Eastern Illinois University

https://thekeep.eiu.edu/ahs_pr/1021/thumbnail.jp

Association of Honors Students

Valentine\u27s Day Card Making

Flach, Ashley

English

ENG 1000-002 College Composition Studio

Davis, Glen

Eastern Illinois University 
The Keep 
Fall 2024 2024 
Fall 1-9-2025 
ENG 1001G-004 College Composition I Critical Reading & Source 
Based Writing 
Glen Davis 
Eastern Illinois University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://thekeep.eiu.edu/english_syllabi_fall2024 
Recommended Citation 
Davis, Glen, "ENG 1001G-004 College Composition I Critical Reading & Source Based Writing" (2025). Fall 
2024. 7. 
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/english_syllabi_fall2024/7 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the 2024 at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion 
in Fall 2024 by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact tabruns@eiu.edu. 
COMPOSITION AND LANGUAGE 
English 1001 (3 Course credit Hours) 
Fall 2024 
MWF - 9-9:50 – Coleman 3150 
MWF – 11-11:50 – Coleman 3150 
MWF – 12-12:50 – Coleman 3150 
 
 
Glen Davis 
Office:            CH3861  
 
Office Hours:  10:00 - 10:50 MWF 
2:15 – 3:00 MW 
Other times possible by request. 
  
Email:              gddavis@eiu.edu 
Pronouns:  he, him, his 
 
Materials: The Norton Field Guide to Writing 6th ed.  
  Reading Critically Writing Well 13th ed. 
  The Little Seagull Handbook with Exercises, 4th ed.  
  They Say, I Say 5th ed. with readings. 
 
Course description from EIU catalog:  
 
College Composition I focuses on informative, analytical, evaluative, and persuasive writing and 
introduces students to college-level research. Students will develop sound writing processes, 
produce cogent writing, strengthen analytical reading skills, and work with sources. 
 
Course learning objectives from EIU guidelines: 
 
Students will demonstrate the ability to:  
 Develop effective writing processes for producing documents 
 Produce informative, analytical, evaluative, and persuasive prose 
 Implement reading processes to evaluate sources 
 Adapt written texts to suit the text’s purpose, audience, genre, rhetorical situation, and 
discourse community 
 Recognize how to transfer their writing processes, understanding of rhetorical 
principles, and genre awareness to other writing situations 
 Find appropriate sources through secondary research, including the use of academic 
databases 
 Integrate sources ethically and appropriately using at least one recognized citation 
style 
 Use effective language and delivery skills through speaking opportunities 
 
  
Minimum Writing requirement for English 1002: 
 
There is a minimum page count required for this class. It is not possible to pass this class without 
meeting this requirement. Regardless of what grade you may currently have in the class, you 
must meet this minimum requirement to pass this class.  
Writing Centered course whereby the quality of the students' writing is the principal determinant 
of the course grade. The minimum writing requirement is 5,000 words (roughly equivalent to 20 
double-spaced pages) of polished, revised prose in addition to informal writing such as invention 
work, peer critiques, discussion statements, self-assessments, drafts, etc. 
 
Absences 
 
As a college student you will be expected to attend every class. You begin this semester with 50 
attendance points. They will be added to the grade book at the beginning of the semester. 5 points 
will be reduced from this grade for every day that is missed until there are no points left to lose. 
(Zero attendance points results in a full letter grade reduction for the class). If you have an 
excused absence, you must bring me some kind of documentation so that I can correct the 
attendance grade accordingly.  
 
I take attendance at the beginning of class. If you come in late and I have already taken 
attendance, you will be marked absent.  
If you miss class, do not E-mail or call me to ask what you missed. Get in contact with one of 
your classmates to find out what you missed.  
 
Attendance means more than simply showing up for class. Your participation points account for 
15 percent of your grade. In earning this 15 percent, I expect that you will come prepared for 
class, and ready to participate.  
 
I do not, however, want students showing up to class if they are ill. Use your own judgment. We 
are still dealing with Covid. If you are quarantined, let me know so that we can work out 
alternatives for attendance.  
 
Plagiarism 
 
The English Department Statement on Plagiarism: Any teacher who discovers an act of 
plagiarism—“The appropriation or imitation of the language, ideas, and/or thoughts of another 
author, and representation of them as one’s own original work” (Random House Dictionary of 
the English Language)—has the right and responsibility to impose upon the guilty student an 
appropriate penalty, up to and including immediate assignments of a grade of F for the assigned 
essay and a grade of F for the course, and to report the incident to the Office of Student 
Standards. Respect for the work of others should encompass all formats, including print, 
electronic, and oral sources.  
 
I will not tolerate copying or cheating in this class. If I catch you plagiarizing, I am obligated to 
report you to the Office of Student Standards. It will certainly result in a failing grade in this 
class. We will be discussing plagiarism in depth during this class. Each of you will have a 
thorough understanding of what plagiarism is and how to avoid doing it.  
 
 
AI and Academic Integrity 
Students are not allowed to use advanced automated tools (artificial intelligence or machine 
learning tools such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, or Dall-E 2) on assignments in this course. Each 
student is expected to complete each assignment without substantive assistance from others, 
including automated tools. 
Written work will be submitted through Turnitin in D2L. Turnitin includes an AI detection tool 
which indicates the amount of qualifying text within the submission that Turnitin’s AI writing 
detection model determines was generated by AI. This information may be used, in addition to 
other evidence, if there are concerns with academic misconduct.  
If AI content is found in your essay, you will be required to write a new essay for the assignment. 
No part of your original assignment may be used again in this new version.  
 
Academic integrity  
 
Students are expected to maintain principles of academic integrity and conduct as defined in 
EIU’s Code of Conduct (http://www.eiu.edu/judicial/studentconductcode.php). Violations will be 
reported to the Office of Student Standards. 
 
Students with disabilities 
 
If you are a student with a documented disability in need of accommodations to fully participate 
in this class, please contact the Office of Student Disability Services (OSDS). All 
accommodations must be approved through OSDS. Please call 217-581-6583 to make an 
appointment.  
 
The Student Success Center 
 
Students who are having difficulty achieving their academic goals are encouraged to contact the 
Student Success Center (www.eiu.edu/~success) for assistance with time management, test 
taking, note taking, avoiding procrastination, setting goals, and other skills to support academic 
achievement. The Student Success Center provides individualized consultations. To make an 
appointment, call 217-581-6696, or go to McAfee, Room 1301. 
 
Early Alert System  
 
EIU has an early alert system. This means that if I notice you struggling in this course, I will try 
to contact you personally. If I don’t hear back from you, I will use this early alert system. This 
system will try to contact you through your RA or through someone from the Academic Success 
Center. This system is designed to help you and is not intended to be punishment.  
 
  
Grades 
 
Percentage break down: 
Participation =15% 
Attendance = 10% 
1st Essay = 15% 
2nd Essay = 20% 
3rd Essay = 25% 
Final Exam = 5% 
Reflection = 10% 
Grades are accessible in D2L.  
If I need to adjust the values in the D2L grade book, I will notify the class using a news post in 
D2L.  
 
Late Assignments 
 
Assignments will be accepted late, but at a penalty to your grade. All assignments have due 
dates. All assignments that show up after the due date will be graded as late. Late assignments 
will lose 10% of the grade value. You will lose an additional 10% for every class period the 
assignment is late until the grade is a zero.  
 
Assignments 
 
All major essays will be turned in to D2L, in the appropriate drop box. This is the only place I 
will grade them, and they need to be in Word format. (Pdf, and other word processing files 
should be converted to Word before uploading). I do not accept papers through email or through 
other file sharing software. 
All assignments should meet the minimum requirements. Do not submit assignments that are not 
full length or do not include the required sources. I will not grade incomplete assignments. 
In-class writing will be turned in at the end of class, unless otherwise noted.  
 
I will be using D2L for this class, and all assignments and readings will be posted there. This 
creates a permanent record of your essays, grades, and comments I make on your essays. Make 
sure that you check into D2L at least once or twice a week to see if anything has changed there. I 
often use the “News” feature of D2L to make class announcements.  
 
