The syllabus and schedule below are for the current, redesigned English 2010. This course puts emphasis on public writing, genre, research, and remixable elements that include multimodal and multimedia writing, experiments with narrative strategies, re-mediation of writing, and “translation” of writing into different genres, modes, and media. The design combines independent but well-supported online learning, along with “high touch” studio teaching, one on one or with small groups, so that students get more intensive support of their writing.

You can view the introductory video to the course here:

Course Syllabus

English 2010 * Intermediate Writing * SPRING 2014

Instructor:  Lisa Bickmore
Office: IAB 165F
Phone: 957-4686
E-mail: Canvas only!
Office Hours:

Course Description

English 2010 focuses on three related aspects of rhetoric and composition: public writing, writing from sources, and multi-genre and multimedia composition. In this course, we’ll explore a number of different genres of writing common in academic contexts and in public writing situations. Through research and writing, you’ll inform yourself and others about ongoing social justice issues, how to use genres to communicate ideas about those issues, and how to “play” with genres. You’ll become an active participant in these public conversations through writing and designing a range of texts. For all the writing assignments of the course, you’ll focus on a single issue–your choice–and you’ll deepen your understanding of this issue over the course of the semester by doing additional research for each assignment, and reframing your approach to the issue through the lens of genre, medium, and mode.

During your interactions with your classmates, I expect that you will conduct yourself appropriately. (Indeed, this expectation is a part of the Student Codeat SLCC.) Some of the material we cover in this class may be sensitive, controversial, and/or divisive in nature: if you think this might be a problem for you, seriously consider taking another English 2010 class.

Note: This is a 3-credit course. You may find that, to excel in this course, you will need to dedicate the equivalent of three class hours, plus several additional hours of coursework a week. Please be sure your schedule allows for this time commitment.

Required Texts & Technology

  • Glenn, Cheryl. The Harbrace Guide to Writing. Concise Second Edition. Boston: Wadsworth, 2012.
  • Additional online readings posted/linked in Canvas.
  • Regular, reliable access to the Internet.

Course Format

This is a hybrid course. The specific hybrid format for our class is what we’re calling “Online Plus.” This means that we will have class online—you’ll read, discuss, write, and work with your peers, using CANVAS; you’ll also meet twelve times in the semester, one-on-one or in a small group, with me, and/or occasionally one of the other two instructors in our instructional team, or a tutor. You’ll use the Scheduler in the CANVAS calendar to set up your appointments; the syllabus/schedule will let you know what kinds of activities we’ll do when we meet in person. Typically, we’ll look at your writing at some stage; we may work in challenging concepts or discuss specific readings; you might work on research problems with some coaching; and so on.

We believe that this format will give you the maximum benefit of a rich online learning environment and targeted face-to-face focused interaction. And we’re excited about it.

To access the CANVAS course, go to the following link:

https://learn-slcc.uen.org/login.

Use your MyPage username and password to log in. You can also access our site by logging into MyPage, clicking on “My Courses,” and then clicking on “CANVAS Instructure” at the bottom of the page. This takes you to the CANVAS log in page. The best way to figure out CANVAS is to “play around” in it/with it. Remember to use the Course Schedule, the CANVAS Calendar and the learning modules to navigate the course and stay on track.

Check CANVAS DAILY! I may send announcements or emails about interesting current events, follow-up on class discussions, useful resources that I or other class members have come across, etc. All “CANVAS” readings can be found in the “Modules” tab (I will also link them on the course schedule and in the relevant discussion posts). All of your small assignments/activities and rough drafts for workshops must be posted in the appropriate “Discussion” section of CANVAS. Revised drafts and other major assignments must be submitted in the appropriate “Assignments” tab, in the Assignment section. Follow assignment submission directions carefully. You run the risk of not earning credit for your assignment if assignments are not submitted correctly.

If you have problems accessing our CANVAS site, call the help desk at 957-5555. Read all advisory messages (such as “Attention MSN Users” etc.). Not reading an alert posted by the Help Desk or an announcement from me is not an excuse for missing an assignment. Remember that there are free computers for you to use on campus.

