ENGL 101: Intro to Academic Writing

Section FC14
Fall 2015

INSTRUCTOR: Emily Flamm (Lyons)

OFFICE: Tawes Hall 2220
OFFICE HOURS: Tuesdays 8:50-9:50 p.m. and by appointment
EMAIL: elyons@umd.edu
INTRODUCTION:
Writing is a means through which we shape the record of human
thought. Writing can have many purposes to illuminate, persuade,
vent, connect, clarify, advocate, insult, or honor. In this class, we will
examine what makes some texts resonate with audiences while other
texts fall flat. As writers, we will explore the dynamics at play in logos,
ethos, and pathos; figures of speech; and active writing. We will
explore current social issues in several ways, from the emotional and
personal to the rigorously objective. We will learn to apply the
principles of Aristotelian rhetoric to contemporary means of
expression.
COURSE OVERVIEW:
ENGL 101 is a writing-intensive course focused on the creation of
complex, analytic, well-supported arguments. You will work closely
with your classmates to develop your writing, combining narrative
techniques and styled prose with academic research.
On completion of an Academic Writing course, students will be
able to:
-Demonstrate understanding of writing as a series of tasks,
including finding, evaluating, analyzing, and synthesizing appropriate
sources, and as a process that involves composing, editing, and
revising.
-Demonstrate critical reading and analytical skills, including
understanding an argument's major assertions and assumptions and
how to evaluate its supporting evidence.
-Demonstrate facility with the fundamentals of persuasion as
these are adapted to a variety of special situations and audiences in
academic writing.
-Demonstrate research skills, integrate their own ideas with
those of others, and apply the conventions of attribution and citation
correctly.

-Use Standard Written English and edit and revise their own
writing for appropriateness. Students should take responsibility for
such features as format, syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
-Demonstrate an understanding of the connection between
writing and thinking and use writing and reading for inquiry, learning,
thinking, and communicating in an academic setting.
REQUIRED TEXT:
Inventing Arguments (Pearson). Available at the University Book
Center and other bookstores near campus.
Head Off & Split: Poems by Nikky Finney. Available for free on
campus at 2110 Marie Mount Hall.
ATTENDANCE:
The writing you will do in English 101 will be based on skills you will
develop and hone in class; for that reason, your attendance and
participation will have a direct effect on your work and, ultimately,
your grades. If you miss class for any reason, it will be your
responsibility to find out what you missed and how you can make up
the work. Your participation grade and the quality of your work will
suffer if you miss class. You are expected to arrive on time; if you are
late, you will disrupt class, and your participation grade will be
lowered.
Unexcused, Or Discretionary Absences: discretionary
absences should be viewed not as free days but as days you
may need to deal with emergencies, such as taking your little
brother to the doctor, dealing with a flat tire, etc. You may miss
two full weeks of class without substantial penaltyyou will,
however, lose participation and attendance points for those
missed classes. For each unexcused absence after two weeks,
your final grade will be lowered by one full letter grade. This
means that if you have an A average but have five (on a T/TH
schedule) or seven (on a MWF schedule) unexcused absences,
you will earn a B in the course.
Excused Absences: The University excuses absences for
certain reasons (illness, representing the University at certain
events, religious observance, and the death of a family
member), provided the cause of absence is appropriately
documented.
Religious Observances: The University's policy "Assignments
and Attendance on Dates of Religious Observance" provides that
students should not be penalized because of observances of
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their religious beliefs; students shall be given an opportunity,

