Course Outcomes

I have designed weekly assignments and major projects to achieve the following course outcomes (as standardized by the Composition Program within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences):

Rhetorical Knowledge and Purposeful Writing. Student work demonstrates an understanding of the rhetorical nature of writing and language use and successfully addresses academic and non-academic audiences by adopting clear and consistent purposes, as well as appropriate organization, tone, and format, according to genre.

Revision and the Writing Process. Students produce multiple drafts. Student writing demonstrates careful revision in response to commentary from peers (when relevant) and the instructor.

Argument and Analysis. Students write persuasively and analytically. Student writing contains convincing arguments and is supported with evidence.

Critical Reading. Students read to inquire, learn, think, and communicate. Student writing demonstrates understandings of assigned readings, and when requested, incorporates outside readings.

Research. Student writing evidences understandings of citation and website validity, and avoids plagiarism. At the intermediate level, student writing integrates credible academic research.

Technology and Multimodality. Students function in electronic writing spaces, and use technology to compose, revise, and present their writing. At the intermediate level, students analyze and/or produce visual, audio, and online texts, while working half-time in computer classrooms.

 

Furthermore, all course materials and experiences foster the 8 Habits of Mind for college-ready students (as outlined by federally-adopted standards). Habits of mind refer to ways of approaching learning that are both intellectual and practical and that will support success in a variety of fields and disciplines. These are the eight habits of mind essential for success in college writing:

 

Guaranteed Transfer

ENGL 2030 is a Written Communication (GT-CO2) course in the Colorado Commission on Higher Education’s Guaranteed Transfer Pathways program. For transferring students, successful completion of this course with a grade of at least C- guarantees transfer and application of credit in the CO2 GT Pathways category. More information on the GT Pathways program is available at https://highered.colorado.gov/academics/transfers/gtpathways/curriculum.html .

GT-CO2: WRITTEN COMMUNICATION CONTENT CRITERIA

Students should be able to:

1. Deepen Rhetorical Knowledge. (a)Focus on rhetorical situation, audience, and purpose. (b) Use voice, tone, format, and structure appropriately, deepening understanding of relationships between form and content in writing. (c) Write and read texts written in several genres, for specified discourse communities. These communities may include professional or disciplinary discourse communities. (d) Practice reflective strategies

2. Deepen Experience in Writing. (a) Develop recursive strategies for generating ideas, revising, editing, and proofreading for extensive, in-depth, and/or collaborative projects. (b) Critique one’s own and other’s work.

3. Deepen Critical and Creative Thinking. (a) Evaluate the relevance of context. (b) Synthesize other points of view within one’s own position. (c) Reflect on the implications and consequences of the stated conclusion.

4. Use Sources and Evidence. (a) Select and evaluate appropriate sources and evidence. (b) Evaluate the relevance of sources to the research question.

5. Deepen Application of Composing Conventions. (a) Apply genre conventions including structure, paragraphing, tone, mechanics, syntax, and style to more extensive or in-depth writing projects. (b) Use specialized vocabulary, format, and documentation appropriately.

 

GT-CO2 COMPETENCY & STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students should be able to:

1. Employ Rhetorical Knowledge. Exhibit a thorough understanding of audience, purpose, genre, and context that is responsive to the situation.

2. Develop Content. Create and develop ideas within the context of the situation and the assigned task(s).
3. Apply Genre and Disciplinary Conventions. Apply formal and informal conventions of writing, including organization, content, presentation, formatting, and stylistic choices, in particular forms and/or fields.
4. Use Sources and Evidence. (a) Critically read, evaluate, apply, and synthesize evidence and/or sources in support of a claim and (b) Follow an appropriate documentation system.
5. Control Syntax and Mechanics. Demonstrate proficiency with conventions, including spellings, grammar, mechanics, and word choice appropriate to the writing task.

 

Required Material

MLA or APA documentation handbook (such as: A Pocket Style Manual, 7^th edition by: Diana Hacker & Nancy Sommers) or a go-to website with the same information.

