ENGL 102: COMPOSITION II

Calvin and Hobbes comic obtained from Comics (http://www.marcellosendos.ch/comics/ch/1986/01/198601.html)

Instructor: Dr. Shana V. Hartman

Office: GWU Email (svhartman@gardner-webb.edu) or Skype (search dr.svw or Shana Hartman)
Office Hours: by appointment
Phone: 704-406-4482
Course Description: Continuation of process writing with emphasis on argumentation, critiquing, essay
examinations, and research skills. Analysis of literary and nonliterary texts.
Prerequisite: English 101 or the equivalent; Fill out the CERTIFICATION OF ENGLISH PREREQUISITE
form.
General Education Competencies Dimensions of the Humanities
Students will:
1. Develop skills in formulating well-organized thoughts for the purpose of effective communication.
2. Demonstrate the ability to analyze written, oral, or visual forms of communication and create appropriate
responses.
3. Compare and contrast intra- and intercultural realities to cultivate attributes necessary for adapting to and
functioning in a globalized world.
4. Develop skills in effective research using traditional and technology-based research methods.
English Department Objectives:
Students will:
1. Focus on composing arguments.
2. Complete at least five assignments.
3. Write at least 5,000 words.
4. Refine formal documentation skills.
5. Compose at least one textual analysis.
6. Participate in at least one session of information literacy instruction conducted by a university librarian.

Course Materials:
- The Pocket Wadsworth Handbook by Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandel
- a space of your choosing for daily writing and process work (ex. daybook, Mead
composition notebook, a binder with paper, a journal/note-taking app, an ongoing MS
Word document)
- Access to class Blackboard site (Quick link--http://bbapp.gardner-webb.edu)
Learning Outcomes for English 102
By the end of ENGL 102, students will be able to:
1. employ effective writing strategies for various rhetorical situations, purposes, and audiences
2. compose a critical, written analysis of a text, situating its features in a larger context of its genre
conventions
3. compose a welldeveloped argument that demonstrates knowledge of argument structure and
conventions
4. demonstrate effective research skills, such as finding and evaluating sources critically
5. demonstrate evidence of writing as a recursive, collaborative process
6. compose in various electronic environments
7. synthesize primary and secondary sources in writing
8. demonstrate proficiency in using formal MLA documentation rules and incorporating others
ideas responsibly
How we are going to do it:
(unless otherwise noted, all work is submitted in electronic form)
Grading: There is no single right way to writeWriting well isnt about following a particular method or
philosophy. Its about discovering and making the best choices, piece after piece, line after line (Edelstein 13).
This class is not about figuring out how to create an A paper; however, your success in the class is very
important. This class is designed to allow you to demonstrate your success as a developing thinker and writer
(i.e. your progress through daily writing, participation, weekly writing shared, etc.) and your knowledge gained
during this process (i.e. your ability to present polished pieces of writing in your final portfolio). Therefore, your
work will be assessed in a manner that addresses your progress as well as your growing writing abilities (see
further explanation below). It is imperative that you understand the ways in which your progress is assessed in
this class and that you keep a record of your progress. To respect your privacy and our class and personal time,
please schedule a meeting with me to discuss any questions about your progress. Grades will not be discussed
during class, via email, in the hall, etc.
Process Work
- Online Discussions
- Drafts/Writing Group Work
of major assignments
Major Writing Assignments
- Issue Proposal
- Annotated Bibliography
- Researched Position Piece
- Final Exam (E)

20%
20%
15%
15%
20%
5%

Chromatic Grading Scale for the English Department

GPA
Letter Grade
4.0
A+

Numeric Grade
99-100

4.0
3.67
3.33
3.0
2.67
2.33
2.00
1.67
1.33
1.0
.67
0

A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF

96-98
94-95
92-93
88-91
86-87
84-85
80-83
78-79
76-77
72-75
70-71
69>

Online Discussion 20%

Low Stakes
Daily participation for this course will be evidenced by your participation in bi-weekly online discussions. In a
traditional face-to-face class students often read something or are introduced to a concept and then discuss and
engage with those topics during class time. Since we do not meet face-to-face, these discussions, activities, and
low stakes engagement in course content will take place in the discussion space on Blackboard. When the course
schedule asks you to post, this will involve a reading from your course handbook, an online reading provided
by the instructor, and/or viewing of a video workshop provided by the instructor, and posting according to
specific instruction in the appropriate discussion thread. You are also expected to respond to others posts in
order to facilitate online discussion. We will discuss various ways in which such public discussions will work.
See course schedule for due dates for initial post and response to classmates.