whenever feasible, to make up within a reasonable time any
academic assignment that is missed because of individual
participation in religious observances. Students are responsible
for obtaining material missed during their absences.
Furthermore, students have the responsibility to inform the
instructor of any intended absences for religious observances in
advance. The student should provide written notification to the
professor within the first two weeks of the semester. The
notification must identify the religious holiday(s) and the
date(s).
Documentation Requirements To Justify An Excused
Absence For Illness: The Universitys policy is to excuse class
absences that result from a students own illness. The
procedure and documentation required for an illness to be an
excused absence differs depending on the frequency of the
absence.
For A Single Class Meeting Missed: If you miss only one
class meeting for illness, you may submit a self-signed note to
the instructor (that is, a note from a health care provider is not
required for a single class missed, and the Health Center will
not provide written excuses for a single absence). The note must
also contain an acknowledgment by the student that the
information provided is true and correct (in this way, it must
follow the Code of Student Conduct or may result in disciplinary
action). HOWEVER, such documentation will NOT be honored
as an excused absence if the absence coincides with a Major
Scheduled Grading Event, which for ENGL 101 is a paper due
date. If you know you will miss class, make an effort to alert
your instructor and make arrangements in advance. Also, your
documentation must be presented to the instructor upon
returning to class. You may only use ONE self-signed note
per semester.
For Multiple But Non-Consecutive Meetings Missed: If you
will miss more than one class meeting for a medical concern,
but these will not be consecutive, you should provide
documentation from a health care provider upon returning to
class after the first of these absences that details future dates to
be missed OR provide a note from a doctor that states specific
dates missed (the note must state specific dates, rather than
broadly name a time frame; that is, for example, documentation
must say the student missed class on 9/12, 9/16 and 9/20 for a
medical concern, rather than saying the student may have
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missed class repeatedly between 9/11-9/21).

For Multiple Consecutive (more than one in a row)
Meetings Missed Or An Absence Involving A Major
Grading Event: If you will have a prolonged absence (meaning
more than one absence for the same illness) you are required to
provide written documentation of the illness from the Health
Center or from an outside health care provider upon returning
to class. In cases where written verification is provided, the
Health Center or outside health care provider shall verify dates
of treatment and indicate the time frame that the student was
unable to meet academic responsibilities. No diagnostic
information need be provided on this note.
Absence due to participation in a University Event: If your
absence is not due to an illness but is, rather, due to your
participation in an official University event, you must provide
documentation for this absence prior to the absence; the
documentation should be an official form from the
University.
PARTICIPATION:
Your presence and participation are essential to this course it should
go without saying that if you are absent you cannot participate. Your
fellow classmates and I value your insights in class discussion, peer
editing, and workshop. If you miss class you are responsible for
keeping abreast of all readings and for submitting assignments
according to syllabus due dates. You may do this by contacting
classmates or contacting me directly.
If you attend every class and participate in most class discussions, you
are fulfilling the minimum requirement necessary to receive a B in
participation. Excessive absences and lateness will result in a lower
participation grade.
ESSAY CONFERENCES:
Students are required to meet with me for at least one individual
conference this term. During the week of mandatory conferences, we
will not meet during our regular class time. If you miss your
conference, however, you will be counted absent for two class
sessions.
GRADING:

Each major essay assignment will consist of both a rough and

polished draft. The rough draft should not be an outline; it should be
your best effort at fulfilling the expectations and requirements for the
assignment. After each rough draft is due, you will have at least five
days to revise and polish your work, taking to heart the thoughtful
responses of your peers.
Rhetorical Analysis (Group Grade)
Academic Summary
Argument of Inquiry
Digital Forum
Position Paper
Revision and Reflection
Peer Review Sessions
Homework and Participation

10%
10%
15%
15%
25%
15%
5%
5%

* All major essays will be graded according to the First Year Writing Department
grading criteria.

CLASS POLICIES

AND

PROCEDURES

LATE WORK:
Your assignments are due via ELMS before the start of class
time on the due date. Submit all assignments in .doc or .docx
formats (not .rtf, .odt, or .txt) only. Exceptions will only be made
for medical or family emergencies with appropriate
documentation. All (unexcused) late assignments will be docked
ten percent of the assignments full value (one letter grade) per
day late.
FORMATTING:
All essays should include the following information:
Your name, class name/section, professors name, and date
An engaging, descriptive title
Page numbers
Proper MLA citations for all cited material
PLAGIARISM:
Plagiarism, according to the University of Maryland Code of Academic
Integrity, is "intentionally or knowingly representing the words or
ideas of another as one's own in any academic exercise." Please visit
the University Libraries website for more information at:
http://www.lib.umd.edu/UES/plag_inst_what.html.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND HONOR PLEDGE:

Plagiarism, whether it is submitting someone elses work as your own,
submitting your own work completed for another class without my
permission, or otherwise violating the Universitys code of Academic
Integrity, will not be tolerated. You are expected to understand the
Universitys policies regarding academic integrity. These can be found
at the Student Honor Council website at
www.studenthonorcouncil.umd.edu. Please visit this website, click on
the students link, and read the information carefully.
For Freshman Writing, the Honor Pledge is as follows: I pledge on my
honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized (or
unacknowledged) assistance on this assignment. Moreover, I have not
taken or borrowed the ideas or words of another without properly
citing that source.

