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BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Language, Literature, & Cultural Studies

English 102: Expository Writing Term: SPRING 2024

Instructor: Professor Tanya McInnis Office Location: MLK 0250
Email: tmcinnis@bowiestate.edu Extension: X3721 or 301-860-3721
Office Hours: Monday/Wednesday – 12:00pm – 2:00pm
Tuesday/Thursday (virtual only) – 8:55am – 10:55am

Course Prerequisites: Expository Writing (English 101) with a final course grade of “C”
or higher.
NOTE: You are responsible for knowing what you grade is for ENGL 101. If you do not
have a grade of “C” or higher, you must withdraw from this course and register for ENGL
101 within the first week of classes.

Course Description: Argument and Research (English 102) builds on the skills
developed in Expository Writing (English 101), focusing on analysis, synthesis,
evaluation, logical thinking, the techniques of argument, and preparation and writing of
the documented (researched) essay. To this end this class will focus on what exactly is
reading and writing. What can it do for people? What can it not do? What does schooling
have to do with it? How can we understand language and literacy socially, on the one
hand, and cognitively, on the other? In what ways does it help us think and in what ways
does it help us complete tasks?

Theme: American Fiction

Required Texts and Resources:

1. Everett, Percival. Erasure. Gaylord Press, 2011.
2. Lumen Learning OER handbook: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-
jeffersoncc-styleguide/
(This is an alternative to using LSH.)
3. (EW) Empoword: A Student-Centered Anthology and Handbook for College
Writers.
https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/empoword-a-student-
centered-anthology-handbook-for-college-writers
4. (COOW) Composing Ourselves and Our World: A Guide to First-Year Writing:
https://composingourselvesandourworld.pressbooks.com/ (available on
Blackboard)
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5. Bowie State Course Library Guide for English 102.

https://bowiestate.libguides.com/english_102
6. Owl Excelsior Reading Lab Website: https://owl.excelsior.edu/orc/
7. OWL Purdue MLA Website:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_overview_an
d_workshop.html

Additional required readings and videos will be posted on Blackboard and in

“Course Materials” and “Course Schedule” of this Syllabus.

Additionally, reading is required as you conduct research and analyze your

sources. You are also expected to read each other’s writing to help you and your
classmates grow as writers.

General Education Competencies

I. Written and oral communication:
Competency in written and oral communication includes the ability to communicate
effectively in verbal and written language, the ability to use a variety of modern
information resources and supporting technologies, the ability to differentiate content
from style of presentation, and the ability to suit content and style to the purpose of
communication.

A. Analyze and discuss critical issues and recurring themes in the discipline.
B. Make personal judgments and respond to literature by drawing conclusions and
stating opinions.
C. Make interpretations and present those ideas in writing.
D. Employ appropriate word choices and diction in oral and written communication.
E. Use suitable current technologies to demonstrate knowledge of concepts.
F. Conduct research and evaluate information using the appropriate methods of the
discipline.
G. Critically evaluate his or her own work and conduct peer reviews of other
classmate’s written work.

II. Scientific and quantitative reasoning:

Competency in scientific and quantitative reasoning includes the ability to locate,
identify, collect, organize, analyze and interpret data, and the ability to use mathematics
and the scientific method of inquiry to make decisions, where appropriate.

A. Analyze and understand the physical and biological world.

B. Solve scientific problems and synthesize scientific information.
C. Apply scientific methods of inquiry during investigations.

III. Critical analysis and reasoning:

Competency in critical analysis and reasoning includes the ability to arrive at reasoned
and supportable conclusions using sound research techniques, including inference,
analysis and interpretation.
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A. Systematically evaluate facts, opinions, assumptions and theories from the

discipline.
B. Apply skills in analysis, synthesis and problem solving.
C. Apply logical reasoning in the examination and resolution of tasks.

IV. Technological competency:

Technological competency includes the ability to use computer technology and
appropriate software applications to produce documentation, quantitative data
presentations and functional graphical presentations appropriate to various academic
and professional settings.
A. Create a document using word processing software.
B. Produce a quantitative visual representation of data using mathematical
computation software.
C. Construct a presentation using presentation software.
D. Manipulate large amounts of data using a database management system.

V. Information literacy:
Information literacy includes the ability to identify, locate and effectively use information
from various print and electronic sources.
A. Identification of key concepts and terms that describe the information needed.
B. Selection of the most appropriate investigative methods for accessing needed
information.
C. Recognition of the cultural, physical, or other context within which the information
was created and understanding the impact of context on interpreting the
information.
D. Understanding of the ethical, legal and socio-economic issues surrounding
information and information technology.