Drafts and Writing Group Work (G) 20%

Medium Stakes
To improve as a writer and thinker, you must practice frequently. On a weekly basis, you will be asked to
develop draft of whatever major assignment we are working on during that mini-unit and share that draft in our
class Google Drive/Google Docs space (Note: this is a separate space outside, but connected to Blackboard.
Instructions for accessing this space are on Blackboard). These pieces of writing are considered drafts and
therefore are more concerned with content and idea development rather than perfectly polished sentences or
other surface level issues. The second component to these assignments is the sharing of your writing in order to
get help develop your ideas and your ability to communicate them. Sharing your writing is a key part of your
development as a writer and thinker, so you will share your writer responses to your writing group on a
weekly basis as a Google Doc. Though the schedule will change as needed, you can anticipate beginning your
draft on Monday-Tuesday, developing it into a draft by Thursday-Friday, and responding to your writing group
members drafts by Saturday-Sunday. Assessment for these assignments will be all or nothingyou either
meet the requirements of the draft and writing group work or you dont. The draft and writing group work are
meant to help you have some writing to work with in order to understand and master the objectives for the
course. They are not meant to be a piece of thrown together words just to get a 100. This type of work will not
receive full or any credit. A 100 is earned for medium stakes work that is completed on time and clearly
demonstrates high quality effort. Late work and ineffective drafts or writing group feedback will result in a
lowered grade.

Major Assignments (50% total, breakdown below)

High Stakes
The major assignments in this course will be based on a topic of your choosing and used to explore a variety of
writing, research writing, documentation of research, and argument writing. See below for an overview of each
major assignment, but know that they will build off of each other throughout the course. Draft and writing group
work will be incorporated into each major assignment. More specific instructions, rubrics, and samples related
to the assignments are shared under Assignments link on Blackboard.
1. Issue Proposal (15%): For this first major assignment, you will choose an issue of interest to you and
relevant to your major, career(s) of interest, future, etc. This should be something both exciting and
interesting to you because you will work with this issue for the entire course, though your focus may shift as
you continue researching and writing about it. In order to move forward with your issue, you will practice
creating an issue proposal and have it approved by the instructor. Your goal is to present a clear issue,
usually in the form of a statement or question, describe the importance and relevance of the issue, discuss
initial conversations, perspectives, and key stakeholders involved in this issue, and explain how your further
exploration through research will contribute to the current conversation.
2. Annotated Bibliography (15%): For your second major assignment, you will engage in the art of creating an
annotated bibliography. The Purdue Online Writing Lab clearly explains the breakdown of this assignment
as follows:
A bibliography is a list of sources (books, journals, Web sites, periodicals, etc.) one has used for
researching a topic. Bibliographies are sometimes called"Works Cited[because we are using MLA
style]. A bibliography usually just includes the bibliographic information (i.e., the author, title,
publisher, etc.). An annotation is a summary and/or evaluation.
Therefore, your annotated bibliography assignment will be your opportunity to share the facts, expert
opinions, and examples surrounding your issue. You are required to find 6 sources total, and for each source
you will provide the MLA citation, a summary of the source, an evaluation of the source, and a reflection on
its usefulness in your research on your approved issue.
3. Researched Position Piece (20%): Your third and final assignment for this course is a researched position
piece where you will present an informed, argumentative claim about your issue, and you will present
appropriate and effective supports, based on your research, to logically explain the rationale behind your
claim. Your issue proposal, annotated bibliography, and draft work will be of major use in creating this final
piece.
Final Exam (E) 5%

