Course Syllabus

 SyllabusSyllabus ENC 1102 0017.pdf

 

ENC 1102: Composition II

Department of Writing and Rhetoric, UCF

3 Credit Hours

Instructor Information 

• Instructor: Jessica Lynch   
• Office Location: Webcourses@UCF messaging & Zoom (Click this URL during office hours to join)
• Office Hours: Mondays 12-1:15 p.m. & Wednesdays 4:30- 5:45 p.m. or by appointment 
• Digital Contact: Jessica.Lynch@ucf.edu or Webcourses@UCF messaging

Course Information

• Term: Fall 2020
• Course Number & Section: ENC 1102 0019
• Course Modality: V
• This is a remote, video-delivered course. No in-person classroom attendance is required. Students may be expected to attend virtually at designated days and times as specified in the class meeting pattern. Instruction may be supplemented by additional projects, activities, or exams. Internet access, browser and email required. Webcams and microphones will be required for class meetings and may be required for exams.

Course Description

Focus on extensive research in analytical and argumentative writing based on a variety of readings from the humanities. Emphasis on developing critical thinking and diversity of perspective.

What roles and functions do writing and rhetoric play within a community? This will be the central question that guides all of our investigations this semester. Since you now find yourself in a particularly large community (the institution known as the University of Central Florida) that relies heavily on literacy and language, this question has some immediate relevance to you. But writing and rhetoric are not limited to academic communities, and, as we’ll see, it is something that is used by all communities. 

Our work will build out of the scholarly discipline of Writing Studies. As the name implies, instead of writing being something we simply do in this course, we’ll be treating it as an object of study that is itself worthy of scrutiny and analysis. As such, this course will provide you with a firm understanding of key threshold concepts for understanding writing, including:

• how writing speaks to situations and contexts
• how writing mediates activity
• how writing is related to identity
• how texts relate to other texts

The tasks and activities you will encounter in this course emphasize the development of declarative and procedural knowledge of these threshold concepts along with sustained drafting and revision, attention to transferable writing practices and knowledge, and authentic purposes for inquiry and literate action. 

Prerequisite: Students should have completed ENC 1101 with a grade of C- or better or have passed an equivalent course or AP exam before taking ENC 1102.

UCF General Education Program (GEP)

The purposes of the UCF General Education Program (GEP) are to introduce students to a broad range of human knowledge and intellectual pursuits, to equip them with the analytic and expressive skills required to engage in those pursuits, to develop their ability to think critically, and to prepare them for life-long learning. The GEP curriculum provides students with the intellectual, ethical, and aes­thetic foundations necessary to make informed choices; to accept the responsibilities of working and living in a rapidly changing world, and to lead a productive and satisfying life.

ENC 1102 fulfills one of the “Communication” GEP requirements. In this category, Students will prepare to become successful writers, speakers, and producers of digital media in the academic and professional worlds. This part of the GEP helps students critically read texts, develop effective oral communication strategies, and acquire research skills needed to succeed at the university and beyond. Courses stress the need to analyze audience and purpose in varied situations and then apply those findings in a clear, logical, and appropriate message.

ENC 1102 Outcomes

The four learning outcomes listed below guide what students actually do in ENC 1102. These outcomes represent the knowledge and abilities students should expect to acquire throughout the semester.

Outcome 1: Students will be able to analyze and synthesize complex texts in ways that demonstrate an understanding of the situated and intertextual nature of writing and research.

• The writer using complex texts in strategic, focused ways to both enter into and respond to ongoing inquiry. This might include summarizing, citing, applying, challenging, re-contextualizing, and/or synthesizing relevant background texts.
• The writing is intertextual, meaning that a “conversation” between texts and ideas is created in support of the writer’s goals.
• The writer assessing the inquiry and writing choices of other writers to inform their own inquiry and writing decisions.
• The writer responsibly using community-appropriate conventions for citation (e.g. MLA or APA).

Outcome 2: Students will engage in a recursive, inquiry-based writing and research process that is meaningful for a specific community.

• The writer developing and framing a research question or problem that matters to a specific community.
• The writer researching, developing, and employing community-appropriate research and analytical methods.
• The writer working flexibly and iteratively with primary and secondary research, including designing, adapting, and where necessary revising research questions and methods given emergent discoveries.
• The writer using and synthesizing multiple kinds of evidence gathered from various sources and genres (e.g. library research, interviews, surveys, observations, textual analysis, cultural artifacts) in order to support writing goals.
• The writer demonstrating substantial and successful revision by creating successive drafts that show global improvement and/or respond to substantive issues raised by instructor and peer feedback.

 

Outcome 3: Students will be able to interpret their research findings in order to produce arguments that matter to specific communities by addressing real-world exigencies.

