S18 SYLLABI REVIEW CHECKLIST
· Attendance Policy: FYW’s policy is standardized across the program. Students are allowed two missed classes without penalty. Additional missed classes result in a grade penalty for the course, typically at the instructor’s discretion. Five absences result in failure of the course. The policy is on the standardized FYW syllabus loaded into each Canvas course. Please add a note to your syllabus turning students’ attention to that document. For hybrid and/or online courses, please check with Sarah Ghoshal for updated policy.
· Class Cancellations: Include information about how you will relay emergency class cancellations (Announcements on Canvas, which are emailed to students, or mass email to the class, etc.). It’s wise to have a backup online activity planned in case you or the university cancels class for an emergency. The department administrator (Phyllis Brooks) and the FYW Associate Director (Jennifer Holly-Wells) must be notified of all canceled classes (excepting cancellations made by the University).
· Classroom Behavior: You may include a brief section on such issues as texting in class, late arrival to class, use of laptops, bringing food, etc. The tone should be friendly rather than oppressive. There are some examples on the sample syllabi on the FYW webpage.
· Contact Information: Include email, office location, office hours (IS must list 3 hours; adjunct faculty are not required to hold weekly office hours but may and must meet with students as requested), days and times of class meetings, course number (including section). Remember we are now WRIT not ENWR in our course name.
· Course Requirements: Include number of essays and other writings, expectations for readings, requirements on revision, peer review, participation, timeliness, etc. Although you want to be clear about your requirements, you do not need to take on a punitive tone. A statement regarding the requirement to turn in all of the major essays and the portfolio in order to be considered for a passing grade must be stated and appears standardized FYW section of the syllabus loaded into your Canvas course under “Policies.” Make sure to go over this with students.
· CWE: Information regarding the services of the CWE is on the standardized FYW section of the syllabus on Canvas.
· Documented Essay: In both WRIT105/106, a documented essay is required. Often in WRIT105, instructors plan a library instruction visit before or during the unit containing the documented essay. Plagiarism prevention and MLA citation and documentation should be taught during this unit. If you make the documented essay the last essay of the semester, make sure that you leave enough time to return the essay to students with feedback on citation and documentation of sources. In WRIT106, instructors often supply scholarly sources for students’ use in literary analysis essays. If you make this essay one of the choices students have to revise it for portfolio, it must be graded and returned to them in time to be part of the in-class revision process.
· Expectations/Outcomes: Describe what competencies or writing outcomes you expect your students to achieve in this class. These are individual, but you can check out the sample syllabi on the “Designing Your Course” page. Outcomes or expectations for individual assignments are better found on specific writing assignments.Please work to use the language of the program (central claim, development, organization, analysis, clarity of prose) so that students receive a consistent message in all classes and when they visit the CWE.
· Genre: In traditional WRIT106 classes, faculty must include a diversity of textual genre.
· Grading: This must be clearly articulated to include a breakdown of how the final grade is reached. A minimum of 85% of the total grade must come from revised prose (3 unit essays, writing portion of multimodal assignment [if a WRIT105 course] and portfolio). A typical breakdown is: unit essays (60-70% with essays increasing in value as students progress) + the portfolio (20-25%). The additional 10-15% may be allotted to class citizenship / smaller writing assignments / journals or blogs, multimodal assignment and the like.
· Live Lit: WRIT106 includes engaging with live literature. Information will be provided before the beginning of the semester but here is a link to the schedule as it develops.
· Midterm Review for 105: All 105 students complete a midterm review assignment (copy of which is at the end of this checklist) to measure student progress and to help identify students who would benefit from additional writing instruction moving forward. This is normally due in Class 14. Please make sure to assign the preparatory tasks to students in advance.
· Minimum Word Requirement: 6000 words of revised prose is the University’s requirement for each WRIT105 and 106. This breaks down to approximately 20 pages including the 500-word reflective Portfolio essay. Demonstrate on the syllabus that you are meeting this minimum by listing the required page lengths or word minimums of final drafts. Note: make sure your minimums in a page span equal to the 6000-word requirement. Increasingly, faculty find it more effective to use word minimum requirements per draft. The revised portfolio essays are not included in this word count.
· Multimodal Requirement (MM): WRIT105 requires that a multimodal assignment be part of the work of the semester. See specific choices below for fulfilling the MM requirement. Faculty should visit the FYW Canvas page for assignment samples and resources. For SP18, WRIT106 faculty have the option of incorporating an MM assignment into the work of the class; this can be an informal, exploratory piece, or a more fully developed module, depending on the instructor’s level of experience and facility. See the further detailed information below.
· Portfolio/Final Exam Date: The portfolio takes the place of a final exam in FYW. It contains at least two essays that have been revised as well as a self-reflective essay. Most instructors devote at least a week to portfolio preparation. You must mention the portfolio as a requirement on your syllabus and include the date (see the link to the final exam schedule below) when portfolios will be collected.
· Plagiarism Policy: FYW has an official plagiarism statement located on the FYW standardized section of the syllabus on Canvas. Please include a note on your syllabus turning students to that location and plan to teach plagiarism avoidance at least 2 to 3 times during a semester.
