Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Summer Semester 2026

Writing about Pop Culture (Online)

ENGL 2010-34I

Course: ENGL 2010-34I
Credits: 3
Term: Summer Semester 2026
Department: ENGL
CRN: 21321

Course Description

The second of the GE writing courses emphasizes the development of an effective academic style in argumentative essays that makes use of traditional rhetorical patterns, culminating in a major research paper. Subtopics will vary. Students with ACT English scores below 29 must take ENGL 1010 or ENGL 1010E before enrolling in 2010. (Fall, Spring, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): ENGL 1010 or ENGL 1010E or ACT English Subscore - Prerequisite Min. Grade: D- Prerequisite Test (Min. Score): ACT English Subscore (29) General Education Category: Written Communication

Required Texts

Popular Culture in Everyday Life 1st Edition
by Charles Soukup (Author), Christina R. Foust (Author)

Learning Outcomes

SUU English Department Learning Outcomes for ENGL 2010

1. Genre Awareness

Students will demonstrate critical and conceptual awareness of genre in both reading and writing. This includes understanding how organization, content, presentation, formatting, and stylistic choices shift depending on the genre and rhetorical situation.


2. Context and Purpose

Students will analyze rhetorical situations and adapt their writing to audience, purpose, modality, and context. This includes understanding how different writing tasks require different approaches, tones, structures, and forms of evidence.


3. Language Awareness and Usage

Students will make intentional, critical, and contextually informed language choices across a range of rhetorical situations. This includes clarity, precision, tone, style, and awareness of how language affects meaning and persuasion.


4. Recursive Writing Processes

Students will develop flexible, iterative, and reflective writing processes, including invention, drafting, workshopping, revising, and editing. The course emphasizes writing as a process rather than a one‑step product.


Course Requirements

Course Requirements for ENGL 2010 (SUU)

To successfully complete ENGL 2010, students must meet the following requirements:

1. Completion of All Major Essays

Students must complete all three major essays:

  • Essay #1: Artifact Comparison

  • Essay #2: Consumer Classification

  • Essay #3: Pop‑Culture Analysis (Research Essay)

Each essay must meet:

  • Minimum word count

  • Assignment‑specific requirements

  • MLA formatting

  • Submission through Canvas

Failure to submit a major essay may result in not passing the course.

2. Participation in the Writing Process

ENGL 2010 is a process‑based writing course. Students must:

  • Submit rough drafts on time

  • Participate in peer review

  • Revise based on feedback

  • Demonstrate growth across drafts

Rough drafts and peer reviews are required and cannot be submitted late.

3. Completion of Supporting Research Assignments

Students must complete the research components that prepare them for Essay #3:

  • Annotated Bibliography (6 sources)

  • Research Plan

  • Original Survey

  • Reading Responses (popular + scholarly)

These assignments build toward the final research essay.

4. Daily Online Participation

Because this is a compressed, asynchronous course, students must:

  • Log in to Canvas daily

  • Read announcements

  • Complete discussions and daily work

  • Engage with course materials regularly

Participation is graded and essential for success.

5. Writing Journal

Students must maintain a single document with dated entries responding to weekly prompts.
The journal is submitted at the end of the term.

6. Final Presentation

Students must complete an 8–10 minute recorded presentation based on Essay #3, including:

  • A PowerPoint or visual aid

  • Clear explanation of research findings

  • Professional delivery

7. Adherence to Course Policies

Students must follow:

  • The Late Work Policy

  • The Strict No‑AI Policy

  • SUU Academic Integrity standards

  • Canvas submission requirements

  • Professional communication expectations

8. Required Textbook

Students must obtain and use the required text:

Popular Culture in Everyday Life (1st Edition) 
by Charles Soukup & Christina R. Foust 
ISBN: 978‑1118554030

Readings from this book are assigned throughout the course.

Course Outline

ENGL 2010 – Course Outline

Summer 2026 • Second‑Half Session • Online Asynchronous

Unit 1: Understanding Popular Culture & Rhetorical Foundations

Weeks 1–2

Topics

  • What is popular culture?