• The writer producing at least one argument that involves analysis, which is the close scrutiny and examination of evidence, assumptions, and counter arguments in support of a larger set of ideas.
• The writer persuasively articulating the stakes of at least one argument (why what is being argued matters).
• The writer demonstrating a clear understanding of their audience and why their argument matters to that audience, with various aspects of the writing (mode of inquiry, content, structure, appeals, tone, sentences, and word choice) being addressed and strategically oriented to that audience.

Outcome 4: Students will examine their own conceptions of writing and research in response to their inquiry, reading, and writing throughout the course.

• The writer employing acquired vocabulary for discussing the roles that writing and research play in a given community.
• The writer considering the technologies and research methods that mediate writing, research, and the construction of knowledge.
• The writer using acquired vocabulary for discussing their writing and research practices, including reflecting on their own writing situations using terms such as genre, discourse conventions, and rhetorical situation.
• The writer demonstrating a meta-awareness of their growth as a writer and researcher over time by reflecting on their writing and research practices and products and making claims about their learning.

 

Course Materials and Resources

Required Materials/Resources

• Lunsford, Andrea. Easy Writer: A Handbook for the First-Year Writing Program at the University of Central Florida with Launch Pad. 20th ed. Mac Higher 2020, ISBN:  9781319388911
• Other readings posted on Webcourses.

Note: You will be required to have these texts by Week 1. Other editions of these texts may be missing readings or have different page numbers.

Regardless you will be required to have all necessary reading materials for the Zoom class on the day they are assigned.

Make-up Assignments and Submission Details

All graded assignments will be turned in on Webcourses@UCF. Access to Webcourses@UCF will be required from Week 1 of the course. Take advantage of on-campus resources, such as the UCF Library or All Knight Study if you do not have reliable internet access. 

Submission

• Assignments must be submitted as .doc or .docx files. Other file types will not be accepted. If I cannot open the file you have submitted when I go to grade it, your submission will be treated as a late assignment.  See the Course Expectations and Downloading Microsoft page in the Course Expectations Module for instructions on how to download Microsoft Office for free as a UCF student.
• All files must be named in the following way: YourLastName_NameOfAssignment (for example, Lynch_ReadingResponse1). This is to make sure you are submitting the correct file and to keep you organized. If I find that you have submitted the wrong file when I go to grade it, your submission will be treated as a late assignment, so be sure to double check your work.

 

Late Work

 

• Failing to complete assignments within the timeline I have set for the class will make it difficult for you to catch up, so I do not accept late work. However, if you are experiencing special circumstances and would like to request an extension for completing a major assignment, speak with me before the due date, and I may or may not make an exception. I reserve the right to accept late work with or without penalty as the circumstances warrant.
• Prepare for technological catastrophe by saving frequently, backing up files on flash drives or to the cloud, and/or emailing files to yourself. You all are tech-savvy enough to know how to avoid disaster; “the computer ate my homework” does not count as a special circumstance and late work will not be accepted in such cases.
• If you are experiencing technical difficulties with submitting an assignment to Webcourses, send me an email as soon as possible with screenshots of the issue and your assignment attached so we can troubleshoot the issue and ensure you get credit for your work being completed on time.

Makeup Work

• Per university policy, you are allowed to submit make-up work (or an equivalent, alternate assignment) for university sponsored events, religious observances, or legal obligations (such as jury duty). If this participation conflicts with your course assignments, I will offer a reasonable opportunity for you to complete missed assignments and/or exams. The make-up assignment and grading scale will be equivalent to the missed assignment and its grading scale. Please contact me 48 hours ahead of time to notify me of upcoming needs. Notifying me after a missed due date will forfeit your ability to make up the work.

• If you are experiencing special circumstances including or aside from the previously mentioned examples and would like to request an extension for completing an assignment, speak with me before the due date, and I may or may not make an exception. I reserve the right to accept late work with or without penalty as the circumstances warrant

Internet Usage and Email Requirements 

• You will be expected to have daily access to the Internet and email, since I may send important messages about changes to the syllabus or course announcements through both email and Webcourses messaging tools. It is recommended that you change your Webcourses settings to send you email alerts when announcements are made.
• All students at UCF are required to obtain a Knight's Email account (knightsmail.ucf.edu) and check it regularly for official university communications. As an instructor, I am required to communicate with you via this email address (not a personal one like a Gmail account).
• When you email me, you can expect to receive a response from me within 24 hours of receiving your message Monday- Friday. I will not check my email or respond to emails on Saturdays and Sundays. If you send an email on Friday, you can expect a response on the following Monday at the latest.
• If you do not own a computer, there are computers accessible to you in all of UCF's computer labs, and most computer labs have computers connected to the Internet. If you need help accessing technology, please speak with me privately.

