Engl217-Intro To Writing Arts Syllabus-Fall 2019
Engl217-Intro To Writing Arts Syllabus-Fall 2019
Engl217-Intro To Writing Arts Syllabus-Fall 2019
Course Description
Students explore foundational concepts in writing arts in order to understand writing as both a subject of study
and a significant symbolic activity in our everyday lives.
Other Materials:
● Reliable daily access to the internet
● Your MacBook Pro. You should bring this, fully charged, to every class meeting unless otherwise noted.
To receive an A in this course, you must accumulate at least 92.5 points; for an A-, 89.5 points; for a B+, 86.5
points; for a B, 82.5 points; for a B-, 79.5 points; for a C+, 76.5 points; for a C, 72.5 points; for a C-, 69.5 points;
for a D+, 66.5 points; for a D, 62.5 points; and for a D-, 59.5 points. Please turn in all assignments, even if you
believe they are poorly done. The difference between an F grade and 0 is that F carries points toward the final
points and is assigned for something turned in, while a 0 carries no points and is assigned when no assignment is
submitted.
EXPLANATION OF ASSIGNMENTS
In-class Writing and Short Assignments
This course asks you to write. A lot. Expect to do many invention activities, craft exercises, and warm-up writings
in class. Note: In-class writing is tied to attendance and cannot be made up. Short homework assignments (SAs)
leading up to larger graded assignments are pass/fail. You receive credit as long as you meet the minimum
requirements for the SAs. Late SAs will not be accepted, and you will lose points from your In-class Writing and
Short Assignment grade.
Dr. Fodrey ENGL 217—Fall 2019 3
Digital Portfolio
Throughout the semester, you will develop a Digital Portfolio on Google Sites. Your site is where you will submit
Writing Projects #1 through #4 on separate pages of the site. (We will set all of this up in class.) The grade for the
final Digital Portfolio will include the individual final grades of Assignments #1, #2, #3, and #4 plus a separate
grade for your overall design and reflective introduction to your Digital Portfolio readers.
Writing Projects #1 – #3
Each of these writing assignments—Challenging Conceptions about Writing (#1), Literacy Narrative (#2), and
Writing Process Analysis (#3)— ask you to engage with the concepts presented in assigned readings and to write
for a different rhetorical situation and in a different genre, as appropriate to the assignment. Details for each of
these writing projects will be discussed in class. While drafts must be submitted for each of these assignments on
the dates listed in the schedule in order to be eligible for full credit, final grades are not earned on Assignments
#1, #2, or #3 until you submit them in your final Digital Portfolio at the end of the semester; this is meant to
emphasize the recursive nature of the writing process—an idea we will discuss at length in class.
citation style depending on the rhetorical situation of a given assignment. Student ignorance of bibliographic
convention and citation procedures is not a valid excuse for having committed plagiarism. To reiterate: When
you use the specific thoughts, ideas, writing, or expressions of another person, you must accompany each
instance of use with some form of attribution to the source, regardless of the genre or medium in which you
are working.
You can familiarize yourself with all aspects of Moravian College’s Academic Code of Conduct policy here:
https://www.moravian.edu/handbook/campus-life/code-of-conduct
Attendance
Attendance is mandatory. Intro to Writing Arts is a course that includes engaged discussion, in-class writing,
peer group work, and conferences. Therefore, students should not be late and should not miss class. Any in-class
work missed as a result of tardiness or unexcused absence cannot be made up. Students enrolled in this course
cannot miss more than a week of classes—two class meetings—without penalty. For each class meeting
missed thereafter, your final course grade will be reduced by 2%.
All holidays or special events observed by organized religions will be honored for those students who show
affiliation with that particular religion. A dean’s note or other official Moravian College document justifies
absences for Moravian functions but must be presented to Dr. Fodrey before the scheduled event. Doctor’s
appointments, job interviews, and other important appointments do not count as excused absences. If you have a
legitimate conflict or an extreme emergency, discuss the situation with me.
