English 112 Syllabus Fall 2018 , 14B PDF

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1 ENGLISH 112|14B STRATEGIES FOR UNIVERSITY WRITING UBC Winter Session 1 2018 CLASS MEETINGS: T/Th 2:00-3:30pm LOCATION: BUCH D201 INSTRUCTOR: Tara-Lynn Fleming OFFICE: Buchanan Tower 218 OFFICE DROP-INS: Tuesdays/Thursdays 12:30-1:30pm and by appointment. CONTACT: Canvas Messaging or [email protected] Required Texts 1/ Concise Canadian Writers Handbook 2/ Course Readings available on Canvas. Course Description Whatever academic path you follow, the ability to critically think and express yourself clearly and concisely is fundamental to becoming an active member of the university discourse community. As such, English 112 is an introductory course in university-level writing, intended to help you develop the critical reading, research, writing and thinking skills you will need to succeed as a part of our academic community. Much of our time will be spent analyzing, discussing and writing compositions in order to familiarize you with rhetorical situations and strategies that writers use to assert their claims. These skills will prepare you for becoming proficient in your own writing skills, which include transforming ideas into cohesive arguments. At the writing level, we will spend a substantial amount of time developing critical and argumentative modes of writing. You will learn to adapt your writing style and voice for various audiences and purposes, support your arguments with research, and integrate research in an academically responsible way. Learning Outcomes Our main emphasis will be on how researchers in university settings communicate their work to other specialists, and by the end of the course you will be able to: 

Define the modern university in terms of its research, instructional, and institutional functions.

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Describe how scholarly texts work as conversations that both assess existing knowledge and produce new knowledge.

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Distinguish between scholarly and non-scholarly writing, accounting for each in terms of its characteristic forms and social situations.

2 

Draw upon and synthesize these and other sources to develop and support arguments of your own.

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Participate in scholarly conversations as novices by performing the scholarly actions of researchers.

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Write academic paragraphs, critical summaries, analyses and research papers that make appropriate use of the characteristic styles and citation practices of scholarly writing.

In addition, you will learn the main skills required to write effective academic research essays, including: 

the development of an effective research question

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the ethical collection, management and interpretation of secondary research data

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the development of a clear, significant, evolving thesis

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the integration of evidence and reasoning to support your thesis

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the clear organization of your ideas, opinions and supporting evidence

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the conventional use of quotation, citation and documentation required in academic writing

My primary purpose as your instructor is to help you to become a stronger writer and thinker. You’ll be given the space and time in class to speak and write freely and fluently and, hopefully, to find your voice and gain some confidence as a speaker, writer and researcher. Writing isn’t easy; neither is thinking critically and deeply. It’s hard to identify and let go of weak writing habits. It takes effort, work and risk. But to take risks and think creatively is vital to writing well! Instructional Method This course is designed to reflect a blended approach to learning, pairing lessons with active learning strategies, in the form of weekly writing exercises, class and small-group discussions, online library research and writing workshops, as well as formal out-of-class writing assignments. For this approach to work effectively, we need each of you to be actively involved in our class meetings. This means it is essential for you to complete readings/assigned work before class so you may apply what you’ve read during class. As you refine your writing skills, your work will be subject to revision and group editing, practices that will help you to understand the multi-step process of academic writing. Course Requirements Assignment #1: Small Writings Portfolio & Participation

10%

3 Assignment Assignment Assignment Assignment

#2: #3: #4: #5:

In-Class Critical Analysis Critical Summary of Research Research Assignment Final Exam

15% 15% 30% 30%

#1/ Small Writings Portfolio & Participation: -Regular short writing assignments (Small Writings Portfolio) -Attendance, Preparation of readings, Workshop & Discussion involvement, Active and attentive participation -Online Research Workshop Completion #2/ Critical Analysis: You will be asked to summarize a non-fiction article and critically analyze it. #3/ Critical Summary: You will be asked to critically summarize and evaluate a body of research, and identify a knowledge deficit in the existing research. #4/ Research Assignment: You’ll be asked to write a research-based, non-fiction article on a topic related to one of our course themes. #5/ Final Exam: You’ll be asked to write a critical analysis and an argumentative essay for the final exam. Writing Requirements: Writing in Class What is the point of teaching you the skills and concepts necessary to a particular genre of writing without asking you to practice? As your instructor, I believe the most important work I can do is to stand back and let you write. And so, I will assign small writing exercises so that you can work towards the very difficult, life-long work of becoming a good writer. Participation . If you show up regularly and meet the basic requirements—that is, you are sometimes prepared, you participate on occasion and you listen attentively—your participation grade will be in the “C” range. . If you come to class well prepared, contribute regularly, engage with the reading material, and initiate conversation within small groups or fullclass discussion, you’ve earned a “B” range participation grade. . You will earn an “A” range participation grade for regular thoughtful engagement in and out of the classroom. You grapple with the ideas of the readings before class: that is, you take notes, ask questions, and offer thoughts on the central ideas. Your ideas develop the

4 conversation by taking it to the next level before the professor does and you encourage other students to contribute to the group. . An active disengagement, which can take any form from surfing the Internet and sending text messages to a lack of participation in group discussion or activity, may earn a grade of “F”.

