First-Year Writing Syllabus

Rebecca Hallman
University of Houston

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Welcome to First-Year Writing! The focus of this course is to help you develop critical and creative approaches to
writing as a way of thinking, learning, and communicating that will enrich your life in the University community and
beyond. Everyone has ideas worth expressing and this course will help you learn the most effective strategies for
communicating your ideas to your audience. Youll be asked to write assignments that will draw on your own
experiences, the texts you read, and the ideas you encounter. We will work together on four major writing
assignments (from brainstorming to final revisions) to help you make them the strongest pieces of writing possible.
The goal, then, is to help you improve your ability to understand and respond creatively and critically to whatever
writing and reading challenges you may encounter.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

Read a variety of texts closely and critically
Write argumentative claims that are supported with evidence
Analyze texts with attention to both content (what a text is about) and form (how the text is written)
Develop an ability to talk about writing and an awareness of your own writing style, as well as how to set
and achieve writing/communication-related goals

COURSE STRUCTURE

Your writing assignments will move from experience-based expository writing, through close reading and rhetorical
analysis of an article, and finally to an argument-based composition in response to multiple texts. To aid you in the
process, we will write and talk about writing in a variety of scenarios, including:
Full class meetings
Online discussion boards*
One-on-one conferences with the instructor* (at various stages of the writing process)
Invention, draft and revision groups facilitated by a writing center peer tutor1*
*Indicates an activity that will happen at least every other week

This is a model we use at the University of Houston in developmental writing classes and it works well to working in peer writing groups
facilitated by a writing center tutor. Id be interested in experimenting with such an approach at The Knight Institute for Writing in the
Disciplines, should the resources be available.

Our major course texts include:

Graff, Birkenstein, and Durst (2015) They Say I Say with Readings
Bullock, Brody, and Weinberg (2014) The Little Seagull Handbook
PDFs available for free download

Requirements

REQUIRED TEXTS

MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS

Percentage of Total Points

Project 1: Summarizing, Quoting, and

Responding
Project 2: Rhetorical Critique
Project 3: Entering a Conversation
Project 4: Describing a Larger Conversation
In-Class Participation and Informal Writing
Assignments
Writing Studio/Conference/Final Reflection

10

Total

100

15
20
25
20
10

WHAT I EXPECT FROM YOU

You should show up to class, individual conferences, and writing groups on time and
prepared.
As with any class, attendance is expected. Unlike many classes, however, this one will include daily in-class writing
and discussion almost every session. The material covered in class will be vital to your success in writing your course
projects and cannot be made up by looking at a classmates notes. Please remember that 20% of your grade consists
of in-class work that cannot be made up. You may only have an excused absence and receive permission to turn in
work late if you provide me with a valid excuse before the class session (email is acceptable). Three unexcused
absences are grounds for the alteration of your final grade; four unexcused absences are grounds for failure of the
course.
It is important for you to be on time for this class. To come in late is disruptive to the class and disrespectful to
both your fellow students and me. I understand that sometimes there are traffic jams, sick children, or other
unforeseen circumstances that will delay you. In those instances, I do hope you come to class even if you are late.
Please, however, do not make a habit of coming to class late.
I expect you to bring the course texts that we are discussing to class everyday. You also need to bring a computer or
paper and a writing utensil, as we will have in-class writing everyday.
Your work should be completed and turned in on time.
For Projects 1, 2, and 3, you are expected to collect all in-class writings, rough drafts, peer reviews, and conference
notes so that you can submit them with your final essay as a project portfolio. This is why you will be submitting
projects, rather than simply final essays. I will also ask you to keep your graded projects with my comments on them
so that you can reflect on your work and progress at the end of the semester. Your projects will only be complete if
you submit all related writing (and, the more you have, the better I can see your work ethic and your dedication to
the writing process). Please plan to bring hard copies of all material to class on the day the project is due and also to
submit electronic versions of your final drafts. Late papers will be penalized one letter grade for each day (24 h.

period) overdue. Citation format should conform to the conventions of your intended discipline, which we will
determine together during the second week of class.
You are also expected to complete in-class, conference, and writing group drafts on time. If you submit your work
late, you can expect to receive partial credit. If your work is over two weeks late, you can expect to receive a zero.
*In order to pass this course, you must complete all major assignments (Projects 1, 2, & 3).
You will be expected to respond thoughtfully and regularly to your peers.
You can expect to both give and receive feedback from your peers on all major assignments. Additionally, you will
be responding to one another semi-formally on a regular basis both in-class and via online discussion boards. I
expect you to participate respectfully, thoughtfully, and honestly. If you have a concern about class conduct (either
your own or someone elses), please dont hesitate to contact me.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM ME

