Course Syllabus | English 0492

Course Information
College of DuPage
English 0492 | Approaches to College Writing II
Section 050, Spring 2016
T/R 6:00-7:50pm (SRC 3019)
Length of Course: 16 weeks
Credit Hours: 4
Instructor: Sarah Hughes
email: hughess65@cod.edu
Office Hours: T/R by appointment (BIC 2406)
Phone/Voicemail: 630-942-4445 (ext. 51999#)
Mailbox: BIC 2406
Course Website: bb.cod.edu
Writing Center: SRC 2102 - (630) 942-3941 http://www.cod.edu/academics/learning_commons/writing/

__________________________________________________Texts and Required Materials

Mangelsdorf, Kate and Evelyn Posey. The World of Writing: A Guide. New York: Longman Pearson, 2011.
You will also need:
Internet access, email, and word processing software

____________________________________________________________Course Description
The second of two developmental writing courses designed to prepare students for English
Composition 1101. Focuses on composing longer (500-word) essays and on further developing critical
thinking skills.

___________________________________________________________Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to do the following:
1.! Develop the college-level writing process for longer (500+ word) essays, including cycles of
invention, organization, revising, editing, and proofreading
2.! Plan, construct, analyze, and evaluate texts that they may compose in English Composition 1101
and/or other college courses
3.! Write essays that clearly convey or relate ideas, that are guided by a controlling idea/thesis, that
offer appropriate support and effective organization, and that are guided by a sense of
beginning, middle, and end
4.! Demonstrate critical thinking skills including discovering, analyzing, and ordering information
from their experiences and the experiences of others, as well as summarizing, evaluating, and
responding to college-level materials

______________________________________________________________________Literacy
Literacy is more than simply reading and writingits learning ways of reading, writing, thinking,
speaking, listening, persuading, informing, acting, and knowing, in the university and beyond.
Basically, our aim this semester is to strengthen your writing and critical thinking skills in ways that will
benefit you in and beyond the university. Well write a lot in this course, because writing is more a
learned skill than a talent. Consistent practice is necessary for all successful writers.

_______________________________________________________________Topical Outline
1.! Developing effective college-level writing process, including: Invention strategies, such as
brainstorming, freewriting, response journals, looping, cubing, mapping, and other diagramming
techniques
2.! Using the reporter's formula and other discovery questions
3.! Writing in response to prompts
4.! Organizational strategies, including
a.! Using a controlling idea/thesis
b.! Using essay structure: introduction, body, and conclusion
c.! Considering audience and purpose
5.! Revision, including
a.! Revising to clarify content/ideas
b.! Revising for unity and coherence
c.! Revising for effective order of support
6.! Editing and proofreading including
a.! Editing for sentence boundaries and effective stance structure
b.! Editing for effective word choice
c.! Editing for standard English grammar, usage, and mechanics
d.! Proofreading for typing errors, such as omissions and repetitions
e.! Planning, construction, analyzing, and evaluating longer pieces for writing, such as personal
essays, response essays (essays that respond to other texts), essay examinations, summaries,
and critical evaluations of other texts
f.! Demonstrating critical thinking skills, with methods including
g.! Discovering, analyzing, and ordering information, such as organizing data into logical
categories; making divisions (analyzing into parts, stages, and systems); comparing and
contrasting; using induction and deduction; and recognizing logical fallacies related to
generalizations, inferences, and deductions
h.! Analytical and evaluative reading skills such as reading for main ideas, organizational
strategies, and supporting details; locating thesis statements, topic sentences, and significant
transitions; recognizing generalizations and abstractions; evaluating support; identifying
organizational strategies; recognizing deduction and induction; and interpreting purpose,
tone, and viewpoint

______________________________________________________Coursework Expectations
In order to do your best, it is generally accepted that you spend approximately 8-12 hours per week
outside of class for a four-credit hour course. Please consider your other obligations, such as the
number and difficulty of the other courses you are taking, your job, your family commitments, etc. so
that you are able to devote the time needed to be successful in this course.

