Achievement+Requirements

=Achievement Requirements=

Below you will find the achievement requirements in entirety. You may also download the document


=General Studies Writing (GSW) 1120 // Secti ­ on 109L (13270)= = MWF 8:30-9:20 AM / University Hall 201 / Spring 2012 =
 * ||  || ====**Instructor:** Mariana Grohowski====
 * ||  || ====**Instructor:** Mariana Grohowski====

Class //Twitter//-feed: @argue_bgsu
||  || =Required Course Texts and Materials= J. Rosen. Pearson Longman, 2011. Print. Yancey. McGraw Hill, 2009. Print. Keeping these charges in mind, students who anticipate using university printers should keep funds available on their BG1 cards ([]). **A lack of funds on a BG1 card is not a valid reason for failing to submit a hard copy.**
 * //Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum.// 11th edition. Laurence and Leonard
 * //A Writer’s Resource.// 3rd edition. Elaine Maimon, Janice Peritz, and Kathleen
 * Portfolio of GSW 1120 materials (available at the BGSU Bookstore and SBX Bookstore).
 * Paper clips or staples and a stapler.
 * A college-level dictionary, such as //Merriam-Webster//, which is available online for no charge (http://www.merriam-webster.com/). Alternatively, you could
 * purchase a hard copy collegiate dictionary, such as //The American Heritage Dictionary//, which is available at the University Bookstore and SBX.
 * Access to BGSU Library Research Guide for our course: [].
 * A laptop with a word processing program (//Microsoft Word// or //Open Office//) that you must bring to every class, fully charged.
 * A means of backing up your work (flash drive, MyFiles, //dropbox.com//).
 * A BGSU email and a MyBGSU account.
 * A //Google// account (in order to use //Google Docs//—the way you’ll turn in your essays).
 * //delicious.com// account (details to follow)
 * A //Twitter// account to respond to assigned readings. Address tweets @argue_bgsu
 * A //Wiki// account in order to access our //Wikispace//: http://gsw1120.wikispaces.com/
 * Funds on BG1 card for printing GSW-related assignments.
 * Students who use BGSU printers **are charged** the following amounts:
 * § $0.05 for a one side printed black and white page
 * § $0.09 for a two side printed black and white page
 * § $0.18 for a one side printed color page
 * § $0.35 for a two side printed color page (To save resources and money, please submit two-sided papers)

