syllabus & course policies – fixsen – fall 2015- web view ·...

SYLLABUS & COURSE POLICIES – FIXSEN – FALL 2015- ENGL 398N

NOTE: This syllabus is subject to change. Homework, readings, quizzes, and in-class activities will be added as the semester progresses. Unforeseen circumstances may necessitate changes in due dates. All changes and updates will be announced in class and posted on ELMS.

DUE DATES and TIMES: Drafts and peer editing are to be submitted in ELMS both in the assignment space AND

in the relevant Group page. Drafts are due by class time on the due date (usually a Monday). Since peer editing is done electronically, it will be done outside of class and is due by midnight on the indicated due date.

The final version of an assignment is due as posted in ELMS, electronically in the ELMS assignment space.

The Jewish and Muslim holidays are marked on the syllabus. If you are unable to attend class because of a religious holiday, you should still plan on submitting assignments as of the due date. You need to contact me in advance of your absence to arrange for making up classwork.

When the syllabus shows a new assignment to be introduced, you should read the assignment sheet BEFORE the class session, and bring to class any questions you have.

Discussion posts are due at the beginning of class time on the due date of the discussion.

Weekly reading should be done before Monday’s class (except during first week or as otherwise specified). Note that Discussion topics involve a good deal of reading beforehand.

Other work such as reports, quizzes, or miscellaneous homework is generally due on Fridays by midnight, although I am more relaxed about time of submission of such items – just be sure to complete them by the following Sunday night.

ABBREVIATIONS: B&S = Bowden & Scott, Service Learning in Technical and Professional CommunicationB&F = Barbato & Furlich, Writing for a Good CauseBWH = Alred, Brusaw & Oliu, Business Writer’s HandbookOWL = The Owl at Purdue onlineAWR = A Writer’s Reference Online, http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/writersref6e/Player/Pages/Main.aspx

READINGS: Each week, recommended readings are posted. You are expected to have done this reading and have used the concepts in preparing your assignments.

WEEK ONE: Reading: B&S, Chapters 1 & 2, Chapter 4 P. 56-65, “Choosing Your Project.”Mon Aug. 31: INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE -- Course Goals, Course Policies, Service Learning, Core Assignments, Reflection Writing, Mini-presentations assigned.Wed. Sept 2:

Assignments Introduced: LETTERS of INTRODUCTION, NPO CHOICE MEMO

Fixsen – English 398N – Fall2015 of 29


Topic: Document Design – Block Paragraph Format, Memo Format Style: Commas, apostrophes, and other punctuation MINI PRESENTATION (By Prof. Fixsen) – Service Learning

Fri. Sept. 4 (Midnight) Quiz in ELMS – Course Policies AWR exercises – Commas, apostrophes. Go to

http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/writersref6e/Player/Pages/Main.aspx. Sign up as student. Show instructor’s e-mail as [email protected]. Go to Grammar Exercises > Punctuation > Major Uses of the Comma P1-1, and then The Apostrophe, P5-1.

DUE: REFLECTION ON WRITING #1 DUE: LETTERS OF INTRODUCTION TO PROFESSOR AND CLASSMATES

WEEK TWO: Reading: B&S Chapter 4, p. 65-76 (Letter of Inquiry), MINI-PRESENTATION (in ELMS): Good practices for Peer Editing and RevisionMon. Sept. 7 – LABOR DAY – NO CLASSWed. Sept. 9

DUE by CLASS TIME : DRAFT OF NPO CHOICE MEMO DUE BY CLASS TIME: DISCUSSION POST #1: Using Appropriate Language - Levels of

Formality. Read: The OWL at Purdue https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/608/1/ TOPIC: Audience Awareness Model Peer editing on NPO Choice Memo drafts. Assignment Introduced: LETTER OF INQUIRY TO NPO. Analyze models

Fri Sept. 11 (midnight) DUE: Library Research Tutorial Module #1 in ELMS –and quiz DUE: PEER EDITING ON NPO CHOICE MEMO -post in ELMS assignment space AND in

the Group page. DUE: LETTERS OF INTRODUCTION TO PROFESSOR AND CLASSMATES [changed 9/2/15]

WEEK THREE: Reading:

B&S Chapter 4, p. 76-90 (Resume); Business Writer’s Handbook – Resumes & Cover Letters. Models of Final Projects, posted in ELMS Module for Week 3.

Mon. Sept. 14 [Jewish Holiday Rosh Hashanah Sept. 14-16] DUE by midnight: FINAL VERSION: NPO CHOICE MEMO Assignment Introduced: RESUME & COVER LETTER


https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/608/1/

mailto:[email protected]

http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/writersref6e/Player/Pages/Main.aspx


STUDENT MINI PRESENTATION #1: Resume Do’s and Don’ts Style: Parallel Structure in Resumes

Wed. Sept. 16 DUE: DRAFT OF LETTER OF INQUIRY TO NPO - submit in the Assignment space for the

draft and also in the Group page DUE BY CLASS TIME: DISCUSSION POST #2: “Rhetoric & Bullshit” STUDENT MINI-PRESENTATION #2: Effective E-mails

Fri Sept.18: DUE by midnight: PEER EDITING – LETTER OF INQUIRY TO NPO – submit both in

Assignments and in the Group page Library Research Tutorial - Module #2 (and OWL reading) - quiz

WEEK FOUR: Reading: Assignment sheet, Resume & Cover Letter. Readings are specified in the assignment sheet. Mon. Sept. 21 [Muslim holiday Sept. 22 - Waqf al Arafa – Hajj]

DUE by midnight: LETTERS OF INQUIRY TO NPO – FINAL VERSION– must be mailed to recipients

DUE: DRAFT OF RESUME & COVER LETTER - submit in the Assignment space for the draft and also in the Group page

DUE by class time: DISCUSSION POST#3: Language Debates – What constitutes acceptable usage? Who decides?

In-Class Exercise: Common Errors- and changing usage STUDENT MINI-PRESENTATION #3: The Rhetorical Triangle and the Three Rhetorical

AppealsWed. Sept. 23 [Jewish Holiday Yom Kippur; Sept.24 - Eid-al-Adha]

PRESENTATION – JAN KARY – Writing Grants and Fundraising Letters DUE BY MIDNIGHT: PEER REVIEW – RESUME & COVER LETTER submit in the

Assignment space and also in the Group pageFri. Sept. 25

DUE: FINAL VERSION OF RESUME & COVER LETTER Library Research Tutorial – Module #3 – start research on topic for final project DUE: PROGRESS REPORT #1 - on Contact with NPO (or report failure to make contact)

WEEK FIVE: - Sept. 28 – Oct. 2 [Sukkot Sept.28 -29]INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCES SCHEDULED. Discuss plan for final project. Discuss writing issues.

