Principles of Formality in Writing Research Papers

							                                    English W233
                           Intermediate Expository Writing
                          Syllabus and General Information
                                  Semester and year


Instructor: Name
ENG W233 : Section number, Days meeting, class time, class location
Office: Location
Office Phone: Number and extension, if applicable
Office Hours: Days and times
E-Mail: Preferred

Course Outcomes:
Students who complete W233 should be able to demonstrate their competence in four
areas:

      Rhetorical Knowledge, including the ability to focus on a purpose and audience;
       to respond appropriately to different kinds of rhetorical situations; to adopt
       appropriate voice, tone, and level of formality; to write in several genres; and
       understand how genres shape reading and writing.
      Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing, including the ability to use writing
       and reading for inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating; to manage a
       writing assignment as a series of tasks, including finding, evaluating, analyzing,
       and synthesizing appropriate primary and secondary sources; to integrate one’s
       own ideas with those of others; and to understand the relationships among
       language, knowledge, and power.
      Writing Processes, including the use of multiple drafts to create and complete a
       successful text; the development of flexible strategies for generating, revising,
       editing, and proof-reading; learning to balance the advantages of relying on others
       with the responsibility of doing one’s own part; and participation in collaborative
       and social processes that require the ability to critique one’s own and others’
       works.
      Knowledge of Conventions, including the ability to follow common formats for
       different kinds of genres; to increase knowledge of genre conventions ranging
       from structure and paragraphing to tone and mechanics; to practice appropriate
       means of documenting one’s work; and to control such surface features as syntax,
       grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Course texts and materials:

Norton’s Field Guide to Writing. Richard Bullock, 2006.
Norton Pocket Guide: Writing Essentials (2nd ed.). Dawn Rodrigues and Myron C.
Tuman, 1999.

Alternative handbooks include Lester and Lester’s Writing Research Papers (11th ed.), or


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Muriel Harris’ The Writer’s FAQ’s: A Pocket Handbook (3rd ed.)

3.5 Diskette or other device for saving work
Four double-pocketed folders

If using the portfolio system, your students will need a 3-ringed binder.
If assigning additional readings, through Helmke Library’s REX, note those here.
Students should be encouraged to use their IPFW email account.


Methods of Instruction:
The format for this course is primarily writing rather than lectures. Through oral and
written responses (including e-mail), and guided by your instructor, you and your
classmates will help each other define research questions, interpret writings, determine
the next steps to make in research and writing, and prepare drafts for academic readers.

You will write first drafts to discover what you want to say and second drafts to
determine the structure of your arguments; you will receive both peer responses and my
responses on the second draft (or you may have the peer responses on the first draft and
teacher response on the second, or any combination) and write a third draft to revise for
clarity and grace.

Because this course emphasizes the process of writing as well as the product, I will not
accept papers submitted without rough drafts showing evidence of your revision work.
As a class, there will be workshops and group work where creating, drafting, organizing,
and polishing will take place. There will be peer reviews and other collaborations during
the course. Both assigned readings and impromptu in-class writings will be used to help
the class focus on the major writing principles and individual projects being discussed.
(Again, if using portfolios, insert information here explaining the process, how many
pages or papers will be submitted, etc.) If conferencing with your students, mention it
here.

Attendance:
Your success in W233 depends on your attendance at every class meeting and your
timely participation in the exchange of ideas and information which occurs primarily in
class. You will most likely learn more and your grades will prosper if you (1)
consistently come to class well prepared, (2) keep up with the readings and writings (you
should find them challenging), and (3) take the initiative for your contribution to class.
The class work you will miss if you are absent cannot be made up.

Absences will have a negative effect upon grades. A pattern of tardiness will result in
counting each late appearance (more than 10 minutes tardy) as an absence. More than
four absences will lower your final course grade by one full letter grade. You will
receive an F for the course for eight or more absences. (Depending on whether or not
your class meets two or three days a week, you can determine the number of absences
you will allow. For a two-day a week class, more than 6 absences seems fair when


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reducing their total grade by one letter, or even failing them. If they meet three days a
week you may add more. However, if you create a strict attendance policy, you will have
to stick by it or make allowances.)

 If you must be absent, you are responsible for all information and assignments given
during the class you missed. Plan ahead. If you must be absent when a major
assignment is due, hand it in early or arrange for someone to hand it in for you.

Assignments are due at the beginning of class and will be downgraded one full letter
grade per day late. Please be advised that job related absences are not legitimate
reasons for missing class. Do not call me or e-mail me to find out if you missed anything
or if we did anything or if anything is due for the next class while you were absent.
There are no excused absences; an absence is an absence.

