University of Waterloo
Department of English
ENGL 109 - Introduction to Academic Writing
Fall 2019
Environment 3 3408
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00 – 2:20 pm
Instructor: Christin Wright-Taylor
Office: 2224 PAS
Office Hours: Tues and Thurs 10:20-11:20 Email: c33taylor@uwaterloo.ca
Dear Student:
The purpose of English 109 is to help you develop your abilities as a writer. I will help you to think critically and communicate effectively. You will learn and practice a variety of strategies for inventing, drafting, and editing texts written in different genres and for different audiences.
Through this work, you will learn ways to adapt your writing to different situations, so that you can more effectively and more powerfully communicate. This course will prepare you to succeed throughout your academic career, regardless of your discipline.
To facilitate this learning, I will assign reading and writing assignments that will ask you to study and reflect on personal, academic, and civic contexts. You will be encouraged to think critically about your place in the world and the ways you can best negotiate it as a writer and reader.
In addition, because I value learning as a social activity, and thus recognize that writers and readers learn from one another, much of your work in English 109 will involve different kinds of collaboration, including small group workshops and discussions.
Finally, I believe that writing is an important process that takes place over time. So you will revise all of your work many times, and we will use portfolio evaluation as the primary means to assess your work.
How can you succeed? Work hard, revise your writing as much as you possibly can, come to me for help, help your peers (and learn from that process), take risks, and be original.
Required Text
Ruskiewicz, John and Jay Dolmage. How To Write Anything: A Guide and Reference with Readings, 4th Edition. Boston: Bedford St. Martin’s Press.
Course Goals and Learning Outcomes
English 109 is designed:
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To help you to think critically and communicate effectively
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To give you the chance to learn and practice a variety of strategies for inventing, drafting, and editing texts
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To give you the opportunity to learn and practice writing in a variety of academic genres
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To help you learn to read critically
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To help you learn to write persuasively by effectively employing elements of formal argumentation
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To help you give and receive useful feedback on writing for the purposes of revision
- To help you learn and practice communicating to a variety of academic audiences.
Accommodations
We will all need some accommodations in this class, because we all learn differently. If you need specific accommodations, let Christin know. We will make an effort to ensure that all students have multiple means of accessing class information, multiple ways to take part in class activities, and multiple avenues for being assessed on class work. The University of Waterloo has a long-standing commitment to support the participation and access to university programs, services, and facilities by persons with all types of abilities. All students who have a permanent disability as well as those with temporary disabilities have the right to what UW calls “AccessAbility Services.” To register for these services, you must provide documentation from a qualified professional to verify your disability. Please contact them at 519-888-4567 ext. 35082 or drop into Needles Hall 1132 to book an appointment to meet with an advisor to discuss their services and supports.
Standard of Work
This is a University-level course, and you are expected to be comfortable with the mechanics of writing; that is, to understand and use proper grammar, syntax, and punctuation in order to communicate effectively. The course textbook, How To Write Anything offers guidelines and activities to help you with these mechanics. If you need extra assistance with the basics of writing, it is your responsibility to come to office hours or make an appointment with Christin for extra help.
Response and Evaluation
You will write three major essays in this class, and this work will represent the bulk of your course grade. You will not receive a final grade on individual papers when you first hand them in. Instead, you will receive a “final-for-now” grade. You can then revise any of your papers to improve the writing. Finally, you will collect your best work and create a final portfolio, which you’ll submit at the end of the semester for a final grade. You will always receive extensive comments on your papers to give you a sense of what you need to revise for your final portfolio. You will be given ample opportunity to rewrite all papers.
You will also be evaluated on a few short writing assignments (about two per unit). If this work is completed satisfactorily, you will receive a high grade. Doing this work also prepares you to do well on your longer writing assignments.
Participation is assessed based not only on attendance, but also on your investment in class activities and discussion, and your ability to respect and work well with others. You are expected to write a lot, and to engage in group-work and discussions.
You will receive an “in-progress” midterm grade and commentary, which will describe your work. You are welcome to talk to Christin if you have questions about your progress in the class. Success in this class depends on meeting all the requirements, the quality of your written work, and your willingness to try new perspectives, to revise and rethink, and to take risks.
The final portfolio will include your three major papers, revised; your five strongest and most important short-writing assignments; and other evidence of your learning, including reflective writing, rough work, and other elements that map your writing process.
Final Portfolio 70%
- Literacy Narrative: In this essay, you will write the story of how you learned to read and write including the social and cultural texts that impacted your literacy.
