Online Syllabus

DIVISION OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

ENG 102: English Composition II

5 Credits Effective: Summer 2011/2012

Access to the Internet is required. All written assignments must be in Microsoft-Word-compatible formats.

FACULTY
Faculty Name: John Graham Contact Information: jgraham@cityu.edu Office: As I live outside of Poprad, I do not have an office at CU. If you are in the Poprad area and would like to meet face-to-face, you can write to meet me to to arrange a time/location to discuss your assignments, ask questions, complain, or get extra help. Instructors Note: This is a course that all first-year American university students must take, and it is a necessary, but difficult course. Online, it is even more difficult as you will have to learn about the components of academic writing in English and APA style on your own. To master these concepts, you are expected to do the reading assignments, take the quizzes, ask questions if you dont understand something, participate in the discussions and peer reviews, and keep up with the coursework by completing assignments on time. There are many assignments so that you can practice a variety of writing skills and get the feedback you need to improve your writing.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course enhances and further develops the skills necessary for effective academic writing. Students will learn how to develop ideas to guide their research and to think critically when finding and using sources to write well-documented academic papers. Students learn how to use ideas from sources as evidence in essays and longer research papers. This course addresses research strategies, audience analysis, and bibliographic style, as well as organizational skills for writing the wellconstructed, researched, and written college paper. The passing grade for this course is 2.0.

COURSE RESOURCES
Required texts: Ramage, J. D., Bean, J. C., & Johnson, J. (2003). The Allyn & Bacon guide to writing: Concise edition. New York, NY: Longman Publishers. Whitaker, A. (2010). Research and APA style guide (2nd ed.). Bratislava, Slovakia: City University of Seattle. Purchase at CU/VSM, or print it from the ENG 102 Blackboard shell. Whitaker, A. (2009). Academic writing guide. Bratislava, Slovakia: City University of Seattle. Download it from the ENG 102 Blackboard shell. Monolingual English dictionary (book or online) English thesaurus (book or online)

CITYU LEARNING GOALS

This course supports the following City University learning goals: Strong communication and interpersonal skills Critical thinking and information literacy

COURSE OUTCOMES
In this course, learners: Write essays that employ a variety of sentence types and patterns Follow course-designated style rules for format and the citation and documentation of sources Use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation in college compositions

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Identify and correct common grammatical, spelling, punctuation, and style errors Integrate source material into paragraphs effectively Formulate thoughtful and interesting introductions and conclusions Use research skills in electronic, print, and other resources to evaluate sources for relevance Summarize an article and analyze its effectiveness Support thesis statements with logically organized points, evidence, and analysis Analyze audience and purpose to develop topics and effective thesis statements for essays Use prewriting, outlining, and revising as part of the writing process

CORE CONCEPTS, KNOWLEDGE, AND SKILLS

Correct use and style of in-text citations, reference list, title page and format Develop topic and thesis statement Evaluate sources for accuracy, currency, relevance, rhetorical strategies, and bias Idea organization and transition use Outlining and revising strategies and techniques Proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation conventions Quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, and integrating source material Strategies for effective introductions and conclusions Use effective research strategies to locate information

OVERVIEW OF COURSE GRADING

The passing grade for this course is 2.0 (73.75%). The grades earned for the course will be derived using City University of Seattles decimal grading system, based on the following: Overview of Required Assignments Student Introductory Assignment Course Activities Informative Essay IE Second Draft and Smarthinking Session Analysis Essay Summary Response Essay Writing and APA Style Exercises TOTAL % of Final Grade 0% 20% 20% 5% 25% 20% 10% 100%

SPECIFICS OF COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

The instructor will provide grading rubrics with more details about how assignments will be graded.

Student Introductory Assignment

City University of Seattle/Vysok kola manamentu requires that you submit a Student Introductory Assignment (SIA). This SIA must be completed during the first week of your course. The SIA consists of introducing yourself in the Discussion Forum titled: Student Introductory Assignment. It is designed to begin the online class experience by letting us know you are in class and facilitating interaction. It is due at the end of the first week. Even though this assignment is not graded, it is required in order for you to continue your course. Your instructor will notify CU/VM at the end of the first week as to whether or not you completed your SIA.

