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ENGL 105 writing at the research university

“Words—so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them." —Nathaniel Hawthorne

GREENLAW HALL, Room 103; T,TH 8:00am-9:15am; SPRING 2020; SEC 050

Our external course website to showcase your work: https://engl105sp2020.web.unc.edu/

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA at CHAPEL HILL

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YOUR INSTRUCTOR: PAUL E. BLOM, MA

Photo credit: Sarah Boyd
  • Email: paulblom@live.unc.edu
  • Office: Greenlaw Hall, Room 509
  • Office Hours: Tuesdays, 9:30am-11:00am; Thursdays, 9:30am-11:00am; & by appointment (Note: You are welcome to visit me during office hours unannounced, but due to the high volume of student visits, it's best if you set up an appointment with me in advance.)
  • Mail: Greenlaw Hall, CB #3520, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3520
  • UNC profile page: https://englishcomplit.unc.edu/grad-student/paul-blom/
  • Professional website: https://pauleblom.com/

Get to know your instructor:

I received my BA in English with a minor in Creative Writing from Birmingham-Southern College in Birmingham, AL in 2008. I then received my MA in English from DePaul University in Chicago, IL in 2010. I have extensive experience as a writing tutor, editor, proofreader, freelance copywriter, and private instructor in the areas of writing, composition, and literary analysis. I have served as the Teaching Fellow for the Yale University summer session study-abroad course AFST S350/FILM S340/HLTH S350: Visual Approaches to Global Health (2015, 2016, 2019, and upcoming in 2020) which combines traditional epidemiological methods with visual storytelling in Johannesburg, South Africa and Mbabane, Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland). I am also currently on retainer as a writer of promotional videos, short narrative films, and documentary films for Creative Cabin Studios of Atlanta, GA and Visual Epidemiology of New Haven, CT.

This is my third year at UNC-Chapel Hill, where I am currently a doctoral student in English Literature, planning to concentrate on the long twentieth-century American Literature (from 1865 to contemporary) and its intersections with health humanities and literary trauma studies.

As an instructor of ENGL105, I look forward to the opportunity to introduce all of you to a variety of disciplines, genres, and modalities for communication, expression, and composition. It is my fervent belief that critical thinking, as a tool for better understanding the perspectives of others, when combined with improved abilities for careful and effectively thoughtful communication, can be tools to create better interpersonal connections on an individual, local, national, and international scale, ultimately creating a better world for us all.

As an instructor, I aim to challenge you to grow and excel, but I am also dedicated to providing support to my students in times of crisis or other extenuating circumstances. It is important that you know that I have received the following training so that you feel comfortable coming to me if you feel it necessary. Although I aspire to challenge you towards intellectual growth, I feel that my role is also one of support and guidance. Please know that I am here to advocate for your success and personal well-being. In an attempt to support such growth and health, I have completed the following training sessions so that I might be better equipped to support you in times of need:

For a brief list of some of my work see the following:

REQUIRED MATERIALS
COURSE DESCRIPTION

Welcome to ENGL 105, Writing at the Research University! In this course, we will investigate how writing works across the disciplines at the research university (specifically the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities). We will discover how different disciplines frame research questions, evaluate evidence, and make knowledge claims. In order to accomplish the objectives set for this course, you cannot think about writing as merely an assignment that satisfies a list of requirements to achieve a grade. Thinking about writing only as a means to this end renders it artificial, solitary, and static.

Instead, I want you to view writing as dynamic and problem-based. In this class, you will participate in writing activities that call upon you to think about and place yourself in realistic rhetorical situations. Your writing will become dynamic by actively responding to practical situations common to academic communities and engaging with those communities. I want you to view your writing, as well as yourself as a writer, as a work in progress. This course is more than a series of essays for grades; it is a progression of encounters with rhetorical situations and genres that will prepare you to be an effective writer and communicator in college and in your professional lives after college.

COURSE GOALS & LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course you will be able to:

  • Employ conventions, genres, and rhetoric practiced in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
  • Conduct research using a variety of methods, databases, and sources.
  • Discuss and present research-based arguments and information.
  • Identify how best to use research and evidence in discipline-specific compositions.
  • Compose using written, oral, and multimedia modes.
  • Review and revise one’s own work and assist others in revising their work.

