Professor Caleb Humphreys

Monday 9:30-10:50 (Eng 1301 – 006)

Monday 11:00-12:20 (Eng 1301 – 012)

English 1301

Please sign in and take a notecard. Do not write on it yet.

Please check your schedules and make sure that you are in the correct class.

This is English 1301 with Caleb Humphreys.

If you aren’t on the roster (and you are supposed to be here), come talk to me after class.

Are you in the right place?

• I am from Atlanta, Georgia.

• I am studying Creative Writing (Fiction) here at Tech.

• I graduated from Troy University in Troy, Alabama.

• I, unfortunately, spent my entire summer here in Lubbock.

Who Am I?

• Find a partner

• Introduce yourselves. Discuss:• Where you are from• Your major (or, what you are interested in

studying)• Favorite book, movie, or musical artist• Something interesting about you

• Then you will introduce your partner to the class.

• Write your information on the notecard. I will be using these to learn your names (so be thorough).

Who Are You?

• Attendance is mandatory. You are allowed two absences, but please use these for emergencies (note the Attendance section on page xxiii).

• Due dates are firm. Make sure you get your work in on time. Do not explain why your work is late in your writing concern.• Interesting fact: 99% of 1301 students that had perfect

attendance and turned all of their work in on time passed with a C or better.

• Don’t cheat.

• Computers, tablets, phones, etc. are not permitted in the classroom.

Course Policies

Quite simply, we will be doing a lot of rhetorical analysis. This serves two main purposes:

1. You will learn how to think and read critically.

2. You will learn how to begin thinking about your own rhetoric.

Expected Outcomes

• This is a hybrid course. We will only meet once a week for a little over an hour. Therefore, half of the class is taught here and the other half is online.

• You are responsible for completing and staying current with the outside coursework.

• As a hybrid class, there is more outside work. • Average assignments (per semester) in 12th grade English – 75

• Estimated number of assignments in this course – 25

• I am your Classroom Instructor (CI).

• All of your Raider Writer submissions will be graded by a group of anonymous graders (graduate students).

Hybrid Course

• This is the online portion of the class.

• You have (or will) receive an email (to your .ttu address) with instructions for setting up your account.

• You have to set up your Raider Writer account within 48 hours.

• Grading is anonymous… Do NOT include your name on any Raider Writer submissions. Points will be deducted for this.

• What Raider Writer looks like: https://raiderwriter.engl.ttu.edu

Raider Writer

• caleb.humphreys@ttu.edu

• Course blog: humphreys1301.wordpress.com

• I will post homework, Power Points, class announcements on this blog. Check it regularly.

• Office hours: Monday 2-5 in ENG 469 or by appointment. I will not hold office hours today or next Monday (Labor Day).

How to contact me…

• You must have the current text book

• First-Year Writing: Writing in the Disciplines, Eighth Custom Edition (2014-2015)

• You must have the online e-handbook• St. Martin’s Handbook

• Both of these are currently available at the campus bookstore.

• Notebook and writing utensils.

Required Materials

• There are 9 brief assignments

• There are two drafts (~25%)

• You will complete two peer critiques

• At the end of the semester you will write a review of your writing

• In-class participation and assigned homework/quizzes.

• Everything will build upon previous assignments that will help you write your rhetorical analysis

Assignments and Grading

What is Rhetoric?

What is a Rhetorical Analysis?

A Rhetorical Analysis will address an argument’s purpose, audience, and rhetorical strategies.

What is a Rhetorical Analysis?

Objective: To enable you to discuss your prior academic writing experiences and gain practice in some of the reading and writing skills covered in the course.Purpose:  BA1 has two parts. Part one is designed to give you an opportunity to tell your instructor about your prior writing experiences and discuss what you see as your strengths and weaknesses as a writer. Part two gives you an opportunity to “get your feet wet” as you practice the type of critical reading and writing expected in college.Description: To complete Part one, answer each of the following questions in paragraph form, being as specific as possible as you discuss each topic:What is your experience with academic writing? What types of writing have you done in the last few years—you might discuss high school, college-level, or workplace writing, for example.What do you think your strengths are as a writer? Your weaknesses? (Note that your e-handbook provides descriptions of many writing strengths and problems—refer to it if you need to in discussing your particular abilities). What are your goals for this class?

Brief Assignment (B.A.) 1

Part two consists of three different letters written by a college student.  Depending on the first letter of your last name, read one of the three .pdf files linked to this assignment.  

If your last name begins with A – I, read “Letter One”

If your last name begins with J – O, read “Letter Two”

If your last name begins with P – Z, read “Letter Three”

After reading the letter, write a paragraph in which you explain the purpose and audience for the letter. Be sure to identify some of the choices the writer made and explain how her choices allowed her to effectively communicate her message to her intended audience.   

Your response to this assignment should be 400-600 words in length.

BA 1 (continued)…

• Identify the writer’s audience: Who is the writer directing the letter towards? How can you tell? (Gender, age range, education level, culture, etc)

• What is the author’s purpose? What is the author trying to get across? How can you tell? (To inform, to argue, to change an opinion, to sell, etc)

• How did the author convey her purpose to her intended audience?

BA 1 (continued)…

• This is homework assignment is a diagnostic. This assignment will help me determine what I need to focus on in the coming weeks.

• Due at 11:59 on Friday.

• For Part 1 of this assignment, you may use the first person (I, my, me)

• Clearly address each part of the assignment. Each question needs to be answered.

• Use a professional tone and complete sentences. (Do not type this on your phone. Do not use text message lingo.)

Tips for BA 1

• Use paragraphs to organize your writing. Do not submit one giant block of text.

• Points (-10) will be deducted if the assignment is under the word count.

• Do not include your name on any Raider Writer submission. This helps the process maintain its integrity.

More Tips…

No class next week. However, you will have to keep up with the readings (as found on Raider Writer).

Remember to turn in BA1.

Check the blog this weekend for any additional readings and assignments for Week 3.

For Next Class…