Course Description

3 credits; 3 hours

Fulfills “Pathways: Required Core”

This course extends and intensifies the work of Composition I, requiring students to write critically and analytically about culturally-diverse works of literature. Students are introduced to poetry, drama, and fiction, employing close-reading techniques and other methodologies of literary criticism. Students will utilize research methods and documentation procedure in writing assignments in varying academic formats, including a research essay that engages literary critics or commentators. Admission to the course requires completion of Composition I.

Prerequisite: ENA/ENC/ENG/ENX101 and CSE099

Pathways Student Learning Objectives:

• Read and listen critically and analytically, including identifying an argument’s major assumptions and assertions and evaluating its supporting evidence.
• Write clearly and coherently in varied, academic formats (such as formal essays, research papers, and reports) using standard English and appropriate technology to critique and improve one’s own and others’ texts.
• Demonstrate research skills using appropriate technology, including gathering, evaluating, and synthesizing primary and secondary sources.
• Support a thesis with well-reasoned arguments, and communicate persuasively across a variety of contexts, purposes, audiences, and media.
• Formulate original ideas and relate them to the ideas of others by employing the conventions of ethical attribution and citation.​

Course Learning Objectives:

1. Reinforce the practice of writing as a process that involves pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading, critiquing, and reflection.
2. Reinforce students’ skill​s at writing clearly and coherently in varied academic formats (such as response papers, blogposts, formal essays, and research papers) with an emphasis on writing as a critical thinking process. Essays will vary in length between ​600 and ​2000 ​words, using standard written English (SWE).
3. Familiarize students with poetry, drama, and fiction, and introduce students to techniques of literary criticism including the close reading of literary texts.
4. Introduce students to methodologies of literary analysis, such as biographical context, historical context, and critical theory.
5. Reinforce critical reading and analytical skills by guiding students to identify an argument’s major assumptions and assertions and evaluate its supporting evidence and conclusions.
6. Reinforce students’ skills in creating well-reasoned arguments and communicating persuasively over a variety of contexts, purposes, audiences, and mediums.
7. Reinforce students’ research skills including the use of appropriate technology and the ability to evaluate and synthesize primary and secondary sources, while employing the conventions of ethical attribution and citation and avoiding plagiarism.
8. Reinforce writing strategies to prepare students for in-class writing.

Program Learning Objectives

PLO 1: Evaluate and synthesize sources using summary and/or paraphrase and/or quotation.

PLO 2: Engage critically and analytically with a text’s major assumptions and assertions.

Course Resources 

Faculty-Facing Introduction To Sheet–About Teaching This Course

Click below to download the faculty introduction sheet.

Student-Facing Introduction To Sheet–About Taking This Course

Click below to download the student introduction sheet.

Optional Syllabus Template

Rachel Boccio and Tara Coleman created this accessible ENG 102 Syllabus and Course Schedule. You can personalize the template to include your specific section information. Some slight modi

Sample Syllabi

Leah Richards

Engaging tone, very clear presentation

Leah Richards–ENG 102 Syllabus

Bethany Holmstrom

A non-traditional organization that really works! Very useful coupled with a traditional syllabus.

Bethany Holmstrom–ENG 102 Syllabus

Paul Fess

Excellent example of a clear and concise syllabus

Paul Fess–ENG 102 Syllabus

Sample Syllabus Sections

This link will take you to sample syllabus sections you might use for inspiration in writing your own syllabus:

Sample Syllabus Sections

Sample Sections include:

• Attendance/Engagement Policies
• Class Environs policies
• Explanations of synchronous and asynchronous meetings
• Statements of Support
• Grade Breakdowns
• Journal Entries/Weekly Responses
• Revision Policies
• Assignments Sequences
• Miscellaneous 

Sample Assignments

Julianna Ryan: Introductory Video

Introductory Course Video and Blackboard Walk Through

Leah Richards: Research for Closer Reading

An analytical writing assignment on Ernest Hemingway’s “The Revolutionist” designed for an ENG 102 Hybrid course. Easily adaptable to a fully asynchronous 102 course.

Leah Richards–Researching Context to Enhance Close Reading

Lauren Navarro: What is Point Of View?

This 7-minute instructional video on POV serves as a model for designing student-facing videos for asynchronous ENG classes.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16bqDBceZdgiyKWatNlKAYXLEqH8HVkt-/view?usp=sharing

Lauren Navarro: Point Of View Exercise

This exercise on point of view in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” is easily adapted to online synchronous or asynchronous classes.

Lauren Navarro: Point of View

Latest ENG 102 Posts

• Voice of Reason Creative Writing Assignment based on “The Lottery” for ENG 102 by Ellie McGurty
• In-Class Research and Writing Assignment on Susan Glaspell’s Trifles for ENG 102 by David Sibbitt
• “I’m From” Poetry Activity, Lecture, and Lesson Plan by Caron Knauer
• OER Freewriting Activity in conjunction with James Baldwin’s short story, “Sonny’s Blues,” developed by Alice Rosenblitt-Lacey for either ENG 102 or ENG 103
• Keeping a Reading Log for a Play and Reading an Abstract in ENG 102 by Caron Knauer
• Transitioning from ENA 101 to ENG 102: A Low Stakes Writing Assignment by Anita Baksh
• Spring 2022 Syllabus Updates
• Bethany Holmstrom–ENG 102 Syllabus
• Lauren Navarro: Point of View
• Leah Richards–Researching Context to Enhance Close Reading