Specifically, we will work toward the following goals:

  • Reimagine, redefine, and understand the complexities of “writing” and “rhetoric.”
  • Develop skills and awareness around your own writing and writing process.
  • Develop writing strategies, awareness, and self-assessment skills to help you confidently approach future writing challenges that you encounter in your academic and professional lives at UNC and beyond.
  • Tailor compositions to specific audiences and rhetorical situations by analyzing and adapting genre conventions in multiple communities.
  • Develop a social and process-oriented approach to composition in which collaboration and revision are central components.
  • Compose across technologies and modalities in words, sounds, images, video, and hypertexts.
  • Identify, evaluate, and appropriately use relevant research and resources to support your compositions.
COURSE DESIGN

The course will be organized around the following principles:

  • Student-centered: As opposed to a presentational lecture format, ENGL 105/105i classes will be taught using a workshop approach that promotes interactive, experiential learning. The class will function as a seminar with 20 or fewer students, which means that each student will have a voice in the class and will be called upon to participate fully. My instruction will emphasize process: how to read, write, analyze, interpret, understand, and create oral, written, or multimedia texts. My role in this class is not that of a traditional teacher who stands at the front of the room and lectures. Rather, I am someone who offers structure, motivation, support, perspective, and feedback as YOU engage with your classmates and the course projects. While I will ultimately take on the role of the evaluator at the end of the semester, my main focus is on empowering you to make decisions about your writing because that’s when you learn the most.
  • Group-oriented: Classes will be taught using a workshop approach that emphasizes the role of learning by writing and promotes interactive, experiential learning. Each of you will become a member of a small working group. These groups will serve as writing groups, discussion groups, and smaller cohorts in the larger classroom community. We will be using Sakai (UNC’s online course management system) as forums for posting and responding to drafts in progress and as a communication system so that you can access the syllabus and daily homework assignments electronically.
  • Community-centered: ENGL 105/105i will introduce you to key campus resources and may engage you with projects that seek an audience outside the class. In addition to introducing you to the world-class library resources available at UNC, you may also engage with a range of other campus partners, such as the Media Resources Center, rare books and special collections at Wilson Library, Ackland Art Museum, Carolina Performing Arts, and PlayMakers Repertory Company.
  • Activity-focused: Each class will consist of a sequence of activities that engage students in the writing process: how to read, write, analyze, interpret, understand, and create texts. You will always be working on a project; each week you should be working on components of that project in class and between classes.
  • Process-based: We will move through three units, each one containing short “feeder” assignments that build into one substantial unit project. The feeder assignments are generally designed to give you practice with a particular skill (such as finding potential grants or analyzing secondary sources) while the unit projects will ask you to synthesize primary and secondary research. Using a process-based approach, you will write multiple drafts, receive ongoing feedback from your peers and instructor, and participate in evaluating your own and others’ projects throughout the composition process.
  • Project-based: The three unit projects will engage you in rhetorical situations that explore real-world contexts for writing and research that start from a problem or research question.
  • Genre-based: The projects include a range of genres, forms, and mediums. You will get experience with genres such as the conference paper, journal article, business pitch, digital exhibit, or recommendation report. These genres will offer spoken and written modes as well as different mediums—including print and digital formats.
  • Research-based: You will undertake research projects that involve a variety of research methods. These methods could be textual, library research, or they could also include archival research methods and/or other types of empirical methods—such as interviews, observations, or experimentation.
  • Publication-oriented: Addressing an audience (not the teacher/grader) is key. ENGL 105/105i students are asked to “publish” their projects through a course structure using portfolios, presenting at a conference held during the exam period, or submitting to journals or an online format.
EVALUATION & GRADING

This course will function on a simple point grading system. Further details and assignment handouts will be provided via Sakai for each major assignment, etc. listed below:

  • Feeder Assignments: 5% each x 6 = 30% total
  • Unit 1 Final Project (Popular science article): 15%
  • Unit 2 Final Project (Ethnography presentation): 15%
  • Unit 3 Final Project (Literary analysis video essay): 15%
  • Course Blog Post: 5%
  • Class Participation and Engagement: 20%

To calculate your overall participation grade, I record a daily participation grade for each student for every single class session based on the following criteria:

  • Attended all class sessions and conferences
  • Arrived on time and fully prepared
  • Engaged during class discussions and other activities
  • Actively participated in group/partner work
  • Completed all peer review activities
  • Displayed significant investment in the revision process
  • Note: If I notice you are not fully engaged or are engaged with non-class activities, your participation grade for the day will be severely lowered. Additionally, being disruptive earns an automatic participation grade of 0 for the day.

