English Course Reflection and Revision

CO 130, Spring 2021 – Miller – 1

CO 130 Academic Writing: Syllabus

Section 001 | MWF 9:00-9:50 | Behavioral Science Building 103

Instructor: Kiley Miller

[email protected] |Eddy 337

Office Hours: Virtually via MS Teams, Tuesdays 9:00am-12:00pm and by appointment

Course Description In CO130, you will practice processes appropriate for college reading and writing by identifying rhetorical

contexts and exploring various strategies to respond according to the situation. To effectively communicate

in academic contexts, you will learn to identify the rhetorical situation, revise your purpose for writing,

practice writing in a variety of genres, and read and research various topics and texts. Since the process of

reading and writing is just as important as the final written product, these skills will be honed through series

of in- and out-of-class activities, drafts, workshops, and other development tools. These tasks work toward

the habit of writing daily and improving collaboration to emphasize the concepts of writing as a process,

and of academic writing as a collaborative endeavor that requires actively engaging with the texts of others.

The Colorado Commission on Higher Education has approved CO130 for inclusion in the Guaranteed

Transfer (GT) Pathways program in the [GT-1] category. For transferring students, successful completion

with a minimum C‒ grade guarantees transfer and application of credit in this GT Pathways category. For

more information on the GT Pathways program, go to this website.

CO130 addresses the Following Competency and Content Criteria, as approved by the State of

Colorado.

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION COMPETENCY—CRITERIA FOR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION: Competency in written communication is a student’s ability to write and express ideas across a variety of

genres and styles. Written communication abilities develop over time through layered, interactive, and

continual processes and experiences across the curriculum.

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs): Students should be able to:

1. Employ Rhetorical Knowledge

a. Exhibit a thorough understanding of audience, purpose, genre, and context that is

responsive to the situation.

2. Develop Content

a. Create and develop ideas within the context of the situation and the assigned task(s).

3. Apply Genre and Disciplinary Conventions

a. Apply formal and informal conventions of writing, including organization, content,

presentation, formatting, and stylistic choices, in particular forms and/or fields.

4. Use Sources and Evidence

a. Critically read, evaluate, apply, and synthesize evidence and/or sources in support of

a claim.

b. Follow an appropriate documentation system.

5. Control Syntax and Mechanics

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a. Demonstrate proficiency with conventions, including spellings, grammar, mechanics, and

word choice appropriate to the writing task.

CO1 Content Criteria: 1. Develop Rhetorical Knowledge

a. Focus on rhetorical situation, audience, and purpose.

b. Read, annotate, and analyze texts in at least one genre of academic discourse.

c. Use voice, tone, format, and structure appropriately.

d. Write and read texts written in at least one genre for an academic discourse community.

e. Learn reflective strategies.

2. Develop Experience in Writing

a. Learn recursive strategies for generating ideas, revising, editing, and proofreading.

b. Learn to critique one’s own work and the work of others.

3. Develop Critical and Creative Thinking

a. Identify context.

b. Present a position.

c. Establish a conclusion indicated by the context that expresses a personal interpretation.

4. Use Sources and Evidence

a. Select appropriate evidence.

b. Consider the relevance of evidence.

5. Develop Application of Composing Conventions

a. Apply genre conventions, including structure, paragraphing, tone, mechanics, syntax, and

style.

b. Use appropriate vocabulary, format, and documentation.

This curriculum is also designed to help us reach three broader educational goals:

• Engage as active members of the CSU community

• Engage as active and interested learners

• Develop student understanding of your position as a world citizen responding to significant global

challenges.

CSU Principles of Community

As part of the CSU community, our course will depend upon and revolve around the CSU Principles of

Community, provided below. Assignments, readings, and discussions take place with these principles in mind

in order to strengthen our relationships with each other in the classroom, as well as the broader Fort Collins

community.

• Inclusion: We create and nurture inclusive environments and welcome, value and affirm all members

of our community, including their various identities, skills, ideas, talents and contributions.

• Integrity: We are accountable for our actions and will act ethically and honestly in all our

interactions.

• Respect: We honor the inherent dignity of all people within an environment where we are

committed to freedom of expression, critical discourse, and the advancement of knowledge.

• Service: We are responsible, individually and collectively, to give of our time, talents, and resources

to promote the well-being of each other and the development of our local, regional, and global

communities.

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• Social Justice: We have the right to be treated and the responsibility to treat others with fairness

and equity, the duty to challenge prejudice, and to uphold the laws, policies and procedures that

promote justice in all respects.

In keeping with CSU’s mission and with its history in mind as we move forward this semester, this course recognizes the Land Grant Acknowledgement:

Colorado State University acknowledges, with respect, that the land we are on today is the traditional and

ancestral homelands of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute Nations and peoples. This was also a site of trade,

gathering, and healing for numerous other Native tribes. We recognize the Indigenous peoples as original

stewards of this land and all the relatives within it. As these words of acknowledgment are spoken and

heard, the ties Nations have to their traditional homelands are renewed and reaffirmed.