________________________________________________________Submitting Your Work

Always be sure to click SUBMIT when you submit your work; do not click SAVE. Clicking SAVE
will store your work as a draft. You can always tell if your assignment has been submitted because
you will have a green square with an exclamation point by the assignment in My Grades. If you do
not see this green square, it means that you have not yet submitted the work. If you do see the green
square, it means that it has been correctly submitted, but I havent yet graded it. Once Ive graded it,
the green square will be replaced by the grade.
So that your file is readable, especially for drafts that are read by your classmates, please save and send
your work as a Word file (.docx) or PDF.

Here are instructions for submitting your work:

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Click the Assignment DropBox tab on the left.

Click the link for the assignment you wish to submit.
In the new screen that appears, use the Browse button to browse for your document and
upload it to this online assignment form (upload it just as you would add an attachment to an
email message).
If you have any extra thoughts you want to share about this assignment, type them into the
Comments field above the Browse button.
Finally, when youre all ready to send what youve produced, click on the Submit button.

__________________________________________________________Academic Assistance
If, at any time during the term, you find yourself having difficulty with the reading or writing
assignments, please feel free to discuss this with me in person or via email. You can also get assistance
at the Learning Commons Writing Center, a really useful resource for additional feedback on your
writing and support at any stage of the writing process, from brainstorming and prewriting, to drafting,
to revising. You can work with a Writing Coach on focusing and developing your ideas, organizing and
structuring your draft, polishing your grammar and mechanics, or anything else related to invention,
composition, or revision. Located in the Learning Commons in SRC 2102.

______________________________________________________________________Grading
It is important to me that grading is as transparent as possible, and you will have many chances to
improve your grade. Each of your assignments will count as follows (note that this grade breakdown is
an estimate).

Grade Computation:
Assignments
Essay 1: Writing to Explore an Event (3 drafts)
Essay 2: Writing to Make an Observation (3 drafts)
Essay 3: Writing to Investigate a Cause (2 Drafts)
Peer Reviews for Essays 1-3 @ 5% each
In Class Work (in-class writing, activities, homework)
Reading Response Journals
Group Leader Presentation
Midterm Portfolio & Reflective Essay
Final Portfolio & Reflective Essay

Points
15%
15%
12.5%
15%
7.5%
5%
5%
10%
15%

Grading Scale:
A
B

89.5-100
79.5-89.4

C
D
F

69.5-79.4
59.5-69.4
59.4 and below

You must receive a C or above to enter Eng 1101.

Writing Process: This course values the process of writing, and the Final Portfolio will reflect that.
You will receive credit and feedback for submitting drafts, but they will not receive a letter grade. You
will peer review your first draft, revise based on the feedback you receive, and then submit to me for
feedback. You will receive a grade when you submit the final version of each essay.

Grading Notes and Policies:

Gradebook: My gradebook is maintained on Bb.

Holistic Grading: Essays will be graded holistically, based on the strength and depth of ideas, effort in
writing and revising, organization and structure, language use and sentence structure, and grammatical
correctness.

________________________________________________Policies Regarding Assignments

Submission: Submit all work via Blackboards Dropbox (under Assignment Dropbox).
Work Return Policy: Your graded essays, homework, and in-class writings will be returned in a
timely manner since writers improve best when they are given regular and prompt feedback.

Revising Your Work: Before you submit the final version, you should use the commentary I have
provided you, along with any helpful suggestions from peer reviews, to help make your final version as
strong as possible. Be sure that your work is carefully edited and proofread so that your writing is not
only thoughtfully considered, focused, well-organized, and researched, but also polished to the best of
your ability.

Grades: You may access your grades by clicking on "My Grades" on the left menu. If you have any
questions about your grade after you view your grade book, please contact me by email. You are also
welcome to contact me about any questions you may about improving the drafts of your projects.

Second Draft Feedback: On your first three formal essays, I will provide each of you with thorough
and specific feedback for improvement. You will receive this feedback on the second draft and apply it
as you prepare the graded final draft. To access this feedback, simply click on Assignment Dropbox in
the lefthand menu, and then click the essays second draft. You will see comments on the draft itself as
well as in the comment box to the right of the draft. If you have any trouble accessing your feedback, please
contact me immediately.