Late Work
Final drafts of major major point-bearing assignments (i.e., Writing Projects #1 through #4 and Bad Ideas About
Writing presentation) will not be accepted without penalty unless students make arrangements for an extension
before the due date. Major assignments that are turned in late will incur a 10% penalty per 24-hour period.
Additionally, as noted above, you will lose 1 point per day off of the final grade for a major point-bearing
assignment for not submitting drafts when they are due. SAs and in-class writing assignments will not be
accepted late under any circumstances.
Because the class represents a diversity of individual beliefs, backgrounds, and experiences, every member of this
class must show respect for every other member of this class. Additionally, all Moravian College students are
responsible for upholding the Community Standards, which can be read online in the Student Handbook:
https://www.moravian.edu/handbook
Workshops
We improve as writers by responding to input from readers. To that end your essay drafts will go through
extensive peer review via writing workshops. You are expected to take the input from your classmates seriously
and respond to their feedback when you revise. You are likewise expected to take your job as a reviewer
seriously. Critique others’ work as you wish to be critiqued. Treat each other with respect. Each of us has areas to
improve in our writing.
Office Hours
You are encouraged to stop by during office hours or make an appointment with Dr. Fodrey. She is also part of
the Safe Zone Ally community network of trained Moravian College faculty/staff/students who are available to
listen and support you in a safe and confidential manner. As a Safe Zone Ally, your professor can help you
connect with resources on campus to address problems you may face that interfere with your academic and social
success on campus as it relates to issues surrounding sexual orientation/gender identity. Your professor’s goal is
to help you be successful and to maintain a safe and equitable campus.
Writing Fellow
The Writing Fellow for English 217: Intro to Writing Arts is Gabby Stanley, a junior Writing Arts Certification
English Major who has conducted writing research for the last two summers as part of the SOAR program,
presented at a national conference—the Conference on College Composition and Communication—on that
research, and has an article forthcoming in Young Scholars in Writing. She is a great resource to help you with
your writing projects during the semester.
Reeves Library
Dr. Fodrey ENGL 217—Fall 2019 6
All English 217 students are required to conduct and document their research. In addition to the physical
resources available—books, magazines, journals, newspapers, and digital resources—Reeves Library has the
invaluable resource of reference librarians. Our librarians are always interested in helping you with any questions
you may have on research and resources.
Writing Support
The Writing Center is a resource for Moravian College students. At the Writing Center, a trained peer tutor will
work individually with you on your writing, at any point in the process from brainstorming to editing. The
Writing Center is located on the second floor of Zinzendorf Hall, a building that is not accessible to persons with
mobility impairments. If you need the services of the Writing Center, please call 610-861-1592.
Title IX
Moravian College faculty are committed to providing a learning environment free from gender discrimination and
sexual violence. Should a student disclose a concern of this nature, the faculty member is obligated to inform the
Title IX Coordinator, who will assist the student in determining resources for support and resolution. Fully
confidential reporting options include the Counseling Center, Health Center, and Religious Life (chaplain).
Survivors are encouraged to seek immediate assistance by contacting the Advocates at (484) 764-9242. For more
information, please visit www.moravian.edu/titleix.
Counseling
Counselors at the Counseling Center help students deal with the stresses of college life. They are a great resource
for all students. You can give them a call at 610-861-1510 or stop by at 1301 Main Street.
Information contained in the course syllabus, other than the grade and absence policies, may be subject to
change with reasonable advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.
Dr. Fodrey ENGL 217—Fall 2019 7
Be aware that a daily schedule is occasionally subject to change due to time constraints, unexpected disruptions,
or needs of the class. Therefore, pay attention to announcements of any changes in assignments or due dates.
These changes will be announced in class and on Canvas. The most up to date homework will ALWAYS be
posted as an announcement on the class’s Canvas page, and, depending on your Canvas Notification settings, you
should receive a push notification when those announcements are posted. Also note that whatever is listed for a
specific day is DUE that day.
