MUIR COLLEGE WRITING PROGRAM 40

FALL 2018
Social Media: A Techno-Tool for Communication

Welcome to MCWP 40. In this course, we will read and write about the kinds of arguments that characterize the
disciplines that make up a liberal arts education. Your writing, for the purposes of MCWP, will engage in analysis,
synthesis, and argument in response to a variety of non-fiction texts. You will be asked, in order, to analyze one
published academic article to determine the elements of its argument, synthesize two arguments for their
relationship to each other, and create your own argument based on an assigned book. These three assignments
build one upon the other, so it is important to consider connections between the assignments.

Instructor: Nur Duru Course ID: 942656

Office: MCWP H&SS 2326 Course Time: Tue/Th 2-3:20pm
Office Hours: Th 12:50-1:50pm and by appointment Email: nduru@ucsd.edu

Texts: Available at the Price Center UCSD Bookstore.

• Muir 40 Reader for Fall 2018
• Hacker, Diana, and Nancy Sommers. A Writer’s Reference with Resources for Multilingual Writers and
ESL, 8th Ed., for the Muir College Writing Program. NY: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2016
• Emily Parker. Now I Know Who My Comrades Are: Voices from the Internet Underground, 2015

Grades: Muir 40 is taken for a letter grade only. You must complete all assigned work and participate in all course
activities in order to receive a passing grade in the course. Failure to do so will affect your grade negatively.
Course grade breakdown is as follows:

Paper 1, Analysis, including drafts, workshops, and activities 20%

Paper 2, Synthesis, including drafts, workshops, and activities 30%
Paper 3, Analytic Argument, including drafts, workshops, and activities 40%
Portfolio Reflection 5%
Participation 5%

Writing Responses: At various times, informal responses are required. Writing responses may be written in and
outside of class. The intention of this assignment is to engage in the critical analysis of texts and to develop
possible connections between class discussions and the texts. It is important that you develop your own critical
responses. These will be collected throughout the quarter.

Workshops: Since this is a writing class, part of the class will be devoted to workshopping writing assignments. In
order to receive credit for this part of the class, you must bring drafts of your assignment(s) at appointed times to
class for workshopping with your peers (number of drafts needed to be determined later). Also, you must give your
peers concrete suggestions for improving their work.

Portfolio: You are responsible for keeping all copies of all pieces of writing submitted throughout the quarter as
well as back-up copies. If an assignment is lost or missing, you are responsible for replacing it. At the end of the
quarter, you will submit your final portfolio, which includes all completed assignments. Be sure to include drafts
with my comments and your peers’ comments on them.

Attendance: If you miss more than two classes in the quarter, you will not pass the class. If you are late or leave
early twice by more than 5 minutes, it will count as an absence. Once class begins, you are expected to stay
through the class. Also, absent students must turn in assignments on time to my mailbox inside the writing
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program office doors or the black drop box outside the office. Class participation, including being prepared to
discuss the assigned texts, is crucial to this course. If you do not prepare or participate in class, you will be counted
as absent.

Conduct: Always bring your reader and assigned texts to class. Assigned readings are to be completed before class.
Please come prepared to discuss the material in a thoughtful manner. Be respectful to classmates and instructor.
Any comments or actions that instigate or contribute to a disrespectful or hostile environment in the classroom will
not be tolerated. Any individual who, as a result of their words or behavior, silences their classmates will be held
accountable. Put away all electronic devices. Do not check email or text messages in class. Unauthorized use of
electronic devices will affect participation.

Late Papers/Paper Submissions: Late papers are not accepted unless special arrangements are made with me ahead
of the due date. You will be asked to use a MLA documentation and format style. The most secure way to submit a
paper to me is in the locked black drop box outside the MCWP office. Note: Missing a draft due date and time will
lower the assignment grade by 1/3 for every 24-hour period. Late drafts will not receive comments from the
instructor. After 3 missed 24-hour periods, the assignment will receive an F.

Turnitin.com: The same paper drafts you turn in to me must be uploaded to turnitin.com via TritonEd.
Turnitin.com is an online database that checks your paper for matches with websites, other papers, etc. Failure to
submit your papers to Turnitin.com will result in an F for the course.

Email Account: Check your inbox and TritonEd daily for course announcements. I only respond to emails sent
from your ucsd.edu account. If contacting me by email, please use appropriate email etiquette.

Academic Integrity: Plagiarism is strictly prohibited. In general, plagiarism is defined as failing to cite quotations
and borrowed ideas, to enclose borrowed language in quotation marks, and to put summaries and paraphrases in
your own words. Plagiarism also refers to quotations and ideas from web sources. See “Avoiding Plagiarism” in
the Reader Appendix for a more thorough discussion. When in doubt, ask me for clarification.

Students are expected to do their own work as outlined in the UCSD Policy on Academic Integrity, including the
translation of work written in a language other than English. Also, it is against the policy to “recycle” a paper
written for one course and turn it in for credit in another course, including any Muir Writing courses. All
cases of suspicious, inappropriate, or academic misconduct are subject to disciplinary action.

Online Course Evaluations: Each MC Writing Program student is asked to complete an online Course Evaluation.
A link to the evaluation, along with instructions for accessing and completing the evaluation, will be emailed to
your UCSD email account.

Schedule (subject to change):

Week 0, 9/27 Th: Class: Class expectations, waitlist procedure, syllabus, introductions. Discuss academic
arguments and what it means to think critically in an academic context.
Homework: Read “Making Good Arguments: An Overview” and “Assembling Reasons
and Evidence” in the Course Reader and A1 in A Writer’s Reference (AWR).

