ENGL 1551: Writing 2 (rev. 04/04)
Course Writing 2 focuses on the processes of investigation,
exploration of topics, formulation of tentative theses, collection of data
from suitable primary and secondary sources (from both the library and the
Internet, and the clear and appropriate presentation of the results of these
inquiries. In Writing 2, students receive regular classroom instruction as
well as computer lab instruction. 3 s.h.
Entrance Placement from the Composition and Reading Placement
Test (CRPT) or successful completion of Writing 1.
Requirement (English 1550). A grade of NC in 1550 does not
satisfy this requirement.
Fees The University assesses students in Writing 2 a materials fee
that is used to service and replace equipment and software, to provide
tutorial assistance and to purchase supplies.
Course Texts
Required: (1) The Little, Brown Compact Handbook.
(2) Instructors may require students in Writing 2 to use one
of the following texts:
Author Title Publisher
Crusius Aims of Argument: A Brief Rhetoric Mayfield
Goshgarian Dialogues Harper/Collins
Lunsford, Ruszkiewicz Everything’s an Argument St. Martin’s
Miller Informed Argument Harper/Brace/Jovanovich
Rottenberg Elements of Argument St. Martin’s
General Education Requirement Goals
Writing 2 fulfills a portion of YSU’s General Education Writing
Requirement (see http://www.cc.ysu.edu/ger/genedg.html for more information).
Specifically, Writing 2 addresses these GER goals:
Goal 1: Write and speak effectively. Students demonstrate communication
skills necessary to function in society and to compete in the global
marketplace.
Goal 2: Acquire, process, and present quantitative and qualitative
information using the most appropriate technologies, including computers.
Students demonstrate the ability to select and use effectively the most
appropriate technologies for gathering, analyzing and manipulating,
transmitting, storing and presenting information.
Goal 3: Reason critically, both individually and collaboratively, draw sound
conclusions from information, ideas, and interpretations gathered from
various sources and disciplines, and apply those conclusions to one’s life
and society. Students will demonstrate the ability to reason critically, to
distinguish among forms of argumentation, and to derive justified conclusions.
This course will help students to:
• Extend the critical reading and thinking skills and abilities you
developed in Writing 1
Critical thinking is required at every step of the writing process.
It is particularly important when collecting data through research, analyzing
its validity and usefulness, and presenting it to a discerning audience, as
students will in Writing 2.
• Continue practicing the writing process that you learned in Writing 1
Writing is a complex activity that involves several steps: generating ideas,
drafting, revising, getting feedback, and editing. Writing 2 adds the element
of original research, which must also be incorporated into the writing
process.
• Locate a variety of research sources through the library and the
World Wide Web
We live in an electronic age, and computer technology has affected
the entire communication process, including the writing process. Students in
Writing 2 will frequently meet in a computer lab, and they will have the
opportunity to learn to use the World Wide Web as a research tool. In
addition, students will have access to the resources of a modern library
(Maag) with its traditional print sources, as well as the resources of
OhioLINK, electronic databases, and online journals.
• Evaluate the reliability, importance, and relevance of research
sources
Evaluation of the reliability, importance, and relevance of sources
is an important exercise of critical reading and thinking. This process has
become especially important in the electronic information age, when we have
witnessed a proliferation of information distributed in electronic form.
• Shape an argument to appeal to a specific audience for a specific
purpose
Information, carefully gathered, evaluated, and selected, becomes useful when
marshaled to persuade an audience. Questions about which information should
be gathered, which information is most persuasive, and which presentation
style is most effective will be addressed.
• Select and use a document style (e.g. APA, CBE, MLA, Chicago)
appropriate to their chosen field of study. Instructors will introduce
students to more than one style of citation and reference.
ENGL 1551: Writing 2 (rev. 04/04)
Reading Assignments
Writing 2 instructors will provide reading assignments on the class syllabus.
Instructors may also assign readings from the Little, Brown handbook.
Writing Assignments
Students will write at least 5000 words in this course, a total that may
include in-class writing, informal homework, and formal essay projects, with
drafts and revisions. At least one of the formal projects will require
extensive use of sources, properly cited and documented.
Grades
Final grades for Writing 2 are A, B, C, and NC (no credit). Students who earn
a grade of A or B have fulfilled course requirements at an outstanding or
higher than average level; a C indicates satisfactory performance in the
course. Instructors may use an A/B/C/NC system or an A/B/C/D/F system for
grading individual assignments. Students with a final average of less than a
C will receive a grade of NC for the course. An NC doesn’t affect the
student’s overall grade point average, but it does appear on his/her
transcript. Any Writing 2 student who receives an NC must repeat Writing 2.
You may retake it only once without the approval of the dean of your college.
YSU Policy on Incomplete grades
The instructor may assign a grade of Incomplete (I) only if the following
conditions are met:
• the student has requested the incomplete ahead of time
• all course work prior to this request has been satisfactorily
completed
• the student documents that the circumstances leading to the request
are beyond his/her control
• the instructor considers the incomplete justifiable and agrees to it
If the instructor does not specify a shorter time frame, the student has up
to one year to complete an incomplete. If no formal grade change occurs
within one year, the “I” automatically reverts to an “NC.”
Audit Policy
Students who register to audit a composition course should consult with the
instructor about minimum attendance requirements.
Plagiarism
All writers must distinguish between the words and ideas which are their own
and those they have borrowed from another. Source materials must be
accurately copied and enclosed in quotation marks; paraphrased statements
must accurately reflect the ideas of their sources, and all sources must be
given credit. If a student-writer borrows anyone else’s idea without giving
credit, he or she is plagiarizing. Plagiarism also includes allowing others
to write, revise, or edit one’s course writing. Plagiarism is a serious
offense in the university. An instructor who determines that a student’s
writing contains plagiarism may issue an NC to the student for the assignment
and/or for the entire course, and the university may take further action.
Students with questions about plagiarism should consult their instructors for
additional information and also see the section on “Academic Honesty” in the
YSU Bulletin.
Students with Disabilities
In accordance with University procedures, if students have a documented
disability and require accommodations to obtain
equal access in this course they should contact the instructor privately, at
the beginning of the course, to discuss their specific needs. Students
seeking accommodation for disabilities must be registered with the Disability
Services Office in Beeghly Hall (room 3310 [330] 941-1372) and they must
provide to their instructors a letter of accommodations to verify their
eligibility.
Writing Center and Other Resources
Students in Writing 2 may seek additional one-on-one assistance at the
Writing Center by calling (330) 941-3055 to make an appointment with a tutor
at a convenient time. The Writing Center has hours between Monday and Friday
whenever classes are in session. Students can also visit The YSU Writing
Center’s website at: http://www.as.ysu.edu/%7Eenglish/wcmain.html.
After a tutorial session with a student, the Writing Center tutor sends a
progress report to the Writing 2 instructor, who may make suggestions for
additional classroom workshops or tutorial sessions.
In addition, YSU students may receive assistance at the Reading and Study
Skills Lab (330) 941-3099 and/or the Center for Student Progress (330) 941-
3538. Both facilities offer individualized assistance with a variety of
subjects and study skills.
General Information
Students who need additional information about Writing 2 or the YSU
Composition Program should consult their instructor or a Director(s) of
Composition in the English Department (DeBartolo Hall [330] 941-3414).
Transfer students who have had a college course in composition elsewhere
should have that course evaluated by the Composition Program Director before
beginning the writing sequence at YSU.