Key to Symbols: C = the reading has been posted as course content on Canvas
SA = Short Assignment (to be explained in detail on Canvas)
NWWK = Naming What We Know
RW = Researching Writing: An Introduction to Research Methods
Week 1
Date For Class In Class
Tues. 8/27 Introduction to the Study of Writing
Review syllabus and schedule
Draft and share introductions via writing
about writing activity (In-Class Writing #1)
Thurs. 8/29 Read Wardle and Downs, “Threshold Concepts Discuss Wardle and Downs reading as an
of Writing” (C) introduction to key concepts for the course
Write SA#1—respond with at least one Brainstorm to generate ideas for Writing
paragraph (or equivalent) to 6 of the 12 Project #1
activities in light blue boxes in the assigned
Wardle and Downs chapter. Pick one from each
pair—1A or 1B; 2A or 2B; 3A or 3B; 4A or 4B;
5A or 5B; 6A or 6B.
Week 2
Date For Class In Class
Tues. 9/3 Read “Metaconcept: Writing Is an Activity and Sign Up for Bad Idea About Writing
a Subject of Study,” “Concept 1: Writing Is a Presentation
Social and Rhetorical Activity,” and “Concept Gabby presents on the Five Paragraph
2: Writing Speaks to Situations Through Essay chapters from Bad Ideas About
Recognizable Forms” (NWWK 15-47) + the Writing to illustrate the expectations for the
following Bad Ideas About Writing: “You Can presentation.
Learn to Write in General,” “Writing Peer Review rough drafts of Writing Project
Knowledge Transfers Easily” and “Reading and #1: “Challenging Your Conceptions” text
Writing are not Connected” (30-43) before Start revising Writing Project #1
starting to write your rough draft of Writing
Project #1. Note: These Bad Ideas About
Writing readings are meant to help you think
about Writing Project #1; they will eligible for
the “Bad Idea About Writing” Presentation.
Write SA#2 — dialogical journal entries for
each of the six sections of reading mentioned
above—see Canvas for details; Rough Draft of
Writing Project #1: “Challenging Your
Conceptions About Writing, Reading, and
Research” due to Canvas by class time
Thurs. 9/5 Read Wardle and Downs, “Rhetoric: How Is Share Writing Project #1
Meaning Constructed in Context?” (C) and
Dr. Fodrey ENGL 217—Fall 2019 8
Week 3
Date For Class In Class
Tues. 9/10 Read Carillo, “Develop a Repertoire of Discuss Brandt’s article
Reading Strategies”; Brandt, “Sponsors of Develop a working definition of literacy as a
Literacy” class based on assigned readings for today
Write SA #3 — Part I: Complete literacy Introduce and brainstorm ideas for Writing
history activity started in class on 9/5; Part II: Project #2
use at least two of the strategies outlined in
Carillo’s text to annotate Brandt’s text. Be sure
to note which reading strategies you used, and
explain what you gained/learned from that text
as a whole from using each strategy. Include
images/screenshots of your annotations to
illustrate how you used the strategies.
Thurs. 9/12 Read Accardi, “Agency” from Keywords in Presentations on Bad Ideas About Writing:
Writing Studies; Williams, from L iteracy 1) “America is Facing a Literacy Crisis”
Practices and Perceptions of Agency; Eodice, 2) “Texting Ruins Literacy Skills”
Geller, and Lerner, from The Meaningful Discuss assigned readings
Writing Project ( C) Engage in an activity with the Digital
Write SA#4—Part I: write a rhetorical Archive of Literacy Narratives
precis—one of the Williams reading and one of
the Eodice, Geller, and Lerner reading. Part II:
Generate as long a list as possible of literacy
experiences and sponsors and then pick 3 to 4
of these and write brief narratives about them.