Note: There is no final exam for this course.

Feeders will be graded based on completion, prompt submission, and attention to assignment details. Unit projects will be evaluated by rubrics developed by the instructor according to Writing Program standards and individual assignment expectations.

Each unit will reflect a particular discipline: the natural sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities. Additionally, one of these units may integrate a business writing component, one will integrate an oral communication component, and another will integrate a digital literacy component.

Whether we are doing group work, peer editing, having a class discussion, or taking a trip to the library, you should be alert and willing to participate in all activities. Not being on task, checking social media, failing to engage with the day’s material, or failing to bring a draft to class will significantly lower your participation grade. Participation grades may also be lowered for inappropriate or disruptive behavior during class. Attendance is expected. Missing class will impact your participation grade. Disruptive behavior will earn you a 0 for your daily participation grade. An absence earns a 50 if you still submitted your work for the day, unless your absence is excused by the Dean of Students. Contact me ahead of time if you are experiencing an issue that might affect your ability to attend class, and we will discuss your options. For more information about the University attendance policies (and what to do if you feel you have extenuating circumstances regarding your absence), see https://catalog.unc.edu/policies-procedures/attendance-grading-examination/#text.

Final letter grades are determined based on the following scale:

  • A (93-100)
  • A- (90-92)
  • B+ (87-89)
  • B (83-86)
  • B- (80-82)
  • C+ (77-79)
  • C (73-76)
  • C- (70-72)
  • D+ (67-69)
  • D (63-66)
  • F (below 63)

I will use traditional rounding to determine grades that fall between whole values. Any mixed number with a decimal value of five tenths or higher will round up to the next whole number. (For example, 92.5 will round up to an A as a 93, but 92.4 will not.)

Late Assignments

Each assignment should be completed and prepared in the correct format for submission on the day it is due. This includes homework, drafts, presentations, final drafts of feeder assignments, and final drafts of unit projects. Unless otherwise specified, daily homework assignments and larger projects will typically be due via electronic submission through Sakai the night before a class session by 11:59pm. Late submissions of daily homework assignments will significantly affect your participation grade. Regarding graded assignments such as your blog post, feeders, and unit projects, I will typically not accept late submissions. Plan ahead to prepare for potential conflicts or submission/technical issues so you can avoid them. If your assignment is late or is going to be late, however, I urge you to communicate with me immediately and attempt to submit the assignment as soon as possible to see if we can determine a work-around to potentially minimize how much it hurts your grade.

Most assignments will be submitted electronically, and it is YOUR responsibility to ensure that your assignment was posted/submitted successfully. I will not accept excuses involving “technical glitches” or “uploading errors.” It is your job to upload or submit your assignment and then click to double-check and confirm that the correct document was submitted and that it was submitted successfully. I will simply grade based on the document available from your submission.

Despite all of the above, I do recognize that life happens, and sometimes, extenuating circumstances may prevent you from completing an assignment by the deadline. If you feel you cannot complete an assignment by the deadline, speak with me, and we might be able to work out a reasonable timeline that accommodates you. I will consider granting extensions on assignments up to 48 hours before the due date. Do NOT contact me the night before the assignment is due and expect an extension. I will only consider granting extensions for reasons I consider valid.

