ENGL 1101 and 1102 Common Policies (Fall 2020)

Georgia Tech General Education Outcomes for English 1101 and English 1102

Primary Learning Goal

Learning Goal A1: Communication
Student will demonstrate proficiency in the process of articulating and organizing rhetorical arguments in written, oral, visual, and nonverbal modes, using concrete support and conventional language.

Secondary Learning Goals

Learning Goal III: Critical Thinking
Student will be able to judge factual claims and theories on the basis of evidence.

Learning Goal C: Humanities, Fine Arts, and Ethics
Student will be able to describe relationships among languages, philosophies, cultures, literature, ethics, or the arts.

Learning Outcomes for English 1101 and English 1102

Category
Outcomes by the USG Board of Regents
Outcomes by the
Council of Writing Program Administrators
Additional Expectations of the GTWCP
Critical Thinking

Critical thinking involves understanding social and cultural texts and contexts in ways that support productive communication and interaction.
  • Analyze arguments.
  • Accommodate opposing points of view.
  • Interpret inferences and develop subtleties of symbolic and indirect discourse.
  • Use writing and reading for inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating.
  • Integrate ideas with those of others.
  • Understand relationships among language, knowledge, and power.
  • Recognize the constructedness of language and social forms.
  • Analyze and critique constructs such as race, gender, and sexuality as they appear in cultural texts.

Rhetoric

Rhetoric focuses on available means of persuasion, considering the synergy of factors such as context, audience, purpose, role, argument, organization, design, visuals, and conventions of language.
  • Adapt communication to circumstances and audience.
  • Produce communication that is stylistically appropriate and mature.
  • Communicate in standard English for academic and professional contexts.
  • Sustain a consistent purpose and point of view.
  • Use a variety of technologies to address a range of audiences.
  • Learn common formats for different kinds of texts.
  • Develop knowledge of genre conventions ranging from structure and paragraphing to tone and mechanics.
  • Control such surface features as syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
  • Create artifacts that demonstrate the synergy of rhetorical elements.
  • Demonstrate adaptation of register, language, and conventions for specific contexts and audiences.
  • Apply strategies for communication in and across both academic disciplines and cultural contexts in the community and the workplace.

Process

Processes for communication—for example, creating, planning, drafting, designing, rehearsing, revising, presenting, publishing—are recursive, not linear. Learning productive processes is as important as creating products.

 [No USG BOR outcomes are specifically related to process.]
  • Find, evaluate, analyze, and synthesize appropriate primary and secondary sources.
  • Develop flexible strategies for generating, revising, editing, and proofreading.
  • Understand collaborative and social aspects of writing processes.
  • Critique their own and others’ works.
  • Balance the advantages of relying on others with [personal] responsibility.
  • Construct and select information based on interpretation and critique of the accuracy, bias, credibility, authority, and appropriateness of sources.
  • Compose reflections that demonstrate understanding of the elements of iterative processes, both specific to and transferable across rhetorical situations.

Modes and Media

Activities and assignments should use a variety of modes and media—written, oral, visual, electronic, and nonverbal (WOVEN)—singly and in combination. The context and culture of multimodality and multimedia are critical.
  • Interpret content of written materials on related topics from various disciplines.
  • Compose effective written materials for various academic and professional contexts.
  • Assimilate, analyze, and present a body of information in oral and written forms.
  • Communicate in various modes and media, using appropriate technology.
  • Use digital environments for drafting, reviewing, revising, editing, and sharing texts.
  • Locate, evaluate, organize, and use research material collected from electronic sources, including scholarly library databases; other official (e.g., federal) databases; and informal electronic networks and internet sources.
  • Exploit differences in rhetorical strategies and affordances available for both print and electronic composing processes and texts.
  • Create WOVEN (written, oral, visual, electronic, and nonverbal) artifacts that demonstrate interpretation, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and judgment.
  • Demonstrate strategies for effective translation, transformation, and transference of communication across modes and media.

