Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Introduction to Academic Writing (Online)

ENGL 1010-300

Course: ENGL 1010-300
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: ENGL
CRN: 12991

Course Description

The first of the required GE writing courses introduces 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 between 17 and 28 must take 1010 before ENGL 2010; those with scores below 17 must enroll in ENGL 1010E. (Fall, Spring, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): ENGL 0990 or ACT English Subscore or Accuplacer Next Generation score - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C Prerequisite Test (Min. Score): ACT English Subscore (17) or Accuplacer Next Generation (250) Registration Restriction(s): Intensive English Program majors may not enroll General Education Category: Written Communication

How to Contact your Instructor

Instructor: Rebekah Smith
My Preferred Pronouns: she/her/hers
Class Format: Online Asynchronous

Office Hours: By Appointment
Zoom Room by Appointment: https://suu-edu.zoom.us/j/3691296368?pwd=Z0hOZlVRWkZoUGpuTEd5aEh0SllRQT09

Required Texts

  • 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

Learning Outcomes

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.

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

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.

Course Requirements

Informal Writing, Lab Work, & 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.
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 with me to ensure that I will be available to meet with you on Zoom. 
Writing Center Visits
Peer tutors guide students through the writing process by creating a safe space to practice, experiment, make mistakes, and find a voice when writing. Bring your writing projects to the Writing Center in at any stage of our class projects and take advantage of this free service. 
For those of you on campus, in-person appointments are available in the Braithwaite basement and the Sherratt Library. Sign up online for a session at on the SUU Writing Center website: suu.edu/hss/writingcenter/.  Email: writingcenter@suu.edu Phone: (435) 865-8176. 
Online appointments with writing tutors are available for distance learners or per your convenience. I recommend in-person appointments when possible. 
Class Participation
Students who participate at a high level in our online course discussions will be rewarded. 
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. 
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:
For Canvas help:
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.
Plagiarism
As explained in the SUU General Catalogue, “the university’s goal is to foster an intellectual atmosphere that produces educated, literate people. Cheating and plagiarism are at odds with this goal and therefore will not be tolerated in any form. All work submitted by a student must represent that student’s own ideas and effort. When the work does not represent the student’s own work it must be properly cited; if it is not, the student has engaged in academic dishonesty. Cheating, forgery, plagiarism or the use of work belonging to another are all considered academic dishonesty...Except in cases of major offenses, responding to academic dishonesty is the responsibility of the instructor of the course in which the violation occurs. If a student is found responsible for academic dishonesty, the student may be dismissed from the class and may receive a failing grade. Other penalties may include suspension or expulsion from school. Such transgressions become part of the student’s permanent University record.” 
My policy, based upon the Plagiarism Statement found in the SUU Guide to English Composition, entails a failing grade for egregious cases of intentional plagiarism/academic dishonesty or for the failure to remedy instances of unintentional plagiarism after being warned about it. The university policy on plagiarism is available online at http://suu.edu/pub/policies/pdf/PP633Academic.pdf

Course Outline

Though this schedule may be subject to change, I want to lay out a general idea for you of what to expect throughout the semester. The weekly schedules I send out will be far more detailed.

Key:
| WS1:  | Writing Spaces vol. 1
| WS2:  | Writing Spaces vol. 2
| WS3:  | Writing Spaces vol. 3
| UR:  | Understanding Rhetoric: A Graphic Guide to Writing (3rd Edition)
 | Supp:  | Supplemental (provided via Canvas)
| TBD:  | To be determined
| M:  | Monday
| W:  | Wednesday
| R:  | Thursday
| F:  | Friday
| S:  | Sunday
**Assignments will typically be due on Wednesday, Friday, or Sunday
Unit 1: Summary and Synthesis with Writer’s MemoBefore you can build an effective argument, you should consider how to accurately understand and represent other people’s positions. Our first unit explores readings and multimedia arguments focused on the nature of academic writing. In particular, we will consider intersections between composition and Generative Artificial Intelligence, taking on questions such as: “What is the role of AI in relation to writing?” and “How should college English courses approach the use of AI?”

