Department of
English, Foreign Languages, and Journalism
English 104
Spring 2006
Cynthia Bartels
Office Hours:
SSC 222N
816-271-5812
Required Texts
A Pocket Style Manual D. Hacker or another handbook you already own
The Things We Carried - Tim O’Brien
Computer disks for
revising and saving all work.
4 manilla Folders,
Thin notebook with dividers and lots of paper
Reserve material ( Bartels Eng 104) in
library
Optional:
The
We will use our text in class; be sure to bring it
daily. Please have all supplies by the second week of class.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of ENG 104, you should understand the following:
A more detailed description of the course goals/objectives is
available at http://www.mwsc.edu/eflj/eng104.html.
Content
Writing well involves reading, understanding that reading, forming
opinions, and expressing your views in logical form.
Grading Criteria
Grades will come from the following. Point values are approximate,
and I reserve the right to alter some assignments.
Journal entries and DEJ:
15%
Four Writing Projects: 20%
(5% each)
Evaluations, workshops, participation, quizzes :
10%
Reflective letters and peer evaluations: 10%
Portfolio: 45%
Journals: We will keep active reading
journals. Usually, the topics for these entries will come from the sections
following the particular reading in your America Now text. These entries
will include a DEJ for the book The Things We Carried. All entries are required to be one full page,
typed, double spaced. If you complete this length and show you have read and
thought about the material, you will receive full credit. Although the entries
have due dates and we will discuss them in class, I will not be collecting them
each class. I assume you complete all of them on time. As long as I have
not collected the entries, you can continue to write any missed entries.
However, once I do check and record entries, you can no longer make up any
missed ones. I often do not tell you in advance when I will collect the
entries, and I also may assign journal writings in class. You will receive
a zero for any journal entry that you do not have with you in class at the time
I record it unless you have made prior arrangements with me. Thus, bring your journal
with you at all times and be in class at all times to earn full journal credit.
If you follow this practice, you can easily earn 100% of the journal points,
and thus boost your grade.
Projects: We
will complete four projects in this class. Each of the projects contains small
process assignments that are just as important as the finished product.
Regardless of what the student's point total would indicate, no one will pass
this class without completing all
projects on the original due date.
Reflective letters: You will write in-class reflective letters or evaluations on the
due dates of all projects. You also will write evaluations of yours and other’s
papers from time to time. Learning to evaluate your own and others’ writing is
a very important skill. These evaluations will frequently provide more insight
into your growth as a writer and thinker than the papers will. They are very
important and should be written with your best effort.
I also hope to set up a web shell where we can exchange papers
from other classes. If this site occurs, then you will be required to post
papers on that site and respond to others’ papers posted there.
Portfolios: I use portfolio grading, which means that I do not assign a final
letter grade to the four major projects until the end of the semester. We
consider each project a draft until it reaches its final form which will appear
in the portfolio. I respond to each project paper with a grading rubric that
indicates the degree to which that paper is "PR," or Portfolio Ready.
Work I deem PR will convert to at least a "C" for that paper at semester's end. The student may decide on the amount of
further revision and when s/he revises. Work not deemed PR will be at best a
"D" at semester's end and likely result in a repetition of the course
if not revised successfully. If you complete the paper and all the steps
involved in writing it, if it represents a good effort on your part to fulfill
the assignment, and if the paper is close to being PR, you will receive most or
all of the possible points. Failure to complete any parts of the writing
process or to complete the paper will reduce the points you receive. Anyone who
does not write a paper that fulfills the assignment will not receive full
credit for the project and must rewrite the paper on his/her own time until the
paper meets the assignment.
Quality portfolios will exhibit improvement through multiple
drafts of the projects, thoughtful reflection on what you have learned, and
quality revisions. Likewise, students who receive the highest grades will have
contributed meaningfully to class discussions and met all deadlines for
drafting and submitting all assignments, in addition to fulfilling the
attendance requirements. All these factors indicate the student has put forth a
strong effort, has developed his/her writing reading and thinking intellect,
and can produce complete, clear and thoughtful writing. These qualities will
result in a exceptional portfolio.
Midterm grades: I submit a "C" for students whose work is complete and
passing and whose absences are below the limit. I submit a "D" for
students whose work is complete but not acceptable. I submit an "F"
for students whose work is incomplete or grossly unacceptable and/or who have
exceeded the absence limit.
