Rationale Writing

ENGL 1101: Composition

Term: Fall 2026

T/Th: 10:00 am -11:15 am

Instructor: Amy Harden

Office: 803

Email: [email protected]

Office Hours:

· Wed & Fri from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

· Virtual Zoom meeting upon request

Overview

Course Description

English 1101 is the first course in the First-Year Writing sequence. This course introduces you to the foundational principles of academic and professional writing, with an emphasis on rhetorical reading, critical thinking, and the writing process. You will learn to analyze and produce a variety of texts while engaging in practices of drafting, revising, and reflecting on your work.

Through writing assignments, collaborative activities, and class discussions, you will strengthen their ability to construct well-supported arguments, develop a clear writing voice, and adapt your communication to different audiences and purposes. You will also gain experience with research and information literacy, learning to locate, evaluate, and integrate sources effectively. You will need to achieve at least a “C” average in this course to earn credit and be eligible to take the second course int the First-Year Writing sequence, English 1102.

Course Theme: Writing in the Real World: Inquiry, Expression, and Advocacy

I have created this course to be centered around helping students develop real-world writing skills through themed units focused on personal identity, public discourse, and digital advocacy. My goal is for students to explore the connections between writing and identify, rhetorical analysis, and public disagreement, building up through multimodal projects.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Georgia Southern University’s First-Year Writing Program has identified specific learning outcomes for each of its first-year writing courses. Students must complete the course with a “C” average or better to earn credit. At the completion of ENGL1101, students will be able to:

· Develop flexible composing strategies to achieve a defined purpose for writing

· Compose texts to develop ideas in relation to a range of sources

· Respond to various rhetorical situations through practicing genre conventions appropriate to the audience, purpose, and context of reading and writing

· Analyze how textual features, context, and purpose shape a text’s message

Required Text/Material:

· There is no textbook required for this course! I will provide you with the necessary digital or paper copies of the material we will use.

· You will need a computer or laptop to complete your weekly assignments. Your devise should have a stable internet connection and allow you to maneuver between multiple tables, draft and revise documents, and annotate documents as well. A physical keyboard will be the most ideal for efficiency and ease of use.

· Please be sure that you have access to a word processor, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Georgia Southern Students have free access to Office 365 through your MyGeorgiaSouthern portal.

Major Assignment

1. Personal Narrative

You will write a narrative essay t

hat explores a defining moment in your life that shaped your understanding of identity, language, or education.

· Purpose: To help students explore/find their voice, structure, and tone.

· Length: 3-4 pages

· Due: Week 3

2. Rhetorical Analysis

Choose from the list of text below (article, speech, advertisement, etc.) and analyze how the author uses rhetorical strategies to persuade the audience.

· Skills: Critical reading, identifying rhetorical appeals, analyzing context

· Length: 4-5 pages

· Due Week 5

Text Type	Examples
Speeches	· “I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King Jr. · “The Danger of a Single Story” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (TED Talk) · “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” by Patrick Henry · Greta Thunberg’s 2019 UN Climate Action Summit Speech · Barack Obama’s 2008 Victory Speech
Articles/Essays	· “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr. · “The Case for Reparations” by Ta-Nehisi Coates (The Atlantic) · “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” by Nicholas Carr (The Atlantic) · “Me Talk Pretty One Day” by David Sedaris · “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All” by Anne-Marie Slaughter (The Atlantic)
Advertisements	· Nike’s “Dream Crazy” campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick · Apple’s “Think Different” ad · Always’ “Like a Girl” campaign · Coca-Cola’s “America the Beautiful” Super Bowl ad · Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign
Visual/Multimodal Texts	· Posters from the World War II era (e.g., “We Can Do It!” or war bond ads) · PSAs (e.g., anti-smoking, anti-drunk driving) · Social justice campaign videos (e.g., UN’s “HeForShe” or WWF climate awareness ads) · Infographics (e.g., environmental statistics, COVID-19 data visualizations)

3. Annotated Bibliography and Reflection (Common Assignment)

For this assignment, you will find, summarize, evaluate, and analyze sources on a chosen topic, and reflect on your research process.

· Skills: Research, source evaluation, citation, synthesis

· Format: Annotated bibliography (at least (5) five peer-reviewed sources) & 1-page double-spaced reflection

4. Advocacy Project

You will create a multimodal project advocating for a cause or issue that you are passionate about. You will present your project to the class.

· Format: Infographic, short video (at least 5 minutes long), PowerPoint Presentation, poster, brochure, etc.

· Due: Week 11

5. Final Portfolio

Revise two major assignments and submit them with a reflection letter discussion your growth and writing process over the semester.

· Format: Reflection (2-pages double space)

· Due: Finals Week

Grading Breakdown

Assignment	Percentage
Personal Narrative	10%
Rhetorical Analysis	15%
Annotated Bibliography	15%
Multimodal Advocacy Project	20%
Final Portfolio + Reflection	20%
Participation & Peer Review	10%
Weekly Assignments/Responses	10%

Participation and Peer Review

Your active participation in this course is imperative. In order for you to do well you must actively engage in the class discussion and workshops. You’ll also participate in peer reviews before major assignments. Missed peer reviews cannot be made up unless previously arranged.

Course Policies

Attendance: You may miss up to 3 class periods without penalty. After that, your final grade will drop one letter per absence. Late Work: You may submit one major assignment up to 3 days late with no penalty. After that, points will be deducted (5% per day late). Academic Integrity: Plagiarism will result in a failing grade for the assignment and possibly the course. We will review citation practices early in the semester.

AI Policy: You may use AI tools to support your learning, such as brainstorming ideas or improving grammar, but all submitted work must reflect your original thinking and understanding. If you use AI assistance, you must disclose it in a brief note at the end of your assignment. Misuse of AI, including submitting entirely AI-generated work as your own, will be considered academic dishonesty.

Success in This Course

Georgia Southern university offers many services to ensure that you are be as successful as possible. I highly recommend that you take advantage of the Academic Success Senter, the Library, and the Writing Center that offers tutoring and coaching. When ever you need help with assignment, whether it’s brainstorming ideas or needing assistance with the revising/editing process, they are available for you.

ADA Accommodations: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), I will work to comply with requests for reasonable accommodations made by individuals with disabilities or demonstrating appropriate need for learning environment adjustments.

Students must self-disclose their conditions to the Student Accessibility Resource Center (SARC) before academic accommodations can be implemented. You do not have to use all accommodations for which you qualify, but you must have recognition from SARC (they provide material for me to sign) to qualify for accommodations. Email: [email protected]

Three-Week Course Schedule (T/Th format)

Week	Date	In-Class Activities	Homework
1	T: Aug 18	Intro to course, syllabus walkthrough, icebreaker writing	Read “Shitty First Drafts” by Lamott; write 1-page response
	Th: Aug 20	Discuss Lamott; Intro to Narrative Writing	Begin brainstorming for Personal Narrative
2	T: Aug 25	Workshop structure and storytelling	Draft Personal Narrative
	Th: Aug 27	Peer Review for Personal Narrative	Revise draft based on feedback
3	T: Sept 1	Finalize Narrative drafts in class	Submit final draft to Folio
	Th: Sept 3	Intro to Rhetorical Analysis; sample ad analysis	Read assigned article; answer guiding questions