Department of English, Foreign Languages, and Journalism
Spring 2005
English 108, Sections 01 & 04
Writing and Research
Instructor: Meredith Katchen
Office: SSC 222P Phone: 271-5815 e-mail: mkatchen@missouriwestern.edu
I will be in my office each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
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Course Overview
This class will give you practice tracking, analyzing, using, and acknowledging ideas and information. You will need to read various texts accurately and thoughtfully. You will need to be able to recognize, develop, and pursue fruitful lines of research related to those texts. You will practice structures and styles appropriate for purposeful and meticulous integration of research into your own written work. For more information about the precise objectives of the class, please refer to www.missouriwestern.edu/eflj/lg/eng108.html.
Required
Best American Crime Writing, 2004 Edition, edited by Penzler and Cook.
Although you will need to purchase only one book for this course, you will need to read handouts and other materials that are available online or on reserve at the MWSC library.
Additional Materials
You will need:
1. A spiral notebook, with about 70 sheets, to be used exclusively for this class.
2. Simple folders in which to collect and submit written work.
You should have:
1. Any writer’s manual or handbook containing MLA style
2. Any good dictionary
Basic Components- Journal,
Mini-essays, Essays
* Journals – In-class writing will be done in a journal (a spiral notebook), which I will collect and evaluate from time to time. Make sure to bring your journal to each class. Loose pages will not be acceptable and will earn zero points. Journal writing will include responses to prompts, exercises, quizzes, reflections, etc. Journal writing will be evaluated primarily on the basis of volume, relevance, and thoughtfulness. I anticipate 40 journal entries, 20 of which will be worth 12 points each and 20 worth 8 points each.
* Mini-essays – For each of these short assignments (roughly 250-300 words), you will receive a printed assignment sheet. Mini-essays will be evaluated primarily on the basis of how well you meet the assignments. Evaluation criteria will be specified for each assignment. There will be 10 mini-essays worth 20 points each.
Basic Components - continued
Essays – Essay assignments will be distributed in class, and they will specify criteria by which essays will be evaluated. An essay that does not meet the assigned criteria will receive zero points until such time as the essay is acceptable. The first essay will be worth 75 points, the second 125 points, and the third 175 points.
Final Exam – The final exam will be an in-class essay
worth 25 points. I may, however, decide to increase the final to 50 points and
reduce the last essay to 150 points.
Grading
Each student may earn up to a total of 1000 points. Each student will begin the semester with zero points. 400 points can be earned for journals, 200 points for mini-essays, 375 points for essays, and 25 points for a final exam (I may, however, reduce the last essay to 150 points while increasing the final to 50 points). Points can be lost for absences and lateness. At the end of the semester, each student’s earned points will be converted to a letter grade in the following manner:
A = 900+
B = 800 to 899
C = 700 to 799
D = 600 to 699
F = less than 600
Note: Changes in schedule that reduce the workload will also reduce the total points available for the course, which will result in converting letter grades in the following relation to the total points: 90+% = A, 80-89% = B, 70-79% = C, 60–69% = D, 59-% = F.
A Few Words about Late Work
This class will rely on in-class participation. I will measure that participation largely through your journal work, which will form the basis of much of our discussion. Therefore, absence will disqualify you from at least 50% credit for journal entries. In addition, because mini-essays will often be used for class discussions and journal work, late mini-essays will not be eligible for more than 50% credit. Late essays will be penalized 10% of their total value each class after the due date. In addition, late essays may not be eligible for revision. The above information is subject to modification if you talk with me prior to a due date.
Revision Opportunities
You may revise either or both of the first two essays for a higher grade. My promise to you is that a grade will never go down after revision, even if the paper shows signs of deterioration. I reserve the right to require you to revise an essay, in which case a grade of zero will be entered until your essay is acceptable. There will not be an opportunity to revise the final essay; a final essay that fails to meet the assignment may be given a score as low as zero.
