ENG 102: Composition II, Spring 2021

Instructor Information

Name:

Office:

Phone:

Email:

Office Hours:

Required Texts and Materials

● UNLV Writes (Custom Edition for UNLV) available in hard copy format (ISBN

9780393445220) or e-book format at VitalSource (ISBN 9780393446333)

● Course tools and resources available through WebCampus

● A reliable computer and Internet access

Course Description

English 102 builds upon the critical thinking, reading, and writing capabilities that

students developed in English 101. Students learn the processes necessary for

collecting and incorporating research material in writing. They learn how to evaluate,

cite, and document primary and secondary research sources, how to investigate, report,

and document existing knowledge, and how to develop arguments and support them

with sound evidence.

Course Objectives

By the end of English 102, students will be able to:

● Understand and participate in academic research as an inquiry-based, iterative

process that contributes to an ongoing conversation

● Practice information literacy skills by developing a research question, locating and

evaluating sources, and synthesizing information from multiple sources

● Engage with academic sources in their own writing by citing, attributing,

summarizing, paraphrasing, quoting, analyzing, synthesizing, interpreting, and

evaluating ideas and information from texts

● Develop an argumentative strategy by making a claim, supporting that claim with

evidence from sources, and acknowledging and responding to counter-arguments

● Compose texts in academic genres for planning, documenting, and

communicating scholarly findings

● Identify academic genre conventions for content, structure, style, citation,

document design, and mechanics and apply these conventions in texts

● Practice writing as an inquiry-based, iterative process by using a range of

invention, drafting, peer feedback, revision, editing, and proofreading strategies

● Reflect on their development as research-based writers by articulating and

evaluating their research and writing processes and rhetorical decisions

Course Requirements and Grades

In order to achieve the course objectives, students are expected to regularly participate

in both graded and ungraded learning activities, which include reading assignments;

class discussions; writing workshops; collaborative exercises and peer response

sessions; and informal writing, such as journal entries, drafts, reflections, responses,

and quizzes.

NOTE: You should keep all of your work (drafts, final submissions, instructor

comments) from this class until after final grades have been posted.

Final course grades will be calculated as follows:

Course Requirement

% of Final Grade

Unit 1: Developing a Research Question and Plan

15%

Unit 2: Finding and Evaluating Academic Sources

20%

Unit 3: Making a Research-based Academic Argument

30%

Research Journal

15%

Low-stakes writing and activities

20%

Individual assignment grades are averaged into the course grade using this scale:

Percentage Range

Letter Grade

94 to 100%

90 to <94%

A-

87 to <90%

B+

84 to <87%

80 to <84%

B-

77 to <80%

C+

74 to <77%

70 to <74%

C-

67 to <70%

D+

64 to <66%

60 to <64%

D-

50 to <60%

Not Submitted

Overview of Major Assignments

Unit 1: Developing a Research Question and Plan

The first unit of this class introduces research and writing as inquiry-based processes.

You will identify a topic of your choice and develop a research question to explore this

topic more using academic research methods. You will produce a research plan that

explains why this topic is important, summarizes background information on the topic,

poses a research question to learn more about the topic, and proposes a research

process to answer the research question.

Unit 2: Finding and Evaluating Academic Sources

In the second unit for this class, you will begin answering the research question(s) that

you developed in Unit 1. You will learn more about academic sources including how to

locate, understand, and evaluate sources that are relevant to your research question.

You will produce a critical annotated bibliography that documents your research process

and analyzes relevant sources.

Unit 3: Making a Research-Based Academic Argument

In the final unit for this class, you will build on your semester work to make an academic

argument that answers your research question. You will develop an argumentative

claim about your research question, and you will use evidence from your research

process to support your claim. You will integrate sources into your argument as

background information, examples, and counterarguments. You will produce a rough

draft and a final draft of an argumentative research paper.

Research Journals

Throughout the semester, you will write frequently about your research process. These

journals help you to document the choices you make in your research process and to

practice some of the skills needed to complete the major writing projects. Research

journal topics will vary from week to week, and explicit instructions will be provided for

each journal entry.

Low-Stakes Writing and Activities

Each week you will be responsible for completing low-stakes writing and activities.

These activities are designed to check your comprehension of course content and to

provide practice and feedback as you develop your critical thinking, reading, and writing

skills. The low-stakes writing and activities may be individual or collaborative. Common

low-stakes activities include discussions, quizzes, collaborative exercises, peer

response, and informal writing.

Instructor Policies

Class Participation

Regular class participation is important to your development as a writer and your

success in this class. Critical thinking, reading, and writing skills are enhanced by

dialogue that reveals multiple perspectives. Class activities are designed to give you

this interaction with your classmates and instructor. If there are extenuating

circumstances such as prolonged illness or family situations that keep you from

participating in class, please contact me as soon as possible and keep me informed

about the situation.

If there are extenuating circumstances such as prolonged illness or family situations that

keep you from participating in class, please contact me as soon as possible and keep

me informed about the situation. These circumstances are especially likely this

semester because of the challenges related to COVID-19 which could prevent you from

attending on-campus classes or limit your access to a computer. (See “Public Health

Directives” under “Campus Policies and Resources” later in this syllabus.)

