Cal Poly SLO • Fall 2020

ENGLISH 134
WRITING AND RHETORIC
DAYS/TIMES LOCATION
Section 18 Online
Section 19 Online
Section 28 Online
Section 29 Online

DELIVERY OF COURSE CONTENT

This course will be asynchronous, meaning that we will NOT gather as a group for virtual class
meetings. Instead, I’ll post assignments, readings, resources, videos, activities, etc. to the course Canvas
page, and you can review them independently prior to submitting your work.

INSTRUCTOR
Jonathan Gotsick
Email: jgotsick@calpoly.edu

ZOOM OFFICE HOURS

Monday 2-3pm; Tuesday 10-11:30am; Wednesday 2-3:30pm
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/2729778672?pwd=SUhUVWdJV2ZnRVN3aytGdnlnbnl3dz09
Meeting ID: 272 977 8672
Passcode: 4GNQtL

COURSE DESCRIPTION
How do we get people interested in what we have to say? How do we persuade them that what we
believe is valid or worth considering? Why do we even write in the first place? In English 134, you will
explore these and other questions related to the principles, practices, and purposes of writing, and
you'll explore in depth the composing process itself. You'll interrogate the work of other writers, and
you'll gain experience brainstorming, researching, drafting, and revising your own work, with an
overarching goal of honing skills that will help you succeed in your academic and professional future.

More specifically, we'll work to develop your abilities to:

✓ Approach writing as a multi-stage process involving prewriting, drafting, revision, and proofreading
✓ Compose texts free of grammatical, spelling, and usage errors
✓ Evaluate rhetorical situations in order to respond to them effectively
✓ Analyze texts with regard to the rhetorical strategies informing their design
✓ Identify and incorporate credible sources and evidence
✓ Identify and employ a variety of rhetorical devices
✓ Respond to and constructively critique the writing of others

TEXTBOOK
• Fresh Voices: Composition at Cal Poly 2020-2021 Volume XIV
https://hmpublishing.redshelf.com/book/1628951

• Additional materials will be posted to the course Canvas page

 Cal Poly SLO • Fall 2020

ASSIGNMENTS & GRADING
During the term you'll submit three major compositions:

Essay #1: Exploring Significant Moments (20%) – due end of Week 3

Essay #2: Profiling a Person, Place, Event, or Trend (30%) – due Week 7
Essay #3: Public Rhetoric and Argumentation (40%) – due during Finals Week

For each essay (or “sequence,” as Fresh Voices calls them), posted course materials will direct you toward
identifying and developing the skills relevant to the essay you'll submit. I'll provide detailed assignment
guidelines (and specific deadlines) for each project during the term, but for general information and
context, see pages 5-7 of Fresh Voices.

Response Journal #1 (5%) – due end of Week 5

Response Journal #2 (5%) – due week of Thanksgiving

During the term you’ll submit a Response Journal twice – after the first five weeks of the course and
then again after the second five weeks of the course. The purpose of your Response Journal is to allow
you to engage—in writing—with the ideas, insights, and perspectives that you’ll be exposed to in the
course. The journal will serve as a record of your thinking, and it will demonstrate your engagement
with the online course material. During Week 1, I'll provide a detailed assignment prompt (and
specific deadlines) for journal entries.

The following is an example of the formula used to calculate final grades, with sample grades included.
(All assignments are worth up to 100 points.)

Assignment Assignment grade x % of final grade % score
Essay #1 85 20 = 17.00
Essay # 2 84 30 = 25.20
Essay # 3 91 40 = 36.40
Response Journal #1 100 5 = 5.00
Response Journal #2 100 5 = 5.00
Total: = 88.60
(17 + 25.2 + 36.4 + 5 + 5) = 88.6 = B+

Grade Scale
93-100% = A
90-92.99% = A-
87-89.99% = B+
83-86.99% = B
80-82.99% = B-
77-79.99% = C+
73-76.99% = C
70-72.99% = C-
67-69.99% = D+
63-66.99% = D
 Cal Poly SLO • Fall 2020

