S2013 1010 Warren: Writing Dr. Kellie WarrenENLS 1010-11 MWF 12-12:50pm kwarren1@tulane.eduENLS 1010-15 MWF 2-2:50pm Office hours: MWF 1-2pm, W 11am-12 pm(office)

Office: Norman Mayer 202

Department Learning OutcomesStudents will learn how to write clearly and how to develop complex, coherent arguments that engage with expert knowledge through independent scholarly research and correct citation of sources.

English 101 Course Description & Learning OutcomesThe purpose of English 101 is to teach students to write clearly and to organize complex arguments that engage in a scholarly way with expert knowledge. Toward that end, students will learn to conduct independent bibliographic research and to incorporate that material appropriately into the sort of clear, complex, coherent arguments that characterize academic discourse. Specifically, students will learn that:

To write clearly means that one must take a piece of writing through multiple drafts in order to eliminate any grammatical errors or stylistic flaws that might undermine the author-audience relationship;

To write with meaningful complexity, one must learn to practice a variety of invention strategies (e.g., the five classical appeals, freewriting, reading and analysis, and library research) and to revise continuously the materials generated by these methods;

To make coherent arguments without sacrificing complexity, one’s practice of revision must be guided by certain principles of style and arrangement, and one must grow adept in the genre of argument itself through work with models and templates established by standard persuasive rhetorics;

To create effective arguments, one must cultivate strategies for positioning texts against each other to familiarize oneself with the arguments of others before developing one’s own claims, and grow adept at using warrants, evidence, counter-claims, and other rhetorical tropes to craft one’s own arguments. Students will learn strategies for active, critical reading, strategies for deciphering why a text might be arranged a certain way and what that arrangement might mean, as well as strategies for summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting;

To conduct effective research means utilizing the library, evaluating sources, and incorporating the work of others into one’s texts using the proper conventions of citation endorsed by the Modern Language Association (MLA).

To maximize students’ potential for developing these abilities, the methods of instruction for English 101 include seminar-style discussions with heavy

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student participation; brief lectures by the professor (and occasionally classmates); hands-on productive work in writing workshops and guided “lab” exercises; and regular one-on-one conferencing with the professor.

Course Introduction: Writing and Reading Across the CurriculumIn order for students to write with expert knowledge, each section of English 101 is arranged around a topic that serves as the material upon which they will practice these composition skills. In this section, the topic Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum provides a set of texts that will allow students to become familiar with academic discourse from a variety of disciplines as well as develop expertise about certain controversies emerging from specific disciplines (psychology, biology, and business, for example). Students will grow adept at situating the texts we discuss in a larger context, and the texts will serve as helpful models for analytical and argumentative practice. 

Required TextsLaurence Behrens & Leonard J. Rosen, Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum, 11th editionAndrea A. Lunsford, Easy Writer: A Pocket Reference, 4th edition (handbook)

Assignments & GradingPlease consult the Grading Criteria for specifics on how paper grades are earned.The assignments for this class consist of short assignments (several of which will be in-class) and 4 major papers and their drafts.

Analysis UnitThe majority of readings in this unit specifically address certain skills that are fundamental to clear and engaging writing. Consequently, in this unit, students will practice critical thinking, active reading and annotation, definition, summary, paraphrase, and synthesis. Some texts in this unit emerge from the field of business; specifically, they address strategies behind and ethical implications of advertising. These readings will assist students in the construction of a paper that situates their own positions among analyses of issues at stake within the texts under discussion.

In the simplest sense, an analysis paper is a paper that discusses some text through the lens of some other text, the analytical tool. The analytical tool is a principle or definition that provides a new, explicit context for the text under analysis. By applying this tool, what special features of the text under consideration become more important or more ambiguous or more controversial or more meaningful than they might otherwise seem? What are the points of tension between the text and its context? Also, what does the text seem to foreground or repeat or emphasize or draw into stark opposition? What aspects of the text ought one to quote in order to support

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the analysis under development? What aspects ought one to paraphrase? Considering these sorts of questions as we read the assigned texts will help students to formulate analyses that will form the bases of their analysis papers. Note: All students will have required conferences with me before Week 6.

Grades earned in this unit are: Participation, including (a) print-out or screenshot documenting the

student’s completion of Writing to the Code’s “Can you recognize plagiarism?” assessment/quiz and (b) five 1-page responses to readings (5 pts.—See attached Participation Scoring Rubric: Analysis Unit for details)

1-page Summary (5 pts.) 5-page Analytical Essay 1 (20 points) – includes revision of short

responsesTotal points for this unit: 30

Argument UnitThe readings in our textbook explain and demonstrate helpful strategies for convincing and clear argumentative writing. Students will have the opportunity to vote upon their first and second choices of chapters for the class to read from the textbook; once the class arrives at a consensus,the instructor will distribute a detailed reading schedule for this period of the semester. Shorter writing assignments based upon students’ readings of these texts will help students come to terms with the arguments of others before starting to develop their own responses, and the longer argumentative essay will allow them to craft a sophisticated reply with warrants, evidence, counter-claims, and other rhetorical tropes.

Grades for this unit are: Participation, including (a) five 1-page Blackboard postings and (b)

five 1-page in-class responses to readings (10 pts.—See attached Participation Scoring Rubric: Argument Unit for details)

5-page Argument Paper (20 points) – revises one of the Blackboard or in-class responses

Total points for this unit: 30

Hybrid Essay: Combining Argument, Analysis, & ResearchTo help students understand how argument and analysis are related, students will complete a hybrid assignment in which they will conduct research on a topic addressed or inspired by any of the readings for class. Students will find 3 scholarly sources that will help them to engage with the scholarly discourse on their chosen topic. In the paper, the students will analyze the scholarly sources and then clarify their own positions in relation

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to those sources in a bibliographic essay. We will visit the library’s Center for Library User Education (CLUE) to prepare for this assignment.