CSU is founded as a land-grant institution, and we accept that our mission must encompass access to

education and inclusion. And, significantly, that our founding came at a dire cost to Native Nations and

peoples whose land this University was built upon. This acknowledgment is the education and inclusion we

must practice in recognizing our institutional history, responsibility, and commitment.

COURSE INFORMATION To be successful in CO 130, review the general course information below and ensure that you have all the

necessary materials needed to be prepared for the semester.

Materials Needed

• Access to the CO 130 Canvas Course page, accessible here

• Access to a reliable printer and/or a PaperCut account for printing readings, research, and drafts

o Students enrolled in composition have free printing credits in Liberal Arts buildings,

including the Eddy and Clark computer labs

• 1-inch binder for handouts, readings, and assignments

• Composition notebook for process work

• Textbooks: You may choose to purchase either the print or electronic copies. Please report any

challenges or delays in acquiring textbooks so the instructor can provide temporary access to

necessary materials.

o Focus on Writing: What College Students Want to Know, First Edition, by Laurie McMillan,

ISBN 9781554813889

Overview of Major Assignments

This class includes five major assignments that are strategically arranged to build on former assessments

and knowledge gained, with process work and workshops being essential to succeeding in these final drafts.

Each essay is assessed using a unique rubric, which will be distributed prior to collecting the assignment,

and will follow the hierarchy of rhetorical concerns: purpose and audience, followed by focus, then

development and organization, and finally style and conventions.

Assignment Worth Due Date

P1: Literacy Narrative 15% Monday, February 8 (Week 4)

P2: Academic Summary & Response 20% Friday, March 5 (Week 7)

P3: Multimodal Argument 25% Friday, April 23 (Week 13)

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P4: Course Reflection and Revisions 15% Monday, May 10 (Week 16)

Process Work 25% Daily homework and in-class assignments

*Any changes to the value or due date of assignments will be announced in class and posted to Canvas.

The instructor reserves the right to make changes based on the needs of the class. Please note that poor

attendance may affect the grade you receive.

All assignments will be typed according to MLA 8 formatting and guidelines, including 12-point, Times

New Roman font, double-spaced, 1-inch margins, numbered pages, and submitted to Canvas or handed

in during class, as assigned.

Grading Scale Plus/minus grading will be used for this course. The College of Liberal Arts does not allow for C- or D+

grades. Grades are assigned as follows. Given the extra credit offered periodically throughout the semester,

final grades are not rounded (e.g. an 89.99 earns a letter grade of B+):

A+ 96.6+ A- 90.0+ B 83.3+ C+ 76.6+ D 60.0+

A 93.3+ B+ 86.6+ B- 80.0+ C 70.0+ F Below 60

It is my commitment to you to respond individually to the work you submit in this class and to return your

work in a timely manner. Process work will be returned within one week, and projects will be returned within

two weeks. If, however, due to unforeseeable circumstances, the grading of your work takes longer than the

times I have listed here, I will keep you informed of my progress and make every effort to return your work

with feedback as soon as I can.

Additional Grading Information • No incompletes will be given for this course.

• You may use one extension on one assignment. The assignment will be due at the beginning of the

next class period and no more than 72-hours after the original due date. To use your extension, you

must email me the day before an assignment is due. Requests made on the due date will not be

honored.

• All grades are final. Lobbying for grade changes will not be tolerated, and I will not respond to emails

requesting revisions or changes to grades. The time to ask clarifying questions or justify your

rhetorical choices is during the writing process and before the final deadline, while receiving

commentary from your peers and instructor.

CLASSROOM POLICIES AND STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES CO130, section 001, is an in-person class. The instructor should be notified immediately for any COVID-

related absences, according to the COVID Attendance and Contingency Plan, linked in Canvas. Otherwise,

normal attendance expectations will apply.

Echo360 will NOT be used to record every lecture by default but is available with advance notice and in the

case of absences. If you suspect that you may not be present in the physical classroom for a significant

number of classes this semester (more than 3), you may consider if an in-person class is the best fit and

switch to a hybrid or online format.

By remaining in the course, the student agrees to the above and following policies, in addition to the

addendum created during classes, as agreed upon by the class:

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Attendance Success in this class depends upon your regular attendance. Being on time for class demonstrates the

expected level of respect for the instructor, your fellow classmates, and the educational process. Students

who miss a class will be expected to get notes, assignments, and other information from fellow classmates

and/or Canvas. Absence does not excuse you from turning in an assignment. Online submissions are often

available, so process work and major assignments should be submitted on time, regardless of attendance.

