ENC 1102 Course Syllabus 

Instructor Information 

• Instructor Name: Jessica Lynch
• Office Location: Zoom (See link to Zoom Office Hours in Course Expectations Module).
• Office Hours: Mondays 10 a.m.-11:15 a.m. & Wednesdays 1:30 p.m.-2:45 p.m. or by appointment 
• UCF Email Address:  Webcourses@UCF messaging (preferred) or email at Lynch@ucf.edu

• 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 in Webcourse or at Jessica.Lynch@ucf.edu , you can expect to receive a response from me within 24 hours of receiving your message Sunday- Thursday and within 48 hours of receiving your message Friday- Saturday.

• Composition II, ENC 1102 1050 
• Course credit hours (3.0) 
• Spring 2021
• Course Modality V-Mode: 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.
• Meeting Pattern: MWF 11:30-12:20 PM
• Synchronous meeting pattern: Mondays via Zoom from 11:30AM - 12:20PM

• The exceptions to the regular meeting pattern are University closures (for holidays, etc.) and for conference weeks (week 6 & week 9) when you will sign up for a 10-minute individual conference Monday, Wednesday, or Friday from 11:30AM - 12:20PM

• Course Prerequisites: ENC 1101 or equivalent

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. 

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.

Required Materials/Resources

Text Books 

• The Easy Writer - UCF Handbookby Andrea A. Lunsford Seventh Edition, 2020 APA Update
  ISBN-13: 978-1-319-37782-3
• Writing about Writing: A College Readerby Elizabeth Wardle and Doug Downs Fourth Edition ISBN-13: 9781319195861
  
  
• Other readings you will need for this course will be provided to you in Webcourses. 

Course Components 

• Online Engagement/ Participation 25%
• Peer Review – 5%
• Research Proposal* – 10%
• Annotated Bibliography* – 10%
• Final Research paper* – 25%
• Final ePortfolio* – 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. 
• Attendance at Zoom class sessions OR the completion of the week’s alternative participation assignment which is to be completed after watching the week’s Zoom class session recording.
• 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 3) and Library Research Training.
• 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 70% Overall Grade

• Research Proposal 10%
  • 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 notetaking 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. 
• Final Research Paper 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.

COVID-19 Policies

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 RuleLinks to an external site. 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.

Mode of Course 

V1:

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.

This course is a "V" course, meaning we will meet during our scheduled time (MWF 11:30AM - 12:20PM). This course will meet once weekly, on Mondays during the 11:30AM - 12:20PM time. 

Please take the time to familiarize yourself with Zoom by visiting the UCF Zoom Guides at https://cdl.ucf.edu/support/webcourses/zoom/. Links to an external site.You may choose to use Zoom on your mobile device (phone or tablet).

 

Technology Access – Depending upon modality, this course might need to shift to remote or fully online instruction based on medical guidance. This course also could be fully online and this could require access to additional technology. If students do not have proper access to technology, including a computer and reliable Wi-Fi, please let the instructor know as soon as possible. Information about technology lending can be found at https://it.ucf.edu/techcommons/Links to an external site. and https://library.ucf.edu/libtechLinks to an external site..

Resources:

https://www.ucf.edu/coronavirus/Links to an external site.

Things to Know About Zoom:

• You must sign into 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 Supportat https://cdl.ucf.edu/support/webcourses/Links to an external site. if you have any technical issues accessing Zoom.

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, please keep your microphone on mute to prevent audio feedback and disruptions.

Class Policies 

Technology requirements and expectations 

• All communication for this course should take place through your university email address (@knights.ucf.edu) or through Webcourses (preferred).
• Students are expected to log into to the course at least three days a week (MWF).
• 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.
• 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.

• 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.

Course Accessibility Statement

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.

Inclusive Learning Statement 

No two people learn exactly the same way. If you find that the materials are difficult for you to absorb, don’t assume right away 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).

I do not require documentation for accessibility in my classroom. 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.

Attendance/Participation

COVID-19

I am committed to being flexible in order to support all students in our class as we navigate life and learning amid a pandemic. I will prioritize your humanity, physical and mental health, and well-being while also trying to provide a worthy learning environment. Collectively, I hope we are able to build a community that maintains social connections and academic engagement yet recognizes that personal accommodations may be necessary to foster that environment. 