 

Evaluation Equivalencies

In this course, this is what your letter grades mean. Your instructor has the option of using +/- in grading an individual assignment; he or she will indicate the grading policy on the course syllabus. Remember that Georgia Tech does NOT use +/- for course grades.

Letter grade
(NB: Georgia Tech does NOT use +/- for course grades. Likewise, some instructors do NOT use +/-  for grading assignments. If your instructor uses +/- for grading assignments, the table shows the equivalencies.)
Numeric Equivalent
in this Class

A: 90-100

Superior performance—rhetorically, aesthetically, and technically—demonstrating advanced understanding and use of the media in particular contexts. An inventive spark and exceptional execution.

 A+
98-100
A
94-97
A-
90-93

B: 80-89

Above-average, high-quality performance—rhetorically, aesthetically, and technically.

 B+
88-89
B
84-87
B-
80-83

C: 70-79

Average (not inferior) performance. Competent and acceptable—rhetorically, aesthetically, and technically.

 C+
78-79
C
74-77
C-
70-73

D: 60-69

Below-average performance. Less than competent — rhetorically, aesthetically, and/or technically.

 D+
68-69
D
64-67
D-
60-63

F: 0-59

Unacceptable performance. Failure to meet even minimum criteria rhetorically, aesthetically, and/or technically.

 F
1-59
0 (zero) Work not submitted
0

Common Feedback Chart

Click here for the programmatic Common Feedback Chart.

Course Completion

In all sections of ENGL 1101 and 1102, failure to complete any component of the course, including projects, assignments, and stages of projects or assignments, may result in failure of the course, as determined by the instructor of the course in consultation with the Director and Associate Director of the Writing and Communication Program.

Engagement and Participation in Remote and Hybrid Touchpoints Courses (Fall 2020)

In remote and hybrid touchpoints courses, attendance is best understood as engagement and interactivity via Canvas or other applications the instructor specifies. In hybrid touchpoints courses, this engagement may also extend to limited in-person “touchpoint” classes scheduled by your instructor.

Writing and Communication Program courses require students to be active in engaging with their remote and hybrid classes. This engagement takes different forms depending on the instructor’s expectations and requirements for the course. Students should participate and engage in the course according to the instructor’s requirements, as indicated on the course syllabus.

Required Textbook

All sections of ENGL 1101 and 1102 use the most recent edition of WOVENText as a required e-textbook. Individual instructors may have additional required books and/or resources for your section—please consult the class syllabus or your instructor.

Access codes for WOVENText are available at the GT Barnes and Noble bookstore. You can also purchase and access the textbook directly through VitalSource.

Dean of Students and Counseling Center

Attending college can be a stressful time; don’t hesitate to ask for help if you’re feeling overly anxious, stressed, or depressed. Georgia Tech has two main ways to seek support: through the Office of the Dean of Students and through the Counseling Center. Both units work closely together to support Georgia Tech students. You can seek support by using the contact information below—whether or not you are currently on campus.

Office of the Dean of Students
http://studentlife.gatech.edu
Charles A. Smithgall Jr Student Services Building (also known as the Flag Building), Suite 210
(404) 894-6367

Counseling Center
http://www.counseling.gatech.edu
Charles A. Smithgall Jr Student Services Building (also known as the Flag Building), Suite 328
404-894-2575 (including 24-hour, seven-day-a-week access to a counselor on call).

Statement Regarding Insecurity

When students face insecurity regarding food, shelter, clothing, or other necessary resources, it can be difficult to learn. It’s important to know that you are not alone in dealing with these issues. Georgia Tech offers support for students through the Students’ Temporary Assistance and Resources office located within the Division of Student Life. These resources include a food pantry, campus closet, temporary housing options, and emergency funding.

Campus Carry

Familiarize yourself with the guidance from the University System of Georgia regarding House Bill 280, commonly known as “campus carry.”