I will provide regular feedback on your writing.
I strive to provide timely, detailed written feedback on first drafts of all Major Projects for students who submit
drafts for writing groups on time. If you have questions or want additional feedback at any time, please feel free to
send me an email and request it. Im always happy to discuss your writing with you in more detail.
Additionally, semi-formal writing (in-class writing, shorter assignments, online discussions, etc.) will receive ample
feedback at the beginning of the semester, and then less feedback as we progress through the semester.
To help you focus your writing this semester, I have streamlined how I will evaluate all major writing assignments.
In other words, all major writing projects will be evaluated based on five major criteria: significance, use of specific
examples (evidence), unity, development, and language. Thus, in my feedback on your first project of the semester,
I will identify two to three areas from the below rubric that Id like us to focus on improving this semester. In our
first one-on-one conference, Ill specify how Id like to see you improve and we will set writing goals together.
Criteria
Significance (20)

Definition
The essay has surprise or information value. The choice of sources, purpose, and
argumentative claims are meaningful, important, and recent/up to date.
Specific Examples or The essay has relevant evidence and details to support the claims made, including
Evidence (20)
facts, figures, testimony, illustrations, stories, etc.
Unity (20)
The essays wholeness is established by how well the parts of the text support the
thesis or main argument. Paragraphs are well organized with topic sentences and
transitions. There is a clear thesis statement and overall argument made consistently
throughout the piece.
Development (20)
The essay has appropriate elaboration of the parts of the text that deserve attention.
The development is focused on the components of the main argument, and the
writer stays on track, rather than getting distracted by unrelated details/examples
used to simply meet a word requirement.
Language (20)
The essay uses appropriate and error free language. Sentence structure is varied and
word choice is precise, fresh, and economical.
The best way to communicate with me is via email.
Email is by far the best way to communicate with me, and I am happy to answer any questions you have and would
much prefer that you send me an email to clarify an assignment than that you turn in something unsatisfactory.
Please use my Gmail account ([email protected]). Ill plan to check email at least a couple times a day
(once in the morning and once in the evening), but Ill probably get back to you within 24 hours or less. Im also
happy to meet with you during office hours or at a different, more convenient time.

This class has an Open Revision Policy.

This class is based on the belief that students learn best when high standards are set but lots of assistance is
provided to help meet those standards. Consequently, you will receive feedback from both peers and myself on
drafts of essays regularly. Im also happy to meet with you anytime during the semester to discuss your writing (faceto-face or virtually). In addition, if you are dissatisfied with a grade you receive on a Major Project, you have exactly
two weeks from the day I return your project with a grade and comments to revise. If you revise, your new grade
will replace the original grade. All revised essays must be accompanied by a cover letter explaining how you have
addressed my comments.
I teach with anonymous, real student writing from my own classes.
Before you submit rough drafts for Major Projects, I like to show you a range of sample papers and discuss with
you how/why the papers were actually assessed and read by me. Additionally, sometimes I like to pull a sample
sentence or paragraph from one of your current papers to share anonymously with the class as an example to serve
as either a model or a revision demonstration. If your work is shared, you get to use the revision we work on
collectively in your revision. I will never share work, even if anonymously, that is below C-level writing.
Thus, I keep copies of all work that you turn in and will frequently use samples of student work from our course for
class discussion. If you have concerns about this policy, please let me know.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
This schedule is based closely on the main course text, They Say, I Say. The other required text and PDFs would be
supplemented when necessary and on an as needed basis.
Week 1
Read Chapter 12: I Take Your Point: Entering Class Discussions
Chapter 1: They Say: Starting with What Others Are Saying
Nicholas Carr, Is Google Making Us Stupid? (p. 313)
Write Answer Carr Joining the Conversation questions 1-4 (p. 328)
Week 2
Read Chapter 14: Whats Motivating This Writer? Reading for the Conversation
Chapter 2: Her Point Is: The Art of Summarizing
David Zinczenko, Dont Blame the Eater (p. 462)
Write Write a summary of Zinszenkos essay
Week 3
Read Chapter 4: Yes/No/Okay, But: Three Ways to Respond
Radley Balko, What You Eat Is Your Business (p. 466)
David H. Freedman, How Junk Food Can End Obesity (p. 506)
Write Write a summary of and response to Balkos essay
Week 4
Read Chapter 3: As He Himself Puts It: The Art of Quoting
Michael Pollan, Escape from the Western Diet (p. 420)
Mary Maxfield, Food as Thought: Resisting the Moralization of Eating (p. 442)
Write Write first draft of Project 1
Week 5
Read Chapter 5: And Yet: Distinguishing What You Say from What They Say
Sheryl Sanberg, Lean In: What Would You Do If You Werent Afraid? (p. 642)
bell hooks, Dig Deep: Beyond Lean In (p. 659)
Write Project 1 due
Week 6
Read Conducting a rhetorical analysis (supplemented PDFs)
Write Rhetorical Analysis of one source for Project 2
Week 7
Read Sample Rhetorical Analyses (supplemented PDFs)
Write Rough draft for Project 2

