Syllabus for English 104-14
College Writing and Rhetoric
Department of English, Foreign Languages, and Journalism
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
English 104-14 -- College Writing and Rhetoric
Instructor- Jeff Haney
Fall 2006
Email: jhaney@missouriwestern.edu or jeff.haney@rrtstjoe.org
Required Text:
*Strategies for Successful Writing: A Rhetoric, Research Guide, Reader, and Handbook. Seventh Edition. Reinking and von der Osten. Person Prentice Hall, 2005.
Required Materials:
*Computer disks for revising and saving work.
*Notebook for notes, class work, journal entries, etc.
*Folder(s) to keep all writing and portfolio work.
Course Goals:
· Read and respond to various texts, such as textbook readings, media such as television, movies, theatre, advertising and our peers’ work.
· Read and study written texts to improve our own writing.
· Summarize, analyze and evaluate texts.
· Understand, find, shape, address and write arguments.
· Engage in meaningful journal writing and collaborative writing.
· Revise our written work.
· Participate in peer revision groups.
For common objectives/means and institutional competencies for ENG 104, also refer to the English department website at http://www.missouriwestern.edu/eflj/eng104.asp
Methods of Instruction:
Methods of instruction include textbook, lectures, class discussions, group work, presentations, informal writing assignments, and formal writing assignments. Students will be expected to participate in peer revision group and in-class writing exercises. There will be at least one oral presentation of argumentation and analysis in a value debate arena.
Journals:
You will write (informal) daily journal entries/responses to most of your assigned readings. These entries will be your explanations of and reactions to the readings. Each journal entry will consist of both summary and response/analysis and be, on average, one full page. All work must be typed. (12pt,Times New Roman, with one -inch margin) The collection dates will be announced one class period in advance.
Journal entries will be graded on content and will be part of your grade for the portfolio and the course.
Peer Revision Group: Prior to submitting your formal writing assignments, you will be required to participate in peer revision groups in which you will bring in word-processed copies of your rough draft to share with your group and receive feeback 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. If you miss a class that has a scheduled peer revision you will NOT be able to make up the assignment.
Policies:
Attendance and Class Preparation/Participation:
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. A student will also be given an excused absence if he or she can provide documentation and prove that the absence was unavoidable. Please feel free to speak to me about any extenuating circumstances. All other absences will be deemed unexcused. The maximum number of unexcused absences allowed before the midterm report, October 18, for this class is 3. Thus, when you have 4 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. If you exceed the allowed absences after midterm, your final grade will be affected.
Students are expected to attend every scheduled class meeting and arrive on time. Arriving to class late is disruptive. As a result, chronic lateness will likely affect your final grade. Any student who is more than 10 minutes late is absent. You are welcome to stay and learn, but you will receive an absentee for the class. Students are also expected to come prepared to every class meeting and participate in class discussion for this is the only we can all share ideas, ask questions and learn.
Late work:
All writing assignments are due at the beginning of the class period on the due date. I will not accept late papers. If you miss one paper deadline, you will fail the class. If you are not in class on the due date you are still responsible for submitting your assignment on time. Late journals and in-class writing assignments will not be accepted. If you miss class you miss the points for any in-class work.
Revision:
All formal, graded writing assignments can be revised and resubmitted for a “new” grade. You will have two weeks from the date the paper is returned in class to revise and resubmit each paper. This is only for formal writing assignments. It is required that your original, graded essay accompanies your revised essay. Revision is important because each paper covers important skills that you will need to know for the next paper.
Grading Policy:
Your grade will be determined on the writings and portfolios you submit, a presentation and final examination. Please note that smaller assignments and class preparation/participation are very important and do affect your grade. The components of your grade in this course are:
Formal writing assignments. A student who does not turn in responses to all writing assignments will not pass the course even if the grades achieved in the other writing assignments are satisfactory.
Paper 0ne – Summary: 100pts
Paper Two and Mini Portfolios: 100pt
Paper Three and Mini Portfolios: 100pts
Paper Four and Mini Portfolios: 125pts.
Argumentation Presentation: 125pts.
Final Exam: 100pts (mandatory)
Students with Disabilities:
Anyone who has a disability that prevents the fullest expression of his or her potential to succeed in this course must notify me as soon as possible so that we can discuss class requirements and accommodations. You must also contact Michael Ritter, Special Needs Coordinator, and submit all necessary documentation to his office.