**Course Description** GSW 1120, “Academic Writing,” is the last in the series of General Studies Writing (GSW) courses offered at BGSU. Although there are probably hundreds of varieties of academic writing that occur in various contexts (some of which you may have explored in 1100 or 1110), in this class we concentrate on three varieties of writing that are especially prominent in academic settings: the critique, the multiple source synthesis essay, and the synthesized, researched essay. The emphasis in GSW 1120 is on developing critical and analytical skills in reading, thinking, and writing. Specifically, GSW 1120 is designed to provide instruction and extensive practice in reading scholarly articles, writing critiques of texts read, making logical connections among several sources, and writing about those connections. As part of the GSW 1120 research requirement, also provided is the opportunity to learn to use the BGSU library effectively and to utilize a variety of academic sources in your writing. Along with further developing your critical, analytical and rhetorical skills, GSW 1120 will provide further opportunities for consideration, critique, and confirmation of one’s own and others’ values and the importance these values play in communication in all academic disciplines and professions. To achieve these goals you will compose four major essays: one critique of an academic argument; two multiple source syntheses; and one extended/extensive research project (more information below). You will also assemble your work in a portfolio to showcase your development as a writer. The nature of this course is highly collaborative in order to make obvious the social / collaborative nature of communication. This course relies on the contributions of all participants through classroom discussion / activities and through the communication / collaboration to take place through email, //google docs//, and our class //wikispace//. **Course Requirements and Policies** **Classroom Etiquette and Civic Discourse** **Essays**: Here is a more thorough explanation of the above-mentioned, four required and graded essays: __Critique__: The GSW 1120 critique is written as a systematic evaluation of an academic article. An effective critique provides your reader (and yourself) with a full understanding of the article being critiqued, its intended meaning, and its merits and faults. The 1120 critique will be graded on how fairly, accurately, and efficiently the text is summarized, how thoroughly and sensibly it is evaluated, and how clearly the criteria used to evaluate the essay are presented. __Multiple Source Essays (MSE)__: You will write two MSEs for this course although the assignments will be slightly different. In these assignments, you will offer your own argument supported by various sources. You will be expected to present your view on the subject matter of several readings while synthesizing ideas from the authors you have read. While a proficient multiple source essay clearly expresses your own thoughts on a particular issue, it also exhibits your thorough familiarity with differing views on that issue. Your success in writing a proficient multiple source essay will be determined, in part, by how well you understand and synthesize information from the various sources you have read and, in the case of the second multiple source essay, your ability to incorporate sources found through independent research. __Researched Essay__: You will write one researched essay in GSW 1120. This essay will make use of a variety of sources (e.g., journal and newspaper articles, books, online sources, interviews, surveys, etc.). Like the multiple source essays, the researched essay will present your view on a particular issue while synthesizing ideas from a number of sources. The researched essay will be graded on the quality of the research, the clarity and accuracy with which the information is presented, the effectiveness and logic with which sources are used to support your own original and relevant argument, and your use of appropriate documentation of your sources. Because proficiency in argumentative synthesis is a key goal of GSW 1120, **all students must pass the researched essay with a grade of C or higher** in order for their work to be submitted for Portfolio Assessment/to pass 1120. Please follow these format requirements for submitting your work: (see image below)
 * Please come to each class prepared to write, to share your writing and ideas with others, and to revise what you have written.
 * On days we are scheduled to discuss assign readings you must be able to demonstrate that you have read the material.
 * Be sure to always have your work-in-progress available during class.
 * Bring both texts to class every day.
 * In order to ensure your success in the course, it is encouraged that when class begins you keep your Internet activity to a minimum in order not to detract from the classroom dynamic that and your own learning. Unless you are using your mobile phone for research or communication related to the course, please silence and store your phone.
 * Students may not come to class habitually late. Being habitually late will negatively affect participation grades and accrue absences.
 * Class discussion must be respectful. That is, whenever students speak, they should be considerate of other students’ feelings, use appropriate language, and make their points without being combative or confrontational. As well, students should not use discriminatory language regarding their fellow students’ gender, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, age, or anything else. Students should listen to one another, ask questions, and explain their disagreements without attacking others.
 * ● Papers should follow MLA format. Examples and information on MLA can be found in //A Writer’s Resource//. We will also discuss MLA format in class.
 * ● Essays must be word processed, double-spaced, and have standard 1” margins on the right and left sides, top, and bottom of the page.
 * ● The font used for your final drafts should be 12-point Times New Roman or another similarly proportioned and sized font.
 * ● Pages must be numbered with your last name and page number in the upper right-hand corner.
 * ● Your essays must have a title, but please don’t include a separate title page with your papers.

Jones 1 Student-Author Jones

Grohowski

GSW 1120

4 February 2012 Title: A Good Paper

Please be sure to secure these various documents together with a staple or large paper clip. **Other Assignments** **Peer Review Group Conferences** (set up through //wikispace// and will meet face-to-face). Peer Review Group Conferences significantly assist your development as a thinker and writer. Your contributions to the work of classmates are considered a part of the course’s Achievement Requirements. The purpose of the group conference is to expose you to the social nature of writing and to provide multiple suggestions on your work. You will be assigned a group with whom you will share the first drafts of each of the four major essays (through //Google Docs//). You will be required to exchange drafts of essays with your group mates, read and generate thorough and thoughtful feedback (according to guidelines provided for you) on your group mates’ essays, and then come together as a group to discuss each individual’s essay and provide your respective comments and feedback. The purpose of the group conference is four fold: 1. It provides you with a greater audience for your work; 2. Provides you with more-thorough feedback of your work; 3. allows you to earn respect your peers by viewing their work and learning about opinions and perspectives; 4. Helps you develop self-respect and accountability in your efforts to contribute thoughtful feedback to others. **//delicious.com//** **semester-long research assignment** After being introduced to delicious.com you will be asked to create a stack(s), that is, a collection of resources devoted to a research interest, similar to the examples below. The websites you collect, store, and annotate on delicious will help keep track of materials you find interesting, inspiring, or potentially important for your research project. This activity introduces you to: 1) the evolving nature of the research project; 2) the collaborative nature of social bookmarking for inspiring and collecting relevant research while connecting you to others interested in similar information; 3) the ways of annotating sources in an online environment (learning the importance of keyword “tagging”); 4) helping you learn how to organize the infinite amount of information the Internet provides. Handout and Tutorial to follow.
 * ● When you submit a final draft of an essay to me for evaluation, you will submit that through //Google Docs: docs.google.com// (I will show you how to do this).
 * ● However, you will need to include a number of other materials along with it, arranged in the following order 1. A GSW Rubric should be on top (goldenrod color) 2. The assignment sheet should be included next
 * 3. The various drafts of your paper in reverse chronological order. Only drafts which contain substantial revisions or which peers or I have commented upon should be included, however. 4. On the bottom of the stack should be a completed Audience and Values Exploration/Student Process Analysis Sheet (peach color) and all other prewriting you have done for the assignment.

