Department of English, Foreign Language, and Journalism

English 104-11 1:00-1:50 MWF SSC 210

Dr. Stacia Bensyl  SSC 222 I

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

Office hours: MWF 9:00-10:00 & TTh 11:00-12:00 & 1:00-2:00 and by appointment

 

Required Text:

Convergences

Optional Text:

The New Century Handbook

Please bring your books to class every day.  You never know when you might need them.

 

Course Objectives:

The course objectives for English 104 are outlined at: http://www2.mwsc.edu/eflj/eng104.html#Institutional.  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: Narrative essay

Paper #2: Comparison/contrast essay

Paper #3: Causation essay

Paper #4: Argumentative essay

·        Your four portfolios are worth 100 points each.

·        NOTE:  I will bring portfolios to class once to hand them back.  If you're not in class to receive your portfolio, you need to come to my office to pick it up.

 

Final Exam Period:

·        You MUST attend the final exam period to pass the class.  It is college policy that we meet during the final exam period.  I will hand back your fourth portfolio and give you your final grade at that time.  If you do not attend the final exam meeting, you will fail the class.

 

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.  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.  

 

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. After the third absence you will receive an "F" in the class.

 

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 portfolios and attending the final exam meeting.  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 portfolio.  Your late portfolio cannot be the final portfolio.  The late portfolio must be turned in the class meeting after its original due date.

 

Rewrite Policy:

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.

 

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.  The term "invention" refers to any writing that we do which is "brainstorming" or "prewriting" for your final paper, or any writing which lets you practice techniques and methods of writing.  Please come to class having read the assignment for that day.  Be prepared to discuss your ideas in class.

Reading/Writing Assignments:

 

UNIT ONE

8-19                             Introduction / Key Term: Narrative page 130

8-21                             "They All Just Went Away" page 100-108

8-23                             invention

8-26                             "Ashes" page 110-119

8-28                             invention

8-30                             invention

9-2                               Labor Day--no class

9-4                               invention

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

9-9                               Portfolio #1 due/ start comparison/contrast essay / Key Term: Comparison page 187

UNIT TWO

9-11                             photo, page 177; photo, page 459

9-13                             invention

9-16                             "Documentary Photography" page 141; "Mr. Lee" page 218; photos, page 216-217

9-18                             invention

9-20                             invention

9-23                             invention

9-25                             rough draft of paper #2 due in class for peer review

9-27                             Portfolio #2 due/start causation essay / Key Term: Causation page 357

UNIT THREE

9-30                             photos 369, 371, 372,375

10-2                             invention         

10-4                             Bensyl at conference--no class

10-7                             "Gangstas" page 368

10-9                             invention

10-11                           "Silent Dancing" page 25-32

10-14                           Columbus Day—no class                            

10-16                           invention

10-18                           invention

10-21                           invention

10-23                           invention

10-25                           Bensyl at conference--no class

10-28                           invention

10-30                           rough draft of Paper #3 due in class for peer review

11-1                             Portfolio #3 due/start argumentative essay / Key Term: Argument page 350

UNIT FOUR

11-4                             photographs 165 and 166; "Court Martial Transcript" page 162-163

11-6                             "March 16-18, 1968" page 164

11-8                             "Sand Creek" page 300-303

11-11                           Veterans' Day--no class

11-13                           invention

11-15                           invention

11-18                           invention

11-20                           invention

11-22                           invention

11-25                           rough draft of paper #4 due in class for peer review

11-27                           Thanksgiving break--no class

11-29                           Thanksgiving break--no class

12-2                             Portfolio #4 due

 

FINAL EXAM            Monday, December 9 from 11:30-1:20