Course Syllabus: ENC 1102, Spring 2019

Instructors: Evan Marcus, Avery Werther, and Von Wise

Contact: emarcus@fiu.edu, averylane14@aol.com, vonpwise@gmail.com

Class Location: PCA 165 Class Day/Time: MWF, 12-12:50pm

Office: GL123 Office Hours: MWF, 1:00-3:00pm

Department of English: 305-348-2874

Welcome to ENC1102

In this class, you will be part of a “discourse community” with your classmates – a group
that shares common goals and ways of communicating. Throughout the semester, you
will explore your role within our community of writers, work to develop your own unique
voice as a writer, and learn how you can use writing to influence change in other
communities to which you belong. We will all be working together through every step of
the writing process to help each other succeed.

Course Description

The purpose of this course is to expand on the skills learned in ENC 1101 in order to
identify credible sources and integrate them into your own research. You will find a topic
that interests you and use it as a point of inquiry, broadening your understanding of that
topic and developing a coherent line of research. You will consider things like audience,
genre, and purpose as you conduct research, locate sources, and communicate your
findings. In doing so, you will practice skills that will benefit you in any area of
professional life and increase your ability to engage critically with a variety of media and
information.

This course is web-supported using Canvas. All assignments, the class schedule, and
some readings will be posted to Canvas.

Materials (Available in the FIU Bookstore)

Required:
Taylor, Todd. Becoming a College Writer: A Multimedia Text. 1 Edition. MacMillan
st

Learning, 2019.
Recommended:
 A bound notebook to be used for in-class notes, writing, and journal
assignments.
 A folder or binder that you can use to keep printed material and handouts.
 A laptop or tablet that you can use to access Canvas both in and outside class.

Course Outcomes

 Interpret and evaluate how information is produced and consumed in specific

contexts, including networked environments
 Explore and create critical questions to drive meaningful inquiry
 Develop critical knowledge of primary and secondary research methods
 Examine the power and limits of writing as social and public action
 Compose rhetorically effective media for different audiences
 Deepen reflective and metacognitive thinking strategies
 Use intellectual property responsibly
 Develop and use effective invention, composing, and revision processes
 Demonstrate awareness and use of strategic rhetorical and stylistic techniques
within multilingual and diverse linguistic contexts
Course Policies

 Attendance and Participation - Attendance is expected. You are allowed three

unexcused absences; any additional unexcused absences will result in a 1-point
deduction from your participation grade. Three conference meetings are required
throughout the semester and will also factor into your participation grade; we can
be flexible with conference scheduling, so please talk to us if you can’t make a
designated time rather than simply skipping it. You will also be expected to
contribute actively to all classroom activities and discussions.

 Communication – We are committed to helping you address any challenges you

face in this class, and we will meet with you or respond to your email within 24
hours whenever possible. You should let us know what ideas and tools are
challenging to you and how you are doing in the class. If you start this habit early
in the semester, then we will be able to better tailor our activities to help you
learn. If you are having technical issues, or problems understanding something
about the course, please get in touch with us. Chances are others are having the
same concerns.
 Reading - We will be using Becoming a College Writer. We may also be reading
selections from various texts, articles online, and PDF’s. Always be prepared for
the possibility of in-class quizzes on reading homework.
 Submitting your work on time - Try to meet the deadlines; late work will lose
two points for each day late. Class content will relate to your homework, so
submitting your homework on time will help you be prepared for the next lesson.
 Please double check when you submit an assignment online to make sure it went
through, and contact us as soon as possible if you’re having a technological
problem when submitting something on Canvas. Also, please talk to us if you are
experiencing extenuating circumstances that make it difficult for you to complete
assignments on time, and we will do our best to work out a solution with you.
Grades and Assignments
To pass ENC 1102, you must receive a final grade of C or higher, and you must submit
a satisfactory draft of all of the major writing projects. Your final grade consists of the
following components:

Unit 1: Exploring the Power of Rhetoric and Information 15%

· Media Literacy in my World Unit Project

Unit 2: Collecting and Communicating Information Responsibly 20%

· Research Proposal 10%

· Annotated Bibliography Blog 10%

Unit 3: Putting Research Into Action 25%

· Final Research Project

Canvas Assignments 20%

· Lowest two grades will be dropped

Participation 20%

· Anything collected in class, lowest two grades dropped = 10%

· Conference attendance = 10%

 Grading Scale
Letter Range% Letter Range% Letter Range%

A 93 or above B 83 - 86 C 70 - 76.9

A- 90 - 92.9 B- 80 - 82.9 D 60 - 69.9

B+ 87 - 89.9 C+ 77 - 79.9 F 59 or less

If at any point in the semester you have any questions or concerns about your grade or
your standing in the class, please talk to us. Addressing your questions and concerns is
part of our job. If after speaking with us you still have concerns, you may contact Writing
and Rhetoric Associate Director Robert Saba (sabar@fiu.edu)