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, and falsifying documents of academic records or any other fraudulent classroom activity. Cheating and plagiarism are not acceptable. You will receive a grade of F (0 points) for any paper/assignment /exam that shows evidence of cheating and /or plagiarism. You have the burden of proving that a paper/assignment/exam showing evidence of cheating and/or plagiarism has 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. If you plagiarize a paper, you forfeit the right to revise that paper; if you cheat on an exam, you will not be allowed to retake the exam. Violations of academic honesty will be reported to the Provost of the designated representation on the Academic Honesty Violation Report Forms. Please see the 2006-08 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 on line at http://www.missouriwestern.edu/handbook/index.pdf.
Miscellaneous:
Civility and Cooperation:
Please note that you must complete all writing assignments in order to pass this course. In addition, admission into ENG 108 requires a “C” or higher in ENG 104. All papers and work must be kept on disks.
Please feel free to come see me if you have any problems or questions. I cannot help you if I don’t know there is a problem. If my posted hours are not good for you, I will make time for you.
I reserve the right to change deadlines and assignments.
Please note that this is a tentative schedule and changes can be made.
August
29 Distribute and review
syllabus; Introduction to the course; In-class writing,
Complete
HW: Reading Chapters 1 and 2 from Strategies for
Successful Writing
Pages 1-22. Read “Black Men and Public Spaces”
pages 527.
August 31 Begin discussion on reading and
responding to reading – summarizing, evaluating and analyzing. Assign Paper #1—Summary.
HW: Read “Coming Home” p. 516. Write a summary on either “Coming
Home” or “Black Men and Public Spaces”
Due Sept. 5.
Week Two
Sept. 5 Paper #1 Due - - Summary
Rough Draft Due – Peer Revision Group
HW: Read: “Once More to the
Sept. 7 In
class questions on three assigned essays.
Sentence structure exercises
Bring specific questions about your
summary assignment. I will be available
for any help that you may need.
HW:
Read “Why Marriages Fail” p. 524.
Write journal.
Read “I Refuse To Live in Fear” p.
530. Write journal.
Read Chapters 3 and 4 pages 26-68.
Sept. 12 Summary Due! With journals.
Discuss Chapters 3 and 4 and essays.
HW:
Read Chapter 6 page 84.
Read “Private Language, Public
Language” p. 512. Journal.
Sept. 14 Class exercise on “bad”
language.
Class discussion on what makes
language offensive or bad?
HW:
Read “The
Barrio” p. 442 and “Conversational Ballgames” p. 505.
Complete a journal on
one of your choice.
Keep a daily log of words you hear and words you say
that are “bad”.
Read: Chapter 5 p. 70.
Sept. 19 Class discussion on “bad” words
in your life.
Discuss essay on language. Narrative.
Share journals and logs.
HW:
Read “The Insufficiency of Honesty” p. 536. Journal
Sept. 21 Continue Discussion on
narrative.
Discuss reading from previous class.
Rough Drafts of description due 26th
for peer review session.
Class work on
sentence structure.
Sept. 26 Rough Drafts for Description
Papers Due!
Peer Review
Journals Due
Read, “When Is
it Rape?” page 541- Journal
Sept. 28 Share Journals- Small groups
Discuss Journal
Complete excercises from handbook
Read “The Sweet Smell of Success
Isn’t All That Sweet “ page 532
Final copies of
Description due next class.
Oct. 3 Due- Final copies of Description Papers and
re-dos from summaries due!
Consider an ethical issue of our day
and write a 3-5 page position paper with
documented support from experts and philosophical positions.
Discuss previous reading
Complete grammar work.
Read “The Perfect Picture” page 428-
Journal
Oct. 5th Work in small groups on
papers…you must have your philosopher that is the bases of your paper.
Discuss previous reading
Complete grammar work.
Read “”Momma’s Encounter” page
433-Journal
Oct. 10 Rough Drafts Due- Peer Review
Journals Due
Discuss previous reading
Read “Close the Borders to All
Newcomers” page 579- Journal
Oct. 12 Discuss
previous reading
Spend the class working on final
drafts, taking questions, working in small groups.
Sign up for conference time for the
next class session.
Oct. 17 Conference time.
Oct. 19 Final Drafts due!
Share with class! You will read them,
we will have a few questions.