**Reading Assignments and Responses via //Twitter//** Reading in academia is different than casual reading. This is why reading notes are a mandatory and essential part of your success in this course for each of the indicated readings; the following questions should help drive your pursuit (note: you must answer **at least one question** **from each numbered section** but you do not have to answer each question from each numbered section): 1. What arguments drive the article? What concepts or new ideas does it introduce or rely upon? What lines of inquiry does it open up? What questions does it raise? How does this essay prompt me to think? 2. What quotes (minimum of two) are important to you? Include page numbers. 3. What applications or new connections does the argument provide? Does it raise issues you are interested in exploring? Where is this essay taking me? Why am I resisting the argument? Why am I in agreement with the argument? 4. How does this text resonate with other work we have read? Your notes must also have complete bibliographic information for the essay you are analyzing (generate a citation as you would for a Works Cited page). And you must share your notes with me via a Google Doc by the required deadline indicated on the syllabus. Lastly, you are required to compose at least 4 Tweets (140 character posts on //Twitter)// regarding the assigned reading before we discuss the reading in class. Your Tweets will help lead the class discussion of the reading.

**Technology Statement**
This course relies heavily on the use of technology, including but not limited to computers, printers, word processors, Internet services, and electronic document transfer. It is your responsibility to submit your assignments by the given due dates. Problems or difficulties associated with technology—such as a printer running out of ink or the Internet not working—are not considered valid excuses for late work. You should **plan** for contingencies. Should major issues arise, such as a campus wide Internet outage, they will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

**__Attendance__** Attendance in this class is mandatory. Students with excessive absences will not pass this course. More than three absences will be grounds for concern. Class time will be devoted to actively building writing skills by writing and revising, discussing, and critiquing your own writing and the writing of your peers. Such activities simply cannot be “made up” by getting the notes from a peer or by meeting with me. However, should you need to miss class, please be sure to contact me, preferably beforehand.

**__University Closure Due to Bad Weather__** In most cases, the University will not close for winter conditions unless the Wood County Sheriff’s Department declares a Level 3 emergency. Closing information will be communicated through BGSU’s [|AlertBG text system], BGSU e- mail notification, BGSU’s website, and Toledo’s Television stations. (Note: You can sign up for AlertBG, by signing into [|MyBGSU] and clicking on the AlertBG tab at the top of the page.)

**__Religious Holidays__** It is the policy of the University to make every reasonable effort to allow students to observe their religious holidays without academic penalty. In such cases, it is the obligation of the student to provide the instructor with reasonable notice of the dates of religious holidays on which he or she will be absent. Should you need to miss a class due to a religious holiday, you should understand that absence from classes for religious reasons does not relieve you of responsibility for completing required work. In such an event, you should consult with me __well before__ you leave for the holiday to find out what assignments will be due while you are absent—and you subsequently should have the assignments completed and turned in to me prior to missing class.