WEEK SIX:Readings:

Bowden & Scott, Ch. 3 (A Rhetorical Toolbox)



Bowden & Scott, Ch.5 – p.104-126 (The Proposal). Barbato & Furlich, Part 2 (the Proposal) Barbato & Furlich, Part 3, (The Writer’s Craft) Readings specified in the assignment sheet for Discussion #4

Mon. Oct.5 [Shmini Atzeret; Oct. 6. – Shimchat Torah] Assignment introduced: PROJECT PROPOSAL STUDENT MINI PRESENTATION #4: Campus Fundraisers Style: Concision

Wed. Oct. 7 DUE BY CLASS TIME: DISCUSSION POST #4: Using Appropriate Language – continued –

Avoiding biased language. The OWL at Purdue https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/608/1/ and other readings

In-class Exercise – avoiding gendered language STUDENT MINI –PRESENTATION #5: Volunteer Handbooks & Guides

Friday Oct. 9: PROGRESS REPORT #2 ON FINAL PROJECT– Update on Contact with NPO

WEEK SEVEN: Mon. Oct. 12

DUE: DRAFT OF PROJECT PROPOSAL submit in the Assignment space for the draft and also in the Group page

STUDENT MINI-PRESENTATION #6: Case Studies Topic: Integrating Sources and in-class exercise Style work: Dangling Modifiers

Wed. Oct. 14 [Oct. 15 - Hijra - Islamic New Year] DUE BY CLASS TIME: DISCUSSION POST #5: Plagiarism (Readings found in assignment

space) STUDENT MINI PRESENTATION #7: Opinion Articles

Fri. Oct. 16 DUE: REFLECTION ON WRITING #2- review grading comments DUE: PEER EDITING ON PROJECT PROPOSAL submit in the Assignment space and also in

the Group page

WEEK EIGHT: Reading –

B&S Ch. 3 (A Rhetorical Toolbox) B&S Chapter 6, p. 127-140 (Collaboration) BWH – bibliographies (p.56)


https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/608/1/


OWL: Annotated Bibliography, Annotated Bibliography ExampleMon. Oct. 19

DUE: FINAL VERSION: PROJECT PROPOSAL ASSIGNMENT INTRODUCED: ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY and PRESENTATION. Topic: Effective use of sources –citing and integrating source material. Readings in the

assignment space. In-class exercise: Integrating Sources – Continued]Wed. Oct. 21

DUE BY CLASS TIME: DISCUSSION POST #6: COLLABORATION (B&S Ch. 6) - see readings in the assignment space.

Administer CAWG surveys STUDENT MINI PRESENTATION #8: Brochures and Flyers

Fri. Oct. 23 - DUE: REPORT ON TEAM AND TOPIC FOR THE ISSUES PRESENTATION ASSIGNMENT and

Collaboration Management Plan AWR exercises on avoiding plagiarism, integrating sources

WEEK NINE: Readings:

Bowden & Scott, p. 276-282 (Presentations), The Business Writer’s Handbook, p. 415-424 (Presentations) The OWL at Purdue (online) – Presentations and subtopics. Do whatever reading will

prepare you for this assignment. Readings on Logical Fallacies (posted in ELMS module)

Mon. Oct. 26 Assignment reviewed: ISSUES PRESENTATION. Lecture: Logical Fallacies STUDENT MINI PRESENTATION #9: Press Releases Style: Syntax – prepositional phrases

Wed. Oct. 28. DUE by class time: INDIVIDUAL ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHIES FOR THE

PRESENTATION ASSIGNMENT – submit in ELMS Assignment and in Peer Editing Group page. Small group work in class on Presentation Assignment—add any needed research, compile Annotated Bibliography, start planning your PowerPoint. You will probably NOT complete your work in class – you need to plan to meet outside of class at least once more before the due date of the presentation, Nov. 16.

Fri. Oct. 30 DUE: PROGRESS REPORT #3 ON FINAL PROJECT – Research to date



WEEK TEN: READINGS: Genre choice, Logical Fallacies: See assignment spaces.Monday Nov. 2

ASSIGNMENT INTRODUCED: GENRE CHOICE (Press Release, Editorial, Brochure, Fundraiser Letter, Newsletter)

Topic: Logical Fallacies – quiz based on PowerPoint LectureWed. Nov. 4

Logical Fallacies (continued – quizzes, exercises, analysis) STUDENT MINI PRESENTATION #10: PRESENTATION DO’s and DON’TS

Fri. Nov. 6:

WEEK ELEVEN - TIP: plan on meeting with your group for the Issues Presentation assignment outside of class during this week to finalize your presentation, due next week.Readings – (review readings on Genres and on Presentations) Mon. Nov. 9

DUE: GENRE CHOICE (DRAFT) submit in the Assignment space for the draft and also in the Group page

Assignment Reviewed: PRESENTATION PRESENTATIONS – analyze models Style topics: To Be announced (Possible topics: “This” is Not a Pronoun, Emphasis)

Wed. Nov. 11 Style topics –exercises and/or quizzes - TBA DUE: PEER EDITING ON GENRE CHOICE DRAFT submit in the Assignment space and also

in the Group pageFri. Nov. 13

DUE: GENRE CHOICE (FINAL VERSION).

WEEK TWELVE - one-on-one conferences outside of class – as recommended or desired (if I think you need extra guidance, I’ll ask you to come for a conference). DUE before your conference: PROGRESS REPORT #4 – Annotated Bibliography of all Research & Outline of all portions of anticipated final projectMon. Nov. 16:

DUE: ISSUES PRESENTATIONS - (submit PowerPoint and final Annotated Bibliography in ELMS in the Assignment space by class time). Presentations will be given in class.

IN-CLASS WORK: Evaluations of Presentations



Wed. Nov. 18: ISSUES PRESENTATIONS (CONTINUED) – remaining presentations given in class. IN-CLASS WORK: evaluations of presentations

Fri. Nov. 20: DUE: GROUP PROCESS MEMO (Collaborative Issues Presentation)

NOVEMBER 23 – 27: NO CLASS. THANKSGIVING BREAK . Work on your final project!

WEEK THIRTEEN: Mon. Nov. 30

DUE BY CLASS TIME: FINAL PROJECT DRAFTS -submit in the Assignment space for the draft and also in the Group page

Assignment review: THE FINAL PROJECT. TEAM REVIEW OF THE FINAL PROJECT Draft Workshop

Wed. Dec. 2 Draft workshop in class, continued. Share Google Docs with [email protected] Complete paper course evaluations

Fri. Dec. 4 DUE: TEAM REVIEWS OF FINAL PROJECT DRAFTS. Submit in ELMS assignment space and in

the Group editing page.

WEEK FOURTEEN:Mon. Dec. 7

Individual presentations on your final project.Wed. Dec.9 - LAST CLASS SESSION

Remaining individual presentations on your final project DUE: Reflection on Writing #3 DUE: FINAL VERSION OF YOUR FINAL PROJECT PORTFOLIOS – I will assemble them.




COURSE POLICIESEnglish 398N – Fall 2015. Instructor Elizabeth Fixsen

Mondays and Wednesdays, 2pm – 3:15pm, Tawes 1105Contact: [email protected], 301-802-6896

Office Hours: Mon. & Wed. 12:30 – 1:30pm and by appointment, Tawes Room 1234

CONTENTS:Texts.................................................................................................................................….. . .1Course Objectives and Goals ..................................................................................................2ELMS .......................................................................................................................................3Core Assignments ...................................................................................................................4Class Participation ..................................................................................................................5Submitting Assignments .........................................................................................................8Late Assignments ...................................................................................................................9Group Work ..........................................................................................................................10Academic Integrity ...............................................................................................................10Attendance ...........................................................................................................................11Professionalism ....................................................................................................................12Conferences ......................................................................................................................... 14Grading Philosophy, Course Grade Formula ........................................................................14Getting Help ......................................................................................................................... 20

Counseling CenterDisability ServicesThe Career Center Writing Center Learning Assistance Center Sexual Harassment and Discrimination

TEXTS:

Service Learning in Technical and Professional Communication, by Bowden & Scott - ISBN-13: 978-0205335602, ISBN-10: 0205335608

The Business Writer’s Handbook, 10th ed. (Alred, Brusaw, and Oliu) ISBN-13: 978-1250004420 ISBN-10: 125000442X

Writing for a Good Cause, Barbato & Furlich – ISBN 978-0-684-85740-4

You will need to bring a notebook computer to class for most class sessions. Additional readings and resources will be posted in ELMS.




