Writing Program

Writing Program Academic Integrity Policy

The Rutgers University Academic Integrity Policy defines plagiarism as “the use of another person’s words, ideas, or results without giving that person appropriate credit.”  In Writing Program courses instruction is given and emphasis is placed on attribution and citation skills.  Intentionally committing plagiarism is a serious offense that results in severe consequences.  Writing Program instructors are required to report students who intentionally violate this policy to the Director of the Writing Program and to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs.   

The most common academic integrity violations by writing students are:

• “Copying word for word (i.e. quoting directly) from an oral, printed, or electronic source without proper attribution.”

• “Paraphrasing without proper attribution, i.e., presenting in one’s own words another person’s written words or ideas as if they were one’s own.”

• “Submitting a purchased or downloaded term paper or other materials to satisfy a course requirement.”

The Rutgers University Academic Integrity Policy establishes levels of violations and recommends sanctions.  Depending upon the severity of the case and the level of the violation, the sanctions for these violations include: failure in the course, mandatory participation in a series of noncredit academic integrity workshops, and/or suspension. 

If you are in doubt as to what constitutes plagiarism or are concerned that you are misappropriating someone’s words or ideas, speak immediately with your instructor. For more information, you can also consult the Rutgers University Academic Integrity Policy, which can be found at:

https://policies.rutgers.edu/10213-currentpdf

Rutgers University-Newark Writing Program: Essay Evaluation and Grading Criteria

The Writing Program grades holistically by evaluating the student’s essay as a whole, balancing its strengths and weaknesses, in order to arrive at an overall grade.

Grade of A: An essay that earns an A demonstrates a high degree of competence and meets the following criteria:

• Presents an argument that responds to the writing assignment thoroughly and insightfully
• Demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the assigned texts
• Is very well focused, organized, and developed at the essay level, integrating assigned texts and/or research
• Is very well framed and developed at the paragraph level, including effective assertions, analysis, and textual evidence
• Demonstrates strong facility with language, using effective vocabulary, syntax, and sentence variety
• Demonstrates strong control of the grammar, rules of usage, and mechanics of standard English

Grade of B: An essay that earns a B is written in a clearly competent manner and meets the following criteria:

• Presents an argument that responds to all of the elements of the writing assignment effectively and thoughtfully
• Demonstrates a solid understanding of the readings
• Is effectively focused, organized, and developed at the essay level, integrating assigned texts and/or research
• Is effectively framed and developed at the paragraph level, including appropriate assertions, analysis, and textual evidence
• Demonstrates good facility with language, using appropriate vocabulary, syntax, and sentence variety
• Shows good control of the grammar, rules of usage, and mechanics of standard English, but may have some errors

Grade of C: An essay that earns a C demonstrates adequate competence but is limited in one or more of the following ways:

• Presents an argument that responds to the writing assignment adequately, but may be somewhat limited
• Demonstrates a competent, though sometimes superficial, understanding of the readings
• Is adequately focused at the essay level, though the paragraphs could be more effectively organized or explicitly connected and the assigned texts and/or research could be better integrated
• Is thinly developed at the paragraph level, inconsistent in its inclusion of assertions, analysis, or textual evidence                         
• Demonstrates satisfactory facility with language, but may have limited control of syntax and minimal sentence variety
• Demonstrates adequate, though sometimes inconsistent control of grammar, usage, and mechanics

Grade of D: An essay that earns a D approaches competence, but has one or more of the following flaws:

• Presents an argument that is unclear or seriously limited in its response to the writing assignment, or does not present any argument
• Demonstrates an inadequate reading, or a misreading of the texts
• Is unfocused, disorganized, or underdeveloped at the essay level
• Is inadequately developed at the paragraph level, lacking assertions, analysis, and/or textual evidence
• Demonstrates errors in the use of language or syntax, which may interfere with meaning
• Demonstrates errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics, which may interfere with meaning

Grade of F: An essay that earns an F lacks competence, since it has one or more of the following flaws:

• Fails in its response of the writing assignment
• Is incomplete/severely underdeveloped
• Contains severe grammatical or syntactical errors that persistently obscure meaning

Writing Program Student Placement Procedures

The following provides general information about our placement of new students, both freshmen and transfer, in the Writing Program at Rutgers-Newark. For more information, please call us at 973-353-5850 or send e-mail to: write@newark.rutgers.edu.