Final grades: Completion and quality, timeliness, attendance, and participation
will all influence your final grade.
* Timeliness -- students who miss any deadlines on any major papers,
including peer review, without documented extenuating circumstances are
ineligible for course grades higher than C.
* Attendance -- your constant presence is mandatory for your
success (please see "Attendance Policy" below).
Missing excessive classes, deadlines, and assignments will result
in substantially lower grades, in many cases to the point of failure. Also,
superficial, off-topic or poorly edited papers, or an unwillingness or
inability to contribute meaningfully to class discussions or to revise papers
effectively will result in low final grades.
Be sure to bring all work to class, in person, and on time. I
cannot be responsible for work that you do not hand me personally. Remember
that regardless of the quality of your portfolio, you will not pass the
class unless you write all projects.
Please Note: If students are borderline between
grades, other factors such as effort, class participation, attendance, and
attitude will be used to determine the final grade.
Late and Make-up work and excused absences
Make-up Work: It is nearly impossible to make up work in this class. Class
discussions cannot be recreated, nor can in-class writings and group workshops.
If you do not have your paper done, you cannot write a reflective letter.
Therefore, I do not accept late work unless it results from an excused absence.
Excused Absences: If something should happen that prevents
you from submitting your paper on time, you must make arrangements with me before
the paper is due, not afterwards. At this time, we will plan a date by
which the work will be completed. I will grant special leeway to students who
can document extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances
include auto wrecks, prolonged illnesses, blizzards, funerals, unforeseen
medical emergencies involving loved ones, and mandated court appearances.
Changing a work schedule, however, is not extenuating. Anyone who enrolls in a
class with a clearly designated meeting time is obligated to keep that time
open for class. I will also grant special consideration to students who are
representing MWSC. I ask that those students notify me of planned outings in
advance and turn in their work or take their quizzes before each absence. I may
verify the absences of students representing the college by contacting the
appropriate MWSC personnel.
Attendance and Tardies: Each student is allowed three absences. Excessive (more than
two) tardies or leaving early will count as an
absence. Tardies occur when you enter the class after
I have shut the door. I usually distribute handouts and review assignments at
the beginning of class; if you are tardy, you will
miss this info and must gather it on your own. For each of these allowed
absences you do not use, you will receive five extra points. However, after you
use the allowed three absences, I will deduct 5 points from your final grade
for each absence or its equivalent. If you accrue more than six absences, it is
unlikely you will pass the course. Note that since this class meets only twice
a week, six absences is over 1/3 of the class. If you must miss, notify me in
advance and be sure to have a buddy whom you can contact to find out what we
did in class. Do not expect me to rehash the class. Also, please do not ask me
if we ?did anything.? This question irritates me.
You should note, however, that mere attendance does not mean you
will pass the course. You must perform adequately on the tasks required and
show initiative in completing the course requirements.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is claiming another’s words, writing structure,
images, or ideas as your own. Plagiarism
and cheating of any kind will not be tolerated and may result in your failing
the assignment or the course or being suspended or dismissed from the college.
I penalize first offenses with an F for that particular project, second
offenses with and F for the class. Please note carefully the statement on
plagiarism on the departmental website, found at
http://www2.mwsc.edu/eflj/plagiarism.html
Classroom behavior
I expect you to respect
everyone in this class. Part of learning to read and write well is exploring
ideas. There will no doubt be people who have ideas different than yours. One
of our goals is to learn to understand and respect different ideas. Remain
open-minded; you may even change your own ideas. Understanding and developing
ideas is a natural outcome of the reading and writing, and therefore of this
class, and thus I consider these an accomplishment and evidence that you are
becoming an educated and mature reader and writer.
I also expect you to
behave respectfully in class. This means: do not interrupt, walk in front of
anyone who is talking, enter the room or a workshop late, or leave your seat or
the room while class is in session unless it is an emergency. It also means
turning off cell phones before you enter the classroom, and keeping them off
until you have exited the classroom.
Academic Support
The Center for Academic Support, located in LRC 213, offers you
assistance with your reading or with papers at any stage of the game. Contact the Center at 271-4624 or Coral