Other Materials and Costs: If you do not have Microsoft Word, I strongly recommend that you purchase the program, as many course documents are created in MS Word. Terrapin Technology in the Stamp Student Union sells a range of software at a discount.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

From the Professional Writing website (www.engl-pw.umd.edu): “Professional Writing courses teach the research, analysis, writing, and language skills that students will need in their lives beyond the classroom.” On that website, you will find numerous student testimonials about the value of the Professional Writing courses.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: While freshman writing courses are designed to prepare you for the academic writing required of a university student, this course is designed to prepare you for writing and communication outside the university. In particular, this course will focus on the specific demands of communicating primarily—though not exclusively—in the world of non-profit organizations. We will study the audiences and varied document genres you may encounter in the field. By the end of the term, you should have a heightened awareness of audience and be able to navigate some of the important genres of communication necessary for non-profit work.

The numerous writing workshops and peer group tasks make this course a collaborative endeavor, which will further prepare you for the teamwork common to most non-profit organizations. The course will operate in some sense as a non-profit writing consultant group with me as a supervisor and your classmates as your colleagues.

COURSE GOALS: On completing this Professional Writing Course: RHETORICAL SITUATON: You should be able to identify the characteristics of different professional

rhetorical situations and produce texts that accomplish your purpose in that rhetorical situation. AUDIENCE: You should be able to identify an appropriate audience, analyze that audience, and

design and adapt texts to meet the needs and expectations of those readers, who may differ in their familiarity with the subject matter.

ARGUMENT: The term “argument” is broadly interpreted to refer to the main body of your text in which you explain, propose, or argue for an idea to a specific audience. The idea should be one that will meet a real need in a real-world situation.

EVIDENCE: You should be able to produce relevant and credible primary and secondary evidence that will help make your case to your reader, and you should be able to deploy that evidence persuasively and with citation appropriate to real-world writing.

ARRANGEMENT: You should be able to logically structure your argument or explanation so that it is accessible to the intended reader, using textual features that help guide the reader, and avoiding redundancy.



EXPRESSION (OR STYLE): You should be able to demonstrate competence in Standard Written English, including grammar, sentence and paragraph structure, coherence, and be able to use this knowledge to revise texts; you should be able to write with clarity, brevity, and grace.

GENRE AND DOCUMENT DESIGN: You should be able to identify and follow conventions and best practices for the design of various genres of documents so that they meet readers’ expectations and have a professional appearance.

REFLECTION, REVISION, AND PROOFREADING: You should be able to understand and deploy strategies required to produce competent, professional writing through planning, drafting, revising, and editing. You will be expected to engage in meaningful revision of your own drafts and to give editing advice to fellow students on their drafts. You are expected to use resources at your disposal – textbooks and other readings, the Writing Center, classmates, librarians, and other individuals whom you trust to make a good judgment of your writing. Part of the course objective is to learn how to use all these resources. You will be prompted to give written reflection on each assignment about specific strategies you used to complete the assignment, in response to specific skills taught in class. You will also be given assignments to reflect on your writing skills at the beginning, middle, and end of the semester.

COLLABORATION: You should be able to work collaboratively with fellow students as colleagues to compose, revise, and improve written documents and to deliver oral and PowerPoint presentations.

Requirements of the Professional Writing Department: This course is structured to meet the basic requirements of any professional writing course, although it may exceed these

requirements (as many of the P.W. courses do). A minimum of six writing assignments in the semester At least three assignments directed to an audience other than instructor and classmates A minimum of 25 pages (about 6,250 words) of original writing (not including revisions). Many

Professional Writing Course assignments result in a higher overall word count. Research sufficient to give the writer authority on the topic of the writing Some type of collaborative assignment Structured peer review of at least three assignments

ELMS: I rely heavily on ELMS for posting assignments and other documents, for receiving completed assignments, for communicating with the class, and for providing additional learning resources. In “Modules,” you will find a list of each week’s assignments, readings, and activities. In “Files,” you will find electronic versions of assignment sheets and various required or recommended readings and resources, organized by topic. Students who are having trouble with ELMS should ask me for help, and you should also be able to get guidance from the Division of Information Technology. I expect students to be able to master ELMS, as in the workplace you’ll be expected to master use of a variety of computer programs. I’m also happy to receive your suggestions on ways in which my ELMS site could be improved.



WORKLOAD IN THIS COURSE: Students of P.W. courses often say that it is one of the most demanding courses they have taken – so be prepared! The rule of thumb for how much homework a college student should expect is two to three hours of homework per credit hour of class. This class runs 2.5 hours per week, so you should expect to spend between five and seven hours a week outside of class writing papers, doing research, and completing various homework assignments.

Plan on having at least one and often more assignments due each week, in most weeks. It is wise to plan ahead so that you can allocate the necessary time to do each assignment. For the larger assignments, you’ll need to be doing research and planning well ahead of the due date. For core assignments, you will first submit a draft, which will then be peer-reviewed. The final, revised version of the assignment is then submitted. For most assignments, the turn-around time is a week, with peer review submitted by Wednesday night. If you have trouble managing your academic work, you may want to use the services of the Learning Assistance Center (see p. 21).

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF CORE ASSIGNMENTS:

NPO Choice Proposal Memo: In this memo addressed to me, you will research and describe two non-profit organizations of your choice for your semester-long project. You must persuade me that these NPOs are good choices for you and for the course requirements. If neither NPO is appropriate, you will submit a new memo with a new choice.

Letter of Inquiry to NPO: This is a formal letter addressed to the person who is likely to be the audience for your final project. You’ll introduce yourself, explain that you wish to do a semester-long project for the organization, and discuss your qualifications. You’ll write one letter to each of your two choices.

Resume & Cover Letter: This application packet will be written for an open job position in the nonprofit sector that you are currently qualified for (or will be qualified for by the end of the academic year).

Project Proposal: You will write an extensive, well-researched memo to the executive director or other person at your NPO, proposing a new program that you have designed for the NPO or describing another writing project that you propose to undertake for the agency. The program or project that you propose will serve as the basis for the rest of your work this semester. (Depending on the circumstances, the Project Proposal may alternatively be directed to me.)

Annotated Bibliography for the Presentation Assignment: You will do research and provide an annotated bibliography of three sources to contribute to your collaborative Presentation assignment. In choosing these sources, you must coordinate with your group members. The final version of this assignment is the compilation of all group members’ sources.

Presentation. In collaboration with a group of 2-4 students (ideally, 3), you will research an issue of public importance and give an informative 20-minute PowerPoint presentation to your classmates. The topic may be related to one of the group members’ NPO, or another topic chosen by the group and approved by me. It will be based on research you did for the Annotated Bibliography assignment.



