Writing 1000: Introduction to Academic Writing Fall, 2020
Location: Online
Instructor: Adriana Lima (pronouns ‘she/her’)
Zoom Link: https://uleth.zoom.us/j/7151543155?pwd=eUYwcUNaS3JYazN6Y3huZXlIemdQZz09
Email: adriana.monteirolima@uleth.ca
Office Hours (Zoom): Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 10:30 – 11:30am, or by appointment.
| Course Description: Writing is a continuous practice that can be developed by learning skills in critical reading and writing. This course focuses on writing and reading skills through the analysis of text features using a genre-based approach. You will develop your academic literacy by practising strategies for summary, synthesis, text analysis, academic argumentation, writing conventions, revision, and scholarly research. |
| Theme: This section of Writing 1000 will be investigating the theme of Conspiracy Theory. You will be able to take this theme in different directions depending on your academic interests. |
| Objectives: This course aims to help you demonstrate the following abilities: |
| o Use Genre-based approach to recognize academic textual features |
| o Summarize and criticize scholarly articles |
| o Write clearly, concisely, and powerfully |
| o Revise and reshape your writing and give generous, generative peer feedback |
| Required Texts: |
| · Roe, S. & den Ouden, P. Academic Writing: The Complete Guide, 3rd Edition. |
| · Peters, K.J. (2019). The argument handbook. Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press. (ISBN: 978-1-55481-435-0) |
| · Selected readings on U of L Moodle. |
| Optional Texts: |
| · Okun, M. & Ruddock, N. The Broadview Pocket Guide to Citation and Documentation, 2nd Edition. (ISBN: 978-1-55481-334-6) |
| Recommended Websites: |
· The Oxford English Dictionary online, which is accessible through the library database system at the U of L Library webpage: http://www.oed.com/ |
· For general writing tips, see the Online Writing Lab (OWL), Purdue University: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ |
| Evaluation | Weight |
| Critical Summary (500 words max.) | 10% |
| Research Proposal (min. 500 words) | 15% |
| Annotated Bibliography (150 words per entry max.) | 10% |
| Grammar Practice | 10% |
| Final Reflective Journal (min. 500 words) | 15% |
| Class engagement (Attendance & Collaboration) | 5% |
| Reflective Forum Postings | 5% |
| Research paper (2500 words) | 30% |
30% of your mark comes from the research paper.
This course is also cumulative. Plan ahead to ensure success!
|
Grading Scheme
| Excellent | Good | Satisfactory | Poor | Minimal Pass | Fail |
| A+ 90-100 | B+ 77-79 | C+ 67-69 | D+ 55-59 | D 50-54 | F 49 or less |
| A 85-89 | B 73-76 | C 63-66 | |||
| A- 80-84 | B- 70-72 | C- 60-62 |
| GUIDELINES AND EXPECTATIONS |
| This syllabus is your guide to the course; it is your responsibility to read it and consult it on an ongoing basis. I welcome you to my online office hours or by appointment. Life is full of unexpected difficulties, so I encourage you to talk to me if you are experiencing challenges. My goal is to help you achieve your learning goals, and I can guide you to supports and resources. Don’t wait until the end of the semester to ask for help. |
| It is your responsibility to know the add/drop and withdrawal deadlines, as well as statutory holidays (consult the University of Lethbridge Calendar). I will always do my best to respond to emails within two working days. Note that I will not respond to emails lacking respect or dealing with items that have been thoroughly discussed in class. |
| Methodology: |
| I am a very passionate teacher and I welcome your curiosity and passion for learning. Our classes are designed to be engaging, interactive and challenging. I am happy to support your learning journey and expect you to take responsibility for your learning process, engaging in class discussions and working collaboratively with everyone. |
| Online Classroom: |
| We meet on Zoom once a week for class discussions and content learning. To be well prepared for class, make sure you have good internet connection and a computer with audio and microphone. You will need to access online resources such as Moodle, Zoom, and your U of L email account. Read assigned texts and reviewing content. Write down questions you have, research topics of interest, and be ready to share your ideas and participate in class. |
| Attendance: |
| Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes on time. Attendance counts for 2% of your participation grade. If you must be absent and know it beforehand, please contact me by email as far in advance as possible. Students are responsible for all material covered and assigned in class during their absence. |
| “Zero-Tolerance” Plagiarism Policy |
| Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s work or ideas as one’s own, without proper documentation or acknowledgement of the original source. It can be intentional or unintentional, but either way, it constitutes theft of intellectual property. Plagiarism is a serious academic offense; plagiarized work will result in a grade of “F” for the assignment and can result in a grade of “F” for the course and academic suspension or expulsion. A letter indicating that the student has committed plagiarism on an assignment or cheated on a quiz or exam is automatically submitted to the Dean’s Office. You should familiarize yourself with the “Academic Regulations, Policies and Program Requirements” section of the current University of Lethbridge Calendar (see especially Part Four); by accepting the offer of enrollment at the U of L, you have agreed to be administered by these policies, whether or not you have actually read them. The University of Lethbridge subscribes to Turnitin.com, a plagiarism detection service. Any student work completed in this course may be submitted to this service to verify its originality. |
Assignment Guidelines
· Follow the submission guidelines on assignment descriptions.
· Assignments must be submitted online in the assignment box on Moodle on the day that they are due.
· Late assignments will be penalized 5% for every day that they are late.
· All major assignments must be double-spaced in a 12-point font, and follow APA conventions.
· Include a word count at the end of the text of the paper, before References.
· Students may expect a two-week or longer waiting period before marked work is returned.
| Please note that I allow for a learning process in grading – when first introducing a skill (e.g., in-text citation) I will not grade too harshly, but by the final assignment I will expect you to have learned from your mistakes and will hold your work to a higher standard. |
| Revision Policy |
| Revision is a crucial part of good writing and a cornerstone of Writing 1000. All assignments are designed to encourage revision. Students should consider the comments and suggestions I make on their assignments; failure to do so will result in lower grades. Peer review is built into the writing process in this class to encourage revision. You are asked to share a copy of your research proposal and paper on the dates indicated on the assignment description. Failure to participate in the peer review process means the due date remains the earlier due date. Please note that any additional revisions will not be accepted for grading. |
| Engagement: Participation and Commitment |
| Students are expected to be prepared for and to actively participate in any class discussion or group-work, and to do so in a respectful, egalitarian, constructive, and informed manner. Your participation grade will come from active class participation (discussion, group work, peer review, and respect for the learning needs of others) along with attendance and punctuality. Remember that while these last two qualities are important, participation means much more than simply showing up. Any in-class work that is missed will not be allowed to be replaced by alternate assignments without proper documentation of an emergency or serious illness submitted (see Attendance Policy below). |
| Attendance Policy |
| Your attendance is expected in the course and counts for 2% of your participation mark; you should attend scheduled online class sessions (on Zoom) and be punctual. In the case of serious illness or a major crisis please inform me, as well as the Registrar’s Office, as soon as possible, and submit the appropriate documentation. While many items are posted on Moodle, not all will be. Students are responsible for course material even when absent. You must request missed content. Students are also responsible for retaining course material and for taking their own notes. Please note that it is your responsibility to collect your work after it has been graded. |
