Missouri
Western State College, Division of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Department of
English, Foreign Languages, and Journalism
English 108: College Writing
and Research, Fall 2002
108-06:
10:00-10:50 MWF, JGM 120
Instructor:
Elaine Arvan-Andrews
Office:
SS/C 222-T
Phone:
271-4239
Office
Hours: 9:00-10:00 MWF or by appt.
E-mail:
andrewse@missouriwestern.edu
Required Texts/Materials:
1. Lunsford, Andrea et
al. Everything’s an Argument with
Readings. 2nd
Edition. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001.
2. Maner, Martin. The Research Process: A Complete Guide
and Reference for Writers. 2nd
Edition. Mayfield, 2000.
3. Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA
Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.
5th Edition. MLA,
1999.
4. An up-to-date, unabridged college
dictionary
5. At
least 2 computer disks for backing up work
6. 3 folders (2-pocket) for research
papers and 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 do two things: to assemble persuasive arguments and
to gain important skills for writing research-based prose. Both in college and in the workplace, it is
important for you to be able to interpret information from outside sources,
whether it’s scientific data or researching controversial social issues. Often,
you will be required to persuade a possibly skeptical audience. In this course,
you will learn about the nature and process of research, how to find and use
source materials, and how to write researched essays. At the same time, you will also learn how to synthesize
information from a variety of sources in order to present an original,
persuasive point of view.
Here
is a breakdown of the major goals of this course. (They are described in
further detail at the General Studies English Courses web site at http://www.missouriwestern.edu/eflj/genstud.asp)
*To complete three formal research projects in
addition to other graded and ungraded work.
*To keep up with outside readings and class
discussions, intended to stimulate critical thinking.
*To help you learn how to analyze, synthesize, and
evaluate the thinking of others in order to discover, develop, and test your
own points of view.
*To sharpen your ability to do library and online
research
*To cite outside sources responsibly, always giving
credit to other writers’ ideas
*To help you develop original points of view that are supported by
secondary sources
*To practice strategies for
persuading a skeptical audience
*To correctly apply MLA format
Important Policies:
The nature of a syllabus is a contract between the instructor and the student. Staying in this course implies an acceptance of the following policies. If you anticipate any difficulty following these rules, please drop this class.
1.
Attendance. Attendance will be regarded
in the same light as it is in the workplace: it’s
mandatory. In the workplace, chronic absenteeism can
result in getting fired; in this class, it can result in a failing grade. You will be allowed three absences, whether
they are excused or unexcused, before your grade is penalized. Any absence beyond three will result in a
10% deduction (= one letter grade) from your final points total per each
additional day missed. For example,
if you have a B in the class and you miss a total of 5 classes, 20% of your
points total (2 letter grades) will be subtracted from your grade, and you will
earn a final grade of D. Included in
the three free days are unavoidable situations like illness, emergency, or when
acting as a representative of MWSC, so use these 3 “personal days” wisely. If you anticipate missing more than 3
classes due to acting as a representative for MWSC, please see me immediately
with documentation from your coach or advisor.
2. Student Conduct. All students are required to behave in a mature and considerate manner in
the classroom in order to promote the best possible learning environment for everyone. Behavior that disrupts the classroom environment or interferes with other students' learning will result in dismissal from the classroom. Three such dismissals from the classroom will result in failure in the course. Students are expected to act responsibly in accordance with good taste and to respect fully the rights of others. Passionate and forceful language are sometimes appropriate; intolerance and dogmatism are not.
3. Plagiarism Policy. Plagiarism is defined as the act of representing the ideas or words of
others as your own without acknowledging them as sources. It includes buying research papers from the Internet and using outside information without citing its source. All students will be expected to read and sign a plagiarism contract within the first week of class.
If direct plagiarism is discovered in a student’s work, that assignment will automatically result in a 0% “F.” If a student is found guilty of paraphrase or patchwork plagiarism in a final draft, significant points will be deducted. In order to prevent plagiarism, all students are expected to turn in multiple drafts and photocopies of all sources with all final drafts in the course. If you have a friend, family member, or former teacher read your draft and offer suggestions for improving your work, then feel free to revise with their suggestions. However, it is not acceptable for them to rewrite parts of your paper for you. If you are unsure whether you have plagiarized, please ask me before I grade your draft.
4. 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.
5. 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 short of the page count or “thrown together,” your grade will be deducted. 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 up to two graded essays (Paper #1 or #2) for a higher grade. (You may raise your letter grade on those assignments up to one full letter grade.)
Course
Requirements/Assignments:
1.
Three Researched Argument Papers. The first
paper will be an argument of definition paper
(4-6
pages minimum); the second will be an argument of evaluation paper (5-7 pages);
and the third will be a proposal argument essay (8 pages).
2.
Bibliographies, Annotated Bibliographies, and Prospectuses. A bibliography is an
alphabetical
list of sources for a paper. Its
purpose is to help you organize and prioritize your source material. An annotated bibliography is like a regular
bibliography, but it also includes a paragraph beneath each source that
summarizes and evaluates its usefulness for your paper. The prospectus is a
plan that includes your thesis and overall blueprint for your paper. You will write a prospectus for all three
essays. You will write a regular bibliography
for the first paper and an annotated bibliography for second and third essays.
