Department of Writing and Linguistics

College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Georgia Southern University

ENGL 1102: Composition II (3 credit hours) required

Spring 2011
Section JJ, CRN: 11516
T (lab): Newton 2213
5:00-6:15 pm
R: Newton 1104
5 :00-6 :15 pm

Erin Murk
Office: 1120D
Office Phone: 912-478-5899
Office Hours: TR: 3:00-5:00 pm, and by appointment

E-mail: [This is the most effective method of communication as I do check it multiple times
per day]
Please use the “Mail” function in GA View to contact me – that way all our
messages will be in one place. After 5:00 pm I will not be checking messages, but I will
do my best to respond to you first thing the next morning. If you have an emergency to tell
me about after that time, use emurk1@georgiasouthern.edu to e-mail me.
***Note: As your instructor, I will offer you a professional relationship; therefore, I will not
respond to any e-mails that are sloppily written. You should write to me the same way you
would write to an employer or other professional – this includes proper punctuation,
grammar, and language.

Course Overview:
ENGL 1102 is a composition course that develops writing skills beyond the levels of
proficiency required by ENGL 1101, emphasizes interpretation and evaluation, and
incorporates a variety of more advanced research methods.
Prerequisite: A minimum grade of "C" in ENGL 1101 or equivalent.

Course Goals and Standards: ENGL 1102 builds on ENGL 1101, continuing the focus:
• on learning the processes writers employ and
• on using writing for inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating through extensive
reading and writing practice.
In ENGL 1102, students will learn to:
• understand how the rhetorical situation shapes reading and writing
• write in several genres ("genre" is used to refer to a distinctive category of
discourse of any type with or without literary aspirations)
• generate texts through a series of tasks including finding, evaluating,
analyzing, and synthesizing primary and secondary sources
• integrate their own ideas with those of others
• use a variety of formats and technologies to address a range of audiences as
appropriate
• follow appropriate conventions of usage, vocabulary, format, and
documentation
• demonstrate competent use of syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
understand how the rhetorical situation shapes reading and writing

Required Texts:
Preston, Richard. The Demon in the Freezer. Robbinsdale, MN: Fawcett, 2003. Print.
[Available cheap on Amazon.com]

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 Department of Writing and Linguistics
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Georgia Southern University

Ruszkiewicz, John, et al. Bookmarks: A Guide to Research and Writing. 3rd ed. New York:
Longman, 2005. Print.

Recommended text:
Lester, James D., et al. The Essential Guide: Research Writing Across the Disciplines. 5th
ed. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc., 2011. Print.

Other Materials:
• A binder or sturdy double-pocket folder to keep your writing neat and together
• LOTS of loose-leaf paper and blue or black pens for in-class work (PLEASE DO NOT
WRITE IN PENCIL – it will smudge the paper and it is much more difficult to read)
• A flash drive for use in the computer lab

Attendance:
Your success in this course will be directly connected to your attendance and enthusiastic
participation in class. We will practice writing frequently, with in-class writing and
pop quizzes, both of which may NOT be made up. Participation in group
activities is also required, and we will work in groups frequently. If you are
absent, then you not only forfeit their benefits (and points), but you also let down your
group members. Finally, if you are not in class, you set up obstacles to your own learning
and ultimate success in the course. Therefore, the following attendance policies apply to
this course:
• Attendance is mandatory and will be taken in every class meeting, including lab
• Each student is allowed to miss three (3) classes without penalty. I realize some
things are beyond your control so you have three days to miss before your grade is
affected.
• There are no excused absences (university policy), but I am more than willing to
assist you with a doctor’s note, religious holiday, family emergency, etc.
• After a student’s third absence, your grade will be lowered by half a letter grade.
• A student who is absent more than six (6) times will receive a course grade of ‘F’
(fail) – no exceptions (department policy).
• Any student who leaves early without permission will be marked absent on that day,
and any student who is excessively or consistently tardy will also be marked absent.

Classroom Etiquette:
Everyone is entitled to their personal opinion, and you will not be condemned for your
thoughts in this class. Please be polite, civil, and respectful to everyone in the class. We
will have some fun, but not at another’s expense.
You are more than welcome to bring your laptop to class for taking notes, but that privilege
will be revoked the first time I see a website that is not GSU or GA View. AND PLEASE TURN
OFF YOUR CELL PHONES WHEN YOU ENTER THE CLASSROOM. It is rude to me and the rest
of the class when your phone rings, or you are texting under the table. If you are caught
using your cell phone in class, you will be asked to leave and marked absent for that day.

Writing Projects:
• Book Review (of an Assigned Reading)
• Annotated Bibliography (Summary, Research Practice and Preparation for Argument)
• Argument-based Research Paper (Integration of Multiple Sources)
• Final Exam (Reflection Letter)

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College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Georgia Southern University

All three projects will be taken through multiple drafts before the final submission. Please
save EVERYTHING you write for this class – drafts, reading responses, peer
responses, notes, etc. You are responsible for all your work, and you never know when
you might need an extra copy. A computer crashing or printing problems are not
acceptable excuses for missing work.

Remember that all writing you do for this class is public writing. Please feel free to write
about things that interest you, but do not choose essay topics that are too personal for you
to share with your peers.

