English 112 17PR

College Composition II
Spring 2017
Syllabus

Instructor: Beth Bensen

Course Time: TuTh 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Classroom: Parham Road Campus (PRC), Massey LTC (MLTC) 225
Course Web site: http://bbensen-barber.com/2014springeng112/
Email: ebensen @reynolds.edu
Office: PRC, BH 220H
Office Phone: 804.523.5754

Office Hours:
W 9:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m.
TuTh 2:30 p.m. 3:30 p.m.

Virtual Office Hours: I will respond to emails and

voice mails as quickly as possible. If you do not
receive a response from me within 24 hours during
the work week (M-F), please send another email or
call my office phone again.

The best times to reach me in my office by phone or in person are during my W and TuTh
scheduled office hours. Otherwise, please contact me by email.

Text Books and Purchase Materials

Required Purchase Textbooks:

o Seyler, Dorothy U. Read, Reason, Write: An Argument Text and Reader. 11th ed. McGraw
Hill, 2015.

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Recommended Purchase Textbooks:

o Hacker, Diane. A Writers Reference. 8th ed. Boston:
Bedford/St. Martins, 2014.
o Gilbaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research
Papers. 7th ed. New York: MLA, 2009.

Additional Purchase Materials:

o Required: (free) An open mind and willingness to take on new challenges.
o Required: Since we will meet in a computer classroom, please purchaseand bring to
classa thumb drive, flash drive, or other plug-in device for saving documents regularly. In
addition to saving to your hard drives, it is important that you
develop a habit of saving to plug-in devices as well (and/or use
iCloud, Google drive, digital drop box, etc.).
o Required: Reliable Internet connectivity outside of the college.
o Required: Reliable access to Microsoft Office or equivalent
technology.
o Required: Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash Player, Media Player
o Recommended: A collegiate dictionary and thesaurus.
o Recommended: 3-ring binder or 2-pocket folder to file class
handouts.

Course Description
Prerequisites: ENG 111 or its equivalent. A grade of C or better in ENG 111 is
recommended.
ENG 112 has been designated as a "writing intensive" course according to standards developed
by the English department.
If you did not pass ENG 111 with a C or better, it is highly recommended
that you repeat the course before taking ENG 112.
This particular section of ENG 112 incorporates a visual element and digital technology. We
currently live in a media-rich world, which requires us to analyze and interpret visual, audio, and
digital texts on a daily basis. In this course we will examine visual, verbal, and digital texts by
delving deeply into the ways the visual, verbal, and digital work together to develop arguments.
We will also utilize digital technologies to enhance and develop arguments and conduct research.

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ENG 112 Statement of Purpose

ENG 112 will strengthen the academic writing and reading skills learned in ENG 111. Students
will further develop strategies to become active, critical, analytical readers of texts. Students
will write papers and compose other texts that analyze, interpret, evaluate and respond to a
variety of print and non-print texts. A major focus of ENG 112 will be techniques of academic
research and argumentation.
General Course Goals
o Continue to adapt the writing process to a variety of tasks, formats, and genres, with a
primary focus on the research process and argumentation
o Demonstrate academic integrity and intellectual inquiry
o Produce researched essays that are based on the readings of a variety of credible texts,
grounded in evidence, and appropriately documented
o Recognize when the rhetorical situation requires integration of credible sources; effectively
locate and evaluate researched source materials
o Continue to demonstrate oral communication skills to include producing and delivering,
either individually or collaboratively, at least one prepared oral report
o Use digital technologies for several purposes, such as composing, editing, collaborating,
researching, and publishing
o Continue to edit texts with consideration to surface features such as syntax, usage,
punctuation, and spelling that are appropriate for the rhetorical situation
The following are course outcomes specific to ENG 112.
Rhetorical Knowledge
By the end of ENG 112, students shall
o
o
o
o
o

Recognize and employ elements of argumentation and the rhetorical situation in academic
texts; produce argumentative texts appropriate for academic audiences
Analyze the rhetorical expectations of a variety of audiences
Use appropriate documentation styles
Use research effectively to accomplish specific rhetorical purposes
Deliver academic texts in print, digital, visual, or oral modes

Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing Processes

By the end of ENG 112, students shall
o Distinguish between popular and scholarly sources
o Determine the extent of information needed when constructing academic arguments or
researched papers
o Read effectively based on the reading task; use credible resources to produce accurately
documented essays
o Evaluate, integrate, and synthesize information from primary and secondary sources
o Analyze the ethical, economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of and access to
information

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Oral Communication
By the end of ENG 112, students shall
o
o
o

Participate in interactive discussions, peer reviews, and one or more formal individual and/or
group oral presentations
Use non-verbal cues as an essential aspect of self-presentation
Demonstrate use of listening skills

Digital Technologies
By the end of ENG 112, students shall
o
o

Use available electronic environments for drafting, revising, reviewing, editing and
submitting texts
Locate, evaluate, organize, and use research material collected from a variety of modes to
include print, digital, aural, and/or visual sources, including scholarly library databases and
informal digital networks
Disseminate texts in both print and electronic forms

Course Requirements

WARNING: This class is reading-, writing-, thinking-, listening-, and

speaking-intensive.
Please review the Reynolds Student Handbook to familiarize yourselves
with the college Learning Environment Principals.
ENG 112 requires you to be present both in mind and body. Expect to
participate in class discussion, collaborate with classmates, compose drafts
in class, conduct freewriting, and share your writing with classmates.
With this in mind, in order to keep up with the fast pace of this course, it is
imperative that you attend class regularly and remain abreast of readings
and assignments.

Attendance Policy: Attendance is included in your class participation grade, which is worth
10% of your semester grade. I do not calculate your attendance grade until the end of the
semester. Please keep in mind that if the class meets for 45 sessions and you are absent ten times,
you will receive 35 out of 45 points, which is equivalent to a C or 78%. As a conscientious
student and as a student involved in a community of learners, you are required to attend class
regularly. Arriving more than five (5) minutes late will result in a tardy; three (3) late arrivals
will result in one (1) absence. Likewise, departing from class more than five minutes before
dismissal will also result in a tardy. Do not use class time to notify me about absences, late

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arrivals, or early departures. Speak with me either before or after class or see me during my
scheduled office hours.
Excused vs. Unexcused Absences: I appreciate receiving emails
concerning an absence; however, simply sending an email, presenting a note
from a doctor or lawyer, or discussing your absence with me do not excuse
missed classes. An absence is an absence. To be fair to all students, I do not
differentiate between excused or unexcused absences. I do not consider a
maximum number of absences, but should you abuse this policy, you could
jeopardize your final semester grade. Use your absences wisely.
Per Reynolds College Attendance Policy 1-3, you will be involuntarily withdrawn from the
course to receive a full refund for failure to attend class by the 15% attendance drop deadline (27
Jan 2017) if you have not participated in class activities at least once prior to this date. You will
also be involuntarily withdrawn and receive a grade of W if you stop attending class for a period
of two weeks by the final 60% attendance drop deadline (27 Mar 2017). If applicable, these
actions could impact your financial aid. Should you need to miss an inordinate number of
classes, you might consider withdrawing from the course or risk receiving a failing grade at the
end of the semester.
Withdrawal Policy: Before withdrawing from the course, please contact me to discuss your
academic standing in the class. Also, prior to withdrawing, contact a financial aid specialist to
discuss any potential impact a withdrawal may have on your eligibility for financial aid.
Withdrawals also count as an attempt and may therefore impact your ability to take a repeated
course (see Repeated Course Statement in the section titled Enrollment Policies and
Procedures in the College Catalogue).
After the add/drop period, a student may withdraw without academic penalty, and receive a
grade of W, if withdrawal is officially completed prior to the last date to withdraw listed on
Course Schedule and in the Course Syllabus. Please refer to Policy 1-10 Student Initiated
Withdrawal for withdrawal procedures and specifics.
Important: If you decide not to complete a course you must officially withdraw from the course
by following the stated procedures in the College Catalogue. After the last date to withdraw, I
will consider extenuating circumstances on a case-by-case basis. However, you must contact me
within one week of circumstances.
Repeated Course Policy: Students are normally limited to two (2) enrollments in the same
course. Prior to registering to take a course for a third time, students must submit a completed
Request to Repeat Course Form with all required approvals, and documentation of extenuating
circumstances to a campus Student Success Center. Repeat approval is not required for certain
exempted courses, and all attempted hours and grade points for these courses will be calculated
in the GPA. (College Catalogue)