Major Projects
There are three units in this course, representing the three major projects required,
Media Literacy, Exploratory Research, and Reaching an Audience. Each of these units
will consist of smaller assignments that build up to a larger project. As each project is
assigned, we will provide and explain detailed grading criteria with an assignment sheet.
The course calendar will include detailed unit schedules with each day’s in-class
activities and assigned homework. The information included in the syllabus below is
only an introductory overview.
Unit 1: Exploring the Power of Rhetoric and Information
Weeks 1-4
Our first project in ENC1102 is designed to explore and reflect on ways writing,
research, and information can impact our world. By analyzing multiple sources of
information, you’ll learn to assess and compare the credibility of different media outlets.
Based on your analyses, you’ll then be asked to think critically about your position on
media literacy, its impact on a community to which you belong, and how you can use
what you’ve learned to influence change.
Unit 2: Collecting and Communicating Information Responsibly
Weeks 5-10
With the problems discovered in Unit 1 in mind, you will formulate a research question
that will guide you throughout the rest of the semester. As you build an annotated
bibliography over the course of six blog posts, you will select relevant internet and
library sources on your topic, evaluate their credibility, and synthesize their content to
begin answering your question.
Unit 3: Putting Research Into Action
Weeks 11-16
Your final assignment, a Web article, is the culmination of the work we have been doing
throughout the semester. You have identified a problem of interest to students in our
discourse community, explored the complexities of the issue, and looked into various
perspectives to put together your own informed position on the issue. Now you are
ready to take your position in the conversation and get your message across to a
chosen audience using strategies of classical rhetoric to support your position, citing
appropriate sources.
*Note that, since your final project does not take the form of a traditional exam, you will
not have to appear for a test during the designated exam week. Instead, your completed
and revised project will be due to Canvas during exam week.
Academic Integrity
FIU’s code of Academic Integrity includes this pledge, acknowledged of every registered
student:
As a student of this university:
I will be honest in my academic endeavors.
I will not represent someone else’s work as my own.
I will not cheat, nor will I aid in another’s cheating.
This course will observe the FIU Code of Academic Integrity in cases of academic
misconduct, including cheating and plagiarism. Please review this here:
http://integrity.fiu.edu/misconducts.html
Most violations of academic integrity fit into two categories: the desperate student and
the confused student. You want to do everything you can to avoid being desperate or
confused about completing your assignments honestly.
Here are some tips:
To avoid violating the code due to confusion, make sure you have 100% understanding
of what it means to represent someone else’s work as your own, and what constitutes
cheating. (Keep in mind that this is something that can vary culturally.) For American
academic writing, citing sources effectively is the key – every source that is used
anywhere in your writing must be documented according to a particular style. In this
class, we’re using MLA. You should expect to master MLA documentation in this class,
and cite carefully for every assignment.
Desperate students may violate the honor code in more deliberate ways. This happens
when they find themselves without anything to write or at a dead end with a due date
quickly approaching. You can avoid this by keeping up with the assignments step by
step and taking advantage of appropriate resources (like the Writing Center) if you’re
getting stuck or fighting writer’s block. If you find the deadline approaching, it is better to
submit a late paper for a reduced score than to risk the consequences of committing
plagiarism.
Getting Help:
If you need help beyond coming to our office hours, here are some great places to go.
Center for Excellence in Writing - http://writingcenter.fiu.edu
During any stage of the writing process, the writing consultants at the writing center are
available to help you set clear goals, bring focus to your ideas, and encourage creative
and critical thinking. Even the most confident writers can benefit from the help our
writing center provides. The CEW can be found on the first floor of the Library (GL120).
University Learning Center - http://undergrad.fiu.edu/cas/learning-center/
The Learning Center is also found in GL120, and peer tutors are available to help you.
The Learning Center is the place to go if you want assistance focused on reading or
study skills.
Counseling and Psychological Services - http://counselingservices.fiu.edu
If you find your academic performance (or just your daily life) is hindered because of
anxiety, stress, depression, relationship issues, or other personal struggles, FIU offers
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) to help you. CAPS consists of licensed
psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, and trainees with expertise in dealing
with student concerns and development. Registered students are eligible to utilize these
services and participate in the programs.
Disability Resource Center - http://drc.fiu.edu
Any student with a diagnosed disability has access to special accommodations through
the DRC. You must register with the DRC in order to receive such accommodations.