Your final exam will entail the submission of a reflective piece of writing in which you clearly discuss the
work in this class, your journey, experience, and thoughts on creating it, and how that relates to the
objectives of the course (the Students will be able to statements that have driven the work in this course).
Other good things to know:
Assignments as public documents: All work in this class will be public. In other words, other people may
be allowed to read it, instructor may use work produced in class for professional research, etc.
Due Dates and Late Assignments: All work for this course must be submitted electronically via our class
website and/or Turnitin.com and on time, which is typically midnight on the due date indicated on the class
schedule. However, you may turn it in at any point before this day and time during the week the assignment
is due. After the stated due date, your work is considered late and will result in either a grade of 0 or lowered
grade. Failure to complete any major assignment will result in an automatic F for the course. Failure to
turn in final portfolio will also result in an F for the course. Please inform me of any problems you are
having concerning assignments, due dates, etc. All pieces submitted to Turnitin.com must follow proper
MLA documentation and formatting.
Academic Dishonesty
Using someone else's words or ideas without giving credit with documentation and quotation marks when
appropriate is plagiarism. Plagiarism will be prosecuted enthusiastically. It is the English Departments
policy that a grade of F for the course will be assigned any time a student submits any draft of a major
assignment of which a substantial portion has been falsely represented as the students own. Minor
assignments that are plagiarized will also be prosecuted according to University Academic Dishonesty
Policy, which may result in a Warning Report. Resubmitting work you have done for another class without
getting prior permission from your professor will be considered academic dishonesty. Written pieces will be
submitted to Turnitin.com as part of the English department policy.
Turnitin.com Policy
Students should familiarize themselves with Turnitin.com. It is the English departments policy to use this
service as one tool for encouraging academic integrity. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, all work
submitted to the professor for coursework must also be electronically submitted to Turnitin.com, unless
otherwise indicated in the assignment description. The professor will provide instructions on how to make
these submissions.
Attendance: Since this is an online course, missing two due dates of online work will result in one absence
as well as a reduction in your overall grade based on the assignment(s).
Five or more absences (i.e., missing ten or more online [sessions/activities/due dates]) will result in an
automatic F (@F on the student transcript) for the course, no matter how early or late in the semester this
occurs.
University Writing Center http://gardner-webb.edu/writingcenter
Now located in Tucker Student Center, Room 237, Gardner-Webb Universitys Writing Center staff is
dedicated to helping students. Students can get help beginning, revising, or editing a draft of any writing
(research paper, resume, application, project, or response to a prompt). In addition, consultants have
resources to help students with research and documentation styles (MLA, APA, and Turabian). Walk-Ins are
welcome, however, students should make an appointment ahead of time to ensure a spot. Students can
customize their appointment by choosing a date, time, and consultant while logged into My Webb (Student
Tab, Academic Services, Student Services, Writing Center Appointment Scheduler). Please refer to our
website for semester hours and resources. GWUs Writing Center also offers Skype consultations as well as
phone consultations for distance students. Contact consultants at writingcenter@gardner-webb.edu, come to

Tucker, or call (704) 406-4393.

Noel Program http://www.gardner-webb.edu/academics/disability-services/noel-program/index
If your learning or participation in this class might be affected in any way by a disability recognized under
the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), you will need to do the following: (1) register with the Noel
Program for the Disabled at Gardner-Webb University--(704) 406-4270; and (2) educate me about your
disability so that I can work with you and the Noel Program to arrange necessary accommodations. It is
important that you take both of these steps no later than the first week of the semester.
The Final Exam: The final exam schedule is determined by the University Registrar and cannot be changed
unless you have a truly serious (and, generally, unexpected) emergency such as a death in the family, a
serious illness requiring hospitalization, or an obligation to be away on University business (e.g., you are an
athlete and have a scheduled game). You must fill out the appropriate paperwork and receive permission well
in advance in order to make any changes regarding the exam.
Comprehensive final examinations or assessment products are required in every course by the end of the
semester. If a comprehensive exam is given, a student who does not take the examination during the
scheduled time will receive a failing grade in that subject unless excused by the professor. If the student is
excused, the grade will be recorded as Incomplete (I).

