English 100:
Introduction to College Writing
Fall
2006
College of Liberal Arts and
Sciences
Department of English, Foreign Languages, and
Journalism
Western Connections
Learning Community: Through the Looking Glass
Section 67: MWF
Writer’s Workshop: MW
Instructor: Tom Pankiewicz
Office:
Phone: 816-271-4156
Office Hours: MWF
E-mail: mailto:pankiew@mwsc.edu
Required Texts and Course Materials:
Introduction to College Writing: English 100. Third Edition.
Clouse, Barbara Fine. A
Troubleshooting Guide for Writers. Fourth Edition.
Kozol, Jonathan. Savage
Inequalities.
Computer disks or a jump drive
Copies for group work as requested
Folders
Bookmark this reference web site: www.kplay.cc/reference.html.
Course Description:
“One thing that is always with the writer – no matter
how long he has written or how good he is – is the continuing process of
learning how to write.”
-Flannery O’Connor
In this course we will discuss
writing as a process. And you may
ask, what does this statement mean?
The truth is, no one just sits down and instantly produces a perfect
piece of writing. There are many
steps a writer goes through when producing a text, including pre-writing (or
gathering and organizing ideas and thoughts), writing, revising and editing, and
we will discuss these steps in this course. By breaking down these steps, hopefully,
the writing process will seem less difficult. In discovering writing as a process, you
will discover the reading and writing strategies and processes that work best
for you. The emphasis here is on
you and your attention to the topics.
I know that you will not survive in this course if you come to class
unprepared, if you do not revise your writing, if you do not ask questions and
ask for my help, if you wait until the last minute to draft an essay or build a
portfolio. I also know that you
probably will succeed if you become someone who connects reading and writing to
your life, to your experiences, and who reflects on the impact of these
connections.
Obviously, becoming an
independent and confident writer requires trusted readers of your writing. I will read drafts and schedule
conferences to respond to your work; your Writer’s Workshop tutor will also read
and respond to your writing; and the class sessions and the Writer’s Workshop
sessions will focus instruction on your writing. Becoming a critical and thoughtful
writer is essential for success in college. This course has been designed to help
you make this effort.
This section is also a part
of a learning community that will examine the theme of “Through the Looking
Glass.” This theme comes from a
description of a reader browsing through a book store. The reader searched for books that would
teach about events, explain new ideas, and provide new thoughts. The reader, in the search for a book,
looked through a window, a kind of looking glass, to another place and
time. As readers know, a good book
does more than tell a story; it also must touch the reader’s life and mind; it
must lead the reader to look into the mirror of self. When I heard that story, I connected it
to writing and to teaching writing. We must look through a window to see and to
learn about events; we must also study our reflection in the mirror of the glass
to understand how the event affects us. That is why the theme of this
course is “Through the Looking Glass”; the course will provide you with the time
to reflect on, to study and to express your ideas about events you study and
yourself.
Course Goals and Class Assignments:
Reading
Goals:
·
Read actively for
greater understanding;
·
Use reading to
improve writing by drawing ideas and information from written texts
·
Use texts to
understand own and others’ experiences;
·
Read writing
assignments effectively as a guide to creating better
papers;
·
Recognize good
writing by actively reading good prose.
Writing Goals:
·
Move from
writer-based to reader-based prose
·
Write at greater
length more easily, more quickly, and more usefully;
·
Structure writing
to fit the assignment, purpose, and audience;
·
Develop ideas and
concepts with specific details, examples, and
explanations;
·
Craft more
effective and polished sentences and paragraphs;
·
Use effective
planning, invention, revision, and editing to complete successful writing
tasks.
General Studies
Goals:
·
Think critically
and reason analytically;
·
Write and speak
clearly and effectively;
·
Gain a greater
awareness of the present through an understanding of other cultures and
times;
·
Understand and
appreciate moral values and ethical choices;
·
Understand and
enjoy aesthetic experiences and share in related creative
activities.
For common objectives/means and institutional competencies for ENG 100 also refer to the English department website at http://www.missouriwestern.edu/EFLJ/eng100.asp
Methods of instruction include assigned readings,
lectures, class discussions, group work, writer’s workshops, informal writing
assignments and formal writing assignments. Students will be expected to participate
in all group work and writing exercises.
Textbook(s):
Please be sure to read all assigned textbook/handbook chapters, essays
and other reading assignments, be prepared to discuss the essays in class and
complete journal assignments and other exercises in regard to the essays.
Journals:
You will write (informal) journal entries/responses to most of your
assigned readings. Please refer to
your assignment schedule for journal entries. These entries will be your explanations
of and reactions to the readings.
