GENERAL EDUCATION STATEMENT

This course fulfills a General Education requirement at the University of Toledo.

COURSE/ CATALOG DESCRIPTION

Explanatory and persuasive writing in both personal and public genres; instruction and practice in generating, focusing, developing, researching and presenting ideas in ways consistent with one’s subject, purposes and intended audience. From Composition I and Composition II, no more than 6 hours apply toward graduation.

COURSE OVERVIEW

Students spend the semester engaging in multiple writing tasks associated with their lives in various communities.  The class focus will be on responding effectively to texts, situations, and ongoing public arguments.  The class will also participate in fulfilling the mission of a major research university—contributing new knowledge that our democracy can use to better the lives of its citizens.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Students will produce a minimum of 5,000 words in final draft form over the course of the semester. This will mean roughly 18 to 20 finished pages. At least one paper will be a documented essay using MLA format and incorporating a number of sources with a sustained discussion that results in a paper of at least 5 pages.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students who successfully complete ENGL 1110 will be able to:

1. Compose original text that communicates a clear purpose to the intended audience based on a variety of rhetorical situations.
2. Demonstrate the ability to compose tests using the appropriate conventions, organizational patterns, tone, document design, and citation style of multiple genres.
3. Successfully use rhetorical strategies—research, rhetorical appeals, synthesis, design/redesign, and counter-arguments—that integrate with the writer’s ideas in the composition of multiple texts, including argument, explanatory, and multimodal text.
4. Demonstrate effective revision skills (i.e. rethinking the purpose, audience, and ideas in a text) through multiple drafts and conclude with a final, proofread draft that creates clear, concise, and purposeful prose.
5. Develop critical reading skills, such as identifying purpose, thesis, audience, arguments, and reasoning in the writing of others.
6. Locate credible scholarly sources, evaluate the reliability, sufficiency, and timeliness of multiple sources, and effectively integrate and cite those sources within a text.
7. Use electronic environments to explore, draft, review, revise, edit, and present their writing.
8. Demonstrate their understanding of the collaborative and social aspects of the writing process through providing helpful feedback to their peers and critically reviewing and revising their own writing in response to peer commentary.

TEACHING STRATEGIES

Our class is primarily discussion and activity-based; be prepared to discuss course readings and assignments and participate in class discussions. The lecture format will be used when necessary. Class activities include group discussion, in-class writing exercises, workshops, peer review, and use of the internet. Readings from the course texts and other sources are required. Assignments will include both major writing projects and smaller assignments that provide opportunities to learn and develop skills and strategies needed for the major projects. We will use Blackboard for multiple activities including assignment submission and will be using the internet for research and course work. The class will not be recorded.

TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS

Blackboard is required for this course.
Students must compose all essays in Microsoft Word and submit them electronically on Blackboard. I will not accept Google Docs or other formats. All course documents, including the course syllabus, handouts, and other important course information, will be posted on Blackboard. Course announcements will be made on the Blackboard course home page. Students are responsible for consulting the Blackboard course homepage frequently to keep current on course announcements.

Course documents will be posted on Blackboard. You are responsible for consulting Blackboard and your UT email frequently (I suggest daily) to keep current on course announcements and information.

Please visit the University of Toledo Software Center for free IT software, including the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)

COURSE MATERIALS

Bring writing paper and pens/pencils with you every day, and if you have access, bring an electronic device such as a laptop or tablet.

The Norton Sampler: Short Essays for Composition- 11^th Edition

Cooley, Thomas. The Norton Sampler. 11^th ed., W.W. Norton, 2024.
ISBN 978-1-324-06050-5
This book will also provide free digital access to the handbook, The Little Seagull, which we will also be using.

If you order a used version of this textbook, you will also need to purchase The Little Seagull Handbook (ISBN978-1-324-06000-0). I recommend buying the Norton Sampler new because you will receive the handbook for free.

Additional course content will be provided via links in Blackboard. If you prefer paper copies, you can print on campus using your print quota following the “How Do I Print on Campus?” instructions.

ATTENDANCE POLICIES

INSTITUTIONAL CLASSROOM ATTENDANCE POLICY

Please be aware that the university has implemented an attendance policy, which requires faculty to verify student participation in every class a student is registered at the start of each new semester/course. For this course, if you have not attended/participated in class (completed any course activities or assignments) within the first 14 days, I am required by federal law to report you as not attended. Unfortunately, not attending/participating in class impacts your eligibility to receive financial aid, so it is VERY important that you attend class and complete coursework in these first two weeks. Please contact me as soon as possible to discuss options and/or possible accommodations if you have any difficulty completing assignments within the first two weeks.

CONTINUING ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION

This course meets on Monday and Wednesday on campus. You are expected to attend the entire class. Even after the first two weeks of the semester, attendance is expected, and I will take attendance every day. The University’s Missed Class Policy explains the university’s attendance expectations. You may miss a total of 3 classes, no questions asked.

