Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Office: UH-435
Office Hrs: M/W 1:30-2:30, and Th 3-4
Email: lbruce@fullerton.edu
Course Description
Earning a C (2.0) or higher grade in English 363 will satisfy the Universitys undergraduate,
upper-division writing requirement for certain majors. Please check with an advisor in your
major to determine if English 363 will satisfy the requirement for your major.
In this course we will enable you to write effectively in what remains of your undergraduate
career and beyond by building upon the critical reading, thinking, and writing experience you
gained in English 101. The sciences, like other academic disciplines, have developed specialized
forms of communicationlike grant proposals and review articlestailored to serve specific
social functions. A scientific discourse community emerges from the sharing of such
specialized documents. This class will initiate you into this discourse community, considering its
audiences, methods of communication, conventions, and values. It will do this in part by
developing your ability to analyze and employ a variety of scientific genres, including book
reviews for popular audiences, review articles for expert audiences, annotated bibliographies,
and presentations. In addition, you will record your thoughts and research in a scholars journal
and compile a portfolio showcasing your strengths as a scientific writer. While I will
occasionally give short lectures to explain a concept or to demonstrate a technique, most of our
class time will be spent writing, reading, talking, and thinking together in peer groups.
Prerequisites: Completion of GE Category A.2, Written Communication
Student Learning Outcomes: After completing ENGL 363, students will be able to
1. Rhetorical Focus: Write formally and informally, in-class and out-ofclass, for a variety of scientific audiences and purposes.
2. Ethical Research: Using the appropriate majors customary citation
style, ethically cite and communicate information from a variety of
discipline-appropriate sources.
3. Persuasive Arguments: Compare, evaluate, synthesize, and
communicate carefully, objectively, and persuasively the relative
merits of alternative or opposing arguments, assumptions, and cultural
values. Integrate this evaluative work into a persuasive argument.
4. Organization and Focus: Organize, focus, and communicate ones
thoughts clearly and effectively to address a rhetorical situation.
Employ IMRAD organizational pattern where appropriate.
5. Academic Language and Design: Recognize, evaluate, and employ
the features and contexts of language and design that express and
Weight
5%
10%
10%
20%
10%
30%
10%
5%
Weeks 6 & 15
Mar 14th/17th
Week 8
Apr 20th/23rd
Apr 4th/7th
May 12th/13th
2-4x/semester TBA
Weekly
This course will be graded on a +/- scale. While I may apply a slight curve to my grades each
semester, grades typically conform to the following tentative scale: A = 100-90%; B = 89-80%;
C = 79-70%; D = 69-60%; F = 59% and below.
1) Two Conferences with Instructor
(total 5%)
Twice during the semester, you will meet with me about your progress as a writer. The
first conference will focus on your writing process, while the second will build your
revision and self-reflection skills.
2) Book Review
(10%)
Evaluating a scientific trade book requires expertise. Evaluating that book for a popular
audience, however, requires more than familiarity with its scientific content, it also
demands a writer to define technical jargon, explain complex concepts, and employ an
engaging structure and style. After reading one of seven eligible trade books (see the
list on the prompt), you and a small group of classmates will review your chosen book
in a five- to six-page review.
3) Presentation
(10%)
Your book review team (see #2) will introduce the class to its chosen book in a 12-15minute presentation using Power Point. The presentation should include technical
definitions, conceptual explanations, illustrative figures, and of course, your evaluation
of the book. Your classmates will receive credit for evaluating your presentation.
4) Review Article
(20%)
Scientific journals often solicit review articles from experts in particular fields. Written
for a broad scientific audience, such reviews report the findings of studies on a specific,
contemporary subject of interest. You will find and read contemporary studies on a
subject of your choice. Afterward, youll report these findings objectively in a four- to
five-page review article using the citation style required by a journal (APA, CSE, etc.)
of your choice.
5) Annotated Bibliography
(10%)
Before writing your review article (see #4), youll compile a list of sources to be used in
the review. The annotated bibliography will summarize four of these sources and relate
them to each other.