WHAT I EXPECT FROM YOU
  • Attend all class sessions. This is a workshop-based course, which means your participation is vital to the overall success of the course, both for you and your peers. You can’t participate if you’re not here, both physically and mentally present. I expect you to attend every single class session. Failure to do so will affect your participation grade. Note that missing student-instructor conferences will count as an absence. UNC policy states that there is no such thing as an excused absence except for missing a class session in order to participate in a mandatory university-sponsored activity or if approved by the Dean of Students due to extenuating circumstances. Being sick, family trips, and doctor visits are not excused absences and will affect your participation grade. If you miss a class session, it is your responsibility to reach out to me or your classmates (especially the other members of your working group) to find out what information you missed, including upcoming assignments, changes in the schedule, etc. Ideally, you should contact me ahead of time if you think you may need to miss a class. I do not want to know the reason for your absence; if you feel your absence involves extenuating circumstances, please contact the Dean of Students who will make a determination and, if necessary, contact me to excuse your absence, at which point I will adjust your participation grade for the day(s) missed. Please note that the Honor Code also applies to such requests made to the Dean of Students. The UNC Writing Program’s policy states that students must attend 75% of class sessions. See the University attendance policy at https://catalog.unc.edu/policies-procedures/attendance-grading-examination/#text.
  • Arrive on time. Class begins strictly at 8:00am, at which point you should already be in your seat, ready to engage with the day’s material. Tardiness will affect your participation grade.
  • Be prepared daily with assignments, drafts, readings, etc. If you show up to class without your assignments, rough drafts, or laptop, you will be unable to engage with the material for the day and unable to contribute to class in a meaningful way, which will inevitably affect your participation grade.
  • Engage actively in all in-class exercises, writing workshops, and activities. Participate intensively and diligently with your peers. Collaborate with your classmates by offering consistently thoughtful questions, reactions, feedback, and discussion related to their work and ideas. By closely engaging with your peers’ work, both you and your classmates will grow as writers, and we will all learn and benefit from a collectively engaged community.
  • Complete every assignment thoroughly, thoughtfully, and punctually. I expect your best effort and attention to all reading, writing, and day-to-day activities in the course. Please note that absence does not excuse you from completing any missed assignments. It is your responsibility to figure out what assignments you have missed and to work out an appropriate timeline with me for making them up. (Most, if not all, assignments will be submitted electronically. If an assignment is due for a class session you miss, you are still responsible for submitting that assignment on time.)
  • Give thoughtful peer feedback during class workshops, and work faithfully with your group on other collaborative tasks (such as sharing papers, commenting on drafts, peer editing, online discussion boards, answering peer questions, etc.).
  • Sustain effort and investment on each draft of all assignments (at least 2-3 drafts on average).
  • Make substantive revisions when the assignment is to revise, extending or changing the thinking or the organization, not just editing or touching up. While you do not have to make every change suggested by your readers, final drafts should show growth from original drafts and evidence of your thoughtful engagement with peer and instructor feedback.
  • Copy-edit successfully all final revisions of assignments so they conform to the conventions of edited American English. While we will prioritize higher-order concerns (ideas) over lower-order ones (sentence-level issues), your attention to detail reflects your level of professionalism. The same standard for print projects applies equally to multimedia projects.
  • Be consistent. All assignments, unless otherwise specified, are to be completed and submitted in standard academic format: Microsoft Word, one-inch margins on all sides, double-spaced in size 12 Times New Roman black font, with a header in the top-right corner that consists of page numbers accompanied by student’s last name (such as Blom 1, Blom 2, etc.).
IMPORTANT UNIVERSITY DATES
  • Wed. Jan. 8: FDOC (first day of classes)
  • Thurs. Jan. 9: First class session for ENGL 105, Sec 050
  • Mon. Jan. 20: Dr. MLK, Jr. Day (no classes held)
  • Fri. Mar. 6: Spring Break begins at 5:00pm
  • Mon. Mar. 16: Spring Break ends (classes resume at 8:00am)
  • Fri. April 10: Holiday (no classes held)
  • Thurs. April 23: Final class session for ENGL 105, Sec 050
  • Fri. April 24: LDOC (last day of classes)
  • Mon. April 27: Final grades for ENGL 105, Sec 050 reported

(Again, there is no final exam for this course.)

For UNC's various calendars and dates, see https://registrar.unc.edu/academic-calendar/.

DUE DATES
  • Feeder 1.1: Wed. Jan. 22 by 11:59pm
  • Feeder 1.2: Wed. Jan. 29 by 11:59pm
  • Unit Project 1: Wed. Feb. 12 by 11:59pm
  • Feeder 2.1: Wed. Feb. 26 by 11:59pm
  • Feeder 2.2: Wed. March 4 by 11:59pm
  • Unit Project 2: Mon. March 23 by 11:59pm
  • Feeder 3.1: Wed. April 1 by 11:59pm
  • Feeder 3.2: Wed. April 8 by 11:59pm
  • Unit Project 3: Wed. April 22 by 11:59pm
  • Course Blog Post: TBD

Note: Typically, all assignments will be submitted electronically. The due dates listed above are for the final drafts of each of these assignments. You will be expected to complete and turn in earlier drafts of all of these assignments throughout the semester. Unless otherwise specified, all assignments and drafts are due by 11:59pm on the given due date. Late submission of drafts will severely affect your grades.

COURSE POLICIES

Please remember that the syllabus functions as a contract between the instructor and the students. You are responsible for knowing and abiding by these policies. Everyone has an “off” day now and then, but when you are here, you need to be present, both physically and mentally.

