WRTG 101S: Literacy & Education

Practice in effective writing and clear thinking at all levels, including the sentence and paragraph, with emphasis on the essay and the integration of research into one’s writing. WRTG 101S fulfills the first general education requirement in Communications. This course provides intensive support and review of grammar and punctuation along with instruction in organizing, developing, and writing academic essays. The goal is to strengthen key aspects of mechanics while helping students apply specific steps within the writing process, including formulating purpose, identifying an audience, and selecting and using research resources and methods of development, and other rhetorical tasks. Revision and recursive writing practice are emphasized and encouraged. Review of writing skills will be conducted through separate tutoring sessions and resources will be available to support students in practicing and demonstrating writing skills. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: ENGL 101, ENGL 101X, WRTG 101, WRTG 101X, or WRTG 101S.

UMUC has outlined specific learning outcomes for this course, and the work we will do in this class has been carefully constructed to meet these objectives. At the end of the term, you should be able to:

• Apply the writing process to develop essays using various rhetorical patterns in order to inform and persuade an audience;
  

• Construct unified, coherent, and well supported paragraphs using principles of persuasion and exposition;
  

• Demonstrate accurate grammar and mechanics in writing; and
  

• Analyze source material in order to integrate valid and reliable sources using accepted documentation style.
  

Essentially, this course will provide a foundation to help you navigate the waters of academic writing during your time at the University of Maryland University College and beyond.

COURSE INTRODUCTION

The theme for this course is “Literacy and Education.” This semester, we will consider our experiences within the educational system and the development of our literate lives. Our first project will be a literacy narrative, which will ask you to consider your experiences with reading and writing. Then, we will look at the literate lives of those around us—in our class, in our community, in our world—and examine what literacy means across our differences. The first two projects will allow us to recognize themes and patterns in education, and building from that foundation, we will study larger issues within education. For our third project, you will work with a team of peers to write an annotated bibliography and research proposal, which will give you a research base for your final project, which will require you to select an issue within education and develop research-based, real world ways to confront that issue.

MATERIALS

Our textbook is available from the UMUC Education Office at Panzer Kaserne. Additional readings and handouts will be made available on our course website and will be distributed in class.

Wyrick, Jean. Steps to Writing Well. 12th ed. Wadsworth CENGAGE Learning, 2014. Print.

In addition to the course text, I recommend that you keep a notebook for this class. You should bring your notebook, a writing utensil, and the reading materials to each class meeting. I strongly suggest that you have access to a computer with a printer and Internet access. Note: Student computers are available in the Education Office on Panzer Kaserne. Additional computers and study areas are available at the Patch Library.

ATMOSPHERE

In order for our class to have open, honest discussions about our experiences with literacy and education, we must establish some “ground rules” for our classroom interactions. In the spirit of creating a safe, trusting, and respectful learning atmosphere, I propose the following expectations for classroom behavior.

Be polite. Please keep rude or distracting comments and gestures out of our environment. All members of our class (to include students, instructor, guest speakers, etc.) have a right to be treated with dignity and respect in our shared space, both online and in the classroom. Interacting successfully with your peers and with me will require you to think before you speak, ground your comments in our text, use “I” statements, and avoid making generalizations. When we begin peer review workshops, we will learn more about how to speak respectfully to each other about our writing.

Be prepared. Remember to bring the reading assignment, a notebook, and a writing utensil to each class meeting. I suggest that you keep a printed copy of the syllabus, the course schedule, notes, and assignments in a notebook. Also, bookmark the class website and check your email daily to stay informed about any updates to our class schedule. Finally, please arrive on time and ready to learn. Turn off your cellphones or other electronic devices (laptop, electronic reader, mp3 player, etc.) and leave them in your bag during class.

Be present. Keep in mind that this class is discussion based, and we will work collaboratively most of the time. To get the most out of our class, you need to attend regularly. Being present not only means physically occupying a seat in our classroom, it also means listening actively and participating in class discussions, completing reading and/or writing assignments before coming to class, and contributing to the class conversation.

What should I do if I’m late or need to miss a class?

Because our class meets for eight weeks and because we work collaboratively most of the time, regular attendance is required; however, I know that life happens and you might need to miss a class or come in a few minutes late. If you miss class or miss an announcement because you are late, then it is your responsibility to consult a classmate or the course website to find out what you missed.

Tardies. I’ll take attendance during the first 5 minutes of each class meeting. If you are not in the room when I finish taking roll, you will be considered tardy. Three tardies will be equivalent to one absence. If you accumulate multiple tardies, then the absentee policy (below) will apply.

Absences. As the semester progresses, you may find that you need to miss a class. Your first three absences will not affect your grade; however, each additional absence will lower your final grade one letter. In the event that you need to miss class for any reason, please provide written documentation (an email will suffice) prior to the missed class. Missing class without contacting me will be considered unexcused and will affect your final grade. For example, if you have a B as a final grade, but have 4 “unexcused” absences, then your final grade will be a C. If circumstances beyond your control require you to miss more than three classes, contact me so that we can work something out.

What else should I know to be successful in this class?

Although I am open to discussing grading procedures, policies, and expectations for this class, the following statement is not up for debate: Do your own work. Being polite, prepared, and present entails creating original products intended for this course.

Plagiarism is a very serious academic offense with serious consequences, both in this course and beyond. More than that, willful plagiarism is illegal and violates the trust I develop with you. Here's one simple way to avoid plagiarism: If you have any questions about what constitutes plagiarism or how to document sources, talk with me. If you become overwhelmed during the semester and feel like you are backed into a corner, talk with me. It's better to be honest and forthcoming than to take from others what does not belong to you.

