Course Syllabus

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Course Overview

English 15 is an intensive, rhetorically based experience in reading and writing that prepares students to understand the many functions of writing and to produce texts for public and academic audiences. In this course, we will compose texts using rhetorically based writing strategies.

Even if the term rhetoric isn't familiar to you, the practice of rhetoric is. In fact, you bring a good deal of rhetorical skill to this class: you already know how to gauge the way you perceive and produce language according to an intended audience for a specific purpose. You may not always gauge perfectly, your perception may not always be accurate, and your production may not always be successful--but you often think to interpret and choose language in ways that are appropriate to a given rhetorical situation. You already know how to use language to make knowledge and effect change.

Together, we will consider what makes writing persuasive by analyzing the rhetorical strategies writers use in response to different contexts and audiences. Our purpose in so doing is to recognize patterns that experienced writers use to effectively inform, entertain, and convince readers. Recognizing these patterns can help you likewise write with more skill conviction, sophistication, and grace.

Writing can be effectively learned through the regular practice of researching, writing, receiving feedback, and revising. Receiving and interpreting critical feedback to your work and producing constructive feedback are skills that require instruction and practice. This course facilitates opportunities to practice providing respectful and critical feedback through class discussions and workshops.

The goal of English 15, then, is to help you build on what you already know as you become a stronger, more confident, more resourceful, and more flexible reader and writer. You will become more attuned to your goals as a writer, more aware of the on-going conversation surrounding the topics you explore, and more resourceful in terms of the appropriate delivery of your information, the rhetorical appeals at your disposal, and the needs and expectations of your audience.

Hopefully, you will come to write with skill, conviction, sophistication, and grace--if not immediately, then soon.

Course Approach

Though you will never meet with your instructor and classmates in a physical classroom, this is still a cohort-based course and not an independent study.

This class is paced, which means that there is an established start and end date, and that you will have weekly deadlines to meet throughout the term. In most weeks of the course, you will be asked to participate in two primary activities: 1) a class discussion about a core aspect of the course and 2) a writing workshop related to a formal writing assignment. Like taking a course on campus, it will be important to keep up with the course work, as you will be required to participate in class discussions and workshops that have specific time frames and deadlines associated with them.

Course Objectives

Students in this course will learn how to:

  • understand how context, audience, and purpose influence a writer’s choices;
  • flexibly employ multiple strategies or composing processes to conceptualize, develop, and finalize projects;
  • offer critical and constructive feedback to peers and understand the value of receiving feedback from outside respondents;
  • identify and use evidence responsibly and accurately through the careful reading, evaluation, interpretation, and citation of information;
  • apply a range of strategies for purposely and coherently organizing information in both written texts and visual design;
  • flexibly use conventions (formal rules and informal guidelines that create reader expectations) based on audience and purpose;
  • demonstrate increased competence with varied sentence structure, syntax, and grammar.

Required Textbooks

The following textbooks are required:

  • The New Harbrace Guide to Writing: Genres for Composing, 4th edition by Cheryl Glenn. Cengage Learning, 2022. ISBN: 9780357509173.

    Note: If you purchase the ebook version of the New Harbrace Guide, and you are prompted to enter a course key in order to access the book, please use the following code: MTPP-P7DQ-SW6P

    For pricing and ordering information, please see the MBS Direct website Links to an external site.. MBS Direct can also be contacted at 1-800-325-3252.

  • Penn Statements Links to an external site., A compilation of essays and multimodal projects written in ENGL 15 at Penn State. You can log into this website using your Penn State User ID and password.



LinkedIn Learning Access

This course includes videos and video courses from LinkedIn Learning. Penn State students can access LinkedIn Learning for free. To activate your free account, log in at https://linkedinlearning.psu.edu/ Links to an external site..

For information about LinkedIn Learning and account activation, view the Quick Start Guide for Students Links to an external site..

Required Software

This course requires you to use Microsoft Word for your formal assignments. Unless otherwise specified, files should be submitted using either the .doc or .docx file types. (In some cases, your instructor may ask you to submit an assignment as a .pdf file to preserve your intended formatting. Your instructor will advise you when to do so.)

If you do not have Microsoft Word, you should know that Penn State makes the full Microsoft Office suite, which includes Word, available to Penn State students for free.

To acquire this free version of Microsoft Office, simply login to https://office365.psu.edu Links to an external site. using your Penn State credentials.

Recommended Software

The Adobe Creative Cloud software suite is available to all Penn State students for free. Access to Adobe’s suite includes 20 applications for photography, film, design, and more and will remain free to you throughout your time as a student at Penn State. Some of these applications may be useful for our final project, which involves visual design. Our increasingly digital world demands fluency in digital literacy and digital creativity; these applications can help you to build those skills.