COURSE POLICIES: PLAGIARISM/THE HONOR CODE

The Honor Code applies to everything that we do at this university, including our use of outside sources in our research and writing. Our work in this class will conform to the principles and procedures defined in the Instrument of Student Judicial Governance (http://instrument.unc.edu/). The research that we do this semester, whether primary or secondary, print or online, formal or informal, will require careful documentation on your part. We will review citation guidelines early and often throughout the semester. The need to cite your sources applies to all of your work, including drafts as well as final versions of your feeders and projects. When in doubt: CITE.

If I suspect you of plagiarizing all or part of a paper, even unintentionally, I am required to report the offense to the Honor Court. If you think you are running into trouble with an assignment, PLEASE come and speak with me. To learn more about plagiarism, see the UNC Writing Center’s page (https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/plagiarism/) or the tutorial from the UNC Libraries (https://guides.lib.unc.edu/plagiarism).

COURSE POLICIES: CLASS DECORUM

There is a common saying that if you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not learning or growing. Although I aspire to make my students intellectually “uncomfortable” by challenging (and hopefully expanding) the ways in which they deconstruct texts (and the world around them) and write their own, I most definitely do NOT wish to make my students uncomfortable in that they feel attacked, exploited, mistreated, or neglected. I encourage an “uncomfortable” classroom (both our physical class space and our digital class space on Sakai or other similar media) in an aspiration for intellectual stimulation and growth via exposure to new perspectives, texts, ideas, and voices. In contrast to that interest in expanding one’s perspectives, I certainly do not wish to create and will not tolerate a learning environment that is hostile, cruel, or exploitative.

We can never guarantee that a classroom will be a completely “safe” space. However, I believe that our classroom should be a sacred space where students can share their thoughts and ideas without fear. We are here to collaborate, to learn with and from each other. I value a free exchange of ideas as long as that exchange prioritizes mutual respect, inclusivity, and assumptions of good faith.

During our coursework, we may engage with texts that involve intense content, content some may find emotionally triggering, upsetting, or controversial. This means that our discussions may be equally difficult and potentially intense. I will do my best to be sensitive to such potential reactions, and I expect all of you to do the same. I expect everyone to treat such material responsibly and appropriately as we discuss them. I also ask that within our classroom community, we approach such discussions with an assumption that we are all approaching these texts and this class in good faith and with good intentions.

Additionally, we will share and comment on each other’s drafts, posts, papers, and other projects. We will engage in difficult discussions and provide comments and feedback on each other’s work both within the classroom and via other forms of communication such as the Sakai discussion forums or dropbox, etc. Again, some of our discussions or interactions may be especially challenging. During all of our interactions, however, we will always maintain an environment of inclusiveness and mutual respect.

If you have concerns about any aspects of our class environment, please communicate them directly to me immediately, so I have a chance to address those concerns and, if necessary, make appropriate changes or adjustments. I sincerely welcome your feedback.
OTHER COURSE POLICIES

Technology

  • Computers: Please bring your computer to class every day. Be sure that it is fully charged because our classroom has limited and inconveniently placed outlets. Remember that use of your computer for activities not related to class will harm your participation grade.
  • Cell Phones: You can use your cell phone as a classroom tool to take pictures of the board or print materials, record short lectures, navigate Sakai, view our readings, etc. However, cell phones should not be used for endeavors unrelated to class during class sessions.
  • Other Devices: Tablets and any other devices are welcome as long as you are using them for work related to this course.

In this class, we will use Sakai (www.sakai.unc.edu), UNC’s online course management system, for a number of course assignments. If you have difficulty accessing our Sakai page, please let me know ASAP.

Remember: Just because you have access to the internet during class does not mean that you should be using our class time to post on social media, check your email, etc. If I notice that your participation is suffering due to technological distractions, I will ask you to come in for a conference so that we can discuss a plan of action.

Finally, it is important that you check your UNC email and our course Sakai site daily for messages and updates, as these will be our primary forms of communication inside and outside of class. Please keep all correspondence courteous and professional. I aim to respond to email within 48 hours during business hours (Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm). Note: Before you email me with a question about the course, please review the syllabus and specific assignment prompts carefully to see if the answer is readily available there.