USEFUL RESOURCES
If you experience difficulty in this course for any reason, please do not
hesitate to consult with me. In addition to the resources of the
department, a wide range of services is available to support you in
your efforts to meet the course requirements.
WRITING CENTER
The Writing Center is located at 1205 Tawes Hall. Hours and other
information are available at
http://www.english.umd.edu/academics/writingcenter. The Writing
Center is a great resource to help improve your writing in order to
better present your ideas (this is true not just for 101, or just for
English classes, but for any class that requires writing). As is true
with any resource, it will be most useful to you if you have a plan and
have done some thoughtful preparation before your tutoring
appointment. Therefore, try to make a full appointment with lots of
lead time (they fill up fast, especially later in the semester). Writing
Center tutors have experience with the 101 syllabus and assignments,
but they cannot be expected to know about the particular
requirements or individual specifications that I and each of the other
101 instructors may have instituted for any given assignment. Tutors
can best help you when you show them the following: (1) the
assignment sheet, (2) any additional assignment sheets or printed
information I have given to you, (3) any in-class notes you may have
taken on the assignment, (4) any drafts youve worked on so far (not
just the most recent), and, most importantly, (5) a list of specific
issues youd like to work on in that session. Note that Writing Center
tutors do not give out grade judgments or predictions, nor do they
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proofread. Do not, for example, ask them whether your paper will
get an A. They cannot answer such questions. They will give you
advice and feedback, but you must evaluate all of this advice and
feedback for yourself before turning in your paper. Final
responsibility for the paper rests with you, not with them. (The same
goes for draft workshops with your classmates.)
OFFICE HOURS:
Im happy to work with you individually during my office hours. You
can just stop by, or make an appointment. If possible, let me know by
e-mail that you are coming, especially if the meeting is time-sensitive
for you (i.e., you only have a 15 minute window and its urgent). Walkins are first come, first served. If you want feedback on your writing,
it is your responsibility to take authority of your work by directing the
course of our discussion (in other words, I wont be able to scan your
draft for you and tell you whether its good or a B). If my office
hours dont work for you, we will make other arrangements.
EMAIL:
I love to hear from students and I want to help you succeed. But
please be considerate and realistic when contacting me. When you email me, dont assume I will remember the offhand question you
asked after class three days before. Make sure the e-mail contains
everything I need to know to give you a solid answer. Confusing or
incomplete requests create delays. Also: remember that I dont keep
student hours (meaning I dont check e-mail late at night) and that
your e-mail may arrive behind other student e-mails. If the question is
urgent, note it as such, and I will do my best to respond the same day.
Otherwise, please allow 48 hours for a response.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS:
If you have questions about procedures, if a problem occurs, or if you
want to request
flexibility in connection with a course requirement, write me an email
or arrange to meet, making clear what you are asking for and telling
me whatever I need to know to make a decision. Do not expect me to
remember something you mentioned in passing right after class.
Follow up with a thorough conversation during office hours or an email.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR YOUR LEARNING NEEDS:
Your success in the class is important to me. If there are
circumstances that may affect your performance in this class, please
let me know as soon as possible so that we can work together to
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develop strategies for adapting assignments to meet both your needs

and the requirements of the course.
In order to receive official university accommodations, you will need
to register and request accommodations through the Office of
Disability Support Services. DSS provides services for students with
physical and emotional disabilities and is located in 0106 Shoemaker
on the University of Maryland campus. Information about Learning
Assistance Service and/or Disability Support Service can be found
www.counseling.umd.edu/LAS or www.counseling.umd.edu/DSS. You
can also reach DSS by phone at 301-314-7682.