To acquire the free version of the Adobe Creative Cloud and to download any of its applications, visit http://adobe.psu.edu/ Links to an external site. and follow the directions provided. You will be required to enter your Penn State user ID and password.

Course Requirements

You will complete four major writing assignments, participate in weekly class discussions, and complete weekly writing workshops. Completing all four major assignments is required to pass this course.

Major Assignments

Assignment 1: Rhetorical Analysis

Assignment 1 asks you to use basic rhetorical concepts to analyze a written, spoken, or visual text of your choosing. You will study the text and make observations about it in order to explain how it responds to a specific rhetorical situation or call to write.
Final Length: 3-4 pages.

Assignment 2: Position Argument

Assignment 2 asks you to introduce your reader to an issue that you believe needs to be rethought, explored, and argued about. You will explain why the issue needs to be analyzed and develop your own stance, translating that position into a precise thesis statement and supporting it with good reasons.
Final Length: 3-4 pages.

Assignment 3: Proposal Argument

Proposals put forth plans of action and seek to persuade readers that these plans should be implemented. Assignment 3 asks you to write a proposal that formulates a problem, considers the alternatives, and offers a solution for a campus or community group.
Final Length: 7-10 pages.

Assignment 4: Infographic

Assignment 4 asks you to create a visual argument in the form of an infographic. Infographics combine research with visual and document design to create a powerful rhetorical message. This assignment includes two components: 1) an original infographic that informs or persuades an audience about a narrow topic and 2) a design report that explains the visual and organizational choices you made in your design. Final length: variable.

Class Discussions and Writing Workshops

All discussions and workshops are structured asynchronously, which means you'll never have to be available at a specific time or place to participate. Instead, you'll be given deadlines by which you'll be expected to complete various parts of each discussion or workshop.

NOTE: Completing only part of a class discussion or writing workshop is considered unsatisfactory. You will not receive credit for a forum unless you complete all of its work.

Class Discussions

Each week you will post and respond to peer posts in our class discussion in response to a discussion prompt. Class discussions foster a sense of community in our class, help us to process course materials, and provide a space to rethink your work on assignments. Discussion prompts may ask you to reflect on information covered in our class reading or practice a composition strategy.

Writing Workshops

To help you stay on track with your major assignments and to ensure that you get needed support before submitting final assignments, you will complete a workshop activity most weeks. Workshops activities are structured around the areas of planning, peer review and revision. Note: All papers must go through a review process before they can be accepted.

Respectful Discourse

While a free exchange of ideas and expressions is encouraged, strive for civility and respect in all of your comments. Remember, the discussions and workshops are a space for us to work together and to grow as writers and thinkers.

Final Grade Weighting

Activity Grade Value
Assignment 1 20%
Assignment 2 20%
Assignment 3 20%
Assignment 4 20%
Class Discussions 10%
Writing Workshops 10%

Final Grading Scale

This class uses the LionPATH standard grading scale to determine final course grades:

Letter Grade Point Range
A 94-100
A- 90-93.99
B+ 87-89.99
B 84-86.99
B- 80-83.99
C+ 77-79.99
C 70-76.99
D 60-69.99
F 0-59.99

Tutor.com Tutoring Service

Tutor.com is a 24/7 tutoring service that provides students with assistance in coursework, test preparation, research, writing, and more for various subjects. The tutors are subject-matter experts, and each student will have personalized one-on-one sessions with them. Students can schedule their own tutoring appointments to engage in interactive sessions that include a whiteboard and chat feature. The service can be utilized on any device that has Internet access. Students are encouraged to use the service throughout the semester.

Accessing Tutor.com

  • Launch Tutor.com by selecting the Tutor.com link in the Course Navigation Menu on the left side of your screen.
  • Fill in the pre-session questionnaire and select SUBMIT.
  • You will be matched with the first available tutor best qualified to assist you, and then enter a virtual classrom with your tutor.
  • In the virtual classroom, you can use text or voice-chat to communicate with your tutor as well as the interactive whiteboard to share work and ideas.
  • You can upload files related to your assignments, including spreadsheets, presentation slides, screenshots, images and more.
  • After your session, please fill out the post-session survey to offer feedback on your experience.
  • For additional information about Tutor.com, please view the following How to Use Tutor.com at Penn State World Campus video Links to an external site., and read the "How It Works Links to an external site." guide.
  • If you have any questions or need additional help logging in, please contact studentsupport@tutor.com.

Deadlines

Unless otherwise specified, the work you do in this class must be submitted by 11:59pm Eastern Time on the day that it is due.

