Course Syllabus

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Overview

This course is an introduction to academic inquiry and writing and will lay the foundation for further academic and professional development. Students will learn to think and read critically and practice the writing process, including invention, research, summary, synthesis and analysis, revision, and editing. Students will work on several major writing assignments, including a research project in which they will gather information from a range of valid sources, demonstrating they can analyze and use that information purposefully, following appropriate documentation.

3 Credits

Requirements

Prerequisites

Complete one of the following:

      • ACT English score of at least 17
      • SAT English score of at least 400
      • SATR Writing score of at least 23 or SATR Reading and Writing score of at least 390
      • ENG 106 with a grade of C- or higher
      • ENG 109 with a grade of B or higher
      • Write Class placement into ENG 150

Required Resources

No outside resources are required.

Structure

Course Outcomes (CO)

1. Employ strategies for critical reading—including reading, annotating, and analyzing—in texts with various rhetorical situations.
2. Write cohesive essays in at least two different genres.
3. Apply basic research skills, including using library databases and evaluating the relevance and credibility of sources.
4. Apply rhetorically effective source integration, including introducing, paraphrasing, quoting, interpreting, and synthesizing.
5. Employ various approaches in recursive writing processes, including drafting, giving and receiving feedback, revising, and editing.
6. Comply with a standard formatting style including APA or MLA.
7. Apply principles of grammar and usage that are appropriate to various rhetorical situations.
8. Produce at least twenty pages of polished writing, including instructor-assessed writing created in multiple modes from traditional pen and paper to electronic forms.

Major Assignments

The table below is meant to help you see the relevance of each major assignment as it pertains to the course outcomes (CO).

Major Assignment Description CO#
Change Essay A 2–3 page essay about a personal experience where you changed your core thoughts or beliefs on a subject. 4, 5, 7, 8
Rhetorical Analysis A 1,000–2,000 word essay where you analyze a speech and determine whether it achieved its purpose. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Annotated Bibliography A document that summarizes your research on a topic of your choosing. It includes a statement of scope, references from 6–8 sources, summaries for each source, analyses for each source, and how you intend to use these sources in your Explanatory Synthesis. 1, 2, 3, 7, 8
Explanatory Synthesis A 5–7 page paper where you help your readers understand the topic you researched for your Annotated Bibliography. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8

Weekly Patterns

The table below displays typical weekly activities, due dates, and activity descriptions.

Due Date* Learning Model Activity Title Description
Midweek Prepare Study Pages that provide an overview and scope of work for the specific writing assignments you are working on.
Midweek Teach One Another Discussion Collaborative discussions where you will brainstorm, analyze sample texts, discuss grammar topics, and so on.
Midweek Ponder Assignment Smaller assignments that contribute to understanding concepts employed in working towards successful completion of your major writing assessments. These typically include annotated readings, analysis of sample essays, and so on.
End of Week Assignment Prove Larger assignments that contribute to the completion of your major writing assessments. These typically include outlines, drafts, peer reviews, and final submissions.

*Set your time zone within user preferences so the dates and times for course activities will display correctly for your time zone.

Learning Model

This course requires you to prepare through careful, thoughtful reading and rereading of provided material. You will teach one another by participating in discussions on writing topics and grammar, as well as conducting peer reviews. You will ponder and prove by synthesizing assigned readings and discussions to create excellent examples of writing.

Expectations

Feedback

You can expect to receive grades and feedback within seven days of the due date for short assignments and fourteen days for major essays. At times there may be slightly longer delays, but your instructor will do their best to respond quickly.

Workload

This is a 3-credit hour course, and you should expect to spend 9–12 hours weekly on your coursework.

Group Work

This course does not use collaborative group work where you submit a single assignment for a group of students, but it does require you to conduct peer reviews and give good feedback to your classmates on their writing.

Due Dates

This course has two due dates each week.

      • Midweek assignments are due Wednesdays at 11:59 p.m., (mountain time).

      • End-of-week assignments are due Saturdays at 11:59 p.m., (mountain time).

If a discussion requires a response, it should be completed before the next due date, usually the end of the week (Saturday 11:59 p.m.).

Late Work

As a sign of professionalism and respect, you should complete your work on time. Since instructors are on a tight schedule for grading, many cannot accept late work without significant personal sacrifice. However, your instructor has the discretion to accept late work or extend due dates if they determine it is warranted.

Extra Credit

This course does not provide specific extra credit, but your instructor has the discretion to provide it for specific tasks.

