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WR120: First-Year Writing Seminar for Multilingual ELLs

The New Normal: Life After the Pandemic
Instructor: Dr. Aleksandra Kasztalska (she/her) Credits: 4 credit hours + 1 HUB unit
E-mail: alekasz@bu.edu Course time & location:
Office: YAW (100 Bay State Rd), 3rd floor, Rm 320 M2 TTh 12:30pm-1:45pm WED 208
Office hrs: Thurs, 9:15am-12:15pm, and by appt. N1 TTh 2:00pm-3:15pm WED 208
Zoom link for virtual conferences: O1 TTh 3:30pm-4:45pm CAS 322
https://bostonu.zoom.us/my/alekasz

source

Course Description
The First-Year Writing Seminar will help you cultivate skills and habits of mind essential to
your academic success and to your future personal, professional, and civic life. Writing is a
way not only to express what you have to say but also to discover and evaluate it. You will
write a great deal at BU and beyond, and each occasion will present you with a range of
questions: Who is my audience, and what kind of writing does the occasion call for? How
should I structure my writing to engage, inform, persuade, and perhaps even entertain my
audience? How can I judge sources wisely and use them effectively and responsibly? How can I
clearly express my ideas? In this class we will review general principles about how to address
such questions, and we will put those principles into practice as we read, talk, and write
about our topic: The New Normal: Life after the Pandemic. We will explore the different
ways that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we live, study, and work. To
understand the short and long-term effects of COVID-19, we will study previous pandemics
and their impact on society, as well as examine the current crisis from epidemiological,
psychological, and ethical perspectives. As we survey different countries’ attempts at
containing the virus, we will also analyze the various responses to government management
of the crisis, as well as discuss how the pandemic has exacerbated racial, socioeconomic, and
other inequities in societies. Finally, we will explore the ways that COVID-19 has impacted
global trends in higher education and shaped the lives of contemporary college students. Our
texts will include scholarly works written by authors like Nicholas Christiakis and Ian Bogost,
as well other traditional and multimodal texts, including news pieces, podcasts, and poems.
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Course Objectives
You will develop your abilities to:
• read a range of genres with understanding, appreciation, and critical judgment;
• express yourself orally and converse thoughtfully about complex ideas;
• craft responsible, considered, and well-structured written arguments;
• produce clear, coherent prose in a range of genres and styles, using different media
and modes of expression as appropriate;
• plan, draft, and revise efficiently and effectively, and help your peers do the same by
responding productively to their work;
• reflect on your own reading, writing, and editing practices.
Although all sections of WR 120 use the same assignment sequence and carry 4 credits and a
First-Year Writing Seminar Hub unit, WR 120 ELL is designed for students who identify as
multilingual and/or English language learners. Your WR 120 ELL instructor will help you
critically analyze the linguistic and cultural aspects of college writing while exploring your
course topic in a supportive environment with other multilingual students.

Instructional Format, Course Pedagogy, and Approach to Learning

Although they differ with regard to their subject content, all WR seminars share common
goals and lead you through a sequence of assignments that emphasize a process of planning,
drafting, and revising informed by feedback from your classmates and instructor. You will
reflect on your approach to this process so that you can adapt it to future occasions. The
seminar will also give you opportunities to engage in focused scholarly inquiry and
conversation. In WR 120 you will craft a series of writing assignments in multiple genres,
entering into an intellectual conversation on the topic of the course. You will learn about the
process of writing, from understanding and analyzing sources to organizing your ideas,
responding effectively and responsibly to the ideas of others, and revising your writing for
clarity and impact. You will participate in workshops and other activities designed to help you
make informed rhetorical choices and communicate with an awareness of your audience. As
this is a seminar-style course, active class participation is expected throughout the semester.

Books and Other Course Materials

There are no books required for this course. Instead, we will be reading a selection of written
and multimodal texts on the course topic. All texts will be available on our Blackboard site
(http://learn.bu.edu/).