Conferences 
 
Paper writing is stressful. I prefer to talk about issues with paper writing in person. If you have 
concerns, questions, or just want to vent about a paper assignment, you may schedule a time to 
do so. If the regular office hours do not work, we can figure out a time that will. I will schedule 
several conference days during the semester that occur during normal class time, so everyone can 
take advantage of conferences.  
 
  
Questions 
 
I check my email several times a day, and I will be checking D2L regularly. If I do not reply to 
your questions immediately, please be patient. I do have obligations outside of this class, and 
sometimes I simply need more time.  
I often do not reply to emails that don’t seem to require an answer (emails notifying me that you 
will be missing class for example). Some students find this odd. If you require an answer, ask a 
question.  
Allow time for me to reply and ask questions early rather than at the last minute. If my reply 
arrives so late that it keeps you from completing an assignment on time, you are welcome to ask 
for an extension. 
If for some reason you think that I missed seeing your email, email me again. I will not be 
offended by the reminder if you have not heard from me in a normal amount of time.  
Please use Panthermail for emails. I check my email often but can only reply to emails in 
Panthermail using my phone.  
 
Electronic Writing Portfolio (EWP) 
 
Submissions from 1001 and 1002 are encouraged. Any of the three essays you will write for this 
class should meet the EWP requirements. I would recommend submitting the final essay, but the 
portfolio is yours and you must decide what to submit. If you have questions about your essays 
and submitting to EWP, please let me know. There is also a website for EWP:  
https://www.eiu.edu/assess/ewpmain.php 
 
 
Dates for adding/dropping classes: Students with questions about these deadlines should 
contact the Registrar [(217) 581-3511, (217) 581-3831, records@eiu.edu]. 
• August 23: Last day to add a class 
• August 30: Last day to drop a course with no grade 
• August 30: Last day to withdraw from all classes with full tuition and fees refund 
• September 16: Last day to withdraw from all classes with 50% tuition and fees refund 
• November 1: Last day to withdraw from a class 
 
 
 
 
  
Schedule 
 
(Schedule may change as needed) 
 
 Required Reading Assignments 
Week 1 
 
Chapter 1 (begins page 3) “Norton Field 
Guide” 
Essay 1 instructions 
Thinking About Paper Topics (lecture notes) 
You, Me, Contractions (lecture notes) 
 
 
Week 2: 
 
Chapter 29 (begins page 345) “Norton Field 
Guide” 
Evaluating Sources (lecture notes) 
 
Proposal 1 
Week 3: 
 
Chapter 51 (begins page 555) “Who Says” 
Plagiarism (lecture notes) 
 
Plagiarism quiz 
Week 4: 
 
Chapter 46 (begins page 491) “Norton Field 
Guide” 
Research (lecture notes) 
 
Group Revision 
Week 5: 
 
Chapter 53 (begins page 564) “Norton Field 
Guide” 
Citation (lecture notes) 
Essay 2 Instructions 
 
Essay 1 
Week 6: 
 
Chapter 47 (begins page 501) “Norton Field 
Guide” 
Grading Rubric 
 
 
Week 7: 
 
Chapter 48 (Begins page 524)“Norton Field 
Guide” 
In-text citation (lecture notes) 
Credible Sources (lecture notes) 
More Style Issues (lecture notes).  
 
Proposal 2 
Week 8: 
 
Chapter 31 (begins page 367“Norton Field 
Guide” 
Group revision Worksheet 
 
Group Revision 
Week 9: 
 
Chapter 32 (begins page 372) “Norton Field 
Guide” 
Group Revision Letter Example 
 
 
Week 10: 
 
Chapter 50 (begins page 542) “Norton Field 
Guide” 
Peer Reviewed Sources (lecture notes) 
 
Essay 2 
Week 11: 
 
Chapter 37 (begins page 410) “Norton Field 
Guide” 
Finding Sources (lecture notes) 
Library resources (lecture notes) 
 
 
Week 12: 
 
Chapter 20 (begins page 258) “Norton Field 
Guide” 
More Style Issues (lecture notes) 
 
Proposal 3 
Week 13: 
 
Chapter 13 (begins page 164) “Norton Field 
Guide” 
Including Research in Essays (lecture notes) 
 
Group Revision 
Week 14: 
 
Chapter 25 (begins page 309) “Norton Field 
Guide” 
Markup Symbols (lecture notes) 
 
 
Week 15: 
 
Chapter 59 (begins page 694) “Norton Field 
Guide” 
Essay 3 
Week 16: 
 
Chapter 35 (begins page 391) Norton Field 
Guide” 
Reflection Essay 
 
   
   
Final 
Exam 
Class meeting time             Final exam time 
 
9:00                                       12/10          8:00 
 
11:00                                     12/11          10:15 
 
12:00                                     12/11         12:30 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Guidelines for Evaluating Writing Assignments in ElU's English Department 
Grades on written work range from A to F. The categories listed below are based on rhetorical 
principles and assume intellectual responsibility and honesty. Strengths and weaknesses in each 
area will influence the grade, though individual teachers may emphasize some categories over 
others and all categories are deeply interrelated. 
 A B C D F 
Focus Has clearly stated 
purpose or main 
idea/thesis quite 
thoughtfully and/or 
originally developed 
within the guidelines 
of the assignment 
Has clearly stated 
purpose or main 
idea/thesis 
developed with some 
thoughtfulness 
and/or originality 
within the guidelines 
of the assignment 
Has a discernible purpose or 
main idea/thesis which is not 
very clearly stated and is 
developed with limited originality 
and/or thoughtfulness; may have 
missed or failed to conform to 
some element of the 
assignment's guidelines 
Has no apparent 
purpose or main 
idea/thesis and/or 
shows little 
thoughtfulness 
and/or originality; 
may not conform to 
significant elements 
of the assignment's 
guidelines 
Has no purpose or 
main idea/thesis; 
shows little or no 
thoughtfulness 
and/or originality; 
may not conform to 
the guidelines of 
the assignment 
Organization Is logically 
organized but 
without overly 
obvious organization 
devices; has unity, 
coherence, strong 
transitions; has well 
defined introduction, 
body, conclusion 
Is logically organized; 
has unity, coherence, 
competent 
transitions; has well 
defined introduction, 
body, conclusion 
Is organized, but not necessarily 
in the most logical way; has unity 
and coherence but may make 
inconsistent use of transitions; 
has introduction, body, 
conclusion, one of which may be 
weak 
Is somewhat 
organized, but is 
confusing to readers; 
shows significant 
problems with 
coherence, unity, 
transitions; no or 
poorly written 
introduction, body or 
conclusion 
Is not organized; 
has little or no 
coherence and 
unity; poor or no use 
of transitions; no or 
poorly written 
introduction, body or 
conclusion 
Development Supports purpose or 
main idea with 
abundant, fresh 
details; details are 
specific and 
appropriate; uses 
sources well when 
sources are called for 
in the assignment 
Supports purpose or 
main idea with 
sufficient details; 
details are fairly 
specific and 
appropriate; uses 
sources adequately 
Supports purpose or main idea 
with details, but some parts of 
the paper are 
inadequately/inappropriately 
developed or vague 
Makes an attempt to 
use details to 
develop purpose or 
main idea but is, for 
the most part, 
inadequately/ 
inappropriately 
developed 
Does not develop 
main idea; may use 
sources 
inadequately/ 
inappropriately 
Style & 
Awareness of 
Audience 
Word choices show 
consideration of 
purpose and 
audience; shows 
thoughtfully and 
imaginatively 
constructed 
sentences; 
incorporates sources 
well 
Word choices are 
appropriate to 
purpose and 
audience; sentences 
often constructed 
thoughtfully and 
imaginatively; 
incorporates sources 
adequately 
Word choices are mostly 
appropriate to purpose and 
audience; sentences aren't 
particularly thoughtful or 
imaginatively constructed; 
sources may sometimes be 
awkwardly incorporated 
Word choices may 
be inappropriate to 
purpose or 
audience; sources 
incorporated poorly 
Word choices are 
generally poor; 
sources are 
incorrectly or 
very awkwardly 
incorporated 
Mechanics Has very few 
grammatical, 
spelling and 
punctuation errors; 
uses appropriate 
documentation style 
correctly when 
necessary for 
assignment 
Has minor 
grammatical, 
punctuation or 
spelling errors that 
do not interfere with 
reading of essay; 
uses appropriate 
documentation style 
correctly 
Has some grammatical 
punctuation and/or spelling 
errors that occasionally interfere 
with reading of essay; uses 
appropriate documentation style 
but may have some errors 
Has grammatical, 
punctuation and/or 
spelling errors that 
make reading 
difficult; 
documentation style 
may be poorly used 
Has grammatical, 
punctuation and/or 
spelling errors that 
make reading very 
difficult; 
documentation 
style poorly used 
Process Shows abundant 
evidence of careful 
planning and drafting 
and attention to peer 
and teacher 
comments 
Shows evidence of 
careful planning and 
drafting and some 
attention to peer and 
teacher comments 
Shows some evidence of 
planning and drafting, though 
some drafts may be less 
considered, and some 
attention to peer and teacher 
feedback 
Shows only a little 
evidence of planning 
and drafting and 
attention to peer and 
teacher feedback 
Shows little or no 
evidence of 
planning, drafting, or 
attention to peer and 
teacher feedback 
 
