General ENGL 1302 Syllabus Template

English 1302: Composition and Rhetoric II

General Description:

Intensive study of and practice in the strategies and techniques for developing research-based expository and persuasive texts.  Emphasis on effective and ethical rhetorical inquiry, including primary and secondary research methods; critical reading of verbal, visual, and multimedia texts; systematic evaluation, synthesis, and documentation of information sources; and critical thinking about evidence and conclusions.

Overview:

English 1302 builds upon what students learned in English 1301, emphasizing more complex research, analytical, and rhetorical skills.  Students are prepared to write advanced essays and research papers and are introduced to the formal study of texts selected from a variety of genres (historical, philosophical, political, literary, and ethnographical, among others).  Students learn to develop and support cogent written arguments, utilizing proper rules of evidence-gathering to draw key conclusions, to document sources, and to integrate citations using appropriate conventions of style (APA, CMS, MLA).  English 1302 focuses on critical thinking and problem solving to shape and define content, while also holding students responsible for the fundamentals learned in English 1301, such as familiarity with the traditional modalities of essay writing, mastery over sentence and paragraph construction, and the basics of English grammar and punctuation.  

Texts:

Learning Outcomes:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of individual and collaborative research processes.
2. Develop ideas and synthesize primary and secondary sources within focused academic arguments, including one or more research-based essays.
3. Analyze, interpret, and evaluate a variety of texts for the ethical and logical uses of evidence.
4. Write in a style that clearly communicates meaning, builds credibility, and inspires belief or action.
5. Apply the conventions of style manuals for specific academic disciplines (APA, CMS, MLA).

Course Objectives:

In English 1302, students are asked to build upon the fundamentals introduced in English 1301 and further master the following course-specific skills:

• Understand and demonstrate the persuasive application of language.
• Respond appropriately to a variety of rhetorical situations and constraints.
• Strengthen their argumentative skills as a form of persuasion.
• Evaluate a variety of texts critically, both individually and through group discussion.
• Draw conclusions from the interpretation of a wide range of genres (historical, philosophical, political, literary, and ethnographical, among others) and mediums (visual texts, multimedia, speeches, recordings, among others) that challenge student perspectives of person, place and identity (questions that relate to personal, social, and civic responsibility).
• Master common genre terminology.
• Compose multi-paragraph essays in appropriate rhetorical styles, such as argumentation, critical analysis, and other forms of advanced discourse.
• Prepare written analyses on a variety of texts and genres.
• Utilize proper research methods to support a logical thesis statement, as well as integrate and document the ideas of others in a competent manner.
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the appropriate conventions of style as applicable to upper-level courses and disciplines (APA, CMS, and/or MLA).

Policies and Procedures:

Visit https://www.lonestar.edu/syllabus-policies for language and details

Grading Policy:

Includes how grades are calculated and grade scale (A, B, C, etc.)

Attendance Policy:

Information regarding how attendance is taken and policy on missed classes

Plagiarism Policy:

Alerts students to the process of handling instances of plagiarism in the course