ENGL 1551 - Writing 2
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 13, CRN 40431,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Justin Gonatas
Email: jtgonatas@ysu.edu
Course Description
This course builds upon students’ knowledge of the writing process and rhetorical concepts as they conduct scholarly inquiry on a specific topic using academic research. The course emphasizes the process of investigation including identifying problems to explore with research, collecting data from primary and/or secondary sources, synthesizing source material, and clearly presenting the results of these inquiries in a research-based argument. Students write a minimum of 5,000 words (approximately 20 double-spaced pages) cumulatively across the major assignments. Grading is ABCDF. English 1551 is three semester hours. Prereq.: ENGL 1549 with a grade of "C" or better or ENGL 1550 with a grade of "C" or better or ACT/SAT scores or Composition Placement Test results. 3 s.h.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Readings + Handbook (7th edition) | Richard Bullock & Deborah Bertsch | 1324087633 |
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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Course Schedule
| Day | Date | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | 8/24 | Welcome to Class Syllabus Review Introduction Activity |
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| Wed | 8/26 | Introduce MA1 Presentation on Recursive Writing Reflection on Writing Process |
Due 8/26 at 11:59pm: Short Assignment 1: Recursive Writing Reflection |
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| Fri | 8/28 | Read NFG Chs. 3 & 6 (Summarizing and Responding and Writing with Generative AI) | Discussion of NFG Chs. 3 & 6 Overview of Reading Response Guidlines |
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| Mon | 8/31 | Read NFG Chs. 7-11 (Rhetorical Situations) and Complete Reading Response | Discussion of NFG Chs. 7-11 (Rhetorical Situations) | Due 8/31 at 11am: Reading Response 1: Rhetorical Situations (Ch. 7-11) |
| Wed | 9/2 | Read NFG Chs. 15 & 38 (Arguing) and Complete Reading Response | Presentation on "How we Argue" (Based on NFG Chs. 15 & 38) Review MA1 Prompt Introduce Maag Library Database Find first source for MA1 |
Due 9/2 at 11am: Reading Response 2: Arguing (Ch. 15 & 38) |
| Fri | 9/4 | Review "How we Argue" Presentation Introduce "Tools of Argumentation" Short Assignment |
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| Mon | 9/7 | No Class | ||
| Wed | 9/9 | Presentation on "Comparing Arguments of Authors" Read Examples of Analyzed Papers Begin Drafting MA1 |
Due 9/9 at 11am: Short Assignment 2: Tools of Argumentation |
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| Fri | 9/11 | Review MA1 Prompt Workshop MA1 |
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| Mon | 9/14 | Presentation on "Peer Review" Peer Review and Instructor Conferences |
Due 9/14 before 11:00:27am: Peer Review 1: MA1 50% Draft - Reply |
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| Wed | 9/16 | Peer Review and Instructor Conferences Workshop MA1 |
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| Fri | 9/18 | End Peer Review and Instructor Conferences for MA1 50% Draft Workshop MA1 |
Peer Review Forms due by Start of Class | |
| Mon | 9/21 | Begin Peer Review and Instructor Conferences Workshop MA1 |
Due 9/21 before 11:00:49am: Peer Review 2: MA1 Full Draft - Reply |
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| Wed | 9/23 | Workshop MA1 Peer Review and Instructor Conferences |
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| Fri | 9/25 | Workshop MA1 | Full Draft Peer Review Forms Due by Start of Class | |
| Mon | 9/28 | Introduce MA2 MA1 Reflective Memo |
Due 9/28 at 11am: MA1 Comparative Rhetorical Analysis: Final Draft Due 9/28 at 12am: Short Assignment 3: MA1 Reflective Memo |
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| Wed | 9/30 | MA2: Research Proposal "Research Proposal" Writing Samples Workshop Research Proposals |