Participation, including attentive participation in the CLUE session, timely submission of assigned drafts and peer reviews, and engaged participation in draft workshops (5 pts.—See attached Participation Scoring Rubric: Hybrid and Research Units for details)

List of 3 sources with 1-page annotations (5 pts.) 5-page Hybrid/Bibliographic Essay (20 points)

Total points for this unit: 30

Research Unit: Final Argumentative Research EssayStudents will formulate an argument or exploratory question pertaining to one of the questions or debates raised over the course of the semester. The final research paper will draw from the bibliographic essay as students produce a more formal essay that integrates their own argument into a larger scholarly conversation.

Grades for this unit are: Participation, including timely submission of assigned drafts, peer

reviews, and engaged participation in draft workshops (5 pts.—See attached Participation Scoring Rubric: Hybrid and Research Units for details)

7-page Final Version of Research Paper (25 pts.)Total points for this unit: 30

120 point total

Departmental Course Policies

Attendance:  Students in English 1010 develop skills that will serve them for their rest of their academic and professional lives. What’s more, no matter how well a student writes, he or she can and should always cultivate these skills yet further. To do this, students must come to class, participate in class activities, and sustain positive, productive membership in the classroom community of student-writers.  Thus, attendance, as well as punctual arrival and participation are absolutely essential. Moreover, cell phones must be silenced, and text messaging and emailing are strictly forbidden, for these disruptions, as with tardiness, can be counted as absences. While sometimes students use computers to take notes or consult on-line documents or use search engines, there are also phases of the class meeting when there is no reason for students to have laptops open. Just as texting or emailing during class is grounds for being counted absent from class, so too is the inappropriate use of a computer.  (See this link for further details: http://tulane.edu/studentaffairs/upload/02Academic.pdf).

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When a student absence results from serious illness, injury or a critical personal problem, that student must notify the instructor and arrange to complete any missed work in a timely fashion. Students are allowed three unexcused absences over the course of the semester. After these three, the student’s final grade will be lowered by one-third of a letter for each additional, unexcused absence. However, in cases of excessive absenteeism, when a student accumulates, after the first three unexcused absences, an additional three, that student’s grade for the course automatically becomes an F.  In other words, after the third unexcused absence, the final grade begins to suffer (one-third of a letter per absence), but once the final grade has been lowered a full letter, it will no longer continue to be lowered by degrees. Rather, the student fails the course with that sixth unexcused absence.

In order to enforce the attendance policy, the instructor will document the dates of every student’s unexcused absences and file an “Absence Report Form” for any of their students who accumulate three unexcused absences. These forms are sent to the student and the student’s dean (the instructor retains the third copy). If the student’s attendance problem persists to a sixth unexcused absence, the instructor can file a second “Absence Report Form” recommending that the student be withdrawn from the course with an F. Academic Dishonesty: This link will take you to the Newcomb-Tulane Code of Academic Conduct: http://college.tulane.edu/code.htm.  All students must take responsibility for studying this code and adhering to it.  Academic dishonesty of any kind, such as copying information off the Internet or turning in someone else’s work will not be tolerated. You should know and be careful not to violate the Honor Code at Tulane, which defines plagiarism “as unacknowledged or falsely acknowledged presentation of another person's ideas, expressions, or original research as one's own work.” Upon discovery of such dishonesty, you could receive an “F” or “0” for the work and the class, you could be taken to the Honor Board, and you could be expelled. To avoid plagiarism, make sure to cite or document your sources; in other words, give people credit for their ideas and language. If you have any questions, then please come to me before turning in your work. We will devote some time in class to discussions of how to avoid plagiarism and properly cite sources; these discussions will also serve to initiate you into contemporary discussions of intellectual property, copyright laws, authorship, and originality.  

Technology and Academic Conduct: The Newcomb-Tulane Code of Academic Conduct specifies that “[s]tudents and instructors will turn off all cell phones and electronic devices at the beginning of each class; these items will remain off for the duration of the class.” In addition, according to the Newcomb-Tulane Code of Academic Conduct, “Computers are to be

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used for class-related purposes only; instructors will specify when computers may not be used.” (See this link for further details: http://tulane.edu/studentaffairs/upload/02Academic.pdf).

The Grade of “Incomplete”: If a student has a legitimate excuse for being unable to complete all of the work for a course, the instructor can give that student an “I” (Incomplete) on the final grade sheet. If the student does not complete the work and the instructor does not change the grade, however, that grade will revert to an F. The deadline for addressing incompletes varies each semester but is usually about one month after the final exam period.  Before a student is given an “I,” the instructor will confirm with the student – in writing – exactly what the student needs to finish and retain a dated copy of this correspondence in the event that the student misses the deadline and then expresses confusion about the new grade of “F.”  Students with Special Needs: Students who need special help with the course, such as note-taking, free tutoring, additional time and/or a distraction-reduced environment for tests and final exams, may contact the Goldman Office of Disability Services (ODS), located in the Center for Educational Resources & Counseling (ERC). It is the responsibility of the student to register a disability with ODS, to make a specific request for accommodations, and to submit all required documentation.  On a case-by-case basis, ODS staff determines disability status, accommodation needs supported by the documentation, and accommodations reasonable for the University to provide.  University faculty and staff, in collaboration with ODS, are then responsible for providing the approved accommodations. ODS is located in the ERC on the 1st floor of the Science and Engineering Lab Complex, Building (#14).  Please visit the ODS website for more detailed information, including registration forms and disability documentation guidelines: http://tulane.edu/studentaffairs/erc/services/disabilityserviceshome.cfm

Additional Classroom Policies

1) As the Code of Academic Conduct reminds us, “Students are responsible for checking their Tulane e-mail accounts daily when classes are in session” (See this link for further details: http://tulane.edu/studentaffairs/upload/02Academic.pdf). Carefully read all e-mail correspondence in a timely manner; I will frequently e-mail important updates and information regarding our class.