Course Learning Outcomes: At the end of English 102 students will be able to:
1. Locate and analyze (for credibility, sufficiency, accuracy, timeliness, bias and so
on) primary and secondary research materials in multiple mediums and
perspectives in the library and on the internet for the purposes of composing
and revising academic and formal arguments observing appropriate attribution.
(GEC 1, 3, and 5)
2. Build academic writing skills – such as thesis generation, interpretation,
synthesis, response, critique, and design/redesign, research, and citation—and the
flexible writing strategies of reading, drafting, reviewing, collaborating,
revising, rewriting, rereading, and editing needed for composing effective
argumentation (GEC 2, 3 and 4)
3. Assess, interpret, and practice academic composition responding to assigned
texts, particularly academic, films, and literary genres, in terms of formal
elements (such as literary techniques or communicative conventions), historical
and cultural contexts, and appreciation of the diversity of U.S. American
society. (GEC 1, 2, & 5)
4. Develop knowledge of linguistic conventions of academia, including grammar,
punctuation, and spelling, and communicative mechanics, including thesis-driven,
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cohesive messaging; practice the collaborative basis of writing processes

through providing and acting on productive feedback for the purposes of general
editing and specific proofing regarding errors in grammar, mechanics, punctuation,
and usage. (GEC 2 & 1)
5. Gain experience reading and composing in multiple academic and formal modes
of writing and learn to see writing organization, mechanics, and conventions in
terms of the audience, purpose, task, and context of communicative situations
(GEC 2, 3, & 4).
Grading: Individual assignments will be graded out of100 points usually. These will be
weighted in your final grade:

Course Grade Breakdown by Percentage

Attendance and Participation 5%
In class Assignments and Assessments 12%
Essay 1 Classical Argument 15%
Essay 2 Rhetorical or Textual Analysis 15%
Essay 3 Problem Solution Essay 20%
Annotated Bibliographies (3 points each) 9%
Statements on Planned Research (2 points each) 6%
Rough Drafts of Essays (1 point each) 3%
Presentation of Problem Solution Essay 15%
Total A: 90- B: 80- C: 70- D: 60-
F: 59> 100%
Points 100% 89% 79% 69%

Submissions: All assignments must be formatted according to MLA style at the time of
submission on Blackboard. All documents must be submitted ONLY as a Word document.
It is your responsibility to ensure that the instructor can view the document submitted in
Blackboard effectively; failure to upload an appropriately formatted document and
assignment could lead to grading penalties. Blackboard cannot open “Pages” or
other formatted documents other than MS WORD.

Major Learning Activities:

All essays will be arguments, including the Final Reflection Essay. The material that you
will use will be related to the course theme that has been chosen by your instructor.

The final essay that you will write this semester will be reflective in nature.
The essay is to be a 3-4 page reflection of what you learned about the subject
of your theme through the research and writing that you conducted over the
course of the semester. It should also describe what you learned from
reviewing your classmates’ writing, from your classmates’ reviews of your own
writing, from feedback that you received from your instructor, the Writing
Center, and BrainFuse. Finally, the essay should discuss the advantages of
having taken this course and how those advantages will help you in your
college career and in your profession.
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Reading is also expected of the content that your instructor assigns and the material in
the Open Educational Resources provided by your instructor. See the Required Reading
list on the first page of this syllabus. Additionally, reading is required as you conduct
research and analyze your sources.

All essays will be documented essays, which means doing research and citing your
essays’ sources. This course will teach you how to do that. Preparations for writing
those essays require research and an annotated bibliography for each essay, writing a
rough draft of each essay for the Writing Center tutor and BrainFuse tutor to review with
you, and your conducting peer reviews of your classmates’ essays.

Participation will be graded in terms of your attendance in classes, actively engaging in

class discussions during those classes, and submitting your assignments and activities
on time. Attendance will be taken each class period at the beginning of the class.

Interactions between you and your classmates and the instructor are important.
Therefore, you need to set aside a specific time to attend this course and participate in
all the required class activities. Activities include class discussions, reviewing
classmates’ writing and classmates’ reviewing your writing, and doing all homework and
preliminary writing assignments (such as the statement of planned research,
worksheets, quizzes, etc.) that are given to prepare you to write your essays and
annotated bibliographies. Engaging during class and doing the required
assignments and activities will comprise the majority of your participation
grade.