Non-Discrimination Policy

The University is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment and to ensuring that educational and employment decisions are based on individuals’ abilities and qualifications. Consistent with these principles and applicable laws, it is therefore the University’s policy not to discriminate on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status as consistent with the University’s Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment and Related Misconduct. No person, on the basis of protected status, shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation under any University program or activity, including with respect to employment terms and conditions. Such a policy ensures that only relevant factors are considered and that equitable and consistent standards of conduct and performance are applied.

Title IX makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender are Civil Rights offenses subject to the same kinds of accountability and support applied to offenses against other protected categories. If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted, I encourage you to investigate these resources:

Accessibility Statement

Disabilities can be visible and invisible, and I am dedicated to ensuring that all students succeed in my course. If there are circumstances that may affect your performance in this class, please let me know as soon as possible, so that we can work together to develop strategies for adapting assignments to meet both your needs and the requirements of the course. If you have information you wish to share with me about a disability, disorder, or neurodiversity issue, if you have emergency medical information you think I should know about, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please set up an appointment with me to discuss this during office hours.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ensures that no qualified person shall by reason of a disability be denied access to, participation in, or the benefits of, any program or activity operated by the University. In compliance with UNC policy and federal law, qualified students with psychological, physical, and other disabilities are eligible to receive “reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to education opportunities, programs, and activities” (https://ars.unc.edu/about-ars/policies).

If you anticipate such accommodations and/or have concerns that should be discussed, please notify me as soon as possible so that appropriate arrangements can be made. Additionally, you may seek out student support services at the Accessibility Resources and Services Office (ARS). UNC-Chapel Hill facilitates the implementation of reasonable accommodations for students with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, mental health struggles, chronic medical conditions, temporary disability, or pregnancy complications, all of which can impair student success. See the ARS website for contact and registration information: https://ars.unc.edu/about-ars/contact-us or https://accessibility.unc.edu/students.

Other student support services are available through the Learning Center (http://learningcenter.unc.edu/) and through Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). CAPS is strongly committed to addressing the mental health needs of a diverse student body through timely access to consultation and connection to clinically appropriate services, whether for short- or long-term needs. Go to their website (https://caps.unc.edu) or visit their facilities on the third floor of the Campus Health Services building for a walk-in evaluation to learn more.

RESOURCES

In addition to various handouts or other resources I will post to our Sakai course site, there are a wide variety of resources to help you succeed in this class and beyond.

The UNC Writing Center, located in SASB North and in Greenlaw Hall, Room 221, offers free tutoring services for students. You may visit the Writing Center to ask for help with a specific paper, whether you are concerned with developing ideas and content, organizing your assignment, or working on style issues. To make an appointment, browse the Writing Center’s online resources, or send a draft online, please go to http://writingcenter.unc.edu/. To make the best use of your time there, please bring a copy of both your assignment sheet and your draft with you. The Writing Center will not proofread papers or discuss grades with you. The Writing Center also has an excellent array of tips and tools at https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/.

Additionally, the Purdue Online Writing Lab (https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html) and your textbook, Tar Heel Writing Guide, are fantastic resources for learning more about mechanics, style, grammar, and citations. I’d also be happy to recommend other useful style guides, tools, reference materials, etc. if you ask.

The sister organization to the UNC Writing Center is the UNC Learning Center, which offers valuable resources for all other learning-related issues or needs, including tips for adjusting to college life, study strategies, and time-management skills: http://learningcenter.unc.edu/.

The UNC Libraries also have amazing resources and dedicated, knowledgeable individuals who will assist you with your research: http://library.unc.edu/. This includes one-on-one consultations with a librarian who can assist you in forming or executing a research plan. These consultations are specifically for ENGL105 students and can be extremely valuable: http://library.unc.edu/house/105help/.

COMMUNICATION IS KEY

I cannot stress enough the need for clear communication. It is your responsibility to check your email and our course Sakai page for updates and announcements. If you miss a class session, it is your responsibility to reach out to me or your classmates to find out what information you missed, including upcoming assignments, changes to the syllabus, etc.

Additionally, if you are experiencing larger issues that are affecting your performance as a student or your college life in general, please feel free to reach out to me directly or to contact various on-campus resources that can assist you, including the resources mentioned above in the “Policies” or “Resources” section of this syllabus as well as the Dean of Students, Campus Health Services, and the Office of Campus Safety. These resources can offer assistance and support and, at your discretion, can communicate your situation to your instructors through an official capacity. UNC is a very supportive academic environment; we all genuinely want each of you to succeed, but no one can help you if you don’t reach out, to me or to those other resources.