You can also answer the questions under “Reflecting and Interpreting” in
your textbook at the end of each essay.
The average length for a journal entry is one full page. Entries can be hand-written or
word-processed. The collection
dates will coincide with the collection dates of your writing
tasks/mini-portfolios. Journal
entries will be graded on content and will be part of your grade for the
portfolio and the course.
Writer’s
Workshops:
This section of English 100 is participating in a pilot project of
conferencing and tutoring in your Writer’s Workshop. One of the major goals of English 100 is
to become an independent writer, a writer who has discovered strategies and
processes to write competent and thoughtful essays. As in all sections of English 100, you
have been assigned a mandatory, small group Writer’s Workshop which meets once a
week. Your Writer’s Workshop will differ from the traditional workshop in that
it will be a tutoring session focused on your writing rather than the planned
workshop sequence of activities. In
this section of English 100 you will confer with both your instructor and
workshop leader during the workshop.
You will receive personal responses and suggestions to help you develop
and revise each essay and to help you grow as a writer. You will also be allowed time, in
workshop, to write and revise. Your
writing will become the central text of both the class and the workshop and your
needs will become the content of the instruction.
This pilot project requires three commitments from you. First, you must confer with your
instructor, workshop tutor and/or small groups in workshop. It is expected that you will schedule a
conference with your workshop tutor or instructor (conferences will rotate) at
least once every two weeks. Second,
you must bring a work-in-progress to each writing workshop/conference or be
prepared to write, with the help of your tutor, in workshop. Your instructor and
workshop leader will discuss your progress weekly. This is a labor-intensive effort on the
part of your instructor and tutor, but it is one that we feel will benefit
you. Third, you must share with us
how this project is working. Since
this is a pilot project, we need to know what activities are most helpful and
what activities are ineffective, so we will ask for frequent feedback.
Workshops/Conferences:
·
Be on
time.
·
Missing a
workshop/scheduled conference will be counted as a workshop absence.
·
If you do not come
prepared to the workshop/conference, you will be marked absent. If a new draft or revised draft is
required then coming to a workshop/conference without one will lead to a
workshop absence. In addition, if
the workshop/conference is one that requires you to write, then you must come
prepared to write and spend the workshop hour writing and seeking help from your
tutor and peers; if you do not, then you will be marked absent for
workshop.
·
Come to the
workshop/conference with a question or concern about your latest
assignment/draft. You must initiate
the conference, showing your interest in your work and focusing on where you
need a response.
·
Leave the
conference with a new text/draft, revision or written revision plan
.
·
Make-up
workshop/conference: If you miss a
workshop or are not prepared you will be marked absent; however, you have the
opportunity to make it up. You can
attend the general make-up session on Friday at
Writing Tasks:
You
will complete four major writing tasks and submit a course portfolio. 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.
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.
·
Task One:
Write a narrative essay about an
experience in your life that has had a significant effect on you and has changed
you and your beliefs in some important way.
·
Task Two:
Write a structured essay revealing the
meaningfulness of an object.
·
Task Three:
Write a
documented essay about education.
·
Task Four: TBA.
Possibilities include: Write an
argumentative essay to persuade the audience of your position. Or write a
literacy autobiography. Or write a portfolio self-reflection or cover
letter.
·
Portfolio.
Peer Revision
Groups:
Prior to submitting your writing tasks, you will be required to
participate in peer revision groups in which you will bring in copies of your
rough draft to share with your group and receive feedback from your group in
order to help you strengthen and revise your own written work. This is a required activity and will be
part of your grade for the portfolio and the course. (Note: During these sessions I will also
evaluate drafts).
Mini-Portfolios:
Since I believe strongly that writing is a recursive process of drafting,
revision and editing, I wish to read and to evaluate your process. Therefore, you will submit a
mini-portfolio documenting your writing of each task.
Save each draft in a folder. Save instructor comments, tutor
comments, and peer comments. Write a reflective letter examining your process,
problems and decisions in completing the task. Each mini-portfolio will be worth 50
points.
No essay will be accepted without a mini-portfolio.
End-of-Course
Portfolio:
This section of English 100 requires an end-of-semester portfolio. In a
portfolio-course, final grades for each task are delayed until the end of the
course with the publication of the portfolio. This concept encourages revision
and allows your final grade to be based on
your best writing; it places you in control of the quality of your
writing.