Attendance 

This course will invite you to collaborate and talk through ideas about writing and language use. Contributing to these conversations will be an important part of the learning process for this class. 

Additionally, attending class meetings will be an integral part of the learning process, and where many of these conversations will take place. Because of this, having relatively consistent access to online resources will be needed for this course. If internet or computer access is a concern for you, I encourage you to speak with me. If attendance is a concern for you, I encourage you to contact me.

I expect you to attend this course’s designated remote synchronous session (see the calendar for dates and times). Class sessions will include participation tasks that will count as 20% of your overall online engagement grade. In you are unable to attend due to internet difficulties, you will have 48 hours to review the day’s video recording and submit your work. If you are unable to attend due to illness or other serious circumstances, please contact me as soon as possible.

Missed/Late Assignments

My late work policy differs based on the assignment type. I do not accept late work for minor assignments (such as: online engagement, peer review, etc.) under any circumstances outside of documented medical or other excused documented circumstances. For major assignments Research Proposal, Annotated Bibliography, and Final Research Paper, I will accept late submissions for credit up to 3 days past the due date, but the assignment will receive a grade reduction. For each day, a major assignment is submitted past the original due date, I will deduct 10 points.  Once this 3- day timeframe has passed, the major assignment will receive a score of zero.

Please note that my late assignment submission policy for major assignments DOES NOT apply to the final e-portfolio. Because final e-portfolios are due during the final examination week and I need to submit final course grades in a timely manner, late submissions of final e-portfolios will not be accepted.

Prepare for technological catastrophe by saving frequently, backing up files on flash drives or to the cloud, and/or emailing files to yourself. “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.

 

Make-up Work Policy

Students who represent the university in an authorized event or activity (for example, student-athletes) and who are unable to meet a course deadline due to a conflict with that event must provide the instructor with documentation in advance to arrange a make-up. No penalty will be applied if the student gives notice  48 hours in advance and communicates with the instructor following UCF policy . In the case of an authorized university activity, it is your responsibility to show me a signed copy of the Program Verification Form for which you will be absent, prior to the class in which the absence occurs or due date you need extended. 

Students must also notify their instructor 48 hours in advance if they intend to miss an assignment or class for a religious observance. For more information, see the related UCF policy.

 

Grade Policies 

This course will use a portfolio grading system. The ENC 1102 Final ePortfolio will serve as proof of your learning process and experience throughout the course

Grading Breakdown

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

*Denotes major assignment per the Gordon Rule. 

 

The table shows the range for each letter grade and uses a plus/minus system.
Letter Grade	Points
A	94 – 100 points
A-	90 – 93 points
B+	87 – 89 points
B	83 – 86 points
B-	80 – 82 points
C+	77 – 79 points
C	73 – 76 points
C-	70 – 72 points
F	69 and below

University Grading Policies 

• The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, as amended, sets forth requirements designed to protect the privacy of student educational records. As such, grades cannot be shared with others (including parents), sent and/or discussed via email. If you have a grade concern at any point during the semester, please make an appointment during office hours so we can talk.
• “Incomplete” (IC) grades are not given in ENC 1101 or 1102 courses under any circumstances.
• A grade of “D” may be earned for individual assignments but is not an option for a final course grade in ENC 1101 or 1102. Any grade below a C- in ENC 1101 or ENC 1102 will result in a “F” as a final grade. 
• No Credit (NC) grades can be assigned at the instructor’s discretion only if a student has completed all of their coursework on time and regularly attends class. This grade is reserved for extenuating cases in which the student, despite all the completed course work, is still not able to write at a level appropriate for ENC 1102.
• UCF does not assign A+ grades as final grades.
• If a student is in violation of the university academic conduct code for any reason I will inform the student and report the infraction. Depending on the nature of the issue, the student may remain in the course, but may receive a “Z” preceding the letter grade they earn in the course. Example: ZA, ZB, etc.