60-62.99% = D-
0-59.99% = F

"A" range = SUPERIOR attainment

"B" range = SUBSTANTIAL attainment
"C" range = ACCEPTABLE attainment
"D" range = POOR attainment
"F" = NON-attainment

A Note: Per CSU policy, only students who receive a C- or better in ENGL 134 can enroll in a GE
A3 course (ENGL 145,148,149; PHIL 126; COMS 145). Students who earn lower than a C- will
need to retake ENGL 134. For students admitted Fall 2016 or later, a grade of C- or better is required
to receive credit for this course and for all Area A courses.

POLICIES

Plagiarism / Academic Integrity
The university's policies regarding plagiarism and academic dishonesty are available for review on Cal
Poly's website. Consult the webpage for the Office of Student Rights & Responsibilities. Additional
information and advice is available in your Fresh Voices textbook. In this English 134 course, any
assignment found to be plagiarized will receive a grade of zero (0). Also, the student will be reported to
Cal Poly's Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Diversity and Inclusion
Cal Poly considers the diversity of its students, faculty, and staff to be a strength and critical to its
educational mission. Cal Poly expects every member of the university community to contribute to an
inclusive and respectful culture for all in its classrooms, work environments, and at campus events. For
more information on resources related to diversity and inclusion, please visit the Office of University
Diversity & Inclusivity website at diversity.calpoly.edu.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
University Writing and Learning Center
Located in the Kennedy Library, the University Writing and Learning Center is an excellent (and free!)
resource for working on your writing with an experienced consultant. Consultants can work with you
on a one-time basis, or they can work with you throughout the term. For additional information,
including how to make an appointment, see Fresh Voices and/or visit
https://writingandlearning.calpoly.edu/center

English 135
English 135 (Writing and Rhetoric Tutorial) is an optional one-credit course in which students meet
one-on-one with a peer writing consultant once a week. In these meetings students examine their
writing more closely and address problems with structure, grammar, and punctuation. If you are
enrolled in a Tutorial, you’ll need to attend all sessions and bring with you the materials from your
English 134 course (syllabus, assignments, drafts of papers, instructor feedback, etc.).
 Cal Poly SLO • Fall 2020

Disability Resource Center

Cal Poly's Disability Resource Center (DRC) provides information and support services to Cal Poly
students with permanent and temporary disabilities. If you have a disability for which you are or may
be requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact the DRC as early as possible in the
term. Located at 1 Grand Ave, Bldg 124, the DRC can be reached via phone at 805.756.1395 or
online at Cal Poly's Disability Resource Center webpage: https://drc.calpoly.edu

Counseling Services
Cal Poly's Health and Counseling Services, located in Building 27, Room 135, offers counseling for
students who are experiencing personal or emotional difficulties. Call them at 805.756.2511 or visit
them online at Cal Poly's Campus Health & Wellbeing webpage: https://chw.calpoly.edu

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:

Week 1: Sept 14-18

Reading: Fresh Voices: (online textbook)
“Letter from the Director of Writing “
“Succeeding in an Online Writing Class”
“Reading and Learning from Fresh Voices”
Reading: "Shitty First Drafts" (essay)
Reading: “What All Writers Can Learn from Mitch Hedberg” (article)
Viewing: “Creative Breakthroughs: Ta-Nehisi Coates” (video)
Viewing: “Purdue Online Writing Lab Vidcast: Drafting and Revising” (video)


Week 2: Sept 21-25

Viewing: Navigating Fresh Voices (video)
Reading: “How to Read Like a Writer” (essay)
Reading: "Someone Else" (essay)
Reading: "My Season of Paper Dresses” (essay)
Reading: “Seven Writing Tips from Mary Karr” (tweets)



This syllabus is subject to change, as necessary.

The course schedule for Weeks 3-10 will be posted later during Week 1 or Week 2.

Students will be notified via the Canvas “Announcements” feature when new materials (including
assignment prompts) are posted and/or regarding any updates or alterations to the syllabus or course
schedule.