 


ENG 1001G-004 College Composition I Critical Reading & Source Based Writing

McClelland, Michael

Eastern Illinois University 
The Keep 
Fall 2024 2024 
Fall 1-17-2025 
ENG 1001G-012 College Composition I Critical Reading & Source 
Based Writing 
Michael McClelland 
Eastern Illinois University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://thekeep.eiu.edu/english_syllabi_fall2024 
Recommended Citation 
McClelland, Michael, "ENG 1001G-012 College Composition I Critical Reading & Source Based Writing" 
(2025). Fall 2024. 15. 
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/english_syllabi_fall2024/15 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the 2024 at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion 
in Fall 2024 by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact tabruns@eiu.edu. 
ENGLISH 1001G 
College Composition I 
Fall 2024: 1:00pm to 1:50pm, MWF 
Classroom: Coleman Hall 3160 
Instructor: Dr. Mike McClelland 
Office: Coleman Hall 3365 
Email: mbmcclelland@eiu.edu 
Office Hours: 
MWF 12:00pm to 1:00pm and MW 10:30am to 11:00am 
 
Welcome to Composition! 
“Some may say I couldn’t sing, but no one can say I didn’t sing.” -Florence Foster 
Jenkins 
Course Description: 
College Composition I focuses on informative, analytical, evaluative, and persuasive 
writing and introduces students to college-level research. Students will develop sound 
writing processes, produce cogent writing, strengthen analytical reading skills, and work 
with sources. (3 credits)  
Course Objectives: This writing-centered course has three main purposes-to continue the 
enhancement of your writing skills as developed in high school, to introduce you to the 
demands of writing at the university level, and to bring your writing up to the university 
level. Hardworking students will gain skill in prewriting, writing, revising, editing, and 
proofreading strategies, and in proper documentation of sources. Hardworking students 
in this course are also guaranteed to get better grades in future college classes. Students 
in this course will increase their abilities to:  
• Develop effective writing processes for producing documents  
• Present work in Edited College-level American English  
• Implement critical reading strategies to evaluate sources  
• Find appropriate sources through secondary research, including the use of academic 
library sources; integrate sources ethically and appropriately using a recognized citation 
style  
• Develop effective language and delivery skills through speaking opportunities  
Required Texts: 
-The Norton Guide to Field Writing 
-Re-reading America 
-The Little Seagull Handbook 
-Writer/Designer 3rd ed. 
Required materials:  
• A notebook or lined paper; a pen or pencil; access to the Internet; a computer 
with word-processing capabilities and a printer; copies of your writing as needed.  
• Your imagination! 
Course Requirements: 
 
• Students will complete a minimum of four written projects (approximately 750-
1000 words each. 
 
Specific Course Requirements: 
 
• For this particular composition course, students must consider the cultural 
influences to all of their writing as well as the potential cultural response. We will 
seek to define on our own multicultural perspectives - as individuals, as a class, 
and in a university context - and use that to build a list of the expectations we 
have for our writing and how others will perceive it. 
Grading   
• Essay One 10% 
• Essay Two 15% 
• Essay Three 20% and Oral Presentation 5% 
• Essay Four 30% 
• Participation 20% 
Participation:  
• Participation means coming to class and actively participating in building 
classroom culture by speaking up, by completing in-class writing assignments, 
and by reading a particular day’s assigned material before class begins. 
Participation means silencing your cellular devices and shutting your laptops 
during class.  
Plagiarism and Copyright: 
Just don’t plagiarize! If you have any issue completing your assignments within the 
assigned timeframe, please contact me directly before you even consider plagiarizing an 
assignment. I will work with you on a timeframe for completion. 
Eastern Illinois University considers plagiarism a serious offense under its student 
conduct code, and the penalty can be as serious as expulsion from school.  
The English Department’s policy on plagiarism: “Any teacher who discovers an act of 
plagiarism—‘The appropriation or imitation of the language, ideas, and/or thoughts of 
another author, and representation of them as one’s original work’ (Random House 
Dictionary)—has the right and the responsibility to impose upon the guilty student an 
appropriate penalty, up to and including immediate assignment of a grade of F for the 
course, and to report the incident to the Judicial Affairs Office.”  
Late and Make-up Work:  
• All work should be turned in complete and on time. Of course, unforeseen 
things happen, and if you have a documented excuse for your absence I will work 
with you to make sure that you get credit for all of your work. Work submitted 
late without an appropriate excuse may be penalized up to a letter grade per day 
for each day it is late. 
Methods of Evaluation:  
The grades for this class will determined by points earned (1000 total points possible) 
and will be reported based on the standard grading scale. However, per IAI standards, a 
grade of C or higher is required for advancement to higher level English courses. 
• 100% to 90%: A 
• 89% to 80%: B 
• 79 to 70%: C 
• 69% to 0%: NC 
Conduct and Kindness Policy: 
Participants in this course must be course compliant with the University’s Non-
Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy, which prohibits harassment of or 
discrimination against any person because of race, color, sex, religion, age, national 
origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender 
identity, or any other basis of discrimination precluded by federal and state statutes is 
strictly prohibited.  
In addition, as we will be discussing and investigating aspects of each other’s cultures, it 
is important for members of this class to not only “tolerate” each other’s unique and 
different qualities but to celebrate them. It is a requirement of this class that all we treat 
each other with kindness, respect, and compassion. 
Electronics: 
Failure to silence and put away phones, laptops, and smartwatches, and other cellular 
devices (if they aren’t being used for class purposes) will result in points being deducted 
from your participation grade for the class. 
Academic Integrity:  
Students are expected to maintain principles of academic integrity and conduct as 
defined in EIU’s Code of Conduct 
(http://www.eiu.edu/judicial/studentconductcode.php). Violations will be reported to 
the Office of Student Standards.  
Students with Disabilities: 
You are welcome here and are an equal member of this classroom. Please advocate for 
your rights and allow me to help point you in the right direction for exercising those 
rights! If you are a student with a documented disability in need of accommodations to 
fully participate in this class, please contact the Office of Student Disability Services 
(OSDS). All accommodations must be approved through OSDS. Please stop by McAfee, 
Room 1210, or call 217-581-6583 to make an appointment.  
The Student Success Center: 
Students who are having difficulty achieving their academic goals are encouraged to 
contact the Student Success Center (www.eiu.edu/~success) for assistance with time 
management, test taking, note taking, avoiding procrastination, setting goals, and other 
skills to support academic achievement. The Student Success Center provides 
individualized consultations. To make an appointment, call 217-581-6696, or go to 
McAfee Gym, Room 1301.  
The Writing Center: 
“The Writing Center of Eastern Illinois University is a place where students can develop 
as writers and thinkers. We recognize that student writers come to the center with 
individual needs and individual writing processes, and we are committed to working with 
students from all disciplines, majors, and academic backgrounds at any stage of the 
writing process.” I highly recommend you visit the Writing Center in the first three 
weeks of class with low stakes assignment, so you are comfortable in the environment 
and familiar with their processes when you go in for a more challenging one. 
https://www.eiu.edu/writing/index.php.  
English Education/Teacher Certification: 
Students seeking Teacher Certification in English Language Arts should request each of 
their English Department professors to complete the "Application for English 
Department Approval to Student Teach" before the end of the semester. This online 
evaluation form is available here: 
https://www.eiu.edu/english/machform/view.php?id=19831. 
 