 

• All assignments are due on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays when UCF IT support is available. If you are having technical difficulties with Webcourses, your first point of contact is UCF IT https://ucf.service-now.com/ucfit?id=index.

 

Assessment and Grading Procedures

Grading Breakdown

• Online Engagement 25%
• Research Reflection – 5% 
• Peer Review – 5%
• Research Proposal* – 5%
• Annotated Bibliography* – 10%
• Final Research paper* – 25%
• Final Portfolio* – 25%

*Denotes major assignment per the Gordon Rule.

 

The work you are doing is divided into weekly modules that will include instruction and discussion of course concepts, as well as opportunities to apply your ideas and demonstrate your learning. The modules are set up to ensure you'll have the opportunity to engage with the course material first and get some practice applying what you've learned in low stakes engagements activities (i,e without a major impact on your grade, so you have space to test out your ideas, make mistakes, and develop your understanding) before being assessed in the high stakes major assignments. 

Online Engagement 25% Overall Grade

The following are the kinds of low stakes work that we'll be doing in class and assigned as homework to allow you to test out your ideas and develop your understanding of course concepts. 

• Class Engagement: Since writing and knowledge are social activities, you'll have several "class engagement" assignments where you'll be asked to work with peers in Discussion board groups. The goal here is to create some sense of community, despite our courses being online. 
• Reading Responses: Reading Responses are typed Word documents that give you practice with more formal academic writing, including synthesizing and citing sources. These reading responses ask you to engage with your understanding of the scholarly readings we'll be doing, as well as to identify any areas of confusion or concern that can be addressed in class.
• Process Works: Low-stake assignments that are meant to help you begin working toward your next major assignment by breaking up the work into smaller, more manageable chunks. Process works also allow you to get some formative feedback from me that you can use to inform your writing as you complete future assignments 
• CITI Training (required to be completed by the end of week 4) and Library Research Training.

Research Reflections 5% Overall Grade

• Reflections: These assignments will ask you to engage with the course outcomes outlined here in the syllabus, as well as your writing process across the unit. 

Peer Review 5% Overall Grade

• Peer Review: Peer Review allows you to read another student's work from the course and provide thoughtful feedback on their ideas. The points assigned for peer review will go toward a percentage of your high-stake work grades. 

Major Assignments 65% Overall Grade

• Research Proposal 15%

• Based on what you learn from your secondary sources, you'll propose primary research methods that you could use to answer your research question and add to the scholarly conversation.  
• Annotated Bibliography 10%
• A research writing genre that serves as a note-taking and synthesis tool for both you and your professor. You will collect, read, and annotate secondary research sources with the goal of developing the scholarly conversation. 
• Research Article 25 %
• A research writing genre that reports on your research findings and adds to the conversation you developed in your Annotated Bibliography. You will analyze primary data to develop evidence-based claims in response to your research question and identify areas for future research. 

• Final ePortfolio and Cover Letter 25%
  • A purposeful and thoughtful collection and arrangement of the work you’ve done over the course of the semester framed by metacognitive reflection on your experiences and learning in the class, with the goal of demonstrating your achievement of the course objectives.

Again, you'll learn more about these kinds of assignments as they're introduced, but for now it's important to know that these are genres of research writing (genre is one of the course concepts we'll be learning next week). They're all part of the process of engaging in a well-developed, meaningful, and ethical research project, and creating these genres will give you practice with the kinds of writing and critical thinking skills that will be useful in your future, whatever your major or career might be.

While these assignments have a significantly higher impact on your grade in the course, you should be well prepared for them by doing the low stakes work that leads up to each one.

Shadow Grading

Since writing and research is a process, you will receive "shadow" grades on your Research Proposal, Annotated Bibliography and Final Research Essay.  This means that you'll have the opportunity to revise these assignments based on my feedback for an updated grade in your final portfolio by the end of the semester for up to one week after the assignment is graded. If you choose not to revise your assignment within the week, then that shadow grade will become the final grade. The goal here is to improve your research and writing across the semester, so if you choose to utilize this opportunity, you'll need to incorporate my feedback into your revisions.

Shadow grading has several requirements and missing any of these will forfeit your opportunity to improve your grade on that assignment:

1. Only complete assignments submitted on time are eligible for shadow grading. This is not an excuse to turn in an incomplete draft since leading up to this point, you have received preparation for creating a full draft by completing process works and a first draft for peer review. The draft you turn in must be complete in that it addresses all components of the assignment and shows your best effort. You must turn in the original graded submission in order to qualify.
2. You must turn on track changes when revising your document and upload a submission with the track changes showing. These tracked changes should demonstrate thoughtful revision based on my written and rubric feedback.
3. You must write a cover letter memo that discusses not only what changes you made to the document, but also how you went about making these changes based on the feedback you received and your learning in the course, and why these changes were important to make in order to improve your writing. This step is important because this is where you demonstrate your understanding of revision. To write a useful cover letter memo, follow the guidelines from "Reflective Writing and the Revision Process: What Were You Thinking?" by Sandra L. Giles.
4. You must submit the newly revised assignment to the assignment page within one week of receiving your grade and feedback from me.