You may be asked to resubmit all process work with the hard copy of your final draft so that I may review

your progress if necessary. Therefore you must keep track of all returned assignments, which should be kept

in your binder.

Cumulative absences will negatively impact your grade in process work and will be detrimental to your final

project grades since class material builds sequentially and helps construct effective final projects. Missed

classwork may not be made up, and no late process work will be accepted. If you know about extenuating

circumstances in advance, make arrangements to discuss potential accommodations. Please communicate

any emergencies to me as early as possible; bring any University sanctioned formal excuse letters (including

any religious accommodations, form available here) at the beginning of the semester.

You are allowed three absences throughout the semester with the understanding that they will be used for

illness or other unavoidable circumstances. You are expected to submit any work due on days you are absent.

More than three absences will result in a conference with the instructor to discuss an attendance plan for the

remainder of the course; failing to schedule this meeting and/or additional absences may result in a grading

penalty. Tardies are equal to 1/3 of an absence (3 tardies = 1 absence) and are included in your total

absences. It is crucial that you communicate with the instructor regarding attendance, both as it pertains to

your grade and performance in the course and as a show of respect.

Classroom Conduct Civility and respect are the lifeblood of this class. Please respect your peers and your professor through your

civility in class. Respect the opinions of other students and the authors we read (even if you don’t agree).

There may be in-class discussions that broach sensitive or controversial issues, and it is absolutely necessary

that civility and respect be employed at all times. I reserve the right to dismiss any students who choose to

disrupt class, for which that student will be counted absent. Disruptions include, but are not limited to

lacking respect and/or civility during class discussion, engaging in distracting behavior and/or conversation

with neighbors, sleeping, etc.

Assignment Submission Process work is due online as specified 30 minutes prior to the start of class, unless otherwise noted. Late

work is accepted for up to 90% credit if submitted within 24-hours of the due date. After 24-hours, late work

will automatically result in a zero. At the end of the semester, the two lowest grades in Process Work will be

dropped, effectively allowing you to miss two assignments (or up to 20 points) without penalty. Workshop

grades will not be altered.

Final assignments are due electronically at the beginning of class AND are to be uploaded to Canvas, unless

otherwise stated. Late assignments will be accepted up to 48-hours after the due date. Grades will be

reduced by ten percent, or one full letter-grade, every 24-hours (e.g. a paper that earns an 87% would

receive a 77% up to 24-hours after the deadline, then a 67% up to 48-hours following the deadline, then a

0% after 48-hours).

Problems with technology and/or failure to attach a document are no excuse for missing a due date; you

should allow time for computer malfunctions (poor internet connection, long printer lines, etc.). Save your

work in multiple places (cloud storage, USB, etc.), email it to yourself, or find an alternative way to alleviate

the stress of computer failure.

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Extensions may be granted on a case by case basis if a reasonable issue is communicated clearly prior to

the due date of the assignment.

Reading and Writing This course is labor intensive. You will read every day; you will write every day, even when major projects are

not due. Expect to spend two hours outside of class time for every hour spent in class, for a total of six

hours per week. Homework will be assigned every class period and due the following period.

Writing Center The Writing Center is located in Eddy 23. It is a free service that provides feedback for all writers at all stages

of the writing process. It is a chance to receive feedback from student tutors who are familiar with CO130 and

have a wealth of experience and advice. I highly recommend their services for all writers. For Spring 2021, all

consultations will take place virtually, and both synchronous and asynchronous review are available.

Make appointments at the Writing Center website below or submit your assignments online for review. Visit

the Writing Center's website here.

Workshop Policy On workshops days, you are expected to have a complete rough draft, with a start-middle-end. Process

points will be awarded based on the completed state of the draft, attention in class, and on the comments

you offer. Any absence on a workshop day will result in a loss of substantial points for lack of participation

as the process of providing commentary is as important as receiving commentary.

Please communicate any extenuating circumstances that would result in absence from workshop.

Accommodations may be provided on a case-by-case basis.

Plagiarism and Academic Honesty This course will adhere to the Academic Integrity Policy of the Colorado State University General Catalog

and the Student Conduct Code. Any instance of plagiarism will result in a reduced or failing grade of the

assignment, failure of the course, and/or removal of the Repeat/Delete option for the course.

Ignorance is not an excuse for “accidental” plagiarism. The following are examples of plagiarism (though

this list is not exhaustive):

• Submitting someone else’s work as your own, including purchased material;

• Using someone else’s ideas, language, or structure and not properly attributing them;

• Submitting an assignment completed for another class

• Using a phrase (whether quotation or paraphrase) without acknowledging its source;

• Using a source without citing it correctly;

• “Padding” a bibliography by making up sources or citing a source you didn’t use in your

research.

