Flathers engl101.2020sp syllabus_final

Flathers English 101 Syllabus - Spring 2020 1 of 10
English 101 Syllabus: Or, How to Student
English 101.16, 20, 49, 59
WSU Pullman
Spring 2020
Instructor: Jamie Flathers
Office: Avery 222
Student Office Hours: W 10-12 and
2-4:30 (and by appointment)
jamie.flathers@wsu.edu
Introduction: Why Do We Syllabus?
The syllabus is where you’ll find all the information you need in order to student
in a given class. They always contain the instructor’s contact information, a
description of the course, a list of outcomes (what you should be able to do when
the semester is over), and information about the required texts. They also contain
policies that are unique to the instructor—attendance, late work, make-up work,
testing, etc. Syllabi are as unique as the teachers who write them, and you should
always read them, because you never know what kind of humorous gem you
might encounter, and you might stumble upon a nugget of information that all of
your other classmates ignore, leading your teacher to be in an especially good
mood when they grade your work.
Note: Now that you know what a syllabus is for and what it contains, if you send
me an email asking a question whose answer is in this syllabus, I will email you
back and tell you to check the syllabus.
Catalog Description
Course Prerequisite: Appropriate Writing Exam score or completion of ENGLISH
100 with an S grade. Designed to further develop students’ academic writing,
critical thinking, rhetorical strategies, reading and library skills. Credit not granted
for more than one of ENGLISH 101 and 105.
Course Description
This course will introduce you to writing as both a skill to be learned and a subject
of academic inquiry. Through sustained engagement with the writing and revision
process, you will be exposed to four “threshold concepts”—composing, literacy,
rhetoric, and community—that will help you understand the conventions of
academic writing and research in ways that will enable you to transfer that
understanding to other occasions for writing beyond this course. In other words,

this course will consist of both theoretical knowledge about writing as a discipline,
as well as practical skills in reading and writing as a practice.
Required Text
Wardle, Elizabeth and Doug Downs. Writing About Writing, 4th
ed.
• Loose-Leaf Version (available at the Bookie)
OR
• Digitial edition
(https://store.macmillanlearning.com/us/product/Writing-about-
Writing/p/1319195865?searchText=writing%20about)
• Additional readings as assigned, available on Blackboard
Course Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
1. Define and explain key terms and concepts in writing studies
2. Recognize and compose in a variety of genres
3. Use library resources to explore and develop research questions
4. Use self-reflection as a tool for meta-cognition through the revision process
5. Engage in conversational inquiry both about and through writing
Major Assignments
• Literature Review, in which you’ll summarize several sources relating to a
guiding research question (4-6 pages)
• Literacy Narrative, in which you’ll write about yourself as a writer (4-6
pages)
• Discourse Community Analysis, in which you’ll write about gaining or losing
authority to speak about a topic (4-6 pages)
• Rhetorical Reading, in which you’ll perform a rhetorical reading on a piece
of scholarly writing (7-8 pages)
Additional Assignments
• Mini assignments (short, exploratory, informal pieces of writing)
• Blackboard discussion forum posts (don’t worry; you only have to post, not
reply to others)

Grade Distribution
This course will be graded using a labor contract. Please see “labor contract” at
the end of this syllabus for detailed information. WSU uses the plus/minus
system.
Midterm grades
Your midterm grade will be reported as the grade you contracted for unless you
are significantly behind in your work for that grade. If you are not meeting the
criteria you contracted for at the time midterm grades are due, your grade will be
reported at the level you are working at.
Course Policies
Attendance
A significant amount of the labor for this course will occur during class time, so
your regular attendance is expected. If there is a reason why you are unable to
attend regularly, please notify me as soon as possible so we can adjust your labor
contract accordingly.
Late work
All work is due on the assigned date. In general, I do not accept late work unless
you have made arrangements for an extension prior to the deadline. If I do accept
late work, it will be on a case-by-case basis and only for extenuating
circumstances (a death in the family, a hospitalization, the zombie apocalypse).
Make-up work
Because I allow students to make up work on a case-by-case basis only, I can’t be
said to have a make-up work protocol. The procedure for turning in late work will
be worked out when and if you contact me for an extension. Two steadfast rules
do apply, however: in-class work cannot be made up, and regardless of the
context, I won’t accept work more than a week past its deadline.
Laptop/technology policy:
Phones and laptops must be shut down or otherwise put away during the first
fifteen minutes of class. Generally, the first fifteen minutes will involve setting the
day’s agenda, answering questions from previous classes, and getting a lecture
going (if there is one that day). At the beginning of class, I’ll ask you to close