Week 1
Day Topic What’s Due?
| W  | Course Begins!*  | Read: Syllabus and Course Info Module, UR: Introduction (pp. 1-36)
 | R  | Policies and Procedures Optional Course Introduction and Question & Answer via Zoom @ 7:30pm Mountain Time (Recording will be available on Canvas)  |
| F  | Icebreakers, Visual Literacy, and Beginning the Course  | Watch: Zoom Course Introduction Due: Initial Discussion Post
 | S  |   | Due: Discussion Replies, Syllabus Agreement,
Commenced Attendance Quiz
Week 2
Day Topic What’s Due?
| M  | *No School* Beginning Project 1 & The Writing Process  | Read: WS1 Inspired vs. Real Writers (pp. 34-42), WS1: I-less-ness (pp.180-190), Supp: On Unlearning/Academic Writing, Project 1 Prompt Watch: The Writing Process https://youtu.be/AXa22Csh7oE
| W  | Intro to Rhetorical Analysis  | Read: UR: Issue 1 (pp. 37-70) Due: Initial Discussion Posts
 | F  |   | Due: Discussion Replies, Workshops
Week 3
Day Topic What’s Due?
| M  | Intro to Critical Reading and Annotation What does it mean to Summarize?*  | Read: UR: Issue 2 (71-118), WS1: How to Start Writing Assignments (18-32), WS1: Invention (pp.126-129), WS2: Reading Strategies (210-220), Supp: Annotation Basics
 | W  | Begin Project 1 Readings How has AI impacted college English?  | Read: Supp. Reading on AI (see Canvas), WS1: What is Academic Writing? (pp. 3-17) Watch: How to Paraphrase https://youtu.be/oiM0x0ApVL8 Due: Initial Discussion Posts
 | F  |   | Due: Discussion Replies, Workshop 2
 | S  |   | Due: Writing Studio 1
Week 4
Day Topic What’s Due?
| M  | Project 1 Readings, Cont. What is Synthesis?*  | Read: Supp. Readings on AI for Project 1 (see Canvas) Watch: Supp. (link on Canvas)
 | W  | Considering Citations and Writing Identities  | Read: UR: Issue 3 (119-152) Watch: Quotations/Citations https://youtu.be/02XdhmeFgH4 Due: Initial Discussion Post, Draft Work: one summary for Project 1
 | F  |   | Due: Peer reviews of summaries, Replies to Discussions, Workshop 3: Synthesis Practice
 | S  |   | Due: Writing Studio 2 Extra Credit: Annotations for Project 1
Week 5
Day Topic What’s Due?
| M  | Writing!  | Visit: SUU Writing Center Watch: https://youtu.be/pJ_tTKCDAqg
| W  | Writing!  | Watch: Project 1 Revision Workshop Due: Rough Draft Project 1
 | F  | What is a Writer’s Memo?*  | Due: Peer Review Project 1
 | S  |   | Due: Writing Studio 3: Peer Review Reflection & Revision Annotations
Unit 2: Position PaperIn this unit we will build upon the skills from the first few weeks of class, applying techniques to your own writing in order to take a persuasive, well-researched stand on an issue important to you!