Grading Scale

Letter Grade Percentage Rage
A 100% – 94%
A- 93% – 90%
B+ 89% – 87%
B 86% – 84%
B- 83% – 80%
C+ 79% – 77%
C 76% – 74%
C- 73% – 70%
D+ 69% – 67%
D 66% – 64%
D- 63% – 61%
F 60% – 0%

Class Policies

Rough Draft Submission Requirement

Students are required to submit rough drafts to be able to have final drafts receive a grade. The following assignments require rough draft submissions: Change Essay, Rhetorical Analysis Essay, and Explanatory Synthesis Essay. Essays submitted as a final draft without a rough draft submission may be counted as a late rough draft or may not receive any grade at all. Final drafts should show changes from the rough draft; if a student feels a rough draft does not need any changes, the student should discuss the essay with the instructor ahead of the due date.

AI & Academic Integrity

Students should not use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assist with writing unless they have permission and guidance from an instructor. AI tools include Chat GPT, Bard, CopyAI, Writesonic, Jasper AI, Anyword, Grammarly, CoPilot, and many others. Some teachers may ask students to use AI for specific purposes, but if not, students should assume that they must ask for permission in order to use AI tools or simply not use AI at all. If students aren’t sure of an instructor’s policies, they should ask for clarification.

Dishonest:

  • Giving the AI a prompt and submitting what it writes (even just one sentence) as your own work.
  • Combining content from several different AI prompts and submitting as your own work.

Ask your professor about the following:

  • Using AI to fix your grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors.
  • Using AI to generate ideas for a paper.
  • Using AI to write portions of an assignment but clearly indicating (based on guidelines from your instructor) which parts were written by the AI and which were written by you.
  • Using AI for outlines and organization.
  • Using AI for summarizing or paraphrasing technical language.
  • Using AI to write a sample paper and then modeling your own work after the work of the AI bot.

Translation Help:

Students can use dictionaries and translation services like Google Translate to help translate a word or short phrase, but they should not use them for extensive translating (whole sentences, paragraphs, or essays).

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a serious form of academic dishonesty. Taking ideas from a source without giving the author credit or taking three or more words in succession from a source without citing the source (and marking the material with quotation marks) is plagiarism. If you plagiarize, you will not receive credit for the plagiarized assignment, you may fail the course, and, in keeping with University Policy, the Honor Code Office will be notified.

Reusing Your Work:

Students should not submit work that they have submitted to other classes without instructor permission. See Academic Misconduct.

University Policies

Students with Disabilities

Brigham Young University-Idaho is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere that accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. The Accessibility Services Office coordinates services with the students and instructors. More information is available at Accessibility Services.

This course requires a synchronous meeting. If you are currently registered with the Disability Services Office and need an interpreter or transcriber for this meeting, please contact the deaf and hard of hearing coordinator at 1-208-496-9219.

Other University Policies

Student Honor and Other Policies

Please read through the document called University Policies. It gives important information about the following topics:

    • Student Honor
      • Academic Honesty
      • Student Conduct
        • Sexual Harassment

          BYU-Idaho prohibits sex discrimination by its employees and students in all its education programs or activities. This includes all forms of sexual harassment, such as sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking and other forms of unwelcome sexual conduct.

          As an instructor, one of my responsibilities is to help create a safe learning environment for my students. University policy requires deans and department chairs, and encourages all faculty, to report every incident of sexual harassment that comes to their attention. If you experience sexual harassment or are concerned for the safety of others, please contact the Title IX Coordinator at titleix@byui.edu or 208-496-9209. More information is available at BYU-Idaho Title IX.

    • Student with Disabilities
    • Complaints and Grievances
    • Copyright Notice

Go to the Student Resources module to review further resources and information.

Personal Challenges

As a faculty member, I am committed to creating a learning environment that supports the well-being and development of all students. If you are experiencing stressors or situations that impact your academic experience or personal wellness, seeking professional help may be an important step for you to take. The following resources are available to support you and your well-being at the university:

    1. Dean of Students Office: a central place for students to seek support in navigating personal challenges. 290 Kimball Building, 208-496-9200
    2. Counseling Center: licensed counselors who assist students in identifying and resolving emotional, mental, and interpersonal problems. Student Health Center 200, 208-496-9370
    3. 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Hotline: Available 24/7 by call or text message, the 988 hotline connects you to a trained crisis counselor who provides free and confidential emotional support and crisis counseling to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress and connects them to resources.

If you experience a crisis, I encourage you to reach out to me so we can discuss ways for you to be successful in my course.

Course Summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due