Safety

Classroom and campus safety are of paramount importance at Georgia Tech. Safety is the shared responsibility of all of us throughout the entire campus. The Writing and Communication Program urges faculty and students to follow the ALERT, ASSESS, ACT protocol for all types of emergencies and the RUN, HIDE, FIGHT response for active shooter incidents.

  • Remain ALERT through direct observation and emergency notifications.
  • ASSESS your specific situation (e.g., threats, people, location, conditions).
  • ACT in the most appropriate way to ensure your own safety and the safety of others if you are able.

Please view the FBI’s RUN, HIDE, FIGHT response for active shooter incidents: https://youtu.be/5VcSwejU2D0.

Please make sure you are familiar with GTENS (Georgia Tech’s Emergency Notification System), which allows you to receive time-sensitive emergency messages in e-mail, voice mail, and text messages, as well as the LiveSafe app, a comprehensive safety app that enables you to call or text GTPD quickly on your mobile phone. Please review and act on these five safety practices:

  • GTENS Notification: Review the Georgia Tech Emergency Preparedness notification information and register (if you haven’t already) through the link at https://passport.gatech.edu.
  • LiveSafe: Use this link — http://www.livesafe.gatech.edu/ — to download the LiveSafe app to your Smartphone (if you haven’t already).
  • GT Police: Make sure the Georgia Tech Police Department number is in your Smartphone: (404) 894-2500. Call this number for any on-campus emergency.
  • 9-1-1: In an emergency, you can always dial 9-1-1. If you call 9-1-1 from your cell phone, the call will be directed to the City of Atlanta Dispatch Center. Immediately tell the dispatcher that you are calling from Georgia Tech, and your call will be transferred to the Georgia Tech Police Department Operations Center.
  • Classes for Safety and Emergency Preparedness: Classes in crime prevention techniques, self-defense, property protection, and emergency preparedness, as well as additional resources, are available through the GTPD website: police.gatech.edu

Student Support Resources

The following resources are available to all Georgia Tech students. Remember that help is available.

Non–Discrimination and Inclusion

The Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, the School of Literature, Media, and Communication, and the Writing and Communication Program support the Georgia Institute of Technology’s commitment to creating a campus free of discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran status. We further affirm the importance of cultivating an intellectual climate that allows us to better understand the similarities and differences of those who constitute the Georgia Tech community, as well as the necessity of working against inequalities that may also manifest here as they do in the broader society.

Alternative viewpoints are welcome in this class; however, statements that are deemed racist, sexist, homophobic, classist, or otherwise discriminatory toward others in the class or outside the class will not be tolerated.

Naugle CommLab (Communication Center)

Georgia Tech’s Naugle CommLab is located in Clough Commons, Suite 447. It is an excellent resource for all students (undergraduate or graduate) who want help with a communication-related project, from their multimodal assignments for English 1101 and English 1102 to graduate school applications, from engineering and science reports to oral presentations, from storyboards for videos to poster designs, from grant proposals to job cover letters and resumes.

The center itself is physically located in Clough; for the safety of our staff and students during this pandemic many of our consultations will be online (students who require an in-person consultation should email commlab@gatech.edu to schedule). The Center provides both synchronous (via BlueJeans) and asynchronous consultations with peer (usually upper-division undergraduate) and professional (postdoctoral) consultants who are each uniquely qualified to provide students with feedback on their projects.

You can watch a brief video tour of CommLab services here.

For more information or to make an appointment, please visit the Center’s webpage at http://commlab.gatech.edu. Again, if you have any questions, please email us at commlab@gatech.edu.

Accommodations

Georgia Tech supports students through the Office of Disability Services. Any student who may require an accommodation for a documented disability should inform their instructor privately during the first week of class or as soon as you become aware of your disability. Anyone who anticipates difficulties with the content or format of the course due to a documented disability should arrange a meeting so we can create a workable plan for your success in this course. The Office of Disability Services serves any Georgia Tech student who has a documented, qualifying disability. Official documentation of the disability is required to determine eligibility for accommodations or adaptations that may be helpful for this course. Please make sure your instructor receives a Faculty Accommodation Letter form verifying your disability and specifying the accommodation you need during the first week of class.