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Students with Disabilities: Per Reynolds college policy 1-15, Eligibility of Students with
Disabilities to Receive Accommodations (also found in the Student Handbook), special
services/accommodations are provided to assist students in accessing programs and activities
offered by the college. Should you require special needs, please register with the Office of
Student Accommodations (Downtown Campus 804.523.5628, or Parham Road Campus and
Western Campus 804.523.5289). Please provide documentation of your disability.
For further details go to the following URL: http://www.reynolds.edu/studentaffairs/accom.htm
Student Conduct Policy: In order to achieve the best learning environment possible for this
class, Reynolds administrators, faculty, and staff expect students to adhere to the highest
behavioral standards. All forms of disruptive behavior will not be tolerated in this course.
Disruptive behavior can be defined as behavior that interferes with the teaching and learning
process. As such, any disruptive behavior will be addressed by the instructor and/or reported to
the Dean of Student Affairs for judicial processing.
In addition, please note that three (3) incidents of disruptive behavior may result in a zero for
participation in your overall grade. Single incidents that are severe will result in the loss of
participation credit for the course (i.e. earning a failing grade). Should your behavior become
disruptive, I reserve the right to file a Behavior Intervention Referral Form in the Office
of Student Affairs. Please review policy number 2-18 (Classroom Interruptions)for further
details
Types of behavior viewed as disruptive in this class include but are not limited to the following:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

talking during lectures;

cell phones ringing in the middle of a lecture; exiting class to respond to a cell phone call;
sending or responding to texts during class;
arriving to class late; departing class early;
arguing with other students in the class;
speaking rudely to instructor or classmates;
sleeping in class;
computer classroom (unless required for in-class work): surfing the net for info not
relevant to the days course work; checking email during class time; completing homework
for other classes, accessing and participating in activities on social networking sites (i.e.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.).

If you have any questions regarding the Reynolds Student Conduct Policy (Policy 1-35),
please refer to the Student Handbook online, or contact the Office of Student Affairs at
804.523.5296.
Electronic Devices Policy: Unless required for in-class work, any electronic sound devices, with
or without earphones, such as iPods, laptops, pagers, cellular telephones, electronic games, portable
televisions, radio/tape players, etc. are prohibited in classrooms, laboratories, and Learning
Resource Centers and should be turned off. Please review the Reynolds Student Handbook, policy
number 2-19 (Electronic Devices on Campus) for further details.

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Unless required for in-class work, stow cell phones, laptops, and listening
devices in purses or back packs. Should you forget to turn off your cell
phone and it rings or vibrates, quickly turn it off without being disruptive to
the class. Listening to portable iPods and/or answering your cell phone in
class or walking out of class to answer your cell phone will result in the
filing of a Behavior Intervention Referral Form. No exceptions.
Academic Honesty/Plagiarism Policy: Plagiarism is not acceptable.
Students who plagiarize will either receive a failing grade on the assignment
or fail the course; depending on the severity of the violation, students may
also be reported to the Office of Student Affairs for disciplinary action and
for the filing of a Behavior Intervention Referral Form.
Reynolds Academic Honesty Policy 1-34 defines plagiarism and the consequences of it. Please
consult the online Reynolds Student Handbook for complete details and definitions of academic
dishonesty and plagiarism.
SafeAssign: SafeAssign is a program designed to scan student documents for instances of
plagiarism. I will be asking you to submit your work through SafeAssign periodically during the
semester. It is not my intent to catch students plagiarizing; rather, it is my desire to use
SafeAssign as a learning tool to ensure you understand your responsibilities. Should SafeAssign
identify violations of plagiarism, I will email formal notification of a first violation before filing
a Behavior Intervention Referral Form. Please understand that if you do not respond to my
efforts to contact you, I will make note of this on Behavior Intervention Referral Form. In some
instances I will offer you the opportunity to revise your work. Subsequent violations of
plagiarism will result in automatic failure from the class and the filing of a Behavior Intervention
Referral Form with the Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vice President of
Academic Affairs, and Vice President of Student Affairs.
Blackboard: Blackboard is the online course management platform in use at Reynolds that will
supplement ENG 112. In addition to accessing the course syllabus and assignments, you will
write in-class and out-of-class responses to reading assignments in assigned textbooks, to
handouts, to electronic reading assignments, etc. Responses may be in the form of freewriting
sessions, journal topics, and out-of-class writing assignments in Blackboard. Please be aware that
I will provide hard copies of assignment sheets, but not all supporting documents; you will be
able to access copies of assignments and supporting documents by clicking on the Weekly
Content button or the Course Documents button on the Course Menu in Blackboard to enter
the appropriate folder to print and read copies. Check Blackboard often for updates and
changes to the schedule or to assignments.
Email Policy: Per Reynolds Policy 1-8, email is the official method of communication. All
faculty must communicate with their students using their college email accounts. Please develop