2) Students wishing to use laptops for note taking during class must arrange their desks (a) so that their screens are easily visible to the instructor and (b) so that their screens are not distracting (that is, visible) to other students. All laptop sounds and alerts should be silenced, and instant messengers should be disabled. In fact, unless I specifically state that students may make use of the Internet for

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research purposes during class, Airports and other connections should be “off.”

3) In order to receive full credit, Blackboard postings should be posted no later than 10pm on the night before the class session designated as the due date.

4) Unless a student has previously requested and been granted a formal extension in writing (via e-mail), late papers will be lowered 1 point per day (.5 if past the deadline on the due day).

5) If you miss class, you are responsible for contacting me (or a classmate) to find out about any material missed, including changes to the schedule, additional requirements for a paper, or anything else discussed.

6) Be respectful of your classmates and professor in class, including participating in discussion (or at least looking alert and not putting your head down on your desk or engaging in side conversation), and showing tolerance when you hear comments, perspectives, or political views that differ from your own.

7) All drafts for in-class workshop activities must be brought to class as hard copies! It is unreasonable to expect your partner(s) to read and make notes and comments directly from your laptop screen. Additionally, please note how many copies you will need for each workshop activity.

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*By the end of Week 1, students must submit proof of their completion of Writing to the Code’s “Can you recognize plagiarism?” assessment/quiz; such proof can be submitted as either print-outs or screenshots of the completion screen page. The quiz is available on Blackboard once you follow the instructions for adding “Writing to the Code” to your “My Organizations.” Refer to our course’s Blackboard site for instructions for accessing this tutorial and quiz.

ANALYSIS UNIT

Week 1 Introduction to Academic Writing & Summarizing

Mon., Jan. 14: Discussion: Discuss course introduction and “Writing to the Code” assignment.

Exercise: Writing sample. Chart majors and disciplines represented by members of the class.

Assignment for 1/16: Read “Writing in the Disciplines,” pp. 46-51 of Easy Writer and “Punctuation/Mechanics,” pp. 106-117 of Easy Writer.

Wed., Jan. 16: Discussion: Discuss “Writing in the Disciplines,” and introduce Analysis Essay. Exercise: Commas and Semicolons practice exercise; freewriting.Assignment for 1/18: Read pp. 1-23 of Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum.

Fri., Jan. 18: Discussion: Discuss summary as a fundamental critical thinking skill.Exercise: Group summary practice. Assignment for 1/23: Read Jib Fowles’s “Advertising’s Fifteen Basic Appeals,” pp. 539-557 of WRAC. For response 1, follow the WRAC steps for writing summaries, and write a page-long summary of Fowles’s article. (For details, see the first three sentences of Exercise 1.1 on p.23).

Week 2 Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting

Mon., Jan. 21: MLK, Jr. Holiday (no class!)

Wed., Jan. 23: Turn In: One-page SummaryDiscussion: Discuss Fowles’s article, and compare student

summaries. Assignment for 1/25: Read pp. 121-130 of Easy Writer. Also, read “Paraphrase,” “Quotations, ” and “Avoiding Plagiarism,”

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pp.33-47. For response 2, follow the instructions for Exercise 1.6 on p. 36 of WRAC.

Fri., Jan. 25: Discussion: Discuss the effective use of summary, paraphrases, and quotations and the correct use of quotation marks, brackets, and ellipses.Exercise: Group completion of Exercises 1.7 on p. 41 and 1.8

on p. 45 of WRAC. Assignment for 1/28: Read “Critical Reading,” pp. 48-62 of WRAC. For response 3, evaluate Fowles’s article according to the critical reading strategies set forth in WRAC.

Week 3 Critical Reading & Analysis

Mon., Jan. 28: Discussion: Discuss critical reading and student evaluations of Fowles’s article.

Exercise: Logical Fallacies practice quizAssignment for 1/30: Read “What is an Analysis,” pp. 182-192

of WRAC. For response 4, respond in writing to Exercise 6.1 on WRAC pp.187-8.

Wed., Jan. 30: Discussion: What is an analysis?Exercise: Group completion of Exercise 6.2 on p. 192.Assignment for 2/1: Read “Selling Happiness: Two Pitches from Mad Men,” pp. 563-564 of WRAC, and view the two clips. For response 5, write a summary of one of the clips.

Fri., Feb. 1: Discussion: Discuss “A Portfolio of Print Ads” and student analyses.

Exercise: Group application of critical reading strategies (See WRAC 48-62)

Assignment for 2/4: Read “How to Write Analyses,” pp. 192-201 of WRAC. For response 6, consider how Don Draper or his colleagues might respond to Fowles’s article, and write a brief synthesis of the two perspectives.

Week 4 Coherence and Clarity

Mon., Feb. 4: Discussion: Discuss the composition of an analysis paperExercise: Identify a specific principle or definition gleaned

from observations made by Fowles. Draft an outline for an essay of your own based upon applying the analytical tool you have identified to the print or T.V. ad of your choice from pp. pp. 564-608 of WRAC.

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Assignment for 2/6: Read Easy Writer, pp. 92-102. Produce a rough draft of your Analysis Essay , and bring one hard copy to class. Wed., Feb. 6: Discussion: Discuss any lingering questions about analysis

essays.Exercise: Partner paper workshop (transitions? coherence?)Assignment for 2/8: Prepare to submit Analysis Essay in class. Read “Critical Thinking and Argument,” pp.25-38 of Easy Writer.