__________________________________________________________________Peer Review
Peer Review Workshops: Because writing is social and collaborative, it is very important for writers
to discuss their work with knowledgeable peers as they revise. The time devoted to workshops in this
class is intended to serve three purposes: a) to see how other students handle assignments; b) to work
on developing useful revising skills by helping others revise their work; and c) to get feedback on your
own work before it is turned in to the instructor.
Workshops may involve a discussion of student working drafts or they may focus on the work of
professional writers working within a range of rhetorical situations. We will be engaging in small-group
peer review workshops throughout the quarter. As a class, we will discuss methods for providing
effective peer review so everyone feels confident contributing. You will contribute to discussion during
peer review and comment on drafts, submitting your comments to me for Participation.

Workshop Requirements: When assigned, you must have a complete draft of the project assigned
for the Workshop Day. Failure to have this draft will result in a zero (0) in the grade book, which will impact
your final grade. If you miss a Workshop Day, you must make an appointment at the Writing Center for
feedback on your work, requesting a signed verification of your appointment.
Please note that on Peer Review Days you both give and receive feedback, and you receive credit for
doing both. If you go to the Writing Center and submit your draft on time, you will receive credit for
your rough draft. You also need to give feedback to two other students at Peer Review to receive credit
for giving peer review feedback.

_________________________________________________________Effective Peer Reviews

You will be doing peer reviews for each of the four essays. To do an effective peer review, here are
some tips. It's more useful for the writer whose work you're reviewing to receive specific advice
referring to particular sections in the essay, sentences, etc., and give detailed explanations.
Here's what not to do: Don't just say Add more details. It's not much more helpful to say Add more
details in paragraph 3. Say why you need more details, description, evidence, or research.
And here's what to do: This is an example of a specific and helpful critique about adding details: "When
you say in paragraph 3 that everyone on your side of the family was extremely tall, I'm not sure how tall
you mean. Some people may be fairly short, like my dad who is only 5'6", my mom who is 5'2," and my
4'11" sister. So for our family, 5'10" would quite tall. But it wouldn't be the case if everyone in your
family is nearly 6', so more description would be helpful here."
Here's another What Not to Do:
Don't say: Paper is well-organized.
Here's one more What to Do:
Say: Your essay clearly shows the causes of procrastination in a meaningful sequence. I think it was
helpful to start with the most common cause, avoiding something less pleasant in favor of something
more interesting, and then proceeding to other frequent causes, being overcommitted, and being
disorganized. Your final cause, being afraid of failure, was the most serious. It helped me to see the
relationship among them. But I wonder if fear of success, which I learned about in Psychology, might
be another cause?

____________________________________________________________________Deadlines
Late Work/Make-up Work: Essays, drafts, peer reviews, and assignment cannot be made up. When an

assignment is due, you must submit it on or before the deadline. However, you may submit one formal
essay final draft late, without penalty. It must be submitted within 7 days of the stated deadline for
credit.

_______________________________________________________________________E-mail
I will use your COD email address to contact you, so please check this account for messages. Also, I
check email regularly and try to respond within one business day (not over weekends). If you send me
an email and do not receive a response from me within 24 hours, it probably means that I have not
received the message, so please check the address and resend.

_________________________________________________________Expectations & Policy

Attendance: To be successful in this or any course, it is important that you attend class regularly and
on time. In class we will have activities every day to help you learn the complex writing skills and
strategies needed for academic and professional success. There will be points given for these activities,
so missing class will directly affect your grade. In addition, students who miss class are less likely to
understand and apply the concepts that are being taught during their absence.
If you must miss a class or part of a class, please ask a classmate for notes or information from another
student outside of class. As much as possible, I will post assignments, handouts, and other helpful
materials on Blackboard. I will, however, not re-teach a class that you missed.