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a habit of checking your college accounts often, as I will communicate with you using only your
college email addresses. Your email accounts became active when you were assigned a user
name and password. Go to My Reynolds Log-in for access to your email account, Blackboard,
etc.
Late Assignment Policy: Unless otherwise notified, all assignments are due in Blackboard by
midnight on the due date specified on the course schedule. Word process all assignments
prepared outside of class time.
You are allowed ONE late assignment without penalty during the
semester; otherwise, I do not accept late assignments. Use this policy
wisely.
I will not accept a late paper if you turn it in after I have returned graded
papers.
Technology problems are NOT an excuse for multiple late assignments!
While I understand problems that occur when using technology, it is your responsibility to
complete assignments well in advance of due dates to avoid last minute issues like
malfunctioning printers, crashing computers, or loss of Internet connections that might prevent
turning in assignments in a timely fashion. Save your work on multiple devices OFTEN: hard
drive, flash drive, iCloud, digital drop box, etc. Should your home computers fail, you have
access to the college computer labs on all three campuses.
Follow the Schedule of Assignments carefully, and write down any assignments I announce in
class to ensure adequate preparation for in-class assignments, as well as for your responsibilities
outside of class. You are responsible for completing all reading assignments even if we do not
discuss all of them in class, and bring assigned text(s) to class. It is a good idea to keep all
graded and ungraded assignments in a folder or binder, as you will refer to returned assignments
over the semester. It is equally beneficial to save all class work in an electronic folder on your
desktop and on your plug-in device, as you will refer to electronically returned assignments over
the semester.
General Classroom Guidelines: Like ENG 111, ENG 112 is a course that requires A LOT of
writing and reading. In addition to writing and reading, ENG 112 will also require you to
conduct research and compose well-developed arguments. You need to incorporate ample time
into your schedules to complete assignments in a timely manner. Since this course is labor
intensive, missed assignments will be difficult to make up. Pay close attention to the course
schedule and contact a classmate or me if you should miss announcements of assignments due to
absences. I will expect you to submit homework assignments on time even if you are absent the
day the class receives the assignment. Additionally, you will not be able to make up any in-class
assignments. Should you find you are falling behind or are having problems, please contact me
as soon as possible. Monitor your progress regularly to avoid any possible downfalls.

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Peer Review Policy: I will schedule periodic peer review workshops to improve your editing
and proofreading skills. Failure to attend class on scheduled peer review days will result in an
absence, a zero for the days assignment, and a decrease of one letter grade on your final paper
grade. Bring a COMPLETE WORD PROCESSED DRAFT on peer review days; arriving
without a copy of your paper or with an incomplete draft will result in dismissal from class for
the day, in turn resulting in an absence, a zero for the days assignment, and a decrease of one
letter grade on your final paper grade (equivalent to 10% of your papers grade). Unless
otherwise stated, peer reviews may not be accomplished outside of class.
Conferences/Workshops Policy: I will schedule periodic conferences/workshops to monitor
progress on your work this semester. Failure to attend conferences/workshops will count as two
(2) absences, as I will be canceling one weeks worth of classes during the weeks that I hold
workshops/conferences. Arrive on time for your scheduled workshop and/or conference, bring a
COMPLETED DRAFT of your paper, and hard copies of ALL source material. Arriving
without a copy of your paper or with an incomplete draft will result in your final paper grade
being lowered by one letter grade (equivalent to 10% of your papers grade).
If you have a legitimate, documented reason for not attending a peer review
session, conference, or workshop, I will gladly make other arrangements to
assist you with making up your missed participation. However, you must
notify me at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled peer review,
conference, or workshop date. An accepted substitution procedure is for
you to attend a documented and scheduled tutoring session in one of the
Academic Support Centers at the Parham Road, Downtown, or Western
campuses. Schedule and attend a tutoring session at the location most
convenient for you. I will assign credit upon receipt of notification from the
Academic Support Center.
Class Climate Survey: Reynolds uses Class Climate to collect student evaluations of faculty. In
April, expect an e-mail message, in your Reynolds/VCCS e-mail account, from sender name
"Class Climate Survey" inviting you to participate in an online survey to evaluate the
effectiveness of your class. You will receive a separate e-mail message for each course section in
which you are enrolled. Each e-mail message contains a password-protected link to the online
survey. By clicking this link, your password is automatically recognized, and you are able to
respond anonymously to the survey. After completing the survey, you will receive a
confirmation message, via e-mail.
Emergency Preparedness: (Program the numbers below into your cell phone)
Campus Police: PRC 804.523.5219, DTC 804.523.5472, WC 804.523.5407
Chief of Police and Security Services: Paul Ronca 804.523.5239
College Safety Manager: Pamela Hicks 804.523.5722
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY DIAL 5911 (College Police Dispatcher) The 5911 number
can be dialed directly from the Colleges IP phone system.