Course Materials & Courseware

Our class has a Blackboard site that contains the syllabus, assignments, and other course-
related materials. You can log in to our Blackboard page at: http://learn.bu.edu/

Course Requirements and Assignments

● assigned readings
● frequent low-stakes writing exercises, homework, and in-class writing
● metacognitive and reflective writing, including a final reflective essay
● two formal academic argument essays with drafts, peer review, and revisions
● one paper/project in an alternate genre (Grant Proposal)
● two (or more) instructor conferences
● regular class attendance and active participation
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Course Policies

Evaluation
Your final grade will be calculated as follows:
Three major assignments 60%
Academic Essay 1 (15%)
Academic Essay 2 (20%)
Alternative Genre Paper (25%)
Reflective Writing 15%
Oral Presentations 10%
Participation & Collaboration 10%
Digication Portfolio 5%

Major assignments will receive letter grades based on the percentage of points you receive.
Similarly, final grades will be calculated based on the points you have accumulated during the
semester. The percentages and corresponding letter grades are:
A = 92.5% and above B+ = 86.5% - 89.49% C+ = 76.5% - 79.49% D = 59.5% - 69.49%
A- = 89.5% - 92.49% B = 82.5% - 86.49% C = 72.5% - 76.49% F = 59.49% and below
B- = 79.5% - 82.49% C- = 69.5% - 72.49%

Participation and Attendance

Since this course is a seminar, your regular attendance and active participation are essential
both to your learning and to your classmates’ learning. Please come to class regularly and on
time, as recurring tardiness may lower your final grade. Under ordinary circumstances,
missing more than one week of class may lower your final grade. Missing more than two
weeks of class may lead to failing the course. If you become ill at any point during the
semester, do not come to class but do let Dr. K know. If you have a special obligation that
will require you to miss classes (e.g., religious observances, family obligations), please talk
with Dr. K at the beginning of the semester. If there are extraordinary circumstances that
cause you to miss more than 2-3 classes, please contact Dr. K so we can discuss how to best
handle the situation. In the case of significant absences, Dr. K will contact CAS Advising to
discuss next steps. Finally, you will often collaborate with others in our class, and you are
expected to put in your best effort and follow the guidelines set in your group contract. Your
collaboration and contributions to the team will be regularly evaluated by your classmates,
and recurrent or serious violations of the group contract may lower your final grade.

Late and Missed Assignments

Unless you make other arrangements with Dr. K in advance, graded assignments will be
penalized by one-third of a letter grade (3%) for each day they are late. Please note too
that we will regularly work with our exercises and drafts in class. If you are late with your
assignments, you will be unable to participate fully in the class. Due dates for graded
assignments are outlined in the course schedule and will be announced in class and on
Blackboard. To request an extension on an assignment, please contact Dr. K at least 24 hrs
BEFORE the due date. Remember that it is YOUR responsibility to monitor your grades. If you
have any questions about a grade, notify Dr. K within 10 days of receiving the grade.
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Instructor Feedback
Dr. K is committed to providing you with timely written or verbal feedback on one draft of
each major paper and written feedback and a grade on the final version of each major paper.
You can generally expect Dr. K’s responses to your drafts within 7-10 days of your punctual
submission of them; graded final versions will be returned to you within two weeks.

Resources

Contacting Your Instructor Use of Technology

When e-mailing Dr. K, use
professional email etiquette:
Include an informative subject
line, begin with an appropriate
greeting, use formal grammar and
spelling, and sign with your full
name, class number or title, and
class meeting time. Please allow
24-48 hours for Dr. K to respond to
e-mails during the week. On most
weekends, Dr. K will be
unavailable.
Cell phones, laptops, tablets, and
other electronic devices should be
used for class purposes only. When
class starts, put your phone in your
backpack or face down on your
desk. As a general rule, when Dr. K
or anyone else is speaking, you
should give the speaker your full
attention. Unless you are taking
notes, your laptop/tablet should be
turned off and put away at all
times.

Technical Difficulties
Most assignments will be turned in
via Blackboard; always preview
your assignment on Blackboard to
make sure that it uploaded
successfully! If Blackboard is
down, you may submit
assignments by e-mail. Broken
computers, problems with
Internet connectivity, or other
technical problems are NOT an
excuse for late or missed work!
You should regularly back up all
your work, e.g., to an online
storage service.
Academic Integrity
In this class, we will discuss
conventions for using and citing
sources in academic papers and in
other genres. Cases of plagiarism
will be handled in accordance with
the disciplinary procedures
described in Boston University's
Academic Conduct Code. All WR
students are subject to the CAS
code, which can be read online:
http://www.bu.edu/academics/res
ources/academic-conduct-code/.

Additional Resources
Additional student resources can be found here:
https://www.bu.edu/wpnet/files/2022/06/RESOURCES-1.pdf
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CAS Writing Center

The CAS Writing Center offers free, one-on-one appointments with well-trained peer writing
consultants for students to discuss their work for WR courses. These writing consultations are
collaborative conversations in which you can expect to be actively involved. Our consultants
will not edit or correct your work for you, but they will ask you questions and offer
suggestions to help you do your own best work.