Classroom Etiquette: In a writing course, we will sometimes discuss serious and controversial ideas
as we learn how skilled writers present information or points of view. We will naturally have different
opinions about some of these topics. Our classroom is a safe space for sharing and exploring ideas, for
reexamining expectations, and for procuring knowledge. To do this, our classroom must be a respectful
and encouraging place. We will focus on the writing and how successfully it supports the writers
rhetorical purpose, rather than whether or not we agree with or like the opinion.
Do not use your cellphone in class. All cell phones and similar electronic devices should be turned off
and put away. Inappropriate conduct may result in the loss of points for class activities. Repeated or
serious misconduct may result in disciplinary action, including removal from class.

_____________________________________________________Computer Responsibilities
We will all rely on our computers and the Internet to complete English 0492 this semester, and we will
all be using different word processing programs, internet browsers, and internet service providers, so
we may experience different problems during the course with our hardware and software. If you have
difficulties, there are many resources to assist you:
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Blackboard Student Helpdesk:

(630) 942-2999 | studenthelp@dupage.edu
Blackboard Quick Start Guide
Software and Hardware Recommendations
Login Help

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Submitting Assignments in Blackboard

Student Email Questions
Blackboard Technical Support
Student Tutorials.

Be sure to check out these valuable sites so that we can spend our time focusing on learning to write excellent
essays rather than on technical difficulties.
Here are some other suggestions to make your computer work go smoothly:
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Maintain backup copies of your files in case I cannot open them the first time or your saving device
breaks or becomes corrupt.
Give yourself plenty of time when you submit your work so that in case of computer glitches, you
can contact the appropriate assistance at COD for trouble-shooting advice.
Label your files with your name and assignment title (e.g., ExploringAnEvent-Draft 2-Name.docx).
Submit all work in MLA paper and citation formats.
Save your word processing files as PDF) files so that anyone with Word, Works, Perfect, Notepad,
etc. can read your files.
Submit your .docx files as attachments through Blackboard.

____________________________________________________________Academic Honesty
Academic Honesty: This class values critical engagement, creativity, and, above all, originality. We
will spend much time in class learning to cite sources using proper academic conventions.
Academicians and professional writers take plagiarism very seriously since their livelihood is based on
their writing, research, and ideas. Plagiarism includes not only copying directly without acknowledging
a source, but also rewriting materials in your own words or summarizing without acknowledging that
the ideas come from a source. Collaborative work, which we will do in class, is obtaining feedback on
your writing; it is not having another person write your essays and assignments for you, either in whole
or in part. Having someone else (including web-based sources) write your work is academically
dishonest.
Penalties for academic dishonesty and plagiarism will significantly affect your grade. Plagiarism will
result in a failure of the assignment (0) or possibly of the course.

If you have any questions about when, where, or how to properly acknowledge and cite a source, please
contact me so that I can help you. This is a constant learning process as information becomes available
in new technology-based formats. The rule of thumb is: when in doubt, cite the source.

_______________________________________________________Incomplete Grade Policy

Incompletes are reserved for students with emergencies occurring near the end of the semester (e.g.,
serious illness, hospitalization, or death in the family, etc.) but who are otherwise passing the course
with at least a C to that date. An incomplete will not be granted for students who are receiving an F,
students who want to hand in revised papers late, students who want more time to complete their work
or who are absent on the final exam day. I will consider a request for an Incomplete if you have
attended class regularly, have missed no more than the equivalent of two weeks of class, and have
turned in at least 80% of the work with a passing grade (C or better). I may also request documentation
of the emergency from you. If an Incomplete is given, we will sign an agreement that will show what
work is to be completed and when it is due.

____________________________________________________________Withdrawal Policy
The last day to withdraw from this class is Saturday, April 16th. After that date, students may file a
Petition for Late Withdrawal through the Registration Office. Petitions for Late Withdrawal will be
granted for extenuating circumstances only, including student illness, death in the immediate family,
family emergencies, call to active duty, or other appropriate extenuating circumstances. The student
will be required to provide appropriate documentation for all requests for Late Withdrawal. Prior to
withdrawing from this class, students are encouraged to contact the instructor.
If students have an illness or condition that makes it unlikely that they can complete the course, they
can get a medical withdrawal; please contact Registration for this procedure.