4. Organized records of research. Keep
track of all research (page number, author, book, etc.) on note cards,
photocopies, computer files or notebook paper.
Keeping good records will help you save time in the drafting process.
5.
Revisions/Peer Critiques. You will
write a rough draft and a graded draft for each paper.
The
rough drafts will not be graded or commented on by the instructor (unless we
meet with a draft during my office hours), but they must always be turned in on
the designated workshop day or the final grade will be penalized. For each essay, you will exchange papers
with classmates and write peer critiques of each other’s essays. Then you will have the opportunity to revise
your paper for the final draft.
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 an upcoming 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. I expect you to be prepared for every
class. This includes keeping up with
readings and completing required homework.
Unannounced quizzes will be given regularly to ensure that everyone is
keeping up with the readings.
8.
Class participation. Everyone is expected to
participate thoughtfully in class discussions.
Emphasize quality over quantity in your
contributions. If you have a borderline
grade (79% C), quality class participation will add a percentage point (80% B)
9. Final Exam.
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/600 pts.
3
Prospectuses/150 pts
3
Bibliographies (2 Annotated)/125 pts
3
Peer Critiques/150 pts
Homework
and Reading Quizzes*/100 pts
Final
Exam/125 pts
Total
points/ 1,250 pts*
*Approximate—this total is
relative to change depending on homework/quizzes
Grading
scale: 100-90%=A; 89-80%=B; 79-70%=C;
69-60%=D; Below 60%=F
Class Schedule:
This
schedule is fairly firm, but please stay tuned for minimal changes along the
way.
Week
1
8/19 Introduction
8/21 Lunsford Ch. 1 “Everything Is an Argument”
& Plagiarism Handout
8/23 Lunsford Ch. 2 “Reading and Writing
Arguments” & Maner Ch. 1 “The Nature of Research
Writing”
Week
2
8/26 Lunsford Ch. 9 (to 131) “Arguments of
Definition”
8/28 Lunsford Ch. 27 (604-28) “Languages and
Identities”
8/30 Lunsford Ch. 20 “Intellectual Property”
& Plagiarism Workshop
Week
3
9/2 Labor Day; No Class
9/4 Topic
due for Paper #1; Maner Ch. 4 “Finding Sources”
9/6 Library Research Day
Week
4
9/9 MLA Format Day. Read Lunsford Ch. 22 “Documenting Sources” (MLA only) & Maner
Ch. 7 “Research Paper Formats: MLA” (pp. 153-79). Also bring MLA Handbook (See Ch. 4); Notecards due
9/11 Maner Ch. 5 “Writing a Short Plan” &
Lunsford Ch. 8 “Structuring Arguments”
9/13 Bibliography
due; Maner Ch. 6 “Gathering Information” & Lunsford Ch. 21 “Assessing
and Using Sources”
9/16 Prospectus
due; Paraphrasing and summarizing workshop
9/18 Maner Ch. 9 “Writing the Rough Draft”
9/20 Guidelines for peer critiques & Lunsford
Ch. 3 “Readers and Contexts Count”
9/23 Draft
of Paper #1 due; workshop
9/25 Peer
Critique due; Maner Ch. 10 “Revising”
9/27 Maner Ch. 11 “Editing”
9/30 Final
Draft of Paper #1 due; Lunsford Ch. 10 (up to 160) “Evaluations”
10/2 Lunsford Ch. 23 “Mirror, Mirror” (Select
Readings)
10/4 Lunsford Ch. 29 “Technology Redefining the
Meaning of Life” (Select Readings)
10/7 Lunsford Ch. 4 “Arguments from the Heart”
and “The Long Goodbye” (736-45)
10/9 Lunsford Chs. 5 & 6: “Arguments Based on Values” & “Arguments
Based on Character”
10/11 Annotated
Bibliography for Paper #2 due; Lunsford Ch. 7 “Arguments Based on facts and
Reason”
10/14 Columbus Day Holiday; No Class
10/16 Prospectus
Draft due for Paper # 2
10/18
Prospectus due for Paper #2;
Lunsford Ch. 18 “What Counts as Evidence”
10/21 Lunsford Ch. 19 “Fallacies of Argument”
10/23 In-Class Drafting Day
10/25 Draft
of Paper #2 due; workshop
Week
11
10/28 Peer
Critique due; Lunsford Ch. 12 “Proposals”
10/30 Lunsford Ch. 26 “Who Owns What” (Select
Readings)
11/1 Final
Draft of Paper #2 due; Lunsford Ch. 25 “Time Off, Time Out” (480-507)
11/4 Ch. 25 continued (509-31)
11/6 Topic
Due for Paper #3; Lunsford Ch. 27 “Languages and Identities” (577-603)
11/8 Lunsford Ch. 11 “Causal Argument”
11/11 Library Research Day
11/13 In-Class Drafting/Conferencing
11/15 Counter-argument Day
11/18 Deadline for Optional Revisions of Paper #1
and/or Paper #2; In-Class
Drafting/Conferencing
11/20 Drafting/Conferencing
11/22 Draft
due for Paper #3; workshop
11/25 Peer
Critiques due; in-class revising
11/27—11/29 Thanksgiving Holiday; No Class
***
12/2 Final
Draft of Paper #3 due; Review Day for final exam
Final
Exam: TBA