Course Outcomes

The English Department lists the following as its desired outcomes for student writers. At the completion of English 2010, through your work, class meetings, and writing projects, you should be able to:

  • Adapt strategies of argumentation for a given writing situation
  • Adapt style and design for a given writing situation
  • Write and create in multiple genres and mediums
  • Conceive, draft, and revise many kinds of documents, and manage these processes independently
  • Approach reading and research critically, rhetorically, and analytically, choosing appropriate research strategies for a particular writing task
  • Cite sources appropriately for the writing situation, including using an academic system of citation (we will use MLA format) with a high degree of proficiency
  • Understand and respond critically to a civic conversation and become a legitimate participant in that conversation
  • Work collaboratively and creatively on writing tasks with other writers
  • Edit your writing so that it contains a minimum of surface error

In addition, what we want you to do and experience in this course:

  • Develop a deep awareness of writing situations, and the choices and opportunities inherent in them;
  • Adapt your writing to appropriate genres, and “play” within genre forms;
  • Appreciate and employ the communicative opportunities that multi-modal composition offers (linguistic, visual, spatial, aural, gestural, textual);
  • Recognize and apply your own relevant knowledge and experience to build greater expertise;
  • Understand that you are an active and invested member of broader writing communities (classroom, local, national, global); and
  • Understand that your work in this course is meant to be shared beyond the “borders” of the classroom

What we want you to bring to your experience in this course from the get-go:

  • Your ePortfolio (see below for details) set-up completed: developed “Welcome,” “Goals and Outcomes”, and “Coursework” pages; content in the “Outside the Classroom” page; ENGL 2010 hidden page created (and linked to the “Coursework” page) and associated with Banner before the end of the first week of class (see ePortfolio information on pg. 3 of this syllabus).
  • Set up accounts with some free Web 2.0 platforms, so that you can begin to compose/share multi-modal/multimedia works throughout the course. Here is a short list of platforms: Screenr, Flickr, YouTube, Dropbox, Strip Generator, GoAnimate, Soundcloud and Audacity.  Visit Political Remix for links to free video editing/remixing software.
  • Familiarity with applications and possibilities for Paper.Li, iBook, and the ePortfolio platforms.
  • A willingness to read, research, write, create, collaborate, and revise/re-envision/ adapt/ translate your work.

Some Other Course Matters

Assignments 

DRAFT flash memoir (credit/no credit)                                        25
DRAFT profile (credit/no credit)                                                   25
DRAFT position argument OR proposal (credit/no credit)           25
DRAFT report OR evaluation (credit/no credit)                            25

Online peer review of flash memoir                                             20
Online peer review of report OR evaluation                                 20

Revised Flash Memoir                                                                  40
Revised Profile                                                                              40
Revised Position Argument or Proposal                                       40
Revised Report or Evaluation                                                       40
Revised work for the magazine                                                     40

Participation in Genre Wiki

DRAFT                                                                                           20
REVISION                                                                                      20
FINAL                                                                                            20

Lab sessions:                                                                               100

Notebook work:                                                                           100

Online Discussions:                                                                      100

Quizzes:                                                                                        50

Magazine Project:                                                                         250

Total                                                                                                              1000  

* Peer reviews: two peer reviews (flash memoir; report OR evaluation) will be conducted online. Two peer reviews will be conducted in lab sessions. Reviews/revisions for magazine project/ePortfolio will be conducted as part of the magazine project.

Grading Scale

93-100 = A    90-92 = A-     87-89 = B+    84-86 = B       80-83 = B-     77-79 = C+
74-76 = C       70-73 = C-     67-69 = D+    64-66 = D      60-63 = D-     0-59 = E

Late Work

Because of the compressed, time-sensitive nature of assignments and workshop/peer review deadlines, late work will not be accepted. If you have an exceptional circumstance that prevents you from submitting work on time and you contact me before the assignment is due, I will consider extending your due date.

Department Policy

According to English Department policy, you must complete all major assignments—the report or evaluation, the position paper or proposal, the profile, and the magazine project, with your link to your ePortfolio—to receive at least a “C” in the course. Incomplete: Students must be passing and have completed 80% of the course work in order to be granted an incomplete. Students are responsible for making arrangements to complete the course.

Participation and Attendance

For this course participation means

  • being an active, engaged participant in all online discussions,
  • scheduling and attending your scheduled face-to-face lab sessions, and
  • completing all assignments and activities, including the notebook, fully.

I expect your online participation to reflect your preparation–your reading and reflection, and doing the requisite writing and research activities. All assigned notebook prompts and/or activities will count as part of your participation grade. You will be responsible for signing up for the requisite lab sessions, and for coming prepared.