 

Late work:  All essays submitted after the due date will be subject to a penalty of 10% for each day that the work is late. Participation points are earned by participating in class discussions, writing activities, discussion postings and other related homework assigned throughout the semester. All weekly assignments (like writing exercises) are worth only 50% of their original credit if submitted late. Discussions and peer reviews CAN NOT will not be accepted late.

Academic Responsibility: As a student you have certain responsibilities, as outlined in the "Student Academic Honor Code: Academic Discipline and Review" (available online). Three forms of academic dishonesty that you should be aware will not be tolerated in this class are: 


1. PLAGIARISM: Plagiarism consists of using another author's words without proper identification and documentation of that author. Plagiarism takes the form of direct quotation without the use of quotation marks or other documentation, or paraphrasing without proper identification and documentation. The fabrication of sources, or the act, deliberately or unconsciously, of passing another author's work off as your own are also considered to be plagiarism. 


2. FALSIFICATION: Falsification consists of deliberately changing results, statistics, or any other kind of factual information to make it suit your needs. It also consists of deliberately changing a source's intent by misquoting it or using it out of context. 


3. MULTIPLE SUBMISSION: If you wish to turn in the same work or use the same research, in whole or in part, for more than one course, you must obtain permission to do so from all professors involved. 
**University policy states that the penalty for any one of these is failure of the course, as well as possible disciplinary probation, suspension, or expulsion from the University. 



Plagiarism, depending on the severity of the case, may result in an F for the course and must also be reported.

 

Course Projects & Grading

I will calculate your grade based on these different criteria:

20%                       Exploratory Research Project (research log & reflective essay)

15%                       Critical Analysis Project (logical map & essay)

25%                       Final Rhetorical Advocacy Project (multimodal)

10%                       Final Reflection (multimodal)

30%                       Participation in writing exercises, discussions & peer reviews

Notice that your participation grade is based on various weekly assignments that you will do (discussion posts, writing assignments and grammar quizzes) and submit throughout the semester. Your weekly writing exercises are worth only 50% of the original credit if submitted late. Discussion & peer reviews cannot be submitted late.

 

Discussion Posts 

In several modules (though not all), you will be asked to utilize the Discussion Forum that Canvas provides. The number of posts and the content of those posts will change each week, depending on the objective of the discussion, but some criteria is static. 

For example, I will grade your participation points by assessing the following: 
 

 1. that your post is of appropriate length (aim for at least 100 words per post unless requirements ask for more) and demonstrates your knowledge of the topic (make insightful and informed comments that prove your ability to think critically and to add significantly to the topic of discussion);

2. that your post makes a genuine attempt at grammatical correctness, establishing your professional ethos;

3. that your post is respectful, professional, thoughtful and specific (rather than "I really like what you said here," specifically note what you liked);


4. that your posts far more substantial than "great" or "cool. I agree"; 

5. that you post on more than one day per week, to engage in a discussion (part speaking, part listening and returning to the conversation); and, finally,


6. that you respond to at least two classmates' post (see specific discussion prompt for weekly changes to this one), so that your discussion is clearly with one another (your classmates are your primary audience).

You're smart cookies with lots to say; this shouldn't be hard. Complete submissions that meet all above requirements and contribute significantly to the discourse will receive full credit. 

I will monitor these discussions carefully and will contribute myself from time to time. And if I see a problem with only one or two individuals, I'll contact you personally with tips on how to improve for a better grade. If there is a class-wide issue to address, I'll do so with the whole group. 

Essays 

 The grading of each writing assignment is based upon this general philosophy: that a ‘C’ is an average grade. It is not bad, nor is it excellent. It is average—competent. An above average paper deserves a ‘B’ and an excellent paper deserves an ‘A.’ 