**__Student Veteran-Friendly Campus__** BGSU educators recognize student veterans’ rights when entering and exiting the university system. If you are a student veteran, please let me know if accommodations need to be made for absences due to drilling or being called to active duty. **__Late Work__** All work must be handed in when I request it in class. I will not accept late work. **__Lost Essays__** You are responsible for maintaining a copy of each draft of your essays. Your essays will be returned to you no later than a week after they have been submitted to me, and all essays must be present in the portfolio at the end of the semester. It is your responsibility to compile these essays in your portfolio folder so that a portfolio assessor can further review them. Since occasionally essays (or backpacks) are stolen, lost, or destroyed, you should keep an additional hard copy of each essay and a back-up disk in a safe place. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to submit a complete portfolio. **Incomplete portfolios will not be evaluated; students without portfolios will not pass the course**. **__Revision Policy__** Knowing how to revise your writing is an important aspect of being a successful writer; therefore, you will be required to write multiple drafts of your papers, and we will work hard on the development of your personal revision and editing skills. One goal of this class is for you to learn to determine when an 1120-level paper has been revised to the point where you can submit it as a “final draft” that will earn a “passing” evaluation. Taking advantage of our class time, your own homework time, my office hours, the Writing Center, and other available services and tools will provide you with the support you need for submitting final drafts that are at the “passing” level. Sometimes, though, even with hard work students submit final drafts that are not passing. If you receive NP grades, **you may revise one multiple source essay and the researched essay** once after their original evaluation but only if you first schedule a conference with me to discuss your revision strategy. A revised essay is due within a week of our conference and should be submitted with the original graded essay and a new rubric. Please note that the grade for a revised essay can be no higher than a C, and that the critique may not be revised after it has been submitted as a final draft. As you consider whether or not to revise a researched essay that has earned an NP grade, please remember that __students must pass the Researched Essay with a grade of C or higher in order to pass this course__. **__Academic Honesty__** Please refer to BGSU’s current //Student Affairs Handbook// (beginning on page 24) [] and to your //GSW portfolio// materials for information regarding BGSU’s academic honesty policies. These policies and penalties apply to our class, as well as to all other classes at BGSU. We will discuss plagiarism and academic honesty in depth this semester.

**__(Dis)Abilities Statement__** If you have a documented disability, which requires accommodations in order to obtain equal access for your learning, please make your needs known to me, preferably during the first week of the semester. Please note that students who request accommodations need to verify their eligibility through the Office of Disability Services, 413 South Hall (phone: 419-372-8495; TTY: 419-372-9455). Opportunities for Additional Assistance with GSW 1120:

Writing Support at the Learning Commons
Located on the first floor of Jerome Library, the Learning Commons is a free, valuable resource providing students with individual tutoring assistance in writing, reading and study skills, math and stats, and content courses. Within the Learning Commons, Writing Support works to create a space where writers feel comfortable discussing and developing their ideas and communication skills. Writing consultants work with writers collaboratively, rather than serving as a proofreading or editing service. Because the Commons will be very busy, you should call ahead to make an appointment: 419-372-2823. On //Facebook//: www.facebook.com/BGSUTheLearningCommons

You may also submit your writing to an online writing consultant by following this link: __[]__ There, you will be given directions for submitting your questions or your entire draft. An email response may take up to 72 hours, and writing consultants are not available on weekends or evenings to give immediate feedback.

Online Assistance with BGSU’s Library Resources
The Welcome New Students LibGuide explains the ins and outs of using the Jerome Library. You should use this site for basic information regarding the library, including how to check out materials and how to renew materials online. []

