This course provides training in critical reading and academic writing. It focuses on the writing process and rhetorical concepts while requiring students to read and write a variety of texts. Students will be required to prepare a synthesis paper of moderate length demonstrating critical reading and academic writing skills, including selection, evaluation, analysis, integration, and documentation of sources

THECB CORE COURSE OBJECTIVES

Critical Thinking Skills

1. To assess the student’s critical thinking skills, the Synthesis rubric will be applied to the Synthesis Paper.

Communication Skills

1. To assess the student’s written communication skills, the Synthesis rubric will be applied to the Synthesis Paper.

Personal Responsibility

1. To assess ethical use of sources as a measure of personal responsibility, the Synthesis rubric will be applied to the Synthesis Paper.

Teamwork

1. To assess the student’s teamwork, the Peer Review Teamwork rubric will be used to assess each student’s preparation for and participation in peer review workshops.

Course Goals

1. Apply key rhetorical concepts through analyzing and composing a variety of texts.
2. Engage in a writing process that includes invention, drafting, collaboration, and revision.
3. Use reading and composing for inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating in various rhetorical contexts.
4. Use strategies – such as interpretation, synthesis, response, critique, and design to compose.
5. texts that integrate the writer’s ideas with those from appropriate sources
6. Use sources ethically and in contextually appropriate ways and follow a designated style guide.
7. Demonstrate proficient use of linguistic structures, including grammar and mechanics, through practice in composing and revising.

TEXTBOOK:

Ebook for The Bedford Reader. 15^th edition with IA (inclusive access). Edited by X.J. Kennedy, Dorothy M. Kennedy, Jane E. Aaron, Ellen Kuhl Repetto. Bedford St. Martin’s/Macmillan Learning.

Academic Conduct Policies

Academic Dishonesty: Cheating, collusion, and plagiarism (the act of using source material of other persons, either published or unpublished, without following the accepted techniques of crediting, or the submission for credit of work which is not the work of the person to whom credit is given). *The use of AI at any stage of the composition of an assignment is prohibited, and that prohibition applies to all our assignments. Additional guidelines on procedures in these matters may be found in the Office of Student Conduct

GRADING

Table 1: Percentage of semester grade allocated to each assignment

Table 2: Letter grade point values. There is no rounding up of assignment grades and no rounding up of final calculated grade as computed by D2L: e.g., a 79.9 is a C; an 89.9 is a B; a 69.9 is a D; a 59.9 or lower is an F. The final calculated grade is the semester grade.

Extra Credit

Extra credit for revision works in this way:

1. Only Writing Projects 1, 2, or 3 may be revised.
2. If the original assignment was late, the 10-point penalty still applies.
3. Students must have instructor approval before they revise.
4. Instructor’s approval includes specific instructions as to the nature and scope of the revisions.
5. Extra credit revision must be submitted to the original drop box by Friday December 4, 2026.

Attendance Grade

If you think you missed roll, inform me before you leave class to make sure I mark you present. As of their second undocumented absence, students begin to incur a 10-point penalty for each undocumented absence. Absences for illness can be excused if students provide medical documentation. Missing required instructor conference counts as class absence:

1. 2 absences (90), 3 absences (80), 4 absences (70)
2. 5 absences (60), 6 absences (50). 7 absences (40)
3. 8 absences (30), 9 absences (20), 10 absences (10)
4. 11 absences or more (0)

Late Work

If D2L indicates an assignment is late, it is penalized 10 points even if the essay is late by less than a minute. All late work must be submitted by the last class day of the semester: Friday December 4, 2026.

Note: You may not submit a paper for a grade in this class that already has been (or will be) submitted for a grade in another course, unless you obtain the explicit written permission of me and the other instructor involved in advance.

Plagiarism is the use of someone else's thoughts, words, ideas, or lines of argument in your own work without appropriate documentation (a parenthetical citation at the end and a listing in "Works Cited")-whether you use that material in a quote, paraphrase, or summary. It is a theft of intellectual property and will not be tolerated, whether intentional or not.

Student Honor Creed

As an MSU Student, I pledge not to lie, cheat, steal, or help anyone else do so."

As students at MSU, we recognize that any great society must be composed of empowered, responsible citizens. We also recognize universities play an important role in helping mold these responsible citizens. We believe students themselves play an important part in developing responsible citizenship by maintaining a community where integrity and honorable character are the norm, not the exception.

Thus, We, the Students of Midwestern State University, resolve to uphold the honor of the University by affirming our commitment to complete academic honesty. We resolve not only to be honest but also to hold our peers accountable for complete honesty in all university matters.

We consider it dishonest to ask for, give, or receive help in examinations or quizzes, to use any unauthorized material in examinations, or to present, as one's own, work or ideas which are not entirely one's own. We recognize that any instructor has the right to expect that all student work is honest, original work. We accept and acknowledge that responsibility for lying, cheating, stealing, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty fundamentally rests within each individual student.

We expect of ourselves academic integrity, personal professionalism, and ethical character. We appreciate steps taken by University officials to protect the honor of the University against any who would disgrace the MSU student body by violating the spirit of this creed.

Written and adopted by the 2002-2003 MSU Student Senate.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Disability Support Services in Room 168 of the Clark Student Center, (940) 397-4140.

All instructors in the Department have voicemail in their offices and MSUTexas e-mail addresses. Make sure you add your instructor's phone number and e-mail address to both email and cell phone lists of contacts.

Obligation to Report Sex Discrimination under State and Federal Law

Midwestern State University is committed to providing and strengthening an educational, working, and living environment where students, faculty, staff, and visitors are free from sex discrimination of any kind. State and federal law require University employees to report sex discrimination and sexual misconduct to the University’s Office of Title IX. As a faculty member, I am required to report to the Title IX Coordinator any allegations, personally observed behavior, or other direct or indirect knowledge of conduct that reasonably may constitute sex discrimination or sexual misconduct, which includes sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, or stalking, involving a student or employee. After a report is made, the office of Title IX will reach out to the affected student or employee in an effort to connect such person(s) with resources and options in addressing the allegations made in the report. You are also encouraged to report any incidents to the office of Title IX. You may do so by contacting:

Laura Hetrick

Title IX Coordinator
Sunwatcher Village Clubhouse
940-397-4213

laura.hetrick@msutexas.edu

You may also file an online report 24/7 at Maxient 

Should you wish to visit with someone about your experience in confidence, you may contact the MSU Counseling Center at 940-397-4618. For more information on the University’s policy on Title IX or sexual misconduct, please visit MSU Texas Title IX

Senate Bill 11 passed by the 84th Texas Legislature allows licensed handgun holders to carry concealed handguns on campus, effective August 1, 2016. Areas excluded from concealed carry are appropriately marked, in accordance with state law. For more information regarding campus carry, please refer to the University’s webpage at https://msutexas.edu/campus-carry/rules-policies.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact MSU Chief of Police at police@msutexas.edu.

Pregnant and parenting students, faculty, and staff are eligible to receive support and resources from the Student Engagement and Title IX Offices. Support and resources may include early registration, personal financial support, parenting development resources, lactation rooms, and healthcare resources. For more information, visit the  Parenting Students Website or contact the Parenting Liaison Ruby Garret at  ruby.garrett@msutexas.edu or call 940-397-4500.