__________________________________________________________________ADA Notice
The College of DuPage is committed to providing equal access to its programs, services and activities
for people with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that reasonable
accommodations be provided for students with physical, sensory, cognitive, systemic, learning, and
psychiatric disabilities. If you feel you may need accommodations in this or any class, please visit the
Center for Access and Accommodations in the Student Services Center (SSC), Room 3249, or contact
them by phone at (630) 942-2154 or TDD at (630) 858-9692 or e-mail at: reuland2@cod.edu

____________________________________________________________Student Assistance
If you need help using any of Blackboard's features, please go to "Course Tools" on your toolbar to
the left of your screen, scroll down, and select "User Manual," which will provide many answers to your
questions.
You can also get great troubleshooting techniques from our COD IT Support Staff by clicking on
"COD Resources" on the lefthand menu. I recommend you visit this page and check out the resources
it offers you during the first week of the course. Note: this screen will open up in a new window, which
may appear behind your Blackboard screen, so look for its button on the toolbar at the bottom of your
computer screen or minimize your Blackboard screen to find it on your desktop.
There are many services COD provides for students to help them meet their academic goals during the
semester.

______________________________________________________________________Etcetera
The Writing Center: Learning Commons | SRC 2102
Conseling Services: counseling@cod.edu
Blackboard: http://bb.cod.edu

Student Portal: http://inside.cod.edu

COD Library: http://cod.edu/library

Course Calendar:
The following is a tentative schedule of class activities, assignments, and readings for the semester. It is,
of course, subject to change. Check Blackboard for updates.
Week

Day

In Class

Assignment Due

Reading Due

Syllabus
Tues, Jan 26

Assign Writer Identity Diagnostic Essay

Assign Reading Response Journal
Chapter 5:
Exploring an
Event

Listen to This American Life ep. 199:

House on Loon Lake

1
Thurs, Jan 28

Discuss Personal Essay Genre

Assign Group Leader Presentations

Reading Response #1

Assign Essay 1: Writing to Explore an

Event
Providing Peer Feedback
Professional Email Communication
Tues, Feb 02
2

Thurs, Feb 04

Practice Peer Review (Chapter 3: One

Students Work and Chapter 5: One
Students Exploration of an Event)
Peer Review 1: Writing to Explore an
Event

Writer Identity
Diagnostic
Reading Response #2

Thurs, Feb 11

Write What You

KnowHelpful
Advice or Idle
Clich? (Heller)

Reading Response #3

Setting in the Personal Essay

Essay 1: Writing to
Explore an Event
Second Draft

Before You Can

Write a Good Plot,
You Need to Write
a Good Place
(Ulmann)

Reading Response #4

11 Secrets to
Writing Effective
Character Description (Scheller)

Reading Response #5

Three Rs of
Narrative Nonfiction (Gutkind)

Listen to This American Life: ep. 520: No

Place Like Home

Dont Write What

You Know
(Johnston)

Group Leaders: Boycott, Velazquez, Flores

!! Writing Personal Essays: On the
Necessity of Turning Oneself into a
Character (Lopate)
Dialogue

Thurs, Feb 18

Shitty First
Drafts (Lamott)

Group Leaders: Kakkar, Klingler, Mejia

!! To Write a Great Essay, Think and Care
Deeply (Mann)

Characterization
Tues, Feb 16

Chapter 3:
Writing Process

Essay 1: Writing to
Explore an Event
Rough Draft (3 copies)

Write What You Know or Venture into

the Unfamiliar?
Tues, Feb 09

The Man Who

Mistook His Hat
for a Meal
(Sedaris)

Listen to This American Life: ep. 175:

Babysitting

Tues, Feb 23

Clarity, Conciseness, and Proofreading

Sentence Structure Practice

Reading Response #6

TWOW Handbook
Section 4: Style
(pp. H-54H-65)

Reading Response #7

Chapter 18:
Conducting Field
Research

Academic Style

Conducting Field Research

Thurs, Feb 25

Assign Essay 2: Writing to Make an

Observation
Assign Observation Notes
Intertwining Observed Evidence with
Researched Evidence