Week 4
Date For Class In Class
Tues. 9/17 Read “Concept 3: Writing Enacts and Creates Presentations on Bad Ideas About Writing:
Identities and Ideologies” (NKKW 48-58); 3) “There is One Correct Way of Writing
“English,” “Identity” & “Multilingualism” from and Speaking”
Keywords in Writing Studies (C); Young et al, 4) “Official American English Is the Best”
from Other People’s English (C); Pasqualin, Discuss assigned literacy readings
“Don’t Panic: A Hitchhiker’s Guide to My Engage in Creative Nonfiction craft
Literacy” (C); Villanueva, from Bootstraps: activities to develop narrative elements of
From an American Academic of Color (C) Writing Project #2 (time permitting)
Write SA #5—The premise forwarded by the
assigned readings is that language use is
inextricably linked to identity. Explore your ideas
about this by first thinking about the examples
you’ve read so far as well as examples in your
own life and in those of your friends. Then write
Dr. Fodrey ENGL 217—Fall 2019 9
Week 5
Date For Class In Class
Tues. 9/24 Read “Concept 4: All Writers Have More to Presentations on Bad Ideas About Writing:
Learn” (NWWK 59-70); Straub, “Responding— 8) “Writer’s Block Just Happens to People”
Really Responding—to Other Students’ 9) “Strong Writing and Writers Don’t Need
Writing” (C) Revision”
Write Rough Draft of Writing Project Discuss what we value in feedback on
#2—Literacy Narrative due to Canvas by class writing and how we can use ideas from
time NWWK and Staub to enhance peer review
Peer Review Writing Project #2
Thurs. 9/26 Read: “Concept 5: Writing Is (Also Always) a Share Literacy Narratives
Cognitive Activity” (NWWK 71-79); “Chapter Reflect rhetorically on Writing Project #2
2: Writing Studies” (RW 69-82) Discuss Writing Studies as a discipline
Write: Writing Project #2 due to Canvas by
class time. Remember, as part of this, you need
to also upload approximately one hour of screen
capture footage of you composing your literacy
narrative.
Week 6
Date For Class In Class
Tues. 10/1 Read Perl, “The Composing Processes of Presentations on Bad Ideas About Writing:
Unskilled College Writers”; Geisler and 10) “Research Starts with Answers”
Slattery, “Capturing the Activity of Digital 11) “The Traditional Research Paper is Best”
Writing” (C) 12) “Teaching Grammar Improves Writing”
Write SA#7—Perl was researching at a time Discuss assigned readings
before video recorders and screen capture Introduce Writing Project #3: Writing
software existed. You, however, have a Process Analysis/ Autoethnography
recording of your own composing practice
from Writing Project #2. If you were doing
Dr. Fodrey ENGL 217—Fall 2019 10
Week 7
Date For Class In Class
Tues. 10/8 Class Cancelled for Fall Break
Wednesday 10-9 through Friday 10-11: National Week on Writing Events in the HUB. Stay Tuned for Details!
Thurs. 10/10 Read Berkenkotter, “Decisions and Identify ways to build on Berkenkotter’s,
Revisions: The Planning Strategies of a Pigg’s and Sommers’s methods
Publishing Writer”; Pigg “Coordinating Analyze examples of how authors have
Constant Invention: Social Media's Role in presented coded data to get ideas for drafting.
Distributed Work”; Sommers “Revision Second coder testing
Strategies of Student Writers and Experienced Begin drafting Writing Project #3
Adult Writers” (C)
Complete SA#9: complete a rhetorical precis
for each of the assigned readings for
today—Berkenkotter, Pigg, and Sommers.
NOTE: The Berkenkotter, Pigg, and Sommers
texts are examples of research based on
observation of writing processes. Take note of
what the researchers focus on in their methods
and analysis in particular, and be prepared to
talk about these articles in class.
