Missouri Western State University, Division of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Department of English, Foreign Languages, and Journalism

ENG 100:   Introduction to College Writing

 

ENG 100-02   MWF  8:00   Murphy 112       Workshop  TTh  12:00  Eder 222  U V

 

“Western Connections”  Learning Community.  “Education Evolution.”

ENG 100-63   MWF  9:00   Murphy 104       Workshop  MW  8:00  Eder 222  U V

                                                                                                            Murphy 120

                                                                                   

ENG 100-11   MWF 10:00   Eder   223         Workshop  TTh 9:00 Eder 222  UV

Fall 2009

 

Instructor:  Patricia Brost

Office:  Eder 213    

Phone:  271-4578   (Messages)

Office Hours:  By appointment

E-mail:  pbrost@missouriwestern.edu

 

Required Texts and Course Materials: 

Introduction to College Writing:  English 100, Fourth edition.

A Troubleshooting Guide for Writers 4th edition

The Glass Castle.  Jeannette Walls. Scribner, 2005.

Photocopies for peer response as requested

4 Pocket Folders for turning in portfolios

Computer disks or Jump drive

 

Course Description:

 

“The beautiful part of writing is that you don’t have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon.”—Robert Cormier

 

“Good writing is essentially revision.  I am positive of this.”—Roald Dahl

 

In this course we will discuss writing as a process.  And you may ask, what does this statement mean?  The truth is, no one just sits down and instantly produces a perfect piece of writing.  There are many steps a writer goes through when producing a text, including pre-writing (or gathering and organizing ideas and thoughts), writing, revising and editing, and we will discuss these steps in this course.  By breaking down these steps, hopefully, the writing process will seem less difficult.  In discovering writing as a process, you will discover the reading and writing strategies and processes that work best for you.  The emphasis here is on you and your attention to the topics.  I know that you will not survive in this course if you come to class unprepared, if you do not revise your writing, if you do not ask questions and ask for my help, if you wait until the last minute to draft an essay or build a portfolio.  I also know that you probably will succeed if you become someone who connects reading and writing to your life, to your experiences, and who reflects on the impact of these connections.

             

Obviously, becoming an independent and confident writer requires trusted readers of your writing.  I will read drafts and schedule conferences to respond to your work; your Writer’s Workshop tutor will also read and respond to your writing; and the class sessions and the Writer’s Workshop sessions will focus instruction on your writing.  Becoming a critical and thoughtful writer is essential for success in college.  This course has been designed to help you make this effort.

 

 

 

 

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 policy in class as well as in Writer’s Workshops.  If you miss seven class periods or four Writer’s Workshops, for the entire semester, you will receive an F in the class.  There are no excused absences, exceptions or “makeups” for this attendance requirement.  Furthermore, the maximum number of absences allowed before the midterm report, March 18, for this class is five (5).  Thus, when you have six (6) absences, you will be reported to the Registrar’s Office, who will automatically withdraw you from the class.  The Financial Aid Office will reduce financial aid as appropriate.  Habitual tardiness or leaving early can also result in absences.  If you know of any circumstances likely to make this attendance policy difficult for you this semester, you should consult with your advisor and your teacher to review your options.

     If you miss a class session, you are 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, and I will make only one such exception.    If you are not in class on the due date, you are still responsible for submitting your assignment on time.  Late in-class writing assignments will not be accepted. 

 

 

 Course Goals:

 

Reading Goals:

At the completion of ENG 100 students should be able to

  • Read actively for greater understanding;
  • Use reading to improve their writing by drawing ideas and information from written material;
  • Use texts to understand their own and others’ experiences;
  • Read writing assignments effectively as a guide to creating better papers;
  • Recognize good writing by actively reading good prose.

 

Writing Goals:

At the completion of ENG 100 students should be able to

  • Move easily from writing for self-expression to writing for readers;
  • Write at greater length more easily, more quickly, and more usefully;
  • Structure their writing to fit the assignment, purpose, and audience;
  • Develop their 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:

In ENG 100 students should improve their ability to:

  • Think critically and reason analytically;
  • Write and speak clearly and effectively;
  • Gain a greater awareness of the present through an understanding of other cultures and times;
  • Understand and appreciate moral values and ethical choices;
  • Understand and enjoy aesthetic experiences and share in related creative activities.

 

Civility and Cooperation:

     Missouri Western requires students to help us maintain good conditions for teaching and learning.  All students will treat their classmates, teachers, and student assistants 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 Missouri Western student handbook for further information. This handbook is available online at http://missouriwestern.edu/handbook/index.pdf.  

    I do not want to see or hear your cell phone, iPod, BlackBerry, or any other electronic device during class.  Keep them off and out of the way.  I reserve the right to mark you absent for ignoring this request.  Classes are 50 minutes in length, and unless there is an emergency, you are expected to remain in class the entire time.  Sleeping or working on anything other then English 100 activities during this class period will result in an absence for the day.  I also expect you to remain on task and attentive for the entire 50 minutes of the class period.  Do not pack up your materials until I have dismissed class.

 

Grading Policy:

     Your grade will be determined on the basis of your progress as a writer, the writings you submit, and your class participation over the course of the semester.  You need a C or higher to pass ENG 100 and enter ENG 104.  The following are components of your grade in the course.