Per the UMUC Procedures for Handling Charges of Alleged Academic Dishonesty, I will report suspected cases of willful plagiarism to the UMUC administration. UMUC clearly outlines policies on Academic Integrity, Student Conduct, Grades of Incomplete, Withdrawals, Grade Appeals, Non-Discrimination, and so forth in the Online Policy Manual. If you have any questions about these policies, please talk with me or with one of the helpful administrators in the UMUC office.

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS AND GRADING SCALE

We will complete four major writing projects over the course of the term, and we will discuss, as a class, the requirements for each project before it is due. The following list provides a sequence of projects along with suggested length requirements and point values.

100 points = Literacy Narrative, 3-5 pages

100 points = Comparative Analysis, 4-6 pages

100 points = Annotated Bibliography 5-7 sources with 2-3 pages summary

150 points = Research Paper, 6-10 pages

50 points = Participation and in-class activities

For each project, you will turn in a portfolio that will include a copy of your paper, rough drafts, applicable journal entries, and peer review workshop forms. Project portfolios must be turned in on the due date at the beginning of class. If you are absent on the date that a major project is due, you must email the portfolio to me on time unless you have contacted me to make other arrangements. Please let me know in advance if extenuating circumstances beyond your control will impede your ability to turn in an assignment on time. Late work will not be accepted.

Any in-class activities, such as (but not limited to) quick writes, peer reviews, and quizzes, will be submitted at the end of each class session unless otherwise stated. If you are absent when we complete an in-class activity, then you will receive no credit for the activity that you missed. If circumstances beyond your control keep you from class, please contact me before you miss class so that we can make arrangements for an alternate assignment.

As with other classes at UMUC, you can expect the following grading scale:

A = 90 – 100

B = 80 – 89

C = 70 – 79

D = 61 – 69

F = 60 and below

ASSESSMENT

Assessment will be criterion-referenced in accord with the UMUC Guide to Writing and research, Chapter 7 “Assessing Your Writing,” Section “How is Writing Graded?” You can access the guide through the UMUC Library Homepage. The University’s criterion for grading is listed below:

“A” Papers. “A” papers are characterized by outstanding informative writing marked by superior readability and competent handling of content. These traits are demonstrated in the following ways: The substance and organization follow a clear, logical sequence that makes the information easily accessible to the reader. The purpose is clearly expressed, and the selected details of the assignment reflect this purpose. The audience is accommodated throughout the assignment as reflected in effective communication and style. Words are chosen and sentences are constructed to make the information understandable. The grammar, mechanics, and format are flawless.

“B” Papers. “B” papers are characterized by distinguished writing that successfully fulfills the requirements but contains one of the following weaknesses: "Although the writing is essentially well organized, the audience analysis, the statement of purpose, or the handling of the content is flawed. Although sentences are grammatically correct, their structure or length or both sometimes cause readers to work unnecessarily hard. Ambiguous or vague wording hinders precise communication. A small lapse in audience accommodation causes reader distraction. Grammar, mechanics, and format flaws interfere with reading and comprehension.

“C” Papers. “C” papers are characterized by satisfactory writing that is generally effective but contains any one of the following weaknesses: "Although satisfactorily written, the body of the assignment is not clearly organized, or some material is not clearly explained; the audience and purpose are not clear. Sentences, although they are grammatically correct, often make information difficult to extract; editing key words or converting nouns to verbs could solve such problems. Wording interferes with readability, but the reader can still glean the meaning; rereading is often required. Repeated grammar, mechanics, or format errors mar the paper.

“D” Papers. “D” papers struggle to communicate information and contains weak writing. In a professional working environment, such writing would be considered incompetent because it suffers from any one of the following problems: "Any two of the problems listed under a C paper. Minimal evidence of audience accommodation. Serious wording problems, such as garbled wording gives the reader repeated and serious difficulties in understanding. Serious sentence problems, such as run-on sentences and comma splices, damage the readability. Grammar, spelling, or format problems create frequent obstacles to understanding.

Failing Papers. A failing grade on a writing assignment usually means that the paper contains any two problems from the list for a D paper.

A NOTE ON REVISION

In short, you may submit revisions of any major projects at anytime until the end of the seventh week of class, October 2nd. When you submit a revised project, you need to write a short (250-500 word) reflection that explains the changes that you made. Make an appointment with me to submit your revised project, and bring your reflection, revised paper, and the original project portfolio with you.

Please note, revising a major project will not be counted against you and will not hurt your final grade. For example, if you score a "C" on a major project, revise it, and the revised score is a "B," then I will record a "B" for the project. If, for some reason, you revise a project and the revised score is lower than the first score, I will record the highest of the two scores.

SUPPORT SERVICES AND RESOURCES

UMUC offers many services to help you succeed in your academic journey. Below I have listed just a few of the services available to you. If you have any questions or find that you need additional support, please feel free to contact me at any time during the semester. I'll be happy to help!

Writing Labs. In addition to scheduled class meetings, I will be available for thirty minutes immediately after class to meet with students to provide individual support and tutoring. The University calls this a “Recitation Session.” This is a service I provide through the University free of charge.

Disabled Student Services. Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability is invited to contact me privately; I will be happy to work with you to ensure reasonable accommodations in my class. Students requesting accommodations should contact the UMUC-Europe Director of Student Affairs

Effective Writing Center. The UMUC Effective Writing Center offers a variety of writing-related services. Through their website, http://www.umuc.edu/writingcenter/index.cfm, you can contact a writing advisor to review your work, ask questions about writing and research, and find helpful resources for writing in all of your classes. Please note, if you plan to submit a paper to the EWC for review, then you should check the submission timeline to ensure that you receive feedback in time to make revisions before the paper is due.