Missouri Western State College, Division of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Department of English, Foreign Languages, and Journalism

English 108:  College Writing and Research

Summer 2006  ENG 108-15 (CRN# 30022)

_________________________________________________________________________

 

Teacher:         Dr. Cynthia Jenéy

Office:                         S/SC 222-K

Phone:             271-4447

Class Meets:  MTWTh 7:30-10:20 AM

E-mail:                        jeney@missouriwestern.edu

Office Hours:  MTW 10:30-11:00

 

WebBoard Online Forum: http://miranda.cailab.mwsc.edu:8080/~english10809

 

Required Text:

 

·         Lunsford & Ruszkiewicz. Everything’s an Argument. 3^rd Edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins Press, 2004

§         Bring this textbook with you to every class meeting.

·         Nonfiction book chosen from list provided in class (book chosen off-list must be approved by professor)

§         Choose well, and choose quickly. You will work with this book as your primary resource and subject matter for the semester. I recommend buying your own copy of the book after your choice has been approved (you are responsible for having access to this book for the duration; should you use a library copy that is recalled, you will still be responsible for finding another copy).

 

Reading assignments are on the class schedule page: make sure you read ahead, and come to class prepared to discuss the chapters/pages listed on the date they appear.

 

Materials:

·         1 Acco Binder

·         Folder for handouts

·         Notebook or notepad for note-taking

·         Flash drive, zip disk, or other storage device

 

This Syllabus:

Read this syllabus very carefully, and refer to it often. All information presented here is regarded as part of your own knowledge for the course. All answers to your questions about the class will be based on an assumption that you understand the syllabus and seek further clarification. The teacher reserves the right to alter this syllabus and to make announced changes as need arises during the course of the semester.

 

Time & Access Management:

·         Working Missouri Western Email & P-Drive account (know your exact address, user ID, and password)

·         Current, viable campus Library card and borrowing privileges

·         Internet use (yes, know your MWSU userid and password). Labs are available at several locations on MWSU campus. Check schedules and availability here: http://www.missouriwestern.edu/ComputerLabs/

·         Chapter exercises and assignments are submitted via the course WebBoard (see URL, above).

 

The Official Course Description:

“ENG 108 students will complete three formal research based projects in addition to other graded and ungraded work. In these assignments, students will learn how to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate the thinking of others in order to discover, develop, and test their own points of view. Final drafts of all formal writing assignments must be word processed. All students are expected to be prepared for class and participate in class discussions related to reading and writing assignments. In addition, students will keep complete portfolios of all their writings.”

 

You should keep all assignments you have completed for this class. Before any grade appeal will be processed for a student in ENG 100, 104, or 108, the complete portfolio of writings will have to be submitted to the Departmental Review Committee. In order for an ENG 104 student to be admitted into ENG 108, he or she must earn at least a C in ENG 104.

For course goals & objectives, see the EFLJ Department website http://www.mwsc.edu/eflj/eng108.html

 

 

This Section of English 108 College Writing and Research:

 

This semester’s course will be based upon the principles and ideas in Lunsford and Ruszkiewicz, Everything’s an Argument. Moreover your writing and research in this class will center upon one single work of nonfiction which you will choose from a pre-selected list. The books listed have been chosen for various reasons. Most have landed on bestseller lists and some have won prestigious awards, and they cover a wide range of subject matter including health/medical issues, race, history, economics, culture, and even religion. Once you have selected your book and written your survey of reviews, you must continue to work with this book throughout the semester. Therefore, it is a good idea to be aware of library renewal/ due dates. Many are available in paperback, so I strongly recommend you purchase your own copy. Used copies are often available at lower prices through online book dealers such as Amazon.com, and can be shipped overnight.

 

Class meetings:

Read chapters listed in the schedule before you come to class on the day they appear. Bring your book and come to class prepared to discuss the chapter. This course is a writing and discussion based class—final grades are based on the quality and substance of written work and on participation in class. Class meetings are conducted under the assumption that students are well-versed in the conventions of classrooms and academic environments.  Come to class prepared, and plan to participate and remain engaged with the materials for the entire class  period. Turn off all cell phones and pagers. In the unlikely and unfortunate event that you find yourself unprepared, come anyway – absence only compounds the problem. Good academic habits should produce satisfactory results. Any failure to act in a civilized, academic manner is interpreted as an act of disruption, and the uncivilized brute will be ejected forthwith from the premises either by the professor, or by the local constabulary.

