Department of English, Foreign Languages, and Journalism
English 104-15 – College Writing and Rhetoric
Meredith Katchen, SSC 222-P
Telephone: 271-5815, e-mail: mkatchen@missouriwestern.edu
Office Hours: M, W, F
I will be in my office at other times than those posted. Feel free to stop by or make an appointment. I encourage everyone to check in with me during the semester.
Course Overview
This course introduces students to ideas and information about rhetoric. For a detailed description of course objectives, please refer to: http://www.missouriwestern.edu/eflj/eng104.asp - Objectives
Course Structure
The course will be roughly divisible into five units. You are encouraged make connections between completed units and current units. Each unit will include a combination of quick and polished writing, including journal work, letters, exercises, essays.
Required Books and
Materials
1. Inherit the Wind, Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
2. Savage Inequalities, Jonathan Kozol
3. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, Annie Dillard
4. Internet access
5. MWSC library card
6. One spiral notebook, 40 to 70 pages, devoted to this class
Basic Components
* Journals: Journals should be brought to each class meeting, where they may be used for quizzes, responses to readings, exercises, and other in-class writing. Journals will be collected several times during the semester, and they will earn points for thoroughness, volume, and thoughtfulness.
* Essays & Other Writing: You will be assigned a mix of short and longer pieces, some to be written quickly and some to be brightly polished. These assignments might include short essays, letters, summaries, and longer essays. These assignments, as well as journal writing, will give you practice with different rhetorical strategies, structures, and styles. All assignments will be given in writing and will include specific criteria by which the work will be evaluated.
Grading
There will be a chance for each student to earn up to 1000 points. Activities and assignments within each unit will be worth points. Work will earn zero points until it meets an assignment’s basic criteria. Unit one will be worth 125 points. Units two, three, and four will each be worth 225 points. Unit five will be worth 175 points. A final exam will be worth the remaining 25 points. At the end of the semester, total points will be converted to a letter grade in the following manner:
900 to 1000=A, 800 to 899=B, 700 to 799=C, 600-699=D, below 600=F.
Note: I reserve the right to adjust the point values of units and the final exam in order to better meet the needs of the class. Any changes will be put into writing and distributed to the class.
Attendance/Absences
I will take attendance daily. Each day of class will allow you to earn points, so each absence will limit your overall point total. Journal work for any given day cannot be made up for more than 50% credit. My experience is that poor attendance reaps its own rewards; in other words, poor attendance generally leads to poor grades. Nevertheless, I do plan on the following:
3rd absence - 5 points
4th absence - 25 points
5th and each additional absence - 50 points
Absences will be counted beginning the second day of class.
Lateness
One of my pet peeves is a lack of punctuality, particularly when it is chronic. Therefore, once roll has been called, I may require a student to explain his or her disruption of the class before I will admit him or her to the class. If you are repeatedly late, I will deduct from your final point total for the semester:
2nd time late 5 points
3rd time late 15 points
4th and each additional time late 25 points
Late Work
Late work may be refused and, therefore, assigned zero points. If accepted, late work may still be subject to point deductions of 10% of available points per class period. I may give you a deadline extension at my discretion if you confer with me prior to the due date. As mentioned above, late journal work will not be eligible for more than 50% of its value.
Revision
Major writing assignments, with the exception of unit five, may be revised for a higher grade. My promise to you is that your grade will never go down as a result of revision, no matter what. However, I reserve the prerogative of requiring revision of any work I deem unsatisfactory. Such work will receive zero points until such time as that work reaches acceptable quality. Revision requirements and deadlines will be announced during the semester.
Plagiarism
Any deception regarding the authorship of written work will be dealt with harshly, up to and including a failing grade for the assignment, failure for the course, and my written recommendation for expulsion from MWSC. If I suspect that you have plagiarized, the burden of proof is on you to recap your writing process and demonstrate your command of the material.
Disabilities and
Special Needs
Any student who has a special need or disability that may affect his or her performance in the this class should contact MWSC’s Special Needs Coordinator for assistance. Also, let me know right away so that appropriate arrangements can be made to make sure your needs are met as quickly and completely as possible.
Civility and
Cooperation
Missouri Western requires all students to help us maintain good conditions for teaching and learning. All students will treat their classmates and teachers 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 MWSC student handbook for further information.
Unit One Tentative Schedule
Primary
125 points (journal = 50; polished writing = 75)
1/19 Welcome! Corax & Tisias. Audience.
1/21 What qualifies as rhetoric? Persuasion? Parables? Signs? Discuss style and
invention. Journal writing.
1/24 Begin Euthyphro. Ethos & style. Journal writing.
1/26 Pathos & style. Journal writing.
1/28 Kairos & style. Journal writing.
1/31 Project #1 Due. Reflective journal. Prepare for Inherit the Wind
Tentative Dates for
Units
Jan 19 – Jan 28: Unit 1: Euthyphro, Plato
Jan 31 – Feb 18: Unit 2: Inherit the Wind, Lawrence & Lee
Feb 21 – Mar 11: Unit 3: Savage Inequalities, Jonathan Kozol
Mar 21 – Mar 25: review, take stock
Mar 28 – Apr 15: Unit 4: Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, Annie Dillard
Apr 18 – May 2: Unit 5: texts available online and at library