Policy on Research and CITI Training in ENC 1102

This course will focus on scholarly inquiry regarding genres of writing.  All students will be required to produce a scholarly topic on one of the focus topics. This inquiry may include (but does not have to include) surveys or interviews of human subjects, and therefore, all students will be required to complete CITI training for the protection of human subjects during scholarly inquiry. Projects for this course will entail very minimal risk to participants, and any projects that involve vulnerable populations (e.g. children under 18, pregnant women, medical patients, prisoners) or ask research subjects about illegal activities (e.g. underage drinking or illegal drug use) will be disallowed in this course.

All students are required to take the online CITI training and submit a certificate of completion prior to engaging in human subject research. The training can be found at http://citi.research.ucf.edu. This is required to be completed by the end of Week 4.

 

Attendance & Participation

• Your participation grade isn’t an attendance grade; your participation grade is based on your active engagement with the writing assignments, activities, and discussions.
• Your attendance at class Zoom meetings is essential for your (and your classmates’) learning, as this class relies on group work, whole-class discussion, and in-class writings.
• If you do miss class, you are responsible for watching the recorded Zoom meeting. The class schedule does not allow time for me to re-teach material you missed, so ask your classmates for their notes and plan to attend my virtual office hours as soon as you return.
• Showing up late to class can also result in missing class activities and losing those participation points. Equally importantly, walking in late can be disruptive and inconsiderate to the rest of the class and myself, so be on time, if not early. Students will not be allowed into the Zoom class meeting after the first 5 minutes to prevent disruption.

 

Academic Engagement Assignment

As of Fall 2014, all faculty members are required to document students' academic activity at the beginning of each course. In order to document that you began this course, please complete the Academic Engagement Assignment (Course Navigation Quiz) for our class through Webcourses no later than August 28 at 5 p.m. Failure to do so will result in a delay in the disbursement of your financial aid.

 

 

 

Letter Grade Percentages
Letter Grade	Points
A	94 – 100 points
A-	90 – 93 points
B+	87 – 89 points
B	84 – 86 points
B-	80 – 83 points
C+	77 – 79 points
C	74 – 76 points
C-	70 – 73 points
F	69 and below

NC/ Incomplete Grades The NC (No Credit) can be given only at the teacher’s discretion to students who complete all assignments for this course with a good faith effort, but whose final work in the course does not meet program standards for a grade of “C-.” There will be no “incomplete” grades.

At the instructor’s discretion, students who complete all work in the course but do not meet university standards can pass the course.

Gordon Rule: “This is a Gordon Rule course, which requires you to write four major assignments and receive a C- or higher to pass. You must turn in all major writing assignments to pass the course.

Financial Aid: All instructors/faculty are required to document students’ academic activity at the beginning of each course. In order to document that you began this course, please complete the following academic activity by the end of the first week of classes or as soon as possible after adding the course. Failure to do so may result in a delay in the disbursement of your financial aid.

Extra Credit Opportunity 

Throughout the semester, you'll have the opportunity to earn extra credit on the Annotated Bibliography, Research Proposal, and Final Research Article by visiting the University Writing Center. If you haven't been to the writing center before, here's a brief description of the work they do: 

This table explains what the writing center is and links to their website

The University Writing Center (UWC) offers writing support to students from first-year to graduate in every discipline. Tutors provide help at every stage of the writing process, including understanding assignments, researching, drafting, revising, incorporating sources, and learning to proofread and edit. The UWC’s purpose is not merely to fix or edit papers, but to teach writing strategies that can be applied to any writing situation. Consultations are available for individuals and small groups. You may schedule a 45-minute appointment by clicking the Success Resources tab on Webcourses, calling the UWC at 407-823-2197, or through the UWC website.

As you can see the writing center is an excellent resource available for free to UCF students that I hope you make use of throughout your time at UCF. 

The Writing Center Online 

See the following video that explains how the writing center will work while we're online

How to Earn Extra Credit

To encourage you to try out the writing center, I'll offer up to 3 points to each Major Assignment if you attend a writing center consultation and upload proof of your UCF writing center consultation with your submission of your assignment at the assigned due date for each assignment. You're welcome and encouraged to go in pairs, groups, or individually--all of these have their own benefits that your tutor will help you with. 