Course Schedule*

Week Dates Topics

Readings and WritingKey
Work Due
Week Dates: This class is designed on a weekly schedule, with each week and its subsequent work and
Week
Introductions
Reading:
Discussion
1 due
before
topics 1:
generally
ending on a Sunday,
and a new week beginning on 1.
a Monday.
You
will on
useorthe
Weekly
May
26-31
to
each
other
If
You
Want
to
Write
Well,
You
11:59pm
Wednesday
May
Materials navigation link to access each weeks content, reading, assignments, due dates, etc. 27;
class
Have related
to Be Willing
Write Materials
responses
due by are
11:59pm
5/29
Topics: These and
are the
topics of focus
to eachtoWeekly
folder (topics
subjectFriday
to change)
Badly
Rosanne
Baneand/or
(articlefrom the
2. Obtain
material
explained
on
Readings and Writing: Readings
fromby
course
textbook
instructor
as well
as writing
by instructor)
"Course Materials/Supplies" page (due
assignments we are working on link
this provided
week
on or before May 31)
Work Due: Specific due dates for all work
All
Major
Assignment
Handouts
3. Complete
Coursewith
Expectations
*This schedule will change according to the needs of our class. Become
comfortable
flexibility
survey
and
Certification
of English
and ambiguity!
Writing:
Prerequisite survey (due on or before
Discussion Post 1: Introduce
May 31)
yourself and share experiences
3. Reading and Discussion 2 due on or
with writing
before 11:59pm Sunday May 31;
responses due by 11:59pm Tuesday 6/2
Discussion Post 2: Response to
reading

Week 2
June 1-7

Developing
an issue

Begin writing down ideas for

course issue
Reading:
Rhetorical Situation (video link
provided by instructor)
Chapter 2 Wadsworth
Understanding Purpose and
Audience

1. Discussion 3 due by 11:59pm

Wednesday 6/3 responses due by
11:59pm Friday 6/5
2. Issue Proposal Draft due to Writing
Group on Google Docs on or before
11:59pm Sunday 6/7

Writing:
Discussion Post 3: Response to
reading
Week 3
June 8-14

Issue Proposal Draft

Reading:
FormattingWadsworth and
video provided by instructor

Final Issue Proposal due to Turnitin on

Blackboard by 11:59pm Sunday 6/14

Voice (link provided by instructor)

Week 4
June 15-21

Writing:
Issue Proposal Assignment
Reading:
Chapter 1 Wadsworth Reading
Critically
Chapters 7 & 8 Wadsworth
Finding and Evaluating Sources
Writing:
Discussion Post 4: Response to

1. Discussion 4 due by 11:59pm

Wednesday 6/17; responses due by
11:59pm Friday 6/19
2. Annotated Bibliography Draft (2-3
sources) due to Writing Group on
Google Docs on or before 11:59pm
Sunday 6/21

reading; questions about sources

Reading:
Chapter 6 Wadsworth Writing a
Research Paper

Week 5
June 22-28

Final Annotated Bibliography due to

Turnitin on Blackboard by 11:59pm
Sunday 6/28

Chapter 11 Wadsworth MLA

Documentation Style (based on
your sources)
Writing:
Annotated Bibliography
Assignment
Reading:
Identifying a Conversation (link
provided by instructor)

Week 6
June 29July 5

Discussion 5 due by 11:59pm

Wednesday July 1; responses due by
11:59pm Friday 7/3

Chapter 9 Wadsworth Integrating

Source Material
Writing:
Discussion Post 5: Practice Body
Paragraph, 2 quotes from 2
different sources
Reading:
Creating a thesis statement (link
provided by instructor)

Week 7
July 6-12

Writing:
Discussion Post 6: Response to
reading
Draft of Researched Position Piece
Reading:
Wadsworth student choice2
chapters out of Parts IV-IX

Week 8
July 13-19

Writing:
Discussion Post 7: Response to
reading

1. Discussion 6 due by 11:59pm

Wednesday July 8; responses due by
11:59pm Friday 7/10
2. Draft 1 Researched Position Piece
due to Writing Group on Google Docs
on or before 11:59pm Sunday 7/12

1. Discussion 7 due on or before

11:59pm Wednesday 7/15; responses
due by 11:59pm Friday 7/17
2. Optional Draft 2 Researched
Position Piece due to Writing Group on
Google Docs on or before 11:59pm
Sunday 7/19

Draft work for Researched

Position Piece
*Conferences with Dr. Hartman
*Conferences with Dr. Hartman
Reading:
Review Final Exam Handout

Week 9
July 20-26

Last day of
course

Final Exam

Writing:
Final Researched Position Piece
Final Exam

Final Researched Position Piece due to

Turnitin on Blackboard by 11:59pm
Sunday 7/26

Final Exam due to Turnitin on

Blackboard by 11:59pm Monday

July 27

7/27
Final Grades will be available by
12:00pm Thursday 7/30