Library personnel are always ready to help; you are encouraged to visit the Research & Information Desk with questions or concerns. Or, you may contact librarians virtually by using the services described here: [] **Grading System and Overview of Portfolio Assessment Process** **__Essay Grades__** Throughout the term, I will collect and comment upon first drafts (and perhaps on some intermediate drafts) of every essay you write, and I will give them back to you within a week’s time so that you can use my comments as guidelines for revision. Your first drafts will not receive a grade. However, when you submit final drafts of your essays, I will provide you with both written comments and a grade. I will also fill out an evaluation chart (called a “rubric”) for each final draft to indicate the paper’s strengths and weaknesses; like commentary on early drafts, your evaluated final drafts will be returned to you within a week’s time. Each essay you write for GSW 1120 will be graded A, B, C, or NP (Not Passing). An explanation of these grades follows: An **A** essay clearly passes all categories of the rubric. It demonstrates a superior command of the subject matter and presents that information so effectively that the reader enjoys reading the essay and learns from it. The **A** essay shows clear organization that captivates the audience and keeps readers involved through all stages of the essay. Moreover, the **A** essay reveals a sophistication in style and an original voice; sentences are appropriately varied in length and construction; transitions and metadiscourse are used to produce a smooth flow for the reader; connections between sentences and ideas are clear. In addition, individual sentences are concise, clear, and highly specific. The **A** essay demonstrates a high degree of selectivity in word choice and is free of all but a few minor errors in grammar and mechanics. The **A** essay is the work of a writer who is able to deal comfortably with complex material and can present that material effectively for others. As a result of its careful organizational structure and development, all factors, both in content and style, combine to form a unified whole. For the multiple source and researched essays, effective synthesis must be demonstrated for a grade of **A**. A **B** essay clearly passes in all categories of the rubric. It contains few mechanical errors (none of which impede communication), and it effectively delivers a substantial amount of interesting information. The specific points are logically ordered, well-developed, and unified according to a clear organizing principle. The introduction and conclusion are effective, but not as engaging as in the **A** essay. The **B** essay exhibits an understanding of metadiscourse, and transitions are adequately smooth and logical. Sentence structure is sufficiently varied in both length and construction, and the choice of words has been made selectively, with few minor errors in grammar and mechanics. The writing in a **B** essay is organized, clear, coherent, and correct. The essay is far more than competent and, again, must show effective synthesis. A **C** essay passes all categories of the rubric. It is generally competent and reasonably well developed and organized. The **C** essay demonstrates an average knowledge of the subject matter, but the presentation of that information is often vaguely stated and superficially connected. The essay may lack adequate transitions and use of metadiscourse. The sentence structure is often not varied in either length or construction. It may contain some mechanical or grammatical errors, but they do not interfere significantly with meaning. Though the **C** essay fulfills the assignment, it is not especially engaging or enlightening. In GSW 1120 multiple source essays and researched essays, a **C** essay must show synthesis of source materials and an ability to construct and sustain an academic argument. An **NP** **(Not Passing)** essay does not pass in one or more categories of the rubric. It has serious flaws in audience awareness, organization, development, syntax, word choice, and/or mechanics and grammar. **__GSW 1120 Course Grades__** Your final grade in GSW 1120 will be based on the following point scale. Each assignment will be worth a varied amount of points as noted below: Essay Type Grade and range of points that can be awarded Source #2 || 10 - 9  ||  8 – 7  ||  6 - 5  ||  4  || Essay || 14 - 12  ||  11 – 9  ||  8 - 6  ||  Must Revise  || **Remember that your researched essay must earn a C or higher for your portfolio to be eligible for the portfolio assessment process.**
 * || A  ||  B  ||  C  ||  NP  ||
 * Critique || 4  ||  3  ||  2  ||  1  ||
 * Multiple Source #1 || 8 - 7  ||  6 – 5  ||  4 - 3  ||  2  ||
 * Multiple
 * Researched

