Missouri Western State University

College of Arts and Sciences

Department of English, Foreign Language, and Journalism

ENG104-40 College Writing and Rhetoric

Online

Dr. Stacia Bensyl,  Eder Hall 222 I

Phone 271-5936  email—bensyl@missouri western.edu

Office hours: by appointment

 

Required Text:

 

Hirschberg, Stuart and Terry Hirschberg, eds.  One World, Many Cultures.  7th ed.  New York: Pearson, 2009.

 

Optional Text:

I cannot stress the importance of having a good handbook.  If you already have a handbook from another class, that is fine.

 

Course Objectives:

This course is the first of a two-part composition requirement at Missouri Western.  In this course you will begin to look at your own, your peers’ and professionals’ writing as ways to communicate complex ideas effectively.  For the purposes of this course, let’s define rhetoric as the art of employing specific modes, or elements, in your writing, usually with the idea of influencing your reader in some way.  The term also applies to speaking, and you may have heard it used in that context. 

 

In English 104-40 you will meet the following objectives:

·         Learn the elements of four specific rhetorical modes

·         Be aware of the audience for each of these papers

·         Practice pre-writing as a way to organize your ideas for your papers

·         Edit your own and your peers’ papers

·         Read essays which use each of the four modes and be able to evaluate their effectiveness

 

To meet these objectives you will:

  • Write four papers, each of which uses one of four modes
  • Share ideas with others in the class to establish a sense of audience
  • Complete pre-writing assignments
  • Edit your own and your peers’ papers both for content and form

 

Grading policy:

                The grading scale is as follows:

100-90% = A

80-89%   = B

70-79%   = C

60-69%   = D

59-0%     = F

Remember, you must receive a grade of "C" or above to enroll in English 108 next semester.

 

                Each assignment you are given will be worth a specific amount of points, and the possible total points value of each assignment will be clearly indicated on the assignment.

 

Requirements and advice:

  • Because this is an online class, I expect you to have daily access to a computer.  You must have an open email account at MWSU in order to participate in this class. 
  • One idea some people have about online classes is that they can do the work “any time they want to.”  That is true, up to a point.  You cannot, however, turn in work “any time you want to.”  I have specific due dates and time restrictions on assignments.  The key to being successful in a course of this nature is keeping up with daily work and pacing yourself.  Waiting until the last minute to do your work is the kiss of death.
  • I will not accept late work.  If you are having technical difficulties, contact me.
  • Make sure you save your work to something you have access to.  Don’t save it to a desktop you may not be able to get to each day.  NEVER save anything to a MWSU desktop.  They are cleared daily and your work will disappear.
  • I insist on professionalism and respect in your interactions, both with me and with your peers.  Postings for class discussion should contain language your grandmother could read without blushing.  This doesn’t mean we can’t disagree.  I encourage it, as long as we are all civil with one another.  Sometimes it is difficult to convey tone effectively online.
  • If you have some unforeseen problem, contact me.  I cannot help you if I don’t know what is going on.  Students often think the problem will just go away.
  •  If you don’t hear from me for a few days, or don’t get a response to your paper, please contact me to see if there is a problem.  I may not have received your work.  Keep on top of our communication and I will do the same.   
  • Feel free to stop by my office if you wish.  Just because we are online doesn’t mean we have to be completely anonymous.

 

Paper Topics and Due Dates:

Paper #1: Process Analysis essay--Due June 11

Paper #2: Comparison/contrast essay--Due June 26

Paper #3: Cause and Effect Analysis essay--Due July 10

Paper #4: Argumentative essay—Due July 24

 

 

Attendance policy:

 In order to improve student learning as well as to achieve compliance with federal financial aid policies, Western has a mandatory attendance policy for all 100 and 200-level courses. You will be given an excused absence when acting as an official representative of the university, provided you give prior written verification from the faculty/staff supervisor of the event.

All other absences will be deemed unexcused.  As this is a non-traditional class, I cannot take daily attendance.  Your participation is your attendance. Thus, when you have failed to post or turn in your work during the first week of class 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.

 

Student Disability:

Students with disabilities (impaired hearing, vision, reading disorders, etc.) should notify me in writing of the disability before the end of the first week of class.  In consultation with the Center for Academic Support, I will work out a course of study for such students.

 

Academic Honesty Policy:

I abide by all the regulations outlined in the Missouri Western State College Catalog and Student Handbook:

 

Academic Honesty Policy and Due Process

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 activity. Violations of academic

honesty may result in a failing grade on the assignment, failure in the course, or

expulsion from the University. When a student’s grade has been affected, violations of

academic honesty will be reported to the Provost or designated representative on the

Academic Honesty Violation Report forms.