Excused or otherwise missing two consecutive weeks of class or reaching 4 total absences will require a conference with me before I continue to accept work. Please keep in mind that students who have more than 6 unexcused absences will automatically receive an NC regardless of the grade in the course. If you are planning to miss class, please email me so we can determine if the absence is excused. Absences, excused or otherwise, do not remove the requirement to meet the course expectations.

RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS

A student is permitted to be absent, without penalty, for up to three days each academic semester to take holidays for reasons of faith or religious or spiritual belief system or to participate in organized activities conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination church, or other religious or spiritual organization.

Alternative Accommodations: Alternative accommodations will be provided to students who miss exams and/or other academic requirements because of such absences under the following circumstances:

1. The student’s sincerely held religious belief or practice severely affects the student’s ability to take an exam or meet an academic requirement; and
2. The student submits a form through https://forms.office.com/r/gBBCQkQj3H (which includes a link to the non-exhaustive list of religious holidays/holy days) within 14 days after the first day of instruction; and
3. The Office of the Provost will send notification to each instructor indicating the specific dates for which the student will be absent; and the student and faculty member agree on how and when the missed course and/or exam will be completed, which may be before or after the missed class, but must be completed before the end of the term.

COMMUNICATION GUIDELINES

Students are expected to check their UT email accounts daily for possible course information.

• Before emailing with a question, review the syllabus and relevant assignment instructions and handouts for the information you need. If you don’t see the information you need or need clarification, I’m happy to help.
• Include a meaningful Subject in your email—messages without a Subject may end up in the Spam folder.
• Address the recipient of your email (Hello Professor Pippin, or similar), introduce yourself, and identify the course you are in: “This is Jamie Doe from ENGL 1110-026” or similar (I teach several sections of Composition; simply saying you are in my Composition or English class is not always sufficient).
• Send emails only from your Rockets email account; I am unlikely to open emails from a personal account.
• I do not accept assignments via email. All assignments will have a Blackboard drop box.
• I check my email daily M-F and sporadically on weekends. On the rare occasion that I miss your email, or it ends up in the Spam folder, please send a polite follow-up if you have not received a response within 48 hours. Send assignment questions at least 24 hours before an applicable due date and time.
• On occasion, if your email does not require a written response, I will acknowledge it with a “like” notification in Outlook.
• Write your emails in a professional manner—a text message is a different genre—and close with your name. If you are unsure of academic email etiquette, reviewing Email Guidelines for Students will help.

NETIQUETTE

Because some activities for this class will be conducted online, netiquette is important. Communication should be respectful, constructive, and proofread. Communication and actions that violate the University Student Code of Conduct will require a conference and may affect your grade. In addition to traditional online “netiquette,” we may, at times, be in class and communicate via video (MS Teams, Blackboard Collaborate, Webex, or similar). Additional etiquette guidelines apply not only to our class but are also good to remember for any class or situation:

• Check your microphone and video connection before you Join any meeting.
• Begin group meetings with your microphone muted.
• If used, be sure your background image and profile pic/avatar are respectful and appropriate.
• The Code of Conduct prohibits students from making, using, or sharing images and recordings from class sessions without permission.

ACADEMIC HONESTY

Representing the work of another as your own is plagiarism. Submitting someone else’s work as your own is dishonest and a violation of the University Student Code of Conduct. Please view the university’s Academic Dishonest Policy. Examples of intentional plagiarism include:

• Having someone or AI write your entire paper or a portion of it, even if you paid for it.
• Having someone or AI give you substantial help with the substance of your paper.
• Using words, thoughts, and/or ideas of another person or AI in without giving appropriate credit.
• Copying information from sources without giving credit.
• Submitting the same paper for more than one course without instructor approval.
  • Special note about AI (ChatGPT and similar): there are both ethical/acceptable ways and reasons to use AI, and unethical/dishonest ways and reasons. We will discuss this in class.

All occurrences of plagiarism will require a conference with me, after which I will determine a course of action. This may result in your inability to pass the class, a report to the College, or both. At a minimum, you will not earn credit for the assignment or will be required to redo it.

GRADING

In order to pass this course, the final grade must be a C or above. Grades below a C are recorded as No Credit (NC).  Although an NC will not affect a student’s GPA, Composition I will have to be repeated until a grade of C or better is achieved.

EVAULATION

Student writing this semester will be evaluated primarily for its rhetorical effectiveness.  Does it adequately consider the audience to whom it is addressed?  Is it convincing, captivating, inventive?  It will also be evaluated for classroom values that demonstrate the student’s preparation for the tasks at hand, participation in class conversation and collaboration, and engagement in the common texts and tasks.  A third measure will be made of the academic value of the text. Does it speak, when it is supposed to, to an audience of scholars?  Does it contribute to the production and dissemination of new knowledge?

Midterm Grading

Students who are in danger of earning a grade of NC for the course at mid-term will receive a midterm grade of NC. I will ask you to come see me so that we can talk about your progress in the class. I will also use the Starfish reporting system.

ESSAY GRADES AND REVISIONS

Students will receive credit for submitting complete drafts on time, for posting a draft ahead of our conference, and for participating in peer review workshops, as appropriate. These grades will also reflect the quality of your work and the degree to which it fulfills the assignment. Students must revise their essays based on the feedback from the conferences. Revisions for the other essays are optional. You are not guaranteed a higher grade on the revision—your grade will hinge on the degree to which you successfully address my comments on the draft—but you can keep the higher of the two. If you choose not to revise your paper, your draft grade will become permanent. If you receive a C or lower, you must schedule a conference with me or at the Writing Center. Please have the consultant email me a session report.

SUBMISSION OF WORK

It is expected that all student work submitted for a grade will be typed in MLA format, a standard 12-point font, double-spaced, Times New Roman font, and with one-inch margins unless otherwise stated.

DISCUSSION BOARDS

In preparation for class discussions, you will write a response in the form of a discussion post to the reading for the day. I will post the discussion board on Blackboard. The posts must be at least 200 words in length. Additionally, you need to respond to one classmate in at least 50 words. Discussion posts and responses are due on Sunday at 11:59 PM. Furthermore, discussion posts must be free of grammatical and spelling errors.

IN-CLASS WRITINGS AND WORKSHOPS

Students write during class to brainstorm, draft, organize, critique, prepare for discussion, and otherwise engage in critical writing and thinking. The in-class writing exercises and workshops will either be submitted electronically, in paper format, or both. All prompts will be posted to Blackboard. If you are absent, you may not make them up unless your absence is excused. ICWs and workshops are a way for me to evaluate your written and oral contributions to our class, as well as your essay preparation. ICWs and workshops must be turned in by the end of class in the form of a Microsoft Word file or paper format depending on the requirements stated.

CONFERENCES

Two times this semester, I will cancel classes to hold individual, 15-minute conferences with you. At these conferences, I will provide feedback that you can apply to your final draft. They are mandatory. If you do not attend, I will not accept your paper. At the conference, we will talk about what you are doing well and how you could improve this essay. If you would like more time with me, please email me and we’ll set something up. Before our conference, upload your rough draft to the specified location. All conferences will be conducted on Microsoft Teams or at my office. If you cannot meet me for some reason, I expect you to send me a courtesy email in advance with a request to reschedule. After our conference, you will then have an opportunity to revise your essay.

PEER REVIEW

Each essay will have a peer review session before the assignment is due. A draft of each essay is required for the final to be accepted. Submitting a draft and participating in peer review are each required components of the writing process.

Drafts must be on time for you to participate in peer review. If you miss a peer review draft deadline or are late to class, you may miss the opportunity to participate in a peer review group. I will not accept a paper as final unless I have seen a draft, and it has been reviewed by either your peers in class or a UT Writing consultant. If you miss a peer review, email me so that I am aware of the circumstances, submit a draft to the drop box, and schedule and complete a documented visit with a UT Writing Center consultant.

ESSAY PROPOSALS AND ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

This course contains three essay proposals to prepare you for writing your essays and to give the instructor a better understanding of your topic. Each essay proposal will have different requirements and those requirements will be located on Blackboard. Essay proposals are mandatory, and I will not accept an essay without them. For the research essay, you will also create an annotated bibliography. This assignment is to assess your understanding of the sources you plan to use for your research essay. An annotated bibliography consists of the following: citation, summary, evaluation, and response. Requirements for the annotated bibliography will be posted on Blackboard.

LATE WORK

Assignments are due on the day specified. Each student is allowed to ask for an extension three times this semester.  To ask for an extension, you must email me at least 24 hours before the assignment is due. I will only accept late work if you communicate with me. I want to accommodate you within reason, but I am unable to do that without communication. Without an approved extension, each day late will result in a 5% grade decrease of the earned grade.  

ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS

The University of Toledo embraces the inclusion of students with disabilities. We are committed to ensuring equal opportunity and seamless access for full participation in all courses. For students who have an Accommodations Memo from the Office of Accessibility and Disability Resources, I invite you to correspond with me as soon as possible so that we can communicate confidentially about implementing accommodations in this course.

For students who have not established accommodations with the Office of Accessibility and Disability Resources and are experiencing disability access barriers or are interested in a referral to health care resources for a potential disability, please connect with the office by calling 419.530.4981 or sending an email to StudentDisability@utoledo.edu.

SAFETY AND HEALTH SERVICES FOR UT STUDENTS

Please use the following link to view a comprehensive list of Campus Health and Safety Services available to you as a student and click here for information on the Office of Public Safety.

UNIVERSITY POLICIES

Your safety and well-being as a University of Toledo student are important to the faculty, staff, and administration. Please take time to review the following university policies that apply to you as a student of the university:

• The University of Toledo Title IX (Sexual Misconduct) Policy
• Nondiscrimination Policy
• Nondiscrimination Policy on the Basis of Disability—Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance
• The University Student Code of Conduct
• University Academic Policies
• Additional Student Policies

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

The following are campus student services that you may find helpful:

OFFICE OF MULTICULTURAL SUCCESS DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

The Offices of Multicultural Success and Diversity and Inclusion are committed to fostering an inclusive campus where you belong. In addition to the Land Acknowledgment Statement, please take a look at the programs and resources available for you at the main web pages of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Office of Multicultural Success.