ENG 101 and ENG 108 Linked
The Community College of Philadelphia

ENG 101: English Composition I 
ENG 108: Academic Reading Across the Disciplines

Instructor: Zack De Piero

Semester/Year: Fall 2016

Days and Time: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 12:40 – 3:40 in S2-11

Office Hours: By appointment
Contact Info: zack.depiero@gmail.com

Course Description:

ENG 101 and 108 are linked because reading (108) and writing (101) are interconnected processes.  Ultimately, we’ll be examining how language is a negotiated social activity that is dependent upon writers’ goals and readers’ interpretations.  The foundation of ENG 101 is the study of and practice with writing.  Our primary goal is to gain a heightened awareness about the different ways in which texts are constructed by writers and interpreted by readers.  To achieve this, our readings, activities, and assignments will examine the fundamental tenets of “good writing” and rhetoric: genre, audience, purpose, evidence, context, tone, and style.  ENG 108 will give us an exposure to different reading lenses—how and why readers can approach texts in different ways, depending on their personal goals, cultural identities, and/or disciplinary perspectives.  On a broad level, we’ll be gaining exposure to the following disciplinary paradigms: the social sciences, natural sciences, humanities, and business contexts.  

Our course will be divided into two main units that cumulatively inform each other: (1) analyzing non-academic genres (pop cultural artifacts or texts that you would find in mainstream media outlets) and then (2) comparing and evaluating non-academic genres to scholarly genres across different disciplines.  My thinking is this: first, we’ll start with writing that you’re probably most familiar with and then we’ll dig into some of the more complex academic material.  If we’re successful, we’ll be able to detect textual patterns more clearly through the lens of “genre theory.”  Additionally, the skills, strategies, and habits of mind that we’ll cultivate as readers throughout this course will prepare us to become more successful writers, thinkers, and researchers as we navigate through the world (and beyond!) of academic writing.

Required Materials:  

• The course reader (available online and through the Duplication Center)
• Access to a printer and a computer with an internet connection
• Additional readings and resources will be uploaded to our course site

Learning Objectives:

By the completion of this course, you will be able to:

Assessment:
The following percentages represent the weighted components of your grade.  I’ve described each of these components in greater detail below.

• Participation

• Participation includes being physically and mentally present for class discussions, activities, peer/reader review, and all other in-class work.  I expect you to attentively listen to your classmates and treat them with the utmost respect.  You aren’t permitted to use your cell phone during class unless you’ve asked for permission beforehand.  
  

• Reflective Writing: Reading and Writing Process Logs (“Thlogs”); 5% each

• Reflective writing is an essential tool for success in (and beyond) this course.  Journal entries, other in-class freewriting exercises, and weekly “thlogs” posts (thought blogs) will each provide valuable ways for us to explore our thoughts and document our learning processes.  Out of all these reflective writing activities, you’ll only receive an official grade for your thlogs.  
  
  Throughout the semester, I’d like you to post 6 “thlogs” (4 focused on your writing development, and 2 focused on your reading development), approximately 300-400 words each.  Each post will be worth 5% of your grade.  What you choose to include in these posts is entirely up to you, as long as you make specific connections to the questions how are you developing as a reader and as a writer?  What, specifically, are you learning in this course that you can take with you after it?  Some additional considerations for guiding your thlog posts are: What stood out to you from the assigned readings, and why?  How is your reading process evolving?  What concepts do you find interesting, and why?  What are you still wrestling with, and why?  Does the material that we study relate to your life and your own “real world” experiences?  If so, how?  Your “thlogs” can also extend our in-class discussions and activities.  Please know that you’re free (and encouraged!) to include pictures, YouTube clips, or any other multimedia that can help bring your blog to life.  
  
  Although your journal responses and other in-class freewriting exercises typically function on a “for your eyes only” basis, if I suspect that you aren’t taking this as seriously as I’d like you to, I reserve the right to check your work at any point during the semester.  Please know that you will be expected to repurpose and reference your reflective writing for the metacognitive reflection essay, which is a core component of your portfolio.
  

• Writing Projects (WPs); 20% each

• WPs are formal, research-based, argumentative papers (4-5 pages long) that we’ll work on for approximately 4 weeks each.  You’ll write two of them throughout the semester, and they need to be submitted by the due dates listed in the schedule below.  I want you to share them with me via Google Docs so that I can provide feedback using the “Insert Comments” feature.  My comments will help to guide some of the revision decisions that you’ll need to make for your final course portfolio.  Note: you must complete both WPs to pass the course.  If you don’t turn in WP drafts by the due dates listed on the calendar, your grade will be adversely impacted.
  