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10

Grading
Posting of Grades to Blackboards Gradebook: I usually take two weeks to grade a batch of
papers. I will post grades, commented papers, and rubrics (when required) when I complete
grading an entire classes worth of an assignment.
Click on the following URL for a video tutorial of how to access and navigate through
MyGrades:
http://ondemand.blackboard.com/r91/movies/bb91_student_checking_grades.htm
During this course you will complete five assignments, ranging from three (3) to eight (8) pages:
a rhetorical analysis, a topic proposal, an annotated bibliography, a research paper, and a visual
argument (based on your research paper). In addition to these formal assignments, you will
participate in one group project and will be completing a series of library modules and weekly
writing assignments. See Grading Criteria below for more details.
Word process all major essays and minor out-of-class writing assignments.
In most cases, you will submit assignments electronically in Blackboard. If
asked to submit hard copies of assignments, please staple or clip all papers
together, but do not place them in a foldermissing elements will affect
your grade.
In addition to writing formal essays, there will be several in-class writing assignments, journal
entries, quizzes on assigned readings, and worksheets. All assignments will count toward your
final grade.
Percentages

Due Dates

Information Literacy Pre-test

12 Jan

Syllabus and Academic Honesty Agreement

17 Jan

Fake News Group Presentation

10

7 or 9 Feb

Rhetorical Analysis Essay (analysis of rhetorical

appeals ethos, pathos, logos, and Kairos)
Library Modules (Average of Modules 1-7
assessments and post-test)
Topic Proposal for Research Paper

10

12-16 Feb (draft 1)

21 Feb (final draft)
Dates vary as posted on
course schedule
2 Mar

Assignments

10
10

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11

Annotated Bibliography with eight to ten annotated

sources related to your research topic
Research Paper that presents an argument based on
the research you began with the rhetorical analysis
assignment (6-8 pages)
Visual Argument/Presentation of the research you
conducted this semester

10

Class Participation/Attendance (Includes

attendance, in-class discussion, miscellaneous
homework, in-class assignments, quizzes, etc.
Smaller assignments not listed above will be
calculated into your class participation grade.)
Total Percentage Points

10

20

20

30 Mar (draft)
4 Apr (final)
6 Apr (draft 1)
10-13 Apr (draft 2)
18 Apr (final)
20 Apr (draft)
25 or 27 April or
4 May (final)

100

Grading Scale:
Letter Grade
A+
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF

Percentages
99-100
94-98
90-93
89
84-88
80-83
79
74-78
70-73
69
64-68
60-63
59 and below

Incomplete Policy: I will consider assigning incomplete (I) grades at the end of the semester if
students have a legitimate, documented reason and if students have fewer than four absences
and have completed at least 80% of the course work.
Per Incomplete Grade policy 1-7, a grade of "I" (incomplete) bears no credit. An instructor may
award the "I" grade for documented, unavoidable reasons and only when the student is passing
the course and has completed a significant portion of the course requirements. Since the
incomplete extends enrollment in the course, requirements for satisfactory completion shall be
established through student/faculty consultation. The grade of I will revert to grade earned in
the course. The student is expected to complete course work as agreed upon with the instructor.
Revision Policy: You may revise the Rhetorical Analysis, the Topic Proposal, the Annotated
Bib, and the Research Paper, provided you turn in the essays on the assigned due dates, and