Evaluation:
    While some of your work will be more heavily weighted than other work, I will
      initially evaluate the four major papers according to the following scale:
      90-100/A        80-89/B        70-79/C        60-69/D         59 & below/F
    For other written work, I will use the following to indicate how you’re doing:
      Plus for excellent; Check plus for strong work; Check for fair work; Check
      minus for poor work; Minus for failing work. Or you could use 3 means of
      evaluation: plus, check, and minus.

Late Assignment Policy:
    Late major assignments and supplemental exercises related to those assignments
      will be downgraded one full letter grade per day late.
    Missed miscellaneous assignments will not be accepted under any circumstances.
    Calling the English Department or my voice mail or writing me an e-mail does
      not excuse you from class nor does it excuse you from turning in a major
      assignment on the due dates at the proper time.
    If you fail to participate in a peer evaluation activity, one full letter grade will be
      deducted from the final grade of your paper. Peer evaluations must be
      completed in class on a specific date and time and by someone enrolled in
      this class.
    Turning in a paper with no planning, no drafts, no peer evaluation or no copies of
      your sources will affect the grade on the paper by at least one full letter grade.


Guidelines for Submission of Work:
    Typing is required for all of the major assignments. All drafts for peer/instructor
      evaluation must also be typed.
    All papers must be typed in Times New Roman, 12 font, and double spaced.
    On assigned due dates, submit all required materials in a plain black two-pocket
      folder: final essay, all drafts, peer/instructor evaluations, and copies of your
      sources. No essay will be considered complete unless all of those items are
      included when the essay is due.

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      Any essay which does not meet the page requirement or use the listed sources
       will receive an automatic F.

Plagiarism:
“A form of cheating in which the work of someone else is offered as one’s own. The
language or idea thus taken from another may range from isolated formulae, sentences, or
paragraphs, to entire articles from printed sources, speeches (lectures), software, or the
work of other students” (IPFW Bulletin).

You are expected to give and receive help in this class, but all work must be your own. If
you plagiarize, in whole or in part, from library or field sources or other students’ writing,
of if you fail to document properly, the minimum penalty is an F for the writing and
possibly for the course. If you have any questions about plagiarism, ask before you act.

The IPFW Writing Center:
I encourage you to visit the IPFW Writing Center, Kettler G19, where writing consultants
help you write more effectively. They help you understand assignments; brainstorm,
develop, focus, and logically organize your ideas; learn strategies for writing clearly; and
improve your documentation, editing, and proofreading skills. Bring your writing
assignments, questions, ideas, and a draft (if you have one). The service is free. Drop-
ins are welcome, but to ensure help when you need it, sign up for appointments on
TutorTrac through out website or call 481-5740. For more information and Online
Consulting: www.ipfw.edu/casa/wc/

Writing Assignments                            Percent                Due Date
I-Search OR Informative                        10%                    If you wish, you
Review of Lit OR Annotated Bibliography        15%                    may only include the
Rhetorical Analysis                            15%                    the due dates on the
Persuasive OR Argumentative                    25%                    schedule, rather than
See the cover sheet for this syllabus that                            here.
explains the sequencing of and alternatives
to the assignments above.

(Indicate, if using portfolios, how much of their total grade will be determined by it.)

Miscellaneous/Participation                    20%

In-class and out-of-class assignments, text exercises, documentation practice, in-class
writings, quizzes (optional), peer evaluations, paraphrases & summaries, e-mail
assignments, response essays, participation in class, during conferences, peer responding,
etc.

Final Exam
Summary/Response Essay OR                      15%
Final Journal/Reflections



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Note: No matter what your final average may be, you must complete all four major
required writing assignments and take the final exam (in-class writing) to receive a
passing grade for the course. In other words, you will receive an F for the course if
you do not turn in all three major writing assignments and take the final exam.


The last day to drop a class at IPFW is insert date here.



Assignments and Tentative Class Schedule
Please note that this schedule is tentative. Changes may be made in the schedule at any
time in the semester—without advance warning—so make arrangements to get any
information from a classmate if absent. The discussions and exercises are relevant to the
daily reading assignments, which should be read prior to that class period. All major
writing projects are due at the beginning of class, unless otherwise indicted as an in-class
assignment.

FG refers to Bullock’s Norton Field Guide to Writing
WE to Rodrigues and Tuman’s Writing Essentials reference book.

The specific reading assignments on the given days are suggestions for you only. Most
of the chapters in Norton are very brief. You may wish to delete, add, or rearrange. Note
that some of the readings are repeated throughout the semester, as needed.

