Course Syllabus

Instructor(s):​​ Amanda Estevez (aeste043@fiu.edu)

Jason Katz (jasokatz@gmail.com)
Robert Gryder (rgryder666@gmail.com)

Class meeting days/time:​​ Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at TBD

Location:​​ TBD

Office Hours: ​TBD

Welcome to ENC 1102

I am happy to be your guide as you embark on this portion of your learning journey.
Participation in this course will empower you to engage and navigate the digital and
physical worlds of information, messages, writing, and rhetoric in their various
landscapes. This syllabus is a blueprint for where we will go and how we will get there.
It is our shared itinerary that will help us get the most out of our voyage. If you find that
this syllabus does not answer any of your questions or concerns please do not hesitate
to ask. Bon Voyage!

WHAT IS THIS COURSE?

ENC 1102 expands upon the writing and rhetorical skills you learned in ENC 1101. Through a
deeper focus on research, you will strengthen your abilities to locate, evaluate, interrogate,
appropriately select, and document sources. You will consider multiple genres and modes, not
only as you conduct research but also as you consider the available genres for your own
compositions. You will hone your skills, and learn to smoothly and responsibly incorporate
sources into your own writing. You will develop your ability to discern the research methods and
sources that best fit your chosen rhetorical purpose and audience.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
● Interpret and evaluate how information is produced and consumed in specific contexts,
including networked environments.
● Explore and create critical questions to drive meaningful inquiry.
● Develop critical knowledge of primary and secondary research methods.
● Examine the power and limits of writing as social and public action.
● Compose rhetorically effective media for different audiences.
● Deepen reflective and metacognitive thinking strategies.
 ● Use intellectual property responsibly.
● Develop and use effective invention, composing, and revision processes.
● Demonstrate awareness and use of strategic rhetorical and stylistic techniques within
multilingual and diverse linguistic contexts.

MATERIALS (Available in the FIU Bookstore)

Required:
· ​Taylor, Todd. ​Becoming a College Writer. ​Customized for FIU. Boston:
Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2019.
Recommended:
· ​Lunsford, Andrea. ​The Everyday Writer with Exercises​. Customized for FIU. 6th
Edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2016.
· ​Ramage, John; Bean, John; Johnson, June​. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to
Writing.​ 6th edition. Customized for FIU. New York: Pearson, 2016.

GRADES AND ASSIGNMENTS

To pass ENC 1102, you must receive a final grade of C or higher. Your final grade consists of
the following components:
Unit 1: Exploring the Power of Rhetoric and Information 20%

· TBD

Unit 2: Collecting and Communicating Information Responsibly 25%

· Source Evaluation Blogs (major homework assignments for Weeks 1-4)

● Video Proposal (major project for Week 5)

Unit 3: Putting Research into Action 25%

· TBD

Process Assignments 15%

· Writing exercises, prewriting, drafting, peer review, and reflections

 Participation (Attendance) 15%

* Note: All major writing assignments can be revised for a higher grade. Please see the policy
on revisions for further details.

POLICIES
Late Assignment Policy
This course is designed for assignments to build upon one another. Therefore, it is important
that you submit your work in a timely manner to enhance your learning. If you are facing
extenuating circumstances, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss the due dates
and late work penalty. If you must miss a deadline I'll be glad to accept your work, but it will
lose two points for each day it is late. Please double check when you submit an assignment
online to make sure it went through.

If at any point in the semester you have any questions or concerns about your grade or your
standing in the class, please come see me. Addressing your questions and concerns is part of
my job. If after speaking with me you still have concerns, you may contact Writing and Rhetoric
Associate Director Robert Saba (sabar@fiu.edu).

Revision Policy
All three major writing projects can be revised and submitted for a higher grade. If you are not
satisfied with your initial grade on any of the major projects, I will make time to conference with
you to determine a plan of action for revision. Final revisions are due on the final day of class
before 11:59 PM. All revised work must be submitted to a specific inbox titled “FINAL REVISION
of…” followed by the major writing project’s name. These revisions are optional.

Attendance Policy
Since our class meetings are designed as active learning environments in which students write
and participate collaboratively, attendance is important for your success. In-class writing
processes such as workshops and peer reviews, discussion participation, other in-class
collaborative work, are all designed to ensure that you achieve the learning outcomes for this
course and that you are equipped with the tools and knowledge to complete your major projects.
Students are expected to attend class regularly. Participating during each class meeting and
conference is worth 15% of your grade, but you are permitted three unexcused absences
without penalty. Use them wisely. Excused absences will not factor into this policy. An absence
will be considered excused in the event that you notify me in advance of illness, family
emergency, or other extenuating circumstances and I excuse your absence in writing.

Finals Week
This class does not have a final. Class will not meet during finals week. However, all final
revisions for major writing projects are due on the Friday of finals week and I will conduct
conferences during this week to develop of plan of action for revisions.
Academic Integrity Policy
FIU’s code of Academic Integrity includes this pledge, acknowledged of every registered
student:
As a student of this university:
I will be honest in my academic endeavors.
I will not represent someone else’s work as my own.
I will not cheat, nor will I aid in another’s cheating.
This course will observe the FIU’s Code of Academic Integrity in cases of academic misconduct,
including cheating and plagiarism. Please take the time to review FIU’s policies on​ ​Academic
Integrity​.