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Course Activities
Students are expected to participate in the course activities on Blackboard; these will consist of essay assignments, peer reviews, and discussions. Essay Assignments: Throughout the term, you will post essay-related assignments on the Discussion Board. These assignments will represent the steps in the essay-writing process, including topic proposals, outlines, reference lists, and drafts. No late assignments will be accepted. Each on-time assignment will receive feedback from your instructor and/or your classmates, so completing these assignments will lead to better overall essays. Grading Criteria for Essay Assignments Completion of assignment according to directions Depth, accuracy, and thoughtfulness demonstrated 50% 50%

Peer Reviews: For some essay assignments, you will then participate in a peer review, providing comments and suggestions about your classmates writing based on questions or tasks provided by the instructor. Participation in peer reviews is critical in order for you to improve your writing abilities. Grading Criteria for Peer Reviews Completion of review according to directions Depth, accuracy, and thoughtfulness demonstrated 50% 50%

Discussions: There will be discussion topics almost every week. Discussion questions are designed to complement the course readings and assignments so that participation in them will help improve your work. Each discussion will open on Monday (or earlier) and be open until Sunday. Since each discussion has a different format, more directions and the number of required posts for each week will be specified on the Discussion Board. However, in each discussion, you are expected to 1) Post your initial response to each topic by Tuesday. In your response, you should share ideas and examples, incorporating the course materials and concepts. 2) Post thoughtful and topic-relevant comments in response to your classmates. Explain why you agree or disagree, ask questions, add to or modify ideas, and respectfully find strengths and weaknesses in classmates ideas. 3) Participate on at least 3 different days during the week in order to facilitate discussion. Do not wait until the last day to respond. 4) Respond to any questions that your instructor or peers have for you. 5) Write clear and complete sentences in English with proper grammar, spelling, punctuation, and APA citations (if any sources are used). 6) Act professionally and respectfully, avoiding personal attacks. Grading Criteria for Discussion Requirements Quality of responses Writing style TOTAL 30% 60% 10% 100%

Informative Essay
You will write an informative essay of at least four pages that will both inform and interest the audience about a topic of your choice. You will write an interesting introduction, followed by a surprising-reversal thesis that focuses on the facts that will be included in the paper. The body of the paper should increase the readers knowledge of the topic and comprehension of the thesis statement. Information from at least four high-quality outside sources in English should be incorporated throughout the essay, including at least three sources found using City University of Seattles online

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databases. This essay must be completed in APA style, using a title page, reference list, and in-text citations. Grading Criteria for Informative Essay APA format and documentation Essay structure Support Depth and use of research Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and syntax; fluency and coherence TOTAL

15% 25% 20% 20% 20% 100%

Informative Essay Second Draft and Smarthinking Session

After a full revision of your informative essay first draft, you will submit the second draft of your informative essay to Smarthinkings Online Writing Lab for critique by a Smarthinking tutor. The critique will count for 30 minutes of tutoring. When you submit your paper, note that it is a researchbased essay for a Composition class. You may also choose up to three areas for the tutor to concentrate on. Your tutor will return your essay with comments. According to Smarthinking, you will also receive a Response Form detailing additional feedback. Please note that Smarthinking writing tutors address students writing issues, targeting higher-order issues (such as content and thesis development) as well as lower-order concerns (such as grammar and mechanics). They do not edit or correct student work. Using the feedback from the tutor, you will revise your draft. Then submit the Smarthinking feedback with your final essay. Grading Criteria for IE Second Draft and Smarthinking Session Fully revised and complete second draft posted to Blackboard and submitted to Smarthinking on time Changes made to final essay based on Smarthinking critique TOTAL

60% 40% 100%

Analysis Essay
You will write an analytical essay of 4-5 pages in which you will analyze an issue provided by your instructor. The introduction should capture the readers attention, introduce the topic, and end with a surprising thesis statement. The logically ordered body paragraphs should then support the thesis with analysis, using evidence from your research, observations, and experience to develop your analysis. The conclusion should summarize the essays main points and show the significance of the topic to the readers. Information from at least three English-language sources from CityUs online databases (additional research from other high-quality sources is also acceptable) should be incorporated throughout the essay. This essay must be completed in APA style, using a title page, in-text citations, reference list and annotated bibliography (see below). Grading Criteria for Analysis Essay APA format and documentation Essay structure Evidence and support Analysis Depth and quality of research Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and syntax; fluency and coherence TOTAL

10% 20% 20% 20% 10% 20% 100%

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Summary Response Essay

In this paper, you will summarize and respond to an article. Articles will be provided by the instructor, or you may choose your own based on guidelines from your instructor. The essay will begin with a short introduction that captures the readers interest and leads into a page-long summary of the article (about 250 to 300 words). A summary is a condensed re-statement of a text put into your own words and includes the main points of the article, while being brief, complete, and objective. The end of the summary will lead into your strong response as stated in a thesis. Your response to the article should consist of analysis of the article and your own view on the authors arguments. You will assess the presentation of the article and the authors effectiveness in presenting the argument and discuss whether or not you agree or disagree with the author and why, including at least one highquality outside source to support your position. Your essay should have at least four points of response. The conclusion will focus on your evaluation of the article. This essay must be completed in APA style, with a title page, reference list, and in-text citations. Grading Criteria for Summary Response Essay Introduction and conclusion Summary Thesis Response Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and syntax; fluency and coherence APA format and documentation TOTAL

