ENGL 101Spring 2016

English Composition
ENGL 101.18 & ENGL 101.26
Instructor:
Contact:
Office Hours:
Website:

Dr. Dallin Lewis

[email protected]
Wednesdays, 3:00 p.m.5:00 p.m. in the Writing Center; or by apt.
dallinglewis.weebly.com

COURSE DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES

Ill cut right to the chase: this course will teach you how to think critically about writingboth
your own and that of othersand how to apply the principles of clear, persuasive writing to a
range of different genres. While there is no way to become a great writer over the course of a
semester, you will become a better writer, and you will learn how to continue improving your
writing beyond this course.
The English Department at Gonzaga University has arrived at some key course objectives for
ENGL 101 that I have listed later in the syllabus. They are valuable goals worth striving for, but
frankly, I cant keep that many objectives in my head at once. How about we focus on three?
Course Objectives:

Master the principles of clear, graceful prose.

Master the protocols and expectations of academic writing, including: researching,

evaluating and engaging with sources; developing a claim in conjunction with those
sources; and arguing that claim effectively and persuasively.

Learn how to identify, analyze, and write according to different genres

REQUIRED MATERIALS
A notebook or supply of paper for in-class writing exercises.
Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace, by Joseph Williams and Joseph Bizup, 11 ed., paperback
(2014) (ISBN: 9780321898685)
th

The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing, by Michael Harvey, 1 ed., paperback, (2003). (ISBN:
9780872205734)
st

All other readings will be posted online.

ASSIGNMENTS
Essays
You will write six essays over the course of this semester, each of different genre and purpose.
You will submit each paper by Blackboard before class the day the final draft is due. All essays

ENGL 101Spring 2016

will be graded according to the rubric listed below, though I will weight different components of
the rubric according to the purpose of the essay. More details will be provided.

Personal Essay
Resident Expert Report
Response Essay
Research Letter
Film Analysis
Op-Ed
Revisions:
You can revise and resubmit any essay (except for the op-ed) up to two times for a new
grade before the end of the semester. If you would like to do so, you are required to: 1)
meet with me in person to discuss your revision plan, and 2) write a detailed paragraph
appended to your revised essay explaining your revision process. Note that a revised
essay does not guarantee a significantly higher grade, especially if you only fix a few
minor problems. Also note that I reserve the right to take up to two weeks to grade a
revised & resubmitted essay.

Participation
Your participation grade includes attendance, class preparation, completion of all in-class and
out-of-class exercises, and active participation in class, small group and peer review discussions.
Furthermore, no sleeping, texting, disruptive conversations, cell phones, tablets, laptops, or any
other electronic devices are allowed. You will be graded holistically according to the
Participation Rubric.
Exercises:
Over the course of the semester, I will assign various writing exercises that you will be
expected to complete. Some will be stepping stones for your major assignments, some
will be exercises from the Style textbook, and some will be in-class prompts based on the
days reading assignment. Except for the textbook exercises, which will be completed
through Blackboard, you will turn in a hard-copy of the assigned exercise in class. All of
these exercises will be graded on a pass-fail basis. If you give a sincere attempt at
completing the exercise, you will pass. Failing to complete the longer, out-of-class
exercises will hurt your participation grade more than the shorter exercises.
Attendance and In-Class Engagement:
This is not a lecture course. Classes are discussion-based, discussion-driven. This means
that people have to show up and they have to contribute to class discussions in order for
the course to function. You are allowed two absences (excused or not) before missing
class will seriously affect your grade. Four absences means you cannot receive higher
than a D on your participation grade. After six absences, you will receive a V for the
course. Come speak with me if there are extenuating circumstances.
Readings and Quizzes:

ENGL 101Spring 2016

Throughout the semester, we will read a number of essays, articles, and chapters upon
which our class discussions and your short assignments will be based on. Each reading
assignment should be brought to class the day it is due. It is imperative that you carefully
read each assignment and come prepared to discuss what you have read. I will frequently
assign short in-class quizzes based on the days reading. Quizzes will be simple, factbased questions about the reading (e.g., name one of the locations mentioned in the
reading); if you answer more than half correctly, you will successfully pass that quiz.
Failing to pass two or more quizzes or writing-prompts will lower your participation
grade.
Peer Review:
Learning to edit is one of the crucial skills for becoming a competent writer. For this
reason, peer editing will be a regular part of each essay assignment. You are expected to
be diligent and respectful in all peer editing sessions. More instruction about peer review
will be given during the semester.
Writing Center Visit:
You are required to attend the Writing Center at least once for any one of your major
assignments. So that I know youve completed this assignment, ask them to notify me of
your visit. More information is available at:
http://www.gonzaga.edu/Academics/Colleges-and-Schools/College-of-Arts-andSciences/Majors-Programs/English/writing-center/. To schedule an appointment, go to
gonzaga.mywconline.com.

