ENGLISH 104: COLLEGE WRITING AND RHETORIC

Fall 2004

Missouri Western State College

School of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Department of English, Foreign Languages, and Journalism

Section 12: 1:00-1:50 MWF, JGM 104

Section 53: 11:00–11:50 MWF, JGM 104

Instructor: Tom Pankiewicz

Office: SSC 222R

Office Hours: 2:00-3:00 M, 10:00-2:00 TH, and by appointment

Phone: 271-4156

E-mail: pankiew@missouriwestern.edu

ENG 104 College Writing and Rhetoric. Instruction in reading and writing; emphasizes expository prose. Fulfills first half of the General Studies requirement in English composition.

COURSE PHILOSOPHY

English 104 is about becoming critical readers and thoughtful writers.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Learning to write for different audiences and purposes
Students will…

• make journal entries to explore their minds and to extend the range of their personal lives.
• write essays to communicate ideas and impose order on their thoughts and experiences;
• use organizational methods and genres appropriate for different purposes;
• construct academic essays that meet criteria for thesis, rhetoric, organization, development, and language.

Learning to use active reading and critical thinking
Students will…

• identify the main concepts and locate supporting details in written works;
• read actively for greater understanding;
• develop their ideas and concepts with specific details, examples, and explanations;
• write summaries that accurately reflect the main ideas and supporting reasons of written texts.
• explain the organization of written works;
• analyze the needs of different audiences.

Learning to use writing processes
Students will…

• practice various invention techniques;
• use prewriting to recreate and reflect on their experiences;
• use prewriting to generate information and discover ideas;
• move easily from writing for self-expression to writing for readers;
• write at greater length more easily, more quickly, and more usefully;
• reread early drafts to rethink what they want to write;
• revise for clear presentation of their ideas;
• revise for depth of insight, clarity of organization, and suitability for different purposes.
• identify and correct their own spelling, grammatical, and mechanical errors, especially in the final stage of the writing process.

Learning written conventions
Students will…

• use thesis statements, topic sentences, and transitions;
• apply all types of common developmental and organizational forms;
• identify the main qualities of effective sentences;
• practice active sentence style and rich, efficient modification;
• practice systematic approaches to editing sentences;
• craft more effective paragraphs.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

Kennedy, X.J., Dorothy M. Kennedy, and Jane E. Aaron. The Brief Bedford Reader. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2003.

Hooks, Bell. Bone Black. New York: Owl Books, 1996.

Patchett, Ann. Bel Canto. New York: Perennial, 2001.

A notebook for a journal.

A good college dictionary.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Essays:

You will complete five essays and a course portfolio this semester. A student who does not complete all essays or submit a portfolio will not pass the course even if the grades achieved in other activities are satisfactory.

The major writing assignments will probably include:

· A Reflection.

· An Essay Developed by Example.

· An Essay Developed by Cause and Effect.

· A Proposal to Solve a Problem.

· An Argument.

· Portfolio with reflective essay.

Portfolio:

The essays mentioned above will be revised and collected in an end-of-course portfolio. The portfolio will account for approximately 70 percent of your course grade. A portfolio allows for your course grade to be based on your best writing; it places you in control of the quality of your writing.

Since writing is a process, I encourage you to revise your essays throughout the semester. I will respond to your essays with written comments; I will hold a series of revision workshops throughout the semester; I will be available to confer with you about your writing throughout the semester. But I will not assign a grade to any essay until it is published in the portfolio.

The portfolio of all of your work will be due at the end of the semester. The portfolio will include published drafts of your essays, previous drafts and responses, selected course writing, and a reflective essay, explaining the contents of the portfolio and discussing your growth as a writer. I will evaluate the portfolio and return it by the final exam.

Process Folder:

Each essay will conclude with the submission of a process folder. No essay will be accepted without a process folder. Each process folder will be graded and returned. The process folder will evaluate work on the essay, but it will not evaluate the essay. No essay will receive a grade until it is published in the portfolio.

The folder will include:

· Polished draft of the essay;

· Working drafts of the essay with peer group responses attached;

· Preliminary plan and revision plan;

· In-class letter and questions.

Journal:

I believe that students learn to write best by writing frequently. Therefore, you will be required to keep a journal throughout the semester. The journal assignment will vary through the course and will be collected periodically throughout the semester.

Quizzes and In-class Participation:

You will be quizzed on most reading assignments and will be expected to participate fully in all class activities. Missing work and less than expected work will affect the grade.

Final Exam:

An in-class essay will serve as the final exam.

Grading:

The components of your grade in the course are:

· Process Folders, Journal, Quizzes, Participation, Final Exam ……30 – 40 %

· Portfolio………………………………………………………..…..60 – 70 %

Essay Format:

Papers must be word-processed, double-spaced and use a 12-point font. Be sure to save each assignment on a computer disk and keep a hard copy of each assignment for yourself.

Late Essays:

Late papers or assignments—including essays left at home or “temporarily lost” by a computer malfunction—will not be accepted unless you speak with me first. If you are facing difficulties in completing an assignment before the deadline, discuss the problems with me in person—not over the phone or via e-mail. During the conference, we will work out a plan to complete the assignment. No late assignment will be accepted after one day unless we have worked out an alternative plan. As stated above: A student who does not turn in all four tasks or submit a course portfolio will not pass the course even if the grades achieved in the other writing tasks are satisfactory.

Conferences:

The most effective and valuable help that I can give you is through a conference or a conversation about your writing. My office hours are listed above if you wish to just drop by. I will also bring my calendar to every class to schedule appointments.

If at any time during the semester, you do not understand an assignment or a task, see me, call me, or e-mail me to discuss the confusion.

Center for Academic Support:

In addition to conferences with me, you may find help with your writing at the Center for Academic Support. The CAS, which is located at the northeast corner of the library building, provides trained tutors for students requiring additional reading and writing instruction. There is no cost to students for using these services. I encourage you to make use of these services throughout this course.

POLICIES

Attendance:

For this class to be successful and for you to be successful in it, attendance is mandatory. I expect you to be on time and ready to participate for every class meeting. A course failure will be recorded on the date of the sixth absence. If you know of any circumstances likely to make this policy difficult for you this semester, you should consult with your advisor and me to review your options.

Due to the noise in the hallway, I will close the classroom door at the beginning of the class. I will also take roll at that time. If you arrive a few minutes late, please knock so we can let you in. Be sure to see me after class so I can adjust my attendance record. After class, my attention will be focused on students who have questions and concerns and on the next class, not on changing an absence. As a rule if you are more than 10 minutes late, your tardiness will be counted as an absence. Please do not disturb the class. In counting absences, I must follow my attendance record, not my memory, so do not forget to see me after class if you are tardy.

If you miss a class session, you are responsible for all material covered and all assignments given during your absence. All out-of-class assignments are due at the beginning of the class period. No late assignments will be accepted unless you have received prior permission from your teacher.

Academic Honesty Policy:

Plagiarism is an act of theft. It is taking another’s words or ideas and calling them your own. That does not mean you cannot use another’s words or ideas to illustrate and to support your thoughts, but it does mean that you must give credit to the one whose words and ideas you are using.

If I find evidence of cheating or plagiarism, you have the burden of showing that you have in fact written the paper. You should keep thorough evidence of your writing processes for all papers so that you can meet this burden of proof. You will receive a grade of F for any paper that shows sufficient evidence of cheating and/or plagiarism. Stronger evidence proving flagrant cheating and/or plagiarism may lead to stronger penalties. Please note carefully the statement on plagiarism on the departmental web site, found at http://www2.mwsc.edu/eflj/plagiarism.html.

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.

Student Disability:

Any student in this course who has a disability that prevents the fullest expressions of abilities 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 me personally as soon as possible so that we can discuss class requirements.

Tentative Schedule

Weeks One and Two: Reflection.

Week Three: The Bob Woodward Marathon.

Weeks Four and Five: Example.

Weeks Six and Seven: Cause and Effect.

Weeks Eight, Nine, and Ten: Bel Canto and Proposal to Solve a Problem.

Weeks Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen: Argument.

Weeks Fourteen and Fifteen: Portfolio and Reflection.