Late Policy

Assignments are expected to be completed on time; all submissions will have a date stamp given to them by the Canvas dropboxes. Major assignments will be docked one-third of a letter grade for each day that they are late (e.g., an "A-" essay turned in one day late will receive a "B+"). Class discussions and weekly writing workshops cannot be made up if missed. Any exceptions to this policy are made at the instructor's discretion. If you have conflicts, or something unexpected arises, contact your instructor as soon as possible. You can work together to arrive at a solution.

Penn State Policy Regarding Generative Technology, Including ChatGPT

According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity Links to an external site., an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.

Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity Links to an external site.). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.

Deferred Grades

If, for reasons beyond your control, you are prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, your grade in the course may be deferred at your instructor's discretion. When you are given a Deferred Grade, the symbol "DF" appears on your transcript until the course has been completed.

Note: Deferred Grades will only be given to students who have completed a majority of the course work.

Non-emergency requests for a deferred grade must be made before the beginning of the final examination period. In emergency situations, your instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's commonwealth campus.

For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade Links to an external site. page.

Tech Support

If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, contact the HelpDesk Links to an external site..

Library Services

Penn State Libraries provides a wide variety of services and resources. To learn how to take advantage, refer to the Online Student Library Guide Links to an external site.. This guide serves as your starting point for access to all that Penn State Libraries can offer you as an online student. Use this guide if you have questions on library services offered to you, how the library can help you, how to use the library, or what resources you can access via the library! The guide will connect you to important pages and resources within Penn State Libraries and save time from you searching for the information you need.

 

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity—coursework free of fraud and deception—is an important educational objective of Penn State. Academic dishonesty can lead to a failing grade or referral to the Office of Student Conduct Links to an external site..

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:

  • cheating

  • plagiarism

  • fabrication of information or citations

  • facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others

  • unauthorized prior possession of examinations

  • submitting the work of another person or work previously used without informing the instructor and securing written approval

  • tampering with the academic work of other students

In cases where academic integrity is questioned, procedure requires an instructor to notify a student Links to an external site. of suspected dishonesty before filing a charge and recommended sanction with the college. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If a disciplinary sanction also is recommended, the case will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct.

All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course.

To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us Links to an external site..

Additionally, students are expected to act with civility and personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and others, and a civil community.

For more information on academic integrity at Penn State, please visit one of the following URLs:

Accommodating Disabilities

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University’s educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities.. For further information, please visit Student Disability Resources website Links to an external site..

In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation:See documentation guidelines Links to an external site.. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

Veterans and Service Members

Veterans and active-duty military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.

Nondiscrimination

Penn State is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University's educational mission, and will not be tolerated. For further information, please visit the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access. Links to an external site.

Counseling and Psychological Services

Penn State's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office offers residential and distance-based Penn State students non-emergency mental health services in the form of case management, community resource referrals, supportive listening, care giver support, and much more.

Students may request assistance from CAPS regarding a variety of common mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and stress. CAPS services are designed to enhance students' ability to fully benefit from the University environment and academic experience. Call CAPS at 814-863-0395 (8 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday EST) or submit an inquiry online Links to an external site.to schedule an appointment with a mental health advocate, who can help you address mental health concerns that may interfere with your academic progress or social development. This appointment will include a one-on-one session that can be conducted via telephone, teleconference (Skype, FaceTime, etc.), or locally at Penn State University Park. For more information on services provided through CAPS, please visit the Penn State CAPS website Links to an external site..

Reminder: These services are for non-emergencies only. If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis situation, please call your local crisis center or 911.

TEACH Act

The materials on the course website are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.

University Emergency Procedure

In the event of a University-wide emergency, the course may be subject to changes. Exigent circumstances may require alternative delivery methods, class materials, and interactions with the instructor and/or classmates. In addition, there may be revisions to grading policies and the Calendar, including assignments and their due dates.

In the event of a University-wide emergency, please refer to the Canvas website at https://psu.instructure.com for specific information related to the course. For more general information about the emergency situation, please refer to the Penn State website Links to an external site. or the Penn State News website Links to an external site..

To register with PSUAlert, a service designed to alert the Penn State community when situations arise that affect the ability of a campus to function normally, please go to the PSU Alert website Links to an external site.. Subscribers can receive alerts by text message to cell phones, and also can elect to have alerts sent to an email address.

Additional Policies

For information about additional policies regarding items such as Penn State Access Accounts, credit by examination, course tuition, fees, and refund schedules, and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus website Links to an external site..

Syllabus Subject to Change

The class will likely adhere to the information outlined in this Syllabus and the Calendar, but adjustments may be made based on what actually transpires during the semester. Remaining in the course after reading this Syllabus will signal that you accept the possibility of changes and responsibility for being aware of them.

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