Missouri Western State College

Division of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Department of English, Foreign Languages, & Journalism

 

Introduction to College Writing

Fall 2003

 

I.  General course information: 

 

Course and section number:                                  ENG 100, Section 01

Instructor:                                  Nancy Reese-Dillon

Meeting time and place:                                  8-8:50 MWF, SS/C  Room 210

Writer’s Workshops:                                8-8:50, Tuesday or Thursday

Office location:                                   SS/C Suite 222, Office T

Office hours:                                By appointment only

Office telephone:                                  271-4310

Voice mail:                                390-3146

email:                                dillon@missouriwestern.edu

 

II.  Required Texts and materials:

 

Clouse, Barbara Fine.    Transitions.  3rd edition.  Boston:  McGraw Hill, 2002.

English 100 Writer’s Workshops.    Fall 2003 edition.

Photocopies for group work

A two-pocket folder to turn papers in and to keep portfolio materials

A single subject, spiral-bound notebook

 

III.  Recommended Texts:

 

College dictionary and Thesaurus

 

IV.  Objectives of ENG 100: 

 

Reading Goals:

 

At the completion of ENG 100 students should be able to

•  Read actively for greater understanding;

•  Use reading to improve their writing by drawing ideas and information from written material;

•  Use texts to understand their own and others’ experiences;

•  Read writing assignments effectively as a guide to creating better papers;

•  Recognize good writing by actively reading good prose. 

 

Writing Goals: 

 

At the completion of ENG 100 students should be able to

•  Move easily from writing to self-expression to writing for readers;

•  Write at greater length more easily, more quickly, and more usefully;

•  Structure their writing to fit the assignment, purpose, and audience;

• Craft more effective and polished sentences and paragraphs;

•  Use effective planning, invention, revision, and editing to complete successful writing tasks.

 

General Studies Goals:

 

In ENG 100 students should improve their ability to

• Think critically and reason analytically;

• Write and speak clearly and effectively;

• Gain a greater awareness of the present through an understanding of other cultures and times;

• Understand and appreciate moral values and ethical choices;

• Understand and enjoy aesthetic experiences and share in related creative activities.

 

For more information about the English Department at MWSC, students may check the web site at: http://www.missouriwestern.edu/eflj/genstud.asp.  Sample papers and a complete listing of common course goals and objectives for English 100, 104, 108, 112 and 210 can be found here.                      

 

V.  Key Concepts of English 100:

 

Throughout the semester students will be presented with several key concepts that become the cornerstone to good writing.  Instruction will be geared toward these concepts.  Success in the class will be linked directly to these concepts.  Among the key concepts are:  fluency, detail, structure, thesis statements and topic sentences, audience awareness, writing as a process and recursive writing. 

 

Students will engage in exploratory and prewriting exercises in which they will learn how to discover ideas, respond to texts and summarize texts.   Students will be expected to develop these exploratory writings into major writing assignments.  In these assignments students will recreate or reflect on personal experiences, share information, (gathered in part from library research), and analyze and synthesize readings.

 

VI.  Grading policy:

 

Your grade will be determined on the basis of your progress as a writer, the writings you submit, and your class participation over the course of the semester.  The components of your grade in the course are:

 

Writing.  You will complete three major writing tasks and an end of semester portfolio that will be graded by your teacher.  A student who does not turn in responses to all four tasks will not pass the course even if the grades achieved in the other writing tasks are satisfactory.

 

Progress as a writer.  Your progress as a writer will be assessed through an end-of-semester portfolio in which you must put your revised responses to the writing tasks.  Your portfolio must receive an “acceptable” evaluation in order for you to pass ENG 100.

 

Writer’s Workshop.  Throughout the course of the semester, you will attend weekly, small group Writer’s Workshops (listed as “labs” in the class schedule).  Some of your Writer’s Workshop materials may be used in class, and some of your class papers will be critiqued and proofread in Writer’s Workshops.  At the end of the semester, you will turn in selected writings from Writer’s workshop to your teacher.  You must submit these materials in order to pass ENG 100.  Writer’s Workshop participation is also considered as part of your overall course grade. Students who miss four Writer’s Workshop classes will fail the course.

 

Grading scale:                                90-100% = A

                                  80-89% = B

                                  70-79% = C

                                  60-69% = D

                                  59% and below = F

 

All drafts of essays must be word processed.  Handwritten drafts or final papers will not be accepted. Additional information regarding paper format will be given prior to each paper due date.

 

Students must keep a complete portfolio of all writing that is done in ENG 100.  It is important that students save and date all materials generated as a part of this class, including homework assignments and in-class work.  Before any grade appeal will be processed for a student in ENG 100, the complete portfolio of writings will have to be submitted to the Departmental Review Committee.

 

Essay #1 -  Describing Significance Carefully                                                100 points

Essay #2  - Explaining What Things Mean                                            200 points                                            

Essay #3 -  Blending Reading and Writing                                                                                        200 points

Essay #4  - Re-Thinking Your Writing                                                                                         100 points

Semester Journal:                                                                 50 points

Final Exam:                                                                               50 points  

(Failure to attend the final exam will result in failure of the course.)

                                                                                                  

 

Points will also be given on quizzes, in class work, and homework.  These points will account for no more than 20% of the final course grade. 

 

Student grades will also be affected by lack of attendance.  This will be discussed in more detail in Section VIII of the syllabus.

 

A student must receive a final course grade of a “C” or better before he will be allowed to enroll in English 104.

 

VII.  Academic Honesty:

 

Plagiarism or other academic dishonesty as assessed by the instructor will be the basis for a zero on any exercise or major paper affected. The student’s name and information about the violation may be forwarded to the Department Chairman of the English, Foreign Language and Journalism Department as well as to the Dean of Students. A second violation will result in failure of the course.   Students are expected to show  “proof of process.”  That is, when a major paper is turned in, the student must also submit all in-class writings and drafts so the instructor may adequately see that the work and the ideas originated from and belong to the student submitting the work.  The work must be done in accordance to the classroom schedule and deadlines to provide appropriate “proof of process.”    This policy covers any and all participants involved with the cheating of any exercise.  Total honesty is stressed and expected.  Please note carefully the statement on plagiarism on the departmental website, found at http://www.missouriwestern.edu/EFLJ/plagiarism.asp.

 

VIII.  Attendance Policy:

 

Each student enrolled in the class is expected to arrive at each class meeting with any assigned material read and prepared for discussion.  If a group evaluation is taking place, each student is expected to have his/her material ready for the group evaluation.  Since class attendance, participation, discussions, and group work are such an important part of this course, your grade in the course is directly affected by your attendance or lack of.  When a student has had six absences, he/she will receive an "F" for the final course grade. Excessive tardies may also be counted as absences.

 

Likewise, this class has a very strict attendance policy in Writer’s Workshops.  If you miss four Writer’s Workshops, you will receive an F in the class. 

 

There are no “makeups” for this attendance requirement.  If you know of any circumstances likely to make these policies difficult for you this semester, you may with to consult with your advisor to review your options.

 

It’s important to understand that an absence is neither “excused” nor “unexcused,” it just is. Students are advised to use absences wisely and take into account bad weather, bad luck with alarm clocks, and other personal or family emergencies, illness, etc.  If a student misses class, it will count as an absence regardless of the circumstances.  Important reminder:  Tardiness may also be considered an absence.  

 

When students are absent, they are responsible for getting the work missed in class BEFORE the next class period.  An absence does not dismiss the student from the obligations of homework or deadlines.

 

There will be announced and unannounced writing exercises and quizzes.    No in-class assignments may be made up.  When students are absent, they lose those points. 

 

IX.  Group evaluation or Writing Conferences

 

If a group evaluation or writing conference is being performed the final draft of the paper will be unacceptable without the required evaluation or conference.   If a student misses the in-class group evaluation or fails to keep a scheduled writing conference with the instructor, (or show up late), the paper will automatically receive a grade of "F."  These conferences are considered an integral part of the writing process, so the paper is considered incomplete without them.  The evaluation and conference procedure will vary from paper to paper, so it’s important to listen to information given during class regarding these evaluations or conferences.  Since some writing conferences may take the place of a regularly scheduled class session, it is important to understand that a missed writing conference is the same as a class absence and will be treated as such.  

 

X.  Deadlines:

 

All assignments are due and will be collected at the beginning of the hour, unless otherwise noted by the instructor.  Any assignment turned in after the end of the class period on the same day as the due date will be considered late and will carry an automatic 50% reduction of the final grade.  Any paper turned in the following class session will be considered too late and will be given a grade of "0", unless otherwise previously excused by the instructor.

 

XI.  Disabled Student Policy:

 

Any student enrolled in this course who has a disability that prevents the fullest expression of abilities or that prevents or hinders the completion of class requirements as stated in this syllabus should contact Missouri Western’s special needs coordinator, Lois Fox, for possible certification of special needs and expert recommendations for assistance.  You should also contact the instructor immediately so it can be discussed how he/she can be helped to meet class requirements. 

 

XII.  Center for Academic Support:

 

The Center for Academic Support provides trained tutors for students requiring additional reading or writing instruction.  There is no cost to the student for using these services.  The Center can be of assistance to the student in the following areas: writing a thesis statement, organizing ideas, and structuring ideas into an essay form and more.   Students are highly encouraged to make use of these services throughout the course of the semester.   

 

XIII.  Civility and Cooperation:

 

Missouri Western requires all students to help us maintain good conditions for teaching and learning.  All students will treat their classmates, teachers, and student assistants with civility and respect, both inside and outside the classroom.  Students who violate this policy may, among other penalties, be counted absent and asked to leave.  You should review your Missouri Western student handbook for further information. 

 

• First and foremost, students are expected to be responsible. 

This includes doing regular attendance in class and workshop, reading and writing assignments according to deadlines (whether absent or not), obtaining help when needed - either from myself, the Center for Academic Support, or from another classmates, and becoming truly engaged and committed to improving writing skills.  

 

•  Turn all cell phones off when coming into the classroom.  Receiving a call during class is extremely distracting to students and to the teacher and will not be tolerated. 

 

•  Respect, civility, and courtesy are crucial for building a successful writing environment.

  

When a student does not understand a concept, does not agree with an earned grade, or has any other questions or concerns, it is expected and hoped that the student will take the responsibility to talk to the instructor.  I want to see you succeed in this class and will be willing to help you develop and improve your writing skills.   I have given you my home telephone number and a number where I can be reached by voice mail.   I encourage, in fact I insist that you call me if you have any questions about assignments, concepts, etc.  I have also provided you with my email address.  I periodically check email.

 

XIV.  Tentative course schedule:

 

The following is a tentative course schedule that includes tentative reading and writing assignments and paper deadlines.  Those students that wish to read ahead are encouraged to do so.

 

The course will generally follow this pattern for each major paper:  The first part of the paper cycle will be for reading, invention and discovery of topics and ideas.  Learning and practicing concepts relevant to the paper will occur during this time. 

 

The second part of the cycle will be for reexamining readings and drafting the paper.  Students will be expected to incorporate and practice the writing techniques discussed the prior week.    Students will generally be expected to complete at least two or three drafts for each major paper. 

 

The third part of the cycle will be used for revision, editing, peer reviews and writing conferences.

 

 

 

Paper #1 -Describing Significance Carefully

 

Tentative Schedule and Assignments

 

Tentative peer review date: Friday, September 12

** Paper due date:  Monday, September 15

               

Mon.   8/25     First day of class; begin Paper #1

            8/27

            8/29

 

Mon.   9/1       No Class – Labor Day                         

            9/3            Drafting Phase  

            9/5

 

Mon.   9/8

            9/10

            9/12     Peer Review

 

 

Paper #2 -Explaining What Things Mean

 

Tentative Schedule and Assignments

 

Tentative peer review date: Monday, October 6

MANDATORY CAS VISIT DUE:  Tuesday, October 7

** Paper due date: Wednesday, October 15

 

Mon.   9/15            Paper #1 due; begin Paper #2

            9/17            Invention phase  

            9/19    

 

Mon.   9/22            Drafting phase

            9/24

            9/26    

 

Mon.   9/29            Revision phase  

            10/1    

            10/3

 

Mon.   10/6     Peer review; mandatory CAS visit due 10/7

            10/8            Invention phase for Paper #3

            10/10          

 

 

Paper #3 -Blending Reading and Writing

 

Tentative Schedule and Assignments

 

Tentative student writing conference/peer review dates: Wednesday, November 12

** Paper due date:  Monday, November 17

 

 

 

Mon.   10/13   No class – Columbus Day    

            10/15            Paper #2 due; invention phase for Paper #3

            10/17

 

Mon.   10/20            Revision phase

            10/22            Midterm grades due      

            10/24  

 

Mon.   10/27

            10/29  

            10/31   Last day to drop MWSC class

 

Mon.   11/3    

            11/5    

            11/7

 

Mon.   11/10    

            11/12   Peer Reviews; CAS deadline 11/13

            11/14

 

 

Portfolios-Re-Thinking Your Writing

 

Tentative Schedule and Assignments

 

Tentative student writing conference/peer review dates:  December 1

Portfolio due date:  December 8     

 

   Mon.    11/17                Paper #3 due

            11/19            Re”seeing” your work – preparing final portfolios

            11/21  

 

Mon.   11/24  

            11/26   No Class – Thanksgiving Vacation         

            11/28   No Class – Thanksgiving Vacation

 

Mon.   12/1     Peer Review; CAS deadline 12/1  

            12/3

            12/5            Paper #4 due

 

Mon.   12/8            Portfolios due

                        Last day of class; Final Exam, Part 1; portfolio cover letters due

 

                  Final Exam:  Section 01 (8-8:50 class)

                           Wednesday, December 10

                                 SS/C Room  210