You should plan your time so that you can complete all the assigned activities, discussions, reading, writing, and so forth, on time. As noted above, I won’t accept late work–in a class like this with both online and face-to-face components, it is especially important that students stay caught up and engaged with each other.

Writer’s Notebook Work

You will be given specific Writer’s Notebook writing prompts for every week. You may share your Writer’s Notebook work in discussions or in the lab session, and should think about how to use what you learn by doing the notebook work in your writing projects. The notebook is a space for you to get your ideas down—not craft or polish them…yet.

Gen-Ed ePortfolio

In order for SLCC students to have a place to display and chronicle projects that demonstrate discipline-specific skills, critical thinking, and collaboration, SLCC has instituted a Gen Ed ePortfolio requirement in which students display their work from General Education courses. Students taking Gen Ed courses must place significant projects from those courses on a website they create that acts as a virtual portfolio of accomplishments in each course. In this way, prospective employers, community members, and transfer institutions can easily see the best of what each student has accomplished while attending SLCC. Your ePortfolio will allow you to include your educational goals, describe your extracurricular activities, and post your resume.  When you finish your time at SLCC, your ePortfolio will then be a multi-media showcase of your educational experience.

Every Gen Ed class that you take at SLCC will require you to upload to your ePortfolio “signature assignments” that include a reflection on the assignments.The signature assignment for this course is your Online Magazine/Newspaper Group Project (see below). NOTE: I encourage you to use your ePortfolio page for this course as a space for writing “play” and invention until you are ready to showcase your magazine work. By “play,” I mean post ideas, pictures, videos, links, and notebook work as you develop your research and communicating skills throughout the course.

For detailed information about the ePortfolio, visit http://www.slcc.edu/gened/eportfolio. Click on “Info for Students.”

After you have picked an ePortfolio platform, go to the corresponding help site to watch the tutorials and look at the examples so you can get started on your own: http://slcceportfolio.wordpress.com; http://slcceportfolio.weebly.com; https://sites.google.com/site/slcceport

If you would like to start your ePortfolio in a computer lab with a person there to help you, visit the ePortfolio Open Lab (TR Campus in the Markosian Library, room 047, or Jordan Campus, HTC 102a) or sign up online for one of the free workshops at the Taylorsville-Redwood library.

Online Magazine Group Project

Students will work in groups to produce an online magazine or newspaper-style portfolio project for this course. Each person in the group will be assigned specific roles to help mitigate the problem we have all experienced during group projects: slackers. For the project, each group member will be required to revise two major papers (Memoir, Profile, Position Argument, Proposal, Report, or Evaluation) and select at least 1 main paper or 2 smaller projects/activities to translate/adapt into another medium. The group will then assemble the papers, the translations/adaptations, and write an Editors’ Note for the magazine or newspaper that the group designs. The magazine is worth 25% of your final grade for this course and must be linked in the appropriate page of your ePortfolio in order to earn credit for the project.

Student Writing Center

SLCC’s Writing Center is a space where you can discuss your work with a peer advisor or faculty-writing advisor. Writing Center advisors help you think about your writing process by sharing their impressions of your materials, offering revision strategies, and discussing different ways to approach an assignment. You should know, however, that the Writing Center is not simply a place to go to get a paper “fixed.” Bring in a copy of your assignment sheet and be prepared with questions for your advisor. You can sign up for an appointment in the Writing Center in AD 218 at the Taylorsville Campus (957-4893), the Learning Center at the South City Campus, or the Annex at Sandy. You may also receive feedback on your work online at www.slcc.edu/swc.

Accommodation for Disabilities

Students with medical, psychological, learning or other disabilities desiring accommodations or services under ADA must contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC). The DRC determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of these accommodations and services for the college. Please contact the DRC at the Student Center, room 230, Taylorsville Campus. Phone 957-4659 (voice) or 957-4646 (TTY).

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the presentation of another’s work as your own. It also applies to the appropriation of a person’s ideas, which you state are your own. Direct quotations and/or paraphrasing (including information taken from the Internet) must be documented. Plagiarism includes turning in a paper for which you plan to receive credit or for which you have already received credit in another course. Our text provides you with practices that will help you avoid plagiarism on pages 404 and 417. It is your responsibility to know what plagiarism is, and your responsibility to avoid it. Plagiarism is a serious breach of honesty and academic integrity; the penalties for plagiarism are serious, up to and including an automatic “E” in this course.