Week 1, 10/2 Tu: Class: Academic Integrity Pledge. Go over course terminology in “Making Good
Arguments” and “Assembling Reasons and Evidence.” Discuss the other assigned readings.
Go over writing assignment 1, Analysis. Complete Pre-class Reflection.
Homework: Read and locate the claims, evidence, and warrants in Miller; read
A2, A3, and A4 in AWR.
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Th: Class: Discuss Miller as well as the other assigned readings.

Homework: Read C2-C3, C-5 in AWR and read and annotate claims and evidence in
Shirky.

Week 2, 10/9 Tu: Class: Discuss assigned readings. Topic: Participating in Writing Workshops.
Homework: Write Paper 1.1 for the next class. Bring 2 workshop copies. Upload a copy to
turnitin before class.

Th: Class: Discuss participating in Peer Editing Workshops. Workshop Paper 11.
Homework: Read and locate the main claim, subclaims and evidence in Gladwell and
Mirani, and MLA-1 in AWR.

Week 3, 10/16 Tu: Class: Discuss readings.

Homework: Read C4 from AWR. Read and annotate Xenos, Vromen, and Loader. Revise
Paper 1. Bring draft 1.2, 3-4 pp., 2 workshop copies to the next class; upload to turnitin
before class.
Th: Class: Discuss readings and Paper 1 grading rubric. Workshop Paper 1.2.
Homework: Revise draft 1.2. The final draft is due to turnitin before the next class starts.

Week 4, 10/23 Tu: Class: Paper 1, final draft due uploaded to turnitin before class. Write, sign, and date the
Academic Integrity Pledge. Write in class reflection on the process of writing Paper 1.
Paper 2, Synthesis assigned.
Homework: Read and annotate Bode and MLA 3C in AWR.

Th: Class: Discuss synthesizing sources and conference expectations. IN-CLASS ACTIVITY—
Synthesis. Conference sign up.
Homework: Write Paper 2, draft 1, 3 pp. Upload to turnitin by 4:00 Friday.

Week 5, 10/30 CONFERENCES in lieu of CLASSES. My conference is:

Day______________________Time______________________.
Each student will meet with me individually for 20 minutes. In these meetings, we will
discuss your draft and any questions you have regarding the course and upcoming work.
These conferences are meant to be helpful and informative for you and we will spend most
of the time talking about your own writing. Come prepared with paper, pen, questions, and
concerns. A missed conference is considered an absence.
Homework: Revise Paper 2. Bring draft 2.2, 4-5 pp. to the next class. Upload draft to
turnitin.com before class. Read Now I Know Who My Comrades Are, Introduction, pp. 3-10
and Part I, pp. 13-115.

Week 6, 11/6 Tu: Class: Workshop Paper 2.2. Discuss readings. Introduce the book and MLA 4-5 in AWR.
Homework: Read Now I Know Who My Comrades Are, Part II, pp. 119-181, and AWR L1,
L2, and L3.

Th: Class: Go over Paper 2 rubric. IN-CLASS ACTIVITY: Introductions and Conclusions.
Assign and discuss how to approach Paper 3.
Homework: Finish revising Paper 2.2. The final draft is due next class, upload to
turnitin.com first. Continue reading the book. Consider possible arguments for Paper 3.

Week 7, 11/13 Tu: Class: Final draft of Pape 2 due. In class reflection on your writing process for Paper 2.
Continue book discussion. IN CLASS ACTIVITY: Developing a thesis, an argument, and a
MLA-style outline. (Homework, next page)
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Homework: Finish reading Now I Know Who My Comrades Are, Part III, pp. 186-284 and
“Afterword,” pp. 285-287.

Th: Class: Workshop draft 1. IN CLASS ACTIVITY—Citing Sources, Topic Sentences, and
Paragraphs. Sign up for your conference.
Homework: Write Paper 3.1, 3-4 pp. outline. Upload a copy to turnitin before the
Friday due date and time.

Week 8, 11/20 Tu: Conferences: No class or office hours.

Homework: Complete reading of AWR L4-L7 by the next class meeting. Revise Paper 3.2,
5-6 pp. to Turnitin.com before the next class. Bring 1 copy to class.

Th: THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY—NO CLASS

Week 9, 11/28 Tu: Conferences: No class or office hours. My conference is:

Day________________________ Time______________________
See Week 5 for more details about conferences.
Homework: Revise Paper 3.2, 5-6 pp. and upload to Turnitin.com before class. Bring 1
copy to the next class.

Th: Class: Workshop Paper 3.2. Introduction of the Portfolio Reflection Assignment (it will not
be workshopped).
Homework: Bring global revision of draft 3, 7-8 pp., to the next class. Upload to turnitin
before class. Start collecting your portfolio materials. Begin working on the Portfolio
Reflection.

Week 10, 12/5 Tu: Class: Workshop Paper 3.3 (global revision). Discuss Portfolio Checklist.
Homework: Work on writing the Portfolio Reflection for Friday. Collect and bring all class
materials for your portfolio to the next class. Revise draft 3 as close to the final draft as
possible (8-9 pp. is recommended). Bring a copy to class.

Th: Class: MLA editing workshop. Sort materials for your portfolio.
Homework: Finish editing Paper 3, 8-10 pp. and your Portfolio Reflection, 2 pp.
Both are due to turnitin on Friday before 2:30 pm. Complete the Academic Integrity
Pledge form, which is due at the MCWP office before the 2:30 pm deadline.

F: Upload the final Analytic Analysis and Portfolio Reflection papers to turnitin via TritonEd
before 2:30 pm. Turn in your written, signed, and dated Academic Integrity Pledge form for
the Analytic Argument and Portfolio Reflection to the office before 2:30 pm. The office
closes early on Fridays.