ENGL 101Spring 2016

COURSE POLICIES
A Note on Harassment, Discrimination, and Sexual Misconduct
Consistent with its mission, Gonzaga seeks to assure all community members learn and work in a
welcoming and inclusive environment. Title VII, Title IX and Gonzagas policy prohibit
harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct. Gonzaga encourages anyone experiencing
harassment, discrimination or sexual misconduct to talk to someone from the Campus and Local
Resources list found in the Student Handbook: www.gonzaga.edu/studenthandbook about what
happened so they can get the support they need and Gonzaga can respond appropriately. There
are both confidential and non-confidential resources and reporting options available to you.
Gonzaga is legally obligated to respond to reports of sexual misconduct, and therefore we cannot
guarantee the confidentiality of a report, unless made to a confidential resource. Responses may
vary from support services to formal investigations. As a faculty member, I am required to
report incidents of sexual misconduct and thus cannot guarantee confidentiality. I must provide
our Title IX coordinator with relevant details such as the names of those involved in the incident.
For more information about policies and resources or reporting options, please visit the following
websites: www.gonzaga.edu/eo and www.gonzaga.edu/titleix.
Notice to Students with Disabilities/Medical Conditions
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides
comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this
legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that
provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a
disability/medical condition requiring an accommodation, please call (313-4134) or visit the
Disability Resources, Education and Access Management (DREAM) office (room 209 Foley
Library).
Academic Honesty
Academic honesty is expected of all Gonzaga University students. Academic dishonesty
includes, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, and theft. Any student found guilty of
academic dishonesty is subject to disciplinary action, which may include, but is not limited to,
(1) a failing grade for the test or assignment in question, (2) a failing grade for the course, or (3)
a recommendation for dismissal from the University. (See also Academic Honesty on page 67
of the Universitys online catalogue: http://www.gonzaga.edu/catalogues/PDF-archive/20142015UGCatalogue.pdf
Course Evaluation
At Gonzaga, we take teaching seriously, and we ask our students to evaluate their courses and
instructors so that we can provide the best possible learning experience. In that spirit, we ask
students to give us feedback on their classroom experience near the end of the semester. I will
ask you to take a few minutes then to carry out course/instructor evaluation on-line. Please know
that I appreciate your participation in this process. This is a vital part of our efforts at Gonzaga
to improve continually our teaching, our academic programs, and our entire educational effort.

ENGL 101Spring 2016

GRADES
All assignments, including participation, are graded out of 100 points and then weighted
according to the table below.
Full Course Breakdown

Personal Essay

Resident Expert Report

Response Essay

Research Letter

Film Analysis

Op-Ed

Participation
Final Grading Scale:
A = 94-100 A- = 90-93
B+ = 87-89 B = 84-86
C+ = 77-79 C = 74-76
D+ = 67-69 D = 64-66
F = 0-59

(100%)
(5%)
(10%)
(15%)
(20%)
(15%)
(15%)
(20%)

B- = 80-83
C- = 70-73
D- = 60-63

ENGL 101Spring 2016

Writing Rubric
A:

Thesis is arguable, specific, interesting, and sophisticated (as appropriate for the assignment)
Writing thoroughly utilizes argument types and appeals, presenting good reasons that explicitly
link to and support thesis
Sufficient, relevant evidence thoroughly supports each part of the argument
Evidence is creatively analyzed with depth and is persuasively linked to the thesis
Consistently clear and sophisticated language and sentence structure establish a distinct and
credible voice for the writer
Argument integrates relevant sources to engage credibly in and make a contribution to a
conversation of ideas
Ideas are sequenced logically to develop a coherent and sophisticated argument
Organizational markers such as topic sentences and transitions seamlessly guide reader through
the argument
Language and ideas of the paper engage the appropriate audiences attention and interest
Opposing views to thesis are accurately and respectfully presented and responded to persuasively

B:

