Department of English, Foreign Language, and Journalism
English 104-07 2:00-2:50 MWF JGM 302
English 104-56 FIG with Bio 101-56/101-lab 9:00-9:50 MWF JGM 311
Dr. Stacia Bensyl JGM 207 I
Phone 271-5936 email—bensyl@griffon.mwsc.edu
Office hours: MWF 12:00-2:00 and by appointment Required Text:
American Voices: Culture and Community
I will also provide you with photocopied material periodically in class. I strongly suggest you have a folder or notebook of some type in which to keep these materials.
You will also need a folder in which to keep your portfolio. I suggest on of the flat, expandable types. They stack much more neatly than three-rings. Course Objectives:
The course objectives for English 104 are outlined at http://www.missouriwestern.edu/eflj/genstud.asp. I strongly recommend that students review these course objectives in addition to my going over them the first day of class. Paper Topics:
Paper #1: Comparison/contrast essay
Paper #2: Proposing a solution essay.
Paper #3: Documented essay.
Paper #4: Position essay (documented). Final Exam: English 104-56 FIG Friday, December 8, 8:20-10:20, in this room.
English 104-07 Wednesday, December 6, 2:00-3:50, in this room.
Your four papers and the final are worth 100 points each. You MUST take the final exam to pass the class.
Your journal/in class writing portfolio will be worth a total of 100 points. These cannot be made up.
You will have ten "pop" quizzes throughout the semester worth ten points each, for a total of 100 points. These cannot be made up.
The total number of points for the class is 700.
In class writing/portfolio policy:
You will write something in class almost every day. I say almost, because sometimes peer reviews or class discussion will take up all of our class time. You cannot make up the in class writings. I will collect your portfolio at mid-term, and your mid-term grade will be based on your portfolio performance, as well as your quiz scores. I will collect the portfolio again at the end of the semester. I might also periodically collect portfolios throughout the semester just to see how you're getting along. Each day's assignment must be dated. Individual assignments will not be graded; instead, you will be graded on your portfolio performance as a whole. Your grade will be based on the number of completed assigned entries and on how well you have addressed the topic assigned for each entry. See my grading policy below for letter grades and percentages. Attendance policy:
I don’t take class time to call the roll. Your in-class writings take the place of that. As per the above item, these cannot be made up. I will allow you one mental health day and two excused absences for things such as an on campus event you must participate in, jury duty, a death, illness, etc. I will consider other absences on a case by case basis. Ultimately, however, any absences above three will be excused at my discretion. Student Disability:
Students with disabilities (impaired hearing, vision, reading disorders, etc.) should notify me in writing of the disability before the end of the first week of class. In consultation with the Center for Academic Support, I will work out a course of study for such students. Grading policy:
First off, you can't pass this class without turning in all four of your essays, taking the final, and turning in the portfolio of in class writings. The grading scale is as follows:
100-90% = A
80-89% = B
70-79% = C
60-69% = D
59-0% = F
Remember, you must receive a grade of "C" or above to enroll in English 108 next semester. Late paper policy:
You may turn in one late paper. It must be turned in the class meeting after its original due date. Rewrite Policy:
You may re-write papers #1 and #2 for a better grade. Due dates for re-writes will be announced in class when I hand back papers. The grade you receive for the re-write supercedes the grade you initially received. I do not require students to re-write. The process is optional. I do require you, however, to take the re-write process seriously. Simply making mechanical changes in the paper is not re-writing--it's editing. That should have been done initially. In order to emphasize the seriousness of re-writing, I require all students who wish to re-write to visit the Center for Academic Support, make an appointment with a tutor, and discuss your paper. I will make forms for this process available to you. When you submit your re-write, you must include the initial, graded version of your paper, as well as the new, re-written version, and the CAS form, signed by the tutor with whom you met. I will not accept the re-write if you do not have all the information required. Class Assignment Schedule:
Please remember that this is a TENTATIVE schedule. We may need to adjust due dates or assignment dates as the semester progresses. NB: The term “invention” refers to your creating your own writing. Sometimes we might see a film or read a photocopied handout to get the invention process going. Ideally, the invention opportunities should help you build up to your four papers if you do them carefully and thoughtfully. Reading/Writing Assignments:
N.B. I will hand out copies of the assignment sheet for Unit Three and Four after September 25. UNIT ONE
8-21 introduction
8-23 handout
8-25 journal assignment over handout
8-28 "Saving Nature, But Only for Man" page 585
8-30 journal assignment over Monday's reading
9-1 pre-writing for Paper #1
9-3 Labor Day--no classes
9-6 rough draft of Paper #1 due for peer review
9-8 Paper #1 due UNIT TWO
9-11 "Federal Foolishness on Marijuana" page 635
9-13 journal assignment
9-15 handout
9-18 journal assignment
9-20 "The Monkey Wars" page 570
9-22 journal assignment
9-25 rough draft of Paper #2 due for peer review
9-27 Paper #2 due
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