Gordon Rule 

ENC 1101 and ENC 1102 are subject to the state-mandated “Gordon Rule.” You must earn at least a C- or higher in order to fulfill the university and state GEP requirements. Over the course of the semester, you will write at least four major writing assignments. Each assignment that fulfills the Gordon Rule is described in the "Major Assignments" section of this syllabus. You must turn in all of these major writing assignments to pass.

The details of the Gordon Rule requirements are as follows:

Four College-Level Writing Assignments, One Assignment that Students Revise Based on Substantive Teacher/Grader Feedback, One Assignment that Involves Multiple Pages of Substantial Writing, Four Writing Assignments Total At Least 60% of Course Grade.

 The Gordon Rule Assignments for this course will be: 

• Research Proposal
• Annotated Bibliography
• Final Research paper
• Final ePortfolio

Shadow Grading 

Revision Sequences for Major Assignments: Requirements & Instructions

Revision and feedback are integral to writing development and are a core part of our learning outcomes for ENC 1102. In this class, each major assignment except the final e-portfolio (research proposal, annotated bibliography, and final researched article) will go through a three-stage drafting process: peer review draft, rough draft, and final draft. During this process, you will receive feedback from your peers and from me in stages. You are welcome (and encouraged) to visit the University Writing Center as well. Your final portfolio creation and revision will involve a separate process.

Peer Review Draft Expectations: Peers will review and comment on your work and you will use that feedback to revise for your more complete Rough Draft.  Please submit as complete a draft as you can given where you are in your assignment development. *Note: Because peer review works best when all participants have a draft to read and discuss, and it is not possible to postpone the peer review activity for an entire group due to one student’s late submission, the late assignment submission policy does not apply to the peer review draft.

Initial Draft Expectations: The draft should be as complete as you can make it. The comments I am able to give are based on the content I am able to read. The more time and effort spent on this draft, the more sophisticated and substantial my comments, and the more you have to work with for your Final Draft. I will provide three global comments (big picture comments) that will facilitate your revisions. I will also provide a grade range of what the paper would get if submitted now, but this is NOT your grade nor should it indicate what you will or will not receive for your Final Draft. Nothing will be recorded in the gradebook other than an acknowledgement of having turned in the assignment (complete/incomplete). The goal here is feedback for revision.

Final Draft Expectations: This is your final graded draft. I will use a rubric to grade this assignment and provide an end comment that will guide you in using elements of this major assignment in the next phase of the class. The goal here is feedback on assignment expectations and how to use elements of this assignment moving forward in upcoming assignments.

Due Dates and Deadlines: You will have one week after I have returned submission comments on your Initial Draft to revise and submit your Final Draft. Due dates for your Peer Review and Initial Drafts are pre-set in your calendar.

Here is a list of logistical concerns for revisions between your Rough and Final Draft: (revise as needed based on your process)

Revise the draft in a new Microsoft Word document.

Use the comment feature in Microsoft Word  to highlight and explain your revisions. These comments don't need to be lengthy. This will just make sure I can see what you've changed and why. You might also mark areas of concern. You can read about using the comment feature in Microsoft Word at this page.

Name the file for this draft something like "Gonzales_MA1_Final Draft" so it's obvious what it is.

Upload the new draft to an appropriate submission page.

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 3.

Any student conducting interview, surveys or any other types of primary research involving human subjects are required to have all participants sign in ink or timestamped esignature the consent form provided in the course. 

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 Final Draft 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.

Extra credit applies only to the Final Draft submission, but students are still highly encouraged to take advantage of the UCF Writing Center for the rough draft for Peer Review and initial draft assignments.

Academic Integrity 

Students should familiarize themselves with UCF’s Rules of Conduct at https://scai.sdes.ucf.edu/student-rules-of-conduct.

According to Section 1, “Academic Misconduct,” students are prohibited from engaging in

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Falsifying or misrepresenting the student’s own academic work.
5. 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.
6. Multiple Submissions: Submitting the same academic work for credit more than once without the express written permission of the instructor.
7. Helping another violate academic behavior standards.
8. Soliciting assistance with academic coursework and/or degree requirements.

