ENGLISH
100
INTRODUCTION
TO COLLEGE WRITING
MISSOURI
WESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF
ARTS AND SCIENCES
EFLJ
Instructor: Kathy Miller
OFFICE: Eder Hall 222-T
PHONE: 271-4329
EMAIL:
kmiller@missouriwestern.edu;mlrfam@yahoo.com
OFFICE HOURS: Before and after
class
Section 04:
Tuesday/Thursday, 8:00-9:20, Murphy Hall 103
Writer’s Workshop, T/Th 10:00 Eder
Hall 222V or Eder Hall 222U
Section 09:
Tuesday/Thursday, 9:30-10:50, Murphy Hall 105
Writer’s Workshop, T/Th, 11:00- Eder Hall 214 or Eder
215
Section 15:
Tuesday/Thursday, 11:00-12:20, Agenstein Hall 207
Writer’s Workshop, T/Th, 9:00, Murphy 120 or Eder
Hall 214
Required Texts and Course Materials:
Introduction to
College Writing – ENG 100.
McGraw-Hill, 2008, Fourth edition.
A Troubleshooting Guide for Writers. Clouse. McGraw-Hill, 2008, Fifth
edition.
All Over But the Shoutin’. Rick Bragg
Computer disks/jump drives/flash drives
Photocopies for group work as requested
Folders for mini portfolio
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
“I ONLY HAVE
TWENTY-SIX LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET. I DON’T HAVE COLOR OR MUSIC. I MUST USE MY CRAFT
TO MAKE THE READER SEE THE COLORS AND HEAR THE SOUNDS.”-TONI
MORRISON
“WE WRITE TO FIND OUT WHAT WE
THINK. EVEN WHEN DOING SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS WRITING IN A
JOURNAL-INTELLECTUAL DOODLING- YOURE FIGURING OUT THINGS. WRITING IS A WAY OF
LAYING THINGS OUT. YOU WRITE TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU THINK, WHAT YOU KNOW, AND
WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW.”- LARRY HEINNEMANN
Writing
is a process akin to any other process that you might encounter. A process
implies an ongoing step by step activity. Briefly stated the writing
process includes prewriting, writing, editing, and discussion of the written
word.
One does not achieve proficient,
much less outstanding writing without applying the process steps and having the
disposition to engage in the continual and diligent uses of thought, writing,
revision, re-thought, and re-revision with an end towards true critical
thinking.
At first much of this may seem
overwhelming and difficult, but during the course of the semester we will take
apart the components of the process to make then understandable to you.
During the coming months, you will discover strategies that you are most
comfortable with and which work best for you.
There are four reasons for
probable success in this course. First, preparation is of great
importance. You must prepare by completing reading assignments on time
and be ready to discuss them and share them with the class. Second is revision
of your papers which you will come to understand. Third and fourth are asking
of key questions and the strong willingness to work on tasks to their
completion and to make sure that writing is done on time. This is
essential.
Overall success will come when you
become the writer who makes connections between your writing and your life
experiences and who thoughtfully reflects on the importance of this connection. In
other words, when you demonstrate that your language activities are not merely
done as exercises, but as an integral part of who you perceive yourself to be,
then you will have mastered proficiency.
COURSE GOALS
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
other’s experiences
-Read writing assignments
effectively as a guide to creating better papers
-Recognize good writing by actively
reading good pros
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:
-Write and speak clearly and
effectively
-Gain a greater awareness of the
present through the understanding of other cultures and times
-Understand and enjoy aesthetic
experiences and share in creatively related activities-Understand and
appreciate moral values and ethical choices
For common objectives/means and institutional
competencies for Eng 100 also refer to the English Department website at http://www.missouriwestern.edu/EFLJ/LG/htmi
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. This course has a very
strict attendance in class as well as in writer’s workshop. If you miss six
class periods or four writer’s workshops you will receive an F in the class.
