WELCOME TO THE COURSE!
EN110 will equip you to become better readers, writers, and critical thinkers entering the university writing scene by also exploring different writing styles, spaces, and mediums!
Comp 1 - Welcome Slides
Let's get started!
*For Week 2 (scroll/swipe down); For 1st Week (scroll/swipe right*
CMU Resources for YOU!
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CMU Writing Center (2nd Floor Smiley)
- You will be required to make writing consultations (3) on project essays throughout the semester (click above link to make an appointment!
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Digital U (2nd Floor Smiley)
- IPad Help, Apps, Podcast Room, VR/Green Room, etc.
Practice FreeWriting Exercises!
- Use the Handouts for Ideas and Prompts to Get started.
- Once I start the Stopwatch for 10 minutes, Write/Type like Crazy in Word Doc, Notability, Notes, etc.
- Don't stop even if you run out of ideas, KEEP GOING... even if you need to write: "let's see, still thinking, uhh... I'm waiting for an idea..."
- Think about generating content and ideas - DON'T WORRY ABOUT SPELLING, GRAMMAR, HOW IT LOOKS.
So far we've looked at:
- Peter Elbow's FreeWriting 1-pager
- Catherine Ramsdall's Who I Am Story
- Language Awareness Critical Reading (3-24)
In-Class: Be thinking about what these readings have to say about who you are as a writer and communicator. What did you learn about effective reading/writing? What did you learn about storytelling and using narratives to establish your voice? What do these readings have to say about writing well?
Go to our In-Class Exercise: Reading, Writing, & Literacy to begin
Reading to Write, Write for your audience
For all group members, select a color card for Ramsdall and share with the Group when ready: What did you discover?
RED - Page 281, Craft an Interesting...What? How does this work?
BLUE - Page 273, Narratives can be WHAT...? Provide Your Example.
GREEN - Page 274, Examples of Two Weird Words about Stories would be...How could I use these myself?
ORANGE - Page 278, In Something I've seen recently, an example of "Dominant Impression" would be... I could use this...
PURPLE - Page 280, Show Don't Tell with an artifact you have on you or can talk about in a meaningful way... (What is Show Don't Tell?)
"Who I Am" Scanvenger Activity
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You can call me Dr. Smothers, Doc S, or That Writing Guy
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Hometown: Harrodsburg, KY
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I've taught First-Year and Advanced Writing Courses, Business Communication, and Digital Rhetoric and Writing, as well as a Visual Research Writing Course focussed on icons.
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My Special Research Interests include visual rhetorics, iconography, and digital circulation online related to icons, symbols, and artifacts. I’m interested in visuals and how they are used in marketing and advertising. I have skills with web building, infographics, and researching.
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I enjoy rock collecting, fishing, going to national parks, and reading fiction, poetry, and non-fiction.
Your Instructor
- Office - Cupples Hall 425 (the very top, 4th floor) - walk through the entrance of Smiley Library
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Hours
- M/W 11am-1:30pm
- T/R 12:30pm-1:30pm
- And by appointment
- EMAIL: esmothers@centralmethodist.edu
- You can also message through Canvas Inbox but direct email I will respond faster usually within
a 12-24 hour window or sooner.
Instructor Contact Info
Question: When you all think of the word "writing" what does this mean for you? What do you often have to do? What are some things you are always told about your writing?
COMP 1: Visual Rhetoric and Persuasive Writing - How might writing look different in 2024?
In this course, you will be engaging in:
- Weekly Discussion Boards (Original Content and Responses to Peers)
- In-Class Writing Exercises addressing the readings, project essays, and working with each other. Participation is a big part of composition
- Essays which show personal, narrative, analytical, argumentative, and research driven growth throughout the semester.
- Constructing and creating content beyond the written word and into multimodal spaces.
- FINAL GRADE NEEDS TO BE A "C" TO PASS ON TO COMP 2.