Resources for Student Well-Being: 
Life is hard, especially when you’re in college. Please check out the university’s extensive 
options for assisting your emotional/physical/spiritual wellbeing: 
https://www.eiu.edu/fdic/Student%20_Well-Being_26-July-2022.pdf 
Attendance Policy:  
Students are expected to attend class meetings as scheduled. When an absence does 
occur, the student is responsible for the material covered during the absence. When 
possible, the student should notify the instructor in advance of an anticipated absence. 
After 1 unexcused absence, absences will begin to negatively influence your class 
participation grade.  
Electronic Writing Portfolio: 
Students may choose to select one of their essays for inclusion in their Electronic 
Writing Portfolio (an EIU graduation requirement). Step-by-step instructions for 
submitting work for your EJU Electronic Portfolio are available online at 
http://www.eiu.edu/-assess/ewpmain.php.  
 
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS 
 
Assignments/readings are due ON the date they are listed below.  
 
Any reading assignment not from the textbook will be provided as a handout or electronically. 
 
Week One (8/19) 
Introduction to textbook and D2L. Diagnostic Essay. 
 
 
Week Two (8/26) 
Overview of Critical Approaches and Reader Response Criticism. Essay One (Expository 
Essay) Assigned  
No Class on Monday, 1/15 
 
Week Three (9/2) 
Further discussion of critical approaches. Also, talk about how we build culture through 
writing. Review expository drafts. 
No Class Monday (Labor Day) 
 
Week Four (9/9) 
Essay One (Expository Essays) Due (by class Friday) 
Discuss Revision Strategies 
 
 
Week Five (9/16) 
Essay Two (Explication) Assigned.  In-class writing. Read work inspired by art and song. 
Discuss ekphrasis. 
 
 
Week Six (9/23) 
Further discussion of the explication process. Pick poems/songs to explicate. Bring 
outline (or rough draft) of Essay Two to class on Wednesday for peer review. Be 
prepared to write in-class about struggles/successes with the assignment. 
 
Week Seven (9/30) 
Essay Two (Explication) Due (by class Friday) 
Further discussion of revision strategies. 
 
Week Eight (10/7) 
Essay Three (Research) and Oral Presentation/Visual Aid Assigned. We’re over halfway 
through the course. Come to class prepared to reflect on the course thus far and to 
suggest things you would like to explore that may not be on the syllabus. 
No Class Friday (Fall Break) 
 
Week Nine (10/14) 
Discuss and schedule conferences. Presentations scheduled; final paper discussed. 
 
Week Ten (10/21) 
Bring Essay Three draft to class on Monday for peer review. Peer review discussion. 
Essay Three (Research) Due (by class Friday) 
 
Week Eleven (10/28) 
Final Paper Assigned. In-class writing and revision. 
 
Week Twelve (11/4) 
In-class writing and revision. 
 
Week Thirteen (11/11) 
Presentations, In-class Writing 
 
Week Fourteen (11/18) 
Presentations, In-class Writing 
 
Week Fifteen (11/25) 
No Class – Thanksgiving Break 
 
Week Sixteen (12/2) 
Final Paper Peer Review. Class Reflection. 
Last Day of Class is Friday, 12/6  
 
Week Seventeen (12/9) 
Final Paper Due  


ENG 1001G-012 College Composition I Critical Reading & Source Based Writing

Adu, Simon

Eastern Illinois University 
The Keep 
Fall 2024 2024 
Fall 1-18-2025 
ENG 1001G-015 College Composition I Critical Reading & Source 
Based Writing 
Simon Adu 
Eastern Illinois University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://thekeep.eiu.edu/english_syllabi_fall2024 
Recommended Citation 
Adu, Simon, "ENG 1001G-015 College Composition I Critical Reading & Source Based Writing" (2025). Fall 
2024. 16. 
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/english_syllabi_fall2024/16 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the 2024 at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion 
in Fall 2024 by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact tabruns@eiu.edu. 
 
ENG 1001G 
College Composition I: Critical Source-Based Writing Fall 2024 
Credits: 3-0-3 
Grade: A, B, C, N/C 
 
Fall 2024 
Monday, Wednesday and Friday 
11.00 AM – 11. 50 PM 
Coleman Hall, Room 3140 
 
Instructor  
Simon Amoako Adu 
Office: 3140 Coleman Hall 
Email: saadu@eiu.edu 
 
Office Hours 
Monday 1.00 PM – 2.00 PM in person in 3350 Coleman Hall 
Thursdays 4.00 PM – 5.00 PM Online by Appointment 
 
 
Course Description: 
This course is designed to help students develop informative, analytical, evaluative, and 
persuasive writing skills while introducing them to college-level research. Students will 
learn how to incorporate sources into their writing and will develop effective writing 
processes for producing documents. They will also improve their analytical reading and 
critical thinking skills. For the purposes of the Electronic Writing Portfolio, English 1001G 
is a “writing-centered” course. The quality of students’ writing is the principal 
determinant of the course grade.  
 
Learning Objectives: 
By the end of this course, students will be able to: 
- Develop effective writing processes for producing documents 
- Produce informative, analytical, evaluative, and persuasive prose 
- Recognize how to transfer their writing processes, understanding of rhetorical 
principles, and genre awareness to other writing situations 
- Strengthen analytical reading skills 
- Integrate and analyze sources ethically using at least one recognized citation style, 
preferably MLA 
 
Writing Style:  
-Students will use effective language and delivery skills through speaking opportunities. 
-Present final works in Edited American English 
 
Textbooks and Readings: 
The following texts will be used in this course: 
- The Norton Field Guide to Writing, 6th Ed. 
2 
 
- Reading Critically Writing Well 13th ed. 
-They Say I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing with Readings, 4th edition 
by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein 
- Course readings (provided by the instructor) 
 
Course Requirements: 
The minimum writing requirement for this course is 2500 words of polished, revised 
writing in addition to informal writing such as mini essays, reflection memos. Students 
will complete a variety of assignments including quizzes, mini essays, short 
assignments, in-class activities, rough drafts, and peer reviews. There will also be three 
major writing assignments that will be worth a total of 400 points. All major writing 
assignments and essays must be submitted to D2L via Turnitin. Late work policy and 
plagiarism policy are discussed below. 
 
Methods of Evaluation: 
Grades will be determined by points earned and will be reported based on the standard 
grading scale. However, per IAI standards, a grade of C or higher is required for 
advancement to higher level English courses. Below is a point distribution chart for the 
course: 
 
Participation, Shorter In-Class Assignment: (Various points totaling 600 points) 
Includes, Quizzes, Mini essays, Short Assignments, In-Class Activities, Rough Drafts, 
Peer Reviews, Discussions, Reading Responses, other assignments. (200 points) 
 
Major Writing Assignments: 
 
Personal Narrative 50 
Summary and Response Essay 50 
Report Essay/Memoir Essay 100 
Annotatd Bibliography 100 
Argument Paper 100 
 
Grades: 
The grades for this class will be determined by points earned and will be reported based 
on the standard grading scale. However, per IAI standards, a grade of C or higher is 
required for advancement to higher level English courses. 
100-90%=A 
89-80%=B 
79-70%=C 
69% or lower=NC 
 
Late Work Policy: 
I generally do not accept late work for in-class discussions and in-class group 
assignments. 10% percent per day will be deducted for late Major Writing Assignments. 
However, at my discretion, late consequences may be waived for unusual or 
3 
 
unavoidable circumstances. At EIU, “faculty are required to permit students to make up 
work when they miss class for properly verified absences due to illness, emergency, 
participation in an official University activity, or participation in volunteer emergency 
work.” 
 
Attendance Policy: 
Attendance will be checked and recorded before each class begins. Kindly be on time. 
Attendance in this class is crucial for students to succeed. Students must attend all 
classes unless they have a legitimate reason for not being able to attend (i.e. illness or 
family emergency). If a student misses more than 2 classes without a legitimate reason, 
their participation grade will be affected. If a student misses more than 4 classes, they 
will not be able to pass the course. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure they 
obtain all notes and assignments from any missed classes. 
 