Consultants will work with you at any stage in the drafting or revision process, and on any
type of assignment for your WR course, including non-academic and creative writing
assignments, presentations, and multimedia projects. The Writing Center strives to be an
inclusive space for students of all identities and all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. We
are particularly eager to support multilingual students, first-generation college students, and
anyone else who is hoping to build their confidence and skill as a writer.

To ensure that we can offer support to as many students as possible, students can typically
book one 45-minute consultation each week. You can schedule an appointment by visiting our
website: http://www.bu.edu/writingprogram/the-writing-center/

Inclusion in Our Community

Classroom Climate
In this class, we are committed to treating each other equitably and inclusively. We respect
one another’s dignity and privacy; treat one another fairly; and honor one another’s
experiences, beliefs, perspectives, abilities, and backgrounds, regardless of race, religion,
language, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identification, ability status, socio-
economic status, national identity, or any other identity markers. We appreciate the language
variation within our community, and as we develop strategies to communicate effectively in
college and beyond, we recognize that the norms of academic writing, and of writing in
general, are constantly evolving. We value open-minded inquiry, and we critically engage
with ideas in diverse texts to learn about perspectives diverging from our own. We
acknowledge that doing so may be uncomfortable at times, although it should not make
anyone feel unsafe. We seek to challenge ourselves and help one another learn.

This commitment reflects values shared across the Writing Program and the University. If you
ever have any concerns about the classroom climate, you are welcome to reach out to me or,
if it is more comfortable for you, to the CAS D&I office and its Community Values & Resources
Team.

Name and Pronouns

Dr. K will ask that all students share their names and pronouns at the beginning of the
semester. Please feel free to use any name, given name, nickname, etc. that you wish: your
name is not “too hard,” and Dr. K will work to pronounce it correctly. If you have questions or
concerns, or if you need to make a change in your name and/or pronouns mid-semester,
please do not hesitate to contact Dr. K at any point.

For further information on how to change your name at BU (and for additional support related
to gender diversity), please click here. You can also change your name on Blackboard by
editing your profile.
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Office of Disability and Access Services

Dr. K recognizes that all of us learn in different ways. If there are circumstances that may
affect your performance in this class, please talk to Dr. K as soon as possible so that we can
work together to develop strategies for accommodations that will meet your learning needs
and the requirements of the course. Whether or not you have a documented disability, BU
provides many support services that are available to all students.

Disability & Access Services (https://www.bu.edu/disability/) is the office responsible for

assisting students with disabilities. If you have a disability that interferes with your learning
(whether visible or invisible, physical or mental), you are encouraged to register with this
office. Disability & Access Services will work with you to determine appropriate
accommodations for your courses, such as additional time on tests, staggered homework
assignments, or note-taking assistance. This office will give you a letter outlining the
accommodations you need that you can share with your teachers; specific information about
your disability will remain private. If you have any questions about accommodations or what
constitutes a disability, Dr. K invites you to speak with me or to Disability & Access Services.
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COURSE SCHEDULE
This schedule is intended to give you an overview of the course structure and major deadlines. Every
week, Dr. K will share a more detailed day-by-day schedule; it is YOUR responsibility to stay
informed about all deadlines. The schedule is subject to change any changes will be announced in
class and on Blackboard.
Note: The Readings & viewings should be completed BEFORE the class when we discuss them.

Wk Date Topics Readings & viewings Homework due

Unit 1: Course Foundations
As you begin to learn about post-pandemic life, you will explore how and why others have written about it
and write about it yourself. As you enter into an academic conversation you will learn to effectively plan
and draft, summarize and analyze sources, acknowledge and respond to alternate viewpoints, and use
evidence responsibly.
1 T Introductions
9/6 Course overview
Professional e-mails
Th Pandemics and social change Wright, “How Pandemics Wreak Digication & Literacy
9/8 Active reading strategies Havoc - and Open Minds” Narrative due 9/9 by
11:59pm
Classroom etiquette
2 T Features of U.S. academic writing Towson Writing Center,
9/13 Future of online education “Writing Across Borders”
Introduction to Paper 1 Herman, “Online Learning Is
Not the Future”
9/12 Last day to ADD a WR course