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12

provided you return revised essays to me within two weeks after you receive the initial graded
essay. Since you submitted the essay electronically, I will compare the revision with the
electronic version to which I assigned the initial grade, so that I can make a clear judgment about
your revisions. I will average the two grades; if you receive a 75% on the first essay and an 85%
on the revision, your final essay grade will be an 80%.
Simply correcting errors I have pointed out in your essay does not count.

For example, if I have highlighted and commented on problems with fragments, dont assume
that I have highlighted all fragments. Try to find similar errors and correct them. Or, if you have
problems developing your ideas, make note of my comments, make revisions based on those
comments, and look for additional ideas that might need development. Also, do not hesitate to
talk to me about revisions. I am more than happy to schedule an appointment to meet with you
to clarify my comments or provide assistance with grammar, development of ideas, etc. Avoid
waiting until the last two weeks of the semester to try to complete revisions. I will not accept
revisions if the due date has passed and waiting until the final weeks of the semester is not an
effective means to improve your writing skills and your grade. Take advantage of this revision
policy early in the semester.

Continue to next page for

calendar/schedule of assignments

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13

Calendar/Schedule of Assignments
(This schedule is subject to change.)

All reading assignments are due on the day they are listed on the schedule
below. We will not be reading in class. You are responsible for completing
all assigned readings prior to arriving to class. Each reading assignment is
identified in the Readings column.
Also note that assignment due dates are in the Assignments column.

RRW = Read, Reason, Write

BB = Blackboard

Linked titles take you to a Web text.

Click on links to access texts.

Important Dates
January 13, 2017 Last day to add a class
January 25, 2017 Last day to drop a class with a refund
March 23, 2017
Last day to withdraw from a class with a grade of W
May 4, 2017
Final Exam Date (11:00 a.m. 1:40 p.m.)
Start watching the news, reading the newspaper and favorite blogs to begin identifying research
topics of interest to you. Review topics on the following links: (Keep Taboo Topics for this
course in mind as you select a topic)

http://libguides.reynolds.edu/content.php?pid=143803&sid=1277216 (Reynolds topic

guide)
http://www.idebate.org/index.php
http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/toc/ecip0516/2005018778.html (this is a list of very BROAD
topics; you will need to narrow down by developing a more focused research question)

Week/Date
Week 1
Tu 10 Jan

Th 12 Jan

Readings

Assignments

Introduction to class
Discussion of class projects listed in syllabus
Questions about the syllabus and assignments?
No reading assigned
In-class review of library modules and complete

12 Jan:
Information

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Week/Date

Spring 2017
Readings
Information Literacy Pre-test

Week 2

Tu 17 Jan

Th 19 Jan

Week 3
Tu 24 Jan

Th 26 Jan

Week 4
Tu 31 Jan

Th 2 Feb

Week 5
Tu 7 Feb
Th 9 Feb

Week 6
Tu 14 Feb

Th 16 Feb

14
Assignments
Literacy Pre-test by
the end of class

(In addition to reading from the course textbook, click on

links to access and read or view Web texts)
Understanding the Basics of Argument (RRW, pp. 7078)
Carroll, Backpacks vs. Briefcases: Steps Toward
Rhetorical Analysis

17 Jan: Academic
Honesty
Agreement in
Blackboard by
midnight

Evaluating Sources, Maintaining Credibility (RRW, pp.

276-277)
Scholarly vs. Popular Periodicals

Evaluating Internet Sources

Items A Library Module Six
Zimdar, False, Misleading, Clickbait-y, and/or Satirical
News Sources

Reynolds Lib Guide: Todays News: Separating Fact from

Fiction
Domonoske, Students Have Dismaying Inability to Tell
Fake New from Real, Study Finds
Oremus, Stop Calling Everything Fake News
Davis, Fake or Real?: How to Self-Check the New and
Get the Facts

Presentations
Presentations (if needed)
Work on Rhetorical Analysis Essay in class

Class canceled; attend individual conference; see

conference schedule in BB
Class canceled; attend individual conference; see
conference schedule in BB