· Schedule of Reading/Writing: This must include due dates for drafts, readings, and homework assignments, page lengths or word minimums for final drafts if not articulated elsewhere on syllabus; the syllabus must also include the final exam date and time. You may choose to include an addendum to address possible changes.
· Standardized Syllabus Section: This section of every FYW syllabus is loaded into your Canvas course under the “Syllabus” tab; it includes policies, links, and other important information. You are responsible to know this information and to adhere to the FYW policies. It is also your responsibility review this section with your students and demonstrate where they can find it. A sample note that you can include on your syllabus to direct students to the section on Canvas.
· Texts and Materials: Required texts for the course should be listed (and it makes sense to model MLA style in this listing) as well as any other required items (notebook, etc.). Make sure you have included the edition of the text you are using. Double check that you are syncing your page numbers for reading assignments, etc., with the edition of the text you are ordering.
· URLs: A list of URLs and links to campus resources and helpful sites is located on the FYW standardized syllabus on Canvas. It’s not necessary to list them on your personalized section of the syllabus but you may include others not on the standardized section if you wish.
Multimodal Requirement for WRIT105
Faculty must choose between the two following options depending on theirfacility with multimodality:
A) Three formal essays plus a lower stakes multimodal project that exemplifies, explains, or helps the writer plan/support her ideas for a formal essay (for example, a MM presentation before the documented essay is due as a requirement for that unit; or a drafting/planning exercise that replaces one paper draft with a MM piece).
OR
B) Two formal essays plus a multimodal unit that combines a written piece and a MM piece to create the third essay (“composition”) for the course; for example: 1) traditional documented essay of approximately 2000 words with a MM conclusion; or 2) a substantive, longer MM piece about which the student writes an argumentative, analytical process narrative approximately 2000 words that explains her approach and offers a rationale for her choices, drawing on both the sources cited in the MM piece and any readings from class regarding MM.
Sample Note on Syllabus to Direct Students to the Standard Policies of FYW
The remainder of our syllabus, which includes the First-Year Writing standard policies regarding attendance and plagiarism, is located on our Canvas course site under “Syllabus.” The policies and information contained there, as well as in this document, are your responsibility to know. Additionally, the standardized syllabus section on Canvas contains the following information:
· Accommodations
· Course Evaluation
· Center for Writing Excellence
· Links to Campus Resources and Support Websites
Make it a point in your syllabus to direct students to that section and to go over it in class.
Important Information for Syllabus
· Classes begin, Tuesday, January 16th
· Add/drop period is January 16th-23rd
· Spring break is March 5th-11th (no classes)
· March 30th-April 1st is Easter break (no classes)
· Withdrawal deadline is April 3rd
· May 1st is a Tuesday designated as a Friday (Tuesdayclasses do not meet)
· May 1st is the last day of classes
· The exam period is May 3rd-9th; check the final exam schedule and add the date to your syllabus
· May 9th is the end of the semester
· Final grades due by 9am on May 11th (This may change, but you will be notified)
Link to university academic calendar for further information: Academic Calendar
MIDTERM REVIEW ASSIGNMENT
Overview& Purpose
The Midterm Review is a way for instructors in the First-Year Writing Program to measure student progress and to help identify students who would benefit from additional writing instruction moving forward. This assignment also allows students to reflect upon the development of their writing process at the midpoint of the semester. All WRIT105 students will complete this program-wide assignment. The Midterm Review will help us determine the WRIT106 course that will best suit your needs as a writer.
Assignment
For the midterm review, students will submit three pieces of writingas separate files to this link using the "Submit Assignment" button above:
· Final Draft of M1 Essay Assignment
· One early draft of yourM2 Essay Assignment
· One short Midterm Reflection (1-2 paragraphs): “How I feel I’m doing in this class so far….” See detailed instructions for this Reflection below.
Midterm Reflection
This writing is designed for students to assess their progress in the course so far and to identify specific areas of their writing for which they need additional support.
Considering your experiences in your writing class so far as well as the early draft of Essay 2, which is included in thisMidterm Review, write a short Reflection (1-2 paragraphs) that addresses these questions:
· What did you learn about yourself from the process of writing the M1 Essay Assignment?
· What strengths do you perceive in the early draft of M2 Essay Assignment and, when you revise it further, what significant revisions do you expect to make and why?
· What are you struggling with in the M2 Essay Assignment draft right now?
· How do you feel about how you’re doing overall in the class so far? What has felt most challenging for you? In what ways (if any) do you think you need more support?
Specifics
Create an original title for your Reflection.
· Be specific when you talk about your writing and your needs in the writing class overall.
· We want to understand what you need help with as well as where you are finding success so far.
Due Date
Use the "Submit Assignment" button on the upper-right hand corner of this screen to submit all three pieces of writing for your Midterm Review: 1) Your Final Draft of the M1 Essay Assignment, 2) One Early Draft of your M2 Essay Assignment, and 3) One short Midterm Reflection by XX:XX on XX/XX.
Note: if you have any questions while constructing your syllabus, please email Bonnie Dowd for assistance.