ENGLISH 104-55: COLLEGE WRITING AND RHETORIC
Professor Anna Leahy / Fall 2000 / 9:30-10:50 TTh / JGM 302
MWSC / LAS / EFLJ
COURSE SYLLABUS
OFFICE: JGM 309-H / 271-4316 / amleahy@griffon.mwsc.edu
OFFICE HOURS: Tuesday 3:30-5:00, Wednesday 1:00-3:00, Thursday 3:30-5:00 and by appointment
English 104: College Writing and Rhetoric serves as an introduction to formal, academic writing and introduces students to different approaches to and techniques for writing essays. Students learn to analyze readings, share information with classmates, and develop critical ideas into thoughtful, interesting essays. This section of English 104 uses a focus on a particular topic--gender--as a way to organize readings, discussions, and writing assignments so that the class as a whole can embark on an ongoing exploration of and conversation about a single, complicated subject. Moreover, the topic of gender offers each student the opportunity to use writing skills to examine and explore both a cultural, critical concept and his or her own life. This way, each writing assignment can clearly build upon the previous assignments and conversations, and each individual student’s essay becomes part of a larger written cultural context as students work together. The main goals, in no particular order, for students in this section of English 104 are as follows:
• to form a supportive and critical community of academic writers
• to learn to read and respond thoughtfully and critically
• to write a variety or original, thoughtful essays
• to move beyond what you already know
• to put ideas and thoughts into words effectively and originally
• to make active, informed choices about writing and revising
• to recognize strengths and possibilities as thinkers and writers
In addition, students have individual goals and should actively work to bring individual goals and course goals together to become more effective, more interesting, more confident writers. The instructor in a writing course is an expert guide and evaluator: however, the individual student must negotiate the territory. To see a more thorough description of English 104, including a list of course objectives, refer to the department web site (http://www.missouriwestern.edu/eflj/eng104.asp). In addition, this section of English 104 is part of a Freshman Interest Group (FIG). As part of the FIG, you will be in three courses with the same group of students, and we as instructors have designed some links between the three courses. We also encourage full participation in the one or two social events for the FIG group and encourage study groups within the larger FIG group. Remember that this FIG is an opportunity for you as a student but that it is up to you to adapt that opportunity to your own goals.
REQUIRED MATERIALS: Complements, edited by Katsavos and Wheeler (C on the schedule)
On Writing Well by William Zinsser (WW on the schedule)
Writing from A to Z by Ebest et al. (AZ on the schedule)
student e-mail account for correspondence (contact 271-4354 for more information)
supplies such as computer disks, paper, folders, etc.
funds to copy some of your work for distribution to the class
CENTER FOR ACADEMIC SUPPORT: I encourage students to take advantage of the Center for Academic Support (LRC 213). Though the Center is not responsible for a student’s performance and will not “fix” papers, tutors can assist in various stages of the writing process. If you do visit the Center, have a list of specific tasks to accomplish and keep a list of things you have learned and need to continue working on. The Center is willing to work with students in this course individually or in small groups. Feel free to let me know if you need assistance contacting the Center, need guidance developing a list of tasks to accomplish in a session, or would like to form a small group to work on a specific writing difficulty or assignment. Keep in mind that the Center has specific hours of operation and that you may need to make an appointment.