Rutgers University-Newark Writing Program Placement Policy, revised June 2022

SAT and ACT Scores: Incoming students scoring above 550 on the old SAT Critical Reading exam, above 580 on the new SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing exam, or above 26 on the ACT exam are automatically placed into English Composition 101. Incoming freshmen who receive below these scores as well as transfer students who have not met the equivalents of the Rutgers University-Newark writing requirements must take the Rutgers-Newark Placement Exam.

Advanced Placement Credits: Students who receive a score of 4 or 5 on the AP "English Language and Composition"exam receive credit for English Composition 101. Students who receive a score of 4 or 5 on the AP "English Literature and Composition" exam receive credit for English Composition 101, unless they have already received English Composition 101 credit for receiving a 4 or 5 on the "English Language and Composition" exam. In that case, the AP "English Literature and Composition" will be accepted for English Composition 102. 

Transfer Credits: Transfer students’ placements depend upon whether their writing credits from their previous institutions are accepted and deemed equivalent by Rutgers. If the transfer students have not taken any writing courses or if their credits do not transfer, they can be placed into any of the courses listed for incoming freshmen. Transfer students whose 101 credits are accepted are placed directly into English Composition 102; those whose 101 and 102 equivalents are accepted place directly out of both 101 and 102. Under the New Jersey Statewide Transfer Agreement (NJSWTA), students transferring from a NJ community college with an AA or AS also automatically place out of 101 and 102, provided that they have completed both courses with a "C" or better or have earned a minimum grade of "4" on their AP exam.  The English Composition CLEP exam does not transfer as equivalent to our English Composition 101 or 102.

Rutgers-Newark Placement Exam:  A remote Placement Exam that has been created by the Writing Program is administered by the Office of Academic Services. Students take a remote reading and writing assessment that requires that they critically read an article and write an analytical essay in response to an assigned prompt. Each exam is then read by two Writing Program instructors to determine placement. Placements for writing are: Communication Skills 098 (355:098), Communication Skills 098 MLL (355:098), Communication Skills 099 (355:099 & 355:001), Communication Skills 099 MLL (355:099 & 355:001), English Composition 101 (355:101), or English Composition 101 MLL (355:101). Students scoring in the low proficiency range of 101 on the remote writing assessment also receive the co-requisite placement of a mandatory 100 Workshop (355:100), which provides supplemental instruction to 101.

The Writing Center

The Writing Center, located at Hahne 245, provides all undergraduate students with personal support in their writing. Tutoring is free and can be scheduled as either an in-person or a zoom appointment.

Fall 2023 Hours

Monday - 9:15am to 5:30pm
Tuesday - 9:15am to 5:30pm  
Wednesday - 10:00am to 8:30pm  
Thursday - 9:15am to 5:30pm
Friday - 10:00am to 1:00pm

To make an appointment

Come to the Writing Center: Hahne & Co.,  Suite 245
Make an appointment through the Penji Scheduling app
Call us at 973-353-5847

The Writing Program offers a Writing Minor that serves students who wish to both study and practice writing. This minor provides education in the conventions and theories of rhetoric, composition, and professional writing; intensive training in professional and academic writing studies; and practical experience in writing, revising, and editing relevant to a wide variety of professions. This is an advantageous course of study for those who are planning careers as professional writers or editors as well as those whose academic and professional careers will demand proficient writing skills. Courses in the minor will teach students about the various forms of writing they are likely to encounter, provide opportunities to experiment with their writing processes, and teach how to modify writing styles for different audiences and settings.

Writing Minor Requirements

• A cumulative gpa of 2.5 is required in order to declare the Writing Minor
• Students are required to complete 18 credits of approved courses (with a C or better) in order to graduate with a Writing Minor
• All students are required to take Foundations: Usage, Voice, and Style, as well as an additional 15 credits in Writing (355) courses above the 100 level.  As Writing Intensive courses offer discipline-specific writing instruction and practice, we will accept one three-credit Writing Intensive course, taken at Rutgers-Newark, in any subject
• Students must achieve a 2.5 average in order to earn the Writing Minor
• Students must submit a professional portfolio containing selected works from each class in order to earn the Writing Minor.

Note for transfer students: All students receiving a Writing Minor will take a minimum of 12 credits at Rutgers-Newark offered by the Writing Program. We will accept one three-credit Writing Intensive course taken at Rutgers-Newark, as well as one three-credit writing course above the 100 level, taken at another institution, pending a course evaluation.

Declaring the Minor

To declare the Writing Minor, please visit the Office of the Writing Program, Hahne 250. Click here to access the declaration form.
 

The Writing Minor offers the following benefits:

Skills for the Professional World: There is a growing demand for effective written communication in the professional world, as this skill is becoming increasingly rare. The abilities to discern the nuances and tone in written material; to communicate intelligently, articulately, and concisely; and to complete written projects in an innovative and organized manner are skills deeply valued and needed in today’s global marketplace. Rutgers graduates with a Writing Minor on their transcripts will appeal to many potential employers, including those in the corporate, government, and non-profit sectors. As a capstone, students will submit a professional portfolio, a culminating project that graduates can use to market themselves in the workforce.

Preparation for Graduate or Professional School: Students entering graduate programs that emphasize writing and critical reading will distinguish themselves with a Writing Minor, as will students entering other academic postgraduate or professional programs. Our courses will train students to think critically and communicate effectively, vital skills in any academic field. The minor will prepare students for writing-based graduate degree programs in fields such as technical and professional writing or communication, and rhetoric and composition, and it will also benefit students pursuing graduate degrees in writing-intensive fields, such as education, law, linguistics, business, advertising, public relations, marketing, media studies, communication studies, and public policy.

Intensive Training for Writers: The sustained writing practice provided by the minor will enable students who are passionate about writing and interested in pursuing writing careers to hone their crafts and develop their unique voices. Students will gain the opportunity to experiment with writing in a wide variety of contexts and will learn to tailor their skills to specific professions and audiences. Since the Writing Program is as focused on reading as it is on writing, students who minor in writing will learn to read as writers, paying close attention to mechanics, language, and structure of written work. The program will also train students to reflect on their own writing processes in order to encourage their development as writers; the consistent self-evaluations and the portfolio will prepare students to enter the professional world. 

Writing Minor Courses

21:355:301 Foundations: Usage, Voice, and Style (3 credits)

*All students who pursue the Writing Minor are required to take this course. We recommend that students begin the minor by taking this course.

In this course, students will learn and review the principles that underlie voice and style. They will develop a critical understanding of the connotations and implications of language usage, with emphasis placed on choices of diction, syntax, grammar, and rhetoric. They will also consider how these choices shape meaning and perception. Students will gain both facility with and agency through language and will develop control of voice and style through the classical rhetorical practices of imitation and invention. In this course, students will study their own, their peers’, and published writers’ works. The class will call for extensive experimentation in exploring the writing strategies and stylistic choices appropriate to different rhetorical and conventional contexts. 

21:355:306 Advanced Exposition (3 credits)

This upper-level writing course offers instruction in planning, revising, editing, and documenting lucid and persuasive preprofessional and professional articles, reports, and research papers.

21:355:320 The Personal Essay (3 credits)

The personal essay is a compelling form of self-expression that draws readers into the writer's internal world, inviting readers to reflect on the writer's personal experiences and to connect them to larger, external themes. The personal essayist pursues a fine rhetorical balance between traditional and experimental writing techniques and between personal experience and universal concepts. In this Writing Intensive course, students will learn to see their own individual experiences as connected to a larger community of ideas. This class will follow a workshop format, and students will receive instruction and practice in planning, writing, revising, and editing effective and persuasive personal essays of their own as well as in developing their ability to read and analyze published and peer-written personal essays.

21:355:331 Writing and the Blogosphere (3 credits)

The term “blogging” is contemporary, but bloggers have been around for centuries. In This Craft of Verse, Jorge Luis Borges, who did not live long enough to know about the internet, writes about an early blogger: a nameless Saxon who wrote his observations about the weather on the Northumberland shore. This unknown Saxon was not a famous poet or a published author. He was someone who wanted to write about the weather: he had no idea that someone in Argentina centuries later would be quoting him, or that his observations mattered. Today, thousands of bloggers record and publish their gripes, observations, and adulations about the weather, the arts, politics, and their personal lives. They might not be aware of it, but they are voices of our times. In this course, we will examine the craft, history, and social implications of blogging.

21:355:340 The Art of Persuasion (3 credits)

In this course, students will learn how to analyze, critique, and respond to written argument. They will learn theoretical models of interaction and apply them to oral and written texts, examining biases, modes of communication, and rhetorical manipulation. Students will learn how to use style, tone, and content in making effective and persuasive written arguments and in anticipating responses and understanding audiences.

21:355:390 Writing About Popular Culture (3 credits)

Writing About Popular Culture is a Writing Intensive course that will expose students to various scholarly approaches to popular culture with an emphasis on proposing, researching, and developing a primary-source based research paper on a topic of the student's choice. This course builds on the critical reading, thinking, and writing skills developed in English Composition 102. Possible subjects include television, movies, popular music, dance, stage, video games, graphic novels, comedy, YouTube, social media, or anything you wish to propose, current or past. Students may wish to focus on a specific genre or medium, or perhaps focus on a single celebrity or theme. The resulting project will be an exploration of the significance of popular culture in society.

21:355:399 Writing about Oral Narratives in the Digital Age (3 credits)

Writing about Oral Narratives in the Digital Age is a Writing Intensive course that will expose students to oral histories in the Rutgers Library’s and Newark Public Library collections. Students will develop a research paper designed to contextualize oral histories dealing with the lived experiences of residents of Newark or the history of Jazz in an existing scholarly discourse. Students will discuss their process on a course-run platform. The course requires completion of a critical primary source analysis, xml markup exercise, literature review, proposal, annotated bibliography, a cycle of graded research exploratory essays, and a group presentation, culminating in a formal 10-15 page research paper. Additional information literacy and research instruction and research will be offered by the digital humanities librarian.

21:355:402 Review Writing: Book, Film, Theater, Music, Dance, and Art (3 credits)

A review of a book, movie, play, concert or exhibit is quite different from an academic paper. In this class, students will learn the art of writing compelling critiques. Students will develop their ability to interpret and critically assess multimodal forms of expression. We will read and discuss published interviews and critically evaluate what makes them effective and intelligent …or not. By reading reviews in all genres, we will analyze how authors write critiques as well as how they evaluate the works of others. Students will write their own reviews of literature, film, art, and performance, and will critique reviews in a workshop format.

21:355:412 Writing for Social Change (3 credits)

In this writing intensive course, students will learn about the ways that writing can motivate and enact meaningful change within our contemporary world. The course will explore how authors use writing to influence public opinion, encourage civic dialogue, and advocate for a variety of political and social causes. Students will engage with a range of genres, including grant proposals, policy memos, and literature reviews, to learn about the theoretical perspectives which guide writing for social change and how authors manage rhetorical concerns such as audience and voice. Through analysis of others’ texts as well as their own, they will learn to construct impactful, relevant texts and develop a stronger awareness of the social and political power of written communication.

21:355:421 Speaking and Writing: Presenting Your Work  (3 credits)

This course is designed to improve oral and written communication in the academic and professional worlds. The course will cover the fundamentals of writing effective presentations, with students critically assessing written and performed speeches and analyzing how oratory differs from writing composed for a readership rather than a listening audience. Students will also learn to construct persuasive, organized, well-supported, and engaging speeches of their own as they gain an understanding of speech writing as a rhetorical form.  Building on their analyses of famous speeches as well as of their own and their peers’ written and performed presentations, students will hone their written and oral communication.

21:355:422 Advanced Research Writing (3 credits)

In this course, students will learn the principles that underlie effective academic research. Emphasis is placed on understanding methods of attribution, dynamics of authority in scholarly research, and the impact of rhetorical context on research practices. Students will develop their critical thinking, reading, and writing skills, as they conduct research based on questions of their design. They will learn to critically evaluate, synthesize, and integrate their findings and to situate their work in a broader scholarly conversation. The course will require mini-research assignments as well as a final project.

21:355:431 Writing in the Professions: Social Sciences (3 credits)

This course is designed for students interested in pursuing advanced work in the social sciences, including, but not limited to, psychology, social work, and public administration. Students will develop their critical thinking and analytical skills as they learn to identify, evaluate, and synthesize sources in writing papers on topics specific to the social sciences. Students will engage research and texts produced by professionals within social science fields, to hone their critical skills and to develop their knowledge of current theories and practices. Guest lecturers will provide students with an understanding of the various genres and audiences within this field, and through their own work, students will learn how to negotiate the conventions of this discourse community. Students will be required to complete short writing projects as well as two research papers based on topics that are relevant within the current contexts of their chosen fields.

21:355:432 Writing in the Professions: Medicine (3 credits)

This course is designed for students pursuing careers in medicine. Students will develop their critical thinking and analytical skills as they learn to identify, evaluate, and synthesize sources in writing papers on topics specific to the health professions. Through their work, students will develop an understanding of the various genres and audiences within this field and learn how to negotiate the conventions of this discourse community. Students will consider the implications of the constraints within which they write as well as the broader social ramifications of medical writing.  In this course, students will also develop their critical reading and verbal reasoning skills in preparation for the verbal and written portions of the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT).

21:355:433 Writing in the Professions: Law (3 credits)

This course develops the critical reading and writing skills required of individuals in the legal profession. Students will hone their skills of critical analysis, textual synthesis, and clear, efficient written communication. They will consider issues of audience, purpose, and conventions as they learn to effectively research and compose for various legal writing genres, including briefs, arguments based on case law, and memorandums. Students will also critically assess legal documents as they consider the context, ethics, and implications of the processes and products of this profession.

21:355:440 Internship (3 credits)

The Writing internship will enable students to work at a writing-based job with a newspaper, magazine, publishing house, literary journal, educational or cultural institution, non-profit organization, or business.  The objective of the internship is to integrate classroom theory and practice with work experience, thus lending relevancy to learning and providing students with realistic exposure to career opportunities in writing. The internship will help students develop professional skills combined with an academic experience aimed at cultivating their attributes as writers and rhetoricians. The Writing Internship is designed to hone students’ interpersonal and professional communication skills, while giving them a glimpse into how writers and editors work in the business, non-profit, and academic worlds.

21:355:498, 499 Independent Study in Writing  (3 credits)

Designed for the Writing minor who desires to undertake extensice writing in a particular area, the independent study calls for exploration of a theme, genre, or rhetorical device through planned readings and discussions with a faculty member of the Writing Program. Limited to students whose grade-point average within the program is 2.5 or higher.

All students are required to successfully complete English Composition 101 and 102 in order to graduate from Rutgers University-Newark. 

Communication Skills 098: Basic Reading and Writing Strategies

This developmental course calls for intensive work in basic reading and writing, including systematic reviews of grammar.  Students write and revise analytical, text-based essays, and emphasis is placed on effectively managing sentences, evaluating word choices, developing paragraphs, and maintaining coherence.  The course also stresses reading with accuracy, recognizing main ideas, and drawing upon sources as a means of expressing and comprehending complex thinking. 
Detailed Course Description and Learning Goals - Unified Writing Curriculum
Sample Course Syllabus ENG098

Communication Skills 099: Academic Reading and Writing

This course is designed to provide strong preparation for the work that will be expected of students in English Composition 101.  Emphasis is placed on the development of critical reading strategies and analytical writing skills, including the effective incorporation of sources, the systematic organization of ideas in analytical essays, and the effective presentation of complex ideas and information to a defined audience in precise language.  The course also stresses grammar and language skills.
Detailed Course Description and Learning Goals - Unified Writing Curriculum
Sample Course Syllabus ENG099

English Composition 101: Analysis and Argument

English Composition 101 is the first writing course required of all non-transfer students and is usually taken in a student’s first semester.  Designed to introduce students to academic discourse, this course provides instruction in reading and thinking critically and in writing analytically in response to primarily non-fiction readings.  Through a series of sequenced assignments, emphasis is placed on writing as a process, which includes drafting, revising, and editing writings.  Instruction is provided in recognizing and assessing the argumentative and rhetorical strategies of other writers and in students effectively constructing well-informed, sophisticated, and logical essays, while maintaining an individual voice and synthesizing increasingly complex academic essays.
Detailed Course Description and Learning Goals - Unified Writing Curriculum
Sample Course Syllabus ENG101

English Composition 102: Interpretation, Synthesis, and Research

English Composition 102 is the second course in the sequence of writing courses required of non-transfer students and must be taken immediately following the successful completion of English Composition 101.  This course builds on the critical reading, thinking, and writing skills developed in 101 and further prepares students for the types of intellectual inquiry as well as critical analysis and writing required in upper-lever courses offered at the university.   Students engage increasingly complex texts of different genres and from a variety of disciplinary orientations.   Emphasis continues to be placed on writing as a process as students are required to conduct and to critically evaluate research as well as to maintain an independent voice as they negotiate multiple primary and secondary sources.
Detailed Course Description and Learning Goals - Unified Writing Curriculum
Sample Course Syllabus ENG102

Honors Composition:  English 103 and English 104

These courses are offered to students who have been admitted to the Honors College as well as to students on the basis of their SAT scores and previous academic records.  Students can also be recommended by their 101 instructors.  These courses have the same goals as English Composition 101 and 102, but they are more rigorous and expect a higher level of sophistication in the thinking, reading, and writing skills and in the overall academic performance of students.

Writing Across the Curriculum

After completing English Composition, students are required to take at least two further writing courses. These courses are to be chosen from an array of writing-intensive courses that are offered throughout the undergraduate program. Students must take at least one of these two writing-intensives within their major. These courses are  designated with a "Q" section in the Schedule of Classes.