Genre Choice - Choice of Press Release, Case Statement, Op-Ed piece, Fundraiser Letter, Brochure, Newsletter, or other short document relating to your NPO (or a different NPO). These genres will be described in the assignment.

Final Project: Grant Proposal or other Writing Deliverable(s) for your NPO, plus supplemental materials to the NPO, justifying the need for the document, discussing your research into best practices for the type of document, and/or explaining how the document will be used. Your final project is likely to consist of a collection of documents.

If you choose to do a Grant Proposal, you will find an appropriate, real-world grantor and write a full grant proposal, following the outline in your text, seeking support for the program you proposed in the Project Proposal. However, your final project may be some other written deliverable that serves the goals of your NPO. The target length of the Final Project is 2500 words directed to an audience other than professor and classmates.

All of the major assignments will involve peer editing of drafts in some form or another. Peer editing is an important part of the course.

DRAFT COMMENTS: On the earlier course assignments, I will provide detailed comments on your drafts. You are expected to apply these recommendations or explain why you chose to reject them (you may have good reasons to do so). However, I cannot guarantee that comments on a draft will cover every shortcoming in your document. You have a responsibility to ponder and carefully review your document to see that it fulfills the assignment and fulfills the needs of its intended “real-world” reader(s). You have many resources at your disposal – textbooks and other readings, the Writing Center, classmates, librarians, and other individuals whom you trust to make a good judgment of your writing. Part of the course objective is to learn how to use all these resources. As the semester proceeds, my comments may be less detailed, as I’ll expect you to be incorporating advice given on earlier assignments.

Peer Review/Feedback: One of the major course goals is that you learn to be a critical and effective editor of your own writing and the writing of others. Having to think critically about a classmate’s draft will help you think more critically about your own drafts of the same assignment. All of the core assignments will be peer-reviewed. This work will be done outside of class, which is possible with electronically submitted documents. While the peer review will be mostly done in writing, you are encouraged to contact your classmate about his or her draft to ask questions.

CLASS PARTICIPATION WORK:Submission of drafts, peer editing work, in-class exercises, discussions, quizzes, mini-presentations, and various homework assignments will constitute the Class Participation grade; attendance is also part of “class participation.” In the Syllabus section of ELMS, you will find a table showing the class participation assignments that are certain to be given. In addition, some in-class exercises, quizzes and homework may or may not be assigned as need indicates and time permits. This approach allows for some flexibility in adding or removing homework assignments as needed during the course.



There will often be homework assignments due Friday night by midnight. I’m a bit more flexible on time of submission of homework, as long as it is done before the next class session. But once I’ve finished entering points for a homework assignment, I will not accept late submissions.

Style work: Good style is essential to effective professional writing, and this is a WRITING course, so my course will provide various exercises, in class and outside of class, to improve your writing style. Although most students come to this course with fairly proficient writing style, most also have certain flaws in their style – flaws that tend to impair readability and that would be noticed by an educated and sophisticated reader in the professional realm and that would impair your ethos with that reader.

Thus, in many class sessions, there will be a segment devoted to a style problem – those that consistently shown up in student writing, such as lack of parallel structure, dangling modifiers, wordiness, awkward syntax, and misuse of punctuation. For some of you, such work may be review of style work you have done in past courses. However, the work is aimed at polishing your writing to a higher level of professionalism.

Many resources provide exercises for working on matters of style, and even if they aren’t assigned, you may need to use them outside of class to address your own particular problems with style, or to polish up a basically sound style.

Research and Citation: One of the major course goals is to be able to find and deploy persuasive and relevant evidence to support an argument, and some form of research will be part of several of the core assignments. You will have a series of three homework assignments based on the Library Tutorials developed by the UMD library. For some of you, this work may be review; however, you are likely to learn some new resources and strategies for researching.

While you have certainly done research for past courses, this course will focus on using sources more oriented toward a real-world argument (as opposed to an academic argument). Citation of evidence for real-world writing is different than citation style for academic writing, so we will focus on the details of how to gracefully integrate evidence into a text, with correct yet reader-friendly use of citations.

Discussions: While this course is focused primarily on practical skills, it also behooves you, as a scholar, to be engaged in more fundamental issues related to language use. In this course, you will engage in a series of class discussions about language topics, which will stimulate deeper thinking about language and the way it can be used to shape identity, perceptions, relationships, and action. Most of these topics will have direct relevance to some writing task in the course, and all have some relevance to career writing in general. Discussion assignments are based on various readings.

Critical Thinking: One of the essential abilities that employers are seeking is the ability to think critically and analytically. One facet of critical thinking is to be able to identify flawed arguments. The



work of many non-profit organizations deals with social problem about which there is considerable controversy—immigrants, literacy, homelessness, child abuse, etc. --and a good deal of argument on these issues happens in the public sphere, influencing legislation and decision-making. It is important to be able to discern valid from invalid arguments. Thus, we will have one or two class sessions devoted to Logical Fallacies.

Mini-Presentations: You will be required to team with one other person to give a short (five- to ten-minute) presentation at some point during the semester, to teach your classmates one of the genres of writing for non-profits, or other topic related to a course assignment. You’ll be given some sources for the basis of your presentation. The presentation will provide a basis for further lecture and discussion of the topic. Near the end of the semester, you’ll give a short, informal presentation on your term project; little preparation will be required for this last presentation.

Readings: While class sessions will be devoted to discussing concepts and skills relevant to your assignments, you are also expected to use the resources (textbook and other readings) in order to be fully prepared to complete the assigned task. The readings in the textbook are a starting point; it is likely that you will want refer to additional resources to feel completely prepared for your tasks. I’ll provide many resources in ELMS. You can use them or ignore them at your discretion, but if your written assignments reveal ignorance of a basic concept contained in the assigned readings, I’ll certainly point it out to you, and your grade for the paper will naturally reflect the deficiency. The Discussion topics are based on several readings that are posted in the assignment space and on the assignment sheet.

Quizzes: This course does not include regular quizzes; there are likely to be several during the semester. They will be indicated in the syllabus and posted in ELMS.

Reflective Writing: You will have three “Reflective Writing” assignments, at the beginning, the middle, and the end of the semester. The first prompts you to review your own writing history and practices. The second asks you to review your writing in the course up to the middle of the term. The last prompts you to review your writing for the whole course. Research has shown that people who think reflectively about their own writing become better writers; thus, the Professional Writing Program has encouraged instructors to include this component in their courses.

Reports: You’ll be called upon to give me periodic informal reports on your progress in completing the final project and also a report on your selection of team and topic for the Presentation assignment.

Portfolio. Save all the graded versions of the work you do in this class, electronically in a folder on your computer where you can collect your PW assignments. About in the middle of the term, you’ll be asked to review grading comments I have made on your assignments. A portfolio of all your graded core assignments must be submitted at the end of the semester.



There will be no final exam for this class. (The Final Project takes the place of the final exam.)

SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS Mode of Submission: All assignments are to be submitted electronically in ELMS. The usual

place in which assignments are found will be in weekly Modules.

Due Dates: The syllabus and ELMS will indicate the date and time when an assignment is to be submitted. While some leeway may be given for unusual circumstances, please count on turning in major assignments as of the indicated due date and time. Your have a one-time late pass (see below).

Drafts are always due at the beginning of class. This ensures that your draft is promptly available for your peer reviewer, because turn-around time on peer review is short.

