Schedule & Grades

General Course Schedule

Below you may find a general overview of what our weeks will focus on. These units correspond with the formal writing projects you are asked to do, detailed in Course Content. Your homework and deadlines will be communicated and provided on our D2L class page. 

This schedule is subject to change due to cancellations, advanced or slowed progress through the course material, or other unforeseen circumstances. I will communicate any changes to you in advance (when possible) via D2L Announcements and/or MavMAIL. 

Important Dates & Deadlines

Grades

Your final grade will be determined by the amount of effort and labor you put into the class, as detailed in our course Grading Contract. Once you have read the grading contract and thought about how much effort you are willing to put into the course, I will ask you to digitally sign your contract. If for any reason you do not accomplish the expected amount of labor for the grade you want in the course, at the end of the semester you will earn the grade that most closely aligns with the amount of work you completed. I encourage you to check your D2L gradebook often and reach out to me whenever you have questions or concerns about your grade.

Note: A “C” is the lowest passing grade that a student may earn in English 101. A “C-” or below will require that the student retake the course.

If you want an A in the class, you must do BOTH of the following extra assignments:

• Additional Peer Response Partnerships (out of class)

For each formal writing project in class, you must have one other person give feedback on your project outside of class time.  This could be another student in class, a student that is not in our class, or an adult/instructor that is not me! This peer response MUST be done before the final deadline for the project.

• Mini Writing Project: Choose ONE of the following mini writing projects to complete during the semester. Each project aligns with one unit in class—therefore, the mini writing project is due at the end of that unit. Due dates are listed with each project below. Your mini writing project should be 600–900 words (2–3 double-spaced pages).

  • • Option 1: Letter to a Literacy Sponsor

During Unit I, we’ll read an article by Deborah Brandt titled “Sponsors of Literacy,” and you’ll think, talk, and write about people who have been influential to your literacy education. For this mini writing project, you’ll compose a letter addressed to one of your literacy sponsors. It can be anyone you deem influential to your literacy education—a family member, friend, teacher, coach, etc. Tell the person why you view them as an influential person in your literacy education—what they did to help you learn about reading and writing. Some guiding questions: What, specifically, do you remember learning from them? Why does this stick out in your memory? What does this experience mean for you now, as a student in ENG 101? Keep your focus on literacy, specifically, even if the person has helped you grow in other areas too. You do not have to send your letter to the sponsor, but you’re most welcome to send it if you want to.

• Option 2: Letter to Research Participants

During Unit III in class, you will work in a group to study an issue within a particular discourse community. For this mini writing project, you will compose a letter to your research participants updating them on the status and findings of your project. Remind the participants what you studied and why, thank them for their participation, and share what you learned. Additionally, share any implications from your research that you think would affect the participants’ participation in their discourse community and why. Please do not send this letter to any participants, even if you know. Sending the letter would be a breach of confidentiality.

• Option 3: Letter to a Future Composition Student

By this point in the semester, you’ve completed the majority of the work required in ENG 101 and you’ve been introduced to several new concepts about writing. You’ve almost finished composing your own theory of writing, based on what you’ve learned. For this mini writing project, you’ll take that knowledge and turn it into a meaningful (and honest) recommendation for a future ENG 101 student. Some guiding questions: What can the student expect to learn in this class? What advice do you have? Perhaps, what do you wish you’d known coming in to this class? Keep your focus on the content of the class—what future students can hope to learn—not on the instructor, time of day, etc.