Fri., Feb. 8: Analysis Essay Due by Class TimeAssignment for 2/18: Read from “Argument Synthesis,” pp.

132-40 of WRAC to prepare for in-class response 1.

ARGUMENT UNIT

Week 5 Individual Conferences

Mon., Feb. 11:Lundi Gras (no class!)

Wed., Feb. 13:Individual Conferences, moving from your analysis to an argument

Fri., Feb. 15: Individual Conferences, moving from your analysis to an argument

*By the end of Week 6, each student must meet with me in one individual conference.

Week 6 Kairos (timely relevance of material)

Mon., Feb. 18:Discussion: Discuss first section of “Argument Synthesis”Exercise: Group completion of Exercise 5.1 (p. 134) and individual completion of Exercises 5.2, 5.3, and 5.4 as in-class response 1.Assignment for 2/20: Read “Demonstration,” pp. 140-54 of WRAC for in-class response 2.

Wed., Feb. 20:Discussion: Virginia Tech readings, and Introduce Argument Paper

Exercise: Write in-class response 2 in response to Exercise 5.5.

Assignment for 2/22: Read WRAC pp. 155-70 for in-class response 3.

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Fri., Feb. 22: Discussion: Discuss WRAC argument reading and strategies modeled in WRAC.

Exercise: In-class response 3Assignment for 2/25: Readings TBA for in-class response 4.

Week 7 They say, I say

Mon., Feb. 25:Discussion: Discuss argument organization and assigned readings.

Exercise: Write in-class response 4 (“They say”). Assignment for 2/27: TBA Readings from WRAC, and write Blackboard posting 1 (“They say”).

Wed., Feb. 27:Discussion: Discuss sleep readings and Blackboard postings.Assignment for 3/1: Readings TBA from WRAC, and write Blackboard posting 2 (“I say”).

Fri., Mar. 1: Discussion: Discuss assigned readings and Blackboard postings.

Assignment for 3/4: TBA Readings from WRAC, and write Blackboard posting 3 (“They say”).

Week 8

Mon., Mar. 4: Discussion: Assigned readings and Blackboard postings.Exercise: In-class response 5 (“I say”). Assignment for 3/6: TBA Readings from WRAC. Write

Blackboard posting 4 (“They say/I say.”)

Wed., Mar. 6: Discussion: Discuss readings and Blackboard postings.Assignment for 3/8: Read TBA, and write Blackboard posting 5 (“They say/I say.”)

Fri., Mar. 8: Discussion: Discuss readings and Blackboard postings.Exercise: Brainstorm theses and supporting claims.Assignment for 3/15: Read pp. 72-90 of WRAC, and write rough draft of Argument Essay. Bring a hard copy to class.

Week 9 Individual Conferences

Mon., Mar. 11 Individual Conferences, discussing your Argument plans

Wed., Mar. 13: Individual Conferences, discussing your Argument plans

Fri., Mar. 15: Discussion: Discuss Introductions, Theses, and ConclusionsExercise: Argument Essay partner workshop.

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Assignment for 3/18: Finish Argument Essay, and prepare to submit a hard copy in class.

RESEARCH UNIT Week 10

Mon., Mar. 18: Argument Essay Due in Class;For class, meet in Howard-Tilton Library (main) in Room 308Exercise: Library tutorialAssignment for 3/20: Read Easy Writer, pp.176-202.

Wed., Mar. 20: Discussion: Discuss Hybrid Essay. Discuss research guidelines and potential topics for the Hybrid Essay and the Research Paper.Assignment for 3/22: Select topic for Hybrid Essay and bring laptops.

Fri., Mar. 22: Discussion: Discuss paper topics and evaluation of scholarly resources.Exercise: Research workshopAssignment for 4/1: See Easy Writer, pp. 206 and following for MLA documentation guidelines. In preparation for the Hybrid Essay, conduct research for scholarly sources, and write a list of 3 sources with descriptions. Bring two hard copies of your source list to class.

Week 11

Mon., Mar. 25: Spring Break!

Wed., Mar. 27: Spring Break!

Fri., Mar. 29: Spring Break!

Week 12 Drafting the Hybrid

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Mon., Apr. 1: Discussion: Discuss lists of sources, and analyze sources. Troubleshoot any research problems. Review documentation guidelines. Review guidelines for summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting. Go over handout on balance.Exercise: Group documentation exercise.Assignment for 4/3: Write rough draft of Hybrid Essay . Bring one hard copy of rough draft to class.

Wed., Apr. 3: Discussion: Review suggestions for introductions, theses, and conclusionsExercise: Draft workshop, part 1 (focus on successful integration and compelling use of sources)Assignment for 4/5: Complete and prepare to submit first revision of Hybrid Essay . Bring two hard copies of first revised draft to class.

Fri., Apr. 5: Discussion: Review guidelines for sentence style and any lingering, problematic points of grammar (See Easy Writer 92-102).Exercise: Draft workshop, part 2 (focus on clarity of thesis and appropriateness of tone for audience)Assignment for 4/8: Finish, and prepare to submit final version of Hybrid Essay in class.

Week 13 Drafting the Final Research Essay

Mon., Apr. 8: Hybrid Essay Due in ClassDiscussion: Introduce Research Paper; Discuss research

strategies and students’ lists of sources, and review suggestions for paper organization and for drafting

introductions. Review documentation guidelines as well as those for paraphrasing and quoting.

Exercise: Short writing exercise. Brainstorm any additional research questions and ideas for engaging introductions. Assignment for 4/10: Draft an outline and an introduction for Research Paper, and bring a hard copy of your outline and intro to class.