Week 8
Date For Class In Class
Tues. 10/15 Read Canagarajah, “Autoethnography” pages Presentations on Bad Ideas About Writing:
113- mid 116 only (C); Neto “Tug of War: The 13) “Good Writers Always Follow My
Writing Process of a Bilingual Writer and His Rules”/“Strunk and White Set the Standard”
Struggles” 14) “Failure is Not an Option”
Write Partial Rough Draft of Writing Project Consider the “so what” of your research on
#3 (Intro, Lit Review, Methods) due to Canvas yourself as a writer. What has been learned?
by time of individual conference with Dr. (These details will go in your conclusion.)
Fodrey or class time, whichever comes first Peer Review first three sections of Writing
Project #3
Dr. Fodrey ENGL 217—Fall 2019 11
Thurs. 10/17 Write Complete Rough Draft #2 of Writing Presentations on Bad Ideas About Writing:
Project #3, (Intro, Lit Review, Methods, 15) “Rhetoric is Synonymous with Empty
Results, Discussion) due to Canvas by class Speech”
time 16) “Secondary School English Teachers
Should Only Be Taught Literature”
Peer Review of updated, completed Writing
Project #3 draft
Week 9
Date For Class In Class
Tues. 10/22 Read Swales, “The Concept of Discourse Discuss assigned reading
Community”; Johns, “Discourse Communities Introduce Writing Project #4—Discourse
and Communities of Practice: Membership, Community Research Project
Conflict, and Diversity” Create Digital Portfolio Shell
Write—Writing Project #3 Final Draft due to Develop ideas for discourse community
Canvas by class time + SA#10: Complete a research project
rhetorical precis for each of the assigned
readings for today—Swales and Johns
Thurs. 10/24 Read “Chapter 1: The Research Process” (RW Discuss and Practice Writing Studies
3-68); Gaillet & Eble, “Defining and Engaging Research
with Communities” (C) Secure Approval for Writing Project #4
Write SA#11: Pre-Writing Project #4 discourse community topic and research
Proposal idea generation activity: Consider a question
discourse community you are interested in Begin Drafting proposal
analyzing further, and answer questions (on
Canvas) about what you already know or
would need to find out about that discourse
community in order to develop a quality
research question.
Week 10
Date For Class In Class
Tues. 10/29 Read “Chapter 3: Considering Ethics and Peer Review rough drafts of Writing Project
Responsible Conduct of Research” (RW #4 Proposal
83-113); Stedman, “What is a Rhetorical Introduce Rhetorical/Genre Analysis element
Analysis”; Lewis, “Genre Analysis” (C); Kain of Writing Project #4 Portfolio
and Wardle, “Activity Theory: An
Introduction for the Writing Classroom”
[Optional, for those planning web-based
projects]: “McKee and Porter, The Ethics of
Conducting Writing Research on the Internet”
(C)
Write — Writing Project #4 Proposal Draft
(see Canvas for details and assigned readings
for inspiration)
Thurs. 10/31 Skim: “Chapter 5: Analyzing Text and Share overview of project proposals
Discourse” (RW 139-155); Bickmore, “Genre Discuss Downs and Swales readings
in the Wild” Practice Rhetorical/Generic Analysis
Read: Downs, “Rhetoric: Making Sense of
Human Interaction and Meaning Making”;
Swales, “A Working Definition of Genre” (C)
Write — Writing Project #4 Proposal Final +
SA #12: — write a rhetorical precis + a
Dr. Fodrey ENGL 217—Fall 2019 12
Week 11
Date For Class In Class
Tues. 11/5 Read before you start drafting: Bazerman, Workshop and Revise Draft of
“Speech Acts, Genres, and Activity Systems”; Rhetorical/Generic/Activity Analysis
Marro, “The Genres of Chi Omega: An Discuss ethics in elicited recall-based research
Activity Analysis”; Sample Rhetorical practices
Analysis TBD (C)
Apply appropriate set of analytical
questions and procedures—rhetorical,
generic, or activity analysis—depending on
what approach you want to take in your
analysis. See Stedman, Lewis, and Kain &
Wardle readings from 10/29 + materials in
Canvas.