Plagiarism and Copyright: 
Plagiarism is using someone else’s words, work, or ideas without providing proper 
acknowledgement. Eastern Illinois University considers plagiarism a serious offense 
under its student conduct code, and the penalty can be as serious as expulsion from 
school. Turnitin, a web-based plagiarism detection service, will be used in this class.  
 
The English Department’s policy on plagiarism: “Any teacher who discovers an act of 
plagiarism—‘The appropriation or imitation of the language, ideas, and/or thoughts of 
another author, and representation of them as one’s original work’ (Random House 
Dictionary)—has the right and the responsibility to impose upon the guilty student an 
appropriate penalty, up to and including immediate assignment of a grade of F for the 
course, and to report the incident to the Judicial Affairs Office.” 
 
AI (ChatCPT) Policy: 
Each student must produce original works without substantive assistance from others, 
including AI tools such as ChatGPT. Students are not allowed to use any of these 
automated tools. 
 
Mobile Phone Policy  
Mobile phones must be silenced or placed in Do Not Disturb mode at the start of each 
class. Texting, browsing the internet, or using social media during class is prohibited 
unless specified by the instructor for learning activities.  
Mobile phones can be valuable tools, but they can also be distractions that disrupt the 
educational experience for both you and your peers. 
Emergency Situations: If a student anticipates an emergency, they should inform the 
instructor before class begins. In such cases, the instructor may grant permission for 
the student to keep their phone accessible. 
 
Email Policy  
Use email for inquiries regarding assignments, clarifications on course material, or 
administrative questions. For urgent or personal matters, please speak directly with me 
during office hours or after class, if appropriate. Always use a professional tone when 
4 
 
composing emails. You are required to use your university email accounts for all course-
related correspondence to ensure security and authenticity. 
Please check your panther mail regularly for important updates and announcements. 
 
 
Students with Learning Disabilities: 
Eastern Illinois University is committed to providing equal educational opportunities for 
students with disabilities. If you have a documented learning disability or other 
academic accommodations, please notify me as soon as possible so that appropriate 
arrangements can be made or please contact the Office of Student Disability Services 
(OSDS). All accommodations must be approved through OSDS, Room 2006, or call 217-
581-6583 to make an appointment. 
 
Code of Conduct: 
All students are expected to maintain principles of academic integrity and conduct as 
defined in EIU’s Code of Conduct 
(http://www.eiu.edu/judicial/studentconductcode.php). Violations will be reported to 
the Office of Student Standards. 
 
 
Electronic Writing Portfolio: 
Students may submit essays from any class that meet the EWP standards, and we 
encourage submission from English 1001 or 1002. Submissions must be at least 750 
words (excluding works cited), and may not be fiction, poetry, or drama. More 
information on the EWP can be found here: https://www.eiu.edu/assess/ewpmain.php. 
 
The Writing Center: 
The Writing Center at Eastern Illinois University is a place where students can develop 
as writers and thinkers. We recognize that students come to the center with individual 
needs and individual writing processes, and we are committed to working with students 
from all disciplines, majors, and academic backgrounds at any stage of the writing 
process. I highly recommend you visit the Writing Center in the first three weeks of 
class with a low stakes assignment, so you are comfortable in the environment and 
familiar with their processes when you go in for a more challenging one. More 
information on the Writing Center can be found here: https://www.eiu.edu/writing/. 
 
The Student Success Center 
Students who are having difficulty achieving their academic goals are encouraged to 
contact the Student Success Center (www.eiu.edu/~success) for assistance with time 
management, test taking, note taking, avoiding procrastination, setting goals, and other 
skills to support academic achievement. The Student Success Center provides 
individualized consultations. To make an appointment, call 217-581-6696, or go to 
McAfee Gym, Room 1301.  
 
Bathrooms  
The closest all-gender restroom to our class is on the 2nd floor of Coleman Hall. 
Gender-limited restrooms are located just down the hall from our classroom and on 
5 
 
every floor in Coleman Hall. EIU's GSD Center website has a map of all the gender-
inclusive restrooms on campus, here: https://www.eiu.edu/lgbtqa/all-gender-
restrooms.php 
 
Sexual Harassment and Misconduct 
Sexual harassment of any kind will not be tolerated in this course. Sexual harassment is 
defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or 
physical conduct of a sexual nature when: 
 
Submission to such conduct is made an explicit or implicit condition of a student’s 
academic experience or of the receipt of any educational benefit; or 
Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for 
academic decisions affecting that individual. 
5 
Examples of sexual harassment include but are not limited to: 
- Sexual comments or jokes 
- Remarks about a person’s body or appearance 
- Unwelcome touching, hugging, kissing, or any other physical contact 
- Requests for sexual favors or sexual contact 
- Displaying or sending sexually suggestive images or messages 
 
Eastern Illinois University prohibits relationship violence, stalking, sexual assault, and 
other forms of sexual misconduct in any of its employment situations or educational 
programs and activities. 
 
All reports of sexual harassment will be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated. 
The instructor will take action to stop the harassment and ensure that the victim is safe. 
The victim’s confidentiality will be respected to the extent possible, and the victim will 
not be penalized in any way for reporting the incident. 
 
Creating a safe and respectful learning environment is important to the success of this 
course. Any student who engages in sexual harassment or other inappropriate conduct 
will be subject to disciplinary action, which may include reporting to the proper 
university authorities. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6 
 
ENG 1001G Course Syllabus 
Syllabus Overview, Fall 2024 
 
Module Topics Major Assignments 
Module 1: Introduction to the course and 
Basic Course Information 
Syllabus Quiz, Personal Narrative 
Module 2: Academic Literacies 
 
Summary and Response Essay 
Module 3: Autobiography and Literacy 
Narratives 
 
Autobiography/Literacy Narrative/Memoir  
Module 4: Reading Strategies, 
Research/Documentation  
Annotated Bibliography 
Module 5: Arguing for a Position 
 
Presentation of Argumentative Paper 
Module 6: Extra Credit 
 
Extra Credit Assignment 1 
Extra Credit Assignment 2 
 
Module 1: Introduction to the course and Basic Course Information 
Week 1 (Aug 19 - Aug 23): Introduction 
Assigned Readings: Course Syllabus, Chapter 1 
Writing Assignments: Syllabus Quiz 
 
Module 2: Academic Literacies 
Week 2 (Aug 26 - Aug 30): Reading in Academic Contexts: Where Reading meet Writing 
Assigned Readings: Chapter 2 
Writing Assignments: Chapter 2 Quiz 
 
Week 3 (Sep 2 - Sep 6): Summarizing and Responding  
Assigned Readings: Chapter 3 
Writing Assignments: Summary and Response Essay Draft Due, Student-Teacher 
Conferences  
 
Week 4 (Sep 9 - Sep 13): Developing Academic Habits in Mind 
Assigned Readings: Chapter 4 
Writing Assignments: Chapter 4 Quiz, Summary and Response Essay final Draft Due 
 
 
7 
 
Module 3: Autobiography and Literacy Narratives 
Week 5 (Sep 16 - Sep 20): Understanding the Relationship between Autobiography and 
Literary Narratives; Reading for Meaning, Assigned Readings: TNFG- Chapter 5, RCWW 
Chapter 3 
Writing Assignments: Reading for Meaning, RCWW Pg 80 
 
Week 6 (Sep 23 - Sep 27): Reading Like a Writer, Writing a Literacy 
narrative/Autobiography 
Assigned Readings: Me talk Pretty One Day In Search of Dumplings and Dead Poets 
Writing Assignments: Activit on RCWW Pg 88-89, Autobiography/Literacy Narrative 
Outline due 
 
Week 7 (Sep 30 - Oct 4): Conveying the Autobiographical Significance, Describing 
Places, People and Events 
Writing Assignments: Autobiography/Literacy Narrative first draft due 
 
Week 8 (Oct 7 - Oct 11): Writing Autobiography/Literacy Narratives 
Assigned Readings: RCWW, pg 111-122 
Writing Assignments: Autobiography/Literacy Narrative final draft due 
 
Module 4:  Reading Strategies, Research/Documentation 
Week 9 (Oct 14 - Oct 18): Organizing your Writing, Guiding your Readers, Drafting, 
Getting response and Revising 
Assigned Readings: TNFG Chapter 29, Chapter 30, and Chapter 32 
Writing Assignments: Chapter 29 Quiz 
 