Wed., Apr. 10: Discussion: Survey students’ selected strategies for introduction. Discuss commonplaces.

Exercise: Workshop outlines and introductionsAssignment for 4/12: Write first 3 pages of Research Paper.

Bring one hard copy of your first three pages to class.

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Fri., Apr. 12: Discussion: Discuss approaches to the revision process.Exercise: Workshop for early drafts of Research Paper.Assignment for 4/19: Finish complete rough drafts of Research Paper , and bring two hard copies of your rough draft to class.

Week 14 Individual Conferences

Mon., Apr. 15: Individual Conferences

Wed., Apr. 17: Individual Conferences

Fri., Apr. 19: Discussion: Discuss coherence (unity, logic, transitions).Exercise: Workshop for rough drafts of Research Paper (Is

there a clear, arguable thesis? Does the author make convincing use of supporting evidence?).

Assignment for 4/22: Complete first revision of draft of Research Paper , and bring two hard copies of your first revision to class.

Week 15 Revising the Final Research Essay

Mon., Apr. 22: Discussion: Discuss reader interest and audience.Exercise: Workshop of first revision of rough draft (Is the

paper coherent and logical? Is there a solid, reflective conclusion?).

Assignment for 4/24: Begin second revision of draft.

Wed., Apr. 24: Discussion: Discuss strategies for writing compelling conclusions.

Exercise: Conclusion drafting activityAssignment for 4/26: Complete second revision of draft ,

and bring two hard copies of your second revision to class.

Fri., Apr. 26: Exercise: Workshop of second revision of draft (Does the paper have reader interest? Does the paper have an appropriate tone?).

Assignment for 4/29: Complete final draft of Research Paper , and bring two hard copies to class.

Week 16 Final Revision

Mon., Apr. 29 Discussion: Discuss any lingering questions about Research Paper.

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Exercise: Workshop of final draft of Research Paper.*Assignment: The final version of the Research Paper

must be submitted as an attachment via e-mail by Monday, May 6 at 5pm. Within 24 hours, I will always confirm via e-mail my receipt of your electronic

documents (with the obvious exception of Blackboard postings). If you do not receive such confirmation, you should contact me about your submission. You may need to re-send, or submit a hard copy to my

departmental mailbox (in the case of absolute technological failure).

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Appendix: Grading Rubrics

General Grading CriteriaFreshman Writing Essay Outcomes:  The Superior Paper

In this course, students should learn how to write a superior paper suitable for their course-work in the university.  All superior papers demonstrate a preponderance of the attributes listed below.  The difference between an A and a B paper will depend upon the degree to which the paper achieves these outcomes.  An inferior paper exhibits relatively few of these attributes.  The difference between a C, D, or F paper depends upon the degree to which the paper fails to achieve these outcomes.  

1.  The paper is organized around an arguable thesis statement.  It uses textual analysis or scholarly research to pinpoint a controversial or inadequately understood problem. The introductory paragraph indicates the purpose of the argument for specific audiences and suggests the significance of the problem. In other words, if the paper is for the analysis unit or the research unit, rather than the argument unit, it should nonetheless present and support a contestable thesis, for all academic writing constitutes ‘argument’ in this broad sense. In the argument unit itself, papers will develop arguments in more narrowly defined, formal ways of the sort associated with the major templates for arguments (Toulmin, Graff-Berkenstein). 

2.  The thesis statement guides the development of the argument in a logical way.  The topic sentences of the paragraphs supporting the thesis statement articulate the logical steps in the argument.

3. Each paragraph develops a step in the logic of the argument and moves the discussion to the next step.  Paragraphs are unified around a topic sentence, and the topic sentences of the paper, taken together, form the spine of the argument.    

4.   The argument develops by taking into account objections and counterarguments that add complexity.  Claims are substantiated by valid warrants, from expert sources as required. Complexity is also achieved through a sustained engagement with various invention strategies, so that arguments are rich, nuanced, and thoughtful, not superficial or formulaic.

5.  The conclusion to the paper may have been telegraphed in the introduction, but this paragraph synthesizes and summarizes the findings of the essay, while indicating their significance. Ideally, it will indicate some avenues for further research and discussion.

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 6.  All papers are expected to conform to MLA style and to avoid grammatical and stylistic errors. 

The A Paper

Content fulfills all aspects of the assignment and meets its parameters; establishes a clearly articulated, strong thesis, with clear indication of how

that thesis will be developed; is ambitious and fresh in its content, goes beyond the familiar or the

obvious; develops ideas into detail to provide good clarity – does not leave ideas or

claims unexplored or vague, but pushes the analysis further; when using source material, introduces the material and assesses it – does

not rely on the reader to figure out the validity of the source or to interpret a quote;

Organization structures the paper in a way that makes sense and creates coherence; establishes a logical flow of ideas through both the arrangement of

paragraphs and strong transitions; includes an introduction which indicates the direction of the paper, and a

conclusion which is reflective, not merely a repetition of the intro;Style

is concise, sophisticated and clear, with little to no unnecessary wordiness; establishes a distinct and consistent tone appropriate for the intended

audience and the type of paper; varies sentence structure and word choice;

Mechanics contains only minor typographical errors (if any), and very few – averaging

no more than one per page’ contains no unclear referents, tense problems, or other significant

grammatical errors.