** You have the option of re-writing each major essay for a better grade (the Exploratory Research Reflective Essay or the Critical Analysis map or essay). The new grade earned will replace the original grade. This is only an option; you do not have to re-write. Your re-write must be accompanied by a brief letter explaining the changes you made to improve the text.

All essays submitted after the due date will be subject to a penalty of 10% for each day that the work is late. Weekly writing exercises are worth only 50% if submitted late and discussions/peer reviews can not be submitted late.

 

Course Grading Scale 

 

ACADEMIC RESPONSIBILITY

Academic Ethics and Plagiarism
 You must do your own original work in this course—and appropriately identify that portion of your work which is collaborative with others, or borrowed from others, or which is your own work from other contexts. When you quote passages or use ideas from others, you are legally and ethically obliged to acknowledge that use, following appropriate conventions for documenting sources.  If you have doubts about whether or not you are using your own or others’ writing ethically and legally, ask me.  Follow this primary principle:  Be up front and honest about what you are doing and about what you have contributed to a project.  

According to the UCD Course Catalog:

Plagiarism is the use of another person’s distinctive ideas or words without acknowledgement.  The incorporation of another person’s work into one’s own requires appropriate identification and acknowledgement, regardless of the means of appropriation.  The following are considered to be forms of plagiarism when the sources are not noted:

• Word-for-word copying of another person’s ideas or words
• The mosaic (the interspersing of one’s own words here and there while, in essence, copying another’s work)
• The paraphrase (the rewriting of another’s work, yet still using their fundamental idea or theory)
• Fabrication (inventing or counterfeiting sources)
• Submission of another’s work as one’s own
• Neglecting quotation marks on material that is otherwise acknowledged
• Falsification (deliberately changing results, statistics, or any other factual information to suit your needs).

In addition, if you plan to use a paper from another class and do not obtain my permission, it is considered plagiarism.

 

For further definition and explanation, go to: http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/CLAS/faculty-staff/policies/Pages/DefinitionofAcademicDishonesty.aspx.

 

This course assumes your knowledge of these policies and definitions. Failure to adhere to them can result in penalties ranging from failure of the assignment or the course to dismissal from the University; so, be informed and be careful.

 

ONLINE SUCCESS

Learning online is both a great educational opportunity and challenge.  Although you can better schedule your course time around your needs, you also must take a greater responsibility for managing your time and getting your work done.  Not having to travel to campus is a great advantage (and saves on parking), but you will find that not having a "traditional" class means you have to do more written work because you cannot receive the "traditional" grades for class participation through attendance.

 

This course is not self-paced. You will have work to complete each week: discussions, assignments, and other activities. The ultimate success of the course rests on your shoulders.

 

Most importantly, please be assured that I want all students to learn and to receive the good grades they deserve. I spend a lot of time seeking the best ways to include all learning styles and invite varied opinions into this course in a way that allows everyone to feel safe and heard.  So, please make an appointment with me should you have undue difficulty with your work in the course or the classroom context. 

Message from the CU Denver CARE Team University of Colorado Denver is committed to and cares about all students.  If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed, hopeless, depressed, and/or experiencing life stressors that are interfering with academic or personal success, supportive services are available. The Student and Community Counseling Center (located in Tivoli 454) provides cost-free and confidential mental health services to help students manage personal challenges that impact emotional or academic wellbeing. You can learn more at: http://www.ucdenver.edu/life/services/counseling-center or by calling 303-556- 4372. If you have an immediate concern about the behavior or safety of a student at CU Denver, help by making a referral to the Campus Assessment, Response & Evaluation (CARE) Team. The CARE Team's purpose is to promote a safe and productive learning, living, and working environment by addressing the needs of students, faculty, and staff. If you or a classmate are in need of help, please submit a concern at www.ucdenver.edu/care or call 303-352-3579. In case of emergency please call 911.

 

“Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.”

-Zora Neal Hurston

To review official CU Denver dates (Late Add Date, Breaks, Financial Obligations, etc...), please visit the CU Denver fall 2020 Academic Calendar.