Course Overview
This Semester you will gain grounded, practical experience with researched academic writing. The primary subject of the course is writing: how effective writers write in all variety of situations, in and beyond college, what successful writing looks like, and how specific practices, strategies, and concepts will aid you in becoming a more flexible, adaptive, and skillful communicator. ENGL/WRTG121 is a small, studio-based course, which means you will spend considerable time writing, workshopping drafts, and discussing writing and related concepts with your peers and your instructor. The course progresses through a series of "projects." We refer to them as projects because they involve a gradual build-up among many different components, much of which will be assembled into a portfolio at the end of the semester.
The course schedule is designed to provide the student with relevant subject material every class which works into the the unit projects. My goal is to provide creative, thought provoking assignments with value that will spill over into other classes and beyond. It is up the student to put the effort into the assignments to get the most out of the class. Just doing the assignment will earn you a "B," but going beyond will earn you an "A."
The course will be divided into three primary projects:
Project 1: Discourse Proposal
Project 2: Discourse Community Analysis
Project 3: Analysis Transformation
(For more information on these projects, go to the Assignments and Projects tab.)
*Remember, any and all work you do for this class should not be thrown out! Not only should you value you work, but you need to submit all assignments and classwork with your portfolios!
The course schedule is designed to provide the student with relevant subject material every class which works into the the unit projects. My goal is to provide creative, thought provoking assignments with value that will spill over into other classes and beyond. It is up the student to put the effort into the assignments to get the most out of the class. Just doing the assignment will earn you a "B," but going beyond will earn you an "A."
The course will be divided into three primary projects:
Project 1: Discourse Proposal
Project 2: Discourse Community Analysis
Project 3: Analysis Transformation
(For more information on these projects, go to the Assignments and Projects tab.)
*Remember, any and all work you do for this class should not be thrown out! Not only should you value you work, but you need to submit all assignments and classwork with your portfolios!
Course Outcomes
Course Texts
- Lunsford, Andrea A. Writing in Action. Boston: Bedford St. Martin's, 2014. ISBN 978-1-319-00314-2
- Losh, Alexander, Cannon, and Cannon. Understanding Rhetoric (EMU Custom Edition). Boston: Bedford St. Martin's, 2014. ISBN 978-1-319-00314-2
Technology
We will be interacting with a variety of sites on the internet during the course. Please let me know if you need help using the internet or any computer program. When using a computer, save your work frequently, always make backup copies by emailing drafts to yourself and/or using a jump drive, and plan your projects with extra time allowed for unexpected technological difficulties. Google Drive and other cloud based storage is always a good idea for saving work. (I personally like Dropbox the most. You can use my referral link to get started: Click Me )
Most of the work you do for this class will be typed, using a word processor. When turning in typed assignments, please use 12pt Times New Roman (consult with me if you prefer a different font). Assign one inch margins and adhere to the page layout and documentation conventions established by MLA. Whatever the format of the assignment, I strongly urge you to plan ahead, to familiarize yourself with file formats and with the submission process, and to approach me with questions about submissions well in advance of the due dates.
The use of computers, tablets, and e-readers are strongly encouraged in the classroom. I ask that your in-class use of technology be focused on class related activities, such as note-taking, research, and reading. As long as everyone is respectfully attentive when someone is speaking, in-class technology use will not be a problem. That said, I strongly discourage the use of a cellphone in the classroom and require all phones to be set to silent (not vibrate). I reserve the right to ask any student to put away their electronic device if it appears to be distracting the student or those around them.
A large part of this class will be using both Evernote and GoogleDrive. Evernote is a free program available on the PC, Mac, IOS, and Android platforms. To participate in this class, you must have an Evernote account (use my referral link to register: Click Me ). Evernote should be accessible on all library computers and computer labs. If you cannot access through one of your own devices, plan your assignments accordingly. GoogleDrive is accessible through your email accounts provided by Eastern Michigan.
Most of the work you do for this class will be typed, using a word processor. When turning in typed assignments, please use 12pt Times New Roman (consult with me if you prefer a different font). Assign one inch margins and adhere to the page layout and documentation conventions established by MLA. Whatever the format of the assignment, I strongly urge you to plan ahead, to familiarize yourself with file formats and with the submission process, and to approach me with questions about submissions well in advance of the due dates.
The use of computers, tablets, and e-readers are strongly encouraged in the classroom. I ask that your in-class use of technology be focused on class related activities, such as note-taking, research, and reading. As long as everyone is respectfully attentive when someone is speaking, in-class technology use will not be a problem. That said, I strongly discourage the use of a cellphone in the classroom and require all phones to be set to silent (not vibrate). I reserve the right to ask any student to put away their electronic device if it appears to be distracting the student or those around them.
A large part of this class will be using both Evernote and GoogleDrive. Evernote is a free program available on the PC, Mac, IOS, and Android platforms. To participate in this class, you must have an Evernote account (use my referral link to register: Click Me ). Evernote should be accessible on all library computers and computer labs. If you cannot access through one of your own devices, plan your assignments accordingly. GoogleDrive is accessible through your email accounts provided by Eastern Michigan.
Late Work Policy
All work must be submitted at the start of class on the due date to be considered on time and therefore eligible for full credit. This policy applies whether or not you are in class on a given day. In other words, if you miss class, you are still responsible for meeting all related deadlines. In class assignments will not be accepted late for credit, though they may be included in the portfolio at the end of the unit for partial credit. All projects can be turned in late, but the grade will be lowered by 5% for every 24-hour period that it is late, starting after the portfolios are collected in class.