IMPORTANT DATES
- Last day to add or drop a course (without incurring financial liability)
- Holidays
- Last day to drop a course with a DR grade
- Last day of class

GRADING SCALE

Letter Range% Letter Range% Letter Range%

A 93 or above B 83 - 86 C 70 - 76.9
A- 90 - 92.9 B- 80 - 82.9 D 60 - 69.9
B+ 87 - 89.9 C+ 77 - 79.9 F 59 or less

MAJOR PROJECTS OVERVIEW

There are three units in this course. Each of these units will consist of a major project. As each
project is assigned, I will provide and explain detailed grading criteria with an assignment sheet
and rubric.

Unit 1: Exploring the Power of Rhetoric and Information

Weeks 1 – 4 (8/26/19 - 9/22/19)
In this unit, you will examine and begin to recognize the ways in which rhetoric, writing,
information, and language can affect and influence change in beliefs, thoughts, feelings, and/or
actions.
Major Project: TBD

Unit 2: Collecting and Communicating Information Responsibly

Weeks 5 – 10 (9/23/19 - 10/27/19)
In this unit, you will learn to understand and apply responsible research methods and explore
available genres in which you may communicate your own research. Throughout this unit, you
will gather, evaluate, and interrogate sources, analyzing their genres, audiences and purposes.
You will examine the ways in which sources and researchers function in specific networked
environments.
Major Project: Video Proposal

Unit 3: Putting Research Into Action

Weeks 11 – 16 (10/28/19 - 12/8/19)
In this unit, you will work with multiple media to create an original text that effectively
communicates to a specific audience what you have learned through your research to advocate
change or promote action. As you continue your research and begin to make decisions about
your genre and audience, you will produce a multimodal, genre-shifting, and public-facing
document.
Major Project: TBD

CAMPUS RESOURCES
Your instructor is your best resource! Please come to me with any problems or questions,
because I want to help you succeed in my class. However, you may find that the class time we
have isn’t always enough to ask me questions and get individual feedback on your work. Don’t
forget that I am available for you outside of our regular class time, too. My office hours and
phone number are listed on the top of this syllabus.

Beyond me, students may benefit from other resources FIU offers. Here are some frequent
obstacles students face, and what programs/services FIU provides to assist.

I’m having trouble with a writing assignment.

Center for Excellence in Writing (more casually called the Writing Center).
http://writingcenter.fiu.edu
During any stage of the writing process, the writing consultants at the writing center are
available to help you set clear goals, bring focus to your ideas, and encourage creative and
critical thinking. I may, at any point in the semester, recommend you visit the writing center.
However, I do actively encourage all students to take advantage of this great resource. Even the
most confident writers can benefit from the help our writing center provides. The CEW can be
found on the first floor of the Library (GL120).

I’m having trouble reading these academic articles. I am finding it difficult to study
effectively. My high school study strategies aren’t working in college.
University Learning Center. ​http://undergrad.fiu.edu/cas/learning-center/
The Learning Center is also found in GL120, and also has peer tutors available to help you. The
Learning Center is the place to go if you want assistance focused on reading or study skills.
I’m really stressed out and it’s affecting my classwork or my life. I’m having personal
problems that are interfering with school.
Counseling Services. ​http://counselingservices.fiu.edu

I have a diagnosed disability and need accommodations in order to do my best.

Disability Resource Center. ​http://drc.fiu.edu
Any student with a diagnosed disability has access to special accommodations through the
DRC. You must register with the DRC in order to receive such accommodations.

Overview of Assigned Readings for English 1102/Unit Two:

Week One:

§ ​Becoming A College Writer​, Chapter 24: Citation

§ Plagiarism PDF

§ Boolean Searches PDF

§ Cyberspace: Searching the worldwide web, using web search engines, and determining
where you are on the web.

§ ​ ​https://robertgryder.files.wordpress.com/2018/11/cyberspace-sources-the-www.pdf

§ Source Evaluation, including web

sources.​https://robertgryder.files.wordpress.com/2018/11/source-evaluation2c-including-websou
rces.pdf​ This Allyn & Bacon PDF explains reliability, credibility, angle of vision, and political
stance. Students will engage this document to learn how information functions in networked
environments and they will come to understand the web as a unique rhetorical environment,
requiring us to consider authority, degree of advocacy, coverage, accuracy, and currency when
interacting with digital information.

Week Two​​:

§ ​Becoming a College Writer​, Chapter 12: Research

§ Summary/Strong Response Format PDF

§ Paraphrasing, Summarizing, and Quoting (Monash University)

§ How We Cite PDF

§ PDF on double entry research notes from Guide to Writing

§ PDF on Understanding different kinds of sources:
https://robertgryder.files.wordpress.com/2018/11/understanding-differences-among-kinds-of-sou
rces-allyn-bacon.pdf​ This PDF discusses secondary and primary sources and gives a rhetorical
overview of the different kinds of sources we encounter when conducting research.

Week Three:
· Audience PDF

· Argument/Claim PDF

· ​Becoming a College Writer​, Chapter 9

· Outlines (the UNC Writing Center

· Outlining by Shmoop

Week Four:
· Conducting Peer Reviews PDF

· Temple University Peer Review Questions

· The Difference Between Proofreading, Editing, and Revising

· Revising Drafts.