Tues, Mar 01

MLA Style

Group Leaders: Wan, West

!! Anthropology Inc. (Wood)

Essay 1: Writing to
Explore an Event
Final Draft
Reading Response #8

The
Overprotected
Kid (Rosin)

Visual Rhetoric
Thurs, Mar 03

Watch Vsauce: A Defense of Comic

Sans
Assign Midterm Portfolio & Reflective
Essay

Observation Notes
Reading Response #9

Tues, Mar 08

Practice Peer Review (Chapter 6: From

In the Shadow of Man and One Students
Observation)

Reading Response #10

Thurs, Mar 10

Peer Review 2: Writing to Make an

Observation

Essay 2: Writing to
Make an Observation
Rough Draft (3 copies)

Chapter 14:
Visual Design

Chapter 6:
Writing to Make
an Observation

Midterm Portfolio Workshop

Tues, Mar 15

Sign Up for Student/Instructor

Conferences

8
Thurs, Mar 17

Finalize Midterm Portfolio and

Write Reflective Essay

Tues, Mar 22
9

Reading Response
Journal #1 (Reading
Responses 1-10)

Spring Break

Thurs, Mar 24

Tues, Mar 29

10

Midterm Portfolio &

Reflective Essay

Thurs, Mar 31

Watch Food, Inc.

Essay 2: Writing to
Make an Observation
Second Draft

Technology & Youth Debate

Watch Vsauce: Juvenoia

Reading Response #11

The Child, the

Tablet and the
Developing Mind
(Bilton)
The TouchScreen
Generation
(Rosin)

Tues, Apr 06

Student/Instructor ConferencesMeet in
Classroom

Thurs, Apr 07

Student/Instructor ConferencesMeet in
Classroom

11

Tues, Apr 12

Sentence Structure: Combining Sentences

and Avoiding Run-Ons

Reading Response #12

12
Synthesizing Different Voices in a Debate
Thurs, Apr 14

Assign Essay 3: Writing to Investigate a

Cause

Essay 2: Writing to
Make an Observation
Final Draft

TWOW
Handbook
Section 2:
Correcting
Sentence Errors
(pp. H-22H-33)
Whose Culture
Is It, Anyhow?

Reading Response #13

The Complexity of Cause

Tues, Apr 19
13

Listen to Freakonomics: Does Early

Education Come Way Too Late?

Group Leaders: Guillen, Aweys

!! When Scientists Confuse Cause and
Effect (Ridley)
Determining Cause and Its Implications

Thurs, Apr 21

Listen to This American Life ep. 562: The

Problem We All Live With

Reading Response #14

What Makes a
Great Teacher?
(Ripley)
Spoiled Rotten
(Kolbert)

Tues, Apr 26

Understanding Cause through

Observation and Research

Reading Response #15

Thurs, Apr 28

Peer Review 3: Writing to Investigate a

Cause

Essay 3: Writing to
Investigate a Cause
First Draft (3 copies)

14

The Importance of Listening to All Sides

Tues, May 03
15

Group Leaders: Khan, Witt

!! The Culture of Shut Up (Lovett)

Reading Response #16

Masters of
Love (Smith)

Reading Response #17

100 Percent is
Overrated
(Hamblin)

The English Language: Cause and Effect

Thurs, May 05

Watch Stephen Frys Language,

Vsauce: English, and Jamila Lyiscotts
3 Ways to Speak English
Changing Your Mind

Tues, May 10

Listen to This American Life ep. 555: The

Incredible Rarity of Changing Your Mind

Essay 3: Writing to
Investigate a Cause
Final Draft

16

Final
Exam

Thurs, May 12

Final Portfolio Workshop

Tues, May 17

Finalize Midterm Portfolio and Write

Reflective Essay

Reading Response
Journal #2 (Reading
Responses 11-17)

6:00-7:50pm

This syllabus is subject to change based on the needs of the class.

10

Final Portfolio &

Reflective Essay