Course Expectations
In this course:
- Showing up repeatedly late (3 times or more) will lead to being marked absent. (Let me know if something will keep you from being on time via email).
- Be respectful of your classmates and instructor during classroom discussion & instruction: save personal conversation before/after class (Contributing to discussion and in group work is also important).
- If in doubt, ASK... I don't believe in stupid questions!
Course Etiquette
- Attendance (will be kept via Canvas)
- For a T/R week course, you can have a few unexcused absences, but attendance percentage and participation impact your grade. I will email you to follow-up and remind you of attendance policy and impact on your grade.
- Excused absences are because of:
- Sickness/Illness
- Family Emergency
- Professional or Legal Obligation
IMPORTANT: Please email me BEFORE class to let me know about this absence OR through Canvas Inbox. This helps keep communication open especially for potential make-up work.
Course Policies
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Late Work
- No Submissions in Canvas will result in a zero after the due date. Half-credit (50%) will only apply to major projects/assignments
- Participation In-Class Assignments: Your attendance is importance as missing could result in zeros for not completing in-class work made available during class. Unless prior contact is made with me concerning making up work, you CANNOT make up work that required your attendance to complete (peer reviews, in-class writing excercises, etc.
Course Policies-cont.
- Language Awareness 13th Edition,
- Eagle CMU Bookstore: EN110,
- RENTING is the cheapest option.
- On a budget? Smiley Library has a Reserve copy you can access and keep within the library - take pics on your Ipad of important info!
- All other articles/resources we will read for EN111 will be supplied through Canvas.
Our Texts
- How would you guys define the Good, the Bad, and The Ugly when it comes to A.I. tools?
The A.I. Question
- A.I. Writing Tools, whether ChatGPT, Grammarly, Google Bard, etc., is a Writing Generator/Calculator and good for brainstorming, getting ideas BUT... Here is where it gets tricky...
- Lots of Content and Info BUT NO CONTEXT (doesn't know our assignments, class, and what I'm wanting as your instructor)
- Eliminates YOUR WRITER'S VOICE; in other words, it may sound fancy but it isn't you.
- May or may not give you sources and evidence you can back up with citations (double the work).
A.I. Policy
A.I. Policy (However...)
This is an emerging technology we will test and play around with from time to time this semester on projects for the following:
- Brainstorming Ideas
- We will do a Rough Draft (You Write) and then in Class will do an A.I. Draft and post-reflection on this.
- SHOULD NOT OVERWHELM YOUR FINAL DRAFT.
Academic Honesty and Plagiarism Statement:
A.I. Writing Tools will only be used in a brainstorming, idea-building, early drafting capacity. FINAL DRAFTS, should be mostly your work.
In Summary, Plagiarism is taking another person, thing, or construct's work and claiming it as your own. Avoid this at all costs by:
- Always CITE your sources (MLA, APA) and show readers where you got your content from.
- LIMIT information or writing you are getting from A.I. Writing Tools or generators
- DO NOT Copy and Paste Content directly into your Word Doc, especially if it is your ESSAY.
- COPY and PASTE is ONLY appropriate for URL Links, Citations, or Reference material.
A.I. Plagiarism can lead to major grade deductions, zeros, academic dishonesty forms, or even failing the course! If in doubt, ASK!
Academic Honesty and Avoiding Plagiarism
To better practice working with visual platforms, icons, and getting to know one another, compose a digital/physical nametag for yourself using and access the Shared Powerpoint slides located in Canvas (Week 1 - Class Intros. We will work on this for Day 1.
- Hometown - Major
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3 Fun Facts about yourself:
- Hobby you enjoy
- Professional skills (digital, computer, gaming, social media, electronics, etc.)
- Places you've traveled
- Animals!!! :) Pictures of your pets!
- Things you are proud of
- Organizations, Clubs, you are a part of.
- We will also work on a fun collaborative idea with each other!
Week 1 Intro Activity
Comp 1 Welcome Slides
By codys
