ENGL 109: Introduction to Academic Writing
Winter 2023
Classroom EV3-3408
Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:00AM - 11:20AM
Instructor: Chitra Kumar Karki (he/him/his)
Office: PAS 2217
Office Hours: Wednesdays: 11:30AM–12:30PM or by appointment (Also, changes in availability will be notified in class)
E-mail: ckkarki@uwaterloo.ca
Land Acknowledgement
I acknowledge that I work and teach on the traditional territory of the Attawandaron (Neutral), Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. The University of Waterloo is situated on the Haldimand Tract, land promised and given to Six Nations, which includes six miles on each side of the Grand River.
Course Description
English 109 is designed to provide students with a set of writing skills needed for academic purposes. Throughout the term, we will focus on four genres: personal/literacy narrative/counter-story, rhetorical analysis, proposal, and discourse community mapping. In addition, we will have minor assignments including peer review workshops in classrooms to help you accomplish major assignments. While academic writing is about learning to write creatively and critically, we will learn to read and write creatively and critically as well; the selected readings will help us to see how other people do so. Writing is about making different choices. Together we will learn what choices other writers make and what choices and styles we can use in our own writing. Discussions and group activities pertaining to the course will characterize the way we learn to read and write. You will get to have a lot of opportunities for revision and editing assignment drafts before final submissions. As writing is a collaborative action for meaning making, you are expected to constructively participate in discussions. As all of us know, collaborative action results from our own independent thinking and action, your individual opinions, experiences, and creative actions will be highly expected and valued.
Required Text: Ruszkiewicz, John and Jay Dolmage. How To Write Anything: A Guide and Reference with Readings, 5th Edition. Boston: Bedford St. Martin’s Press, 2016.
Readings Available on LEARN: Excerpts and extra readings will be made available on LEARN as soon as possible.
Course Goals
This course is designed to help you:
- to think critically and communicate effectively.
- to learn and practice a variety of strategies for inventing, drafting, and editing texts.
- to learn and practice writing in a variety of academic genres.
- to learn to read critically.
- to learn to write persuasively by effectively employing elements of formal argumentation.
- to give and receive useful feedback on writing for the purposes of revision.
- to learn and practice communicating to a variety of academic audiences.
- to learn about discourse community.
Course Requirements and Assessment
You MUST pass the major assignments for successful completion of the course.
| Assessments | Weighting |
|---|---|
| Short Persentation (5 minutes) | 5% |
| Literacy/Personal Narrative Essay/Counter-story | 15% |
| Rhetorical Analysis Essay | 20% |
| Proposal | 15% |
| Discourse Community Map Presentation and draft | 15% |
| 5 reading responses | 15% |
| Attendance and Participation | 15% |
Assignment Description
-
Personal narrative
Literacy narrative is a sub-genre of personal narrative that explores our experiences and journey of “learning to read and write” (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage, HTWA). Literacy narratives are our personal stories of how, where and what we have learnt thus far as we project our academic and/career goal(s) into the foreseeable future. Moreover, literacy narratives lend themselves well to learning and sharing important lessons through storytelling/writing. These narratives could be funny, adventuresome, heavy, light, easy, difficult, painful, and what not. Every individual has their unique personal stories of educational/literacy journey. If our journey has not been along straight line(s), then the stories also do not have linear development—often, they appear to be meandering like a river with hosts of bends, side tracks, and tributaries. No matter what, they have certain beginnings and assume certain end-goals. That said, forms and natures of personal stories rest on personal experiences of the journey we have made so far in our endeavours. For this assignment, then, you will write 4–6-page narrative essay of above-mentioned kind through which you will share/narrate your experience(s) in a way that not only tells but also shows the significant live learning that has become milestone in your educational/literacy journey.
Grade Breakdown:
Rough Draft: 5%
Peer Review Workshop Contribution: 5%
Reflection memo+ Final Submission: 5%
-
Rhetorical Analysis
In this assignment, you will choose a text of your own and write a 4-6-page rhetorical analysis essay by utilizing some major rhetorical concepts you have learnt in the course. Selected rhetorical text can be anything including audio-visual, literary/non-literary piece, public lecture, song, event or things of public interest or awareness and so forth. But the text should be of workable size as to meet the required length and nature of the assignment. Rhetorical analysis means that you as a rhetor seek to determine how a text rhetorically intends to persuade its target audience/readers/viewers/consumers. You can elect to develop the essay containing three main sections: Rhetorical introduction of the text, evaluation of rhetorical situation, concepts, tools, or techniques being used to see how the presence of rhetoric serves to fulfil a purpose in the text, and conclusion. A better analysis essay not only praises or denounces the text, but it does offer a balanced critical viewpoint.