Other assignments may be due as of midnight on the due date. Some assignments - -usually homework, reports, and final versions of assignments, are due Fridays, or on dates other than the date a class meets. This approach helps spread out the assignments, for your benefit and mine.

Submissions on Discussion topics are always due BEFORE class time. The written discussion post prepares you for an in-class discussion.

File Format: Always show your name and date on a document, whether electronic, printed, or handwritten. Be sure that your document can be opened using a comparable Microsoft program (Word, PowerPoint, etc.). I use MS Office 2010 on a PC. Please create your documents using a program compatible with MS Office. The first time I find that I cannot open your document, I will notify you and give you a chance to re-submit in a readable format. Thereafter, submission of a document that I cannot open will be marked as late.

Handwritten documents are not accepted, unless completed as an in-class assignment.

Always back up your documents at frequent intervals as you compose, and back them up onto an external medium. You can e-mail the document to yourself at various stages of completion, or save a draft in progress in ELMS. Computer crashes are all too frequent a calamity.

REVISION: Students who receive a “C” or below will have the opportunity to revise their assignment to raise their grade, if substantive changes are made according to my recommendations –more than simply incorporating my copy-editing. You will generally have one week after receiving the graded assignment to hand in the revision. I will read the second version, assign a grade, and then average the two numbers to grant a final grade for the assignment. For example, if you receive a 75 on the first



version of your assignment, and an 89 on the revision, I’ll add 75 and 89, divide by two, and enter an 82 as your grade for that assignment.

Assignments Submitted Late:DRAFTS: It is especially important to have drafts submitted on time, substantially completed, because most drafts will be peer reviewed, and the turn-around time is very short. Your timely submission of a draft also gives me the opportunity of checking to see if you are “on track” with the assignment (although I probably will NOT review drafts on minor assignments). If you do not submit a complete draft of an assignment on time, you will likely lose the benefit of your classmates’ review of your draft. You will, of course, also lose the class participation points for submission of a draft.

THE PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO PRODUCE ANY DRAFT WILL BE 10% REDUCTION ON THE GRADE FOR THE FINAL VERSION OF THE ASSIGNMENT. AN INCOMPLETE DRAFT --ONE THAT IS MISSING SOME PARTS OF THE ASSIGNMENT OR THAT IS NOTICEABLY UNDEVELOPED –WILL RESULT IN A 5% REDUCTION ON THE GRADE FOR THE FINAL VERSION.

FINAL VERSION of ASSIGNMENT: If the final version of an assignment is not submitted on the due date, there will be a one-half letter-grade penalty for submission up to one day late, a one-letter-grade penalty for up to two days late; a one-and-one-half- letter-grade penalty for up to three days late, and so on (a “day” is one 24-hour period or any fraction thereof, counting from the clock time the assignment is due). Adjustments to this policy may be made on an individual basis depending on extenuating circumstances; an alternative approach that I will use at my discretion is to simply grade the assignment on the basis of your draft, if you submitted one.

LATE PASS: You may use the “late pass” ONCE during the semester. It allows you to avoid a grade penalty either for late submission of a draft or late submission of a final version.

If you use it for late submission of a draft, the draft is due within 24 hours of the original due date and time, and you must have your draft reviewed by the Writing Center (with a report sent to me) prior to submission of the final version of the assignment. You will probably NOT be able to have your draft reviewed by a classmate, since the turn-around time between draft submission and peer review is short.

If you use the late pass for submission of the final version of the assignment, it defers the application of the above late penalties by 24 hours. Adjustments to this policy may be made on an individual basis depending on extenuating circumstances.

GROUP WORK:

A good deal of the in-class work (exercises, minor assignments) is done collaboratively. Two core assignments – the Annotated Bibliography and the related Presentation – are done collaboratively.



The emphasis on group work reflects common practice in the workplace, where teams of employees are assigned a task to complete together, and where certain employees are asked to review and comment on documents produced by others, before those documents are released to their intended audiences.

Furthermore, the discussion and negotiation that you carry on with other students on an exercise is actually a useful part of the learning process. When you have to TALK about an idea, you have to understand it – and talking about it actually prompts greater understanding.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: You need to familiarize yourself with the Student Honor Council website at http://shc.umd.edu/SHC/AICodeAndCaseProcess.aspx. The student-administered Honor Code and Honor Pledge prohibit students from cheating on exams, plagiarizing papers, submitting the same paper for credit in two courses without authorization, buying papers, submitting fraudulent documents and forging signatures. On every examination, paper or other academic exercise not specifically exempted by the instructor, students must write and sign the following pledge:

I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this examination (or assignment).

Engaging in any type of academic dishonesty will be taken very seriously. Please make every effort to ensure that you do not deliberately or unintentionally violate any aspect of the honor code. In general, plagiarism includes using the words or ideas of others without attribution. Cite the source if you quote directly from it, or paraphrase it, or summarize it, or even if you use it to gain background information.

Part of “Academic Integrity” includes using the correct style of citing outside sources. You will be expected to learn and use the citation style appropriate to the topic of your paper (usually APA). Resources are provided in ELMS, and class sessions will be devoted to this topic.

You must do original work for this course; you may not “recycle” a paper produced for another course. If you wish to use prior work in some way, please talk to me about it. You may not “recycle” a paper that someone else has produced for this course in the past.

If I find that you have committed plagiarism in an assignment for this course, the assignment will receive a “zero.” Other actions will depend on the circumstances. You may be referred to the Student Honor Council for further review. If you are found to have plagiarized, you may be given an “XF” grade for the course.

ATTENDANCE : Even if you complete written assignments outside of class, when you are absent, you are not contributing to the class discussions. Thus, regular attendance is an important part of the course. More details on Attendance are found below, in the section on Grading.


http://shc.umd.edu/SHC/AICodeAndCaseProcess.aspx


Just as in a real workplace, your attendance is essential because you will rely on your classmates (colleagues) and they will be relying on you for team activities such as brainstorming, editing, in-class exercises, and discussion. When we do in-class exercises, we will review them in class, which will help you understand the concepts. When you are absent, you lose the benefit of the review of the exercises, and the class loses the benefit of your contributions. I will also use class time to review assignments so that you have a chance to question anything that is unclear.

EXCUSED ABSENCES: I adhere to the University policy on excused absences:

It is the policy of the University to excuse the absences of students that result from the following causes:

illness of the student or illness of a dependent as defined by Board of Regents policy on family and medical leave,

religious observance (where the nature of the observance prevents the student from being present during the class period),

participation in university activities at the request of University authorities, compelling circumstances beyond the student's control.

Students claiming excused absence must apply in writing and furnish documentary support for their assertion that absence resulted from one of these causes.

Here are the reasons for an excused absence: Illness: According to their website, “The University Health Center does not provide class

excuses unless a student has had an illness for one week or more or has been hospitalized. This policy is in conformance with 2004 recommendations by the Campus Senate Executive Committee.”

If you’re too sick to come to class, then don’t come, but please send me an explanatory note. This note must include an acknowledgement that the information provided is true and correct. Providing false information to University officials is a violation of Part 9(h) of the Code of Student Conduct. You will be allowed ONE excused absence for ordinary illnesses such as colds and flu. We all have a responsibility to protect our health (for example, by frequent hand-washing, getting enough sleep, etc.) and avoid behaviors that tend to impair health. If you’d like to know more about protecting yourself from colds and flu, see the University Health Center. If you have a chronic health problem such as allergies, migraine headaches, etc., please discuss the issue with me early in the semester to see what accommodations are possible. However, any factor that could seriously affect your attendance should be addressed early in the semester.