Communication Policy: Please be mindful of the requirements of digital

communication and netiquette. Contact your instructor through email unless your
instructor tells you otherwise. You can also post questions on the Discussion Forum as a
secondary option. Please allow up to 48 hours to receive your response during
weekdays. Additionally, you should also expect that the instructor might not respond on
weekends. You and your classmates might also want to create a GroupMe chat in order
to learn from each other.

Academic Honesty: Plagiarism is a very serious breach of academic ethics. As stated in

the “Policy on Plagiarism” section of the Undergraduate Catalog, “Students guilty of
plagiarism are subject to severe penalties.” The faculty members in the Department of
Language, Literature, and Cultural Studies have agreed that assignments that are found
to have plagiarized material (intentional or unintentional; to include AI generated work)
will be given a zero and may cause the student to fail the course. If you are not
absolutely clear on what constitutes plagiarism, please consult your handbook or see the
instructor or seek help from the Writing Center. In addition, a letter explaining why the
student has failed will be sent to the appropriate academic chair of the department and
the dean of College of Arts and Sciences. For more details, please refer to the
“Plagiarism Policy” section in your “About this Course” tab in your Blackboard course.
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Smith Vidal Writing Center helps all Bowie State University students become stronger
and more confident writers. Through one-on-one sessions with writing consultants, you
will be empowered to overcome challenges in any stage of the writing process. Come to
your previously scheduled appointment with your assignment, your draft, and your
questions. Online appointments are available. Sessions last up to 50 minutes and must
be scheduled at least one day in advance. Contact The Writing Center at (301) 860-3720
or writingcenter@bowiestate.edu to make an appointment. For more information, visit
www.bowiestate.edu/writingcenter.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
You are required to create a Writing Center Account for this course. When you
sign up, you will receive an email from the Writing Center. You will make a
copy of this email and submit it on Blackboard to receive credit. If you already
have an account, you must provide evidence of your account and submit it on
Blackboard. This constitutes 3% of your final grade. The percentage might not
sound like much, but when you consider that you have the potential to boost
ALL of your essay grades, the 3% is a bonus.

You can also follow the Writing Center social media @bsuwc (Instagram) and @bsu_wc
(Twitter) to hear about our talks, events, and workshops.

Disability Support Services: This course follows university policies for students with
disabilities. Bowie State University is committed to creating inclusive and accessible
learning environments consistent with federal and state law. If you have registered with
Disability Support Services and an accommodation notification was sent on your behalf,
please schedule a meeting with your instructor at the beginning of the semester to
discuss how your accommodations will be implemented in this course.

Students who have a permanent disability or temporary health condition that requires
accommodations should contact Disability Support Services immediately. You may
email: dss@bowiestate.edu , call 301-860-4085 or stop by their office: Thurgood
Marshall Library, lower-level, RM# 078.

The BSU website provides information about how to register with DSS:
https://www.bowiestate.edu/academics/support-services/disability-support-services/
request-services/

It’s important that you reach out early to ensure adequate time to process your
accommodation request and establish an approved plan, if necessary. Please note
that approved accommodations are not retroactive.

BSU Mental Health Resources

Many mental health resources are available. Please see the tab entitled “BSU Mental
Health Resources” in the left menu of this Blackboard course for a listing of what is
available to you.
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Non-Discrimination Policy: BSU shall not discriminate against any individual on the
basis of race, color, religion, age, ancestry or national origin, sex, sexual orientation,
gender identity or expression, disability, marital status, or veteran status.
COVID-19: Even in the best of times life can get in the way of studies, but we are
experiencing an a new wave of COVID-19 variant. It is highly advisable that you wear a
mask during in-class meetings. This will also cut down on our getting or spreading colds
and flus.

If your ability to complete your work for the week is disrupted for a justifiable
reason and you need an extension, please ask.

