Course Syllabus

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. Failure to attend class regularly is likely to make is difficult to complete writing assignments according to course, program, and state standards. In-class work will be given periodically and cannot be made up unless you communicate with me about your absences. I also understand that the current pandemic may affect your ability to attend class. In the case that you will need to miss class, please communicate that with me as soon as possible so that we can work out alternate means for submitting missed/late assignments.

Missed/Late Assignments

If you are concerned about not submitting an assignment on time, I encourage you to contact me. Late work may be considered in some instances if you have been in contact with me in advance to discuss an alternative due date. As a whole, I reserve the right to accept or not accept late work based on each specific set of circumstances and the work in question.

Since submitting a major assignment past its due date may result in delayed feedback, which will impact how you submit other assignments, late major assignments that are submitted 7 days past their deadline, without communication from the student, will be graded with a 50% and minimal feedback. Assignments submitted after 14 days past their deadline, with no communication from the student, will not be graded.

Much of the work in this class builds upon previous work in the course, so keeping up with the course schedule will be helpful to completing the course. However, I understand that life happens and sometimes we need to make adjustments, so if it seems like you will not be able to meet a deadline for any assignment in our course, please reach out to me as soon as possible so we can see what we can do!

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 advance notice 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 in advance if they intend to miss an assignment or class for a religious observance. For more information, see the related UCF policy.

If you are unable to complete work or attend a class meeting, you are encouraged to contact me to find out what you missed, or to get in touch with your fellow peers. However, I can only help, and we can only work together if I am notified. Depending on the circumstances, I may or may not be able to offer a reasonable opportunity for you to complete missed assignments. 

Early Alert Progress Reports

This class will participate in myKnight STAR (MKS) progress reports. Progress reports are designed to promote student success by connecting students to advising and academic resources in a timely manner when students are struggling in a course. If I notice that you are experiencing difficulties in the course (e.g., low assignment scores, absences, missing assignments, lack of comprehension, etc.), I may submit a progress report and you will receive an email indicating that I have entered feedback. I encourage you to meet with me and your academic advisor to ensure that you are receiving all available resources to aid in your success.

Gordon Rule

ENC 1101 and ENC 1102 follow the state-mandated “Gordon Rule.” You must earn at least a C- or higher to fulfill the university and state requirements. All course assignments are evaluated and will be included in the final course grade. To be eligible to pass this class, you must complete a minimum of 4 written assignments worth least 60% of the final grade; engage in substantial, developed writing of at least one multi-page writing assignment; and revise at least one assignment in response to substantive teacher feedback.

The following listed options satisfy Gordon Rule requirements. To pass this course, you must complete at least 4 of the following options, totaling at least 60%. Reminder: ALL assignments are evaluated and will be included in the final course grade. 

Options for Gordon Rule Eligibility

Literacy Narrative (10%)

Circulation Report and Analysis (15%)

Writer's Self-Portrait (15%)

Final Portfolio and Reflection Letter (20%)

4 Reading Responses (10%)

4 Reflections (10%)

Revision Expectations 

In the first-year writing program, writing is seen as a recursive and social process that emphasizes revision. Revision is a major component of the ENC 1101/1102 course portfolio. Because of this, all major assignments will go through a process of drafting, review, and revision. 

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 (CWPA):

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.

In-Class Recording Statement

Students may, without prior notice, record video or audio of a class lecture for a class in which the student is enrolled for their own personal educational use.  A class lecture is defined as a formal or methodical oral presentation as part of a university course intended to present information or teach students about a particular subject. Recording classroom activities other than class lectures, including but not limited to lab sessions, student presentations (whether individually or part of a group), class discussion (except when incidental to and incorporated within a class lecture), clinical presentations such as patient history, academic exercises involving student participation, test or examination administrations, field trips, and private conversations is prohibited. Recordings may not be used as a substitute for class participation and class attendance, and may not be published or shared without the written consent of the faculty member. Failure to adhere to these requirements may constitute a violation of the University’s Student Code of Conduct as described in the Golden Rule.

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 – www.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 

Emergencies on campus are rare, but if one should arise during class, everyone needs to work together. Students should be aware of their 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. Students should make a note of the guide’s physical location and review the online version at http://emergency.ucf.edu/emergency_guide.htmlLinks to an external site..
• 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, students may need to access a first-aid kit or AED (Automated External Defibrillator). To learn where those are located, see https://ehs.ucf.edu/automated-external-defibrillator-aed-locationsLinks to an external site..
• 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.
• To learn about how to manage an active-shooter situation on campus or elsewhere, consider viewing this videoYou CAN Survive an Active Shooter (Links to an external site.)

Technology requirements and expectations 

• All communication for this course should take place through your university email address (@knights.ucf.edu) or through Webcourses messaging.
• You will be expected to submit all coursework (including Major Assignments and Process Assignments) via Webcourses.
  
• You may need to access online, networked writing tools and publication tools for various projects throughout this course. Please keep in mind that you are able to adjust the privacy of these publications to your comfort level (so long as I and your classmates are still able to access your work to provide necessary feedback).
  
• If you have a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, please feel free to bring that to class to aid in your completion of in-class activities.

Document Formats and Expectations 

Assignments this semester will need to follow APA or MLA formatting and citation style guidelines. You may choose your citation style, but one of these two is encouraged; if you find another citation style would better suit your future goals, please discuss submitting your assignments in that style with me prior to submission so that I may give you appropriate feedback.

Generally, the document types that are accepted for traditional text-based essays are PDFs, Word documents (.doc or .docx), or Google docs links (where those with the link can view your Google doc). You will have the opportunity to submit multimodal work this semester, as well, and in the case you choose to submit multimodal work, we will need to discuss your submission prior to the deadline.

Assignment Submission Guidelines

You will be submitting everything for this course through Webcourses. I will take URL submissions through GoogleDocs, file submissions such as .PDF, and .DOCX, as well as media submissions/recordings for some assignments. 

Writing Resources 

University Writing Center Information