**__Assignment Type__ __Points__** Critique __ Multiple Source #1 __ Multiple Source #2 __ Researched Essay __ Total Points __ Once all points have been awarded, add the total together and use the following scale to determine your final grade for the course: __ __ 36-31 points = A 30-24 points = B 23-15 points = C below 15 points = NP __ __ If your work passes Portfolio Assessment at the GSW 1120 level, you will receive an **A**, **B**, or **C** for this course. Your GSW 1120 grade will be calculated into your grade point average. __ __ The General Studies Writing Program acknowledges that writing is a skill that takes some people longer than others to master. For this reason, if your work is not eligible for the Portfolio Assessment or if you have met all of my requirements but your work does not pass the Portfolio Assessment, you will receive an **NC** (**No Credit**) for GSW 1120. An **NC** grade allows a student to repeat GSW 1120 without any negative effect upon his or her grade point average. __ __ However, it is possible to receive a **WF** (**Withdraw Fail**) in this course. If you should stop attending this class for any reason without going through the University's official procedure for dropping the class, you will receive a **WF**, the grade will appear on your grade report, and an **F** will be calculated into your grade point average. __ __ During the last week or two of class, I will let you know whether your essays are eligible for a portfolio assessment. If your writing has not reached a minimal level of proficiency in GSW 1120 or if you have not satisfied my achievement requirements for this class, your work will not be eligible for a portfolio assessment. This means that I will not be able to submit your portfolio and that you will be required to re-enroll in English 1120. __ __ If I make the judgment that your portfolio is eligible for a portfolio assessment, during the last week of the semester your essays will be judged by one or more GSW 1120 instructors in addition to me. These portfolio evaluators will determine whether or not your writing has reached proficiency at the 1120-level. Please note that unlike other courses where one or two weak assignments can ensure failure, GSW’s portfolio assessment allows you to make improvements in your writing and to grow as a writer. Even if you struggle with an essay or two, as long as your portfolio shows that you can write proficiently at the 1120 level by the end of the term, you can pass the class. __ __ If your portfolio is passed by a first evaluator, you will receive the grade I assigned to your work. If the first evaluator determines that your writing, overall, does not demonstrate proficiency at the 1120 level, however, then that evaluator will not pass your portfolio. At that point, a second evaluator—often a member of the General Studies Writing staff—will evaluate your work, again looking at your writing as a whole, and will make a final determination regarding whether your writing is proficient enough for you pass GSW 1120 (and earn the grade I assigned to your work) or whether you will need to retake GSW 1120 again. __ __ Students may appeal an instructor's decision not to submit their portfolios for evaluation if they have evidence that they have met their instructor's achievement requirements and that they have fulfilled the minimum criteria for passing the course. Likewise, students may appeal no-passing portfolio assessments if they have reason to believe that the two evaluators (both of whom are trained, experienced GSW instructors) have overlooked important evidence that their portfolio, in fact, successfully meets the established criteria for passing the course. Students should not, however, routinely appeal no-passing portfolios simply because they are unhappy with their instructor's or the portfolio evaluators' decisions. __ __ **Following is the timetable for retrieving portfolio results and for appealing a portfolio decision; please note that any students wishing to appeal a portfolio decision must adhere to this timetable.** __
 * Portfolio Assessment Process**
 * Policy for GSW Portfolio Appeals**

__ Deadline, by 5:00 pm, for students to appeal an instructor’s decision not to submit a portfolio for assessment. __ __ Students **must** pick up their evaluated portfolios during the time period, which is designated by their instructor; this time period is ordinarily after 2:00 PM. Near the end of the term I will let you know exactly when I will be available in my office on this day to return your portfolio to you. __ __ If you are absolutely unable to retrieve your portfolio and your evaluation results from me at the designated time, it is your obligation to provide me with a large self-addressed, stamped envelope so I can mail the portfolio to you. To determine the proper postage, before submitting your portfolio to your instructor please take your portfolio to a post office (such as Stampers on the second floor of the Student Union) where a postal employee can determine the proper postage to affix to the envelope. Submit the envelope with proper postage when you submit your portfolio to your instructor. __ Deadline for appealing a non-passing portfolio result. **SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENTS FOR PASSING GSW 1120**
 * Monday, April 30**
 * Thursday, May 3**
 * Thursday May 10, 5:00 pm__**

**__A Final Word__** I hope that you will find our class to be a place where you can receive help with developing your academic writing skills. Though many students are uncomfortable with academic writing, which is a new kind of writing for most first-year students, understanding how to go through various writing processes will help you achieve your writing goals. To make this course as successful as possible for yourself, I encourage you to take advantage of the resources around you and to keep in touch with me as we go through the semester. If you have any questions about these achievement requirements or other class matters, please feel free to talk to me. I look forward to working with you and helping you develop your academic writing skills.
 * In summary, to pass GSW 1120 you must meet the following requirements:
 * Hand in all required written work on time (critique, multiple source essay #1, multiple source essay #2, researched essay, and all other writing assignments).
 * Attend all classes and participate in class discussions and group work.
 * Complete all reading assignments.
 * Receive a grade of C or higher on the research essay.
 * Receive a final grade of C or higher for the course.
 * Pass the Portfolio Assessment at the 1120 level. ||