Please see 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

 

 I will not tolerate plagiarism, cheating, or claiming another's work as your own.  Please don't cheat!  If I find evidence of academic dishonesty, I will automatically assign that student an “F” for the course.

 

 

Week 1                                  June 1    Read “Welcome” on WebCT announcements                                             

June 1-4                                                 Read “Process Analysis” on WebCT assignments

                                                                Read “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema” page 475

Complete analysis of “Body Ritual” on WebCT assignments and submit (20 points)

 

                                                June 2    Read  “China Chic: East Meets West” page 508

                                                                Complete analysis of “China Chic” on WebCT assignments and submit                                                               (20 points)

 

                                                June 3    Read “Initiated into an Iban Tribe of Headhunters” page 142

                                                                Complete analysis of “Initiated” on WebCT assignments and submit                                                                    (20 points)

Take quiz over One World, Many Cultures readings on WebCT assessments and submit (15 points)

                                                                Complete prewrite #1 and submit (20 points)

 

                                                June 4    Complete prewrite #2 and submit (20 points)

                                                               

 

Week 2                                  June 8    Complete prewrite #3 and submit (20 points)

June 8-11                              June 9    rough draft/post peer  review (50 points)

                                                June 10   edit rough draft

                                                                Read “Editing Strategies” on WebCT assignments 

                                                June 11 final draft of paper #1due by 11:30 p.m.  (100 points)

 

 

 

Week 3                                  June 15  Read “Comparison and Contrast” on WebCT assignments

June 15-18                                            Read “What We Think of America” page 284             

Complete analysis of “What We Think” on WebCT assignments and submit (20 points)

 

                                                June 16  Read “Learning from Ladakh” page 275

                                                                Complete analysis of “Learning” on WebCT assignments and submit                                                                    (20 points)

 

                                                June 17  Read  “ The Scent of Two Cities” page 445

                                                                Complete  analysis of  “Scent” on WebCT assignments and submit (20                                                                                 points)

Take quiz over One World, Many Cultures readings on WebCT assessments and submit (15 points)

                                                                Complete prewrite #1 and submit (20 points)

 

                                                June 18  Complete prewrite #2 and submit (20 points)

 

Week 4                                  June 22  Complete prewrite #3 and submit (20 points)

June 22-25                            June 23  rough draft/post peer review  (50 points)

                                                June 24  edit rough draft

June 25  final draft of paper #2 due by 11:30 p.m.  (100 points)

 

 

 

 

Week 5

June 29-                                 June 29  Read “Cause and Effect” on WebCT assignments

July 2                                                     Read “The Little Emperors” page 64

                                                                Complete analysis of “Little Emperors” on WebCT and submit (20                                                                        points)

 

June 30  Read “Generation Debt” page 260

                Complete analysis of “Generation” on WebCT and submit (20 points)

 

                                                July 1     Read “Live Free and Starve” page 290

                                                                Complete analysis of “Live Free” on WebCT and submit (20 points)

Take quiz over One World, Many Cultures readings on WebCT assessments and submit (15 points)

                                                                Complete prewrite #1 and submit (20 points)

 

                                                July 2     Complete prewrite #2 and submit (20 points)

 

 

Week 6                                  July 6     Complete prewrite #3 and submit (20 points)

July 6-9                                  July 7     rough draft/post peer review (50 points)

                                                July 8     edit rough draft

                                                July 9     final draft of paper #3due by 11:30 p.m.  (100 points)

 

 

Week 7

July 13-16                             July 13   Read “Argumentation” on WebCT assignments

                                                                Read “Civilize Them With a Stick” page

                                                                Complete analysis of “CivilizeThem” on WebCT and submit (20                                                                            points)

 

                                                July 14   Read “A Look Behind the Veil” page 185

                                                                Complete analysis of “A Look” on WebCT and submit (20 points)

 

                                                July 15   Read “The Threat of National ID” page

                                                                Read “Why Fear National ID Cards?” page

                                                                Complete analysis of “The Threat and Why Fear” on WebCT and                                                                         submit (20 points)

Take quiz over One World, Many Cultures readings on WebCT assessments and submit (15 points)

                                                                Complete prewrite #1 and submit (20 points)

 

                                                July 16   Complete prewrite #2 and submit (20 points)

 

Week 8

July 20-23                             July 20   Complete prewrite #3 and submit (20 points)

                                                July 21   rough draft/post peer review (50 points)

                                                July 22   edit rough draft

                                                July 23   final draft due by 11:30 p.m.  (100 points)