SPRING 2024 ACADEMIC CALENDAR

https://bowiestate.edu/about/administration-and-governance/division-of-enrollment-
management/registrars-office/bsu_2023-24-academic-calendar.pdf.pdf
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Course Schedule: Please note contents are subject to change at instructor’s

discretion.
Weeks Deliverables Due Learning Activities
Module 1: Course Introduction
Week 1  Introduction Discussion Syllabus Overview
JAN.27-31 Post due 1/31 Blackboard Course Tour
 Syllabus Quiz due 1/31 BB, “What is Academic Writing"
 *Register for Writing
Center Account
Module 2: ENGL 101 REVIEW: Organization and Structure and Diagnostic
Writing Sample
Week 2 Diagnostic Writing Lecture: The Perfect Paragraph
FEB. 3-7 Assignment due 2/7 BB: Building a 7-paragraph essay
__ COOW 5.3: “Organizing an Essay”
COOW 5.5: “Intro & Conclusion”

Module 3: Thesis Statements

Week 3 Thesis Statement Worksheet How to Write an Effective Essay: The
FEB. 10-14 due 2/12 Introduction video
Schmoop Thesis Video
COOW 5.2: Thesis Statements
EW 6: “Observations to Thesis”
Essay 1 Assignment Sheet
Activity 1 Assignment Sheet
Module 4: Using Research Tools and Avoiding Plagiarism
Week 4 MLA Format Worksheet due Lecture: Working with Sources (MLA
FEB. 17-21 2/19 Review)
Plagiarism Tutorial
Statement on Planned “Integrating Sources and Avoiding
Research for Essay 1 due 2/21 Plagiarism”
MLA Style
COOW 17.3: Annotated Bib
OWL: Annotated Bibliography
Module 5: Essay 1 Argumentation and Literature
Week 5 Activity #1 due 2/24 Lecture: Intro to Argumentation
FEB. 24-28 Activity 2 Assignment Sheet
Annotated Bibliography COOW 11: “Argument Assignment”
for Essay 1 due 2/28 EW: “Types of Argumentation”
COOW 10.1 Analysis and Evaluation
EW – Chapter 7: p. 207- 222 (Rhetorical
Analysis)
ERASURE Chapters 1-6 (pgs.1-62)
Week 6 Rough Draft Essay 1 for BB: “The River,” Brown
MAR.3-7 Peer Review 1 due 3/5 BB: “The Criminalization of Gentrifying
Final Draft Essay 1 due Neighborhoods” Fayyad
3/7
Week 7 Activity #2 due 3/12 OWL: Peer Review
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MAR. 10-14 COOW 6.1: “Revising/Proofreading”

ERASURE “MY PAFOLOGY”(pgs. 63-131)
Week 8 SPRING BREAK! SPRING BREAK! SPRING BREAK! SPRING
MAR. 17-21 BREAK!

Module 6: Essay 2 Position Essay Classical Argument

Week 9 Statement on Planned Essay 2 Assignment Sheet
MAR. 24-28 Research Essay 2 due
3/26 Lecture: Literary Analysis
ERASURE Chapters 7-12 (pgs. 132-198)
Annotated Bibliography
for Essay 2 due 3/28

Week 10 Rough Draft Essay 2 for OWL: Peer Review

MAR.31 – Peer Review due 3/31 STUDENT-INSTRUCTOR CONFERENCES
APR. 4 THESE WILL BE HELD ACCORDING TO A
Student-Instructor SIGN-UP SHEET AND CONDUCTED VIA
Conferences 4/2 & 4/4 ZOOM.JOIN A FEW MINUTES BEFORE YOUR
APPOINTED TIME. ATTENDANCE IS
MANDATORY.
Week 11 Final Draft Essay 2 due COOW 6.1: “Revising/Proofreading”
APR. 7-11 4/9 ERASURE Chapters 13-18 (pgs.199-265)
Module 7: Essay 3 Argumentation and Community Problem Solving
Week 12 Statement of Planned Essay 3 Assignment Sheet
APR. 14-18 Research Essay 3 due Activity 3 Assignment Sheet
4/16 EW 8: Research Concepts

Annotated Bibliography
Essay 3 due 4/18
Week 13 Rough Draft Essay 3 for OWL: Peer Review
APR. 21-25 Peer Review due 4/23 COOW 6.1: “Revising/Proofreading”
Final Essay 3 Oral Presentation
Assignment Sheet
Week 14 Activity #3 OWL: Peer Review
APR. 28-MAY Presentations due 4/28 COOW 21.1: “Turning Your Paper Into an
2 Oral Presentation”;
Final Draft Essay 3 due EW – Appendix C p. 467-474 (Metacognition)
5/2 Text to Visual Remediation
Final Essay 3 Oral Presentation
Assignment Sheet
Week 15
MAY 5-9 Final Essay 3 Presentation
Essay due 5/5

Week 16
MAY 12-
13
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