While it is not possible to make-up some class activities that require your peers’

contributions, you are still responsible for content and work covered during any times

that you are not able to participate actively with the class. Review the course schedule

and materials posted on WebCampus, and email me with any questions so that you

don’t get too far behind.

Work Submissions

Late Work

Timeline for Grading

Communication

Classroom Technology

Campus Policies and Resources

Academic Misconduct

Academic integrity is a legitimate concern for every member of the University community. We

all share in upholding the fundamental values of honesty, trust, respect, fairness, responsibility,

and professionalism. By choosing to join the UNLV community, students accept the

expectations of the Student Academic Misconduct Policy, and are encouraged to always take

the ethical path whenever faced with choices. Students enrolling at UNLV assume the

obligation to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with UNLV’s educational mission. An

example of academic misconduct is plagiarism. Plagiarism is using the words or ideas of another

person, from the Internet or any other source without proper citation of the source(s). See the

Student Conduct Code.

Auditing a Course

Auditing a course allows a student to continue attending the lectures and/or laboratories and

discussion sessions associated with the course, but the student will not earn a grade for any

component of the course. Students who audit a course receive the same educational

experience as students taking the course for a grade, but will be excused from exams,

assessments, and other evaluative measures that serve the primary purpose of assigning a

grade.

Classroom Conduct

Students have a responsibility to conduct themselves in class and in the libraries in ways that do

not interfere with the rights of other students to learn, or of instructors to teach. Use of devices

such as cellular phones and pagers, or other potentially disruptive activities are only permitted

with the prior explicit consent of the instructor. Students are specifically prohibited to record

classes without instructor authorization, including online/remote classes (either audio only, or

video and audio). The instructor may rescind permission at any time during the class. If a

student does not comply with established requirements or obstructs the functioning of the

class, the instructor may initiate an administrative withdrawal of the student from the course.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic forced some instruction to be delivered remotely starting in

Spring 2020, numerous students have asked instructors to record their synchronous classes, so

that they can access them at their convenience. Instructors who agree to record their classes

(audio only, or video and audio) should inform students in advance. Recorded lectures may not

be broadly released to anyone, but made available exclusively to those students enrolled in the

class during the particular academic term. Recorded lectures must be stored securely, and are

subject to the Nevada System of Higher Education’s Records Retention Policy, meaning that the

recordings can only be deleted 120 days after the end of class (i.e., after grades are posted).

Once this requirement is met, the recordings should be deleted. Class recordings are protected

from disclosure, as they are deemed part of an educational record under the Family Educational

Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

The University requires all members of the University Community to familiarize themselves

with, and to follow copyright and fair use requirements. You are individually and solely

responsible for violations of copyright and fair use laws. The University will neither protect nor

defend you, nor assume any responsibility for student or employee violations of fair use laws.

Violations of copyright laws could subject you to federal and state civil penalties and criminal

liability, as well as disciplinary action under University policies. Additional copyright policy

information is available.

Disability Resource Center (DRC)

The UNLV Disability Resource Center (Student Services Complex, SSC-A, Room 143, telephone

702-895-0866) provides resources for students with disabilities. Students who believe that they

may need academic accommodations due to a permanent disability, temporary or permanent

medical need, or academic support due to pregnancy are encouraged to contact the DRC as

early as possible in the academic term. A Disabilities Specialist will discuss what options may be

available to you. Students who are already registered with the DRC should request their

accommodations online each semester, and make an appointment to discuss their

accommodations with their instructors.

Final Examinations

The University requires that final exams given at the end of a course occur on the date and at

the time specified in the Final Exam schedule. The Final Exam schedule is typically available at

the start of the semester, and the classroom locations are available approximately one month

before the end of the semester. See the Final Exam Schedule.

Identity Verification in Online Courses

All UNLV students must use their Campus-issued ACE ID and password to log in to WebCampus-

Canvas.

UNLV students enrolled in online or hybrid courses are expected to read and adhere to the

Student Academic Misconduct Policy, which states that “acting or attempting to act as a

substitute for another, or using or attempting to use a substitute, in any academic evaluation or

assignment” is a form of academic misconduct. Intentionally sharing ACE login credentials with

another person may be considered an attempt to use a substitute, and could result in

investigation and sanctions, as outlined in the Student Academic Misconduct Policy.

UNLV students enrolled in online courses are also expected to read and adhere to the

Acceptable Use of Computing and Information Technology Resources Policy, which prohibits

sharing university accounts with other persons without authorization.