CLASS POLICIES Attendance This course is designed to engage you in live, interactive learning, through in-class assignments, discussions, and group activities, so that you may benefit from working with others and receiving immediate feedback. As a result, regular attendance, promptness, preparation before class and active participation in class discussion and group work are crucial to your success and to that of the class as a whole. In other words, it’s not just a matter of occupying a seat. Are you intellectually present for class—have you done the reading, have you thought about it, are you contributing to class discussion, are you challenging yourself, and are you making a difference by being here? Attendance is taken daily, and is based on intellectual rather than physical presence. 

Students who routinely come to class unprepared are not only wasting their time, but that of their classmates. If such a pattern of behaviour occurs, the student in question may be asked to leave class or withdraw from the course. The same policy applies to students who routinely miss class. In other words, this is not a correspondence course. For those who do miss the occasional or isolated class, it is their responsibility to discover what they have missed from a peer.

5

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According to the Department of English Attendance Policy, students missing 40% or more of the class, regardless of whether their absences are avoidable or unavoidable, will be considered unable to meet the “learning outcomes” of the course and will be excluded from the final examination.

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Students who are scheduled to attend classes or write examinations on holy days of their religions must notify me in advance of their intention to absent themselves from class or an examination in order to observe their holy day. “Under this policy, students are required to give their instructor two weeks’ notice of their intention to be absent” (UBC Policy Handbook). I will provide an opportunity for students to make up the missed work or examination without penalty.

Technological Devices As a way of tapping into a variety of learning styles, our course adopts a hybrid learning approach, applying both tech-based and traditional learning tools. Technology is used mindfully, as a tool to empower your learning. When used in the classroom, there is always the danger of distraction. As such, I ask you to be very mindful of your own tech habits, and to use technology to enhance rather than undermine your learning. With this in mind, cell phone use is not permitted during class meetings. Laptops and tablets are permitted for class-related activities and note-taking only. If I discover you falling into distractive tech use that undermines your (and others’) intellectual presence, I will ask you to turn your device off and you will not be permitted to use it during class. I want you to be fully present in your learning. Email Communication 

I appreciate a note if a situation is going to lead to your missing a few classes.

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I do not accept assignments by e-mail.

I check my Canvas inbox at the end of each weekday and will respond to messages at that time. ASSIGNMENT NOTES 

Grading Criteria Your work will be graded on content, organization, style and mechanics. Your essay work will be evaluated on the organization and development of argument, content (research, clarity of thought and critical thinking), and mechanics (style, grammar, punctuation, spelling and reference format). Assignment Submissions Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the assigned due date. They will be graded according to the English Department’s grading

6 standards and penalized 5% per day (including weekends) for late submissions. 

Late papers will not be accepted once assignments have been returned to the class. Students who have medical certificates must consult with the instructor about due dates.

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You cannot receive a passing grade in this course unless you have submitted all major assignments and completed the final exam.

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If you want to submit a paper outside of class and I am not in my office, please drop the assignment into the drop-box in the English Department (BuTo397). Please do not slide papers under my office door.

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Assignments must be correctly formatted according to APA style guidelines. That means you must follow the formatting procedures for spacing, first pages, works cited, page numbers, etc.

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For your own protection, always save your work in multiple ways during your work progress, retain a copy of your submitted work and email a digital copy of it to yourself.

You will write three kinds of assignments for this class. These writing assignments are like piano lessons: you may not always want to do them, but the sooner you get to them, the more time you have to think carefully and revise. So, while you may not change the world by writing an essay, you may change your habits, expand your knowledge, learn new skills, and develop as a thinker and writer. That’s a lot of achievement in a short span of time. Extra Writing Help: The real work of writing is revising. I recommend that you write several drafts for every assignment. It’s also very useful to go to UBC’s Centre for Writing and Scholarly Communication. For general enquiries about booking free writing consultations and writing/study workshops, visit http://learningcommons.ubc.ca/improve-your-writing/. Our in-class workshops will allow you to exchange drafts with a classmate for feedback. You can also visit my drop-in hours or schedule an appointment with me at least a week or two before the assignment is due for help. Disabilities Accommodation Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations to fully participate in course activities or meet course requirements must register with the Disability Resource Center. If you qualify for services through DRC,