Prolonged absence or illness preventing attendance from class requires written documentation from the Health Center and/or health care provider verifying dates of treatment when student was unable to meet academic responsibilities.

“Compelling Circumstances:” This usually includes a death in the family or other serious personal circumstance. In order to receive an excused absence, you will need to present documentation from an institution such as a funeral home, religious organization, or hospital, or at the very least, an explanation (handled with strict confidentiality).

Religious observances, University-sponsored activities: Absence due to religious observance and/or university-sponsored activities will not be penalized; however, it is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor within the first three weeks of class regarding any religious observance absence(s) for the entire semester.

Late arrival: I expect students to arrive in class on time and return promptly from breaks. Each late arrival (more than 10 minutes late) or early departure (more than 10 minutes before the end of class time) will count as one half absence.

Making up work: Depending on the circumstances, you may be allowed to make up in-class assignments missed because of an excused absence. After missing a class, you should contact a classmate to find out what transpired during your absence. You can use ELMS Communications to contact fellow students. Make-up options may be indicated in the assignment space and/or in ELMS Announcements.

Truthful excuses for missing class are a matter of academic honesty. An untruthful excuse will be considered as a violation of academic honesty.

PROFESSIONALISM: Part of your grade reflects “professionalism.” This means arriving to class on time, with all materials and documents required for that class session. It means willing participation in whole-class activities, such as brainstorming, discussion, exercises, editing, etc. Think of this class as something like a workplace environment: you have a supervisor (me) and you have co-workers (your classmates), and we have certain explicit and implied responsibilities to one another.

You are expected to give your best effort, which means that you are not pursuing your own private non-course-related activities during class (studying for a test in another class, checking e-mail, doing research for another class, etc). When you willingly and fully participate in class activities, you are making a contribution to the learning environment, just like a willing and enthusiastic employee makes a contribution to the overall morale of a work environment.



Use of Electronic Devices: Cell phones should be turned off and put away at the beginning of the class, unless you are

expecting a call of an emergency nature (which you should explain to me at the beginning of class).

You may not use any portable electronic devices such as MP3 players, iPods, or “smartphones” during class time.

You may often need to use a notebook (laptop) computer during class. Expect to have me monitor your use during class time, because it can be distracting and demoralizing to the on-task students to be aware that nearby students are off-task (sending e-mails, checking Facebook, playing Solitaire, looking up football scores, etc.). If you need to keep busy while I am lecturing, TAKE NOTES by hand!

Food in the Classroom: You may bring a small, neat, and inconspicuous snack item to class if necessary. However, please do not bring large meal-size food items (e.g. pizza, salads, hoagies, etc.). You may bring in bottled water.

Expected Behavior: I expect you, as students of the University of Maryland, to comport yourselves with maturity, treating me, your fellow students, and yourself with respect. Professional behavior includes:

Paying attention and taking notes when I am talking or a fellow student is talking Asking intelligent questions or offering useful comments Interacting collegially with fellow students Coming to class prepared with necessary textbooks and materials Coming to class having read the assigned readings that are relevant to the class discussion Engaging fully in classroom activities Coming to class having already used the bathroom and had enough to eat so that you need not

interrupt class by leaving to use the bathroom or by eating. Projecting an attitude of eagerness to learn. Using your best spelling and grammar and a respectful tone in any e-mail correspondence to me

or to fellow students.

Students with notably bad behavior will be asked to leave the classroom (and marked absent for that day). If such a student refuses to leave, I will call campus security and report the student to the Dean of Students. “Bad behavior” includes behaviors such as:

Persisting in talking while I am talking Persisting in using distracting electronic devices during class Using foul or derogatory language to me or other students Creating a disturbance in class Making hostile or threatening statements or gestures.



While it is your right as a student to raise a respectful challenge (and I welcome corrections of my occasional errors), any disrespectful challenge will be treated as “bad behavior.” Depending on the frequency and severity, bad behavior may result in expulsion from the course.

CONFERENCES:

You will be required to attend at least one conference during the semester, possibly two. Some conferences will take place during class time, but others will have to be scheduled outside of class time. I will make every effort to schedule your conference at a time convenient to you. Failure to attend a scheduled conference will be considered the same as absence from a class session.

I am available on a regular basis during my office hours, indicated at the top of the Course Policies. Please feel free to drop in without an appointment – to discuss a draft, to work through a problem relating to your final project, to ask questions about an assignment, to discuss a personal problem that is affecting your coursework. Additionally, I can often meet with you after class time. Or if necessary, we will make a special appointment at our mutual convenience. Your seeking help in conference can make a difference in your grade. It demonstrates to me that you are committed to success, and I meet that commitment with my own commitment to help you succeed.

GRADING FORMULA, PHILOSOPHY, SCALE, CRITERIA: See the grade point table posted in the Syllabus section of ELMS.CORE ASSIGNMENTS: 75% of the course gradeCLASS PARTICIPATION: 25% of the course gradePart of “Class Participation” includes ATTENDANCE, according to the following table:

All else being equal, the ATTENDANCE grade drops by five points for each unexcused absences:Zero absences (excused or unexcused) =grade of 100 (250 points)Zero unexcused absences =grade of 95 (238 points)One unexcused absence =grade of 93 (233 points)Two unexcused absences =grade of 90 (225 points)Three unexcused absences =grade of 85 (213 points)Four unexcused absences =grade of 80 (200 points)Five unexcused absences =grade of 75 (188 points)Six unexcused absences =grade of 70 (175 points)Seven unexcused absences =grade of 65 (163 points)Eight unexcused absences =grade of 60 (150 points) etc.

“Half an absence” will be counted in figuring the attendance grade. For example, 1.5 unexcused absences will earn 229 points. As stated above, a late arrival of more than 10 minutes equals one-half absence, so two late arrivals equals one unexcused absence.



Absence on the first day of class is considered “unexcused” unless you meet with me in a conference for an overview briefing of the course, in which case your absence will be considered “excused.”

GRADING PHILOSOPHY: It is my intention to uphold high standards in grading assignments for this course. Grade inflation harms everyone in the long run.

AN “A” IS NOT THE DEFAULT GRADE IN THIS COURSE!! IF YOU DO NOT GET AN “A,” IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU ARE A FAILED HUMAN BEING! I RESERVE THE “A” GRADE FOR WORK THAT IS EXCEPTIONAL IN QUALITY.A good deal of the useful work of the world is done by people who got “B”s as students.

Grade Scale: The following grading scale will be applied:

A+ = 97 to 100 A = 93 to 96.9A-minus = 90 to 92.9B+ = 87 to 89.9B = 85 to 86.9B-minus = 80 to 84.9C+ = 77 to 79.9C = 75 to 76.9C-minus = 70 to 74.9D+ = 67 to 69.9D= 65 to 66.9D-minus = 60 to 64.9F = below 60



Failure to submit an assignment results in a score of ZERO for that assignment.