- Analysis: In this analysis essay, you will choose a print ad or short commercial that you can spend some time with, get to know, and think deeply and critically about.
- Argument: In this assignment, you will choose a current issue that you are interested in, conduct research, and form a unique thesis about this issue.
- Any student who fails to submit one of the major assignments will fail the final portfolio.
Short Writing Assignments 10%
- Idea Notes: As a way of developing your critical reading and thinking skills,
you will write a 1-page, double-spaced response to each of the assigned readings. This is informal writing. No need to worry about formatting or grammar. The focus is on your engagement with each text and originality of thought.
Participation 20%
Your final portfolio grade will be based on the following criteria:
A Superior portfolios will demonstrate originality and rhetorical sophistication that go beyond the requirements. A portfolio at this level is composed of well-edited texts of different genres that consistently show a clear, connected sense of audience, purpose, and development. The writer is able to analyze his or her own writing, reflect on it, and revise/rewrite accordingly. The student understands what their strengths and weaknesses are, and what challenges lie ahead in their academic writing career. The portfolio takes risks that work.
B In strong portfolios, the writing succeeds in meeting its rhetorical goals in terms of audience, purpose, and genre conventions without need for further major revisions of purpose, development, audience, or writing style/mechanics. The writer is able to reflect on his or her own writing and make some choices about revision. The student understands what their strengths and weaknesses are, and what challenges lie ahead in their academic writing career. The writer takes risks, although they may not all be successful.
C Satisfactory portfolios meet the basic requirements, yet the writing would benefit from further revisions of purpose, development, audience, or writing style/mechanics (or some combination) and a stronger understanding of rhetorical decision-making. The writer composes across tasks at varying levels of success with some superficial revision. The student shows some understanding of academic writing. The writer has taken some risks in writing and exhibits some style.
D Weak portfolios do not fully meet the basic evaluative standards. Most texts are brief and underdeveloped. These texts show a composing process that is not yet elaborated or reflective of rhetorical understanding. Texts generally require extensive revisions to address problems with purpose, development, audience, and/or writing style and mechanics. The student is not prepared to succeed as a University-level writer.
F Unacceptable portfolios exhibit pervasive problems with purpose, development, audience, or writing style/mechanics that interfere with meaning and readers’ understanding. Unacceptable portfolios are often incomplete. A portfolio will also earn an F if it does not represent the writer’s own original work. Any student who fails to submit one of the major assignments will fail the final portfolio.
Your short-writing grade will be based on the following criteria: If all assignments were completed and submitted on time, and the writing is well-developed, original, you will get an A. If you miss some assignments, or some assignments are not well done, you will get a B. If you miss more than you submit, or your work is done without care or professionalism, you will get a C.
There are a variety of ways to participate in this class, and they include:
- traditional modes, like volunteering to talk in class, ask questions, or provide opinions and ideas -offering examples of writing and communication, or of texts for analysis, either by volunteering in class, or by emailing this example to Christin so he can share it
- asking a question to Christin by email – a question that Christin can address in class, and that will help all students
- offering feedback to your peers on their ideas and their writing in a respectful and constructive manner
- taking part in small groups and being an active and engaged listener
- taking notes that can be shared with classmates when we cover a difficult concept or idea; or taking notes that can be shared with classmates who might need to miss class
- contributing ideas and questions to Christin via email if you need to miss class yourself; or offering to review the work of peers via email if you need to miss class
You will be asked to reflect on your participation twice through the semester, offering examples of how you have participated via the modes listed above, or via other modes that you’d like to suggest yourself. Your grade will be based on these reflections and on Christin’s perceptions of your participation.
There will be no exam in this class. Portfolios will be returned by the end of the exam period.
Course Policies
Rights and Responsibilities
Every memberof this class—instructor as well as students—has rights and responsibilities to ensure a pleasant and productive experience for all. We are all answerable to University policies governing ethical behaviour (Policy 33) and academic integrity (Policy 71), as well as to those outlining grievance or dispute procedures (Policy 70). Here are some more specific expectations for this course:
Students will:
• be familiar with the university policies that govern their behaviour
• attend all scheduled classes and arrive prepared: with assigned reading and writing completed
• be active participants in their own learning, and respect the rights of others to learn
• give thoughtful consideration to instructor feedback on written and oral work
Instructor will:
• be familiar with the university policies that govern their behaviour
• attend all scheduled lectures and tutorials
• be available for consultation in person and over email as per stated policies • return short assignments within one week, and longer assignments within 2 weeks
• provide helpful and respectful feedback on student work
Late Work
Late papers (major assignments) will be penalized 2% (applied to your participation grade) per day late. All major papers must be completed – you will fail the class if any of the major papers is not completed and submitted, however late. You must also complete all other reading and writing assignments on time. Short-writing submitted late will be accepted, but will work against your short-writing grade. Check syllabus for all due dates.