Th Elements of argument FLM 1: Elements of Argument Reflection #1 due

9/15 Developing an argument 9/16 by 11:59pm
Body paragraph structure
Paper 1 workshop
3 T Complicating Herman’s claims Graff & Birkenstein, “Skeptics
9/20 Acknowledgement and response May Object”
Organizing arguments Morris & Anthes, “For Some
College Students, Remote
Paper 1 workshop
Learning Is a Game Changer”
Th Introduction to Class Discussion FLM 2 : Facilitating Discussions First draft of Paper 1
9/22 Tone and purpose McKenzie, “Students Want due 9/23 by 11:59pm
Online Learning Options Post-
Class Discussion workshop
Pandemic”
Weeks 4 & 5: Mandatory Class Discussion conferences
4 T Avoiding plagiarism BU Academic Conduct Code
9/27 Basics of MLA citation
MLA and plagiarism workshop
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Th Class Discussion #1: Technology Cahn & Selinger, "The Reflection #2 due
9/29 TBA Pandemic Has Changed…” 9/30 by 11:59pm
Barnwell, "Do Smartphones
Have a Place in the Classroom?”
5 T Class Discussion #2: Race Podcast, “A History of
10/4 Editing and revising strategies Pandemic Xenophobia…”
Paper 1 workshop Betancourt, "New Report
Highlights Dual Impact…”
Introduction to peer review
Th Class Discussion #3: Semuels, “No Income. Major Final draft of Paper 1
10/6 Socioeconomics Medical Bills…” due 10/7 by 11:59pm
Paper 1 peer review Hanna Likes Science, “Opening
Up About Being First-Gen…”
Unit 2: Writing an Academic Essay
In this module, you will write a longer academic essay that raises a central question and draws on multiple
sources to answer it. In addition to continued practice with the skills introduced in Module I, you will
evaluate and responsibly draw on different kinds of sources, consider the significance of your argument
and how you might best motivate readers; principles of style to improve prose clarity, respond to peer
work productively, and reflect on how you can apply the lessons of this module to future writing
assignments.
6 T NO WR120 CLASS
10/11 (Monday class schedule)

10/11 Last Day to DROP without a “W” grade

Th Class Discussion #4: Mental McMurtrie, "A ‘Stunning’ Level Reflection #3 due
10/13 health Introduction to Paper 2 of Student Disconnection" 10/14 by 11:59pm
Evaluating sources Turnage, “In Higher Ed’s
Mental-Health Crisis…”
7 T Basics of academic research FLM 3: Early Stages of Research Paper 2 Proposal due
10/18 Connecting sources 10/18 by 11:59pm
Paper 2 thesis statement
Th Introductory paragraphs Sample Paper 2 Midterm Reflection
10/20 Developing your argument due 10/21 by 11:59pm
Paper 2 workshop
8 T Paper 2 peer review First draft of Paper 2
10/25 due 10/25 by 11:59pm
Th Introduction to Debates
10/27 Debate preparation
9 T Debate
11/1 Writing a conclusion
Th Cohesion in writing FLM 4: Cohesion Final draft of Paper 2
11/3 Paper 2 workshop due 11/4 by 11:59pm
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Unit 3: Genre and Audience

In this module, you will transition to a new genre for a new audience, highlighting how new contexts call
for different kinds of argument, evidence, and/or prose style. In addition to continued practice with the
skills introduced previously, you’ll engage a range of sources in this new genre; identify its distinguishing
features, audience, and purpose and craft prose in a style appropriate to these; use different media and
modes of expression; use peer feedback to revise effectively; and reflect on how you can apply the lessons
of this module to writing an academic essay.
10 T Introduction to the Grant
11/8 Proposal
BU Wellbeing Project
Features of effective proposals
Th Identifying a need Hartshorn, “Making Your Grant
11/10 Planning your collaboration Proposal Persuasive”
Grant Proposal workshop
11 T Writing the Problem Statement FLM 5: Writing the Grant Grant Ideas due 11/15
11/15 and Goals & Objectives Proposal before class
Grant Proposal workshop Dysart, “What Are Project
Objectives + Examples…”
11/14 Last Day to DROP with a “W”
grade
Th Writing the Procedures and Grant Progress Report
11/17 Timeline due 11/18 by 11:59pm

12 T Grant Proposal workshop First draft of Grant

11/22 Preparing for Guest Speaker visit Proposal due 11/22 by
11:59pm
Th THANKSGIVING BREAK
11/24 11/23-11/27
Weeks 13 & 14: Mandatory Grant Proposal conferences
13 T Guest Speaker visit Examples of Elevator Pitches
11/29 Introduction to Elevator Pitches
Elevator Pitches workshop

11/29 Last Day to Officially Take a Leave

of Absence or Withdraw from the
University
Th Grant Proposal Evaluation
12/1 Grant Proposal workshop
14 T Elevator Pitches Final draft of Grant
12/6 Aligning your Grant Proposal with Proposal due 12/6 by
BU Wellbeing Project 11:59pm
Th Semester reflection & goodbyes Grant Reflection due
12/8 12/9 by 11:59pm

Digication Portfolio
due 12/9 by 11:59pm