This section is also participating in a
pilot portfolio project. The pilot project adds a new element to the traditional
portfolio; the portfolio will be scored by two independent readers. These trained readers, not your
instructor or writing workshop tutor, will serve as an authentic audience, an
audience only concerned with your words on the page. I hope that this type of portfolio will
emphasize the importance of revision, shift my role and the role of the workshop
tutor from judge of correctness to writing coach, and encourage you to write for
a live audience.
The
end-of-course portfolio will account for between 60 and 70 percent of your
course grade. The portfolio will
include the final drafts of your task essays, previous drafts and responses (the
mini-portfolios), and a cover letter.
A pair of independent readers will evaluate Task One or Task Two and Task
Three of your portfolio. I will evaluate the remaining tasks as well as
mini-portfolios, journals and other class work. My evaluations will account for
30 to 40 percent of the final grade.
The graded portfolio will be returned at the final exam.
Attendance
Policy:
In order to
improve student learning and to achieve compliance with federal financial aid
policies, Western has a mandatory attendance policy for all 100-level
courses. A student
will be given an excused absence when acting as an official representative of
the university, provided the student gives prior written verification from the
faculty/staff supervisor of the event; however, there are no other
excused absences, exceptions or “makeups” for this attendance requirement. Furthermore, the maximum number of absences allowed before the midterm
report, October 18, for this class is five (5). Thus, when
you have six (6) you will be reported to the Registrar’s Office, who will
automatically withdraw you from this class. The Financial Aid Office will reduce
financial aid as appropriate. This
course has a very strict attendance policy in Writer’s Workshops as well as in
class. If you miss seven class
periods OR four Writer’s Workshops, you will receive an F in the class. If you know of any circumstances
likely to make this policy difficult for you this semester, you may wish to
consult with your advisor to review your options.
Late Work:
If
you miss a class session, you are responsible for all material covered and
assignments given during your absence.
All out-of-class assignments are due at the beginning of the class
period. Late in-class writing assignments will not be
accepted.
Late
task essays will not be accepted unless you receive permission at least one day
before the due date. If you are
facing difficulties in completing a task paper, schedule a conference (leaving a
message on my answering machine or sending me an e-mail are insufficient) to
discuss the problems with me.
During our conference, we will set a new deadline. Remember, 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.
Grading
Policy:
The components of your grade in the course are:
·
End-of-Course Portfolio including a cover letter, selected tasks (Task One or
Task Two and Task Three), and mini-portfolios for the selected
tasks…..60-70%
·
Course work
including Task One or Task Two, Task Four, mini-portfolios for these tasks,
reading responses, quizzes, journal or daily
writing…..30-40%
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, Michael Ritter, 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.
Academic Honesty
Policy:
Academic honesty is required in all academic endeavors. Violations of academic honesty include
any instance of plagiarism, cheating, seeking credit for another’s work,
falsifying documents or academic records or any other fraudulent classroom
activity. You will receive a grade
of F (0 points) for any paper/ assignment/exam that shows evidence of cheating
and/or plagiarism and forfeit the opportunity to revise. You have the burden of proving that a
paper showing evidence of cheating or plagiarism has in fact been written by
you. You should keep thorough
evidence of your writing processes for all papers so that you can meet this
burden of proof. Violations of
academic honesty will be reported to the Provost or the designated
representative on the Academic Honesty Violation Report Forms. Please note carefully the statement on
plagiarism on the departmental website and refer to the 2006-07 Student Handbook
and calendar on page 21 for specific activities identified as violations of this
policy and the student due process procedure. This handbook is also available online
at
http://www.missouriwestern.edu/handbook/index.pdf.
Miscellaneous:
Civility and Cooperation --
Essay Format -- Papers must
be word-processed, double-spaced and use 12-point Times New Roman. Be sure to
save each assignment on the university’s “P” drive, or a computer disk or jump
drive, and keep a hard copy of each assignment for yourself.
Place your name, professor’s name, course, date, and draft number in the
upper left hand corner. Center the
title.
Center for Academic Support -- In addition to conferences, you may find help with
your writing at the Center for Academic Support. There is no cost to students
for using these services. I encourage you to make use of these services
throughout this course.
Reminders --
Please note that you must complete all writing assignments in order to pass this
course. In addition, admission into
ENG 104 requires a “C” or higher in ENG 100.
Personal note
-- Several pages ago, I wrote about how much responsibility you must assume in
order to be successful in this course.
That is true. I also want to
emphasize that I am here to help you be successful. Please feel free to come see me if you
have any problems or questions. You can make an appointment to
conference about any paper or homework assignment, to discuss your progress in
class, to clarify or question something that was discussed or done in class,
etc. Communication is very
important between an instructor and his students and, as a result, I will make
myself available to you for any reason.