Final Thoughts

You will probably find this course challenging – possibly even difficult. You will be expected to do a lot of work, but it is absolutely possible to succeed in this course. The main difference between an A and an E in this class is time, effort, participation, and revision. You will be most likely to succeed in this class if you realize that the work is not only your responsibility, but also your opportunity. The skills you learn in this class will likely help you in the rest of your academic career, your life as a citizen, and even your professional life. Good luck!

schedule * English 2010 * spring 2014

date read/research/view write/post/meet
W1: T (Jan. 14) Read: the course syllabus.
Read: Ch. 1, “Understanding the Rhetorical Situation”
View: Introduction to the Course
View: SLCC’s ePortfolio Intro		 Meet for the first time.
Post 1: Meet your classmates
W2: T (Jan. 21) Read: Ch. 2, “Identifying a Fitting Response”
Read: Ch. 3, “Memoirs”
Read: Ch. 9, “Writing Processes & Strategies”
Read: Ch. 11, “Research & the Rhetorical Situation”
Read: Personal Essay Samples (Reading Gallery)View: “Choosing an Issue”
View: “Memoirs”
View: “Genre”		 Lab Session 1: discuss educational plansPost 2: The Rhetorical SituationNOTEBOOK for this week: Choose from these notebook prompts for this week’s notebook activity: 5e; 5f; 5g; 5i; 5b. When you have done the activity, post it to the English 2010 page of your ePortfolio (due).
W3: T (Jan. 28) Read: Ch. 4, “Profiles”
Read: Ch. 10, “Responding with Multimedia”
Skim: Ch. 12, “Research in the Library & Online”
Skim: Ch. 14, “Reading, Evaluating, and Responding to Sources”
Read: Sample Profiles (Reading Gallery)View: The Profile
View: Using Sources		 Lab Session 2: Choosing an IssuePost 3: Participate in Profile WikiDRAFT Flash Memoir dueNOTEBOOK for this week: Choose from these notebook prompts for this week’s notebook activity:  3a, 3b, 3c, 4f, 5i, 8c. When you have done the activity, post it to the  English 2010 page of your ePortfolio (due).NOTEBOOK Check 1.
W4: T (Feb. 4) Read: Mark Bowden, “The Story Behind the Story”
Read: Ch. 13, “Research in the Field”
Read: Brevity Interview with Lee MartinView: Reading Three Ways		 Lab Session 3: Reading StrategiesPost 4: Tell the story of your research
Post 5: Field ResearchNOTEBOOK for this week: Choose from these notebook prompts for this week’s notebook activity: 3a, 3b, 3c, 4f, 5i, 8c (choose one you didn’t do last week). When you have done the activity, post it to the English 2010 page of your ePortfolio (due).
W5: T (Feb. 11) Read: Jim Heynen, “Becoming Your Own Best Critic”
Read: Brevity Interview with Thomas E. Kennedy, “Revising the Muse”
Read: Diana Hume George, “Copyediting. Vital. Do It or Have It Done.”View: Reviewing & Revising		 Lab Session 4: Peer Review of ProfileDRAFT Profile dueREVISED Flash Memoir dueNOTEBOOK for this week:  Choose from these notebook prompts for this week’s notebook activity: 3a, 3b, 3c, 4f, 5i, 8c (choose one you didn’t do last week). When you have done the activity, post it to the English 2010 page of your ePortfolio (due).
W6: T (Feb. 18) Read: Ch. 6, “Position Arguments”
Review: Ch. 12, “Research in the Library & Online”
Review: Ch. 14, “Reading, Evaluating & Responding to Sources”
Read: Ch. 15, “Acknowledging Sources”
Read: Sample Position Arguments (Reading Gallery)View: The Position Argument
View: How to Argue		 Lab Session 5: Discussion of Research TopicPost 6: Issue Research
Post 6a: Participate in Position Argument OR Proposal WikiNOTEBOOK for this week: Choose from these notebook prompts for this week’s notebook activity: 6g, 6b, 5b, 3e, 4f, 6c, 6g.When you have done the activity, post it to the English 2010 page of your ePortfolio. (due)
W7: T (Feb. 25) Read: Ch. 7, Proposals
Read: Proposal Samples (Reading Gallery)View: The Proposal
View: Making Visual Representations of Your Argument		 Lab Session 6: Planning your argumentPost 7: The rhetorical situation (position arguments OR proposals)NOTEBOOK for this week: Choose from these notebook prompts for this week’s notebook activity: 6e, 6h, 6j, 3c, 8b, 2h, 2i. When you have done the activity, post it to the English 2010 page of your ePortfolio. (due)