10% 20% 5% 40% 20% 5% 100%

Writing and APA Style Exercises

There will be one exercise each week focusing on skills in writing, editing, proofreading, formatting, citing, and using source material. These exercises will either be Word documents which you must email to the instructor or online quizzes to be completed on Blackboard. These exercises must be completed each week by Saturday. Instructions and grading criteria for each exercise will be given by the instructor. These exercises are to help you practice your writing, so grading will not always be based on the accuracy of your responses but also on the effort and thoughtfulness put into the exercise (so that incorrect answers but honest attempts to learn get some points).

COURSE POLICIES
Use of Blackboard All course information is available in the Blackboard shell for this course. If you are new to Blackboard, spend some time exploring the shell so that you know whats there. I will often post Announcements with important course information, notifications of new material on Blackboard, and advice. Each week, I will post slides, handouts, exercises, and more on Blackboard, and I will post an Announcement listing the homework for the week. I will regularly post grades in the Grade Center. Ideally, you should visit the Blackboard every day to post in course activities, read the announcements, get assignment details, check your grades, and more, but if you cannot make it every day, it is necessary to be there at least four days a week. Course Weeks This course is organized by week. Each week will start on a Sunday and end on a Saturday. All information related to a week can be found in the folder for that week in the Course Modules section on Blackboard.

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Late Assignments Assignments are due by midnight on the given due date. All late assignments will receive a penalty of -10% per day. If you are having, or will have, any problems with the deadlines, please tell me before the deadline. Exceptions to the deadlines may be made if you 1) communicate with me at least 48 hours before the deadline and 2) have compelling reasons for being late. Emergency situations will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Being busy, pressured with outside work, or having competing academic commitments are not valid reasons to grant extensions. Online Participation Undergraduate online classes are required to use the Blackboard Discussion Board online. Participation to exchange knowledge, ideas, and thoughts is an integral, mandatory part of this course. Participation is active engagement in online activities the form of sharing new ideas, examples and resources, providing constructive feedback and incorporating course materials and concepts in comments. This requires frequent monitoring of the Discussion Board, timely responses, integration of course material and other sources, and ongoing conversations that extend, modify, and add to understanding, creating a vibrant learning community. For fully online courses, students are expected to spend one hour per credit hour per week participating in online activities (for example, for a 5-credit course, the student would spend 5 hours per week on the Discussion Board). Students are expected to act professionally and respectfully, avoiding personal attacks. Instructors have the right to remove inappropriate posts, and students will be held accountable to City University of Seattle guidelines for student conduct. Communication with the Instructor in ENG 102 While all the course information will be available on Blackboard, I may sometimes send reminder emails to everyone or use email to provide feedback about your work. You can also email me with questions and problems, and you will receive a response within 24 hours (48 on weekends). If I receive an email from you, I will use the reply function, so you will get a response in the account from which you sent it. When you send an email, please write a clear subject of the email in the Subject heading. Professional Writing Assignments require error-free writing that uses standard English conventions and logical flow of organization to address topics clearly, completely, and concisely. CityU requires the use of APA style in formatting your essays and citing sources.

UNIVERSITY POLICIES
You are responsible for understanding and adhering to all of City University of Seattles academic policies. The most current versions of these policies can be found in the University Catalog that is linked from the CityU Web site.

Scholastic Honesty
City University of Seattle expects each student to do his/her own work. The University has "zero tolerance" for cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration on assignments and papers, using "notes" or other unauthorized materials and devices during exams, submitting someone else's work as one's own, submitting work previously submitted for another course, or facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others. Scholastic Honesty policy applies also to online discussions that represent a part of assignments in online courses. Every reference material used in discussion contributions must

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be cited according to the current Research & APA Style Guide. The penalties are severe! A first offense results in a zero grade for the course; a second offense can result in a zero grade for the course and suspension for one or more quarters; a third offense can result in expulsion from the University. The Policy and Procedures may be found at http://www.vsm.sk/en/students/scholastichonesty/policies-and-procedures/. In addition to providing your work to the instructor for grading, you must also submit an electronic copy for the City University of Seattle archives (unless the work is specifically exempted by the instructor). You will not receive a grade for particular work until and unless you submit this electronic copy. The procedure for submitting work to the archives is to upload it via the website http://www.vsm.sk/en/students/on-line-center/uploader/uploader.html . Files should include the cover page of the work with the student name, instructor name, course name and number, and date. File names should indicate the type of assignment, such as researchpaper.doc, casestudy.doc or thesis.doc (student name should not be a part of the file name because the system adds it). All files received into the archives are submitted to www.TurnItIn.com for plagiarism checking. Attendance Students taking courses in any format at the University are expected to be diligent in their studies and to attend class regularly. Regular class attendance is important in achieving learning outcomes in the course and may be a valid consideration in determining the final grade. A complete copy of this policy can be found in the University Catalog in the section titled Attendance Policy for Mixed Mode, Online and Correspondence Courses.

