Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Introduction to Academic Writing, Extended (Online)

ENGL 1010E-33I

Course: ENGL 1010E-33I
Credits: 4
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: ENGL
CRN: 13833

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. This extended version of 1010 is designed to provide extra support for students whose placement scores suggest they might need extended writing practice. Students with ACT scores below 17 or Accuplacer Next Generation scores below 250 must enroll in ENGL 1010E. Students with ACT English scores below 29 must take 1010 before ENGL 2010. (As Needed) [Graded (Standard Letter)] General Education Category: Written Communication

Required Texts

There are no required texts for this course. Readings and resources can be found either in the course Canvas or elsewhere on line. These will be provided by the instructor. 

Learning Outcomes


Written Communication

  • Construct rhetorical arguments that demonstrate awareness of purpose, audience, and context
  • Organize and use relevant and compelling content for specific rhetorical situations and audiences
  • Use straightforward and relatively error-free language that conveys meaning to readers.

Information Literacy

  • Identify and locate credible and appropriate information for a rhetorical purpose
  • Evaluate sources and attribute them appropriately according to a writing style

Critical Thinking

  • Evaluate and interpret source material and readings using an analytic approach
  • Analyze assumptions about evidence and argument in conjunction with the context of the rhetorical situation
  • Compose arguments that demonstrate a clear reliance on logic and the ability to evaluate and prioritize evidence

Course Requirements


Diagnostic Essay

Your first essay will be a short 3-5 page diagnostic essay designed to gauge your creative and critical thinking skills and to provide me with a sense of your strengths and areas for improvement as a writer. This essay will not be formally graded; you will simply receive full credit for submitting a completed essay on the assigned due date. Failure to submit the essay on time and completed will result in no points for the Diagnostic Essay.

Four Essays

For each of your essays, with the exception of the Academic Research essay, you must complete 4-8 pages, typed and double space pages; the Academic Research essay will require 8-10 typed and double-spaced pages. More specifically, your formal essay writing will require you to:

1. Produce a personal narrative essay by exploring the main experience or experiences that influenced you about your selected topic.

2. Offer a well-reasoned and properly justified and supported media critique essay of a piece of media of your choice.

3. Advance a well-reasoned and well-supported argument with credible, relevant sources (at least four) on an academic discipline of your choice in an Academic essay.

4. Develop a reflexive essay in which you review your work over the course of the semester and analyze and explain how your writing has evolved.

Final Exam

Your final exam will be your Reflexive Essay which will due during the designated final time for this course.

Participation

Throughout the course you will be required to participate in a number of class discussions, as well as, complete a number of writing journal assignments. Participation accounts for a hefty portion of your final grade so don't forget to stay on top of these assignments.

Class Discussion: Over the course of the semester you will be required to take part in 14 class discussions (one for each week of the course). These discussions will be centered around a question that I will pose to the class. You will create your own response (100 to 300 words) to the posed discussion question. You will then respond to at least two of your class mates responses (100 words). 

Journal Entries: Over the course of the semester you will be required to complete 14 journal entries (one for each week of the course). These journal entries will be in response to a text that we look at for that week. These responses will be required to be 1-2 pages.

Grades

You will receive a letter grade based on the the final point breakdown which is as follows:

Diagnostic Essay:                                    50 pts
Personal Narrative Essay:                     100 pts
Media Critique Essay:                            100 pts
Academic Research Essay:                    150 pts
Reflexive Essay:                                       100 pts
Class Discussion:                                     100 pts
Journal Entries:                                        100 pts

Total Points Possible:                              700 pts

Grade Scale and Standards:

A     93-100%                           C+     77-79%
A-    90-92%                             C       73-76%
B+    87-89%                            C-      70-73%
B      83-86%                            D       61-69%
B-    80-82%                             F        less than 60%

A: Shows superior writing skills and a definite trend toward improving writing through significant revision. Very strong in all major areas: content, organization, style, and grammar and mechanics. All required work is apparent and well-organized. Class attendance and participation is exceptional.

B: Shows above average writing skills and improvement through revision. Strong in all major areas with some minor flaws. All required work is apparent and well-organized. Class attendance and participation is above average.

C: Shows average writing skills and some improvement through revision. Average in all major areas with some definite flaws. Most required work is apparent. Class attendance and participation are average.

D: Shows below average writing skills and very little if any improvement through revision. Writing is below average in all major areas with numerous flaws. Missing a good portion of required work. Class attendance and participation is below average.

F: Shows inferior writing skills and a serious lack of effort. Serious problems in major areas. Missing most required work. Serious problems with class attendance and participation.

Course Outline

Week 1: Course Introduction
Week 2: MLA Format
Week 3: Thesis Statements
Week 4: Pre-Writing
Week 5: Organization
Week 6: Introductions & Conclusions
Week 7: Transitions
Week 8: Details and Specificity
Week 9: Strong & Engaging Writing
Week 10: Spring Break
Week 11: Individual Conferences
Week 12: Research & Sources
Week 13: Citations
Week 14: Peer Review
Week 15: Revision
Week 16: Finals Week

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

Assignments must be turned in on the date that it is due. No late work will be accepted unless you provide official documentation. That said, sometimes life has a way of surprising us all. In the event of such an occurrence, please meet with/and or contact me as soon as possible to determine if an extension can be offered. 

Attendance Policy

Because this is an online course, physical attendance is not required. Attendance is measured through participation in weekly class discussions and completion of a weekly journal writing response.

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.