Week 8
Read Comparing and Contrasting Different Viewpoints (supplemented PDFs)
Write Project 2 due
Week 9
Read Chapter 6: Skeptics May Object: Planting a Naysayer in Your Text
Anne-Marie Slaughter, Why Women Still Cant Have It All (p. 676)
Richard Dorment, Why Men Still Cant Have It All (p. 697)
Write Answer Joining the Conversation question 5 after the Slaughter essay (p. 696) or Joining the
Conversation, question 4 after the Dorment essay (p. 717)
Week 10
Read Chapter 7: So What? Who Cares?: Saying Why It Matters
Charles Murray, Are Too Many People Going to College? (p. 234)
Sanford J. Ungar, The New Liberal Arts (p. 226)
Write Write first draft of Project 3
Week 11
Read Chapter 8: As a Result: Connecting the Parts
Paul Krugman, Confronting Inequality (p. 561)
Brandon King, The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold? (p. 610)
Write Project 3 due
Week 12
Read Chapter 15: Analyze This: Writing in the Social Sciences
Write Proposal for Project 4
Week 13
Read Chapter 9: Aint So/Is Not: Academic Writing Doesnt Always Mean Setting Aside Your Own Voice
Liz Addision, Two Years Are Better than Four (p. 255)
Michelle Obama, Bowie State University Commencement Speech (p. 285)
Write Find or identify your new source for Project 4 and write one page on how they address the
conversation/topic youre exploring for Project 4
Week 14
Read Chapter 10: But Dont Get Me Wrong: The Art of Metacommentary
Chapter 13: IMHO: Is Digital Communication Good or Bador Both?
Gerald Graff, Hidden Intellectualism (p. 624)
Write Project 4 draft due
Week 15
Read Jenna Wortham, I Had a Nice Time with You Tonight. On the App (p. 393)
Write Project 4 due

SHORT PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS

PROJECT 1: Summarizing, Quoting, Responding (3 pages)
Choose one of the essays that weve read and discussed as a class (listed below), and write an extended summary of
the essay (they say) as well as your response to the arguments made (I say). You can use additional essays to
support your own ideas, but you should construct your own argument in response to one particular author.
Carrs Is Google Making Us Stupid?
Zinczenkos Dont Blame the Eater
Balkos What You Eat Is Your Business
Freedmans How Junk Food Can End Obesity
Pollans Escape from the Western Diet
Maxfields Food as Thought: Resisting the Moralization of Eating
Challenge: Pick an essay we havent read together as a class
*If you are interested in either of these options, lets talk about them in our one-on-one conference.
PROJECT 2: Rhetorical Analysis (3 pages)
Choose any of the essays that weve read so far and write a rhetorical critique of the essay. You will start with a
short summary of the text, but focus most of it on analyzing how the text is written. You will consider the authors
purpose, audience, genre, stance, and use of ethos, logos, pathos, and kairos. In addition youll think carefully about
style (i.e., visuals, titles and headings, order of the parts of the article or essay, length of parts, paragraphinglength
and type, sentencelength and type, first sentence/last sentence, word choice, punctuation use, use of
sources/references, kinds of sources used, key words, pace, repetition, tone, thesis/argument).
Challenge: Pick a text that youve been required to read for another course or an article/text from your field/major
*If you are interested in either of these options, lets talk about them in our one-on-one conference.
PROJECT 3: Entering a Conversation (4 pages)
Choose one of the sets of essays listed below. Summarize both of the arguments (they say), explain how the
authors agree and disagree, and craft your own response to the issues the two essays raise (I say). Make sure you
include a naysayer to show possible objections to your argument, and address the so what? factor: why does this
issue matter?
Sanbergs Lean In: What Would You Do If You Werent Afraid?
hooks Dig Deep: Beyond Lean In
Slaughters Why Women Still Cant Have It All
Dorments Why Men Still Cant Have It All
Murrays Are Too Many People Going to College?
Ungars The New Liberal Arts
Krugmans Confronting Inequality
Kings The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold

PROJECT 4: Describing a Larger Conversation (5 pages)

Pick an issue described in the readings youve done from the book (who or what is to blame for unhealthy eating,
whether women or men face more challenges with work/life balance, the effects of inequality on the American
Dream, whether college is the best option, whether technology is good or bad for us). You must choose a
topic/essays that you have not yet written about in Projects 1-3 and you can select essays from the book that we
have not yet read and discussed as a class.
In addition to the essays youve read, find one additional essay and explain the different perspectives on this issue.
Rather than presenting the issue as having two sides (for or against), explain more than two points of view, showing
the complexity of the issue. At some point, take your own stand but the majority of the paper should explain the
larger conversation about the issue.
Challenge: Incorporate two outside sources or pick an issue affecting your future career field, your major field, or
your community about which to write.
*If you are interested in either of these options, lets talk about them in our one-on-one conference.