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ENGL 198 INTERDISCIPLINARY WRITING LINK / ENVIR 100/ CABRAL / ENGL 198 / sec. b / WINTER QUARTER 2013

Instructor: Cathryn Cabral Email: cathrync@uw.eduOffice Hours: W 12:15-2:14p & BY APPT Office: Padelford B-24Class Days / Time: MW / 10:30 – 11:50a Rooms: M MGH 251 / W MGH 076

COURSE OVERVIEWEnglish 198 is a writing-intensive course linked with ENVIR 100: Environmental Studies: Interdisciplinary Foundations. This course is designed to help you develop, within the context of the discipline, the critical writing, reading, and thinking skills essential to academic inquiry and analytical writing. To enter the conversation of the academy (to participate in and contribute to academic discourse), you will need to learn how to analyze texts, navigate UW libraries systems and other research avenues, evaluate sources and evidence, and construct cogent, thoughtful, well organized academic arguments. We will target these learning goals by engaging the content of the lecture course and exploring what it means to write and research in the field and the academy at large.

The writing you do here will be based on the materials you receive for ENVIR 100 as well as supplemental readings I will distribute in class. It is imperative that you keep up with the readings, lectures, and activities for both classes. The process of critical inquiry and learning to think and write in a disciplinary context is a product of both training and practice. Writing will be used to generate critical thinking and greater understanding of texts and concepts as well as a presentation of your own evaluations and arguments. Through multiple drafts, peer reviews, self-evaluations, in-class workshops and conferences you will learn the skills you need to persuasively and effectively articulate your ideas and hopefully come to understand writing as an essential component of the learning process. In short, we will practice writing to learn as a facet of learning to write (in academic contexts).

This is a separate course from ENVIR 100 and you should treat it as such. While we may share readings, my expectations may differ from your instructors in ENVIR 100. It is imperative that you stay in communication with all of us regarding the format, requirements, and expectations of each assignment.

REQUIRED MATERIALS Expect to spend up to $30 on printing / copying throughout the term (I will ask you to bring in multiple

copies of your drafts and final papers as a required part of the assignment) A notebook for in-class assignments An active UW email account

COURSE REQUIREMENTS Attentive / Careful Reading : This course requires a substantial amount of reading, both of the material

for our course and of the material presented in the lecture course. Attentive or careful reading means reading actively, with pen and highlighter in hand. As you read and REREAD, underline or highlight important points / passages, write questions in the margins of texts, make connections within and between readings, and explore how texts are constructed to advance particular arguments.

Attendance : Participation in discussion and other class activities is an essential part of the work for this course. Participation is not limited to talking in class, but also includes thoughtful and prepared responses to peer review and self-reflections. Participation constitutes 10% of your overall grade. You cannot participate if you are not in class. Moreover, frequent absences will result in missed work that can also negatively affect your Homework / Writing Process grade (an additional 10%). Regular attendance is therefore highly recommended.

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Punctual Submission of Work: Papers are due at the beginning of class. I do not accept papers via email. Late homework will not be accepted for credit. Late drafts and final versions of essays will be subject to a -0.3 penalty for each day it is late (weekends included) and a -0.1 penalty for same-day late papers. Any exception must be arranged in advance or be the result of a documented emergency.

GRADE BREAKDOWNPreparation and Participation: 5%Writing Process Assignments / Activities: 10%Hardin Application (3-4 pages): 15%Influential Figure / Text / Organization Project (4 pages): 20%Op-Ed (~250-750 words / ~1-2 pages): 10%Analytical Research Project: 35%

Oral Presentation (7-10 pages + bibliography and visual)

Self-Reflections: 5%

Preparation and Participation: 5%I would like the majority of class time to be spent discussing the different topics and issues raised from the course readings. In order to get our classes started quickly and effectively, be sure to come to class having completed the reading for the day and ready to voice your thoughts and opinions on relevant topics. Additionally, your notebook should be brought to class everyday, as well as relevant readings / writings. Preparation also includes coming to class on-time. If you are consistently late to class, your preparation grade will suffer.

I expect everyone to participate in class discussions on a regular basis but participation involves more than turning up and making a couple of comments. Class participation means doing all the readings, making notes, having questions, and making an effort in group work and in-class writing exercises – i.e. making the most of class time.

Participation is determined by 1) your respectful, on-time presence in class, 2) your willingness to discuss, comment, and ask questions, 3) your engagement in group work, 4) your use of the class message board, 5) your interactions with me and other students 6) readings quizzes, 7) conferences with me, and 8) using campus resources like the Odegaard Writing and Research Center.

Writing Process Assignments and Activities: 10%In addition to the final writing products you turn in, I will require a number of building block activities and drafting that I expect you to devote your full effort and complete each step earnestly. Summaries, vocabulary entries, reading worksheets, peer reviews, one-page write-ups and freewrites, and multiple drafts are all essential parts of the writing and research process. Your thoughtful and engaged completion of these steps will constitute 10% of your overall grade.

Failure to turn in homework and / or incomplete assignments will negatively affect your Writing Process grade.

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Major Assignments: 85%Over the course of the quarter, you will complete a series of graded assignments including short papers, a presentation, and a research paper. Detailed handouts will be distributed for each paper assignment.

COMPUTER LABEvery Wednesday, we will meet in the computer lab in MGH 076. We will use this space to conduct research, perform peer review, present findings, and explore alternative discussion / debate techniques. Game-playing and off-task web-surfing are unacceptable. You will be warned once. If the behavior persists, you will be asked to leave and be given a 0.0 for all in-class tasks missed.

PLAGIARISMPlagiarism, or academic dishonesty, is presenting someone else's ideas or writing as your own. In your writing for this class, you are encouraged to refer to other people's thoughts and writing -- as long as you cite them. Plagiarism includes:

a student failing to cite sources of ideas a student failing to cite sources of paraphrased material

a student failing to cite sources of specific language and/or passages

a student submitting someone else's work as his or her own

a student submitting his or her own work that was produced for another class

If you have any questions or doubts about what qualifies as plagiarism or what information needs to be cited, see me for clarification.

OFFICE HOURSMake use of my office hours. This is an opportunity to ask me questions, discuss concerns, or talk about specific problems you’re having in the class. Do not think of this as something to do only if or when you feel yourself slipping behind or having trouble. You are welcome to see me at any stage in the writing process to bounce off ideas, ask for more feedback, or even provide me with feedback on how the course is going.

ACCOMODATIONSPlease let me know if you need accommodation of any sort. I can work with the UW Disabled Student Services (DSS) to provide what you require. I am very willing to take suggestions specific to this class to meet your needs. The DSS can be contacted at dso@u.washington.edu, or by phone at (206) 543-6450/V, (206) 543-6452/TTY.