  • How culture shapes identity and community

  • Rhetorical situations: audience, purpose, genre

  • Introduction to academic writing at the 2000‑level

  • Reading strategies for popular and scholarly texts

Readings

  • Popular Culture in Everyday Life, selected chapters

  • Popular and scholarly articles provided in Canvas

Major Skills

  • Genre awareness

  • Rhetorical analysis

  • Summary vs. analysis

  • Academic tone and structure

Assignments

  • Reading Response: Popular Source

  • Reading Response: Scholarly Source

  • Writing Journal entries

  • Essay #1 Assigned

  • Rough Draft + Peer Review

  • Final Draft of Essay #1

Unit 2: Consumer Identity & Classification Writing

Weeks 2–3

Topics

  • Consumer behavior and identity

  • Classification and division as rhetorical strategies

  • Using examples and categories effectively

  • Refining thesis statements and organization

Readings

  • Popular Culture in Everyday Life, selected chapters

  • Supplemental readings in Canvas

Major Skills

  • Classification writing

  • Developing analytical categories

  • Strengthening claims with evidence

  • Peer review and revision

Assignments

  • Writing Journal entries

  • Essay #2 Assigned

  • Rough Draft + Peer Review

  • Final Draft of Essay #2

Unit 3: Research Foundations & Source Evaluation

Weeks 4–5

Topics

  • Introduction to academic research

  • Evaluating sources (CRAAP test, credibility, bias)

  • Primary vs. secondary sources

  • Designing original research instruments (surveys)

  • Annotated bibliographies

Readings

  • Popular Culture in Everyday Life, selected chapters

  • Scholarly articles from SUU Library databases

Major Skills

  • Research planning

  • Source evaluation

  • Annotation and synthesis

  • Ethical research practices

Assignments

  • Research Plan

  • Original Survey (10+ questions)

  • Annotated Bibliography (6 sources)

  • Writing Journal entries

Unit 4: Writing the Pop‑Culture Research Essay

Weeks 5–7

Topics

  • Developing a long‑form research argument

  • Integrating sources effectively

  • Structuring a 3000‑word research essay

  • MLA citation and documentation

  • Revision strategies for large projects

Readings

  • Popular Culture in Everyday Life, selected chapters

  • Student‑selected research sources

Major Skills

  • Recursive writing processes

  • Argumentation and synthesis

  • Source integration

  • Advanced editing and revision

Assignments

  • Essay #3 Rough Draft (2700+ words)

  • Peer Review

  • Essay #3 Final Draft (3000+ words)

  • Writing Journal (final submission)

Unit 5: Final Presentation & Reflection

Week 7

Topics

  • Presenting research findings

  • Visual design for academic presentations

  • Communicating complex ideas clearly

Major Skills

  • Oral communication

  • Visual rhetoric

  • Summarizing research for a general audience

Assignments

  • Final Presentation (8–10 minutes)

  • Final Writing Journal

  • All late work due by start of class on August 16

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

Most assignments may be turned in late at a deduction of 10% per day, up to a maximum penalty of 50%.

This applies to:

  • Final essays

  • Discussions

  • Daily work

  • Reading responses

  • Annotated bibliography

  • Research plan

  • Survey

  • Writing journal

  • Final presentation

The maximum deduction is 50%, even if the assignment is more than five days late.
No assignments will be accepted after August 16 at the start of class.

Exceptions — These Cannot Be Turned In Late

  • Rough Drafts

  • Peer Reviews

These assignments are time‑sensitive and depend on class participation, so late submissions are not accepted.

Attendance Policy

Attendance / Participation Policy

Because this is a fully online, asynchronous course, attendance is demonstrated through daily engagement in Canvas. Students are expected to:

  • Log in to Canvas every day

  • Read all announcements and course materials

  • Complete discussions, homework, reading responses, and daily assignments

  • Maintain the writing journal

  • Participate in peer review when scheduled

  • Stay current with weekly modules and deadlines

Failure to log in daily or complete ongoing coursework will be recorded as lack of attendance and may affect your grade. Consistent participation is essential in this compressed 7‑week format.

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.