Session notes are sent to each student to your Knights Email account after the completion of the session. These notes include a summary of your session, which is useful for you as you work to revise your paper, as well as how long you spent at the session and who you worked with. Note: If your session wasn't productive or too short you may not get extra credit. We'll talk about this on a case-by-case basis. 

I encourage you to book your appointments in advance, as the writing center gets very busy throughout the semester.

Course Schedule

The Modules on Webcourses will serve as your Course Schedule for the semester. Use that and the "Calendar" function on Canvas to keep track of your work. The Course Schedule is subject to change, and any and all changes to the schedule will be announced in Webcourses.

Important due dates for major assignments are:

Annotated Bibliography due: September 18 at 11:59 PM 

Research Proposal due: October 12 at 11:59 PM

Research Article due: November 13 at 11:59 PM

Final ePortfolio and Cover Letter due December 7 at 11:59 PM

Conference Dates

Annotated Bibliography Conferences- October 5, 7, or 9.

Primary Research Conference- October 19, 21, or 23

Students will sign up for 10-minute conferences on the above days during allocated time slots. It is the student’s responsibility to be prepared for conferences with relevant research, materials, and questions. Should a student fail to attend their scheduled conference, it will not be rescheduled (except in extraordinary circumstances at the discretion of Professor).

Important University Dates

Drop deadline: August 28, 2020 11:59 PM

Add deadline: August 28, 2020 11:59 PM

Campus Closed Labor Day (No classes) September 7, 2020

Withdrawal Deadline: October 30, 2020

Campus Closed Veterans Day (No classes) November 11, 2020

Thanksgiving/ Fall Break/No Classes November 25-November 29, 2020

Finals week December 7- December 13, 2020

Classes End: December 13, 2020.

Modifications for V mode:

• We will have class over Zoom every Monday, while Wednesday and Friday will be online work.
• You should make every effort to attend the Zoom sessions. Your attendance at all class meetings is essential for your (and your classmates’) learning, as this class relies on group work and whole-class discussion. Your regular attendance of Zoom sessions is especially important to help prepare you for the major assignments you will be writing over the course of the semester.
• However, it is understandable that we are dealing with extenuating circumstances due to the pandemic. If you are not able to attend the Zoom session, it will be recorded for you. It is your responsibility to watch the posted Zoom class meetings.
• Entering the Zoom session late can also result in missing important content. Students will not be allowed into the Zoom class meeting after the first 5 minutes to prevent disruption. Students will be required to watch the recorded Zoom lesson.

 

V Mode Zoom Policy Statement (adapted from CDL’s Zoom Essentials training)

• Because of the continued remote instruction requirement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this course will use Zoom for some synchronous (“real time”) class meetings. Meeting dates and times will be scheduled through Webcourses@UCF and should appear on your calendar.
• Please take the time to familiarize yourself with Zoom by visiting the UCF Zoom GuidesLinks to an external site. [https://cdl.ucf.edu/support/webcourses/zoom/]. You may choose to use Zoom on your mobile device (phone or tablet).

Things to Know About Zoom:

• You must sign in to my Zoom session using your UCF NID and password.
• The Zoom sessions are recorded.
• Improper classroom behavior is not tolerated within Zoom sessions and may result in a referral to the Office of Student Conduct.
• You can contact Webcourses@UCF SupportLinks to an external site. [https://cdl.ucf.edu/support/webcourses/] if you have any technical issues accessing Zoom.

Department of Writing and Rhetoric V Mode Policies

• One 50-minute meeting per week required
• Students are not required to attend or turn on their cameras
• Students cannot be graded on work done via Zoom (not for participation, assignments, etc.)

 Zoom days must be recorded and uploaded the same day to the  weekly “Zoom Page”

• Practice Zoom safety, Zoom etiquette and classroom management
• Late work should always be discussed in context
• Attendance is not taken in any form

 

FERPA addendum:

 

• If you are concerned about your course progress in the event you become ill, please be aware that due to FERPA laws, we cannot communicate with anyone other than you about your enrollment, course progress, grades, etc., unless you have a FERPA “release form” on file with the university. Here is the link to the FERPA Release Form: https://generalcounsel.ucf.edu/files/2015/04/FERPA-Release-Form.pdf
• If your parents have questions about FERPA: https://registrar.ucf.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2018/04/ferpa_for_parents1.pdf

 

Zoom Etiquette

As we will be meeting via Zoom. Many of the "rules of the road" that apply to conversations also apply to the use of interactive tools used in this course. Use the following conventions when interacting with the instructor and fellow students:

1. While using synchronous tools, such as Conferences or Zoom, situate yourself in a quiet, private environment. This will help you stay clear of disturbances.
2. If you want to send a personal message to the instructor or to another student, use Conversations rather than the Discussions.
3. Be patient. Don’t expect an immediate response when you post to a discussion or send a message.
4. Respect each other’s ideas, feelings, and experience.
5. Be courteous and considerate. It is important to be honest and to express yourself freely but being considerate of others is just as important and expected online, as it is in the classroom.
6. Explore disagreements and support assertions with data and evidence.
7. If you are not actively speaking to the Zoom meeting, keep your microphone on mute to prevent audio feedback and disruptions.