“Hard work” is necessary to earn a high grade, but it is not sufficient. You must also “work smart.” Part of working smart is getting the right kind of help – from me, from classmates, from writing tutors, from librarians – and applying the help intelligently. It means paying close attention to assignment specifications – you may work REALLY HARD on an assignment but miss important aspects of the assignment, with the result of earning a lower grade. Curiosity, enthusiasm, and passion are also important qualities for producing the quality of work that will earn a high grade.

The distribution of grades in my classes varies; I do not grade on a curve. However, most students in my course end up with at least a “B,” several with an “A-minus;” and a few with an “A.”

Grading is an inexact art, not an exact science. The percentages indicated in the Grading Criteria in the assignment sheets just give you an idea of the weight I give to each aspect of the written submission when I assign a grade. There is no mathematical formula that guarantees absolute transparency and objectivity in grading. However, I do strive mightily for fairness, transparency, and consistency in grading.

I reserve the “A” grade for true excellence, and I urge you to try for it—but if you have had writing problems in past courses, you will need to exert some extraordinary effort this semester to work up to “A” quality writing. A grade of “A” means that you’ve gone the extra mile to produce a truly exemplary document. Style errors will always have an adverse effect on your grade, regardless of the quality of the content.

This is what a student needs to do in order to earn at least a "B" in this course:

1. Attend class regularly2. Take notes in class to record important concepts and instructions3. Meet due dates and requirements for all major assignments4. Participate in good faith in all in-class exercises and activities5. Complete all informal, low-stakes homework assignments6. Give thoughtful peer feedback on classmates’ drafts and work faithfully with your group on other

collaborative tasks (e.g., sharing papers, commenting on drafts, peer editing, on-line discussion boards, answering peer questions

7. Sustain effort and investment on each draft of all papers8. Make substantive revisions when the assignment is to revise—extending or changing the argument, the

evidence, or the organization—not just editing or touching up9. Copy-edit all final revisions of main assignments until they conform to the conventions of edited, revised

English (with particular attention to certain “common errors”)10. Attend conferences with the teacher as you are required or encouraged

Since most of the grade is based on the writing assignments, you will need to earn high grades on your core assignments and consistently submit class participation assignments in order to earn a “B” or better.

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It is my practice to provide considerable detailed feedback on your writing assignments, at least early in the semester. Part of what will help you succeed in the course is to pay close attention to the grading comments and apply the suggestions and corrections to your next writing assignment.

To properly align the overall-course grade, the class participation points will be graded the same as major assignments – that is, an “A” on a 25-point assignment = 23.75 points.

The points you earn for Class Participation assignments not individually listed will be calculating by determining the percentage of points you earned applied to the total points possible (however, you cannot earn more than the total number of points in this category). This is a very minor component of the course grade.

Grading Criteria: Six broad evaluative criteria determine the grade students receive on assignments; these criteria reflect the course goals described earlier in this document:

1. Terms of Assignment: Does the document follow the requirements of the assignment?2. Purpose and Audience—Does the document clearly convey its purpose? Does the writer use tone,

style, and content appropriate for its intended audience? (When the audience is teacher and/or classmates, think of the audience as professional colleagues in a professional organization).

3. Reasoning and Evidence —Does the paper thoroughly cover the topic? Does it use effective persuasive strategies? Does it provide sufficient credible evidence to support the claims? Does it address possible counterclaims, objections, etc.?

4. Arrangement—Does the overall structure of the paper, including the introduction and conclusion, make it easy for the writer to follow the argument or narrative? Is the argument or narrative structured logically? Does it avoid redundancy? Does it use features that help the reader move through the document?

5. Expression (Style) — Does the writer use correct grammar, spelling, and mechanics? Does the writer use mature style, in terms of vocabulary and sentence structure? Is the writing clear, concise, and graceful?

6. Document design – Does the document design conform to conventions for the genre? Does the writer use document features such as font, layout, paragraph format, color and visuals, to facilitate reading, to sustain reader interest, and to give the document a polished and professional look?

Deficiency in any single criterion will reduce the grade, and obviously, deficiencies in more than one criterion will reduce the grade till further. However, there is no rigid formula. Grading is more of an art than a science. But I will strive to my utmost to be as fair and objective as possible, to clearly communicate to you the reasons for the grade you received, and to follow the guidelines and standards set by the Professional Writing Program. Following are descriptions of papers at the various grade levels; the grades are based on the above criteria:

The A Paper:

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Not only fulfills the assignment but does so in a detailed, mature, interesting, and original manner. Accommodates itself well to the intended audience. Uses ample evidence that is persuasive, detailed, and credible, showing that the writer has clearly

educated himself or herself on the topic such that the writer’s ethos will be strong for the intended audience.

Exhibits thoughtful, insightful reasoning, going beyond the obvious; Flows well, with a logical overall structure with well-developed, logically structured paragraphs; Uses clear, fluent, concise prose with correct use of punctuation and contains few if any typographical

and mechanical errors or errors in grammar or usage; Is formatted to accommodate audience needs and expectations in an exceptional manner, with an

attractive and easy-to-use design and lay-out.

[This is the kind of paper that will elicit a “Wow!” from the reader and is likely to earn you a promotion in the workplace! It’s the kind of work that puts you on a path toward higher levels of responsibility and remuneration within your organization.]

The B Paper: Shows a reasonable level of awareness of audience and purpose. For the most part, follows and fulfills the assignment, although some terms of the assignment are not

met as fully as they could be. Contains reasoning that is thoughtful and sound, but not complex; lacks the deeper insight on the “A”

paper. Presents some evidence, but not as persuasively as might be hoped, or some points may lack sufficient

evidence, or some evidence may not be entirely credible to the intended audience. Generally has a clear pattern of organization, although some paragraphs may lack complete coherence

or in some way the “guideposts” in the document are not as effective as they could be. Uses mostly correct, fluent prose, although there may be more errors than in an “A” paper, and/or some

sentences that are not as clear and graceful as in the “A” paper. Uses appropriate design features, but without exceptional appeal to the intended audience.

[This is the kind of writing that your employer has a right to expect from you as a minimum. This kind of writing will keep you in the middle ranks of your organization.]

The C Paper: Has a weak sense of audience-- the audience may not be specific enough, or the paper fails to

adequately address audience needs; Follows the assignment, but is missing some parts Presents weak or insufficient evidence; the paper may lack some important factual information or

commits some flaw in logical reasoning. Contains some significant flaws in arrangement such that the audience would have difficulty following

the argument in some parts of the document; Is marred by wordiness or redundancy;

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Fails to achieve mature prose style with use of subordination, parallelism, sentence variety, and modifiers. The paper contains more than a few errors in spelling, mechanics, punctuation, and/or grammar. More than a few sentences are awkward, unclear, or wordy. Diction may be inappropriate for the audience and purpose. This paper will need extensive editing in order to be acceptable to me or to the audience.

Lacks appropriate and appealing design features, although not to the extent that the document would positively alienate the audience.

[This kind of writing will cause your employer to question your fitness for your position and to ask you to take steps to improve your writing. You’ll never get out of that cubicle with this type of writing!]