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 “make ups” for this attendance
requirement. Furthermore, the maximum number of absences allowed before the
midterm report is three. Thus, when you have six you will be reported to the
registrar’s office, who will automatically withdraw
you from this class.
If you miss a class session, you
will be 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. No late assignments will be accepted unless you have received prior
permission.
WRITER/REVISION POLICY:
For all writing tasks you will be
required to participate in peer revisions groups. Graded writing tasks one, two
and three may be revised for a better grade. You will have two weeks to
submit a revised paper. It is required that your original graded essay
accompanies your revised essay. You will not have an opportunity to revise writing
task four; however you will have ample opportunity to share and revise drafts
with your peers and me.
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 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 class room
activity. You will receive a grade of F for any paper, assignment, or
exam that shows evidence of cheating and/or plagiarism. You have burden of
proving that a paper showing evidence of cheating has in fact been written by
you. You should keep thorough evidence of your writing processes for all papers
so that you can meet the burden of proof. Violations of academic honesty
will be reported to the provost or the designated representative on the
academic honesty violations report forms. Please note carefully the
statement on Plagiarism on the departmental website and refer to the 2009-2010
Student Handbook and calendar on p. 21 for specific activities identified as
violations of the policy and the student due process procedure. This
handbook is also available on line at http/www..missouriwestern.edu/handbook/index.pdf.
CIVILITY AND COOPERATION:
Methods of instruction include textbook,
lectures, class discussions, group work, writer’s workshops, informal writing
assignments and formal writing assignments.
Students will be expected to participate in peer revision groups and in-class 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.
GRADING:
4 Writing Tasks with Mini Portfolios
Task 1 SEPT 15
Task 2 OCT
5
Task 3 NOV
5
Task 4 DEC
3
Assorted points will be assigned for
informal writings, journals, quizzes, and class discussion and participation.
Please note that all four formal
papers must be turned in, regardless of the points accumulated in the other
writings, in order to pass this course.
Mini Portfolio Grading System:
Each writing task could be
considered its own section. This means
that everything we do in that
section, including journal entries, readings, class discussions, in-class writing,
peer revision, and group activities are all connected to that writing task and
will help you to complete that writing task.
As a result, every activity is required and will be part of the overall
grade for that task. At the end of each section, you will submit your writing
task, and with it, you will submit all the work you have done in that section
leading up to that writing task. You
will be required to submit journal entries, in-class writings activities,
drafts, and peer revision sheets. All of this work must be in a folder and
submitted on the writing task due date which appears on the assignment
schedule. You will also write a reflective writing/cover letter for you mini
portfolio. Thus, I will grade, not just your formal paper, but all your other
work as well. Consequently, it is very important that you complete your
readings and journal entries and be in class for the activities such as peer
revision groups. You may revise your paper, but you may not revise any other
parts of the portfolio or submit them late. The purpose of the portfolio is to help you envision your
writing as a process made up by smaller, but equally important, activities and
will help pinpoint your reading and writing strengths as well as weaknesses.
PLEASE PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE FOLLOWING POLICY:
Writer’s Workshop:
Throughout
the course of the semester, you will attend the once-a-week, small group
Writer’s Workshops (listed as “labs” in the class schedule). Some of your
Writer’s Workshop materials may be used in class, and some of your class papers
will be critiqued and proofread in Writer’s Workshops. You must ensure that you
have read the right materials in the right place. Your teacher may also
consider your Writer’s Workshop participation as part of your grade.
If
you miss four Writer’s Workshops, you will fail ENG 100. You can make-up an
absence, but you must attend the make-up session on Friday of the week you
missed. You can only attend the make-up session three times throughout the
entire semester. The following may be considered an absence:
-arriving very late; tardies will be added up for an absence
-not having required materials
(textbook, draft paper, portfolio, etc.)
-not participating/not paying
attention to the SA and the lesson
-sleeping
-unacceptable behavior that impedes
others’ learning such as being disruptive,
showing
disrespect to your SA and/or peers, using foul language, using a cell
phone
or other electronic devices, working on other coursework.