English 1010 Expository Writing Syllabus Instructor Dr Wiltf

Syllabusenglish 1010 Expository Writing Instructor Dr Wiltfall Ter

Syllabusenglish 1010 Expository Writing Instructor Dr Wiltfall Ter

Describe the structure, objectives, and policies of an English 1010 expository writing course taught by Dr. Wiltfall Ter, including instructor contact info, course goals, assignments, grading criteria, participation expectations, and academic integrity standards.

Paper For Above instruction

English 1010: Expository Writing, taught by Dr. Wiltfall Ter, is designed to develop students' writing, critical thinking, and reflection skills aligned with the university’s mission. The course emphasizes writing as a process, analyzing diverse texts, and developing clear theses supported by evidence across various expository genres.

The instructor’s contact details include office location AMG 107, with office hours on Wednesdays from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. The preferred communication method is via D2L email, which ensures quick response times, especially compared to general university emails. Students are instructed not to contact the instructor through the Pipeline email system.

Required materials include R. Bullock’s “The Norton Field Guide to Writing,” 3rd edition. The main course goals include improving students’ ability to generate detailed writing plans, source and analyze content from various experiences, develop and articulate clear theses, adapt writing styles to audience and purpose, and integrate references accurately while maintaining grammatical correctness and conventional spelling.

The course approaches writing through a combination of major projects and daily assignments. Students will produce four to five major essays across different genres, each approximately two pages, which will constitute 70% of their final grade. These projects will often involve drafting in class, with opportunities for revision to enhance writing skills. Daily assignments—including quizzes and in-class exercises—will account for the remaining 30% of the grade. These daily tasks are intended to reinforce the major projects and improve general writing proficiency.

Weekly units focus on reporting information, profiling, comparing and contrasting, evaluating, and producing résumés and cover letters. Classroom activities and specific assignment details are posted on D2L, and students are responsible for regularly checking the platform for updates and deadlines. Late work is penalized with grade deductions—five percentage points for late submissions before the next class, ten points if more than a week late, with no credit beyond that.

All written work must adhere to academic formatting standards, including submission as Word documents, single-spacing (no double-spacing), 12-point Times New Roman font, and the omission of a separate title page. The essay title should be centered and bolded, with the student’s name centered below. References like Works Cited should be formatted matching standard styles (MLA, APA, Chicago), placed at the end of the document following the last line, not on a separate page unless specified. Assignments submitted via D2L should be named with the student’s last name and brief assignment description.

Assessment is based on final grades ranging from A (90-100%) to F (50-64%) with an explicit policy that D grades are not awarded in this course. Students earning below a C final grade will receive an “N” for “No grade,” indicating they must retake the course. A strict attendance policy is enforced, with a minimum of three absences resulting in penalties of up to 10 percentage points, and excessive absences may result in failure or withdrawal requirements. Punctuality, active participation, and respectful classroom behavior are essential and will positively influence grades. Students should arrive on time, turn off electronic devices unless permitted, and focus on classroom activities without distractions.

Students are encouraged to utilize the University Writing Center for assistance with their writing, which offers free support for any course assignment. For language usage questions, online corpora such as the Corpus of Contemporary American English and the British National Corpus can be useful resources.

Academic integrity is strictly upheld; proper citation of sources is mandatory, and any form of plagiarism, whether accidental or deliberate, constitutes misconduct that can lead to severe penalties, including failing the course. Assistance is available through the instructor, Writing Center, and online resources like Purdue’s OWL. Plagiarism detection software will be used to check drafts and submissions.

Students with disabilities should contact Disabled Student Services to arrange accommodations and provide the instructor with required documentation. Failure to comply may affect accessible learning opportunities.

The academic calendar aligns with university deadlines: classes begin in August, with deadlines for dropping courses, withdrawing, and final exams spanning the fall semester. Students should be aware of these dates, especially since withdrawing or dropping courses can impact financial aid, housing, veterans’ benefits, and scholarships.

Questions related to the course or technical issues with D2L should be directed to the instructor or the university’s IT Help Desk. For library inquiries, students can consult the library’s website or contact library services directly. Keeping up with course communications, checking D2L regularly, and adhering to policies will ensure a smooth and successful semester.

References

  • Graff, G., & Birkenstein, C. (2018). They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. W.W. Norton & Company.
  • Lunsford, A. A., & Ruszkiewicz, J. J. (2016). Everything’s an Argument. Bedford/St. Martin’s.
  • Purdue Online Writing Lab. (n.d.). General Writing Resources. https://owl.purdue.edu/.
  • Bullock, R., et al. (2013). The Norton Field Guide to Writing (3rd ed.). Norton.
  • Middle Tennessee State University. (n.d.). Academic Policies & Deadlines. https://www.mtsu.edu/.
  • National Council of Teachers of English. (2020). Standards for the Teaching of Writing. NCTE.
  • MLA Handbook. (2016). Modern Language Association of America.
  • American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication Manual of the APA (7th ed.).
  • Chicago Manual of Style. (2017). University of Chicago Press.
  • Middle Tennessee State University. (2023). Student Handbook. https://www.mtsu.edu/student-handbook.