laptops and put phones away, and once the class is in full swing, I’ll let you know
when it’s okay to use them. This policy will also apply to the last five to ten
minutes of class, as this is when we’ll be talking about what’s forthcoming and
answering questions about the day’s events and activities.
Student-Teacher Communication
My greatest teaching frustrations have to do with breakdowns in communication.
As such, I’d like to establish the following communication guidelines:
• I expect you to check your email at least once a day. I often send out
important reminders via email, and if there’s a problem with one of your
Blackboard submissions, this is how I’ll contact you. It’s especially
important that you watch your email after a deadline, as you’ll only have 24
hours to upload another submission if there’s a problem. Not checking your
email is not an excuse not to do a thing that’s been asked of you.
• If you have a question, please ask me. My contact info is at the top of this
syllabus. Students have told me in the past that they hesitate to ask
questions because they think they’re bothering their teachers, or because
they think a question is stupid. First, answering your questions is literally
my job. Second, if you already knew everything there was to know about
the concepts we’ll cover, you wouldn’t need to take this class. If an
assignment comes due, and you tell me that you didn’t understand it, or
you didn’t know what to do, I’ll ask why you didn’t communicate with me,
and the assignment won’t count toward the fulfillment of your labor
contract.
• With few exceptions, I won’t answer emails between six p.m. and seven
a.m. on any day of the week. You’re welcome to email me during those
times, but you shouldn’t expect an answer. I won’t expect you to answer
emails during those times, either. I will usually answer student emails
within twenty-four hours, including on weekends, though this isn’t a
guarantee.
• If you aren’t going to be in class on a given day, please send me an email to
let me know. You don’t need to tell me the reason; I just want to know that
you won’t be in class.
Academic Integrity
The Council of Writing Program Administrators (CWPA) states that “In an
instructional setting, plagiarism occurs when a writer deliberately uses someone

else’s language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge) material
without acknowledging its source.” The WSU Academic Integrity Policy (based on
State of Washington Code) expands the CWPA definition of plagiarism as well as
explaining other categories of academic misconduct. As a WSU student, you are
bound by these policies and are responsible for being aware of and
abiding by them. Students who commit intentional acts of plagiarism will be
reported to the Assistant Director of Composition and the Office of the Dean of
Students and will fail the class.
Please familiarize yourself with WSU’s academic integrity policy.
Reasonable Accommodations
It is important to me that everyone has equitable access to this course, its
material, and its instruction. I have tried to design a class that is accessible, but I
know there are areas I may have overlooked, so please reach out to me if there
are things I can do to make this class more comfortable for you.
Reasonable accommodations are available for students with documented
disabilities or chronic medical conditions. If you have a disability and need
accommodations to fully participate in this class, please visit the Access Center
website to follow published procedures to request accommodations
Students may also either call or visit the Access Center in person to schedule an
appointment with an Access Advisor. Location: Washington Building 217; Phone:
509-335-3417. All disability related accommodations must be approved through
the Access Center. Students with approved accommodations are strongly
encouraged to visit with instructors early in the semester during office hours to
discuss logistics.
University Statements
WSU Safety Statement
Classroom and campus safety are of paramount importance at Washington State
University and are the shared responsibility of the entire campus population.
WSU urges students to follow the “Alert, Assess, Act,” protocol for all types of
emergencies and the “Run, Hide, Fight” response for an active shooter incident.
Remain ALERT (through direct observation or emergency notification), ASSESS

your specific situation, and ACT in the most appropriate way to assure your own
safety (and the safety of others if you are able).
Please sign up for emergency alerts on your account at MyWSU. For more
information on this subject, campus safety, and related topics, please view the
FBI’s Run, Hide, Fight video and visit the WSU safety portal.
Office of Equal Opportunity
Discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, sexual harassment, and
sexual misconduct (including stalking, intimate partner violence, and sexual
violence) is prohibited at WSU (See WSU Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Sexual
Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct (Executive Policy 15) and WSU Standards of
Conduct for Students).
If you feel you have experienced or have witnessed discriminatory conduct, you
can contact the WSU Office for Civil Rights, Compliance, and Investigation (CRCI)
and/or the WSU Title IX Coordinator at 509-335-8288 to discuss resources,
including confidential resources, and reporting options. (Visit the CRCI website for
more information.). Most WSU employees, including faculty, who have
information regarding sexual harassment or sexual misconduct are required to
report the information to the CCRI (Visit the CCRI’s reporting requirements for
more information.).
Additional Resources
Avery Microcomputer Lab (AML)
All English 101 students have access to the services and facilities of the AML
(Avery 101, 103, & 105), including free printing.
Writing Center
The Writing Center provides free, walk-in peer consultation services. Use of
the Writing Center is strongly encouraged. Online tutoring is available
through eTutoringOnline.org.
Labor Contract
What is a labor contract?