W8: T (Mar. 4) Review: Ch. 10, “Responding with Multimedia”View: Revision in Two Keys Lab session 7: peer review of position argument OR proposalDRAFT Position Argument OR Proposal duePost 8: Cartoon, GoAnimate, or Script
S P R I N G * B R E A K * M A R CH 10-14
W9: T (Mar. 18) Read: Ch. 5, “Reports”
Read: Ch. 8, “Evaluations”
Read: Sample Reports & Evaluations (Reading Gallery)View: The Report
View: The Evaluation		 Lab session 8: Feedback on revised position argument OR proposalREVISED Position Argument OR Proposal duePost 9: Issue Research (Report OR Evaluation)
Post 9b: Participate in Report OR Evaluation WikiNOTEBOOK Check 2.
W10: T (Mar. 25) Read:View: (Revision)(Re-envision)(Translate)(Reinvent) Lab session 9: Challenging Concepts OR Multimodal/media workPost 10: Documentation & Citation
Post 10a: Group Magazine Project Role form
Post 10b: Replacement Poem & Postcard ActivityNOTEBOOK for this week: Choose from the following notebook prompts for this week’s notebook activity: 6l, 6c, 2l, 6e, 2k. When you have done the activity, post it to the English 2010 page of your ePortfolio. (due)
W11: T (Mar. 31) Reread: your revised Memoir, Profile, and Position Argument OR Proposal.View: Juxtapose Lab Session 10: Challenging Concepts OR Multimodal/media workPost 11: Translation & AdaptationDRAFT Report OR Evaluation + Peer Review (online)NOTEBOOK for this week:  Choose from the following notebook prompts for this week’s notebook activity: 2e, 4b, 6h, 6k, 6d, 6b. When you have done the activity, post it to the English 2010 page of your ePortfolio. (due) This week, after your peer review, do #37 as a notebook activity. In addition, choose either #25 or #24 for this week’s notebook activity.
W12: T (Apr. 8) Read: Detailed description of magazine project
Read: Matt Barton & Karl Klint, “A Student’s Guide to Collaborative Writing Technologies ”View: This is Publishing		 Lab Session 11: Collaborative Project WorkNOTEBOOK for this week: Choose from the following notebook prompts for this week’s notebook activity: 2e, 4b, 6h, 6k, 6d, 6b, or 6l, 6c, 2l, 6e, 2k. (Choose an activity you haven’t already done in the past two weeks.) When you have done the activity, post it to the English 2010 page of your ePortfolio. (due)·REVISED Report or Evaluation (due)
W13: T (Apr. 15) Read: Anthony Atkins, “Collaborating Online: Digital Strategies for Group Work ”
Read: University of North Carolina Writing Center, “Revising Drafts”
Read: University of North Carolina Writing Center, “Reorganizing Drafts”View: Collaborative Tools		 Make Up Lab Sessions/Collaborative WorkPost 13: Revision as CollaborationPeer Review pieces for magazineNOTEBOOK for this week: Choose one of the following notebook prompts for this week’s notebook activity: 8g, 8h, 6f, 6i, 8d, 6a, 6c, 5h. When you have done the activity, post it to the English 2010 page of your ePortfolio. (due)
W14: T (Apr. 22) Read: Hypertext Reflection ExampleView: Reflection Lab Session 13: Reflecting on the Course & Your Next Educational StepsPost 14: Rereading Your DraftsNOTEBOOK for this week: Choose one of the following notebook prompts for this week’s notebook activity: 8g, 8h, 6f, 6i, 8d, 6a, 6c, 5h. (Choose one you haven’t already done.) When you have finished the activity, post it to the English 2010 page of your ePortfolio.
W15: T (Apr. 29) View: Make a Presentation Make Up Lab Sessions/Collaborative WorkPost 15: DRAFT reflections; peer review
Finals Week:Post your presentation for the group here by May 5 at midnight.All work is due on May 5 by midnight (you will make comments on other groups’ presentation after this).Magazine project:• Magazine published on its own site;
• Editor’s note;
• In-text citations and Works Cited bibliography; and
• Site well-designed with its own homepage. 

and…Your individual finished hypertext reflection (published on YOUR OWN ePortfolio site), with links to the work you’ve published on the magazine site

Sample Screencasts: