For Teachers: Special Emphasis

Who can teach a special emphasis section?
All those assigned to teach English 2000 and who have already taught the course once are eligible to teach a special emphasis section.  UWP policy stipulates that everyone new to the course teach a regular section first before designing and implementing the special emphasis course.

What constitutes a Special Emphasis section of English 2000?  
A Special Emphasis section may have a semester-long focus on writing about issues in a specific area, for example, in the social sciences or on service learning.  These courses are not to be considered writing in the disciplines, like legal writing or business writing.  A Special Emphasis section may also have a semester-long theme appealing to students majoring in a specific area, for example, a course in which all or most of the students’ reading and writing assignments are about the environment.
Special Emphasis sections are designated by a brief identifying title in the schedule booklet so that teachers can draw students interested in the semester-long focus and so that students know what they are signing up for.

What kinds of courses are not acceptable as Special Emphasis sections of English 2000?
The University Writing Program does not consider all courses that require writing to be writing courses.  Although faculty are encouraged to design and implement writing courses that allow them to teach from their strengths and that provide stimulating and challenging learning environments for students, all sections of English 2000 must focus primarily on the processes of applied and academic writing.

A course is not acceptable as a Special Emphasis section...

  • if it does not focus on writing processes and use a rhetoric or argument-based textbook.
  • if it has a heavy reading list. An anthology of readings or a single book-length reading is acceptable, but in a course that requires students to read one or more novels or book-length texts, much of the semester will likely be devoted to acquiring the required reading skills rather than focusing primarily on students’ writing processes.
  • if it requires students to master skills that are not directly related to their writing processes.  For example, a course that goes beyond relatively small-scale video or visual projects to more demanding and sophisticated film or video projects is not likely to keep the primary focus on the teaching of writing.
  • if it duplicates another course already in the catalogue. Especially since students now are likely to take their General Education humanities courses before they take English 2000, Special Emphasis sections should not closely resemble introductory literature courses like 2025 or special topics literature courses like 2123 or introductions to literary theory like 2024 or creative writing courses like 2005.

How do I submit a Special Emphasis proposal?
 All Special Emphasis courses must be approved through the UW program review procedures. This includes any courses “grandfathered” as previous special emphasis sections. For now, we will review courses every year.

To submit your proposal for a Special Emphasis section of English 2000, send your completed proposal form, and a copy of your proposed syllabus as attachments by email to Chirsty Foreman at nforeman@lsu.edu or deliver these materials in hard copy to Christy in Allen 260.  

Deadlines for each semester's proposals will be sent out by email. All proposals will be reviewed by the English 2000 Implementation Committee and you will be promptly notified whether your proposal has been accepted, needs revisions, or has not been accepted. 

What if I want to repeat my previously-approved special emphasis course?
Even if you would like to repeat a previously approved special emphasis course, you are required to go through the approval process again.

I plan to teach service learning. Do I need to submit the same proposal?
Yes. The special emphasis review project has been expanded to include service learning courses. We highly encourage service learning classes, and want to ensure that they include the same rigorous writing instruction as other sections of 2000.
 

Important Reminders
All sections of English 2000 must meet the English 2000 Goals, Objectives, and Requirements.  The requirements are as follows:

  1. Students should complete at least three, major evaluated writing projects. Two of these must be researched (include library research of scholarly materials).
    1. A project may take several class periods to complete and include various reading, writing, and research assignments. Writing assignments may include journal entries, write-to-learn exercises, paraphrases or summaries, or researched materials. Although not all of the writing assignments included in a major essay must be graded, the major essay should be graded or evaluated even if the portfolio method is used.
    2. Over the course of the semester, students should produce final researched essays, at least one of which must be an argumentative, researched essay on a complex issue.
  2. The argument essay, used for assessment, should at least 1500 words. This text should require significant research, including library research.
  3. At least two major essays should require multiple research strategies, including library research, to complete the rhetorical task.
  4. Throughout the semester, students should write at least 5000 words that are evaluated either as individual products or as a portfolio.
  5. Students’ work should include at least one oral presentation and/or technological component as part of a project (e.g., PowerPoint, poster presentation, post to a discussion board, blog, and website).
  6. Coursework should require students to work collaboratively on at least one project through such activities as peer response groups, collaborative research projects, such as an annotated bibliography, or a collaborative text (it should not be the argument essay for assessment).

 

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