ENGL 1541 - Introduction to College Writing
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 01, CRN 43409,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Courtney Poullas
Email: cmpoullas01@ysu.edu
Course Description
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | The Norton Field Guide to Writing: With Readings and Handbook, 7th Edition | Multiple | 978-1324087632 |
The ebook version of your required text is included in your course fees. Please do not attempt to purchase otherwise until after the first day of class. The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
The following readings from your course text are required. It is strongly recommended that you choose a novel of at least 250 pages to read throughout the semester, but this is not required.
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Week 2: Norton Field Guide, Chapter 2
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Week 3: Norton Field Guide, "Growing Up Obese" by Jeff Mwathi
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Week 4: Opposing Viewpoints In Context article (student's choice via library research databases)
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Week 5: Norton Field Guide, Chapter 6
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Week 6: Norton Field Guide, Chapter 28 and course document, "Shitty First Drafts"
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Week 7: Norton Field Guide, Chapter 1 and Norton Field Guide, "The Fast and the Fashionable: How Your Closet Contributes To A Global Crisis"
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Week 8: Norton Field Guide, Chapter 30 • Handbook, S1 and Norton Field Guide, "Black Mamas' Lives Matter"
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Week 9: Norton Field Guide, Chapter 3 and Norton Field Guide, "Gentle With The Small Things"
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Week 10: Norton Field Guide, Chapters 7 & 8 and Norton Field Guide, "Barbie Review: Sometimes Corporate Propaganda Can Be Fun As Hell"
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Week 11: Norton Field Guide, Chapter 9
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Week 12: Norton Field Guide, Chapter 31
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Week 13: Norton Field Guide, Chapter 33
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Week 14: Norton Field Guide, Chapter 57
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Schedule of Topics and Assignments
| Week of | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/24 | None | Introduction to course, instructor | Ask an anonymous question about the syllabus, create a Writing Center account, complete the writing sample, complete weekly freewriting Due 8/27 at 11:59pm: Week 1 Freewrite Due 8/30 at 11:59pm: Complete: Ask an Anonymous Question About the Syllabus Complete: Create A Writing Center Account (extra credit) |
| 8/31 | Course documents: scan and question your texts, annotation basics; textbook ch. 2 | Pre-reading strategies Note: The last day to withdraw and receive a 100% refund is Sunday, 9/6 |
Annotations and screenshots assignment, annotation strategies discussion, weekly freewriting Due 9/3 at 11:59pm: Week 2 Freewrite Due 9/6 at 11:59pm: Complete: Annotation and screenshots assignment Due 9/6 before 11:59:04pm: Discuss: Annotation Strategies - Reply Due 9/6 at 11:59pm: InQuizitive for Writers: How to Use InQuizitive |
| 9/7 | None | Application – pre-reading strategies NOTE – YSU is closed Monday 9/7 for Labor Day |
InQuizitive module: Critical Reading Strategies; Scan, Annotate, Question assignment, AI conversation with Professor Penguin, weekly freewriting Due 9/10 at 11:59pm: Week 3 Freewrite Due 9/13 at 11:59pm: Complete: AI Conversation with Professor Penguin - Thinking About Freewriting Complete: Scan, Annotate, Question, Read Assignment InQuizitive for Writers: Critical Reading Strategies |
| 9/14 | Course document: Using Copilot to tackle challenging texts | Library instruction, pre-reading and active reading strategies | Scan, annotate, question, read with Viewpoints article; weekly freewriting Due 9/15 at 11:59pm: Extra Credit: Library Instruction Etiquette Due 9/17 at 11:59pm: Week 4 Freewrite Due 9/20 at 11:59pm: Complete: Scan, Annotate, Question, Read - Viewpoints Article |
| 9/21 | Textbook ch. 6 | Writing and communicating ethically | Plagiarism tutorial, crafting professional emails with Copilot, weekly freewriting Due 9/24 at 11:59pm: Week 5 Freewrite Due 9/27 at 11:59pm: Complete: AI Literacy - Crafting Professional Emails Plagiarism Tutorial: Understanding & Avoiding Plagiarism |
| 9/28 | Course document: “Shitty First Drafts” by Anne Lamott, Course document: Getting to know your writing process through Loop Writing, textbook: Chapter 28 – Writing as Inquiry | Exploring individual writing processes NOTE: 8/31 is the last day to change a grading option and/or change a credit option |
Discussion: “Perfect” AI vs. The Messy Human, weekly freewrite Due 10/1 at 11:59pm: Week 6 Freewrite Due 10/4 before 11:59:51pm: Discuss: "Perfect" AI vs. The Messy Human - Reply |
| 10/5 | Norton Field Guide ch. 1 and “The Fast And The Fashionable | Connecting reading to writing | Annotation and response journal, weekly freewrite Due 10/8 at 11:59pm: Week 7 Freewrite Due 10/11 before 11:59:54pm: Complete: Annotation & Response Journal |
| 10/12 | Little Seagull 5e (part of your course text -- not a separate book): S1, Norton Field Guide ch. 30 and “Black Mamas’ Lives Matter,” course documents: introductory and conclusion paragraph quick start guides | Complete sentences and paragraphing | InQuzitive module: paragraph development; analyzing introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions assignment, weekly freewrite Due 10/15 at 11:59pm: Week 8 Freewrite Due 10/18 at 11:59pm: Complete: Analyzing Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions based on "Black Mamas' Lives Matter" (Norton Field Guide pp. 773-777) InQuizitive for Writers: Paragraph Development |
| 10/19 | Norton Field Guide ch. 3 and “Gentle With The Small Things” | Responding to writing Note: Sunday, 10/25 is the last day with withdraw with a grade of “W” |
InQuizitive module: synthesizing ideas, short reading response, weekly freewrite Due 10/22 at 11:59pm: Week 9 Freewrite Due 10/25 at 11:59pm: Complete: Reading Response InQuizitive for Writers: Synthesizing Ideas |
| 10/26 | Course document: Understanding the rhetorical situation, Norton Field Guide ch. 7 + 8 and “Barbie Review” | Rhetorical situation: Audience and purpose | InQuizitive module: rhetorical situations, processes, and genres; analyzing purpose and audience assignment, weekly freewrite |
| 11/2 | Norton Field Guide ch. 9 | Rhetorical situation: Genre | Due 11/1 at 11:59pm: Week 10 Freewrite Complete: Analyzing Audience and Purpose InQuizitive for Writers: Rhetorical Situations, Processes & Genres (A Comprehensive Activity) Writing in the wild genre scavenger hunt assignment, weekly freewrite |
| 11/9 | Norton Field Guide ch. 31 | Brainstorming and prewriting | Due 11/8 at 11:59pm: "Writing In The Wild" Genre Scavenger Hunt Week 11 Freewrite Work on essay, weekly freewrite Due 11/12 at 11:59pm: Week 12 Freewrite |
| 11/16 | Norton Field Guide ch. 33, course document: Peer review using describe, evaluate, suggest | Drafting and peer review Conferences and presentation guidelines |
Final essay first draft, peer review, weekly freewrite Due 11/19 at 11:59pm: Week 13 Freewrite |
| 11/23 | Course document: student conferences, Norton Field Guide ch. 57 | Note: Thanksgiving break begins this week | Complete conference with instructor |
| 11/30 | None | Week 15: 11/30 Essay submission, course presentations | Due 11/29 at 11:59pm: Complete: Final Reflection Slideshow Submit final essay |
| 12/7 | None | None -- we do not meet during finals week | Due 12/6 at 11:59pm: Complete: Final Reflective Essay None |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.