The D Paper: Has a very limited sense of audience and purpose – does not sound like it is aimed at its intended

audience, or has not clearly identified an appropriate audience Misses significant parts of the assignment Lacks necessary evidence to support the claims Lacks clear organization. The introduction and conclusion may be unclear or missing. The writer’s

argument is hard to follow. Paragraphs may not be well developed; transitions may be missing. Contains numerous errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Many sentences may be hard to

understand. The paper is weak and must be rewritten in order to fulfill its purpose. Uses few if any design features to appeal to the audience and make the document more “user-friendly;”

the document may have a somewhat haphazard and unprofessional look.[This kind of writing is likely to lead to your being put on probationary status in your job. Brush off your resume and take home any extra personal stuff, because you may be headed out the door]

The F Paper: Has an inappropriate audience or no recognizable audience; does not in any way meet the needs of an

appropriate audience; Does not meet the terms of the assignment or misinterprets the assignment. Contains little or no evidence or uses inappropriate evidence; Is organized in an arbitrary and haphazard manner. Contains many errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, diction, or syntax, reflecting poorly on the

student’s competence and work ethics; Exhibits sloppiness and lack of professionalism in document design

[This kind of writing is likely to get you fired from a job, or keep you from ever even getting the job.]

But let’s end this topic on a positive note – I’m assuming that you’re all smart, hard-working students and will do well in this class – and in your future career. My past experience in teaching Professional Writing has shown that most students are capable of doing at least “B” work, producing the kind of writing that is likely to lead them into a reasonably successful career path.

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Professionalism: The overall course grade may be adjusted by no more than 2.5 grade points, upward for an exceptionally valuable contribution to the classroom community, or downward for an exceptionally detrimental effect on the classroom community. An exceptionally high level of professionalism means that you are ALWAYS attentive (never distracted by cell phone, etc.), always ready with a thoughtful answer, always proactive in small group activities, always prepared with useful and intelligent questions on assignments. This grade adjustment is a judgment factor based on my perception of your behaviors as outlined on p. 12-13.

COURSE EVALUATIONS: Course evaluations are a part of the process by which the University of Maryland seeks to improve teaching and learning. Your participation in this official system is critical to the success of the process, and all information submitted to CourseEvalUM is confidential. (Instructors can only view group summaries of evaluations and cannot identify which submissions belong to which students.) [Consider dedicating 15-20 minutes of class time near the end of the semester to allow students to complete the online course evaluation during class --- CourseEvalUM is mobile-device friendly, thus students can complete it using laptops, smart phones, and tablets. Including the activity on the syllabus shows that you value the process, and allowing students to complete the survey during class will improve participation rates.] GETTING HELP:Students Experiencing Stress, Feeling Suicidal: College life is not easy – in fact, life in general is not easy. If you find that you’re getting stressed out, or if unusual challenges arise, don’t wait to get help. Also you should immediately contact me if some unusual situation is affecting or is likely to affect your coursework. Naturally, I expect that all such communications will be truthful, and you may depend on me to keep them confidential. I’m willing to work with you to get you successfully through the course.

RESOURCES: UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND HELP CENTER at (301) 314-HELP UNIVERSITY POLICE/ DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY: 301-405-3333 or 911 (24 hours a

day/7 days a week) – For emergency response if you see or hear of anyone in possession of a weapon, or threatening violence or any destructive behavior

NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE at 1-800-273-TALK or the Maryland Crisis Hotline at 1-800-422-0009. These resources are both available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES: 301-314-8106, [email protected]. (Mon-Fri, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm) For psychiatric assessment and care. Inside the University Health Center , directly across from the Stamp Student Union. Mental Health Services is staffed by psychiatrists and clinical social workers who conduct confidential individual and group psychotherapy, one-time consultations, crisis intervention, medication evaluation and management, and referrals to resources in the community. Mental Health services will help students with an eating disorder, drug/alcohol abuse, trauma, depression or anxiety, ADHD, etc.

THE UNIVERSITY COUNSELING CENTER - Shoemaker Building , 301-314-7651. (Mon-Thu, 8:30 am – 9:00 pm and Fri, 8:30 am-4:30 pm Fall and Spring Semesters and Mon-Fri, 8:30 am – 4:30

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http://www.counseling.umd.edu/

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

http://www.umdhelpcenter.org/


pm during summer) The University Counseling Center is staffed by counseling and clinical psychologists who offer support for personal, interpersonal, and vocational issues. In addition to individual, couples, and group counseling, they offer career counseling services for exploratory students, and academic skills counseling (time management, study skills, test anxiety, etc.). They will also see students in immediate crisis without an appointment.

OFFICE OF STUDENT CONDUCT: 301-314-8204 (Mon-Fri, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm) To report non-emergency student misconduct

The Career Center:The University Career center has numerous resources for students both to assess how their skills and interests fit with various career paths and to hone their job-seeking skills. They offer many workshops as well as guidance in designing resumes and cover letters and in working on interviewing skills. Check out their website at http://www.careers.umd.edu/. The Career Center is located on the third floor of the classroom wing of Hornbake Library.

Students with Disabilities: Both I and the University are committed to providing appropriate accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Students with a documented disability should inform me within the add-drop period if academic accommodations are needed. To obtain an Accommodation Letter prepared by Disability Support Service (DSS), a division of the University Counseling Center, please call 301-314-7682, e-mail [email protected], or visit the Shoemaker Building for more information. Notify me at the beginning of the semester of your special needs (such as a chronic or recurring health problem) so that I am aware and able to help.

The Writing Center. I encourage all my students—even the “good” writers, but especially those for whom writing is a struggle – to take advantage of The Writing Center. The Writing Center is located on the first floor of Tawes Hall and is available free to all students. You can make an appointment or just walk in for help with any writing task, from the drafting stage to the final editing stage. The Writing Center can help you with grammar problems and also with research skills. There is more information at http://www.english.umd.edu/academics/writingcenter/undergraduate/faqs. Also see this video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GkePbZxOl8. To make best use of the Writing Center:

Make an appointment online, by phone, or in person --the earlier, the better Budget at least 30 minutes for your tutoring session Bring a printed copy of your draft – and if you have received comments on your draft from me,

bring that draft. Bring a copy of the assignment sheet and any relevant textbooks or readings Come with a clear idea of your own priorities for the consultation.

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http://www.english.umd.edu/academics/writingcenter/undergraduate/faqs


http://www.careers.umd.edu/


The Learning Assistance Center. If you are experiencing difficulties in keeping up with the academic demands of this course, contact the Learning Assistance Service, 2202 Shoemaker Building, 301-314-7693. Also see their website at http://www.counseling.umd.edu/LAS/. Their educational counselors can help with time management, reading, math learning skills, note-taking, and exam preparation skills. All their services are free to UMD students.

Sexual Harassment or Discrimination: The classroom environment should not cause students or instructors discomfort because of sexual harassment or because of discriminatory behavior based on gender, race, ethnicity, or religion. Refer to policies, definitions, and resources on the website of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at http://www.ohrp.umd.edu/compliance/shpp.html. This link is found in ELMS.

Diversity:

The University of Maryland values the diversity of its student body. Along with the University, I am committed to providing a classroom atmosphere that respects all students and encourages the equitable participation of all students regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, national origin, race, religion, gender, gender orientation, or sexual orientation. In our classroom, we will shun any devaluation of students by using demeaning stereotypes or by overlooking the contributions of a particular group. However, some classroom discussions may focus on some controversial topics relating to gender, race, ethnicity, etc. and in the interest of free inquiry and learning, students should be prepared to grapple with such topics as mature adults.

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http://www.ohrp.umd.edu/compliance/shpp.html

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