Grade Breakdown:
Topic choice and research 5%
Rough Draft and peer review contribution (completed draft please): 10%
Revised submission(final): 5%
What you need to do: Choose a text and submit to the Text Submission Dropbox by the due date indicated on the Course Schedule for approval. While submitting your text for approval, attach a short memo stating your reason for the choice.
Submit a rough draft to the Rough Draft Dropbox that offers a rhetorical analysis of the selected text with the help of aspects/elements/tools of rhetoric being present in the text by the due date indicated on the Course Schedule. Revise the rough draft after receiving feedback from your peers.
Submit the revised draft along with the rough draft to the Rhetorical Analysis Assignment Dropbox by the due date indicated on the Course Schedule.
Format: MLA documentation style; double spacing throughout; Times New Roman; font size 12. All submissions must be in .DOC or .DOCX format. No PDF submissions.
-
Proposal
Proposals, from academic and practical point of view, are formal/written offerings of plan to solve immediate or long-term problems. “Proposals are written to solve problems. Typically, you make a proposal to initiate an action or a change. At a minimum, you hope to alter someone’s thinking — even if only to recommend leaving things as they are” (Dolmage and Ruszkiewicz). In this assignment you will write a proposal with the intention to resolve an issue you find so important. Once you familiarize yourself with this genre and its fundamental aspects you will decide a topic and gather necessary sources and draft a proposal that is appealing to your audience.
Grade Breakdown:
Rough Draft: 5%
Peer Review Workshop Contribution: 5%
Final Submission + Reflection memo: 5%
-
Discourse Community Map Presentation
In this section you will learn about discourse community and its various aspects. You will read John Swales essay for ideas on discourse community mapping. For this assignment, you will draft a discourse community map by following along or also adding to the criteria that Swales recommends in his essay. You will present the map in class.
Grade Breakdown:
-
Finding your discourse community, researching, drafting and presentation: 10%
-
Draft and reflection submission: 5%
-
Short Presentation
It is your thing--no rigid grading and commentary. You will have a Five-minute presentation at the start of each class beginning second week. You will register your name in a sign-up sheet to be provided in the first meeting. It will be considered completion grade once you speak for five minutes about your life learning or anything you feel like important for classroom-community. However, you will not talk about something that hurts other people’s feelings and their presence.
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5 Reading Responses
Write reading responses (minimum 250 words) to any five readings assigned to be discussed in classroom meetings over the span of the term. For each response, please clearly state two reasons why it(reading) is important and what two things you appreciate about the reading.
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Attendance and Participation
Throughout the term, we will be in the academic writing discourse community that shares some academic goals despite our unique competencies and differences. Since classroom presence has significant weight, it is expected that you actively participate. You can constructively and actively, and sometimes, silently participate by sharing views, getting engaged in group discussions, idea discussions, peer reviewing and so forth. It is also possible that some of us do not want to verbally participate, but there are multiple ways that you can make your presence felt and worthwhile. You can remain absent for TWO days which will not impact on your grade (shoot me an email or let me know personally that you have that requirement). Medical and culture-based absences are exempt. Attendance will be taken in each class.
Mental Health: Human beings need support systems. I encourage you to seek out mental health support if you need it. The university has a variety of on-campus services and support systems you can use, and there are also off-campus options. The faculty of arts has a page with links, phone numbers, and a bunch more information right here: https://uwaterloo.ca/arts/get-mental-health-support-when-you-need-it.
Classroom Etiquette
Civility: No student should ever be teased, or made to feel small, embarrassed, self-conscious, or unsafe. Since workshopping, discussion and feedback are such important elements of the class, we will discuss how to give critical feedback in a way that’s productive and helpful. We’ll also discuss how to receive critical feedback because sometimes very helpful, very useful feedback is hard to accept, even though doing so will make you a better writer and help you grow.
Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
Every student with a permanent or temporary disability has the right to UW’s AccessAbility Services, located on the first floor of the Needles Hall 1132. The AccessAbility Services office, collaborates with all academic departments to arrange appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities without compromising the academic integrity of the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability, please register with the AS office at the beginning of each academic term. This is true for every class you take at this university. Please visit https://uwaterloo.ca/accessability-services for more information on how to do this. If you feel anxiety about participation or speaking in public, please speak with me and we can discuss accommodations that work well. (You’re not alone.) These usually involve alternative forms of participation, and/or weekly goals to increase your participation.
DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) and Anti-racism statement: It is to acknowledge that any forms and indications of anti-inclusion, anti-diversity, sexist, anti-LGBTQ and anti-Indigenous expressions intend to harm the marginalized, underprivileged peoples that includes but not limited to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) and LGBTQ peoples. Classroom environment throughout the semester will be all inclusive and differences will highly be valued and respected. Any discriminatory and racist expressions will not have place in the class. Please visit the university Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Anti-racism for related and required policy, plan and education on equity, diversity, inclusion, and antiracism. Thanks for taking a listen to this statement for this class.
Standards of Written Work
This is a university level introductory course on academic writing, so it is generally expected that you be familiar with some basic mechanics of writing. However, it is important to keep in mind that there is no universal standard (grammatical or linguistic) to assess and evaluate any written work to be super excellent or under length. Being able to rhetorically articulate what needs to be communicated in whatever way possible matters the most. Let’s keep in mind that this does not mean you need to be able to cite or talk about obscure grammar or usage rules; this just means that you are comfortable putting together sentences using any varieties of English. If you need extra help with these mechanics regarding these matters, you are most welcome to talk to me or take help in whatever way possible. Come to my office by making an appointment or do visit the university’s writing centre.
Please Bring With You...
Hard Copies of Rough Drafts: When I ask you to bring rough copies of your work to class, I mean print off hard copies and bring them with you. Several times this term you’ll need to both upload rough drafts to LEARN and print off four hard copies for in-class workshopping.
Cheap Notebook: Bring a cheap notebook with you. Loose-leaf paper is fine, if that’s your thing.
Pens and Pencils: Bring pens and pencils with you.
Note: You must bring pens and paper with you to every class. Although I’m allowing you to bring your laptops, you will also be doing some writing in traditional way. Depending on the situation, there are cognitive benefits to doing so, and you’ll learn about them.
Late Work
Let me know in advance (for non-medical; non-emergency situations) if you are/will be running late in handing in your assignments. We will go from there.
Electronic Device Policy: Turn cell phones to silent mode while in class (use if you really need them to use). Please use laptops when needed for academic/educational purpose.
Attendance Policy
You must attend all classes. Attendance will be taken at all class sessions. Students should notify the instructor in writing if they are missing more than two classes. Nevertheless, it is highly expected that you participate in all the peer review workshops. Please bring the text book: How To Write Anything to class.
Academic Integrity
In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of Waterloo are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility.
Discipline: A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity, to avoid committing academic offences, and to take responsibility for his/her actions. A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offence, or who needs help in learning how to avoid offences (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about “rules” for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course professor, academic advisor, or the Undergraduate Associate Dean. When misconduct has been found to have occurred, disciplinary penalties will be imposed under Policy 71 – Student Discipline. For information on categories of offenses and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71 - Student Discipline.
Grievance: A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of his/her university life has been unfair or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances, Section 4.
Appeals: A student may appeal the finding and/or penalty in a decision made under Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances (other than regarding a petition) or Policy 71 - Student Discipline if a ground for an appeal can be established. Read Policy 72 - Student Appeals. Other sources of information for students
Academic integrity (Arts) Academic Integrity Office (uWaterloo)
Course Schedule
|
Week |
Date |
Topic |
Readings and Assignments |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
January 9th |
Meet and greet: getting to know each other. Introduction to Academic writing; Introduce syllabus. Register your name on the presentation-sign-up sheet to be provided in class. |
Next class: Literacy narrative and academic writing. Read HTWA (How to Write Anything) chapter 5(Narratives-Imagining Your Audience) and Jean Guerrero’s “Believing in the Animorphs Taught Me I Could Cope with Anything.” Reading response due next class |
|
January 11 |
Short presentation. Discussion: Literacy narrative/personal narrative/Counter-story Discussion: HTWA: “Narratives to Imagining your audience” and Jean Guerrero’s Believing in the Animorphs Taught Me I Could Cope with Anything.” Write and share. Reading response due. |
Next class: Race, language, and writing. Read HTWA chapter 5(Gathering Materials to Choosing a Style and Design). Read Kiki Petrosino’s “Literacy Narrative” and Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue.” Reading Response due next class. |