If you need help, ASK! If you are falling behind or need extra help or have concerns about our classroom environment, please let me know. We can discuss brief concerns before or after class, and we can have an extended conversation and/or conference during my office hours. To schedule an appointment, please email me at paulblom@live.unc.edu.

COURSE SCHEDULE

All drafts (including final drafts submitted for a grade) are due the night before (by 11:59pm) the day on which they are listed. For example, the Rough Draft of Feeder 1.1 is listed below on Tues. Jan. 21. This means that you must submit it by 11:59pm the night before, on Mon. Jan. 20. For clarification purposes, see the “Due Dates” section listed above.

Additionally, any assigned reading listed for a particular date should be read prior to that date. For instance, the assigned reading from the THWG of Part 2-3 is listed for Jan. 16. This means that students should come to class on Jan. 16 having completed that reading and ready to discuss it.

Any time you submit a draft, assume that we will workshop that draft in groups or partners the next day in class, so always come to class ready to discuss your draft and provide thoughtful feedback to your peers on their draft.

Week 1

  • Thurs. Jan. 9: Introduction to the course; syllabus overview

Week 2

  • Tues. Jan. 14: The writing process; begin Unit 1: Writing in the Natural Sciences; due the night before: UNC Libraries Plagiarism Tutorial (have proof of your completion of this tutorial forwarded to me via email at paulblom@live.unc.edu; assigned reading: THWG “Introduction,” Part 2-1: “Understanding Rhetorical Knowledge through Genre Awareness,” Part 2-2: “The Writing Process,” and Part 1-1: “Writing in the Natural Sciences”; “Shitty First Drafts,” by Anne Lamott (Sakai>Resources>Readings)
  • Thurs. Jan. 16: Library day (class meets in Undergraduate Lib., Room 124); due the night before: Feeder 1.1 Topics; assigned reading: THWG Part 2-3: “Conducting Primary & Secondary Research”

Week 3

  • Tues. Jan. 21: Research: evaluating and integrating outside sources; best practices for peer feedback and workshopping; due the night before: Feeder 1.1 Rough Draft; assigned reading: UNC Libraries: “Why We Cite”: CSE/CBE 8th ed. Name-Year: “Sample References Page,” “In-Text Citations,” “Print Sources,” “Online Sources”
  • Thurs. Jan. 23: Study design; thinking critically about scientific studies; due the night before: Feeder 1.1 Final Draft, for a grade; assigned reading: “10 Monkeys and a Beetle: Inside VW’s Campaign for ‘Clean Diesel’” by Jack Ewing, The New York Times, 25 Jan. 2018 (Sakai>Resources>Readings)

Week 4

  • Tues. Jan. 28: The structure of scholarly discourse vs. narrative discourse; due the night before: Feeder 1.2 Rough Draft
  • Thurs. Jan. 30: Looking at genre models for popular health articles; due the night before: Feeder 1.2 Final Draft, for a grade

Week 5

  • Tues. Feb. 4: Grammar, punctuation, local errors, and proofreading; due the night before: Find at least one image of a (preferably funny) local error and email it to me at paulblom@live.unc.edu. You can find these either online or preferably in real life and then photographed by you; assigned reading: “Grammar and Parts of Speech” PowerPoint (Sakai>Resources>Readings)
  • Thurs. Feb. 6: Sentence structure/syntax; due the night before: Unit Project 1 Rough Draft

Week 6

  • Tues. Feb. 11: Paragraph structure, format, and transitions; continue work on Unit Project 1 in class; assigned reading: THWG Part 2-6: “Preparing an e-Portfolio”
  • Thurs. Feb. 13: Begin Unit 2: Writing in the Social Sciences; in-class reflections on UP1; choose UP2 topics in class; due the night before: UP1 Final Draft, for a grade; assigned reading: THWG Part 1-2: “Writing in the Social Sciences”

Week 7

  • Tues. Feb. 18: Ethnographies and research questions; assigned reading: UNC Libraries APA: “Sample References Page,” “In-Text Citations,” “Print Sources,” “Online Sources”
  • Thurs. Feb. 20: Source collection and citation work for Feeder 2.1 in class; due the night before: Feeder 2.1 “Preliminary Field Notes and Research Question”

