Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2026 - ENGL 199W OL01

Writing to Persuade (3)

Class Number: 5967

Delivery Method: Online

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Online

  • Prerequisites:

    12 units.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An introduction to reading and writing from a rhetorical perspective. The course treats reading and writing as activities that take place in particular circumstances and situations, in contrast to the traditional emphasis on decontextualized, formal features of texts. It prepares students for reading and writing challenges they are likely to encounter within and beyond the classroom. Students with credit for ENGL 199 may not take this course for further credit. Writing.

COURSE DETAILS:

Writing to Persuade introduces the participants to reading and writing for academic purposes with a rhetorical point of view. This means that interacting with a text is considered as something students and scholars do with a purpose and within a specific context or situation. Participants will reflect on texts as social actions and develop strategies to face the challenges of professional and academic communication. The course will require participants to engage in extensive and close reading, peer-review exchanges, quizzes, and the composition of a research proposal paper. 

As a fully online course, most mandatory interactions with your instructor, teaching assistants, and classmates will be held online in an asynchronous basis. Only one online synchronous meeting with your instructor or TA will be required (mandatory) as a preparation towards your research proposal. All lectures will be available on video and interactions with your classmates will be asynchronous, with each student contributing at their own time and discretion within a prescribed time limit (usually a week). You will have the opportunity to ask questions about contents via Canvas or by email. Additionally, if necessary, you will have the option of meeting with your instructor and/or TAs for online consultations (by appointment) to support your learning. These consultations are voluntary and will not be graded. 



COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

By the end of the course, you should be able to:

  • Define and describe the relationship between cultural situations and the text as a communicative action.
  • Analyze texts to identify the purpose, context, and stance of the writer.
  • Plan an academic text, considering the expectations and needs of the audience with respect to rhetorical purposes, organization, and style.
  • Compose texts with the appropriate level of abstraction and specificity for an academic audience.
  • Orchestrate the voices of other writers as support for your own writing in ways that position you as an active and respectful member of the academic community.
  • Apply various language resources to compose and evaluate a research proposal.
  • Develop strategies to use AI into the writing process ethically and responsibly.

Grading

  • Checking-in Activities and Mandatory Online Meeting 2%
  • Research Proposal Peer-Review 10%
  • Research Proposal Draft (1000-1200 words) 35%
  • Research Proposal Revised Version (1000-1400 words) 45%
  • Quizzes 8%

NOTES:

ENGL199W focuses on scientific and scholarly writing. This is not a literature-oriented course. 

This is a writing-intensive course. For this reason, you must be prepared to devote considerable time to reading and writing. In average, consider you will invest 8 to 9 hours of independent work each week. Procrastinating or omitting work will negatively impact your results in the course.

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:


Participants will be expected to complete required readings since the first week of the course. Therefore, every student must plan ahead to acquire the required textbook. Information on where to purchase the text is available in the required reading section below.

Having a laptop or personal computer and access to internet connection to work from home will be crucial in this online course. 

If needed, you can borrow a laptop from SFU Library: https://www.lib.sfu.ca/borrow/equipment/list  


 

REQUIRED READING:

Giltrow, J., Gooding, R., & Burgoyne, D. (2021). Academic writing: An introduction (4th edition). Broadview Press.

Paperback copies are available for purchase at the publisher's website and at various retailers (e.g. amazon, Indigo). An electronic version can be acquired at Google Play, Amazon Kindle Edition, or Campus EBookstore.
ISBN: 9781460407547

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Department Undergraduate Notes:

IMPORTANT NOTE Re 300 and 400 level courses: 75% of spaces in 300 level English courses, and 100% of spaces in 400 level English courses, are reserved for declared English Major, Minor, Extended Minor, Joint Major, and Honours students only, until open enrollment begins.

For all On-Campus Courses, please note the following:
- To receive credit for the course, students must complete all requirements.
- Tutorials/Seminars WILL be held the first week of classes.
- When choosing your schedule, remember to check "Show lab/tutorial sections" to see all Lecture/Seminar/Tutorial times required.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.