Writing and rhetoric ii syllabus

1. Spring 2020
Writing & Rhetoric II
ENGL 102 | TLC 139 | T/Th 2:00-3:15 pm
Ben Shane | bashane@uidaho.edu
Brink 116 | Office Hours: Tue. Noon-2pm
Course Description
The aim of this course is to help each of you become a better
communicator through study and practice.
You will work to improve your ability to receive and convey information effectively through reading
and writing, speaking and listening. We will work with the essential tools of the English language:
words, sentences, and arguments. We will read a lot. We will write a lot. We will discuss often.
If you are not motivated to work hard in order to further your education, this is not the class for
you. If you are looking for an “easy A,” or just want to get a required course out of the way, you
will struggle with the workload and expectations. My job is to help you learn, but you are all legal
adults and I will expect you to comport yourselves as such. That means taking responsibility for
yourself and your learning.
No matter what you do in life, communication is an essential skill. If you can read and listen well,
if you can write and speak clearly, the whole world opens before you. If you cannot communicate
well, you limit your ability to think, learn, interact, and grow. I don’t care what you are studying,
what career you want to have, or what you want to do in life—whatever it is, being a strong
communicator will improve your life and the lives of people around you.
Course Policies
ATTENDANCE. Attendance is required. You are allowed two (2) absences without penalty.
After that, each absence will result in a three-percent (3%) reduction in your final grade. For

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example, if your course work earns you a 92%, but you have four absences during the
semester, your final grade will be an 86%. If you accrue six total absences, that is
grounds for failure of the course. There are no excused or unexcused absences. It is your
responsibility to keep track of your absences, and to communicate with me any concerns you
have. If you are habitually late to class or on your cell phone or laptop during class, I will
count each such occasion as half an absence without warning or explanation. Being present
means being present, mentally as well as physically.
READING. There will be assigned reading every week of the semester, if not every class period.
When I ask you to read something, whether it is a story, essay, article, or poem, I expect
you to read carefully, take notes, and critically assess the reading. Skimming is not reading,
and will not be satisfactory in this course. If you are not prepared to read closely, you will do
very poorly in this course.
QUIZZES. We will have quizzes frequently. Many will be quizzes over the day’s reading or the
previous class lecture. If you are not reading carefully and taking notes in class, you are likely
to do very poorly on these quizzes.
TESTS. At the end of each unit you will take a test over that unit’s material. Again, it will cover
readings, lectures, in-class materials, and any other relevant information. If you are not
keeping up with your work and studying, you are likely to do poorly on these tests.
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS. We will have a variety of writing assignments, ranging in genre
and length. Graded writing assignments will have specific, concrete expectations. If you fail
to meet a given assignment’s requirements, you will fail that assignment.
GRADING. Your performance on the above assignments determines your final grade.
Final Grade Breakdown:
Quizzes: 30% Tests: 30% Writing: 30% Attendance & Participation: 10%
Grades in ENGL 102 courses at the University of Idaho are given as A/B/C/N/F.
As a reminder: Accruing six absences, for any reason, is grounds for failing this course.
TECHNOLOGY. There will be no need for technology in this classroom except when I explicitly
ask you to use your computer or cell phone for a quiz or test. Please bring these items to
class, but keep them put away unless an activity calls for them. If I see you on your phone
or computer, I will mark you down for half an absence without warning or explanation.
MY EXPECTATIONS. You are all in this class as students. That means you are here to learn.
I expect each of you to value your education, and to put in the time and effort necessary to
make the most of it. If your goal is anything other than learning—if you just want an A, or if

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you just want to check another box toward graduation—then you are in the wrong class. In
fact, if your goal is not learning, you should not be in school at all, and your time would be
better spent in one of a thousand other productive, meaningful endeavors.
Schedule
Below is a general outline of the semester until Spring Recess. Quizzes will not be announced
beforehand, so you should always come to class prepared for a quiz on the day’s reading or
previous lecture. Tests will be at the end of every unit. “Readings” should be completed before
class. So, for Week 1, Thursday 1/16, you should have already read this syllabus before class.
This schedule is subject to change as the semester develops. Refer to BbLearn and come to
class for the latest updates.
Topic Reading
Week 1
Thurs. 1/16 Class Expectations Syllabus
Week 2
Tue. 1/21
Thurs. 1/23
Nouns
Verbs
“The Things They Carried”
“Dr. H.A. Moynihan”
Week 3
Tue. 1/28
Thurs. 1/30
Adjective & Adverbs
Unit 1 Test
“The Short Happy Life of
Francis Macomber”
Study!
Week 4
Tue. 2/4
Thurs. 2/6
Simple Sentences
Complex Sentences
“bone black”
Strunk & White 1
Continued on next page

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Topic Reading
Week 5
Tue. 2/1
Thurs. 2/13
CONFERENCES
CONFERENCES
NO CLASS
NO CLASS
Week 6
Tue. 2/18
Thurs. 2/20
Logical Argumentation
Logical Argumentation
“How TikTok…”; Research
Proposal Due
How to Win Every Argument 1
Week 7
Tue. 2/25
Thurs. 2/27
Logical Fallacies
Logical Fallacies
How to Win Every Argument 2
TBD
Week 8
Tue. 3/3
Thurs. 3/5
LIBRARY WEEK Meet in Library
Week 9
Tue. 3/10
Thurs. 3/12
Evidence-Based Claims
Evidence-Based Claims
“The Short Happy Life of
Francis Macomber”
“The Short Happy Life of
Francis Macomber”
Week 10
NO CLASS—
SPRING RECESS
3/16-3/20
Week 11
Tue. 3/24
Thurs. 3/26
TBD TBD
Week 12 TBD TBD

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Topic Reading
ENGLTue.
3/31
Thurs. 4/2
Week 13
Tue. 4/7
Thurs. 4/9
TBD TBD
Week 14
Tue. 4/14
Thurs. 4/16
TBD TBD
Week 15
Tue. 4/21
Thurs. 4/23
TBD TBD
Week 16
Tue. 4/28
Thurs. 4/30
TBD TBD
Week 17
(Dead Week)
Tue. 5/5
Thurs. 5/7
Final Portfolio
FINALS WEEK Final Exam

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University Disability Support Services
Reasonable accommodations are available for students who have documented temporary
or permanent disabilities. All accommodations must be approved through Disability
Support Services located in the Idaho Commons Building, Room 306. Please meet with the
staff of the DSS office at the beginning of each semester to set up accommodations for the
semester so that you may notify your instructor(s) early in the semester regarding
accommodation(s) needed for the course.
• 885-6307
• dss@uidaho.edu
• http://www.uidaho.edu/studentaffairs/asap/dss
University Classroom Learning Civility Clause:
In any environment in which people gather to learn, it is essential that all members feel as free
and safe as possible in their participation. To this end, it is expected that everyone in this
course will be treated with mutual respect and civility, with an understanding that all of us
(students, instructors, professors, guests, and teaching assistants) will be respectful and civil to
one another in discussion, in action, in teaching, and in learning.
Should you feel our classroom interactions do not reflect an environment of civility and
respect, you are encouraged to meet with your instructor during office hours to discuss your
concern. Additional resources for expression of concern or requesting support include the
Dean of Students office and staff (5-6757), the UI Counseling & Testing Center’s
confidential services (5-6716), or the UI Office of Human Rights, Access, & Inclusion (5-
4285)