English 1010 is first required GE writing courses introducing students to academic composition. Students will engage in writing as a process, pre-drafting strategies, multiple drafts, peer review, and large and small-scale revisions. Students with ACT English scores below 29 are required to take ENGL 1010 before enrolling in ENGL 2010. Those with scores below 17 must enroll in ENGL 1010E.

The goal of English 1010E, as a rhetorically grounded writing course, is to help you build on what you already know how to do as you become a stronger, more confident, more resourceful, and more flexible reader and writer. You will become more attuned to your goals as a writer, more aware of the on-going conversation surrounding the topics you research and write about, and more resourceful in terms of the appropriate delivery of your information, the rhetorical appeals at your disposal, and the needs and expectations of your audience. In other words, I hope you’ll come to write with skill, conviction, sophistication, and grace—if not immediately, then soon. In the process, you’ll learn how to inquire and analyze more critically, as well as manage information in various forms, from numerical data to interview transcripts.

• Understanding Rhetoric: A Graphic Guide to Writing, 3rd Edition
• Writing Spaces vol. 1, vol. 2, and vol. 3 (Digital PDFs available for free)
• Supplemental readings and videos provided via Canvas

• Genre Awareness: Demonstrate critical and conceptual awareness of genre in reading and writing—including organization, content, presentation, formatting, and stylistic choices.
• Context and Purpose: Analyze rhetorical situations and adapt to the audience, purpose, modalities, and the circumstances surrounding a range of reading and writing tasks.
• Language Awareness and Usage: Recognize and make intentional, critical, and contextually-informed language choices across a range of rhetorical contexts/situations.
• Recursive Writing Processes: Develop flexible, iterative, and reflective processes for invention, drafting, workshopping, and revision.

Grading

You can expect grades to be posted for most assignments within one week of the deadline. I will always communicate with you if my turn-around time will exceed 10 days. Any late work is graded last and not considered beholden to the same turn around window.

Note: To earn a passing grade, all major projects must be completed before the end of the semester.

Grade Scale

Grade Distribution

Feedback and Commenting on Major Projects

Final Drafts for Projects 1 and 2 will have a submission window of one business week (8AM Monday to 5PM Friday) in which you can turn your paper in via Canvas. You may submit your paper at any point during this submission window. In an attempt to customize my feedback to best suit your learning style, the detail of my feedback will be based on when in the submission window you submit—earlier submissions will receive more detailed feedback than later submissions, and YOU control your destiny. For example, if you submit on Monday of the submission window, you can expect marginalia, a substantial end note, individual style notes, etc. If you submit on Friday, you can expect an end comment.

The final draft for Project 3 will be due no later than 5PM on the last day before finals week and will not follow the submission window pattern like the first two major projects.

Notes of Importance

• Your grade will never be affected by when you submit—only the level of detail in my feedback will change.
• Documents that cannot be opened will be considered missing. Generally .doc, .docx, or .pdf are safe extensions.
• Due dates and times are based on Canvas Standard Time and are firm.
• I am always happy to discuss a paper in detail during office hours regardless of when it is submitted in the submission window. Simply schedule an appointment to ensure availability to meet on Zoom.

Informal Writing & Discussion Posts

Informal writing and shorter assignments, taken together, are a major component of your grade in this course. Each week, you are required to write the equivalent of several pages in response to the readings, response to my questions, or conversations with your colleagues. Ideally, you will question ideas from the text or brainstorm ideas for the projects. These informal writings will include discussion threads via Canvas, peer reviews of other students’ work, and other short assignments.

Note: Unlike major projects, any minor assignments, peer review workshops, discussion posts, and your responses will have set deadlines throughout the week. Make sure to note these deadlines in the Weekly Plan.

Class Participation

Students who participate at a high level in our online course discussions will be rewarded.

Technology

Obviously, you need easy access to Canvas in order to participate in this class. You must also have access to some type of media software (like Google Docs or Microsoft Word) and a phone or computer with basic video or sound recording capabilities. If you have trouble accessing Canvas because of your particular computer set up or poor Wi-Fi, you’re going to find this course difficult. Important: You need to have back-up technology plans, because a disabled computer or lack of internet will not excuse you from the work in the course. If you have problems accessing Canvas here are some resources for you:

For Passwords or any other computer-related technical support:

• 435-865-8200
• support@suu.edu
• IT Service Desk

For Canvas help:

• 435-865-8555
• canvas@suu.edu
• Canvas Help Center
• How to Use Canvas

Decorum

In this class, I will establish and support an environment that values and nurtures individual and group differences. Taking the time to understand multiple perspectives challenges us to learn about others, the world, and ourselves. In short, I expect students to respect their classmates and respond kindly to perspectives that differ from their own worldview. Our differences should stimulate positive exchanges, collaboration, and promote mutual understanding.

As in all of your classes, also respect your instructor and your education by coming prepared each week:

• Read the assigned materials
• Engage meaningfully (and civilly) with your peers.
• Turn your work in on time

Decorum violations may result in students losing credit for discussion participation.

Project Formatting

Choosing a format is a rhetorical decision—it’s all about delivery. So, keep in mind that your papers should typically be typed in dark ink, double-spaced (unless it’s a memo), with one-inch margins. Place your name, the date, and the instructor’s name in the upper left-hand corner of the first page. Number all of the pages, except page 1. I also suggest you create a file naming system like:

• Firstname_Lastname_Project#_Draft#
• LastnameFirstInitial_Project#

Your file naming should include at minimum your name and the assignment name/number. This will help you stay organized. Naming and saving multiple drafts (especially in the cloud) can also help you avoid catastrophic technology mishaps.

AI and Improving your Communication

Finally, it might help to conceive of this course as a personalized fitness/sport training program—you've got an expert-designed work out plan, guided practice each week with a pro, and 3 formal papers where we'll measure your progress towards your goals. Just like you wouldn't bring a forklift to the gym if your goal were to get stronger, unthoughtful AI use will almost certainly slow your progress at growing your communication skills. My suggestion is to make sure AI can't replace YOU in the workforce by being better/faster/stronger writers. The only way to get stronger is to move weight.

Late Assignments

There is no secret shortcut to good writing: it just takes time. This course and its due dates are paced to help you manage your time through a significant amount of writing while being as humane as possible. If you find yourself falling substantially behind the due dates in Canvas you should make an appointment to talk to me so we can strategize.

This is a long way of saying: I don't penalize your grade on late work with one exception: Drafts for Peer Reviews (and subsequent peer feedback) must be done on time.

Please also note: I do not offer written feedback on late assignments. You will have to meet with me directly to go over late assignments if you have questions.

If you fall more than three weeks behind, we will need to meet via Zoom before you continue in my course. This is (1) so I can check in and offer help, and (2) so we can develop a clear plan to get you caught up.

Class Policies & Expectations

To pass this course you must complete all the major assignments, fulfill all the weekly assignments, and submit all the writing assignments on time. Though there is no official meeting time, you are expected to log into Canvas regularly to stay up to date with our class readings, discussion boards, writing workshops, and assignment deadlines.

Though there is no official meeting time, you are expected to log into Canvas regularly to stay up to date with class readings, discussion boards, writing workshops, and assignment deadlines.

Active participation in online discussions and weekly activities (informal writing, discussion threads, peer reviews, and other short assignments) is expected and will be rewarded.

Writing Center and Tutoring