Absences
You must attend all classes. Attendance will be taken at all class sessions. Students who miss more than two classes are in danger of a failing participation grade. Always bring your course book How To Write Anything to both lectures and workshops.
Please note: attendance is mandatory for Peer Review Workshops. If you miss a peer review workshop, 5% will automatically be deducted from your final-for-now grade on that paper.
Course Concerns
If you are experiencing problems with the course or with the marking, you should first discuss your difficulties with your teacher, Christin Wright-Taylor. Students who believe that they have been wrongfully or unjustly treated or penalized have the right to grieve; refer to Policy #70, Student Grievance: http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy70.html.
A decision made or penalty imposed under Policy 70 (Student Petitions and Grievances) (other than a petition) or Policy 71 (Student Discipline) may be appealed if there is aground. A student who believes he/she has a ground for an appeal should refer to Policy 72 (Student Appeals)http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy72.htm
Academic Honesty
All students registered in courses in the Faculty of Arts are expected to know what constitutes an academic offence, to avoid committing academic offences, and to take responsibility for their academic actions. When the commission of an offence is established, disciplinary penalties will be imposed in accord with Policy #71 (Student Academic Discipline). For information on categories of offences and types of penalties, students are directed to consult the summary of Policy #71 which is supplied in the Undergraduate Calendar (on the Web at http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infoucal/UW/policy_71.html).
If you need help in learning how to avoid offences such as plagiarism, cheating, and double submission, or if you need clarification of aspects of the discipline policy, ask your course instructor for guidance. Other resources regarding the discipline policy are your academic advisor and the Undergraduate Associate Dean. Students seeking guidance on academic honesty are urged consult the following page of the Arts Faculty Web site, “How to Avoid Plagiarism and Other Written Offences: A Guide for Students and Instructors” (http://watarts.uwaterloo.ca/~sager/plagiarism.html). Plagiarism or copying other people’s style or ideas and claiming them as your own is a serious academic offense. Any incident of plagiarism will automatically cause a paper to fail, could cause you to fail the course, and will be reported to the Dean’s office. For each major assignment you submit, you will also sign and submit an “Academic Honesty Contract” (see page 13).
Procedural Basics
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Word process all written assignments (except for in-class work, of course).
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Use MLA format for all written work (see HTWA for guidelines): Times New Roman, 12pt. Font, 1 inch margins, numbered pages, and so on.
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Keep copies of all your work, as hard copy and electronically.
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When we will be peer-reviewing writing in class, you are expected to bring 4 copies of your essay to class with you.
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Please try to print double-sided, or print on the back of already-used paper. Just be sure your writing is not obscured in any way.
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Save multiple versions of all work. If you make changes to an essay, save the file under a new name. This will allow you to view the development of your work between drafts, show this development to your teachers, and reflect on it.
- Save everything. Save peer review comments, notes from conferences, pre- writing, all in- class work, and every draft of your essays, with teacher comments.
Classroom Etiquette
We want the classroom environment to be a positive one for everyone. Together we will create a space that promotes mutual respect, positive discussions, the free exchange of ideas, and the productive use of time. No cell phone use in class – if you have it with you, turn it off and put it away. You are invited and encouraged to use laptops when and if you need to. There are also desktop computers in the room for your use.
The following unit overviews and schedules are tentative and likely to change. They are provided here in a detailed form to help you plan your semester and to help you understand the class. Please expect the schedule to change.
Unit One— Literacy Narrative
The first unit, which asks students to explore their personal literacy histories and to write a narrative, focuses on thinking reflectively about experiences. All units are also designed to help you learn processes for effective writing. Here are some other specific goals for the first unit of 109:
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Explore your thinking about your own experiences and beliefs, and about the cultures and communities you are a part of.
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Develop knowledge about your literate strengths and goals, and about what processes work best for you as a writer.
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Analyze your experiences within different contexts – social, cultural, physical and so on.
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Understand how writing is a process, and that one piece of writing might take several drafts, some conversations with peers or your instructor, and several revisions before it is fully developed. Also, be able to give others useful feedback about their writing.