7 or 9 Feb: Fake
News Group
Presentation

12-16 Feb:
Complete draft of
Rhetorical Analysis
essay for individual
conference in BH,

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Week/Date

Spring 2017
Readings

15
Assignments
Room 220B

Week 7
Tu 21 Feb

Th 23 Feb

Understanding the Basics of Argument (RRW, pp. 8187)

Writing Effective Arguments (RRW, pp. 99-107)

21 Feb: Final
revision of
Rhetorical Analysis
essay in
Blackboard by
midnight

Locating, Evaluating, and Preparing to Use Sources

(RRW, pp. 263-269)
Items a and b Library Module One

25 Feb:
Assessment for
Library Module
One by midnight
Note: Next week the class will begin using Library Modules. You may access Library Modules
by clicking on the links established in the course schedule or by going directly to each module
by clicking on the Library Modules button in the Course Menu in Blackboard. For each
module, you will see two links related to each module.
The first link for each module will take you directly to that module on the Library Research
Guide.

The second link for each module will take you to the assessment/quiz for that specific module.

Week 8
Tu 28 Feb

Th 2 Mar

Locating, Evaluating, and Preparing to Use Sources

(RRW, pp. 269-277)
Items a, b, and c in Library Module Two
Items a, b, c, and d in Library Module Three

28 Feb:
Assessments for
Library Modules
Two and Three by
midnight

Items a, b, c, and d in Library Module Four

Items a, b, and c in Library Module Five

2 Mar: Assessments
for Library Modules
Four and Five by
midnight
2 Mar: Research

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paper topic proposal
in Blackboard by
midnight

Week 9
Tu 7 Mar

Th 9 Mar

Items a and b in Library Module Six

7 Mar: Assessment
for Library Module
Six.

Writers and Their Sources (RRW pp. 2-32; skim this

chapter)

13-19 March
Spring Break
Classes not in session

Week 10
Tu 21 Mar

Th 23 Mar

Week 11
Tu 28 Mar

Th 30 Mar

Writing the Researched Essay (RRW pp. 281-287)

Gladwell, Something Borrowed (click on link to access,
print, and read article)
Items a, b, and c in Library Module Seven

21 Mar:
Assessment for
Library Module
Seven

No reading assigned
In-class activity: research day and/or work on module
assessments
No reading assigned
In-class activity: Library Modules Post-test

28 Mar: Post-test:
Information Literacy
Assessment due by
midnight (go to
Blackboard course
site; click on
Library Modules
on the Course Menu,
click on Post-test
link)

In-class activity: Peer review of annotated bib; research

day

30 Mar: Draft of
annotated bib; bring
copies of source
materials to class
(books, scholarly
articles, newspaper
articles, etc.)

Bensen
Week 12
Tu 4 Apr

Th 6 Apr

Week 13
Tu 11 Apr

Th 13 Apr
Week 14
Tu 18 Apr

Th 20 Apr

Week 15
Tu 25 Apr

Spring 2017

17

Writing the Researched Essay (RRW pp. 287-300)

4 Apr: Final draft of

Annotated
Bibliography in
Blackboard by
midnight

No reading assigned
In-class activity: Peer review of research paper draft

6 Apr Draft of
research paper
(outline, title, intro,
body paragraphs,
conclusion, Works
Cited list); bring
copies of source
materials to class
(books, scholarly
articles, newspaper
articles, etc.)

Class canceled; attend individual conference; see

conference schedule in BB

10-13 Apr:
Complete draft of
research paper for
individual
conference in BH,
Room 220H

Class canceled; attend individual conference; see

conference schedule in BB
No reading assigned
In-class activity: Work on visual arguments

18 Apr: Final
revision of research
paper in Blackboard
by midnight
18 Apr: At least
five images you are
considering using in
your Visual
Argument

No reading assigned
In-class activity: Peer review of Visual Argument and
Self-reflection Essay

20 Apr: Complete
draft of Visual
Argument with SelfReflection essay for
in-class peer review

Presentations

Due date will vary:

Bensen

Th 27 Apr

Finals Wk
Th 4 May

Spring 2017

Presentations

Finish presentations & class reflection (11:00 a.m.-1:40

p.m.)

18
Final draft of Visual
Argument and Selfreflection essay for
presentation