Thesis is clear, arguable, and specific (as appropriate for the assignment)
Good reasons logically link to and support thesis, though argument types and appeals may not be
thoroughly exploited
Sufficient, relevant evidence supports the argument
Evidence is thoroughly analyzed and linked to the thesis through discussion
Language and sentence structure are sufficiently precise and varied to establish a clear and
credible voice for the writer.
Argument uses relevant sources to engage credibly in a conversation of ideas
Most ideas are sequenced logically to develop a coherent argument
Writing uses sufficient organizational markers such as topic sentences and transitions to enable
reader to follow the argument
Language and ideas of the paper engage the appropriate audiences attention and interest
Opposing views to thesis are respectfully presented so as to make clear why there are
disagreements about the topic, and writer substantively responds to those views

C:

Thesis is evident, but is either not arguable or overly broad in scope (as appropriate for the
assignment)
Some reasons are given that link to and support the thesis
Evidence is present, but not consistently relevant or sufficient to support the argument
Minimal analysis of evidence and/or explanation of how it supports thesis
Use of imprecise language and repetitive or non-grammatical sentence construction at times
impede clarity and credibility
Paper engages required sources, but does not make a clear contribution to a conversation of ideas.
Overall structure develops a position, but some parts of the essay may be unrelated to the thesis
Some organizational markers such as topic sentences and transitions link sections of the
argument, but some logical links are missing
While there is an effort to engage an audiences attention and interest, language and ideas may
not always be appropriately directed at the intended audience
Opposing views are considered, but they may be over-simplified and/or their treatment does not
advance the thesis

ENGL 101Spring 2016

Participation Rubric
A

Actively supports,
engages and listens
to peers, especially
in peer editing
sessions (ongoing)

Makes a sincere
effort to interact
with peers,
especially in peer
editing sessions
(ongoing)

Limited interaction
with peers,
including in peer
editing sessions

Virtually no
interaction with
peers, including in
peer editing
sessions

No interaction
with peers

Arrives fully
prepared at every
session and
therefore plays an
active role in
discussions
(ongoing)

Arrives mostly, if
not fully, prepared
and therefore
participates
constructively in
discussions
(ongoing)

Arrives prepared
on occasion, and
therefore
participation in
discussions is
inconsistent

Rarely arrives
prepared; Rarely
participates

Never prepared;
Never participates

All exercises, inclass writing are

completed and
consistently
demonstrate
sustained
engagement with
course readings,
ideas, discussions

Most exercises, inclass writing are

completed and
sometimes
demonstrate
sustained
engagement with
course readings,
ideas, discussions

Some exercises, inclass writing are

completed and
rarely demonstrate
sustained
engagement with
course readings,
ideas, discussions

Few exercises, inclass writing are

completed and
almost never
demonstrate
sustained
engagement with
course readings,
ideas, discussions

Never completes
exercises, in-class
writing

Group dynamic
and level of
discussion are
consistently better
because of the
students presence

Group dynamic
and level of
discussion are
occasionally better
because of the
students presence

Group dynamic
and level of
discussion
are not affected by
the students
presence

Group dynamic
and level of
discussion are
harmed by the
students presence

Visits Writing
Center at least
once

Visits Writing
Center at least
once

Visits Writing
Center at least
once

Never visits
Writing Center

Demonstrates a
noticeable lack of
interest in the
material (on going)

Group dynamic
and level of
discussion are
significantly
harmed by the
students presence
Never visits
Writing Center

ENGL 101Spring 2016

COURSE OBJECTIVES
Cultivating character through transformative engagement that empowers students to be a
positive influence in the world. Gonzaga University Vision Statement
Course Objectives for English Composition at Gonzaga University
1. Develop process approaches to writing and speaking that include these key areas:

Explore ideas and clarify ones thinking.

Communicate ideas and knowledge to a range of audiences.

Reflect on ideas and learning.

Respond to the work of others and revise own writing-in-progress.

2. Understand course readings, in part, by posing questions and by drawing connections to
other readings, in-class and virtual discussions, and other course materials.
3. Make effective arguments that include these key areas, regardless of topic, medium for
communication, or assignment type.

Connect ideas and knowledge with those of other speakers and writers.

Support the overarching learning outcomes for reading and arguing by developing
information literacy practices, especially:
Acknowledge and integrate other peoples ideas (oral and written) ethically.
Evaluate the relevance and quality of information, regardless the medium or type
of source.
Integrate the well-chosen evidence from information resources into original
intellectual work.
Employ evidence in ways that enhance the rhetorical effectiveness of original
intellectual work.
Cite and document all pertinent evidence and information resources.
Access a variety of information resources available through libraries like the
Foley Center Library.