Department of English, Foreign Languages, and Journalism
English 108-16 – College Writing and Research
Summer 2006 – M,T,W,R
Instructor: Meredith Katchen
Office Hours: M,T,W, R:
Office: Eder Hall 222-P
Telephone: 271-5815
E-mail: mkatchen@missouriwestern.edu
COURSE OVERVIEW
This course will help students to control their written
voices and to enhance them with ideas and information from sources.
REQUIRED BOOKS AND
MATERIALS
Fifth Business, Robertson Davies
One spiral notebook, 40 – 70 pages, to be used for this class only
BASIC COURSE
COMPONENTS
Notebook/Journal:
Bring your notebook to each class. You will use it for responses to readings, exercises, drafting, and other in-class writing. I will collect and evaluate notebooks more than once during the semester. Evaluation will be based primarily on volume, thoroughness, and thoughtfulness. You will be called upon to read or summarize an entry as part of a class discussion. Missing entries cannot be made up without my approval. Notebooks will be worth approximately 25% of the total points available for the course.
Short Studies:
As we read Fifth Business, you will find that the narrator describes himself as a polymath, someone with knowledge of many subjects, and most readers find that they need to add to their own knowledge in order to fully appreciate the book. Expect to write a few short research papers to broaden and deepen your knowledge.
Memoir Writing Project:
You will write pieces of your memoirs. In Fifth Business, Robertson Davies gives many hints about how to go about such a project, and we will study the novel for those hints as much as for the pleasure of his writing. The project will be divided into a few parts. Each part will focus on a different aspect of your life. Each part will be approximately 1000 words. Further, each part will require you to conduct and integrate relevant research.
Each assignment sheet for short studies and memoir parts will emphasize specific evaluation criteria. Any piece of writing that fails to meet basic assigned criteria will be given a grade of zero. You may revise and resubmit any or all of your papers except the last one, but you should discuss your revision plans with me before you proceed. Because of time limitations, the last assignment will NOT be eligible for revision. Your short studies and memoirs will be worth approximately 60% of the course grade.
Quizzes:
Quizzes regarding assigned reading will be valued at up to 10% of the course grade.
Final Exam:
There will be a mandatory final worth at least 5% of your grade.
GRADING
Grades for this course will be based on a 1000 point scale. Each student will begin the semester with zero points. Points are earned during the semester. At the end of the semester, I will convert the points you have earned to a letter grade according to the following formula: 900+=A, 800-899=B, 701 to 799=C, 600-699=D, below 600=F. If for any reason the point total does not reach 1000, grades will be calculated as a percentage of points earned against the total points available, with 90% earning A, 80% earning B, etc.
ATTENDANCE
Beginning the second day of class, attendance will be recorded daily. No excuse changes the fact of an absence. My records are a simple reflection of reality; you are either here or not. Furthermore, absences will not excuse a student from assignments, syllabus changes, or otherwise being adequately prepared for the next class. If you miss a class, you are responsible for contacting me or a classmate in time to be fully prepared. If you have a note from a physician, or if you succeed in arousing my pity, I may allow you to make-up a missing journal entry for partial credit. Attendance will be rewarded and penalized according to the following:
0 absent = +15 points
1 = no change
2 = penalty of 1 letter grade. Highest possible grade: B
3 = penalty of 1 more letter grade. Highest possible grade: C
4 = penalty of 1 more letter grade. Highest possible grade: D
LATENESS
I view lateness as disrespectful to me, to classmates, and to the University. Lateness will be recorded and added together. Lateness will affect your grade in accord with the above formula.
LATE WORK
I reserve the right to refuse to accept late work, in which case a grade of zero will be entered for that assignment. Late work may also be penalized 25% of its value for each day late. Conversely, I reserve the right to grant deadline extensions to a student who discusses his or her deadline problem with me before the assignment is due.
REVISION OF WRITTEN
WORK
As previously mentioned, the first three papers may be revised. If a revised paper achieves a higher grade, that new grade will completely replace the original grade. Your grade will never, under any circumstances, go down as a result of a revision. Conference with me prior to revising a paper, and make sure to attach to your revision all previously submitted versions of that same paper.
PLAGIARISM
Any deception regarding the authorship of the whole or a part of written work will be dealt with harshly, up to and including a failing grade for the assignment, failure for the course, and my recommendation for expulsion from MWSU. If I suspect you have plagiarized, the burden of proof will be on you to recap your writing process and to demonstrate your command of your material.
DISABILITIES AND
SPECIAL NEEDS
Any student who has a special need or disability that may affect his or her performance in this class should contact the MWSU 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 absent and asked to leave. You should review your MWSU student handbook for further information.
TENTATIVE WRITING PROJECT
DUE DATES
Part 1 July 11
Part 2 July 18
Part 3 July 25
CONFERENCES
I invite you to stop by my office to talk about your writing or our class. My office hours are listed at the top of this syllabus, but I will be glad to make an appointment with you for some other time if necessary.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
July 3 Introductions
and record keeping
July 4
July 5 FB
– chapter 1
July 6 FB – chapter 2
July 10 FB – chapter 2
July 11 Memoir Part 1 due
July 12 FB – chapter 3
July 13 FB – chapter 3
July 17 FB – chapter 4
July 18 Memoir Part 2 due
July 19 FB – chapter 5
July 20 FB – chapter 6
July 24 FB – loose ends
July 25 Memoir Part 3 due
July 26 tba
July 27 FINAL
Zero sources will
assure a grade of 0. One source makes your paper eligible for a D, two sources
for a C, three sources for a B, and four sources for an A. Other specific
criteria regarding the content, structure, style, and surface control of these
papers will be distributed in class. At the end, these four phases will be
assembled into a coherent whole, and you will present a summary to the class.