Week 10 (Oct 21 - Oct 25): Analyzing Cause and Effect, Comparing and Contrasting, 
Arguing 
Assigned Readings: TNFG Chapter 36, Chapter 37, and Chapter 39 
Writing Assignments: Annotated Bibliography topic selection due,  
 
Week 11 (Oct 28 - Nov 1): Getting Started on Research, Finding Sources and 
Evaluating Sources 
Assigned Readings: Chapter 46, Chapter 47, Chapter 48 
Writing Assignments: Annotated Bibliography draft due 
 
Week 12 (Nov 4 - Nov 8): Acknowledging Sources, Avoiding plagiarism, MLA Style 
Assigned Readings: Chapter 51, Chapter 53 
8 
 
Writing Assignments: Annotated Bibliography Final draft due 
 
Module 5: Arguing for a Position 
Week 13 (Nov 11 - Nov 15):  
Assigned Readings: RCWW Chapter 8, TNFG Chapter 13 
Writing Assignments: Presentation of Argumentative Paper 
 
Week 14 (Nov 18 - Nov 22): Presentations 
Assigned Readings: TNFG Part 8 
Writing Assignments: Presentation of Argumentative Paper 
 
Thanksgiving Break 
 
Module 6: Extra Credit 
Week 16 (Dec 2 - Dec 6): Presentations 
Writing Assignments: Reaction Surveys and Reflection memo 
 
Week 17: Finals Week 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


ENG 1001G-015 College Composition I Critical Reading & Source Based Writing

ENG 1002G-600 College Composition II Argument and Critical Inquiry

Martinez, Robert

ENG 2504G-001 Film and Literature

Abel, Colleen

Eastern Illinois University 
The Keep 
Fall 2024 2024 
Fall 3-1-2025 
ENG 4761-001 Advanced Nonfiction Writing 
Colleen Abel 
Eastern Illinois University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://thekeep.eiu.edu/english_syllabi_fall2024 
Recommended Citation 
Abel, Colleen, "ENG 4761-001 Advanced Nonfiction Writing" (2025). Fall 2024. 58. 
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/english_syllabi_fall2024/58 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the 2024 at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion 
in Fall 2024 by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact tabruns@eiu.edu. 
ENG 4761 / 4761Z: Advanced Creative Nonfiction 
Fall 2024 / Coleman Hall 3159 / 1230-145 TR 
Colleen Abel 
 
crabel@eiu.edu                                                                                   Office hours  
Office: CH 3811                          Tuesday 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.  
                                                                                                   Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.*   
                                                                                           *and by appointment 
Required Texts 
Wang, Esme Weijun Wang. The Collected Schizophrenias. 
Honey, Minda. The Heartbreak Years.  
Prentiss & Nelson, Advanced Creative Nonfiction 
Miscellaneous readings (D2L) 
 
Course Description 
We all have a story to tell: This advanced course will provide students with an in-depth 
look of the styles and techniques of contemporary creative nonfiction in the service of 
helping develop their unique voice and style. We will read memoirs and essay collections 
to break down their structures and techniques, and students will workshop and revise 
their own writing in the service of transforming life into art.  
 
 
Learning Outcomes 
By the end of the course, you should be able to 
● Develop advanced ability and a repertoire of artistic strategies in the writing of 
literary nonfiction prose. 
● Deepen your understanding of creative nonfiction and its subgenres through 
intensive readings of contemporary authors. 
● Hone critical reading skills. 
● Evaluate, constructively, the works-in-progress of your peers  
● Reflect upon your own creative processes and practices 
 
 
Instructional Philosophy 
The course is divided into what I consider the two most important activities in learning 
to become a better writer: reading and writing. We will spend a great deal of time 
learning terminology and reading examples of essays that exemplify the techniques we 
are exploring. As the following writing advice attests, the way one learns craft is first by 
reading, then by writing. 
“Read, read, read. Read everything -- trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they 
do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! 
You'll absorb it. Then write. If it's good, you'll find out. If it's not, throw it out of the 
window.” -William Faulkner 
 
Course Delivery Method 
Though this class is face-to-face, this course will make use of the learning management 
system, D2L Brightspace, http://www.eiu.edu/d2l. However, if you need help: Contact 
ITS User Services for technical support issues. 
Email: support@eiu.edu 
Phone: (217) 581-4357 
Support Hours: 7:00 AM - 4:30 PM, Monday-Friday with your EIU NetID account or 
password, contact Campus Technology Support at (217) 581-4357 or support@eiu.edu.  
 
Grade Breakdown 
Creative Exercises: 100 points 
Three Essays: 300 points (100 points each x3; includes posting on time for workshop) 
Workshop Feedback: 200 points (50 points feedback x4) 
Revision Plans: 100 points (33 points x3) 
Two Technique Analysis Papers: 200 points (100 points each) 
Manifesto: 100 points 
____________________________________________ 
1000 points total 
 
Note: Students taking this course for graduate credit will have slightly different 
requirements. 
 
Writing Prompts: Most weeks, sometimes twice a week, we will be doing a creative 
exercise to generate new work. These are designed to take about fifteen minutes; you 
shouldn’t treat them as a demand to write an entire short piece on the spot. You can 
always choose to expand on any of these exercises to include in your workshop or your 
final portfolio! 
 
Three Essays: Over the course of the semester, you will be asked to write and 
workshop three essays of varying lengths. The instructions for each will be available on 
Dropbox. 
 
Revision Plans: I do not require you to show me revised drafts of your essays in this 
class. Instead, I ask you, for each of your three regular essays, to draft a revision plan. 
For your revision plan, I would like you to attempt to synthesize the feedback you 
received in your workshop. Discuss what you found most valuable in your feedback for 
sparking a direction forward. What specific changes do you plan to make to your essay? 
Try to aim for at least 150-200 words. 
 
Workshop Participation: Each of you will be workshopped four times over the 
semester. (Three essays plus one revision workshop.) You will provide written feedback 
for your peers when it is their scheduled workshop time. 
 
What does good feedback look like? Good feedback gives the reader a sense of your 
response to the piece as an audience member. Over many years of teaching I’ve found 
that students most appreciate: 
● A description of what you think their piece is about, what you think it’s 
trying to achieve, and what the main idea or theme seems to be. 
Sometimes this means stating things that seem obvious, but often this is 
something people see differently, so it helps to have many perspectives 
● Things that you respond to with excitement or surprise. Everyone loves 
hearing where their piece really took off and flew. This is helpful, too, 
because authors want to try to preserve in revision those things that the 
audience is responding well to (usually!) 
● Questions that you have. Is there anything confusing? Are you especially 
curious about why the author did or did not make a particular choice? 
● Ideas you have about what they could do in revision to experiment with 
different directions. This isn’t quite the same as saying you didn’t like 
something or that an element wasn’t “working.” These are “constructive 
possibilities”: what if this were shorter? Longer? Included research? What 
might that do for the piece? 
All of this will take a generous paragraph (200 words or more) to achieve.  
 
Fifty points per workshop feedback works out to about 8 points per person if we stay the 
size we are today. 
 
Technique Analysis: Twice during the semester, I will ask you to write a brief (2-3 
pages) analysis of a particular technique and how it is used in one of the essays we’ve 
studied this term. More details on this will be on D2L / Dropbox. 
 
Final Manifesto: For your final essay, “The Manifesto,” I would like you to turn in an 
essay (1000 word minimum) reflecting on yourself as a writer and your writerly beliefs. 
Using your experiences reading our course texts, reading your peers’ work, being 
workshopped, giving workshop feedback and writing new work for this course, write a 
manifesto in which you lay out your vision for the kind of essayist you are, what you 
believe your essays are doing, what you believe the genre of creative nonfiction should 
do. We will look at some manifesto examples in preparation.  
 
Instructor Response Time 
For emails, please allow me up to 24 hours to respond to your message, 36 hours on 
weekends or holidays. For grades, please allow a week to ten days for me to get back to 
you for large assignments, though it will likely take less time than this.  
 
Learner Participation Guidelines 
There are a few matters of classroom etiquette that are important to 
follow to ensure your success in this class. 
 
