ENGL 1550 - Writing 1
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 01, CRN 40405,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Madeleine Zinz
Email: mozinz@ysu.edu
Course Description
1550. Writing 1. This course 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 1550 is the first of two required composition courses in the general education core. Grading is ABCDF but must earn a "C" or better to satisfy the General Education requirement and continue to ENGL 1551 or ENGL 1551H. English 1550 is three semester hours. Prereq.: Placement by ACT/SAT test results OR Composition Placement Test results. 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | 8/24 | Review syllabus, guidelines, and policies. Practice with Norton eBook, Blackboard, Outlook and Writing Center information |
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| Wed | 8/26 | Ch 4 "Developing Academic Habits of Mind" Ch 2 "Reading in Academic Context" Ch 1 “Writing in Academic Contexts” |
Reading and discuss Ch 4 | Email Etiquette |
| Fri | 8/28 | Ch 3 "Summarizing and Responding: Where Reading Meets Writing" | Intro to Reader Responses Summarizing + response activity |
Summarizing + response activity |
| Mon | 8/31 | 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 |
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| Wed | 9/2 | Ch 7 “Purpose” Ch 8 “Audience” Ch 9 “Stance” |
Rhetorical Situations: Purpose, Audience & Stance Discussion + activity over Tone v Stance |
Appeal to the Senses activity Ch 7, 8, 9 + 10 Quiz |
| Fri | 9/4 | Ch 10 “Genre” Ch 11 “Media/Design” |
Rhetorical Situations: Genre, Media/Design | Adapting to the Rhet. Sit. activity |
| Mon | 9/7 | LABOR DAY - NO CLASS | Brainstorming Sheet | |
| Wed | 9/9 | Organization + Drafting - beginning strategies, endings, thesis statements, and paragraphs | ||
| Fri | 9/11 | Ch 33 "Getting Response and Revising" | Peer Review overview Appeal to the Senses activity |
Peer Review Reader Response Ch 33/34 Quiz |
| Mon | 9/14 | Peer Review Day | Assignment 1 Rough Draft | |
| Wed | 9/16 | Ch 34 "Editing and Proofreading" | Discusion and activity over Ch 24 Final Draft Prep using revision, editing and proofreading |
Ch 33/34 Quiz |
| Fri | 9/18 | Ch 6 "Writing with Generative AI" | Practicing questions with AI based on textbook examples AI Collaboration Practice activity |
Ch 6 Quiz AI Collab Considering Academic Contexts for AI Use |
| Mon | 9/21 | Unit 1 Exam Revision Policy Discussion |
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| Wed | 9/23 | Intro to Assignment 2 + context of assignment | Assignment 1 Final Draft | |
| Fri | 9/25 | Ch 13 "Analyzing Texts" | Discussion over Ch 13 Music Video Analysis |
Music Video Group Activity Breaking Down an Analysis Reader Response Ch 13 |
| Mon | 9/28 | Intro and activity on Ethos, Logos, + Pathos | Rhetorical Appeals Group Activity | |
| Wed | 9/30 | Apply rhetorical appeals to MA2 analysis Outlining + Planning |
Identifying the Rhetorical Situation | |
| Fri | 10/2 | Ch 51 “Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing” Ch 52 “Acknowledging Sources, Avoiding Plagiarism” Ch 53 “MLA Style” |
MLA Day 1 Discussion + Activity | Brainstorming Sheet MLA activity Ch 51/52 Quiz |
| Mon | 10/5 | CH 61 "Textual Analyses" | MLA Day 2 Activity + Implementing | Reader Response Ch 61 |
| Wed | 10/7 | Point, Illustration, Explanations discussion and activity | PIE Activity | |
| Fri | 10/9 | “The Basics” review over transitions, formatting, writing in a formal language | MA 2 Outline | |
| Mon | 10/12 | Workshop day – this class is not mandatory. You may come and ask questions, work in a quiet space, and catch up on work. | ||
| Wed | 10/14 | Peer Review Group 1 | Assignment 2 Draft | |
| Fri | 10/16 | Peer Review Group 2 | ||
| Mon | 10/19 | Ch 32 "Assessing Your Own Writing" | Discussion over chapter 32 Wordiness + Weak Verbs |
Reader Response Ch 32 Line by Line Activity |
| Wed | 10/21 | Unit 2 Exam Intro to Assignment 3 + context of assignment |
Assignment 2 Final Draft | |
| Fri | 10/23 | Ch 47 "Finding Sources" | Intro to Maag Library Research Database | Reader Response Ch 47 |
| Mon | 10/26 | Possible Library Day | ||
| Wed | 10/28 | Ch 48 "Evaluating Sources" | CRAAP Test Worksheet | |
| Fri | 10/30 | FInal Article Checkpoint Brainstorming Sheet Workshop |
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| Mon | 11/2 | Ch 40 "Comparing and Contrasting" | Block by Block v Point by Point discussion, guide and activity | Brainstorming Sheet Ch 40 Quiz Comparison Practice |
| Wed | 11/4 | Implementing Block or Point into MA3 | ||
| Fri | 11/6 | Ch 30 "Organizing Your Writing, Guiding Your Readers" | Discussion over chapter reading Activity over drafting + recap over outlines Considering Other's Opinions activity |
Ch 30/31 Quiz Thesis Statement activity |
| Mon | 11/9 | Intro to Reflective Letters + context of assignment Revision process for Assignment 1 + 2 |
Crafting Strong Titles | |
| Wed | 11/11 | VETERAN'S DAY - NO CLASS | ||
| Fri | 11/13 | Conference sign-ups + what to prepare Final formatting overview reminders + recap (MLA, hanging indent, thesis statements, etc) |
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| Mon | 11/16 | Peer Review Day 1 | Assignment 3 Draft | |
| Wed | 11/18 | Peer Review Day 2 | ||
| Fri | 11/20 | Conferences | ||
| Mon | 11/23 | Conferences | ||
| Wed | 11/25 | THANKSGIVING BREAK | ||
| Fri | 11/27 | THANKSGIVING BREAK | ||
| Mon | 11/30 | Crash course over APA + Resumes | ||
| Wed | 12/2 | Final Surveys | ||
| Fri | 12/4 | Unit 3 Exam | ||
| Mon | 12/7 | FINALS WEEK - NO CLASS | Assignment 3 Final Reflective Letters |
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| Wed | 12/9 | FINALS WEEK - NO CLASS | All final revisions (MA1 + 2) | |
| Fri | 12/11 | FINALS WEEK - NO CLASS |
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.