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EWRT 2 SYLLABUS
English Writing 2: Critical Reading, Writing, Thinking
Instructor: Rebecca Board Liljenstolpe | Contact Information | EWRT2syllabus.rtf
Course Description
EWRT 2 is a transfer level writing course designed to prepare students for research and argumentation. Students will study the principles of argumentation, such as the logical structure of arguments, how to use evidence effectively, and how to move an audience, and they will practice generating, structuring, and supporting their own arguments through guided practice and formal writing projects.
Course Materials
Textbook: Writing ARGUMENTS, Concise 4th Ed. by Ramage et al. (ISBN: 0-321-41289-3).
There are several editions of this book out. If you are not sure which one to buy, here is an enlarged photo of the front cover you should look for.
You will also need high speed internet access.
Course Requirements
Participation in Online Community 100 pts
We will discuss specific issues from the reading assignments in our online Catalyst classroom. I like to refer to this space as our “Class Café,” a place where we meet for conversation and constructive dialogue about the course materials. The class café helps personalize the online classroom, giving students a chance to talk with one another, ask questions, give and receive feedback, and explore the reading assignments in a dynamic, collaborative community. It works best when everyone participates, and for this reason, it is a requirement worth 100 points of your grade.
Current Issues Weblog (Critical Thinking Journal) 100 pts
As a teacher, one of my goals is to facilitate your becoming a more experienced reader and critical thinker. I can provide you with tools that can help you learn about important issues in your community and get more out of what you read by teaching you what to look for and what kinds of questions to consider. Each week I will comb the local headlines and provide links to news stories from our community. It will be your job to read about these issues and begin to listen for your reactions as you read and then follow up on these reactions with critical questions. Your final writing project will stem from commentary in this journal as you develop a practical proposal to a problem in your community.
Here are some questions that might prompt a critical response:
1.) Describe the overall effect(s) of the news story upon you. Consider why you like or
dislike it. Are there any particular ideas that strike you personally? What and why?
2.) What specific details do you mark as particularly significant in the news story? Why do they seem important?
3.) Focus on difficult or problematic areas of the story, asking questions, pointing out
gaps, contradictions, ambiguities, intriguing aspects. Do you think there is another side to the story? Is there anything else you feel you need to know to understand the story?
4.) What problem(s) in your community might this story relate to or reveal?
On Keeping Your Current Issues Blog
• Students will write a response to each story listed in the weekly Current Issues assignment. Include all story responses in one journal entry each week. DO NOT submit single entries for each story in the assignment because this makes reading/grading more time consuming for me.
• Access your blog in Catalyst. You will see a forum called “Current Issues Blogs.” When you open this forum, you will see a sample student blog and a list of names. Click on your name. This message with your name will become the “anchor” page of your weblog, and you will open it and reply to that post each time you submit your weekly journal entries. What results is a threaded discussion of all your journals for the quarter.
• Be sure to change the subject of your entries to “Week 1 Journal,” “Week 2 Journal” and so on. This also makes reading/grading easier for me.
• Please include the title of the news stories in your blog entry so I know what you are responding to.
• I will give you feedback on your blog every two weeks beginning week 2 and ending week 10 for a total of five times. I will record but not heavily critique responses and give up to 20 points for each collection. This is your space, and you need to feel comfortable to explore and try on ideas as you practice reading and responding in this class.
• Points will be assigned according to instructor’s general assessment of student’s earnest and thoughtful completion of his or her responses, with the instructor reserving the right to subtract points for hasty, sloppy, or undeveloped entries.
Reading Quizzes 50 pts
Students will demonstrate their understanding of argumentative elements in bi-weekly quizzes covering assigned chapters in the textbook. Quizzes will be available in Catalyst through Saturday the week they are due.
Quiz 1: chps 1&2 (week 2) | Quiz 2: chps 3&4 (week 4) | Quiz 3: chps 5&6
(week 6) | Quiz 4: chps 7&8 (week 8) | Quiz 5: chps 10&15 (week 10)
Papers 175 points
Students will write three argumentative papers throughout the quarter.
