ENGL 1551 - Writing 2
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 22, CRN 40437,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Katherine McGinley
Email: kekenyhercz@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 | Norton Field Guide to Writing 7th Edition | Richard Bullock, Deborah Bertsch, Maureen Daly Goggin |
You already have access to our book. It was included in your tuition and there's a link to it in our Blackboard course.
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 | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|
| 8/31 | Writing in drafts, the place of AI in academia and investigative journalism as research and the basis for an argument | Due 8/31 at 10:02pm: Fail Better Response Due 9/2 at 10:11pm: Chapter 6 Summary Due 9/4 at 10:54pm: Fremont High School Response |
| 9/7 | Arguing a position | Due 9/11 at 10pm: Essay 1 Peer Review Due 9/11 at 10:56pm: Chapter 15 Summary |
| 9/14 | Argument strategies in advertisement, Analyzing cause and effect, and Differences in healthcare as the basis for argument | Due 9/14 at 10:01pm: Essay 1 Polished Rough Draft Due 9/14 at 10:56pm: Starbucks Logo Response Due 9/16 at 10:57pm: Chapter 37 Summary Due 9/18 at 10:59pm: Black Mamas Lives Response |
| 9/21 | Finding argument topics in unlikely places | Due 9/21 at 10:59pm: Green Spaces Gray Places Response Due 9/23 at 10:02pm: The Ones Who Walk Away Response Due 9/25 at 10:03pm: Barbie Review Response |
| 9/28 | Looking at lived experience for argument topics, marketing tricks for argument, and finding a proposal topic in local needs | Due 9/28 at 10:04pm: Essay 1 Final Draft Due 9/28 at 10:05pm: Politics of Stairs Response Due 9/30 at 10:10pm: 2022 Genesis Response Due 10/2 at 10:11pm: Ogden Playground Response |
| 10/5 | Finding argument topics in areas of social responsibility | Due 10/5 at 10:11pm: Earth Day Every Day Response Due 10/7 at 10:12pm: Racism, Antiracism, and You Response Due 10/9 at 10:13pm: Poor Shaming Response |
| 10/12 | Quoting, Paraphrasing and Summarizing | Due 10/12 at 10:15pm: Chapter 51 Summary Due 10/14 at 10:16pm: Stamped From the Beginning Response Due 10/16 at 10:17pm: Essay 2 Peer Review |
| 10/19 | Essay 2 discussion | Due 10/23 at 10:18pm: Essay 2 Polished Rough Draft |
| 10/26 | Taking Essay Exams | Due 10/26 at 10:19pm: Chapter 46 Summary Due 10/28 at 10:20pm: Clearer Complexion Response Due 10/30 at 10:20pm: What Is Your Name Response |
| 11/2 | Evaluating Sources and considering others' lived experiences in argument | Due 11/2 at 10:21pm: Growing Up Obese Response Due 11/4 at 10:22pm: Chapter 49 Summary Due 11/6 at 10:23pm: Essay 2 Final Draft |
| 11/9 | Getting a Start on Research and Synthesizing Ideas | Due 11/9 at 10:24pm: Chapter 47 Summary Due 11/13 at 10:25pm: Chapter 50 Summary |
| 11/16 | Processes of Writing and Generating Ideas and Text | Due 11/16 at 10:25pm: Rewild the National Mall Response Due 11/16 at 10:26pm: Essay 3 Peer Review Due 11/18 at 10:28pm: Chapter 27 Summary Due 11/20 at 10:29pm: Chapter 29 Summary |
| 11/23 | Diving deeper into popular culture for argument ideas | Due 11/23 at 10:30pm: Essay 3 Polished Rough Draft Due 11/23 at 10:31pm: Disney Princesses in Media Response |
| 11/30 | Organizing Your Writing, Guiding Your Readers, and Essay 3 Wrap-up | Due 11/30 at 10:31pm: Chapter 30 Summary Due 12/2 at 10:32pm: Women and War Posters Response Due 12/4 at 10:33pm: Our Mothers Response Essay 3 Final Draft Due 12/4 at 10:34pm: Annotated Bibliography |
| 12/7 | Finals Week | No Final, 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.