisions towards the end of the semester,
and Ill provide detailed directions and due dates.
Major Assignments (55% total): we have 4 major assignments this semester;
each will have their own assignment sheet and rubric, but this is a general
breakdown; these due dates are subject to change (and some most likely will):
1) Summary and Critique (20%): students will compose a detailed
summary of an academic article, assess the effectiveness of the authors
choices, and then personally respond to the authors argument
a. Due Dates: Section 215 MWF Friday, February 15; Section 225
TTh Tuesday, February 19
2) Literature Review (10%): students will design a research question
concerning his/her major, gather credible and academic sources
pertaining to that question, and synthesize the sources to provide the
reader with an overview of current research on the topic for an academic
audience
a. Due Dates: Section 215 MWF Wednesday, March 27; Section 225
TTh Thursday, March 28
3) Research Paper (20%): students will compose a thesis and support that
thesis using credible sources and solid evidence for an academic audience

a. Due Dates: Section 215 MWF Monday, April 22; Section 225 TTh
Tuesday, April 23
4) Presentation (5%): students will prepare a short (5-7 minute)
presentation for their peers of their research paper findings and support
using popular sources and some multi-media elements
a. Due Dates: Section 215 MWF April 29-May 3; Section 225 TTh
April 29-May 3
Final (5%): a course narrative that reflects on the development of your writing
process throughout the semester; see University Exam Schedule for due date
How should my assignments be formatted?
Unless its writing we completed in class or its otherwise stated on the
assignment sheet, all of your work, from reading responses to major assignments,
should be typed, double-spaced, in Times New Roman 12pt. font (Mac users make
sure your computer is set to the correct font). Also, please delete the extra spaces
between paragraphs that Microsoft Word automatically adds. Your header should be
in the left-hand corner, double-spaced, and contain your name, the date, and Eng
201-Your Section. The reason I have these strict formatting guidelines is to ensure
that everyone is writing the same amount and these are the guidelines that a lot of
professors prefer, so its best to get in the habit of using them.

Whats the courses grading scale and how often will you update us about
our grades?
100-90%
89-80%
79%-70%
69%-60%
59%-50%

A
B
C
D
F

I do not post grades to MuOnline; instead, Ill do my best to return work to you
promptly so you can track your own grade using the percentages above. Reading
responses and minor assignments have a quick turnover, and major assignments
might take just a little longer. Well have one-on-one conferences around midterm
and towards the end of the semester so I can update you about your grade, and let
you know your participation grade (which, if its dropping, Ill communicate to you
often). You are welcome to stop by my office hours or e-mail me concerning your
grade at any time.