Spring 2002 Syllabus for

ENG104 - 16: College Writing and Rhetoric

 

Missouri Western State College

Division of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Department of English, Foreign Languages, and Journalism

 

 

 

Instructor: Jan Norton

Office: LRC 213

Hours: by appointment

Phone:  271-4536

Email:  norton@missouriwestern.edu

 

 

Course Description & Objectives

       The department publishes the following description of the course: "ENG 104 students will complete four formal writing assignments in addition to other graded and ungraded work through which they will learn how to discover ideas, respond to texts, and summarize others' ideas.  In these assignments, students will learn how to analyze readings and share information with others by reading and responding to course texts and other materials gathered through research. Final drafts of all formal writing assignments must be word-processed. All students are expected to be prepared for class and participate in class discussions related to reading and writing assignments. In addition, students will keep complete portfolios of all their writings."  For a more detailed version of the above objectives for all ENG104 sections, print out the following website before January 22:  www.missouriwestern.edu/eflj/eng104.html

 

 

Class Time & Location

This class meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 - 10:50 a.m. in MC 103.  The last regular class meeting is Tuesday, April 30; the final exam period is scheduled for Tuesday, May 7,

from 8:30 - 10:20 a.m. in our regular classroom.

 

 

Textbooks & Materials

            There are two required textbooks for the course:

Mirror on America, by Mims & Nollen

The New Century Handbook, 2^nd edition, by Hult & Huckin

I would also recommend that you have a good dictionary to use when you are reading and working on your essays or other writing assignments.  In addition to the texts, you'll always need to bring to class some paper to write on (standard white lined 8.5 by 11) and some pens (pencils tend to smudge and become hard to read).

All formal essays will need to be produced on a word processor, printed on plain white paper (front only), with standard 1" margins and 12-point type.  There may also be some assignments that require you to use the college's email system and to retrieve information from the Internet.

 

 Academic Honesty

            It is simply assumed that you will do all of your own work for this course.  To make sure that you do not have any questions about what plagiarism is, print and review the document at the English department's website before Jan. 22:  http://www.missouriwestern.edu/EFLJ/plagiarism.asp. 

 

 

Students with Disabilities

            Students who have a learning disability, medical problem, or other condition(s) which could affect academic performance are urged to speak with me about their concerns and to meet with Lois Fox, the campus coordinator for services to students with disabilities.

 

 

Grading

            There are 300 points possible for the course.  Your grade will be based on a percentage of the total, as follows:           

 

Points                  Percentage            Grade

270-300            90-100             A

240-269            80-89               B

210-239            70-79               C

180-209            60-69               D

0-179                 0-59                 F

 

Please keep in mind that you must earn a C or better in order to enroll in ENG108.

 

            One third of your course grade (i.e., 100 points) comes from quizzes, in-class writings, reading responses, and other assignments or projects.   The most significant sources of grade points are the five required essays.            

                       

Essay #	Due Date	Assignment	Points
1	Jan. 31	Description	30
2	Feb. 21	Example	40
3	Mar. 21	Comparison/Contrast/Classification	50
4	Apr. 18	Research	60
5	May 7	Review of Portfolio	20

                       

There are no points specifically associated with attendance or absence; that is, no points are added or subtracted simply for the act of showing up (or not) for class.  I accept no late work and offer no make-up activities, so anything missed in class means that there will be grade points lost.  Although there are no points given for extra credit, you will have an opportunity to revise one of your first three papers in order to improve your grade for that paper.

 The attached Assignment Schedule is a brief overview of the coursework, intended to help you plan your semester.  Dates and assignments listed may change, and others may be added; all adjustments and additions will be specifically noted in class.

 

Assignment Schedule

 

 

T          1/15            Introductions

Review of syllabus

                        In-class writing

 

Th        1/17            Mirror: p. 323; "Loving Las Vegas" (334-39)

                        Handbook: Chapter 3 (29-52)

                        Discuss Essay #1 assignment

 

T          1/22            Mirror: "The Kingdom Comes" (340-42); review questions on pp. 342-43.

Handbook: Chapter 4 (53-70)

Review Course Objectives & Plagiarism documents

 

Th        1/24            Handbook: Chapter 40 (708-21)

                        Bring two copies of Essay #1 rough draft

                       

T          1/29            Bring Handbook and revised Essay #1 rough draft

 

Th        1/31            Essay #1 due

                        In-class writing

 

T          2/5            Mirror: "Brave New Girls" (190-95) & "The New Hollywood Male" (202-05)

Discuss Essay #2 assignment

                       

Th        2/7            Mirror: "Barbie's Newest Values" (38-41) & "Rite of Passage" (51-53)

                        Handbook: Chapter 7 (126-54)

                        Reading response due

 

T          2/12            Handbook: Chapter 6 (103-25)

                        Essay #2 outline due

 

Th        2/14            Handbook: Chapter 5 (71-102)

                        Bring Essay #2 rough draft

 

T          2/19            Handbook: Chapter 46-48 (767-89)

                        Bring Essay #2 rough draft

 

Th        2/21            Essay #2 due

                        In-class writing

 

T          2/26            Mirror: "The Ugly Truth About Beauty" (34-37), "The 'Modern Primitives' "

(121-24), & "Navel Gazing" (141-45)

                        Discuss Essay #3 assignment

 

 

Th        2/28            Mirror: "Meanwhile on MTV…" (235-38) & "Lions and Christians" (299-302)

                        Reading response due

 

T          3/5            In-class writing

                        Discuss Essay #4 assignment

 

Th        3/7            Essay #3 rough draft due

 

T          3/12            No class: Spring Break

Th        3/14            No class: Spring Break

 

T          3/19            Mirror: "Under the Influence" (171-74) & "Young Cyber Addicts" (369-72)

                       

Th        3/21            Essay #3 due

                        In-class writing

 

T          3/26            Research survey due

 

Th        3/28            Mirror: "Dying to Be Bigger" (42-46)

Handbook: Chapter 48 (786-89) & 50 (795-801)

 

T          4/2            In-class writing

 

Th        4/4            Completed surveys due

                        Essay revision due (optional)

 

T          4/9            Handbook: Chapter 11 (224-42)

 

Th        4/11            Essay #4 rough draft due

 

T          4/16            Essay #4 revised rough draft due

 

Th        4/18            Essay #4 due

                        In-class writing

 

T          4/23            Mirror: "For My Indian Daughter" (93-96) & "They've Got to Be Carefully

Taught" (97-100)

                        Reading response due

 

Th        4/25            Discuss portfolio and Essay #5 assignment

 

T          4/30            Last day of class

                        In-class writing

                        Course evaluation

 

 

T          5/7            Final Exam, 8:30 – 10:20 a.m.

                        Portfolio and Essay #5 due