Saturdays 8:30-9:30 in D326
The student will master the writing process, including strategies for invention, organization, revision, and editing. The student will develop critical skills in reading, thinking and writing. Writing assignments will emphasize analysis and argument and the student will master research writing and documentation. All formal essays will require research. AAS: Communications elective.
Course Alignment
General Education Outcomes are the knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, and behaviors that students are expected to develop as a result of their overall experiences with any aspect of the college, including courses, programs, and student services, both inside and outside of the classroom. The General Education Outcomes specifically learned in this course are:
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Responsibility
Faculty Contact Information
T/Th 8:30-9:30 am office walk-in's + Wednesdays 10-12 online + by appointment
Professor Amy Porter
aporter@kcc.edu
*professors are expected to respond to student e-mails within 24 hours, with the exception of weekends
Office L330 for now…..
Office phone: 815-802-8725 (e-mail me first)
Student support hours: TTh 8:30-9:30 am for office walk-in’s + Wednesday 8-10 am online + by appointment
On the real: The working relationship that you form with your instructors is one of the most important aspects of college. My student support hours are for YOU. You are not “bothering” me, and I really do love to help you succeed. Please note, however, that most of the quick answers you need are in the syllabus, like due dates, paper requirements, and what will be covered in class from week to week.
Course Information
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Use invention, drafting, revising, and editing strategies to write academic papers
- Write claims that are appropriate for assignment requirements
- Effectively organize paragraphs to suit the rhetorical situation
- Support claims and generalizations with adequate and relevant details, examples, explanation, and evidence
- Analyze and evaluate the use of rhetorical appeals in a variety of nonfiction texts
- Apply the principles of rhetoric in student writing assignments
- Correctly integrate and document outside sources through signal phrases, parenthetical citations, and a works cited page
- Apply self- and peer- review strategies for revision and improvement
- Create and share a multimodal project
- Utilize standard grammar, spelling, and mechanics for clarity, tone, and style
- Rhetoric: Style, strategies, devices, tools, and appeals; relationship to audience
- Research: Credibility, integration, citation and documentation, research as inquiry, types of sources, role of research librarian
- Composition: Focus, coherence, development, grammar, spelling, and punctuation, introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions
- Reading: Engagement with texts: annotation, outlining, vocabulary; critical analysis of texts including non-fiction, academic writing
- Criticality: Intellectual empathy, originality in thought, context of social and cultural contexts, diverse viewpoints
- Multimodality: Integration of visual, textual, and oral elements; methods of engaging audience; rhetorical awareness
n/a
A=90-100%; B=80-89%; C=70-79%; D=60-69%; F=0-59%
Course Requirements: this semester, you will complete 3 papers with research and 1 multimodal virtual presentation as your final.
- Paper 1 - Rhetorical Analysis: 1200 words minimum, typed and double-spaced in Times New Roman 12-pt font, using 2 credible sources in MLA style (15% of overall grade)
- Paper 2 – Annotated Bibliography: word count variable, typed and double-spaced in Times New Roman 12-pt font, using 6 credible sources in MLA style (20% of overall grade)
- Paper 3 - Academic Argument: 1500 words, typed and double-spaced in Times New Roman 12-pt font, using the same topic and 6 credible sources from Paper 3 in MLA style (20% of overall grade)
- Final – Multimodal Virtual Presentation: prewrite pages as assigned, no word count requirement, 5 credible sources in MLA style, 2-4 min. webcam video recording (25% of overall grade)
- 15% of your grade also relies on practice assignments and discussion responses, as assigned
- 5% of your grade is based on attendance
* please submit papers to Canvas using Microsoft Word or Google Docs (you will need to share the Google doc: aporter@kcc.edu .) Your assignments will be run through a plagiarism and AI detector on my computer.
*word counts falling more than 100 words below the minimum requirement will be returned ungraded with the expectation that you will schedule a meeting with me to determine your next steps.
Completing Your Work
Kindly note that I do not accept partial or late work. There are no “rough drafts” in here, although you do get revision opportunities on the first 2 papers. You will be ineligible for paper revision if your original draft was incomplete or undone in the first place.
*That being said, every student will be granted ONE Free Pass, good for a single one-week extension on the due date of a paper. Please clear it with me at aporter@kcc.edu ahead of time to avoid miscommunication.
Course Writing Assignments for English I: ENGL 1613
Students will complete, at minimum, 3 major writing assignments and a multimodal project. This will help hone skills of observing, reflecting, making and supporting claims, and finding research for evidence/support. Source material should not overwhelm the student’s own voice.
- Rhetorical Analysis: 2-4 sources, 4+ pages
- Argument: 4-6 sources, 6+ pages
- Synthesis-based Annotated Bibliography: 6-8 sources, 5+ pages
- A multimodal project
Assignments may be given in any order.
Liberal Arts & Sciences
Dean, Jennifer Huggins; 815-802-8484; R310; jhuggins@kcc.edu; Division Office- W102; 815-802-8700
Communication
In the case of inclement weather, power outages, or class cancellations, KCC will phone and text you from an automated number. Please make sure that we have a valid contact number at which to reach you.
The #1 reason that people drop or step out of college is because they didn’t advocate for themselves. Please communicate your concerns with me so that the KCC community can properly help you. You will also see below and on www.kcc.edu a wealth of resources for financial assistance, personal counseling, career counseling, tutoring services.
We will need to have a backup plan for computer access in case our systems or Canvas goes down. I advise keeping a printed version of your syllabus in your records. I will maintain communication with you through BAND, which I will ask you to download to your phone so as to keep our phone numbers anonymous.