Write — Draft of Rhetorical/Generic/Activity
Analysis of Representative Text(s) from
Chosen Discourse Community
Thurs. 11/7 Read “Chapter 7: Undertaking Ethnography” Research Day—
(RW 207-227); Sean Branick, “Coaches Can Come to class prepared to find book and article
Read, Too: An Ethnographic Study of a sources for the literature review section of your
Football Coaching Discourse —Community” article for Young Scholars in Writing. What has
(C) already been written and published about the
Write Rhetorical/Generic/Activity Analysis discourse community that you are studying?
Final Due to Canvas by class time + What do you need to prepare/plan/schedule so
SA#13—Revisitation to the questions you that you can conduct your ethnographic
answered on 10/24 re: the components of the research?
discourse community you’re studying (see Work on annotated bibliography journal
details on Canvas) entries for SA #14
Week 12
Date For Class In Class
Tues. 11/12 Read “Chapter 6: Conducting a Case Study” Discuss reading
(RW 175-205); Lucille McCarthy, “A Work on annotated bibliography journal entries
Stranger in Strange Lands: A College Student for SA #15
Writing Across the Curriculum” (C)
Write SA #14: Annotated bibliography
journal entries 1 & 2 (see Canvas for details)
Thurs. 11/14 Read “Chapter 9: Using Mixed Methods Bring materials to work on elicited recall
Research” (RW 255-312) transcription and/or data coding
Write SA#15—Annotated bibliography
journal entries 3 & 4 (see Canvas for details)
Week 13
Date For Class In Class
Dr. Fodrey ENGL 217—Fall 2019 13
Tues. 11/19 Read “Chapter 4: Sharing Research through Mandatory conferences with Dr. Fodrey in lieu
Oral Presentation, Poster Presentation, and of class
Publication” (RW 115-136)
Prepare for meeting with Dr. Fodrey; come
with all of the data you’ve collected and any
questions you have about analyzing that data
Write Draft 1 of Writing Project #4 Article
due by scheduled meeting time (Intro, Lit
Review, Methods)
Thurs. 11/21 Complete all data collection and as much data In-class work day: come prepared to serve as
analysis as possible. second coder on a project and/or draft results
Write SABe prepared to have and draft results and discussion sections of Young Scholars in
and Writing Article.
Introduce Writing Project #4
digital portfolio reflection assignment
Week 14
Date For Class In Class
Tues. 11/26 Read Jones and Wheeler, “Document Design Peer Review Writing Project #4
and Social Justice: A Universal Design for In-class work day: come prepared to work on
Documents” (C) conference presentation, and ask Dr. Fodrey and
Write Draft 2 of Writing Project #4 Article peers for help
(Intro, Lit Review, Methods, Results, Begin drafting final reflection text
Discussion)
Begin Preparing for conference presentation
Work on Digital Portfolio
Thurs. 11/28 Class Cancelled — Happy Thanksgiving!
Week 15
Date For Class In Class
Mon. 12/2 Final Mandatory Conference with Dr. Fodrey. Please sign up for a time on her calendar to
discuss your conference presentation. A draft of all aspects of your conference presentation (talk
modified from your written article + appropriate slides) should be completed by the time of this
meeting.
Tues. 12/3 Prepare for “Writing in Discourse “Writing in Discourse Communities”
Communities” Conference presentation if you Conference Day 1 (open to the public)
are scheduled to present today; submit
presentation materials to Canvas by class time
Thurs. 12/5 Prepare for “Writing in Discourse “Writing in Discourse Communities”
Communities” Conference presentation if you Conference Day 2 (open to the public)
are scheduled to present today; submit
presentation materials to Canvas by class time
Finals Week
Date For Final
Sun. 12/8 @ 5:45 PM Digital Portfolio with all Project #4 materials + Optional revisions of all previously submitted and
graded writing projects — Due to Canvas via URL — Late submissions will not be accepted