Week 8

  • Tues. Feb. 25: Subcultures, observations, and interviews; due the night before: Feeder 2.1 Rough Draft
  • Thurs. Feb. 27: Descriptions and detail; word choice/diction, style, and tone; due the night before: Feeder 2.1 Final Draft, for a grade

Week 9

  • Tues. March 3: Looking at genre models for ethnographic studies; due the night before: Feeder 2.2 Rough Draft
  • Thurs. March 5: Editing/condensing text; writing conclusions; due the night before: Feeder 2.2 Final Draft, for a grade

Week 10

  • Tues. March 10: Spring Break (we will not meet for class)
  • Thurs. March 12: Spring Break (we will not meet for class)

Week 11

  • Tues. March 17: Oral communication and presentation strategies; due the night before: Unit Project 2, Draft 1; assigned reading: THWG Part 2-4: “Publishing & Presenting Your Research”
  • Thurs. March 19: Writing introductions; due the night before: Unit Project 2, Draft 2

Week 12

  • Tues. March 24: In-class presentations of Unit Project 2; due the night before: UP 2 Final Draft, for a grade
  • Thurs. March 26: Finish in-class presentations of Unit Project 2 (if needed); begin Unit 3: Writing in the Humanities; in-class reflections on UP2; how to close read a text; due the night before: Feeder 3.1 – Story Selection Worksheet, Question #1; assigned reading: THWG Part 1-3: “Writing in the Humanities”

Week 13

Week 14

  • Tues. April 7: Digital literacy and visual literacy; due the night before: Feeder 3.2 Rough Draft; assigned reading: THWG Part 2-5: “Digital Literacy”; William Blake’s “The Tyger,” 1794 (Sakai>Resources>Readings)
  • Thurs. April 9: Media Resources Center (MRC) day; class meets at the MRC in the basement of the Undergraduate Library (UL); due the night before: Feeder 3.2 Final Draft, for a grade

Week 15

  • Tues. April 14: Continue work on footage collection/editing for UP3 in class; due the night before: Unit Project 3 Storyboard
  • Thurs. April 16: Looking at genre models for engaging video essays; due the night before: Unit Project 3 Rough Cut

Week 16

  • Tues. April 21: Comparing writing in the disciplines; creative writing/narrative structure; writing in business (resumes and cover letters)
  • Thurs. April 23: Final class session for ENGL 105, Sec 050; in-class reflections on UP3; in-class presentations of Unit 3 Project videos; course evaluations and transfer activities; due the night before: UP3 Final Draft, for a grade

Again, there is no final exam for this course. Final grades for ENGL 105, Sec 050 will be reported on Mon. April 27.

Please Note: I reserve the right to make changes to this syllabus as needed, including assignment due dates or reading assignments as listed in the above Course Schedule. It is very likely that small secondary readings will be added to various days listed above. These changes will be announced and shared with the entire class as early as possible.
For every class session, I will post a lesson plan as a GoogleDoc on Sakai at Resources>In-Class Activities. You do not need to access these before each class, but you should have access to them during that class session and should refer to them afterwards, especially if you miss that class. The end of each lesson plan will list homework for the next class session. You should always refer to that document for any adjustments, additions, etc. to this Course Schedule.

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Note: This site is the unofficial version of the course syllabus for Section 050 of ENGL 105, Spring 2020, taught by Paul Blom. The official syllabus has been formally submitted to the University and is also available as a Word document on our Sakai course site under "Resources."

For more information about the course, especially a showcase of student work, see the course website.

Appreciate

Credits:

Created with images by Aaron Burden - "untitled image" • Patrick Tomasso - "untitled image" • Sarah Shaffer - "Business Meeting" • Rubén Rodriguez - "untitled image" • Jan Genge - "untitled image" • Colton Sturgeon - "This book is where I write all my experiences during important trips. every thought, path, and event!" • Feliphe Schiarolli - "This is Brazil." • Nick Hillier - "untitled image" • Estée Janssens - "Back to school with a bullet journal" • William Daigneault - "untitled image" • Perry Grone - "Instagram - @PerryGrone" • Charles Lamb - "Even kings go to war" • Christa Dodoo - "I went to a Renwick Gallery in DC during lunch time and was excited about the stacks of paper that was used to create a huge mountain. This shot was exceptionally intriguing to me since it allows you to describe the image however you like." • Thomas Drouault - "Brainstorming sessions can be an excellent way to drive innovation." • John Schnobrich - "together now" • Andrik Langfield - "untitled image"

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