The Power of Literacy: Literacy Narrative Assignment
A literacy narrative is the autobiographical story of a person’s acquisition of literacy. Literacy used to refer to how many words you knew – now it can more broadly connote the communicative strategies and languages you use to express yourself. Literacy can extend from spoken or written communication to include many forms of non-verbal expression. You will tell a story about the ways that you remember, practice, and understand your acquisition of literacy.
Jonathan Culler argues that stories help us to make sense of things. In writing your literacy narrative, you will focus on important literacy moments, relationships, or even objects that have made a difference in your life. A literacy narrative is a story that shows a reader something essential about how you communicate, or how you learned to do so, how this shapes who you are, and where you stand in a community and culture as a result. This is not always a story of triumph. Your purpose is to explore and reflect on one specific aspect of your literacy–to communicate some point about it to your audience, to tell your readers something new about you and about literacy.
This may sound like a big assignment. It really isn’t. In looking at your literacies, you can isolate a scene, focus on an object, or trace your use or development of a particular skill. Your main research resource is yourself. You are researching your own history for this paper.
This paper should have a rather narrow focus. You want to explore one aspect of your literacy in depth, and you only have five pages in which to do so. Your purpose is to use detail in telling your story, and also to analyze, explore and reflect on how literacy shapes who you are. You will use your personal story to communicate something important about literacy to your audience.
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September 5 Course Overview
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September 10 Six-Word Memoirs Homework:
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September 12 No Class (sign up for conferences instead) Share language-learning writing on message board Draft an Introduction to Your Literacy Narrative Homework:
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September 17 Share Introductions Homework:
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September 19 Peer Review of Narrative Drafts Due Today: Rough Draft of Narrative Homework:
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September 24 September 25 = Drop Deadline (100% Refund) Activity: Experimenting with Sequence Homework:
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September 26 Due Today Online: Narrative Final-For-Now Homework:
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Unit Two—Analysis
The second unit, which asks students to select, summarize, and analyze a cultural text, focuses on thinking critically to better understand cultures and their texts. The unit also focuses on organizing and structuring writing to get a point across. Here are some other specific goals for the second unit of 109:
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Understand and think critically about texts you encounter. Collect relevant cultural texts (in this case ads) for analysis.
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Read/analyze rhetorically, paying attention to strategies of persuasion, the purposes of an author, and the effect of a text on an audience. Analyze texts in order to better compose your own.
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Integrate other voices into your writing—through summary, paraphrase and quotation.
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Engage both in the process of analyzing texts in conversation with others, and in developing analytical writing with the input of others. Be able to give others useful feedback about their writing and their ideas.
Advertisement Analysis Assignment
“Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought."
John F. Kennedy, Former US President
It is easy to have an opinion. It is easy to criticize. It is more difficult to think thoughtfully and critically to develop an interpretation, and then to support your ideas.
In writing your advertisement analysis essay, you will choose a print ad or short commercial that you can spend some time with, get to know, and think deeply and critically about. Your evaluation will offer thought-out commentary and criticism. You will develop an evaluative thesis about your advertisement that moves beyond liking or disliking. You will then develop claims and support for your thesis about this ad.
As with your narrative, this paper should have a rather narrow focus. You want to choose the most important details to evaluate. Focus on analyzing the rhetoric of the ad. The course textbook, HTWA, has a chapter on “Rhetorical Analysis” that offers detailed information about how to write an analysis essay like this one.
Your assessment on this paper will be based on the goals of this unit.
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October 1 Discuss HTWA Chapter 14, Rhetorical Analysis Discuss Romm Participation Reflection Activity: Analyze some ads collaboratively Homework:
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October 3 Discuss HTWA Chapter 27, Thesis Homework:
Sources; 50, Paraphrasing sources, and 52, Documenting Sources |
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October 8 Homework:
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October 10 Subvertising Due Today: Bring Text to Class (Could be a URL) Due Today: Paraphrase, Quotation and Summary Activity Homework:
Reading Week Oct 15-18 No Classes |
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October 22 Peer Review Due Today: Rough Draft for Peer Review Homework:
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October 24 Revision Exercise: Talk Back In-Progress Grades Distributed |
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October 29 Activity: Reflective Memo Homework:
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Unit Three—Argument
The third unit, which asks students to develop research questions, undertake some research, formulate a thesis, and then create an argument, focuses on writing persuasively. Here are some other specific goals for the third unit of 109:
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Explore a relevant and contentious issue from a variety of perspectives, considering multiple viewpoints and arguments, using a variety of research strategies
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Creatively and critically synthesize research from multiple sources—develop awareness of different personal, academic, and civic contexts and express your unique ideas in relationship to the ideas of others.