Keep in mind that during the fall semester, classes do not meet on Labor Day, for two
days during Fall Break in October, or over Thanksgiving in November for three days.
During the spring semester, classes do not meet on Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday in
January and Spring Break in March. Adjust the schedule accordingly.
________________________________________________________________________
Week 1
Introductions: Classmates, course, syllabus
Distribute student questionnaire
Discuss literacy backgrounds, students’ writing processes
If assigning journals, explain
Introduce first major writing assignment and/or journal (I-Search or Informative Paper)

READ:         FG, Ch. 6 (Literacy Narratives) Optional
              FG, Ch. 18 (Reflection)
              FG, Chps. 21-26 (Process)
________________________________________________________________________
Week 2
Continue discussing first paper; conducting research; topic selections

DUE: Literacy Narrative (Journal 1 or minor writing assignment)
READ:       FG, Ch. 8 (Reporting Information)


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              FG, Ch. 39 (Developing a Research Plan)
              FG, Chps. 1-5 (Rhetorical Situations)
              WE, Ch. 2 (Prewriting)
              WE, Ch. 15 (Document Design)
              If assigning the I-Search, read “What Is the I-Search Paper?” and have
              them begin writing up first draft of it)
________________________________________________________________________
Week 3
Discussion on drafting, revising, reading strategies
Schedule some time in the computer lab for conducting research

DUE: 1st draft Informative or I-Search Paper
READ:          WE, Chps. 3-4 (Organizing and Framing the Main Ideas)
               WE, Chps. 6-7 (Searching and Evaluating Sources)
               FG, Chps. 28-29 (Beginning and Endings and Guiding the Reader)
               FG Ch. 38 (Reading Strategies)
________________________________________________________________________
Week 4
Classroom discussion on effective revising techniques, using transitions and signal
phrases, blending reference materials into text
Peer response groups
Discussion of MLA

DUE: 2nd draft of first paper
READ:         WE, Ch. 5 (Revising) and Ch. 10 (MLA)
              FG, Chps. 31, 33, 34, 45 (Classifying, Defining, Describing, and MLA)
________________________________________________________________________
Week 5
DUE: Final draft of first paper
Introduce Paper 2/assignment sheet
Discussion on researching, scholarly sources
Schedule time in computer lab to teach and review scholarly sources

READ:          FG, Chps. 40-41 (Finding and Evaluating Sources)
               FG, CH. 19 (Scholarly Literature)
               FG, Ch. 11 (Annotated Bibliographies)
               WE, Ch. 9 (Using Sources)
________________________________________________________________________
Week 6
Discussion of MLA, APA, plagiarism, quoting and plagiarism, documentation
Peer response (either at first draft or second draft stage) or conference with students
Revisit peer response strategies

DUE: 1st draft of Paper 2 (Annotated Bibliography or Review of Literature)
READ:         FG, Chps. 42-46 (Quoting, Avoiding Plagiarism, Documentation, MLA,
              and APA)


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            FG, Ch. 25 (Response)
________________________________________________________________________
Week 7
Review documentation, revising

DUE: 2nd draft of Paper 2

READ:          FG, Ch. 46 (APA)
               WE, Ch. 5 (Revising)
               WE, Chps. 16-19 (Sentences and Words)
Week 8
Class discussion of sources, in-class progress report on sources so far (or Journal entry)
Introduction of Paper 3/assignment sheet
Review of critical reading strategies and rhetorical analysis of a text

DUE: Final draft of Paper 2
READ:          FG, Chps. 1-5 (Rhetorical Situations)
               FG, CH. 7 (Analyzing a Text)
________________________________________________________________________
Week 9
Review of evaluating sources
Practice with rhetorical analysis of common reading/article for class

DUE: 1st draft of Paper 3 (Rhetorical Analysis)
READ:          WE, Ch. 20 (usage)
               FG, Chps. 40-41 (Evaluating Sources and Quoting)
________________________________________________________________________
Week 10
Groups; revising
Conference with students/classes do not meet

DUE: 2nd draft of Paper 3
________________________________________________________________________
Week 11
Revising
Introduction of Paper 4, portfolios (optional)
Discussion of research, argumentation (or persuasion)

DUE: Final draft of Paper 3
READ:           FG, Ch. 9 (Arguing a Position)
                WE, Ch. 8 (Writing a Research Paper)
________________________________________________________________________
Week 12
Groups work on drafting ideas, sharing research strategies
In-class (or journal) writing/progress report
Discussion of primary research


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________________________________________________________________________
Week 13
Peer response groups
Revising
Examples of portfolios

DUE: 1st draft of Paper 4
READ:         FG, Ch. 27 (Compiling a Portfolio)


Week 14
Conference with students
Discussion of presentations

DUE: 2nd draft of Paper 4
________________________________________________________________________
Week 15
Revising, review of MLA/APA
Discussion of abstracts
Assign tentative abstract; peer response
Presentations begin

DUE: Final draft of Paper 4
READ:          FG, Ch. 10 (Abstracts)
________________________________________________________________________
Week 16
Last week of regular classes
Presentations continue
Final departmental evaluations
________________________________________________________________________
Final Exam Week
Return all student papers/folders or portfolios

In-class exam or final reflections




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