SUPPORT SERVICES
Disability Resources If you are a student with a disability and you require an accommodation, please contact the associate dean as soon as possible. Library Services In order to help you succeed in this course, you have access to library services and resources 24 hours a day, seven days a week. CityU librarians can help you formulate search strategies and locate materials that are relevant to your coursework. To access the resources necessary to complete your coursework, visit the library menu in the My.CityU portal at https://my.cityu.edu, and the CU Slovakia library home page at http://www.cutn.sk. A good place to begin your research is on the ENG 102 course resources page in the My.CityU library. It provides links to online databases, journals, books, and websites. For additional help, visit the Slovakia library or submit your question in the Contact us section of the librarys website. Smarthinking As a CityU student, you have access to 10 free hours of online tutoring offered through Smarthinking.com, including writing support, from certified tutors 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More information is available in the Course Resources folder in Blackboard.

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COURSE SCHEDULE
The schedule for course activities and assignments is below. If you find you are unable to complete the assignments as scheduled, contact your instructor. Your instructor may elect to adjust the outline.

All assignments are due at midnight on the due date.

WEEK
1

TOPICS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Academic writing: Form, purpose, audience The writing process: Choosing a topic, doing research Using CityUs online databases APA style: Format Essay Assignment (EA) #1 Info Essay Topic Proposal (Sunday) Student Introductory Assignment (Sunday) Exercise 1 (Sunday) Discussion 1 Academic writing: Essay structure The writing process: Finding a thesis, planning, outlining Evaluating sources APA style: Reference lists EA #2 IE Reference List (Sunday) EA#3 IE Detailed Outline (Sunday) Exercise 2 (Sunday) Discussion 2 Academic writing: Quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, using source material effectively APA style: In-text citations Surprising-reversal pattern in introductions Peer Review #1: IE Reference List (Wednesday) EA #4 IE First Draft (Saturday) Exercise 3 (Sunday) Writing process: Revising, editing, proofreading Smarthinking.com IE 2nd draft Peer Review #2: IE First Draft (Wednesday) IE Second Draft to Discussion Board and Smarthinking (Saturday) Exercise 4 (Sunday) Plagiarism and Turnitn.com Exploratory writing and talking INFORMATIVE ESSAY(+Smarthinking critique) (Wednesday) EA #5 Analysis Essay (AE) Topic Proposal (Saturday) Exercise 5 (Sunday) Discussion 3 Writing an analysis essay: Thesis, points, and particulars EA #6 AE Outline (Wednesday) EA #7 AE First Draft (Saturday) Exercise 6 (Sunday)

READINGS
AWG, pp. 2-6 Ramage et al., Ch. 1, 4 RASG, pp. 1, 3-4, 610, 28-30

AWG, pp. 7-12 RASG, pp. 10-12, 31-57, 63-67

AWG, pp. 13-16 Ramage et al., Ch. 8 RASG, pp. 13-26, 58-60

AWG, pp. 16-20

Ramage et al., Ch. 2

Ramage et al., Ch. 3

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Strategies for revising Peer Review #3: AE Draft (Wednesday) Exercise 7 (Saturday) Discussion 4 Reading rhetorically Summarizing articles ANALYSIS ESSAY (Monday) Summary Response (SR) Essay Article Choice (Wednesday) EA #8 Summary Draft (Saturday) Exercise 8 (Sunday) Discussion 5 Strong response writing Peer Review #4: Summary Draft (Tuesday) EA #9 Response Outline (Wednesday) Exercise 9 (Sunday) Developing a summary response essay EA #10 Response Draft (Monday) Peer Review #5: Response Draft (Wednesday) EA #11 Summary Response Essay Introduction (Wednesday) Exercise 10 (Saturday) SUMMARY RESPONSE ESSAY (Sunday)

Ramage et al., Ch. 11 AWG, pp. 16-20

Ramage et al., Ch. 6 RASG, pp. 22-23

Ramage et al., Ch. 6

10

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