|
|
2 |
January 16 |
Short presentation Discuss: HTWA chapter 5: Gathering Materials to Choosing a Style and Design. Write and share Reading Response due |
Next Class: Languaging, Race and Writing continues. Read Vershawn Ashanti Young’s Vershawn Ashanti Young’s “Should Writers Use They Own English?” Read narrative models in HTWA. Start thinking about your literacy narrative/personal story/counterstory Reading response due next class |
|
January 18 |
Short presentation Examining models in HTWA. Reading response due |
Next Class: Library session |
|
|
3 |
January 23 |
Library resource information session by a liaison librarian |
Next class: Languaging, Race and Writing continues. Read Gloria Anzaldua’s “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” & Aja Martinez’s “A plea for Critical Race Theory….” |
|
January 25 |
Short presentation |
Next class: Narratives in Multimodal: Read Barry and Jacobs. |
|
|
4 |
January 30 |
Short Presentation Discuss Readings by Barry and Jacobs. Discuss: What makes Multimodal writing stand out? Reading Response due |
Next Class: Peer review. Bring 3 copies of your narrative rough draft to the class for peer review. |
|
February 1 |
Short Presentation: Discussion: Peer review Revision Literacy narrative peer review in class |
Rhetoric and Rhetorical Analysis. Read HTWA Chapter 12: Rhetorical Analysis Start Finding your Text for Rhetorical Analysis. Start booking conferencing one-on-one. Also check HWTA chapter 43 for search idea. Narrative Essay due next class |
|
|
5 |
February 6 |
Short presentation Discussion: HTWA Chapter 12: Rhetorical Analysis Narrative Essay Final Due Today |
Next class: Read Gorgias’ “Encomium of Helen” & Aristotle’s “Rhetoric” Reading response due next class. |
|
February 8 |
Short Presentation |
Next Class: Longaker and Walker’s “ Kairos and the Rhetorical Situation.” |
|
|
6 |
February 13 |
Short Presentation Longaker and Walker’s “ Kairos and the Rhetorical Situation.” Submit your text for rhetorical analysis and a short memo stating your rational for the choice |
Next class: Rhetoric, Gender and Feminism. Read Helene Cixous’ “ The Laugh of the Medusa” and Cheryl Glenn’s “Rhetoric and feminism: the possibilities of women and beyond.” (there will be no class on 15th due to my conference obligation). Keep working on your analysis. |
|
February 27 |
Short presentation Discuss: Helene Cixous’ “ The Laugh of the Medusa” and Cheryl Glenn’s “Rhetoric and feminism: the possibilities of women and beyond.” Reading Response due |
Next class: Rhetorical Analysis: What to expect. Read “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr. Gad Elmaleh: American Dream (Stand-up Comedy). Bring your text. Start working on your analysis essay. |
|
|
7 |
March 1 |
Short presentation Group Discussion on Rhetorical analysis of “Letter from Birmingham Jail” Discuss: What to expect in rhetorical analysis. |
Next class: Mechanics for rhetorical analysis: Narrowing topic, identifying rhetorical tools, developing research questions, argument, summarizing, paraphrasing, MLA documentation style, in-text citations and work cited list. HTWA chapter 47, 48, 51, 54, |
|
March 6 |
Short Presentation: Workshopping: Mechanics for rhetorical analysis: Narrowing topic, identifying rhetorical tools, developing research questions, argument, summarizing, paraphrasing, MLA documentation style, in-text citations and work cited list. |
Next class: Peer reviewing rhetorical analysis essay. Bring 3 copies of your rough draft. HTWA chapter 28, 29 |
|
|
8 |
March 8 |
Short presentation Discuss: Peer review and revision strategies Workshop: perform at least 3 peer reviews |
Next Class: Read HTWA chapter 10 Rhetorical Analysis final draft due next class |
|
March 13 |
Short Presentation Discuss HTWA chapter 10 Proposal activity Rhetorical Analysis Final Draft Due today |
Next class: Setting up proposal outlines and identifying audience; developing and organizing ideas. Gathering materials. Sample proposal. Read Chapter 10,25, 26, 27. Bring your working topic for proposal writing |
|
|
9 |
March 15 |
Short presentation Discussion and Activity: Proposal outlines and identifying audience; developing and organizing ideas. Gathering materials; Professional communications. |
Next class: Work together on your proposals. |
|
March 20 |
Working on proposals in class |
Next class: Read John Swales’ “The Concept of Discourse Community” & Dan Melzer’s Understanding. Discourse communities. Keep revising your Proposal. |
|
|
10 |
March 22 |
Short Presentation John Swales’ “The Concept of Discourse Community” & Dan Melzer’s Understanding Discourse Communities. Reading response due today |
Next Class: No reading: Explore, Create, Connect, and Discuss. discourse community map samples |
|
March 27 |
Short presentation Discuss: Discourse community map samples Proposal peer review workshop |
Next Class: No reading. Present your discourse community map. Finalize your proposal |
|
|
11 |
March 29 |
Presentation of discourse community map Final Proposal Draft Due Today |
Next Class: present your community Map |
|
April 3 |
Presentation of discourse community map |
present your community Map |
|
|
12 |
April 5 |
Presentation of your discourse community map |
Next class: Last meeting of the term |
|
April 10 |
Review our term and celebrate Give me your feedback. Great Working Together!! Due today: Submit your discourse community map and short reflection on the draft |