 

Due Dates:

Dates for handing in all required assignments and scheduled dates for in-class presentations  are listed in the course schedule attached. There is no room in the semester calendar for late papers. Late papers are impossible due to the size of the class and the cumulative nature of assignments. There is no provision for “make-up” of missed assignments or quizzes—posting dates for weekly exercises and workshops are automatically logged on the class WebBoard. An assignment not received on its due date constitutes a failure to meet one of the minimum requirements of the course. Such a failure in turn will mean failure of the course. Make a note of all due dates now, and plan accordingly. This includes the Final Exam date: do not ask that final exam dates be changed or rescheduled. See instructor for details.

 

Attendance:

·         Do not miss class. In summer sessions, ONE CLASS PERIOD=ONE WEEK  of regular-semester attendance.

·         A student with more than 2 absences will automatically receive a failing grade for the course (this is the equivalent of missing more than two weeks of class during a regular semester). 

·         Do not email your professor about absences. If you are/were/will be absent, it is your responsibility, and that of no other.

·         While I always try to remain courteous toward students, I will lose respect for students who cut class and/or fail to read, study, and come prepared. Like many of my colleagues, I consider such students to be blow-offs who have little regard for the subject matter, their professor, or their classmates.

·         You should refer to this syllabus and class schedule to keep yourself up to date regarding course work. You may wish to exchange contact information with a classmate regarding announcements, assignments, changes, class notes, and additional assigned readings or writing.

·         You may also wish to post a “Help!” message on the class WebBoard conference provided for such an emergency.

 

Your Job:

Employment issues are the sole responsibility of the student. Failure to attend class, meet deadlines, or participate in assigned work is not excused due to workplace considerations.

 

Contacting Dr. Jenéy:

Polite phone or written messages requesting further help with class assignments are given priority and are answered within 48 hours, as per campus policy. I can be available in my office after class Monday through Thursday if

 

Email:

·         Do not abuse the privilege of electronic communication. Campus policy requires that professors respond to reasonable email requests within 48 hours (translation: if it can’t wait, you probably need to call or stop by my office ASAP).

·         DO email about questions, ideas, and drafts of your papers. If you’re up to speed, attending class, and want some feedback, need help understanding the reading or assignment, or want to discuss ideas about your paper, your message is extremely important to me.

·         All email messages must identify the student, the course number and section number.

·         Do not send email concerning personal illnesses, absences or missed assignments. Please talk to me in person.

·         All nastygrams (rude or abusive messages) are saved and forwarded to the dean of students.

[Disclaimer: Emails may or may not receive a response, since the campus webmail systems are prone to shut-downs, broken routers, DOS attacks, computer viruses and other technological failures.]

 

Assignments:

Requirements for the course are four papers, regular (approx.1/week) posts to the electronic forum, and a final exam. The final exam will be an “exit interview” about the work you have done, and the progress you have made as a writer throughout this semester.  Grades will be weighted as follows:

 

20%  Paper #1

20%  Paper #2          Class Project

30%  Paper #3

10%  Chapter Outline and In-Class Presentation

20% Attendance, In-Class Participation, Final Exam, and Written Textbook Exercises

100%    Total

 

A note about the writing in this course: although we will all encourage each other to be open and to explore ideas, experiences, thoughts, emotions, and beliefs, essay assignments and the electronic forum posts shall be considered  public texts. Be mature. Be courteous. Be excellent.

 

Legal stuff:

This course has a strict policy against writing about any un-prosecuted crime or suspected illegal activity which you have witnessed, or in which you have been involved. When in doubt, I will always err on the side of safety.

 

Web Board:

Depending upon the available technologies, students in English 108 may be required to post assignments to the class electronic forum. Written work posted to the forum may include responses to exercises in our textbook, sometimes summaries of reading material, and at other times analytical questions, commentaries, and working drafts of formal essays. The Web Board posts will be based initially upon specific assigned prompts, possibly becoming more open-ended over time, drawing from the reading and writing assignments in the class. Since internet technologies are often subject to snafu’s, crashes, viruses, and glitches, you should save a printed copy of every post you make. I also recommend backing up your writing on a flash drive, or a zip disk.

 

You must use your MWSU email account for subscribing to the Web Board. Do not shift around with Yahoo and Hotmail account subscriptions, as this will confuse the moderator, and possibly cause her to delete your membership. I tend to use different technologies as time goes by, and as internet services evolve. I will try to make it as painless and easy as possible for you, but there is a certain amount of meticulous attention required at the outset, in order to get the forum up and running efficiently for us all.

 

Academic Honesty Policy:

            You will receive a grade of F for any paper that shows evidence of cheating and/or plagiarism. 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. Any time another writer’s words, ideas, or information appear in your paper they must be properly punctuated and cited. Evidence proving plagiarism may lead to further penalties. Please note carefully the statement on plagiarism on the departmental website, found at http://www.missouriwestern.edu/EFLJ/plagiarism.asp.

 

Paper Format:

Formal Assignments should be typed (word-processed), double-spaced, with 1-inch margins all around. The preferred typeface is Times New Roman (or a similar font), and the preferred size is 12 point. Type your name and the date in the upper right-hand corner. In the upper-left hand corner type “Jeney” and “English 108-15.”

                  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Special Needs:

The Disability Services Office provides comprehensive services and programs for students with visual, hearing, mobility and chronic impairments, as well as learning disabilities. They ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to all programs and activities offered at Missouri Western as mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. For assistance, please feel welcome to contact them: 

Michael Ritter, Coordinator

Disability Services Office

Eder Hall, Room 203N

(816) 271-4330

Email: mritter@missouriwestern.edu

 

 

 

 

 

 

TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE JUNE
M   5		Introduction; syllabus; course policies. Use internet to access information about listed books: Online Library Resources vs. “Google” searches. Discuss  Paper #1 Book Review Survey Looking for Book Reviews.
T    6		Chapter 1 Everything is an Argument Chapter 2 Reading and Writing Arguments; Assign Paper #1 Book Review Survey Nonfiction book sign-up sheet; Chapter Outline sign-up sheet Looking for Book Reviews (cont.) WebBoard intro.
W   7		Chapter 3 Readers & Contexts; Chapter 22 Documenting Sources Searching for Book Reviews Online. Add Book Reviews to your Acco Binder.
TH  8		Chapter 22 Documenting Sources, cont.; Chapter 21 Assessing & Using Sources; LIBRARY DAY; Visit to MWSC Library Bring your nonfiction book to class every day from now on. In-class heuristic. Add Book Reviews to your Acco Binder.
M    12		Chapter 6 Character; Chapter 4 From the Heart;
T     13		Chapter 5 Values; Bring book reviews to class; Add Book Reviews to your Acco Binder.
W    14		Chapter 7 Facts & Reason; Assign Paper #2 Source & Subject Analysis; Workshop Time. Bring draft of Book Review paper to class.
TH  15		Paper #1 Book Review Survey Due. Chapter 18 Evidence; Discuss Paper #2 Source & Subject Analysis
M   19		Chapter 8 Toulmin Structure; Chapter 9 Definitional Arguments; work on Paper #2
T    20		Chapter 12 Proposals; Assign Analytical Proposal: http://staff.missouriwestern.edu/~jeney/summer2005/
W   21		Chapter 15 Visual Arguments; Discuss In-Class Presentations & Powerpoint
TH 22		Paper #2 Source & Subject Analysis DUE Conferencing: Dr. Jeney’s Office (Bring Paper #2 Source & Subject Analysis to Eder 222K)
M   26		Chapter 13 Humor Review: Chapter 12 Proposals Workshop: Bring Complete Proposal Draft
T    27		Workshop: Bring Acco Binder + Complete Semester Portfolio of Papers
W   28		In-Class Presentations
TH  29		Final Paper #3 Analytical Proposal Semester Research Project Due in Acco Binder (Papers #1, #2, #3 in Acco Binder withphotocopied/printed Reviews and other sources used) Final Exit Exam Due (Posted to WebBoard by 5:00PM Friday, June 30) In-Class Presentations (cont. if necessary)