The B Paper

Content fulfills, for the most part, all aspects of the assignment and meets its

parameters – maybe just falling short of one; is slightly familiar or less daring in its content and claims; has a clearly stated and strong thesis, yet does not indicate early on the

direction of the argument;

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could have better-supported claims; is for the most part well-developed, but leaves some key concepts or claims

in vague terms, needing more detail; occasionally fails to properly introduce, integrate, and/or assess a source or

quote;Organization

is well organized and arranged in a way that makes sense; for the most part has strong transitions between paragraphs, yet

occasionally needs a stronger transition, or neglects to establish a good flow in some paragraphs;

contains a conclusion which is just a restatement of the intro paragraph;Style

establishes a tone and voice appropriate for the audience, but occasionally seems inconsistent;

sometimes relies too heavily on passive voice or verbs to be, although for the most part writes concisely and coherently;

needs more sentence variety and better word choice;Mechanics

makes very few errors – some typographical, some grammatical – averaging 1-3 per page;

does not use proper format for citing quotes; may have some minor formatting issues that make it look slightly

unpolished.

The C Paper

Content does not completely fulfill some key aspect of the assignment, or disregards

a key parameter of the assignment; has an underdeveloped or cliché thesis which gives little or no indication of

the direction of the paper; is too familiar in its ideas, which lack freshness and sophistication – often

states the obvious or relies on clichés; fails to adequately support some of its claims or is vague in its analysis; does not properly introduce, integrate, or assess source material /quotes;

Organization contains weak or no transitions between paragraphs; seems slightly unorganized or unfocused – paragraphs feel slightly jumbled;

Style is overly wordy, relying too heavily on passive voice and verbs to be; has no particular voice, sense of context or audience, or consistent tone; relies on pedestrian adjectives (good, bad, amazing) and adverbs (very,

really, truly), fails to establish sophistication and clarity through word choice;

Mechanics contains grammatical errors that significantly disrupt the reading

experience; appears not to have been proofread; has major issues with tenses or formatting which distract from the content.

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The D Paper

lacks a thesis or any clear sense of a claim or direction for the paper; demonstrates minimal thought and effort; fails to develop and/or analyze the ideas and claims it sets forth; fails to fulfill the assignment or is significantly (more than a page) below the

minimum length; needlessly offends its audience with inappropriate tone or language; relies on formulaic, cliché sentences and arguments; is riddled with error and does not appear to have been revised.

The F Paper

contains plagiarism problems; is excessively late; completely misunderstands the purpose of the assignment; is nearly incomprehensible owing to a plethora of error or desperately poor

organization.

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Grading Rubrics for Major Papers

Analysis Paper (20 Points Possible)

Content Ideas are complex, ambitious, and fresh; paper addresses all parameters of

assignment & is carefully situated among the readings 4 Ideas are somewhat familiar, fewer in number, simpler; paper addresses all

assignment parameters but has limited relation to readings 3 Ideas are somewhat familiar, few in number, simpler; paper fails to address part of

assignment and doesn’t significantly engage readings  2 Ideas are only slight extensions of class discussion and fail to address assignment

objectives; little relevance to readings 1 Ideas just repeat class discussion; severe deviation from assignment; no relevance

to readings 0 Complexity

Analysis exhibits both invention and development; word choice and insights go beyond the familiar 4

Analysis exhibits some good development but relies on familiar ideas; shifts reader’s views several times 3

Analysis is underdeveloped, a generalized articulation of familiar ideas; shifts reader’s views minimally 2

Analysis is a flat rehearsal of obvious truisms, no development, offers little by way of new perspective 1

Analysis exhibits no new perspectives and is completely undeveloped 0 Coherence / Arrangement

A powerful focus achieved through an elegant juxtaposition of the entity under analysis with the context enabling the analysis, a logical flow of ideas, smooth transitions and focused, comprehensive paragraphs 4

A strong overall focus with some strategies of coherence and emphasis, slightly weaker articulation of the dynamic between the analyzed text and context, some weak transitions and paragraph focus 3

A focus sustained throughout with a few transitions that could be improved; a more haphazard articulation of the dynamic between the analyzed text and context  2

A focus compromised by more than one very abrupt, graceless transition, and an awkward, even jumbled rotating between text and context 1

A focus not achieved because of basic structural issues and lack of transitions and balance, with no discernible relation between what’s analyzed and the context that would enable analysis 0

 Style & Clarity

Writing is clear and concise; shows variation of word choice and sentence structure; good use of detail to slip out of abstraction; writer’s voice comes through clearly 4

Writing exhibits occasional wordiness, yet overall good variation in sentence structure and a clear, but not always consistent voice; occasional moments of vagueness 3

Writing wordier with occasional awkwardness; less variation of sentence structure; voice doesn’t come through clearly 2

Writing gets repetitive, dull, and often awkward; heavy reliance on “colorless” words 1

Writing is unclear; several sentences sufficiently ill-formed to distract reader from intended message; overall paper lacks grace and clarity 0

 

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Mechanics Error free 4 Only a few, very minor errors 3 Several careless errors that show a lack of proofreading and/or disregard for

formatting parameters 2 Several mechanics errors that significantly distract the reader 1 Multiple careless and/or grammatical errors (more than 10) that distract the reader

0

  

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Argument Paper (20 Points Possible) 

Content Claims are delivered with sufficient warrants and evidence to be persuasive; paper

addresses all parameters of assignment 4 Claims are presented less clearly and assertively; paper addresses all assignment

parameters but needs more evidence and development to be persuasive 3 Claim is not presented clearly and is not crafted well enough to be altogether

persuasive; paper overlooks some aspect of the assignment  2 Claim is delivered with an argument too flawed to be persuasive at all, heavy

reliance on logical fallacies, some departure from the assignment 1 Claim is not discernable, nor is any argumentative craft; fails to fulfill assignment

parameters 0 Complexity

Argument is multi-dimensional, re: kinds of evidence, counter-arguments, and development 4

Argument is multi-dimensional, yet merits more development, evidence, and counter-arguments 3