  

• Project Builders (PBs); 5% each

• PBs are shorter, 2-page projects that will allow you to explore elements of the WPs.  Although you are technically writing these PBs, they’ll require you to examine ways of reading, so they’ll count towards your 108 course grade.  Please post all PBs to your course blog.  (Note: I’d like you to post all of your “thlogs” and PBs to your blog.  However, if you’re struggling with using technology, I’ll accept hard copies.  Before you decide to submit hard copies, though, please talk to me—I might be able to assist you with whatever technological difficulties you’re encountering.)
  
  

• Feedback to Classmates’ Work

• Your feedback to classmates’ work is a crucial aspect of your reading and writing development (and theirs too!).  For each PB, I’d like you to post two ~100-word responses to your classmates’ posts.  Why?  Doing so will provide us with a way to gain additional practice with giving (and receiving) constructive feedback while also revisiting our course content.  In addition, this portion of your grade will be impacted by the quality of the feedback that you provide in other activities, including our peer/reader review workshops and the “portfolio prep” activities at the end of the semester.  
  
  

• Portfolio

• Portfolios represent a way for you to demonstrate your cumulative development and commitment to the writing process over the duration of the quarter.  A complete portfolio will include a revised WP1 and WP2—including the submissions that I commented on earlier in the quarter.  You’ll also need to craft a metacognitive reflection essay that details what you’ve learned throughout our course, along with a “revision matrix” document that explains what changes you made and why.  Don’t fret about any of this now; we’ll discuss everything in greater depth as the end of the semester approaches.  
  
  

• Finals

• Per CCP policy, we’ll have final exams for 101 and 108.  I’ll provide more details about them when “finals week” approaches.  
  

Schedule:

The following schedule is subject to change.  Please check our course site and your email account on a regular basis for any updates.  

* = We’ll read these pieces in class!

Additional Information on Our Readings:

Your weekly readings are intended to prepare you for completing your weekly assignments, so make sure you finish the assigned readings before you begin writing.  Each assignment must be submitted on time (by the start of class) to receive credit.  

Attendance Policy:

I want you to be present, prepared, and ready to participate during each class—in fact, I’ll consider giving extra credit for students that complete the quarter with perfect attendance.  If you need to miss class (hopefully for a good reason!), you may do so three times without penalty.  On your fourth absence, your entire course grade will be lowered by a full letter grade.  Per CCP policy, on your fifth absence, you won’t be eligible to earn credit for the course.  

To earn full credit for an assignment, it must be turned in on the due date (by the time class starts).  Even if you miss class, you’ll still be able to submit your work on time via email and/or your blog.  As stated earlier, all of your “thlogs” and PBs should be submitted on your blog; however, if you’re struggling with using technology, I’ll accept hard copies.  

Please know that being unprepared—i.e., not completing your assignments by the start of class—is not a good reason to miss class!  I still want you to attend class even if you aren’t prepared.  In the event that you miss class, be resourceful.  Contact your classmates to find out what we covered during class and get detailed notes.  

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: 
Students with disabilities need to visit the Center on Disability in M1-22 and/or call them at 215-751-8050.  Make sure to get all necessary documentation, then inform me of any alternative arrangements that you need.

Learning Resources

Tutors are trained to work with you at any stage of your writing process.  If you think that this is something you might be interested in, give it a shot: chatting with a tutor can be a fantastic way to think through your ideas and get started with an assignment.  Tutoring support at CCP is located in the Central Learning Lab, Room B1-28.    

Plagiarism and Source Attribution:

Plagiarism is the representation of someone else's writing, graphics, research, or ideas as one’s own. Whenever you use an author’s ideas—even if you’re paraphrasing them—you need to use proper citations that acknowledge the source from which you got the information (i.e., the author).  We’ll be practicing these in class, but if you’re ever uncertain about plagiarism and/or citation practices, I encourage you to meet with me or another instructor.  That said, if you consciously plagiarize any of your work in this course, you’ll receive a “0” for the assignment and you’ll be reported to the disciplinary committee.  At that point, you could potentially fail the course.  Please do everybody a favor—especially yourself—and avoid this at all costs.