ENGL 1549 - Writing 1 with Support
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 22, CRN 43399,
Credit hours: 4
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Madeleine Zinz
Email: mozinz@ysu.edu
Course Description
1549. Writing 1 with Support. This four-credit hour version of English 1550: Writing 1 develops an awareness of writing processes and provides strategies for generating ideas, drafting, giving and receiving feedback, revising, and editing. Students analyze texts in light of specific audiences, purposes, and contexts and develop critical skills in reading, thinking, and writing. Students write a minimum of 5,000 words (approximately 20 double-spaced pages) cumulatively across the major assignments and incorporate sources into their writing. English 1549 counts as the first of two required composition courses in the general education core. Grading is ABCDF, but students must earn a "C" or better to satisfy the General Education requirement and continue to ENGL 1551 or ENGL 1551H. Prereq.: Placement by ACT/SAT test results OR Composition Placement Test results OR completion of English 1509 OR English 1541. 4 s.h.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Readings + Handbook | Bullock, Bertsch, & Goggin | 978-1-324-08770-0 |
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
| Day | Date | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue | 8/25 | Review Syllabus, guidelines, and policies. Practice with Norton eBook, Blackboard, Outlook and Writing Center website info. Email Etiquette discussion and activity Look at Writing Sample assignment |
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| Thu | 8/27 | Ch 4 “Developing Academic Habits of Mind” Ch 3 “Summarizing and Responding: Where Reading Meets Writing” |
Lecture Ch 1-4; discussion over Ch 3 & 4 Intro to Reader Responses Summarizing & response activity |
Email Etiquette Summarizing & response activity Writing Sample |
| Tue | 9/1 | Ch 27 “Processes of Writing” Ch 28 “Writing as Inquiry” Ch 29 "Generating Ideas" |
Intro to Assignment 1& context of Assignment Discussion over Ch 27, 28, 29 Appeal to the Senses activity |
Appeal to the Senses |
| Thu | 9/3 | Ch 7 “Purpose” Ch 8 “Audience” Ch 9 “Stance” Ch 10 “Genre” Ch 11 “Media/Design” |
Rhetorical Situations: Purpose, Audience, & Stance, Genre and Media/Design Rhetorical MadLibs OR Adapting to the Rhet. Sit. activity |
Reader Response Ch 7, 8, + 9 Rhetorical Activity |
| Tue | 9/8 | Organization and Drafting – beginning strategies, endings, thesis statements, and paragraphs In-Class writing workshop – exit ticket! Discussion & Activity over Stance v Tone |
Brainstorming Sheet | |
| Thu | 9/10 | Ch 33 “Getting Response and Revising” | Peer Review Overview | Practicing Peer Review Worksheet |
| Tue | 9/15 | Ch 34 “Editing and Proofreading” | Peer Review Day | Assignment 1 Rough Draft Peer Review Submission Ch 33/34 Quiz |
| Thu | 9/17 | Ch 6 “Writing with Generative AI” | Practice questions with AI based on textbook examples AI Collaboration Practice activity |
Ch 6 Quiz Considering Academic Contexts for AI Use |
| Thu | 9/24 | Unit 1 Exam Intro to Assignment 2 & context of Assignment Discussion over revisions for MA1 and potentially MA 2 Practice speech assignment |
Assignment 1 Final Draft Demonstrate & practice analyzing speeches |
|
| Tue | 9/29 | Ch 13 “Analyzing Texts” | Discussion over Ch 13 Outlining + Planning Activity Music Video Analysis |
Identifying Key Features Ch 13 Music Videos Group Activity Breaking Down an Analysis |
| Thu | 10/1 | Intro & activity on Ethos, Logos & Pathos | Rhetorical Appeals Group Activity Identifying Rhetorical Appeals Worksheet |
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| Tue | 10/6 | Ch 51 “Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing” Ch 52 “Acknowledging Sources, Avoiding Plagiarism” Ch 53 “MLA Style” |
MLA activity | Brainstorming Sheet MLA Activity Ch 51/52 Quiz |
| Thu | 10/8 | Ch 61 “Textual Analyses” | Point, Illustration, Explanations discussion and activity “The Basics” review over transitions, formatting, writing in a formal language |
Reader Response Ch 61 PIE Activity MA 2 Outline |
| Tue | 10/13 | Workshop day – this class is not mandatory. You may come and ask questions, work in a quiet space, and catch up on work. | ||
| Thu | 10/15 | First half: Peer Review Second half: Wordiness & Weak Verbs discussion & activity |
Assignment 2 Draft Peer Review |
|
| Tue | 10/20 | Ch 32 “Assessing Your Own Writing” | Discussion over Ch 32 | Reader Response Ch 32 Line by Line Activity |
| Thu | 10/22 | Unit 2 Exam Intro to Assignment 3 + context of assignment Intro to Maag Library Research Database |
Assignment 2 Final Draft | |
| Tue | 10/27 | Ch 47 "Finding Sources | Last in class day to find sources for your paper | Reader Response Ch 47 |
| Thu | 10/29 | Ch 48 "Evaluating Sources" | CRAAP Test Worksheet Final Article Checkpoint |
CRAAP Test Article checkpoint |
| Tue | 11/3 | Ch 40 "Comparing and Contrasting" | Block by Block v Point by Point discussion, guide, and activity | Brainstorming Sheet CH 40 Quiz Comparison Method Practice |
| Thu | 11/5 | Ch 30 "Organizing Your Writing, Guiding your Readers" | Discussion over chapter reading Activity over drafting + recap over outlines |
Thesis Statements Ch 30/31 Quiz Considering Others Opinions |
| Tue | 11/10 | Intro to Reflective Letters + context of assignment Recap revisions process for Assignment 1 + 2 |
Crafting Strong Titles | |
| Thu | 11/12 | Feedback overview of all drafts Final formatting, overview, reminders + recap (MLA, hanging indent, thesis statements, etc) Conference sign-ups + what to prepare |
Conference sign-ups will close Nov 17 | |
| Tue | 11/17 | Peer Review Wordiness + weak verbs discussion with activity |
Assignment 3 draft Wordiness activity |
|
| Thu | 11/19 | Conferences (Mandatory, no class) | Conference forms are fur BEFORE your conference | |
| Tue | 11/24 | Conferences (Mandatory, no class) | ||
| Thu | 11/26 | THANKSGIVING | ||
| Tue | 12/1 | Crash Course over APA + Resumes | ||
| Thu | 12/3 | Workshop day Unit 3 Exam Final Survey |
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| Tue | 12/8 | Assignment 3 Final Reflective Letter |
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| Thu | 12/10 | All final revisions |
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.