Attendance
Excluding the final exam, we are scheduled to meet 41 times, and I will take attendance each class. An absence will preclude a student from earning points that day. In addition to lost opportunities to earn points, absences interfere with a student’s ability to perform well on assigned work. Although there is not a complete correlation between attendance and performance, my experience is that students who are frequently absent do not do well in my class. Therefore, in order to help you overcome attendance problems, the following policy will be in effect: there will be no additional penalty for two absences. Thereafter, deductions from your semester point total will be:
3rd absence -10 points
4th absence -25 points
5th absence and each additional absence -50 points
Lateness
One of my pet peeves has to do with lateness, particularly chronic lateness. Therefore, once roll has been taken, I may lock the door and only admit students who have a very good reason for being late and, thereby, disrupting the class. If you are repeatedly late, I will deduct points from your final point total:
2nd time late - 5 points
3rd time late - 15 points
4th and each additional time late - 25 points
Plagiarism
This class is largely dedicated to the idea that scholarship is distinguished by purposeful and meticulous acknowledgment of ideas and information that contribute directly and indirectly to the work of the scholar. Deception regarding sources of ideas or information will be dealt with harshly, up to and including failure of the assignment, failure for the course, and my written recommendation that the plagiarist be expelled from this institution. I reserve the right to demand that a student present hard copies of his or her sources, and I reserve the right to demand that a student demonstrate his or her command of the material in his or her paper.
Disabilities
and Special Needs
Any student who has a special need or disability that may affect his or her performance in the 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 as absent and asked to leave. You should review your MWSC student handbook for further information.
Tentative Schedule – English 108
Wed Jan 19 Introductions
Fri Jan 21 Syllabus review. Getting up to speed. Critical skills.
Jnl#1: preliminary
Mon Jan 24 Jnl#2: Euthyphro
Wed Jan 26 Jnl#3: tba
Fri Jan 28 Mini#1 and Jnl#4: tba
Mon Jan 31 Jnl#5: For the Love of God
Wed February 2 Jnl#6: tba
Fri Feb 4 Mini#2 and Jnl#7: tba
Mon Feb 7 Jnl#8: CSC
Wed Feb 9 Jnl#9: tba
Fri Feb 11 Mini#3 and Jnl#10: tba
Mon Feb 14 Jnl#11: drafting
Wed Feb 16 Jnl#12: drafting
Fri Feb 18 Essay #1 due. Jnl#13
Mon Feb 21 Presidents Day
Wed Feb 23 Jnl#14: To Kill or Not to Kill
Fri Feb 25 Mini#4: tba and Jnl#15
Mon Feb 28 Jnl#16: Dark Art of Interrogation
Wed March 2 Jnl#17: tba
Fri Mar 4 Mini #5 and Jnl#18: tba
Mon Mar 7 Jnl#19: Not Guilty By
Reason of
Wed Mar 9 Jnl#20: tba
Fri Mar 11 Mini#6 and Jnl#21: tba
Mar 14 to Fri Mar 18 SPRING BREAK
Mon Mar 21 Jnl#22: drafting
Wed Mar 23 Jnl#23: drafting
Fri Mar 25 Essay #2 due. Jnl#24
Mon Mar 28 Jnl#25: Ciudad de la Muerte
Wed Mar 30 Jnl#26: tba
Fri April 1 Mini#7 and Jnl#27: tba
Mon Apr 4 Jnl#28: The Old Man and the Gun
Wed Apr 6 Jnl#29: tba
Fri Apr 8 Mini #8 and Jnl#30: tba
Mon Apr 11 Jnl#31: The Professor and the Porn
Wed Apr 13 Jnl#32: tba
Fri Apr 15 Mini #9 and Jnl#33: tba
Mon Apr 18 Jnl#34: Megan’s Law and Me
Wed Apr 20 Jnl#35: tba
Fri Apr 22 Mini#10 and Jnl#36: tba
Mon Apr 25 Jnl#37: drafting
Wed Apr 27 Jnl#38: drafting
Fri Apr 29 Jnl#39: drafting
Mon May 2 Last Day of Class. Essay #3 due. Jnl#40