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| Fri | 10/2 | Workshop Research Proposals | ||
| Mon | 10/5 | Begin Looking for sources for MA2 | Due 10/5 at 11am: MA2: Research Proposal Due 10/5 before 11:59:42pm: Peer Review 3: MA2 Research Proposals - Reply |
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| Wed | 10/7 | Read NFG Ch. 51 (Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing) | Presentation on "Integrating Evidence" (based on NFG Ch. 51) "Integrating Evidence" Short Assignment |
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| Fri | 10/9 | "Integrating Evidence" Short Assignment Introduce MA2: Research-Based Dialogue" Short Assignment |
Due 10/9 at 11:59pm: Short Assignment 4: Integrating Evidence |
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| Mon | 10/12 | "Research-Based Dialogue" Writing Samples Workshop "Research-Based Dialogues" |
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| Wed | 10/14 | Workshop "Research-Based Dialogues" | ||
| Fri | 10/16 | Workshop "Research-Based Dialogues" | Due 10/18 at 11:59pm: Short Assignment 5: Research Based Scene |
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| Mon | 10/19 | Read NFG Chs. 47-49 (on Research) before Start of Class | Discussion of NFG Chs. 47-49 (Research) Review Maag Library Database Look for Sources for MA2 |
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| Wed | 10/21 | Read NFG Ch. 16 (Annotated Bibliographies) | Discussion of NFG Ch. 16 (Annotated Bibliographies) Workshop Annotated Bibliographies |
Due 10/21 at 11am: Reading Response 3: Ch. 16 Annotated Bibliographies |
| Fri | 10/23 | Workshop Annotated Bibliographies | ||
| Mon | 10/26 | Review MA2: Research-Based Argument Paper Prompt "Research-Based Argument Paper" Writing Samples |
Due 10/26 at 11am: MA2: Annotated Bibliography |
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| Wed | 10/28 | Read NFG Ch. 50 (Synthesizing Ideas) and Complete Reading Response | Discussion of NFG Ch. 50 (Synthesizing Ideas) Review Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing Workshop MA2: Research-Based Argument Papers |
Due 10/28 at 11am: Reading Response 4: Ch. 50 Synthesizing Ideas |
| Fri | 10/30 | Workshop MA2: Research-Based Argument Papers | ||
| Mon | 11/2 | Peer Review and Instructor Conferences | Due 11/2 before 11:00:20am: Peer Review 4: MA2 50% Draft - Reply |
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| Wed | 11/4 | Peer Review and Instructor Conferences | ||
| Fri | 11/6 | Peer Review and Instructor Conferences | Peer Review Forms due Sunday (11/8) by 11:59 PM | |
| Mon | 11/9 | Workshop MA2 Instructor Conferences |
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| Wed | 11/11 | No Class | ||
| Fri | 11/13 | Workshop MA2 Instructor Conferences |
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| Mon | 11/16 | Presentation on "Presentations" Presentation on "Analyzing your own Writing" MA2: Reflective Memo Introduce "Research Presentations" and MA3: Reflective Cover Letter |
Due 11/16 at 12:05am: Short Assignment 6: MA2 Reflective Memo Due 11/16 at 11am: MA2: Research-Based Argument Paper (Final Draft) |
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| Wed | 11/18 | Assign Presentation Dates Workshop Research Presentations |
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| Fri | 11/20 | Workshop Research Presentations Peer Review of Research Presentations |
Due 11/20 before 12:05:44am: Peer Review 5: MA2 Research Presentations - Reply |
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| Mon | 11/23 | Research Presentations | ||
| Wed | 11/25 | No Class | ||
| Fri | 11/27 | No Class | ||
| Mon | 11/30 | Research Presentations | ||
| Wed | 12/2 | Research Presentations | ||
| Fri | 12/4 | Research Presentations | Due 12/4 at 12am: Professionalism Due 12/4 at 12:05am: Research Presentation Final Draft |
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| Mon | 12/7 | Due 12/7 at 4pm: MA3: Reflective Cover Letter |
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| Wed | 12/9 | No Class | ||
| Fri | 12/11 | 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.