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: https://goldenrule.sdes.ucf.edu. UCF faculty members have a responsibility for students’ education and the value of a UCF degree, and so seek to prevent unethical behavior and respond to academic misconduct when necessary. Penalties for violating rules, policies, and instructions within this course can range from a zero on the exercise to an “F” letter grade in the course. In addition, an Academic Misconduct report could be filed with the Office of Student Conduct, which could lead to disciplinary warning, disciplinary probation, or deferred suspension or separation from the University through suspension, dismissal, or expulsion with the addition of a “Z” designation on one’s transcript.

Being found in violation of academic conduct standards could result in a student having to disclose such behavior on a graduate school application, being removed from a leadership position within a student organization, the recipient of scholarships, participation in University activities such as study abroad, internships, etc.

Let’s avoid all of this by demonstrating values of honesty, trust, and integrity. No grade is worth compromising your integrity and moving your moral compass. Stay true to doing the right thing: take the zero, not a shortcut.

Plagiarism

The Department of Writing and 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’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.

Misuse of sources: The WPA and the DWR distinguish plagiarism from the 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.”

Consequences of academic dishonesty: DWR takes plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty seriously and responds in accordance with UCF policy. Plagiarizing 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.

University Policies

Diversity, Inclusion, and Title IX 

One way to promote a safe and caring classroom community is to encourage each student’s unique voice, perspective, and presence. The following diversity statement gives professors language for explaining how students’ contributions will be valued:

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.

For more information on diversity and inclusion, Title IX, accessibility, or UCF’s complaint processes contact:

• Title IX – OIE – http://oie.ucf.edu& askanadvocate@ucf.edu
• Disability Accommodation – Student Accessibility Services – http://sas.sdes.ucf.edu& sas@ucf.edu
• Diversity and Inclusion Training and Events – diversity.ucf.edu
• Student Bias Grievances – Just Knights response team – http://jkrt.sdes.ucf.edu
• UCF Compliance and Ethics Office – http://compliance.ucf.edu& complianceandethics@ucf.edu
• Ombuds Office – http://www.ombuds.ucf.edu

Financial Aid Accountability Statement

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 this 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. 

In order to ensure your financial aid, all students will need to complete an Academic Engagement Activity. This will be a preliminary assignment that must be completed the first Friday of the school year. It will be titled "Academic Engagement Activity." 

Deployed Active-Duty Military Students Statement

Students who are deployed active-duty military and/or National Guard personnel and require accommodation should contact their instructors as soon as possible after the semester begins and/or after they receive notification of deployment to make related arrangements.

Campus Safety Statement 

Use this Campus Safety Statement for Online-only courses:

Though most emergency situations are primarily relevant to courses that meet in person, such incidents can also impact online students, either when they are on or near campus to participate in other courses or activities or when their course work is affected by off-campus emergencies. The following policies apply to courses in online modalities.

• To stay informed about emergency situations, students can sign up to receive UCF text alerts by going to https://my.ucf.eduLinks to an external site.and logging in. Click on “Student Self Service” located on the left side of the screen in the toolbar, scroll down to the blue “Personal Information” heading on the Student Center screen, click on “UCF Alert”, fill out the information, including 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.

Writing Resources 

Document Formats and Expectations 

• Students will be required to use either MLA or APA style guides throughout their work in ENC 1102. Students will have the option to select which style best applies to their future scholarly endeavors.

• For additional details on MLA and APA styles, see The Easy Writer - UCF Handbook by Andrea A. Lunsford and course materials in Webcourses.

 

Assignment Submission Guidelines

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.

University Writing Center Information

The University Writing Center provides valuable support for student writers at UCF, including those in ENC 1101 and 1102. You should include information about the UWC on your syllabus:

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.

 

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

Stylus: A Journal of First-Year Writing Information

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. Hitt 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.

Knights Write Showcase 

Hosted by the Department of Writing and Rhetoric and held every spring, Knights Write is a showcase that celebrates excellence in student writing at UCF. Attendees will have the opportunity to view poster presentations displaying students’ writing research projects, attend panel presentations discussing a variety of student projects and community collaborations, and applaud award recipients during a recognition ceremony. The presentations and awards will recognize students not only in writing-related fields but also across a range of disciplines within and beyond UCF. 

Department of Writing and Rhetoric Commitments

Statement on Inclusivity 

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.