Week 6
Day Topic What’s Due?
| M  | Intro to Project 2 Brainstorming  | Read: WS1: Inventing a Topic (pp.107-110), Project 2 Prompt, Supp. Glenn (pp. 205-222) Watch: Crash Course - Essays https://youtu.be/KlgR1q3UQZE
| W  | Intro to Evaluating Sources  | Read: WS1: Is Wikipedia Good for You? (pp. 205-224), Supp: Evaluating Sources Due: Initial Discussion Posts, (Possible Topics for Project 2)
 | F  |   | Due: Final Draft Project 1: Summary & Synthesis with Writers Memo (by 5pm), Discussion Replies (by Midnight)
| S  |   | Due: Writing Studio 4
Week 7
Day Topic What’s Due?
| M  | Intro to Argumentation  | Read: UR: Issue 4 (154-192), WS1 Finding the Good Argument (156-179) Watch: What is an Argument? https://youtu.be/LNkibDGjQq8
| W  | Using Sources as Evidence*  | Read: WS2: Googlepedia (pp. 221-241), Annoying Ways People Use Sources (pp. 242-256) Due: Primary posts,
 | F  |   | Due: Secondary posts, Workshop 4: Evaluation of a Source
 | S  |   | Due: Writing Studio 5
Week 8
Day Topic What’s Due?
| M  | Fall Break  |
| T  | Fall Break  |
| W  | Building a Draft of Your Argument, Thesis Statements*  | Read: UR: Issue 6 (219-260), Supp. Lamott (2 pages), WS1: Developing your Writing (pp. 59-81) Due: Initial Discussion Posts
 | F  |   | Due: Discussion Replies, Workshop 5: Working Thesis Source Synthesis
 | S  |   | Due: Writing Studio 6
Week 9
Day Topic What’s Due?
| M  | Considering Audience and Digital Genres Exigency  | Read: Issue 8 (pp.291-332), WS3: Exigency (pp. 175-188)
| W  | Who is your message for?  | Due: Audience exchange, Initial discussion posts
 | F  |   | Due: Discussion replies
 | S  |   | Due: Writing Studio 7
Week 10
Day Topic What’s Due?
| M  | Topic Sentences, & Body Paragraphs*  | Watch: Topic Sentences https://youtu.be/2R-9T9TgGnE
| W  | Introductions, Conclusions, & Counterclaims  | Read: Writing an Introduction for an Argumentative Essay: 10 Do's and Don'ts (writersperhour.com) Due: Introduction, Body Paragraph 1
 | F  | Writing!  | Due: Peer Review Introduction, Body Paragraph 1
 | S  |   | Due: Writing Studio 8
Week 11
Day Topic What’s Due?
| M  | Organization, Persuasion, Local Revisions  | Read: UR: Issue 7 (pp. 261-290), Writing Center Assignment Prompt
 | W  | Writing!  | Watch: Project 2 Revision Workshop Due: Rough Draft of Project 2
 | F  | Peer Review  | Due: Peer Review Project 2, Initial Discussion Posts
 | S  |   | Due: Discussion Replies, Writing Studio 9
Unit 3: Reflective Rhetorical AnalysisAt this point in the semester, you have researched an issue important to you and written a thoughtful and well-articulated position argument towards a specific audience. At least, I hope that’s what happened during Unit 2. In our final unit you will formulate a reflective rhetorical analysis of your own argument and suggest how the essay might have been improved to better reach your chosen audience. 

Week 12
Day Topic What’s Due?
| M  | Intro to Project 3  | Read: UR: Issue 5 (pp. 193-218), Project 3 Prompt
 | W  | Collaborative Writing  | Listen: This American Life, “Bad Apples” https://www.thisamericanlife.org/370/ruining-it-for-the-rest-of-usDue: Initial Discussion Posts
 | F  |   | Due: Final Draft Project 2: Position Argument, Replies
Week 13
Day Topic What’s Due?
| M  | Exchanging final drafts of Project 2  | Re-read: UR: Issue 1 (pp. 37-70), your own Position Argument
 | W  |   | Due: Exchange audience reflections, Initial Discussion Posts
| F  |   | Due: Workshop 8, Discussion replies
 | S  |   | Due: Writing Studio 10
Week 14
Day Topic What’s Due?
| M  | No Classes  | Thanksgiving Holiday
| W  |   | Thanksgiving Holiday
| F  |   | Thanksgiving Holiday
Week 15
Day Topic What’s Due?
| M  | Work Week and Conference time with Ms. Smith  | Watch: Tips for Project 3 (link on Canvas
| W  | Work Week and Conference time with Ms. Smith  | Due: Final Discussion Post, Project 3 Draft
 | F  | Work Week and Conference time with Ms. Smith  | Due: Writing Studio 10, Project 3 Peer Reviews
| S  |   | Due: Final Draft of Project 3
Finals Week
Day Topic What’s Due?
| M  | Finals Week begins  |
| W  | Late and Missing Work deadline  | Due: All Late Work Due
| R  | End of Finals Week—enjoy Winter Break!  | 

Attendance Policy

Regular Participation is expected. 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.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.