Instructor: Elaine Arvan-Andrews
Office: SS/C 222-T
Phone: 271-4239
Office Hours: 10-12 MW or by appt.
E-mail: andrewse@missouriwestern.edu or elainarvand@yahoo.com
Required Texts/Materials:
1. Maner, Martin. The Research Process: A Complete Guide and Reference for Writers. 2nd Edition. Mayfield, 2000.
2. Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 5th Edition. MLA, 1999.
3. Notebook for research journal
4. An up-to-date, unabridged college dictionary
5. At least 2 computer disks
6. 3 folders (2-pocket) for final drafts
Recommended: *Index cards for research notes and bibliography cards
*Three-ring binder or expandable folder to organize research
Course Description:
ENG 108 is designed to help you become a better researcher and writer of research-based prose. To this end, you will learn about the nature and process of research, about how to find and use source materials, and about how to write researched essays. Students will complete three formal research projects in addition to other graded and ungraded work. In these assignments, students will learn how to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate the thinking of others in order to discover, develop, and test their own points of view. These goals are described in more detail at the General Studies English Courses website at http://www.missouriwestern.edu/eflj/genstud.asp
Attendance Policy:
Because of the participatory nature of this course, attendance is mandatory. However, you will be allowed three absences before you are penalized. Any absence beyond three will result in a lowered grade per each day missed over the three. For example, if you miss 5 classes and are averaging a final grade of B, your grade for the course will be a D. Exceptions will be made with appropriate documentation for unavoidable situations like illness, emergency, or when acting as a representative of MWSC.
Course Requirements/Assignments:
1. Three research papers. *Specific criteria for these essays will be provided.
2. Research journal. You are expected to write at least 3 pp/week in this journal. It is intended as a place to test out possible ideas for your papers. Please do not include research notes in this notebook. The main audience for this journal is yourself so feel free to be informal. I will grade this journal twice during the semester. Criteria for grading simply include 1) Page count 2) Evidence that you are making the best possible use of your journal.
3. Prospectus/Annotated bibliography/Bibliography. The prospectus is a plan that includes your projected thesis and plan for your paper. The bibliographies are designed to help you organize and, in the annotated bibliography, evaluate the sources you will gather. You will write a bibliography for the first paper and a prospectus and annotated bibliography for the remaining two essays.
4. Organized records of research, whether on notecards, xerox copies, computer files or notebook. Keeping good records will help you save time in the drafting process.
5. Peer critiques--structured feedback that you will be asked to give a classmate on the first draft of an essay.
6. Required conference about your writing. Please sign up for one at any time during the semester. It is to your advantage to confer with me as you research or revise a paper. Of course, you may sign up for as many as you want or email me as frequently as you need to, but at least one conference is mandatory.
7. Homework, reading, quizzes. You are expected to be prepared for every class by keeping up with readings and completing required homework. Quizzes are unannounced so it is to your advantage to be prepared for every class session.
General Assignment Requirements:
*All major assignments must be word processed and should follow MLA format unless otherwise specified.
*Every graded draft must include evidence of research and previous drafts in a two-pocket folder
*All assignments are due at the beginning of the hour on the due date. Grades will be lowered for each day late on major papers.
* All major assignments must be turned in to pass this course
* There is no "make up" for quizzes or in-class assignments
Grading Breakdown:
3 Research papers/ 750 pts.
Research journal/100 pts.
Other assignments/150 pts
1000 points total *Class participation will also factor into this total
Grading scale: 100-90%=A; 89-80%=B; 79-70%=C; 69-60%=D; Below 60%=F
Revision Policy:
Revision is an important component of this course, as it is with any polished, thoughtful writing. For this reason, you are required to revise all first drafts. If you have not written a first draft, or if the first draft is incomplete or thrown together, your grade will be affected. Similarly, there must be evidence of meaningful changes between drafts. Grades for all major essays will be partly determined by evidence that you have taken this process seriously. You have the option to revise one graded essay (Paper #1 or #2) for a higher grade.
Student Conduct:
As a condition to remaining at MWSC, the college expects all students to conduct themselves so as to maintain an effective environment for learning; to act responsibly in accordance with good taste; and to respect fully the rights of others. Behavior that disrupts the classroom environment or interferes with other students' learning will result in dismissal from the classroom. Passionate and forceful language are sometimes appropriate; intolerance and dogmatism are not.
Disabled Student Policy:
Any student enrolled in this course who has a disability that prevents the fullest expression of his or her potential to succeed in this course must notify me in writing as soon as possible so we may discuss course requirements, options, and accommodations.
Academic Honesty:
Plagiarism is not tolerated in this course or in University policy. If a student is caught cheating, he/she will receive an F for the course. If you are anxious about a written assignment, please talk to me to discuss the problem instead of risking failure in the course.
Class Schedule:
*Although this is fairly firm, this schedule is subject to change. Further details will be provided.
Week 1
8/20 Syllabus and course introduction; begin research journal
8/22 Introduction and Chapter 1: The Nature of Research Writing
8/24 Chapter 2: Finding and Narrowing the Topic
Week 2
8/27 Chapter 2 (continued); topic session
8/29 Chapter 3: Generating an Argument
8/31 Chapter 4: Finding Sources
Week 3
9/3 No class; Labor Day
9/5 Chapter 5: Writing a Short Plan
MLA Handbook: Chapter 4: Preparing a Works Cited Page
9/7 Chapter 6: Gathering Information
Week 4
9/10 Chapter 6 continued
9/11 Library tour; time for research
9/14 Chapter 7: Research Paper Formats: MLA (pp. 153-193)
MLA Handbook: Chapter 5: Documentation
Week 5
9/17 Bibliography for Paper #1 due; Chapter 9: Writing the Rough Draft
9/19 Chapter 9 continued
9/21 Chapter 9 continued
Week 6
9/24 Paper #1 Draft Due (3 copies); workshop
9/26 Chapter 10: Revising the Rough Draft
9/28 Chapter 10 continued
Week 7
10/1 Chapter 11: Editing
10/3 Paper #1 Graded Draft due
10/5 Topics/theses (handout); Guidelines for prospectus; Research journal due
Week 8
10/8 No class; Columbus Day
10/10 Topics/theses for Paper #2
10/12 Testing Arguments (handout)
Week 9
10/15 Prospectus (plan only) due for Paper #2; annotated bibliography guidelines
10/17 Finding/gathering sources
10/19 (continued)
Week 10
10/22 Annotated Bibliography for Paper #2 due; Drafting
10/24 Drafting (continued)
10/26 Paper #2 Draft Due (3 copies); workshop
Week 11
10/29 Revising
10/31 Revising/Editing
11/2 Paper #2 Graded Draft Due
Week 12
11/5 Topics/theses session for Paper #3
11/7 Testing Arguments
11/9 Prospectus (plan only) due for Paper #3
Week 13
11/12 Finding/Gathering sources
11/14 (continued)
11/16 Annotated Bibliography due for Paper #3; Drafting
Week 14
11/19 Paper #3 Draft due (3 copies)
11/21 No class; Thanksgiving Holiday
11/23 No class; Thanksgiving Holiday
Week 15
11/26 Revising
11/28 Revising/Editing
11/30 Paper #3 Graded Draft due; Research journal due; Optional revision due
Date of Final Exam: TBA