Other assignments may include participation in GA View discussion boards, participation in

group activities such as peer review and oral presentations, and attendance at individual
conferences. In addition, you will be expected to keep up with assigned reading and attend
class regularly.

A Note About Writing Assignments:

Late work is absolutely unacceptable, unless under the most dire circumstances – which
must be discussed with me PRIOR to the due date. Early drafts will be more for your
benefit, but will carry a certain amount of weight in the overall assignment.
I will have assignment folders set up in GA View for submission of your assignments;
however, you will also be required to put a printed copy of your assignment in my hand on
the due date. An electronic version is the best way for you to have a saved copy, but it is
just easier for me to read on paper. I will do my best to remind you of this closer to
the due dates, but you are responsible for handing in a paper copy to me.

Grades:
•Essay #1 – Book Review (summary, genre, audience, writing process) 15%

•Assignment #2 – Annotated Bibliography (formats, research and documentation, tech)

15%

•Essay #3 – Argument-based Research Essay (inquiry, integrating ideas, drafting)15%

•Quiz Average (reading critically) 15%

•In-Class Writing 15%

•Participation/Attendance (collaboration and social aspects) 15%

•Final Exam (reflection, professional tone) 10%

At least one (1) conference with me is required during the semester. I will pass around
a sign-up sheet to schedule this conference. Failure to attend this scheduled conference
will result in TWO (2) ABSENCES. You are more than welcome to come see me anytime with
problems or questions about your writing, but you will have to meet with me formally at
least once. During this conference, we will go through your writing together, figuring out
what you need to do in future assignments. Feel free to come by my office or message me
whenever you need to talk about the class.

According to university policy, you must earn a C or better in English 1102 in order to
advance. A ‘C’ is defined on the traditional grading scale as at least a 70.

Your grades will be available for viewing on GA View throughout the semester, I am happy
to discuss your progress with you during an individual conference. Drop in during my office
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College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Georgia Southern University

hours or make an appointment for another time. I will not discuss grades over the phone or
e-mail.

Midterm grades:
First year students will receive a midterm grade of an S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory)
to show their progress in the course.
***Note: The new university policy only allows four (4) withdrawals throughout the course
of a student’s entire academic career. You must pass two-thirds of classes in order to
continue on.

Academic Honesty
Plagiarism is the unacknowledged reproduction of another’s words, ideas, or work. Simply
put, if what you are writing is not originally yours and you do not cite it as another’s idea,
you are plagiarizing, i.e. cheating! If you have questions about appropriately and
effectively documenting the words, ideas, and works of others, please see me for help.

Plagiarism is a serious offense and will result in sanctions from me as well as the university.
Even suspicion of plagiarism is enough to earn a failing grade from me and a meeting with
the disciplinary committee. A student convicted of plagiarism will fail the assignment and
possibly the class, and could possibly be expelled from the university. At the very least,
you are cheating yourself and your peers when you use someone else’s words as your own.

Remember, if you can find it on the web, then so can anyone else, including me, so do not
cut and paste from the web – this is blatant plagiarism. Two of the most common instances
of unintentional plagiarism are 1) when students fail to acknowledge the ideas from a
source and 2) when students receive too much outside help. Please be aware that is
someone else writes passages of your text for you that this act is plagiaristic, academically
dishonest, and cause for penalty.

Please consult the Georgia Southern University Conduct Code for policies on plagiarism and
academic honesty.

Note for Students with Disabilities:

This class complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students with disabilities
needing academic accommodations must:
• Register with and provide documentation to the Student Disability Resource Center
(SDRC)
• Provide a letter to the instructor from the SDRC indicating what your need may be for
academic accommodation. This should be done within the first week of class.
Students with these particular needs should contact the SDRC.

For Extra Help!

Don't forget that the University Writing Center (Forest Drive Bldg. 1119) is one of your most
important resources as a student at Georgia Southern! The consultants in the center will
give you one-on-one help with any paper you're working on for any class on campus,
including this one. I strongly encourage you to take advantage of the feedback and advice
they can give! Make an appointment ONLINE
( http://www.rich17.com/georgiasouthern/) or feel free to just drop in (M-Th 10-6; F 10-3).

I am willing to consider adding a little incentive in order to promote your use of the Writing
Center during your writing process. At some point in the semester I may offer extra credit
or some sort of bonus is you will visit the UWC. Note that I will not require you to go, but
the tutors are there to assist you, and they are actually a very good resource. Also
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College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Georgia Southern University

remember, the UWC is not a proof-reading service, so be sure you come to your
appointment with your essay and ready to work.

A Final Note:
You get out of this course what you put into it. If you are willing to do the work, then you
will succeed; you will find this to be true in all areas of your life. Remember that I am
always here to help you, and good luck!

Please sign this portion and return it to me within the first week of classes.

I hereby certify that I have read the syllabus in its entirety and understand the above
stipulations as a student in Erin Murk’s ENGL 1102. I promise to be honest in my work,
courteous to my classmates, and an active member of the class.

Student’s name: __________________________________________________________________

Student’s signature: _________________________________________________________________

Date: ________________________________________________________________