GRADING AND OTHER POLICY MATTERS: The course requires four essays, as follows:
• Definition (first draft due Tuesday, September 5; final draft due September 14)
• Summary and Response
• Argument with Research Component
• Personal Narrative
Each essay is weighted as 20% of the final grade, and you will receive a separate assignment sheet for each essay. If essay grades reflect steady improvement, the last two essays will be weighted slightly more heavily than the first two. In order to pass the course, all four essays, including all required drafts, must be completed. In order to fulfill the “portfolio” aspect of the course, you must turn in required drafts with each final essay when it is due and you must turn in all graded essays (keep them!) with your fourth essay portfolio at the end of the course. The remaining 20% of the final grade is determined by participation, including peer workshopping, written responses as preparation for class discussion, in-class exercises, small-group discussions, and various other activities. Strong participation depends on active, considerate, diligent involvement in the course. A C-range grade represents acceptable, college-level work; merely completing all work does not guarantee at least a C unless the work is also reflective of college-level writing and response. A- and B-range grades are earned by producing work above the standard, whereas D-range and failing grades are reserved for substandard work. You will receive separate essay evaluation criteria. All assigned work must be completed before the class meeting for which it is due and must be available to be handed in at the beginning of the class meeting. Late participation work is not accepted and lowers your participation grade; not all written exercises and responses are collected, but many are. All drafts of essays must be turned in on time and, when necessary, with the appropriate number of copies. A late rough draft of an essay lowers your final course grade by one-third of a letter for each day late and receives no written comments or workshopping; lack of enough copies is treated the same as lateness. A late final draft is unacceptable, except in the most dire and documented circumstances (such as hospitalization or a death in the family), and lowers your final course grade by one full letter for each day late. Arriving late, leaving early, or being absent lowers your participation grade. For any absence during workshopping sessions (wherever the word “workshopping” appears on the schedule) or any absence beyond four, your final course grade is lowered by one-third of a letter. The student is solely responsible for work missed. While some guided collaboration is encouraged in this course, plagiarism is not tolerated and will result in a zero for the entire essay assignment (20% of the final grade) for any individuals involved. A zero is calculated as less than an F and will make it mathematically much more difficult for the student to pass the course. Refer to Writing from A to Z, your student handbook, or the instructor for more information. Out-of-class written work must be typed (double-spaced), unless designated otherwise in class. All word/page limits are strict so that all students attempt common tasks. Written work that does not meet these minimal guidelines will not be accepted. I hold regularly scheduled group and individual conferences and encourage additional conferences as needed. While some conferencing is required in this course, you should determine whether additional conference conversation should be part of your writing process. Conferences should be scheduled or canceled 24 hours in advance. Missing a conference is treated as an absence. Students with disabilities that inhibit work in this course should notify me in writing within the first two weeks of this semester so that accommodations can be considered. No food or beverages (other than water) are allowed in carpeted areas of JGM. Other relevant policies are covered in your student handbook.
ENGLISH 104-55: COLLEGE WRITING AND RHETORIC
Professor Anna Leahy / Fall 2000 / 9:30-10:50 TTh / JGM 302
MWSC / LAS / EFLJ
SCHEDULE: THE FIRST INSTALLMENT
Tuesday, August 22
In class: Introduction to the course and each other. Introduction to FIG instructors.
For Th: Read “Femininity” (C86); in 1 page, answer #1, #2, #4, in Examining Content and Strategy (C&S). Read “Masculinity” (C95); in 1 page, answer #1, #2, #4, #5 in C&S. Thursday, August 24
In class: Study Skills Assessment Test. Discussion of ways to define terms (A-Z 243-244). Discussion of stereotypical gender characteristics.
For Tu: Read “Can We Talk?” (C120); in 1 page, do #1 in Responding Through Writing (RW). Read “The Transaction” (WW3) and “Style” (WW18). Read AZ 3-10. Tuesday, August 29
In class: Discussion of gender and language. Assignment for Essay #1.
For Th: Read “Male and Female” (C63), “The Audience” (WW25), and “Unity” (WW49). Thursday, August 31
In class: Freewriting and Clustering. Discussion of WW.
For Tu: Bring a draft, with appropriate number of copies (TBA), of Essay #1. Tuesday, September 5
In class: Workshopping: sharing drafts and discussion of individuals’ writing processes. Approaches to revising.
For Th: Complete a response for each draft you receive, as assigned in class. Thursday, September 7
In class: Small-group workshopping. (If you want an individual conference before the final draft is due, schedule one before you leave class. No conference is required for Essay #1.)
For Tuesday: Read “Revising” (A-Z 12-16). Bring a revision (number of copies TBA) of Essay #1 that incorporates peer response and large-scale concerns. Tuesday, September 12
In class: Center for Academic Support. Approaches to revising.
For Thursday: Read “Editing” and “Proofreading” (A-Z 16-20). Refer to other sections of A-Z for help editing or proofreading specific items. Finish Essay #1. Thursday, September 14
In class: Essay #1 due. Assignment for Essay #2. |