  • Visit: Smithgall Student Services Building (Flag Building), Suite 123 on 353 Ferst Drive
  • Email: dsinfo@gatech.edu
  • Phone: 404-894-2563 (V); 404-894-1664 (TDD); 404-894-5429 (fax)
  • Website: disabilityservices.gatech.edu

Academic Misconduct

One serious kind of academic misconduct is plagiarism, which occurs when a writer, speaker, or designer deliberately uses someone else’s language, ideas, images, or other original material or code without fully acknowledging its source by quotation marks as appropriate, in footnotes or endnotes, in works cited, and in other ways as appropriate (modified from WPA Statement on “Defining and Avoiding Plagiarism”). If you engage in plagiarism or any other form of academic misconduct, you will fail the assignment in which you have engaged in academic misconduct and be referred to the Office of Student Integrity, as required by Georgia Tech policy. We strongly urge you to be familiar with these Georgia Tech sites:

Syllabus Modifications

This syllabus—especially the required reading and assignment schedule—may be modified as the semester progresses to meet course outcomes and address the needs of members of the class.

Final Instructional Class Days and Reading Periods

Institute policies regarding Final Instructional Days and Reading Periods can be found here.

Final Instructional Class Days: November 23-24, 2020

No tests or quizzes are to be administered on Final Instructional Class Days.

Graded homework or assignments, course projects, demonstrations, and presentations may be due during Final Instructional Class Days, provided they are listed on the syllabus at the start of the semester.

All assignments, other than the final portfolio, should be graded and reported to students on or before the last final instructional day.

Reading Periods: November 30, 2020 (all day); December 1, 2020 (8am-2:40pm); December 4, 2020 (8am-2:20pm)

No classes meet during Reading Periods.

No assignments, projects, presentations, or other graded activities can be due or take place during Reading Periods.

Instructors may schedule optional study review sessions for students during Reading Periods (but no credit or extra credit may be attached to these optional sessions).

Multimodal Reflection Portfolio

The portfolio assignment sheet and technical instructions can be found here. (Update November 10, 2020: Please note that the portfolio instructions have been updated to include Project 0 (the Common First Week Video)).

In lieu of a final exam, ENGL 1101 and 1102 require you complete a final multimodal portfolio due during your section’s scheduled final exam time (see here for the final exam schedule). The portfolio will include examples of your WOVEN work products, a substantial reflective essay, and brief introductions to each artifact. Your portfolio counts between 15% (minimum) and 20% (maximum) of the course grade, as indicated by your instructor; you must submit a portfolio in order to pass the course.

The portfolio assignment sheet and technical instructions can be found here. Please note that your instructor may have more specific instructions or requirements related to the portfolio; these instructions or requirements will be specified prior to the withdrawal deadline. You will develop your portfolio throughout the semester and work on finalizing it during the final two (for T/Th classes) or three (for MWF classes) class sessions of the semester.

Multimodal Reflection Portfolio Submission Policies

If you submit the portfolio incorrectly so that your instructor is unable to access it, or have incorrect settings on your portfolio so that your instructor is unable to access it, your instructor may penalize you according to the policies listed in the syllabus, including assigning a zero for the assignment.

While Canvas allows you to continue updating your portfolio after submitting the link, please note that any editing of the portfolio after the submission deadline will be considered a violation of the Georgia Tech Honor Code and may be referred to the Office of Student Integrity.

Technical Support

Canvas Support

Phone (24/7): 1-877-259-8498

Online (24/7): http://canvas.gatech.edu/247-canvas-help-desk

Email: canvas@gatech.edu

WOVENText (VitalSource) Support

Call/text/chat/email: https://support.vitalsource.com/hc/en-us/requests/new