Turning in late work for workshop means you forfeit the right to feedback. Feedback 
needs to come to the writer before the workshop takes place, unless you have an 
exceptional circumstance. I also do not allow writers to post their pieces late for the 
workshop. This gives your peers less time for feedback, which is very stressful for them. 
I may not be able to reschedule your workshop if you miss class that day. 
 
Other late work will be discounted one point for each day late. I do not accept late 
workshop feedback. If you come to class without written feedback done for the people 
being discussed, you can still participate in the conversation, but you cannot afterward 
turn in written feedback. However, if you are concerned about those missing points, you 
may complete an alternate assignment from the Assignment Grab Bag. (More details on 
this will be available on D2L. 
 
Even without a formal attendance policy, I have noticed a clear and direct link between 
students who miss more than a couple of classes, and students who are not able to 
achieve an A in the course. Missing class will impact you. This is a workshop, and one of 
the best ways to be a good workshop citizen is to show up. It’s also a small class, which 
means we will feel your absence really keenly if you routinely are not there. Please speak 
with me as soon as possible if a situation arises where it looks like you will need to miss 
more than a single class here or there. 
 
Perhaps the most important classroom policy of all concerns our learning environment. 
A successful learning community is one in which we can learn from people whose 
perspectives we might not necessarily share and I ask everyone to be constructive and 
mindful. Speaking our minds is a fantastic privilege of this environment, but doing so in 
an aggressive or hostile way helps no one. 
 
***DISCLAIMER: One question that students often ask: is it okay if I write about …? 
Usually, they want to know if I will be upset if their work contains profanity, violence, 
sexuality, drug use, etc. The short answer is no. What I care most about is the quality of 
your writing. That being said, please do consider your audience before you workshop a 
piece. Is it worth it to you to spend one of your valuable workshop slots writing a piece 
that will almost certainly be offensive? One exception here: if your poem contains hate 
speech or bias toward protected groups, I am obligated to report this to the university.
 
EIU Policies 
● Department statement on plagiarism: Any teacher who discovers an act of 
plagiarism—“The appropriation or imitation of the language, ideas, and/or 
thoughts of another author, and representation of them as one’s own original 
work” (Random House Dictionary of the English Language)—has the right and 
responsibility to impose upon the guilty student an appropriate penalty, up to 
and including immediate assignments of a grade of F for the assigned essay and a 
grade of F for the course, and to report the incident to the Office of Student 
Standards. Respect for the work of others should encompass all formats, 
including print, electronic, and oral sources.  
○ Note: Creative writers are already beginning to use ChatGPT in 
meaningful and radically disruptive ways in their work; we can talk about 
this in class, and about the experimental potential of AI in creative writing. 
However, please do not use these tools to create any of the work you turn 
in for this class, unless you are experimenting under my specific direction.  
● Students who are having difficulty achieving their academic goals are encouraged 
to contact the Student Success Center for assistance with time management, note 
taking, avoiding procrastination, setting goals, and other skills to support 
academic achievement. The Student Success Center provides individualized 
consultations. To make an appointment, call 217-581-6696, or go to McAfee 1301. 
● If you are a student with a documented disability in need of accommodations to 
fully participate in this class, please contact the Office of Student Disability 
Services (OSDS). All accommodations must be approved through OSDS. Please 
stop by McAfee 1210, or call 217-581-6583 to make an appointment. 
Other Helpful Information 
● Hungry or need a break? The study lounge on the third floor of Coleman 3762 has 
food and couches and free books. 
● The writing center (Coleman 3110) can absolutely help English students / English 
majors with their assignments. Just because you may be an English major /  
● minor doesn’t mean an extra set of eyes won’t be useful to you. (Even the best 
writers never outgrow that need. That’s why editors have jobs.) 
● The closest all-gender restroom to our class is on the 2nd floor of Coleman Hall. 
Gender-limited restrooms are on every floor in Coleman Hall. EIU's GSD Center 
website has a map of all the gender-inclusive restrooms on campus, here: 
https://www.eiu.edu/lgbtqa/all-gender-restrooms.php 
Course Schedule  
Week One, August 19:    
T: Student and Teacher Introductions; Syllabus 
R: What do we know about cnf?; Exercises       
 
Week Two, August 26:    
T: ACNF: Chapter 2: Genre and Veracity + "Basement Game" by Austin Bunn; "Mighty 
Pawns" by Major Jackson 
T: ACNF: Chapter 3: The Central Question + “Diagnosis” (in The Collected 
Schizophrenias)  
    
Week Three, September 2:   
T: No class; see D2L 
R:  ACNF: Ch. 4: Form and Topic Interplay + Sarah Minor "Log Cabin Square";  
  
Week Four, September 9:    
T: ACNF: Ch. 5, “Meaningful Imagery” + “The Aquarium” by Aleksander Hemon 
Post workshop pieces by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, 9/11 on discussion forum 
R: ACNF: Ch. 6, “Dramatic Design” + "The Feels of Love” by T. Kira Madden 
 
Week Five, September 16:   
T: Workshop 1  
R Workshop 1  
 
Week Six, September 23:    
T: Workshop 1 overflow 
R: ACNF: Ch. 7, “Narrative Energy” + “A Refuge for Jae-In Doe” by Seo-Young Chu  
Revision plan #1 due by 11:59 p.m. on Friday 9/27  
      
Week Seven, September 30:    
T: Ch. 8, “Expanding & Contracting the Scene” + “First” by Ryan Van Meter; “The 
Choice of Children” (in The Collected Schizophrenias) 
Post workshop pieces by 11:59 p.m. on Wed, 10/2 
R: Research in cnf: Case Study: “Toward a Pathology of the Possessed,” “High 
Functioning,” “Yale Will Not Save You”) (in The Collected Schizophrenias) 
 
Week Eight, October 7:   
T: Workshop 2  
R: Workshop 2 
Technique Analysis #1 due Friday 10/11 at 11:59 p.m. 
 
Week Nine, October 14:   
T: Workshop 2 overflow 
R: Pop Culture Case Study: “The Slenderman, The Nothing, and Me,” “Reality, On-
Screen,” “L’Appel du Vide” (in The Collected Schizophrenias) 
Revision plan #2 due by 11:59 p.m. Friday 10/18 
     
Week Ten, October 21:   
T: ACNF: Ch. 14 Ethics and Credibility + Ira Sukrungruang, “Invisible Partners” 
Post workshop pieces by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, 10/23 
R: Ethics and Credibility continued: Case Study: TBD 
     
Week 11, October 28:    
T: Workshop 3 
R: Workshop 3 
 
Week 12, November 4:   
T: Workshop 3 overflow 
R: ACNF: Chapter 15: Re-visioning 
Revision plan #3 due by 11:59 p.m. Friday 11/8 
     
Week 13, November 11:    
T: “On the Ward, “John Doe, Psychosis,” “Perdition Days” (in The Collected 
Schizophrenias) 
R: “Chimayo,” “Beyond the Hedge” (in The Collected Schizophrenias) 
Week 14, November 18:    
T: Minda Honey, The Heartbreak Years 
R: Minda Honey, The Heartbreak Years 
Technique Analysis #2 due by Friday, 11/22 at 11:59 p.m. 
Thanksgiving Break 
 
Week 15, December 2:    
T: Minda Honey, The Heartbreak Years 
R: Manifesto examples (D2L) 
 
Manifestos are due by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, December 11. 
 