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Formulate academic research questions and theses.
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Use academic citation systems for documenting work, and know where to find resources that will help you with this.
Argument Assignment
In this assignment, you will begin by choosing a current issue that you are interested in. This issue, ideally, will be a complex one. There will be more than just a “for” or “against” position to be taken, and the issue won’t be so charged and loaded that people’s minds are already made up about it. Your instructors will help you very carefully choose your issue.
Then, you will do some research to learn more about the issue and about various viewpoints and stakeholders. Eventually, you will form a unique thesis about this issue, and use research to support a series of claims. You will organize your essay and write persuasively to change people’s minds about your issue.
The course textbook, HTWA, has much more detailed information about what an argumentative essay is, and how to write one.
Your assessment on this paper will be based on the goals of this unit.
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October 31 Homework:
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November 5 Discuss Wortham Due Today @ 10 am: Wortham Idea Notes Critical Reading November 19th = Drop Deadline (50% Refund) Due Today: Argument Reading Response Homework:
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November 7 Discuss Topic Ideas Homework:
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November 12 Using Online Databases: Lexis Nexis, Google, and ASP Discuss HTWA, Chapter 43, “Beginning Your Research,” 45 “Finding Print and Online Sources,” and 46 “Evaluating Sources” Activity: Research Worksheet Due Today: Multi-Vocal Argument Homework:
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November 14 Discuss HTWA Chapter 3, Argument—Focus on Creating a Structure and Choosing a Style and Design Homework:
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November 19 Discuss HTWA Chapter 37, Transitions and Chapter 38, Memorable Openings and Closings Homework:
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November 21 In-Class Reflective Memo Due Today: Argument Essay Final-For-Now Homework:
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November 26 Activity: Reflective Memo Discuss Portfolios Homework:
Portfolio Materials |
November 28 No Class – extended office hours this week and next Homework:
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Academic Honesty Contract For English 109
Please copy this form, complete it, and submit it with drafts of all four major assignments and with the final portfolio.
I have directly acknowledged all outside sources used in the creation of this writing. These sources include not just the direct quotations that I have used, but also other influences and inspirations.
These other cited sources can influence me and inspire me, but I have created my own essays and they express something important about me. This work represents my unique ideas, strategies and viewpoints in writing.
I value creativity and uniqueness. When I use outside sources, I synthesize and critically reinterpret the ideas of others, I don’t just drop them into my text or cut and paste them. I know that if I don’t synthesize and critically reinterpret the ideas of others, and acknowledge them fully by citing them, then I am plagiarizing.
I know that even if I don’t quote directly from a source, I need to be sure to always give credit—even when paraphrasing or summarizing. I know that properly attributing ideas to their owners can also strengthen my own ethos as a researcher.
I know that good research means more than just avoiding plagiarism. Good researchers take multiple ideas, analyze them, contrast them, synthesize them, and then use them to say something unique, while carefully documenting where each idea came from.
I used the writing and revision process to practice giving credit to others correctly, using MLA citation style, with in-text citations and a full list of works cited. When I was in doubt, I used my textbook for guidelines, and I asked my peers and my teacher (and perhaps Writing Center tutors) for help. So, now that I am ready to hand in my writing, I know that I have followed all of the rules for correct citation.
I know that “I didn’t know I was plagiarizing” is not an acceptable excuse. If in doubt, I know I can ask my teacher.
If I am unsure whether information is “common knowledge” or not, my readers may be too. If in doubt, I cite it. It is better to give too much credit to others than to assume that I don’t need to cite something.
I did receive help in my writing—from peers in my class, from my teacher, and perhaps from others. But I had clear boundaries when asking for help. Nobody wrote or rewrote my paper for me. I welcomed suggestions and comments from others, reflected upon them, and then made rhetorical choices as I revised. I didn’t steal or borrow ideas from others without acknowledging them. I received guidance and support from others, but I can confidently state that this writing is mine.
By typing my name on a paper, I am signing a contract with my professor and with the University of Waterloo that states that the ideas contained in this paper are my own, and that all ideas that are not my own have been correctly attributed to their owners.
Assignment Title:
Print Full Name:
Signature:
Date: