Section 50: 12:00-12:50 MWF, Murphy Hall 105
Instructor: Christiana Houck, M.Ed.
Office: Hearnes 146
Office Hours: by appointment
Phone: 271-4172
E-mail: chouck@missouriwestern.edu

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

1. Learning to write for different audiences and purposes
   Students will…
   1. make journal entries to explore their minds and to extend the range of their personal lives.
   2. write essays to communicate ideas and impose order on their thoughts and experiences;
   3. use organizational methods and genres appropriate for different purposes;
   4. construct academic essays that meet criteria for thesis, rhetoric, organization, development, and language.
2. Learning to use active reading and critical thinking
   Students will…
   1. identify the main concepts and locate supporting details in written works;
   2. read actively for greater understanding;
   3. develop their ideas and concepts with specific details, examples, and explanations;
   4. write summaries that accurately reflect the main ideas and supporting reasons of written texts.
   5. explain the organization of written works;
   6. analyze the needs of different audiences.
3. Learning to use writing processes
   Students will…
   1. practice various invention techniques;
   2. use prewriting to recreate and reflect on their experiences;
   3. use prewriting to generate information and discover ideas;
   4. move easily from writing for self-expression to writing for readers;
   5. write at greater length more easily, more quickly, and more usefully;
   6. reread early drafts to rethink what they want to write;
   7. revise for clear presentation of their ideas;
   8. revise for depth of insight, clarity of organization, and suitability for different purposes.
   9. identify and correct their own spelling, grammatical, and mechanical errors, especially in the final stage of the writing process.
4. Learning written conventions
   Students will…
   1. use thesis statements, topic sentences, and transitions;
   2. apply all types of common developmental and organizational forms;
   3. identify the main qualities of effective sentences;
   4. practice active sentence style and rich, efficient modification;
   5. practice systematic approaches to editing sentences;
   6. craft more effective paragraphs.

Course Requirements
Essays:
You will complete four major 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 be based on four of the following essay types:

• 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 80% 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 be available to chat 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.

Published Essay:
Each essay will be published 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;
• Reflection letter on essay.

Journal:
Frequent and honest writing leads you to more developed and mature writing. Therefore, you will be required to keep a weekly 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………20%
Portfolio……………………………………………………………………80%

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 will not be accepted unless you speak with me first—regardless of the reason for being late. 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. 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.

Writing Chats:
Growth comes with revision and discussion. We will work together to improve your writing through writing chats. My office hours are by appointment. 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.

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.

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.