Argument offers more limited evidence and counter-arguments, lacks development 2 Argument is weakened by overmuch simplicity in evidence and arguments, no

development 1 Argument is missing a key element (either evidence, warrants, or

counterarguments) 0 Coherence / Arrangement

Writer positions argument to indicate its relevance, purpose, and direction; then develops argument in a way that maintains focus and a logical flow of ideas 4

Writer positions argument to indicate its relevance and purpose yet doesn’t show clear direction; paper occasionally disrupted by a weak transition or lack of focus 3

Writer fails to indicate relevance and purpose of argument clearly; paper lacks focus and flow at times 2

Writer fails to give any sense of argument’s relevance; paper feels unfocused and lacks transitions 1

Argument is unformed; overall paper lacks any focus 0 Style & Clarity

Writing is clear and concise; shows variation of word choice and sentence structure; good use of detail to slip out of abstraction; writer’s voice comes through clearly 4

Writing exhibits occasional wordiness, yet overall good variation in sentence structure and a clear, but not always consistent voice; occasional moments of vagueness 3

Writing wordier with occasional awkwardness; less variation of sentence structure; voice doesn’t come through clearly 2

Writing gets repetitive, dull, and often awkward; heavy reliance on “colorless” words 1

Writing is unclear; several sentences sufficiently ill-formed to distract reader from intended message; overall paper lacks grace and clarity 0

 Mechanics

Error free 4 Only a few, very minor errors 3 Several careless errors that show a lack of proofreading and/or disregard for

formatting parameters 2 Several mechanics errors that significantly distract the reader 1

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Multiple careless and/or grammatical errors (more than 10) that distract the reader0

   

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Hybrid Paper (20 Points Possible)

Content Student has chosen a clear and appropriate topic as well as appropriate scholarly

sources 4 Student’s topic isn’t entirely clear or is slightly vague, one source seems slightly

inappropriate 3 Student’s topic needs more development or articulation; some issues with sources 2 Student’s topic is unclear; sources are not scholarly (or student doesn’t have enough

sources) 1 Student never articulates topic and only has 1-2 sources 0

 Complexity

Research topic has multi-dimensional, contestable implications; insightful analysis of sources 4

Research topic has multi-dimensional implications, paper merits more analysis and discussion 3

Research topic has a simpler array of answers and few implications; parts of essay feel undeveloped 2

Research topic has only one, incontestable answer and implication; essay overall feels stale and undeveloped 1

Research question has no conclusive answer nor any clear implications; sources aren’t analyzed 0

Coherence/Arrangement Student establishes dialogue among sources, and flow from topic to sources (and

from one source to another) feels subtle and engaging 4 Student needs to establish clearer dialogue among sources; flow needs more

subtlety 3 Movement from topic to sources (and among sources) is simpler and more abrupt;

some focus & flow issues 2 Movement from topic to sources breaks into two halves; paper feels unfocused and

lacks transitions 1 Paper has no focus or flow 0

 Style & Clarity

Writing is clear and concise; shows variation of word choice and sentence structure; good use of detail to slip out of abstraction; writer’s voice comes through clearly 4

Writing exhibits occasional wordiness, yet overall good variation in sentence structure and a clear, but not always consistent voice; occasional moments of vagueness 3

Writing wordier with occasional awkwardness; less variation of sentence structure; voice doesn’t come through clearly 2

Writing gets repetitive, dull, and often awkward; heavy reliance on “colorless” words 1

Writing is unclear; several sentences sufficiently ill-formed to distract reader from intended message; overall paper lacks grace and clarity 0

 Mechanics

Error free 4 Only a few, very minor errors 3 Several careless errors that show a lack of proofreading and/or disregard for

formatting parameters 2 Several mechanics errors that significantly distract the reader 1

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Multiple careless and/or grammatical errors (more than 10) that distract the reader0

Research Paper (25 Points Possible)  Content

Topic is fresh and articulated as an important question that the research answers 4 Topic is slightly familiar and doesn’t have a clear purpose, yet is articulated as an

important question answered by the research 3 Topic has either not yielded an important question or research that answers it 2 Topic has neither yielded an important question nor any research that answers it 1 Topic is never defined adequately nor linked to any relevant research 0

 Complexity

Research question has multi-dimensional, contestable answers and implications; good development of claims and analysis 4

Research question has multi-dimensional answers and implications, yet some claims merit more discussion and paper overall merits more analysis 3

Research question has a simpler array of answers and few implications; parts of essay feel undeveloped 2

Research question has only one, incontestable answer and one implication; essay overall feels stale and undeveloped 1

Research question has no conclusive answer nor any clear implications 0

Coherence/Arrangement Movement from question to researched answer is subtle and engaging; writer

maintains focused, logical flow of ideas 4 Movement from question to researched answer is subtle and engaging, yet overall

focus and flow is occasionally disrupted by awkward or abrupt transitions or poor organization 3

Movement from question to researched answer is simpler and more abrupt; some focus and flow issues 2

Movement from question to researched answer breaks into two halves; paper feels unfocused and lacks transitions 1

Movement from question to answer is never made; paper has no focus or flow 0 Style & Clarity

Writing is clear and concise; shows variation of word choice and sentence structure; good use of detail to slip out of abstraction; writer’s voice comes through clearly 4

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Writing exhibits occasional wordiness, yet overall good variation in sentence structure and a clear, but not always consistent voice; occasional moments of vagueness 3

Writing wordier with occasional awkwardness; less variation of sentence structure; voice doesn’t come through clearly 2

Writing gets repetitive, dull, and often awkward; heavy reliance on “colorless” words 1

Writing is unclear; several sentences sufficiently ill-formed to distract reader from intended message; overall paper lacks grace and clarity 0