Language Diversity as the Norm 

The Composition Program at UCF believes that writers need to understand that language variation is the norm and not the exception in all situations and writing activities. Thus, the goal for writers is not a singular standardization, but how to build upon their existing proficiencies to negotiate language in use in real rhetorical and material situations. As a result, in ENC 1011 and 1102, we teach linguistic meta-awareness as opposed to acontextual standardized and rigid approaches to language use, as an integral part of engaging in all ill-structured writing problems. I understand variation as an outcome of all living and lived languages rather than as so-called “error.” Students may bring variation to their writing as (1) part of language learning; (2) resistance to dominant language use and racialized language hierarchies; (3) purposeful use of a range of languages and dialects; and/or (4) creative play with language. 

Additionally, language scholars since the 1970's have discussed and argued for embracing language varieties in the writing classroom. Because of all their hard work, I would like to copy and paste the official Students Right to Their Own Language  statement here:

We affirm the students' right to their own patterns and varieties of language -- the dialects of their nurture or whatever dialects in which they find their own identity and style. Language scholars long ago denied that the myth of a standard American dialect has any validity. The claim that any one dialect is unacceptable amounts to an attempt of one social group to exert its dominance over another. Such a claim leads to false advice for speakers and writers, and immoral advice for humans. A nation proud of its diverse heritage and its cultural and racial variety will preserve its heritage of dialects. 

Calendar

Important Spring 2021 Calendar Dates 

• Classes begin: Monday, January 11th, 2021
• Drop/Swap Deadline: Friday, January 15th, 2021, 11:59 PM
• Add Deadline: Friday, January 15th, 2021
• Withdrawal Deadline: Friday, March 26th, 2021
• Classes End: Monday, April 26th, 2021
• Study day: Tuesday, April 27th, 2021
• Final Exam Period: Wednesday, April 28th-Tuesday, May 4th, 2021

•  Final Exam time for this course: Wednesday, April 28, 2021 10:00 AM – 12:50 PM

• Grades Available on myUCF: Sunday, May 9th, 2021
• Spring Break (no classes): Sunday, April 11th-Sunday, April 18th, 2021
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day (no classes): Monday, January 18th, 2021

Important due dates for major assignments are:

• Research Proposal Initial Draft due: February 5, 2021 at 11:59 PM
  • You will have one week after I have returned submission comments on your Initial Draft to revise and submit your Final Draft.
• Annotated Bibliography Initial Draft due: March 1, 2021 at 11:59 PM
  • You will have one week after I have returned submission comments on your Initial Draft to revise and submit your Final Draft.
• Research Article Initial Draft due: April 2, 2021 at 11:59 PM
  • You will have one week after I have returned submission comments on your Initial Draft to revise and submit your Final Draft.
• Final ePortfolio and Cover Letter due April 23, 2021 at 11:59 PM
  • Note there is only one submission date for this assignment.

Conference Dates:

• Annotated Bibliography Conferences- Week 6 February 15, February 17, and February 19
• Primary Research Conference- Week 9 - March 8, March 10, and March 12

 

Complaints 

If you have any concerns about the course or your instructor, please see the instructor about these concerns as soon as possible. If you are not comfortable talking with the instructor or not satisfied with the response that you receive, you may contact the following First Year Writing staff in the Department of Writing and Rhetoric: Composition Coordinator, Lissa Pompos-Mansfield, melissa.pompos.edu or Composition Director Angela Rounsaville, angela.rounsaville@ucf.edu. If, after speaking with Director of the First Year Writing Program, you are still not satisfied with the response you receive, you may contact the Writing and Rhetoric Department Chair, Sherry Roberton, sherry.robertson@ucf.edu. 

In Case of Faculty Absence due to Childbirth

As Professor Lynch is pregnant and her due date is just after the end of the semester, there may be changes to this course, including having a backup instructor take over the course temporarily, in the event that the baby comes earlier than anticipated and prior to the end of the semester. Professor Lynch has several contingencies in place and will keep you informed of any and all changes. Please look for announcements or mail in Webcourses@UCF or Knights email for any alterations to this course. Should you need assistance during any pregnancy related absence, you may email Professor Melissa Pompos-Mansfield at melissa.pompos@ucf.edu.