 

Policy Statements

Academic Integrity

Students should familiarize themselves with UCF’s Rules of Conduct. According to Section 1, "Academic Misconduct," students are prohibited from engaging in:

• Unauthorized assistance: Using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information or study aids in any academic exercise unless specifically authorized by the instructor of record. The unauthorized possession of examination or course-related material also constitutes cheating.
• Communication to another through written, visual, electronic, or oral means: The presentation of material which has not been studied or learned, but rather was obtained through someone else’s efforts and used as part of an examination, course assignment, or project.
• Commercial Use of Academic Material: Selling of course material to another person, student, and/or uploading course material to a third-party vendor without authorization or without the express written permission of the university and the instructor. Course materials include but are not limited to class notes, Instructor’s PowerPoints, course syllabi, tests, quizzes, labs, instruction sheets, homework, study guides, handouts, etc.
• Falsifying or misrepresenting the student’s own academic work.
• Plagiarism: Using or appropriating another’s work without any indication of the source, thereby attempting to convey the impression that such work is the student’s own.
• Multiple Submissions: Submitting the same academic work for credit more than once without the express written permission of the instructor.
• Helping another violate academic behavior standards.

For more information about Academic Integrity, students may consult The Center for Academic Integrity.

For more information about plagiarism and misuse of sources, see “Defining and Avoiding Plagiarism: The WPA Statement on Best Practices”.

Responses to Academic Dishonesty, Plagiarism, or Cheating

Students should also familiarize themselves with the procedures for academic misconduct in UCF’s student handbook, The Golden Rule. UCF faculty members have a responsibility for students’ education and the value of a UCF degree, and so seek to prevent unethical behavior and when necessary respond to academic misconduct. Penalties can include a failing grade in an assignment or in the course, suspension or expulsion from the university, and/or a "Z Designation" on a student’s official transcript indicating academic dishonesty, where the final grade for this course will be preceded by the letter Z. For more information about the Z Designation, see http://goldenrule.sdes.ucf.edu/zgrade.

Plagiarism

The Department of Writing & Rhetoric has adopted the definition of plagiarism from the Council of Writing Program Administrators (WPA): “In an instructional setting, plagiarism occurs when a writer deliberately uses someone else’s language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge) material without acknowledging its source. This definition applies to texts published in print or online, to manuscripts, and to the work of other student writers.”

Turnitin

In this course we will utilize on the Final Research Essay turnitin.com, an automated system which instructors can use to quickly and easily compare each student’s assignment with billions of web sites, as well as an enormous database of student papers that grows with each submission. Accordingly, you will be expected to submit assignments through the Canvas Assignment Tool in electronic format. After the assignment is processed, as an instructor I receive a report from turnitin.com that states if and how another author’s work was used in the assignment. For a more detailed look at this process, visit http://www.turnitin.com.

Misuse of sources

The WPA (and the Department of Writing & Rhetoric) distinguish plagiarism from misuse of sources: “A student who attempts (even if clumsily) to identify and credit his or her source, but who misuses a specific citation format or incorrectly uses quotation marks or other forms of identifying material taken from other sources, has not plagiarized. Instead, such a student should be considered to have failed to cite and document sources appropriately.”

Unauthorized Use of Class Materials

There are many fraudulent websites claiming to offer study aids to students but are actually cheat sites. They encourage students to upload course materials, such as test questions, individual assignments, and examples of graded material. Such materials are the intellectual property of instructors, the university, or publishers and may not be distributed without prior authorization. Students who engage in such activity are in violation of academic conduct standards and may face penalties.

Consequences of academic dishonesty

The Department of Writing & Rhetoric takes plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty seriously and responds in accordance with UCF policy. Plagiarism or cheating—or assisting another student who plagiarizes or cheats—may result in a failing grade on an assignment or for the entire course; a report to the Office of Student Conduct; and/or a “Z” grade, which denotes academic dishonesty on your transcript.