CO130 follows the Academic Integrity Policy of the General Catalog and the Student Code of Conduct.

Colorado State University and other institutions of higher education take plagiarism offenses very seriously.

In accordance with the Academic Integrity Policy, if you submit work that contains plagiarism, you may

receive a reduced grade for the work, a failing grade in the course, and/or the Repeat/Delete option for the

course may be removed. In cases of suspected academic dishonesty, all instructors at CSU are required to

forward documentary evidence to the Office of Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct Services.

It is very important that you understand how to avoid plagiarism and CO130 should help you with this. In

this class you will learn how to maintain academic integrity in your research and writing processes.

Specifically, you will develop techniques for correctly quoting and paraphrasing, citing sources, and

attributing your work.

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To encourage academic honesty in all assignments, each project will require that you include an Honor

Pledge stating: I have not given, received, or used any unauthorized assistance. Process work may also be

demonstrated as evidence of your draft development over the course of the assignment. This is a great way

for you to demonstrate that your work is your own and can act as “insurance” so you are expected to keep all

process work throughout the semester.

If you have any further concerns, please discuss these with me during office hours, send me an email, or visit

the Writing Center.

Additional Information

Accommodations Any student eligible for academic adjustments because of a learning disability or medical condition should

contact the Student Disability Center (SDC) at (970)491-6385 for development of appropriate

accommodations. All Canvas and course materials meet university expectations for accessibility, however, if

you find materials that do not meet your needs, please communicate directly with the instructor.

TITLE IX Reporting and Student Resources CSU’s Student Sexual Harassment and Violence policy, following national guidance from the Office of Civil

Rights, requires that faculty follow CSU policy as a “mandatory reporter” of any personal disclosure of sexual

harassment, abuse, and/or violence related experiences or incidents shared with the faculty member in

person, via email, and/or in classroom papers or homework exercises. These disclosures include but are not

limited to reports of personal relational abuse, relational/domestic violence, and stalking. While faculty are

often able to help students locate appropriate channels of assistance on campus (e.g., see the CSU Health

Network link below), disclosure by the student to the faculty member requires that the faculty member

inform appropriate CSU channels to help ensure that the student’s safety and welfare is being addressed,

even if the student requests that the disclosure not be shared. Any student who may be the victim of sexual

harassment, sexual misconduct, relationship violence, stalking or retaliation is encouraged to report to CSU

through one or more of the following resources:

• Emergency Response 911

• Deputy Title IX Coordinator/Office of Support and Safety Assessment (970) 491-1350

• Colorado State University Police Department (non-emergency) (970) 491-6425

• For counseling support and assistance, please see the CSU Health Network, which includes a

variety of counseling services: Find information at CSU Health Network

• The Sexual Assault Victim Assistance Team is a confidential student resource that does not have a

reporting requirement and that can be of great help to students who have experienced sexual

assault. Find information at the Women and Gender Advocacy Center.

COVID-19 University and Course Policies All students are required to follow public health guidelines in any university space, and are encouraged to

continue these practices when off-campus(es). Students also are required to report any COVID-19 symptoms

to the university immediately, as well as if they have potentially been exposed or have tested positive at a

non-CSU testing location. If you suspect you have symptoms, please fill out the COVID Reporter

(https://covid.colostate.edu/reporter/). If you have COVID symptoms or know or believe you have been

exposed, it is important for the health of yourself and others that you complete the online COVID Reporter.

Do not ask your instructor to report for you; if you report to your instructor that you will not attend class due

to symptoms or a potential exposure, you are required to also submit those concerns through the COVID

Reporter. If you do not have access to the internet to fill out the online COVID-19 Reporter, please call

(970)491-4600.

If you report symptoms or a positive test, your report is submitted to CSU’s Public Health Office. You will

CO 130, Spring 2021 – Miller – 8

receive immediate, initial instructions on what to do and then you will also be contacted by phone by a public

health official. Based on your specific circumstances, the public health official may:

• choose to recommend that you be tested and help arrange for a test

• conduct contact tracing

• initiate any necessary public health requirements or recommendations and notify you if you need to

take any steps

If you report a potential exposure, the public health official will help you determine if you are at risk of

contracting COVID.

For the latest information about the University’s COVID resources and information, please visit the CSU

COVID-19 site (https://covidrecovery.colostate.edu/).

Additionally, the instructor has provided additional policies and plans regarding COVID-19 in a separate page

in Canvas.

Policy and Schedule Changes Changes to these policies will be made if it is in the best interest of the whole class; announcements will

be delivered in writing in advance of their taking effect.

By remaining in this class, you acknowledge agreement to the policies stated above and demonstrate your

willingness to make a commitment to the class and your writing. As your instructor, I also make a

commitment to this class and my students and am here to help you with your writing and critical thinking.