Paper 1: An Analysis of Sources of Disagreement in a Controversy
25 points due end of week 3
Paper 2: Supported Enthymeme
50 points due end of week 6
Paper 3: An Unpopular Argument
100 points due end of week 9
Final Presentation 100 pts
Students will research, write, and present a practical proposal argument. Students can collaborate in teams or work individually on this project. Instructor and students will collaborate to develop a list of possible topics. All other topics must be approved through written petition. Contact instructor for petition process guidelines.
Presentation Format
Proposal arguments will be presented in the form of a community service website. Your job will be to present a problem in your community that needs solving, present your proposal, summarize and rebut opposing views, and persuade viewers that your proposal should be enacted.
Presentation Requirements
• Must be a practical proposal to a local issue or problem that affects your own community (De Anza, workplace, neighborhood, city, county, state) WE WILL AVOID GLOBAL/HUMAN PROBLEMS LIKE GLOBAL WARMING, ABORTION, WAR, LEGALIZING DRUGS, ASSISTED SUICIDE, GUN CONTROL ETC. These are controversial, enduring moral issues with few practical solutions. They are also less interesting to read about because they have been so heavily debated already.
• Problem should stem from the commentary in your Current Issues Weblogs and from the list of possible topics the class brainstorms in conjunction with the instructor.
• All researched sources should be documented in MLA Style (see textbook appendix two 280-97).
• Plagiarism will be grounds for failing the assignment.
Instructor Policies
• Instructor expects an atmosphere of mutual responsibility and respect. This is crucial in order to form a place where each person feels comfortable and welcome. It is risky for anyone to put ideas on the table for others to examine and compare, but it’s even more risky for students who are traditionally loathe to speak out in class. Being conscientious of the diversity of experience, opinion, and learning styles will best foster an open community where each person feels comfortable expressing themselves. Help each other find your voices by learning to listen to others. Practice patience and diplomacy by learning to respectfully disagree, even if this means holding your tongue when you feel the urge to criticize or ridicule another’s opinion.
• Students are expected to participate regularly in order to receive course credit. Students who disappear for more than two weeks may be dropped from the course.
• Students are responsible for dropping or withdrawing themselves from the course. Any student actively enrolled after the final date to withdraw will receive a letter grade and cannot receive a "W". This is a recently enacted college policy, and instructors are no loner able to give "W" grades at the end of the quarter. NO EXCEPTIONS. INSTRUCTOR WILL NOT DROP YOU AFTER THE THIRD WEEK. DROP YOURSELF!!
• Please note: late work often receives last priority. When I get busy teaching a class and grading assignments, I sometimes neglect things that were turned in late. Remind me if you are missing a grade for something you turned in late.
• Essays must be spellchecked and proofread for grammar, punctuation and sentence structure and submitted on time to avoid 5 point/day late penalty.
• Plagiarized work will receive zero points and can not be made up.
Reading, Quiz, and Project Schedule
Week 1: Chapter 1 Argument: An Introduction (3-18)
Week 2: Chapter 2 Reading Arguments (19-44)
Quiz 1
Week 3: Chapter 3 Writing Arguments (45-63)
Paper 1 Due
Week 4: Chapter 4 The Core of an Argument: A Claim with Reasons (67-77)
Quiz 2
Week 5: Chapter 5 The Logical Structure of Arguments (78-88)
Week 6: Chapter 6 Using Evidence Effectively (94-108)
Quiz 3, Paper 2 Due
Week 7: Chapter 7 Moving Your Audience: Ethos, Pathos, Kairos (112-20)
Week 8: Chapter 8 Accommodating Your Audience: Treating Differing Views (121-35)
Quiz 4
Week 9: Chapter 9 An Introduction to the Types of Claims (165-77), Chapter 15 Proposal Arguments (250-73)
Paper 3 Due
Weeks 10-12 Proposal Argument project
Quiz 5
Presentations Due Wednesday, Finals Week by Midnight
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