 


ENG 4761-001 Advanced Nonfiction Writing

Nance-Carroll, Niall

Eastern Illinois University 
The Keep 
Fall 2024 2024 
Fall 3-6-2025 
ENG 4903Z-003 Young Adult Literature 
Niall Nance-Carroll 
Eastern Illinois University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://thekeep.eiu.edu/english_syllabi_fall2024 
Recommended Citation 
Nance-Carroll, Niall, "ENG 4903Z-003 Young Adult Literature" (2025). Fall 2024. 63. 
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/english_syllabi_fall2024/63 
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ENG 4903 
Young Adult Literature 
 
Instructor: Dr. Niall Coleman Nance-Carroll 
Email: ncnancecarroll@eiu.edu 
Office: Coleman Hall 3060 
Office Hours:  
12:30-2:00 on Tuesday and Thursday (in person) 
12:00-2:00 on Friday (online) 
 
Course Objectives: 
1. Experience a wide range of literature produced for, or handed down to, 
young adults. 
2. Understand some of the social, cultural and technological forces that shape 
the production of young adult literature.  
3. Develop evaluative skills for assessing the quality of young adult literature. 
4. By the end of this course, you should have a working knowledge of the 
resources available to the scholars and professionals who work with young 
adult literature.   
Catalog Course Description:  
(3-0-3) S. Study of literature written for and about adolescents with emphasis on 
various genres, movements, themes, and major writers. (Group 5 for English; 
Group 1 for English Lang Arts) WI 
  
Required Textbooks  
• Boulley The Firekeeper’s Daughter 
• Dimaline The Marrow Thieves 
• Hinton The Outsiders 
• Johnson You Should See Me in a Crown 
• Lee Not Your Sidekick 
• Nix Lirael 
• Reynolds Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel 
• Sáenz Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe 
• Sánchez I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter 
• Takei They Called Us Enemy 
• Thomas Cemetery Boys 
 
Assignments 
Quizzes        100 
Discussions and In-Class Writing    400 
Short Papers (best 2 of 3)     200 
Proposal & Bibliography     50 
Research Project      150 
Final Essay Exam      100 
 
1000            Total 
  
In-Class Work  
We will complete a variety of in-class assignments, such as writing, graded 
discussions, and debates. Some of these will involve group work and some will be 
completed individually. 
   
Proposal 
You will draft a formal proposal for your research project, this will explain what 
young adult texts you will be looking at and define the aims of your research. This 
will also explain what kinds of sources you anticipate using. Proposals for 
undergraduate papers will typically involve a clear application of theoretical 
models. Proposals for graduate papers will typically involve a critique or an 
expansion of theoretical models.  
  
Bibliography 
You will provide a bibliography in advance of your final paper. While you are free 
to continue your research and find additional sources, this should contain most of 
the sources that you will be using on your final paper. Typically, bibliographies 
should contain at least 8 scholarly sources for undergraduate students and 12 
scholarly sources for graduate students. Unusual projects may require differing 
numbers or types of sources. 
  
Short Papers 
You will receive specific prompts for each paper. These will ask you to draw on 
what you learned in class and to consult secondary sources to support your 
evaluation or your argument about a text. 
  
Research Project 
You will develop a sustained argument about a young adult literature. This should 
be a theoretically grounded argument that draws on multiple scholarly sources and 
displays an understanding of the norms of academic argument. While you may 
draw on your short papers or class discussions, it must also include substantial 
additional research. Each student will present their research project to the class. 
  
Academic Integrity 
Students are expected to maintain principles of academic integrity and conduct as 
defined in EIU’s Code of Conduct 
https://www.eiu.edu/deanofstudents/conductcode.php. Violations will be reported 
to the Dean of Students. https://www.eiu.edu/deanofstudents/ 
 
Students with disabilities  
If you are a student with a documented disability in need of accommodations to 
fully participate in this class, please contact the Office of Accessibility and 
Accommodations. All accommodations must be approved through Office of 
Accessibility and Accommodations. Please stop by McAfee Gym, Room 1272, or 
call 217- 581-6583 to make an appointment.  
  
The Student Success Center 
Students who are having difficulty achieving their academic goals are encouraged 
to contact the Student Success Center https://www.eiu.edu/success/ for assistance 
with time management, test taking, note taking, avoiding procrastination, setting 
goals, and other skills to support academic achievement. The Student Success 
Center provides individualized consultations. To make an appointment, call 217-
581-6696, or go to McAfee Gym, Room 1336.  
  
Statement for Teacher Certification 
Students seeking Teacher Certification in English Language Arts should request 
each of their English Department professors to complete the "Application for 
English Department Approval to Student Teach" before the end of the semester. 
These forms are available in a rack outside the office of Dr. Melissa Ames (CH 
3821) and online 
here:  https://www.eiu.edu/english/machform/view.php?id=19831.  
Student Well-Being 
EIU is committed to supporting and advancing the mental health and well-being of 
our students. Students may experience stressors that can impact both their 
academic experience and their personal mental health and well-being. These may 
include academic pressure and challenges associated with relationships, anxiety, 
depression, alcohol or other drugs, identities, and finances. 
If you are experiencing concerns, seeking help is a courageous thing to do for 
yourself and those who care about you. Below is a list of available campus 
resources to assist with student well-being: 
• EIU Counseling Clinic: Human Services Building, 1st floor; 217-581-3413; 
for after-hours urgent support, call 1-866-567-2400. The Counseling Clinic 
offers individual and group counseling, emergency services, and resources. 
• Online Mental Health Screening: online, private screening tool for 
depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and alcohol and substance misuse. 
• EIU Heath Clinic: Human Services Building, 1st floor; 217-581-3013. The 
Health Clinic services include lab work, pharmacy, and women’s health and 
men’s health programs. 
• Health Education Resource Center (HERC): 2201 Blair Hall; 217-581-7786. 
The HERC offers health programming in the areas of alcohol, tobacco and 
other drug prevention and education, flu and cold prevention and education, 
nutritional analysis and education, and sexual health education, in addition 
to other health-related topics. 
• Center for Gender and Sexual Diversity (GSD): Stevenson Hall, lower level; 
217-581-7117. The GSD Center provides services such as the 
Trans*formation Station, a large library full of books and movies, year-
round programming, and a comprehensive Safe Zone Training program. 
• EIU Campus Food Pantry: 1347 McAfee. The EIU Campus Food Pantry is a 
means to support students and the campus community by alleviating barriers 
to consistent, adequate, and healthful food. Anyone with a Panther Card can 
visit the pantry two times per month. 
• Student Legal Service: MLK Jr University Union Room 2420; 217-581-
6054. Student Legal Service can assist with off-campus housing issues, 
traffic violations, misdemeanor criminal offenses, municipal ordinance 
violations, and expungement. 
• Financial Aid and Scholarships: Student Services Building East Wing; 217-
581-6405, Fax: 217-581-6422, finaid@eiu.edu. The Office of Financial Aid 
and Scholarships provides information and guidance to secure the necessary 
financial resources to meet educational goals and financial obligations to the 
university. 
 
Week 1 
Tuesday August 20 
Thursday August 22 
 Online Critical Readings 
Week 2 
Tuesday August 27 
Online Critical Readings 
Thursday August 29 
Library Visit #1 
Week 3 
Tuesday September 3 
 Read The Outsiders 
Thursday September 5 
The Outsiders Critical Reading 
Week 4 
Tuesday September 10 
Read The Marrow Thieves 
Thursday September 12 
The Marrow Thieves Critical Reading 
Week 5 
Tuesday September 17 
Read Not Your Sidekick 
 
Thursday September 19 
Short Paper #1 Due 
Week 6 
Tuesday September 24 
Read Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel 
 
Thursday September 26 
Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel Critical Reading 
Week 7 
Tuesday October 1 
Read I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter 
Thursday October 3 
 I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter Critical Reading 
Week 8 
Tuesday October 8 
Read They Called Us Enemy 
 
Thursday October 10 
They Called Us Enemy Critical Reading 
Research Project Proposal Due 
Week 9 
Tuesday October 15 
Read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe 
Thursday October 17 
Short paper #2 Due 
Week 10 
Tuesday October 22 
 Critical Reading 
Thursday October 24 
 Library Visit #2 
Week 11 
Tuesday October 29 
Read Cemetery Boys 
 
Thursday October 31 
Cemetery Boys Critical Reading 
Week 12 
Tuesday November 5 
Read Lirael 
 
Thursday November 7 
Lirael Critical Reading 
Week 13 
Tuesday November 12 
Read You Should See Me in a Crown 
Thursday November 14 
Short Paper #3 Due  
Week 14 
Tuesday November 19 
Read Firekeeper’s Daughter 
 
Thursday November 21 
Firekeeper’s Daughter Critical Reading 
 
Week 15: No Classes Thanksgiving Break 
Week 16 
Tuesday December 3 
Research Project Presentations 
  
Thursday December 5 
Research Project Presentations 
Week 17 Final Exams (Note Different Meeting Day/Time) 
Monday December 9  2:45-4:45: Final Exam 


ENG 4903Z-003 Young Adult Literature

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