This section of ENG 101 will be graded using a labor contract. A labor contract is
an agreement between you and your instructor (i.e. me). You agree to do a
certain amount of work, and in exchange, I will give you a certain grade.
Agreeing on the terms of your grade at the outset of the course allows you to
focus on learning about writing. Because your grade is not uncertain, you will be
able to take risks with your work, try new things, ask tough questions, and,
hopefully, enjoy the writing process.
You will still need to work hard for the grade you receive in this course, but the
great thing is that you get to decide what that grade will be based on the amount
of work you choose to do for this course rather than my assessment of that work.
Your grade is in your hands.
How does a labor contract work?
Below you will see categories for A, B, and C grades. Each category has a specific
set of requirements. After carefully reviewing the categories, you will contract for
the grade you want to work for. As long as you responsibly complete all the work
for the grade you have chosen, you will receive that grade.
What’s the catch?
There is no real catch. If you do the work, you get the grade. But, if you don’t do
the work, or don’t do the work in good faith, I retain the authority to change your
contract. An example of a bad faith effort would be turning in a paragraph when
the assignment specifies 4-5 pages.
What happens if I don’t turn in one of the components of my contract—say, a
Blackboard post?
We’ll address these situations on a case-by-case basis. Most likely, a missed
component will result in a slightly lower grade—an A- if you contracted for an A,
for example. It won’t be possible for you to turn in a missed component at the
end of the semester, since I don’t accept any late work more than a week past its
due date.
What are my choices?
The baseline requirements for this course are:

• 4 major assignments
• Final portfolio
• Portfolio cover letter
• Regular attendance and participation
You must fulfill the baseline requirements to pass.
If you want an A, you need to complete the following in addition to the baseline
requirements:
• 4 mini assignments (two drafts of the first, required mini assignment and
one draft of each subsequent mini assignment)
• 10 Bb discussion posts (6 required plus 4 optional)
• Substantial revision of 3 out of the 4 major assignments
• Meta-revision note for each revision
• One additional major assignment
If you want a B, you need to complete the following in addition to the baseline
requirements:
one draft of each subsequent mini assignment)
• 8 Bb discussion posts (6 required plus two optional)
• Meta-revision note for each revision
If you want a C, you need to complete the following in addition to the baseline
requirements:
one draft of one other mini assignment of your choice)
• 6 required Bb discussion posts
• Meta revision note for each revision

Course Calendar
Note: This schedule is only a preliminary outline, showing mostly the due dates
of assignments. For the daily schedule (readings, homework, class agendas, etc.)
please refer to the Blackboard calendar.
Monday Tuesday Thursday Sunday
Week one – What is
good writing?
1/13 1/14 – Course
Intro
1/16 – What is
Good Writing?
1/19 - Writing due:
BB post (required)
Week two –genre 1/20 1/21 – Genre:
Conventions and
Rules
1/23 – Genre:
Readers and
Texts
Writing due:
BB post
(optional)
1/26 – Writing due:
first draft of mini
assignment
Week three –genre
and conversational
inquiry
1/27 –
Writing
due: BB
post
(required
1/28 – Peer
Review
1/30 –
Conversational
Inquiry
2/2 – Writing due:
second draft of
mini assignment
Week four –
conversational
inquiry
2/4 –
Conversational
Inquiry
2/6 – library
instruction
2/9 – due: BB post
(required)
Week five –
conversational
inquiry
2/11 – AML
Orientation
Meet in Avery
103 instead of
regular
classroom
2/13 – Writing
due: first draft
of major
assignment 1
2/16 – due: BB post
(optional) -
Week six –
composing
2/18 – writing
due: mini
assignment 2
2/20 2/23 – writing due:
second draft of
major assignment 1
with meta revision
note

Week seven –
composing
2/25 – writing
due: mini
assignment 3
2/27 – writing
due: BB post
(required)
3/1 – writing due:
first draft of major
assignment 2
Week eight –
composing/literacies
and communities
3/3 – Peer review 3/5 - Writing
due: BB post
(optional)
second draft of
major assignment 2
Week nine –
literacies and
communities
3/10 – writing
due: mini
assignment 4
(1.4, p. 12
3/12 – writing
due: first draft
of assignment
3
BB post (required)
Week ten 3/17 – spring
break
3/19 – spring
break
3/22
Week eleven -
literacies and
communities/rhetoric
3/24 - writing
due: second draft
of major
assignment 3
3/26 3/29 – writing due:
BB post (required)
Week twelve -
rhetoric
3/31 – writing
due: BB post
(optional)
4/2 – writing
due: first draft
of assignment
4
4/5
Week thirteen –
rhetoric
4/7 – 4/9 – writing
due: second
draft of
assignment 4
4/12
Week fourteen –
portfolio
4/14 – writing
due: BB post
(optional)
4/16 4/19
Week fifteen –
portfolio
4/21 – 4/23 4/26
Week sixteen -
portfolio
4/28 – writing
due: BB post
(optional)
4/30 – last day
of class
Writing due:
portfolio
5/3

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