Statement on Hate Speech

Every student in this class, regardless of background, sex, gender, race, ethnicity, class, political affiliation, physical or mental ability or any identity category, is a valued and equal member of the group. We all bring different experiences to this class and no one experience has more value or import than another. In fact, it is our different experiences that will enrich the course content. I encourage every student to share their own experiences as they are relevant to the course, but I also stress that no student is ever presumed to speak for anything or anyone more than their own experience or point of view. Furthermore, in this classroom, you have the right to determine your own identity. You have the right to be called by whatever name you wish, and for that name to be pronounced correctly. You have the right to be referred to by whatever pronoun you identify. You have the right to adjust those things at any point. If there are aspects of the instruction of this course that result in barriers to your inclusion or a sense of alienation from the course content, please contact me privately without fear of reprisal. If you feel uncomfortable contacting me, please contact Student Development and Enrollment Services.

 

In class discussions, please feel free to discuss openly, seriously and passionately. I will not, however, tolerate disruptive or insulting remarks, gender or racial slurs, or other forms of bullying, intimidation or hate speech. Publication of the remarks or questions or work of any classmate - in any form, written or recorded - without clear consent will be regarded as a violation of the UCF Rules of Conduct and treated as such. I expect you to act with respect for this space, this subject, our process and each other.

 

Course Accessibility Statement

The University of Central Florida is committed to providing access and inclusion for all persons with disabilities. Students with disabilities who need disability-related access in this course should contact the professor as soon as possible. Students should also connect with Student Accessibility Services (Ferrell Commons 185, sas@ucf.edu, phone (407) 823-2371). Through Student Accessibility Services, a Course Accessibility Letter may be created and sent to professors, which informs faculty of potential access and accommodations that might be reasonable.Determining reasonable access and accommodations requires consideration of the course design, course learning objectives and the individual academic and course barriers experienced by the student.

Inclusivity, Access, and Disability Statement:

No two people learn exactly the same way. If you find that the materials are difficult for you to absorb, don’t immediately assume that you don’t understand the material! Perhaps you prefer to process information through speaking or listening, but all I am providing are written handouts, making it difficult for you to process. If there are aspects of the design, instruction, and/or experiences within this course that result in barriers to your inclusion or accurate assessment of achievement, please notify me as soon as possible. 

Disabilities are visible and invisible, documented and undocumented; I do not distinguish between these designations. If you have a disability, or think you may have a disability, I encourage you to speak with me as soon as you can about your learning needs and how I can best accommodate them, and/or contact Student Accessibility Services (SAS). 

If you have learning needs from me that I'm not meeting, come tell me! You may contact SAS without notifying me if you wish; you may also speak with me without contacting SAS at all.

 

Title IX

The University of Central Florida considers the diversity of its students, faculty, and staff to be a strength and critical to its educational mission. UCF expects every member of the university community to contribute to an inclusive and respectful culture for all in its classrooms, work environments, and at campus events. Dimensions of diversity can include sex, race, age, national origin, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, intellectual and physical ability, sexual orientation, income, faith and non-faith perspectives, socio-economic class, political ideology, education, primary language, family status, military experience, cognitive style, and communication style. The individual intersection of these experiences and characteristics must be valued in our community.

Title IX prohibits sex discrimination, including sexual misconduct, sexual violence, sexual harassment, and retaliation. If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted, you can find resources available to support the victim, including confidential resources and information concerning reporting options at www.shield.ucf.edu and http://cares.sdes.ucf.edu/.

If there are aspects of the design, instruction, and/or experiences within this course that result in barriers to your inclusion or accurate assessment of achievement, please notify the instructor as soon as possible and/or contact Student Accessibility Services.

Campus Safety Statement

Emergencies on campus are rare, but if one should arise in our class, everyone needs to work together. Students should be aware of the surroundings and familiar with some basic safety and security concepts.

• In case of an emergency, dial 911 for assistance.
• Every UCF classroom contains an emergency procedure guide posted on a wall near the door. Please make a note of the guide’s physical location and consider reviewing the online version at http://emergency.ucf.edu/emergency_guide.html. 
• Students should know the evacuation routes from each of their classrooms and have a plan for finding safety in case of an emergency.
• If there is a medical emergency during class, we may need to access a first aid kit or AED (Automated External Defibrillator). To learn where those items are located in this building, see http://www.ehs.ucf.edu/workplacesafety.html (click on link from menu on left). 
• To stay informed about emergency situations, sign up to receive UCF text alerts by going to my.ucf.edu and logging in. Click on "Student Self Service" located on the left side of the screen in the tool bar, scroll down to the blue "Personal Information" heading on your Student Center screen, click on "UCF Alert," fill out the information, including your e-mail address, cell phone number, and cell phone provider, click "Apply" to save the changes, and then click "OK."
• Students with special needs related to emergency situations should speak with their instructors outside of class.
• To learn about how to manage an active-shooter situation on campus or elsewhere, consider viewing this video. You CAN Survive an Active Shooter

Deployed Active Duty Military Students

If you are a deployed active duty military student and feel that you may need a special accommodation due to that unique status, please contact your instructor to discuss your circumstances.