To the greatest extent possible, all graded assignments and assessments in UNLV online courses

should be hosted in WebCampus-Canvas or another UNLV-managed platform that requires ACE

Incomplete Grades

The grade of “I” (Incomplete) may be granted when a student has satisfactorily completed

three-fourths of course work for that semester/session, but cannot complete the last part of

the course for reason(s) beyond the student’s control and acceptable to the instructor, and the

instructor believes that the student can finish the course without repeating it. For

undergraduate courses, the incomplete work must be made up before the end of the following

regular semester. Graduate students receiving “I” grades in 500-, 600-, or 700-level courses

have up to one calendar year to complete the work, at the discretion of the instructor. If course

requirements are not completed within the period indicated, a grade of “F” will be recorded,

and the student’s GPA will be adjusted accordingly. Students who are fulfilling an Incomplete

grade do not register for the course, but make individual arrangements with the instructor who

assigned the “I” grade.

Library Resources

Librarians are available to consult with students on research needs, including developing

research topics, finding information, and evaluating sources. To make an appointment with a

subject expert for this class, please visit the Libraries’ Research Consultation website. You can

also ask the library staff questions via chat and text message.

Missed Classwork

Any student missing class, quizzes, examinations, or any other class or laboratory work because

of observance of religious holidays will be given an opportunity during that semester to make

up the missed work. The make-up opportunity will apply to the religious holiday absence only.

It is the responsibility of the student to notify the instructor within the first 14 calendar days of

the course for Fall and Spring courses (except for modular courses), or within the first 7

calendar days of the course for Summer and modular courses, of their intention to participate

in religious holidays which do not fall on state holidays or periods of class recess. For additional

information, please visit the Missed Classwork policy, under Registration Policies, on the

Academic Policies webpage.

In accordance with the policy approved by the Faculty Senate regarding missed class time and

assignments, students who represent UNLV in any official extracurricular activity will also have

the opportunity to make up assignments, provided that the student submits official written

notification to the instructor no less than one week prior to the missed class(es).

The spirit and intent of the policy for missed classwork is to offer fair and equitable assessment

opportunities to all students, including those representing the University in extracurricular

activities. Instructors should consider, for example, that in courses which offer a “Drop one”

option for the lowest assignment, quiz, or exam, assigning the student a grade of zero for an

excused absence for extracurricular activity is both contrary to the intent of the Faculty

Senate’s policy, and an infringement on the student’s right to complete all work for the course.

This policy will not apply in the event that completing the assignment or administering the

examination at an alternate time would impose an undue hardship on the instructor or the

University that could be reasonably avoided. There should be a good faith effort by both the

instructor and the student to agree to a reasonable resolution. When disagreements regarding

this policy arise, decisions can be appealed to the Department Chair/School Director,

College/School Dean, and/or the Faculty Senate Academic Standards Committee.

For purposes of definition, extracurricular activities may include, but are not limited to

academic recruitment activities, competitive intercollegiate athletics, fine arts activities, liberal

arts competitions, science and engineering competitions, and any other event or activity

sanctioned by a College/School Dean, and/or by the Executive Vice President and Provost.

Rebelmail

Rebelmail is UNLV’s official email system for students and by University policy, instructors and

staff should only send emails to students’ Rebelmail accounts. Rebelmail is one of the primary

ways in which students receive official University communications, information about

deadlines, major Campus events, and announcements. All UNLV students receive a Rebelmail

account after they have been admitted to the University. Sending emails within WebCampus-

Canvas is also acceptable.

Tutoring and Coaching

The Academic Success Center (ASC), at the Claude I. Howard Building, provides tutoring,

academic success coaching, and other academic assistance for all UNLV undergraduate

students. For information regarding tutoring subjects, tutoring times, and other ASC programs

and services, please visit the ASC website, or call 702-895-3177. The ASC is located across from

the Student Services Complex (SSC). Academic success coaching is located on the second floor

of SSC A, Room 254. Drop-in tutoring is located on the second floor of the Lied Library, and on

the second floor of the College of Engineering building (TBE A 207).

UNLV Writing Center

One-on-one or small group assistance with writing is available free of charge to UNLV students

at the Writing Center, located in the Central Desert Complex, Building 3, Room 301 (CDC 3–

301). Walk-in consultations are sometimes available, but students with appointments receive

priority assistance. Students may make appointments in person or by calling the Center,

telephone 702-895-3908. Students are requested to bring to their appointments their Rebel ID

Card, a copy of the instructions for their assignment, and two copies of any writing they have

completed on their assignment.

Diversity Statement

As an institution of higher learning, UNLV represents a rich diversity of human beings among its

faculty, staff, and students, and is committed to aspiring to maintain a Campus environment

that values that diversity. Accordingly, the University supports understanding and appreciation

of all members of its community, regardless of race, sex, age, color, national origin, ethnicity,

creed, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy,

genetic information, veteran status, or political affiliation. Please see University Statements and

Compliance.

A successful learning experience requires mutual respect and trust between the students and

the instructor. Accordingly, the instructor asks that students be willing to listen to one

another’s points of view, acknowledging that there may be disagreements, keep discussion and

comments on topic, and use first person, positive language when expressing their perspectives.

Composition Program Contact Information

If you have questions or concerns about your experience in your class, please feel free

to contact an administrator in the Composition Program. You can call 702-895-3153, go

in person to RLL 261, or send an email to Englishcomposition@unlv.edu.