 Mechanics

Error free 4 Only a few, very minor errors 3 Several careless errors that show a lack of proofreading and/or disregard for

formatting parameters 2 Several mechanics errors that significantly distract the reader 1 Multiple careless and/or grammatical errors (more than 10) that distract the reader

0

Source Material Variety of source material, capable incorporation of scholarly material, clear

indication of what the writer adds to the conversation 5 Variety of source material, some incorporation of scholarly material (or slightly too

much reliance on it), at times isn’t clear how writer is contributing to the conversation 4

Lack of variation of source material, little incorporation of scholarship or too much reliance on it, unclear how writer adds to the conversation or debate laid out 3

No variation of source material or not enough scholarly sources; poor incorporation of material 2

Heavy reliance on 1-2 sources; awkward incorporation, no indication of relevance to a conversation 1

No incorporation of scholarly material, no clearly mapped out conversation or debate 0

Scoring Rubrics for Participation

Analysis Unit: ParticipationStudent makes meaningful, relevant contributions to class discussions on a regular (nearly every class meeting) basis; student maintains a positive and respectful attitude toward classmates and instructor; and student satisfactorily completes five written responses 5

Student only occasionally makes meaningful, relevant contributions to class discussions but listens attentively and participates in all in-class activities; student maintains a positive respectful attitude toward classmates and instructor; and/or student satisfactorily completes four written responses 4

Student rarely makes meaningful, relevant contributions to class discussions; student rarely “spaces out” and typically maintains a respectful attitude toward classmates and instructor; and/or student satisfactorily completes three writtenresponses 3

Student never makes meaningful, relevant contributions to class discussions; student occasionally “spaces out” but typically maintains a respectful attitude toward classmates and instructor; and/or student satisfactorily completes two written responses 2

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Student never contributes to class discussions; student frequently “spaces out” but rarely engages in side conversations and otherwise maintains a respectful attitude toward classmates and instructor; and/or student satisfactorily completes only one written response 1

Student never contributes to class discussions; student engages in side conversations or other disruptive or disrespectful behaviors including, but not limited to, any inappropriate usage of technology in class; student blatantly sleeps in class; student openly manifests a negative or disrespectful attitude toward classmates or instructor; and/or student does not satisfactorily complete even one written response 0

Argument Unit: ParticipationStudent makes meaningful, relevant contributions to class discussions on a regular (almost every class meeting) basis; student maintains a positive and respectful attitude toward classmates and instructor; and student satisfactorily completes ten written responses 10

Student only occasionally makes meaningful, relevant contributions to class discussions but listens attentively and participates in all in-class activities; student maintains a positive respectful attitude toward classmates and instructor; and/or student satisfactorily completes eight written responses 8

Student rarely makes meaningful, relevant contributions to class discussions; student only rarely “spaces out” and typically maintains a respectful attitude toward classmates and instructor; and/or student satisfactorily completes six writtenresponses 6

Student never makes meaningful, relevant contributions to class discussions; student occasionally “spaces out” but typically maintains a respectful attitude toward classmates and instructor; and/or student satisfactorily completes four written responses 4

Student never contributes to class discussions; student frequently “spaces out” but rarely engages in side conversations and otherwise maintains a respectful attitude toward classmates and instructor; and/or student satisfactorily completes two written responses 2

Student never contributes to class discussions; student engages in side conversations or other disruptive or disrespectful behaviors including, but not limited to, any inappropriate usage of technology in class; student blatantly sleeps in class; student openly manifests a negative or disrespectful attitude toward classmates or instructor; and/or student does not satisfactorily complete even one written response 0

Hybrid and Research Units: ParticipationStudent makes meaningful, relevant contributions to class discussions on a regular (almost every class meeting) basis; student maintains positive and respectful attitude toward classmates, instructor, and CLUE librarian; student always submits drafting assignments,

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including essay drafts and written partner/peer reviews, satisfactorily and promptly and demonstrates regular, engaged participation in draft workshop activities.

5

Student only occasionally makes meaningful, relevant contributions to class discussions but listens attentively and participates in all in-class activities; student maintains a positive respectful attitude toward classmates, instructor, and CLUE librarian; student typically submits all drafting assignments, including essay drafts and written partner/peer reviews, satisfactorily and promptly and demonstrates regular, engaged participation in draft workshop activities. 4

Student rarely makes meaningful, relevant contributions to class discussions; student rarely “spaces out” and typically maintains a respectful attitude toward classmates, instructor, and CLUE librarian; student occasionally submits drafting assignments, including essay drafts and written partner/peer reviews, satisfactorily and promptly but typically demonstrates engaged participation in draft workshop activities. 3

Student never makes meaningful, relevant contributions to class discussions; student occasionally “spaces out” but typically maintains a respectful attitude toward classmates, instructor, and CLUE librarian; student rarely submits drafting assignments, including essay drafts and written partner/peer reviews, satisfactorily and promptly and only occasionally demonstrates engaged participation in draft workshop activities.

2

Student never contributes to class discussions; student frequently “spaces out” but rarely engages in side conversations and otherwise maintains a respectful attitude toward classmates, instructor, and CLUE librarian; although the student submits some drafting materials, they are neither satisfactorily done nor promptly completed; student rarely demonstrates engaged participation in draft workshop activities. 1

Student never contributes to class discussions; student engages in side conversations or other disruptive or disrespectful behaviors including, but not limited to, any inappropriate usage of technology in class; student blatantly sleeps in class; student openly manifests a negative or disrespectful attitude toward classmates, instructor, or CLUE librarian; student never submits drafting assignments, including essay drafts and written partner/peer reviews, satisfactorily and promptly and never demonstrates engaged participation in draft workshop activities.

0

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