Copyright

This course may contain copyright protected materials such as audio or video clips, images, text materials, etc. These items are being used with regard to the Fair Use doctrine in order to enhance the learning environment. Please do not copy, duplicate, download or distribute these items. The use of these materials is strictly reserved for this online classroom environment and your use only. All copyright materials are credited to the copyright holder.

Third-Party Software and FERPA

During this course you might have the opportunity to use public online services and/or software applications sometimes called third-party software such as a blog or wiki. While some of these could be required assignments, you need not make any personally identifying information on a public site. Do not post or provide any private information about yourself or your classmates. Where appropriate you may use a pseudonym or nickname. Some written assignments posted publicly may require personal reflection/comments, but the assignments will not require you to disclose any personally identity-sensitive information. If you have any concerns about this, please contact your instructor.

Resources

Student Accessibility Services

The University of Central Florida is committed to providing access and inclusion for all persons with disabilities. This syllabus is available in alternate formats upon request. Students with disabilities who need specific access in this course, such as accommodations, should contact the professor as soon as possible to discuss various access options. Students should also connect with Student Accessibility Services (Ferrell Commons, 7F, Room 185, sas@ucf.edu, phone (407) 823-2371). Through Student Accessibility Services, a Course Accessibility Letter may be created and sent to professors, which informs faculty of potential access and accommodations that might be reasonable.

University Writing Center

Trevor Colbourn Hall 109

Satellite Locations: Main Library, Rosen Library, Online

407-823-2197    http://uwc.cah.ucf.edu/

The University Writing Center (UWC) offers writing support to students from first-year to graduate in every discipline. Tutors provide help at every stage of the writing process, including understanding assignments, researching, drafting, revising, incorporating sources, and learning to proofread and edit. The UWC’s purpose is not merely to fix or edit papers, but to teach writing strategies that can be applied to any writing situation. Consultations are available for individuals and small groups. You may schedule a 45-minute appointment by clicking the Success Resources tab on Webcourses, calling the UWC at 407-823-2197, or through the UWC website.

The UWC seeks graduate and undergraduate tutors from all majors. To learn more about becoming a writing tutor, please contact us.

Stylus Submissions

The Department of Writing and Rhetoric publishes a journal for outstanding writing produced by composition students called Stylus. You may find the student work published in this journal helpful during our exploration of writing this semester. Also, you should consider submitting your own work for publication.

Students published in Stylus become eligible for the President John C. Prize for Excellence in First-Year Writing, a $500 book scholarship awarded annually. To submit your work, simply email your essay to me as a Microsoft Word-friendly attachment and I’ll send it to the editors. To see previous issues and learn more information, visit the Stylus website at http://writingandrhetoric.cah.ucf.edu/stylus/

Required Statement Regarding COVID-19

University-Wide Face Covering Policy for Common Spaces and Face-to-Face Classes

To protect members of our community, everyone is required to wear a facial covering inside all common spaces including classrooms (https://policies.ucf.edu/documents/PolicyEmergencyCOVIDReturnPolicy.pdf. Students who choose not to wear facial coverings will be asked to leave the classroom by the instructor. If they refuse to leave the classroom or put on a facial covering, they may be considered disruptive (please see the Golden Rule for student behavior expectations). Faculty have the right to cancel class if the safety and well-being of class members are in jeopardy. Students will be responsible for the material that would have been covered in class as provided by the instructor.

Notifications in Case of Changes to Course Modality

Depending on the course of the pandemic during the semester, the university may make changes to the way classes are offered. If that happens, please look for announcements or messages in Webcourses@UCF or Knights email about changes specific to this course.

COVID-19 and Illness Notification

Students who believe they may have a COVID-19 diagnosis should contact UCF Student Health Services (407-823-2509) so proper contact tracing procedures can take place.

Students should not come to campus if they are ill, are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, have tested positive for COVID, or if anyone living in their residence has tested positive or is sick with COVID-19 symptoms. CDC guidance for COVID-19 symptoms is located here: (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html)

Students should contact their instructor(s) as soon as possible if they miss class for any illness reason to discuss reasonable adjustments that might need to be made. When possible, students should contact their instructor(s) before missing class.

In Case of Faculty Illness

If the instructor falls ill during the semester, there may be changes to this course, including having a backup instructor take over the course. Please look for announcements or mail in Webcourses@UCF or Knights email for any alterations to this course.

Course Accessibility and Disability COVID-19 Supplemental Statement

Accommodations may need to be added or adjusted should this course shift from an on-campus to a remote format. Students with disabilities should speak with their instructor and should contact sas@ucf.edu to discuss specific accommodations for this or other courses.