6) e-Portfolio
(30%)
On the last day of class, youll submit an online outcomes portfolio that will allow you
to reflect upon, assess, and polish a few pieces of your work into a collection you think
best reflects your competence as a scientific communicator. Using Weebly as its
platform, this portfolio will contain work selected by you as representing both your
best works and your achievement of the outcomes listed on page one of this
syllabus. The detailed instructions posted on our Titanium site specify some minimum
requirements, including, for example, at least one full-length, fully revised assignment,
a Scholars Notebook entry, and a cover letter. A 500-750-word cover letter will justify
your selections and reflect upon what they demonstrate about you as a writer.
6) e-Scholars Notebook
(10%)
Keeping an electronic scholars notebook (SN) containing all of your reflective,
analytical, and process writing throughout the semester will help you record, guide, and
improve your writing and learning in this class. Youll submit your Scholars Notebook
two times during the semester as a Word or PDF document, and I may check it
periodically in class, as well.
The submission of material authored by another person but represented as the students
own work, whether that material is paraphrased or copied in verbatim or near-verbatim
form.
The submission of material subjected to editorial revision by another person that results
in substantive changes in content or major alteration of writing style and
You can read more about plagiarism and writing a research paper at:
http://fdc.fullerton.edu/learning/Academic%20Integrity/student_guide_to_avoiding_plagia.htm
In addition, according to the Department of Biological Sciences,
Cheating is the use of another's work as your own. Copying another student's
homework or lab report, looking at another student's exam, or using information from
another student to enhance your performance on a task are all examples of cheating.
Students who violate university standards of academic integrity will be reported to Sandra
Rhoten, Associate Dean, Dean of Students Office, Judicial Affairs and are subject to disciplinary
sanctions, including failure in the course and suspension from the university. University policies
are strictly enforced in this course. Please familiarize yourself with the academic integrity
guidelines found within the current student handbook or explained on the FDC website:
http://fdc.fullerton.edu/teaching/resources/Academic_Integrity/
Late Work
Late work will be penalized. All assignments must be submitted to Titanium as Word or PDF
documents. Submitting your assignments in an alternative format will result in late penalties. If
you know you will be absent, submit your assignment to Titanium before the due date. Papers
lose one grade level per day, including weekends (A, A-, B+, B, etc.). I DO NOT ACCEPT
PAPERS VIA EMAIL.
Extra Credit
If an extra credit assignment is distributed, the student can choose to complete or not complete
the assignment. If the assignment is distributed during the class period, students must be present
to take advantage it.
Administrative Policies
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: I am happy to discuss accommodations
you need to succeed in this class. If you have a disability or special need for which you
are or may be requesting an accommodation, please inform me and contact the Disabled
Student Services Office, located in University Hall 101, as early as possible in the term.
For more information, the Disabled Student Services Office can be reached by calling
(657) 278-3117 or visit their website at www.fullerton.edu/disabledservices/.
Withdrawals and Incompletes: be certain to check CSUFs guidelines and deadlines for
withdrawals. Incompletes can only be given to students who arrange a timeline to
complete their coursework with the instructor BEFORE the grading period is over.
Extra Help
1. Email Me
Email is the best method for contacting me. You can ask me questions or set up office hour
meetings with email, but do not send me papers or rough drafts via email. I require that
assignments be submitted to Titanium on the assignment due date (see Late Work). Also,
please be informed that I do not respond to email on weekends or holidays.
2. Office Hours
Take advantage of office hours to talk to me about ideas for your papers or assignments. I
am happy to answer questions that pertain to everyone during class, but please do not ask me
questions about your individual paper at the end of class. I often have to run to my next
class, a meeting, office hours, and so on. Bring those questions to office hours.
3. The Writing Center
The Writing Center provides tutoring and workshops for students. If you feel you need help
with your writing, make an appointment with themtheyre there to help you! Writing
Center appointments can be made at http://fullerton.mywconline.com