7 bring your letter of accommodation to me as soon as possible and I will be happy to sit down with you to discuss a suitable arrangement. Other kinds of resources are available to UBC students on campus: 1. UBC Learning Commons http://learningcommons.ubc.ca: Learning/study/writing resources. 2. UBC Library http://www.library.ubc.ca: among other things, a useful series of workshops. 3. English Language Support https://extendedlearning.ubc.ca/studytopic/english-additional-language: support for those who use English as an additional language. 4. Live Well, Learn Well https://students.ubc.ca/health-wellness: resources related to time and stress management, and other counseling, health, and wellness issues. 5. UBC First Nations House of Learning http://aboriginal.ubc.ca/longhouse/fnhl/: resources including academic advising and a computer centre for Indigenous students. 6. International Student Guide https://students.ubc.ca/internationalstudent-guide: resources, information, and services for international students. 7. The Centre for Accessibility, http://students.ubc.ca/about/access provides leadership on issues of accessibility for people with disabilities at UBC 8. Positive Space Campaign http://positivespace.ubc.ca/resourcesvancouver/: includes a more thorough list of campus resources and information for LGBT*TQIA+ people. 9. Arts Advising https://students.arts.ubc.ca/advising/: advising services for Arts students, including handling requests for academic concession. 10. The Kaleidoscope http://the-kaleidoscope.com/: On-campus mental health support group. 11. AMS Sexual Assault Support Centre http://www.gotconsent.ca/: free and confidential support for people of all genders who have experienced sexual assault, partner violence, and harassment. 12. Pride UBC https://utown.ubc.ca/articles/06-19-2018/ubc-pride: AMS resource group for sexual and gender diversity, which offers educational and social services, support, information, and events. EARLY ALERT If you are struggling though out the term, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Come and speak with me and I will do my best to point you toward the best resources on campus. Depending on your situation, I may identify my concerns using Early Alert which is a program designed to help students who are struggling academically, financially or emotionally to get back on track. The information is confidential and doesn’t have any repercussions on your academics. For more information, please visit:

8 https://facultystaff.students.ubc.ca/systems-tools/early-alert/informationstudents Office Hours These are designed for your benefit: it’s amazing and true! Come by and see me in Buchanan Tower, 218 about anything; it would be especially helpful to bring the work in question with you. Academic Integrity Plagiarism is subject to disciplinary action by the University. Please refer to UBC’s Plagiarism Resource Centre on the full definition of plagiarism and penalties: http://www.library.ubc.ca/home/plagiarism/. Plagiarism is easily avoided if you acknowledge all sources, whether you quote directly or use someone else’s basic ideas. Citation guidelines are available in the Concise Writer’s Handbook.

HELPFUL COURSE RESOURCES 1/ Your textbook. 2/ Course Canvas Website: www.canvas.ubc.ca *Our Course Schedule, readings, lecture materials, and assignments will be posted on Canvas.

GRADES UBC English Department Grading System Percent

Letter Grade

90-100 85-89 80-84

A A-

A+

76-79 72-75 68-71

B+ B B-

9 64-67 60-63 55-59

C+ C C-

50-54 00-49

D F

English Department Grade Description An “A” Paper: This paper must be fully focused on the topic and consistently strong in structure, content, expression, mechanics and presentation. If the paper is based on a text or if it draws material from other primary or secondary sources, it must include full documentation in the APA style. An “A” paper should contain an original and credible argument in response to the topic. A “B” Paper: This paper must be well focused on the topic; its thesis must be well supported by convincing evidence and explanations. The structure of a “B” paper must be strong and clear; its thesis must be specific and significant. If this paper contains errors of expression, they must be occasional rather than chronic, and they must not obscure meaning. A “B” paper based on research must be accurately documented in the APA style. The key difference between an “A” paper and a “B” paper is the quality and the level of argument. A “B” paper is less adventurous than an “A”; it may tend to rely more heavily on materials and arguments raised in lectures and discussions than an “A” paper would.

10 A “C-D” Paper: A paper at this level is generally clear in its expression, but it is weaker in content and/or structure than a “B” paper. Its thesis may be vague (but still on topic); its transitions may be inconsistent; its evidence may be occasionally unconvincing or incomplete. Language errors in this category will be more frequent than those at the “A” or “B” level, but they will not be so serious or so chronic that they make a paper difficult or impossible to understand.

An “F” Paper: A paper at this level will suffer from one or more of the following serious flaws: it may be off topic; it may lack a thesis; it may lack clear and adequate development and paragraphing; it may be deficient in presentation of evidence; it may contain serious and repeated errors in sentence structure, diction and grammar—-errors that obscure meaning. A Grade of Zero: Any paper that does not give complete or accurate credit (via CITATION) for directly quoted material OR for ideas and arguments that the student paraphrased from another source must receive a grade of zero....