Phone 271-5936 email—bensyl@griffon.mwsc.edu

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.

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. 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. All rough drafts must be word-processed. On portfolio due dates, I will collect your completed portfolio. You will receive a typed evaluation of the in class work in the portfolio, as well as an evaluation of the process and final draft of your paper.

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. After the third absence you will receive an "F" in the class. Because this class only meets twice per week, missing three classes is the equivalent of missing one and a half weeks of class, and it's impossible to catch up if you have missed more than that.

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.

First off, you can't pass this class without turning in all four of your portfolios and taking the final. 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.

You may turn in one late portfolio. It must be turned in the class meeting after its original due date.

You may re-write papers in portfolios #1, #2, and #3 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 will be averaged with the grade you initially received for the portfolio. 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.

8-21 Introduction

8-23 "Jefferson and the Equality of Men"

8-28 "Jefferson, Hemings Affair Can't Be Denied"

8-30 In class writing/prewriting paper #1

9-4 In class writing/prewriting paper #1

9-6 rough draft of paper #1 due in class for peer review

9-11 Portfolio #1 due/start solution essay

9-13 "Homeless Woman Living in Car"

9-18 "Mother's Day in Federal Prison"

9-20 "Time"

9-25 In class writing/prewriting paper #2

9-27 Rough draft of paper #2 due in class for peer review

10-2 Portfolio #2 due/introduction to documentation

10-4 "The Mosaic vs. the Myth"

10-9 In class writing/more documentation instruction

10-11 "Diversity and Its Discontents"

10-16 Research in library

10-18 No class-Bensyl at conference

10-23 Rough draft of paper #3 due in class for peer review

10-25 Portfolio #3 due/introduce position essay

10-30 "Talk TV: Tuning In to Trouble"

11-1 "Affirmative Action or Negative Action"

11-6 "I Won't Be Celebrating Columbus Day"

11-8 "Cultural Etiquette: A Guide"

11-13 "Saving Nature, But Only for Man"

11-15 Rough draft of paper #4 due in class for peer review

11-20 Portfolio #4 due

11-22 No class-Thanksgiving holiday

11-27 hand back portfolios/review for final

11-29 review for final

FINAL EXAM E104-10 Tuesday, December 4, 2:00-3:50