Course Policies
There is no easy way to say it: Plagiarism won’t be tolerated. All assignments submitted must be the student’s own work with research properly cited in MLA 2019 style.
Plagiarism is defined as representing the words or ideas of another writer as one’s own. Plagiarism will result in a zero for the assignment on the first offense and an immediate final grade of F in the course on the second offense without exception and without chance for withdrawal from the course.
Academic Dishonesty
In addition to plagiarism, academic dishonesty is equally discouraged. Specifically, work written for other courses or submission of work that has been acquired from other students or written by family members, classmates, or friends will result in a final grade of F in the course without exception.
Let me be super clear here: AI assistance on assignments, including Grammarly, will not be allowed in this course. All submissions will be run through my computer’s Similarity and AI Check, and it will reflect both direct plagiarism and close paraphrasing. Evidence of AI usage will result in a zero on the assignment; the second instance will result in a zero in the course. I will be asking you to sign an agreement that you understand this rule. If ever in doubt, please ask. This is not a trap.
Any incidence of plagiarism or academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Student Services and may result in additional academic discipline and possible academic suspension at the instructor’s discretion. (See College Catalog 16.2b) Note also, according to campus policy, academic honesty includes “using artificial intelligence software or tools for homework, quizzes, tests, and any assignment unless authorized by the course instructor.” This instructor does not authorize such writing assistance.
*Always, always check with your instructors if ever in doubt. Any of your support team on campus would love to help you prevent plagiarism and respect your willingness to ask.
Code of Conduct
Students are expected to adhere to the Code of Conduct located in the college catalog, but in general, your courtesy and patience with this process is much appreciated, as frustrations do sometimes arise in any learning environment. Let’s work through those together by keeping consistent and open lines of communication.
Please remember that behind every digital screen, there is a human being. Be mindful of the tone with which you communicate online, not just with me but also with each other.
Expectations for Online Behavior: “Showing up” is not the only thing I ask of you. Engagement is the most important aspect of my class. To ensure an enjoyable, inclusive, and engaging learning environment, you are expected to openly share your ideas and express your opinions; respect the opinions, values, and identities of your classmates, instructors, and authors; and honor the open environment of the class. You are expected to do your best work, meet assignment deadlines, engage regularly in practice activities, and treat other members of the class with courtesy and respect.
Everything we read or view for this class will be provided via links. I recommend downloading TED Talks, Canvas Student, BAND, and YouTube app’s to your phone if you don’t have them already.
UNIT ONE – Acclimating to College/Preparing for the Rhetorical Analysis
Week 1 (8/18-8/24) – the expectations of this class; your/my responsibilities; intro to rhetoric; focus, organization, and thesis statements.
Getting to Know You discussion post will be due online on or before Saturday, 8/22, by 11:59 pm in the designated Canvas drop box.
Week 2 (Aug. 25-31) – Introduction to Rhetorical Analysis paper; audience, tone, diction. logical fallacy and source credibility; workshopping the intro for the RA.
JUST THE Introduction for the Rhetorical Analysis paper will be due online Monday, 8/31, by 11:59 pm in the designated Canvas drop box.
Week 3 (9/1-7) – Navigating research for MLA; detecting plagiarism.
NO CLASSES ON LABOR DAY 😊
Paper 1, The Rhetorical Analysis, will be due online on or before Sunday, 9/6, by 11:59 pm in the designated Canvas drop box. Please give me 7 days to grade them. Revisions will be welcome up to a week after I have graded your paper.
UNIT TWO – Preparing for the Annotated Bibliography
Week 4 (9/8-14) – Introducing the annotated bibliography; how to argue effectively; considering and determining writing audience; exercising tone in writing
Just the introduction for the Annotated Bibliography will be due online Monday, 9/14, by 11:59 pm in the designated Canvas drop box.
Week 5 (9/15-21) – let’s grade an academic argument; drafting the introduction to the academic argument; drafting your paper + research plan for the academic argument.
The Annotated Bibliography Paper Two will be due online Monday, 9/21, by 11:59 pm in the designated Canvas drop box. Please give me 7 days to grade them. Revisions will be welcome up to a week after I have your paper graded.
UNIT THREE – Preparing for the Academic Argument
Week 6 (9/22-28) -Introducing the Academic Argument; brief introduction to APA; practice synthesizing research; let’s grade an Academic Argument.
Just the introduction for the Academic Argument due online, by 11:59 pm Monday, 9/28 in the designated Canvas drop box.
Week 7 (9/29-10/5) – workshopping Paper 3 Academic Argument
Academic Argument Paper 3 due online, 10/5, by 11:59 pm in the designated Canvas drop box. Please give me 7 days to grade them. No revisions will be granted.
UNIT FOUR – Preparing for the Multimodal Final
Week 8 (10/6-9) - Multimodal final workshop
During week 8, we will spend class time informally sharing with the class our Multimodal finals.
College Policies, Resources and Supports
For information related to the Student Code of Conduct Policy, Withdrawal Policy, Email Policy, and Non- Attendance/Non-Participation Policy, please review the college’s Code of Campus Affairs and Regulations webpage, which can be found at catalog.kcc.edu under the Academic Regulations & Conduct Guide.
KCC offers various academic and personal resources for all students. Many services are offered virtually, as well as in person. Please visit Student Resources - Kankakee Community College to access student resources services such as:
- Clubs and organizations
- Counseling and referral services
- Office of disability services
- Student complaint policy
- Transfer services
- Tutoring services, etc.
The materials on this course are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course. Further information regarding KCC's copyright policy is available at https://kcc.libguides.com/copyright.
|Course syllabus/calendar is subject to change.