 

    Writing:  You will complete four major writing tasks that will be graded.  A student who does not turn in complete responses to all four tasks will not pass the course even if the grades achieved in the other writing tasks are satisfactory.  You will have the opportunity to revise Writing Tasks One, Two, and Three, and resubmit them for a “new” grade.  You will have two weeks from the date the paper is returned in class to revise and resubmit each task paper.  If you miss the two-week deadline, you forfeit the right to revise that specific task paper.  It is required that your original, graded essay accompanies your revised essay.  You will not have the opportunity to revise Writing Task Four; however, you will have ample opportunity to share and revise drafts with your peers, your workshop tutor and me.  Each Writing Task will be submitted in a mini- portfolio which will include all prewriting activities and will be worth 100 points each.  Make sure that you keep all work that you produce as part of this class for the entire semester.  The four writing tasks will comprise 80 percent of your grade.

 

Daily Assignments:  Quizzes, announced and unannounced, peer responses, and other daily assignments will make up 15 percent of your grade.  If you miss a quiz, it cannot be made up for credit.  Homework must be turned in when due to receive credit for the assignment. 

 

 

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 the right materials in the right place.  Your teacher may also consider you 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.  If you wish to appeal your failure due to absences, you must be able to provide valid documentation for ALL absences and you must have an A or B grade in ENG 100 at the time (see Appeal Procedure in textbook).  In addition to not showing up for workshop, you can also be counted absent for the following reasons (these situations also apply to class as well):

-arriving very late; tardies will be added up for an absence

-not having required materials (textbook, draft of 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

            In this section of English 100, you will participate in conferencing and tutoring in your Writer’s Workshop.  One of the major goals of English 100 is to become an independent writer, a writer who has discovered strategies and processes to write competent and thoughtful essays.  As in all sections of English 100, you have been assigned a mandatory, small group Writer’s Workshop which meets once a week.  During Writer’s Workshop, you will receive personal responses and suggestions as well as lessons and activities to help you develop and revise each essay and to help you grow as a writer.  You will also be allowed time, in workshop, to write and revise.  Your writing will become the central text of both the class and the workshop and your needs will become the content of the instruction. 

            This workshop requires commitments from you.  First, you must confer with your instructor, workshop tutor and/or small groups in workshop.  Second, you must bring a work-in-progress to each writing workshop/conference or be prepared to write, with the help of your tutor, in workshop. Your instructor and workshop leader will discuss your progress weekly.  This is a labor-intensive effort on the part of your instructor and tutor, but it is one that we feel will benefit you. 

Workshops/Conferences:

·                           Be on time.

·                           Missing a workshop/conference will be counted as a workshop absence. 

·                           If you do not come prepared to the workshop/conference, you will be marked absent.  If a new draft or revised draft is required then coming to a workshop/conference without one will lead to a workshop absence.  In addition, if the workshop/conference is one that requires you to write, then you must come prepared to write and spend the workshop hour writing and seeking help from your tutor and peers; if you do not, then you will be marked absent for workshop.

·                           Come to the workshop/conference with a question or concern about your latest assignment/draft.  You must initiate the conference, showing your interest in your work and focusing on where you need a response.

·                           Leave the workshop with a new text/draft, revision, ideas or written revision plan.

·                           Make-up workshop/conference:  If you miss a workshop or are not prepared you will be marked absent; however, you have the opportunity to make it up.  You can attend the general make-up session on Friday at 3:00 pm in Eder 222 U-V.  However, in this makeup session, you will be required to complete a specific lesson or activity and you will not be able to receive feedback on your writing or to do your own writing.  Moreover, you will be allowed only three make-up opportunities.  Please remember that you and your writing will benefit the most by attending your regularly scheduled workshops/conferences and working on your writing. 

 

Writer’s Workshop Portfolio:  Throughout the semester, you will be required to keep a notebook or folder that will serve as your Writer’s Workshop portfolio.  Each week, you will record all of the activities and responses for workshop which may include the textbook lessons as well as mini-reflective writings, freewrites and/or work on your ENG 100 task papers.  In addition, it is required that you always have a current assignment sheet and task paper in your Writer’s Workshop portfolio.  If you miss a workshop, you will not be able to make-up that week’s lesson you attend the make-up session on Friday.  At the end of the semester, you will write a cover letter for your Writer’s Workshop portfolio.  Then your completed portfolio will be submitted to your ENG 100 instructor, graded and will count towards your final ENG 100 course grade.  As a result, attending and participating in workshop will be vital to your ENG 100 grade.  Furthermore, if you take advantage of this time to learn new writing skills and apply them to your ENG 100 coursework and to work on and receive feedback on your task papers, you will see an improvement in your writing and in your course grade.

           

Grading Scale

90-100                          A

80-89                              B

70-79                              C

60-69                              D

Below 60         F

 

To pass English 100 and enroll in English 104, you must earn a C or better.

 

Due Dates for Formal Writing Assignments:

Task One:  Sept. 15

Task Two:  Oct. 9

Midterm

Task Three:  Nov. 5

Task Four:  Dec. 3

 

Student Disability:

     Any student in this course who has a disability that prevents the fullest expression 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 your teacher personally as soon as possible so that the two of you 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 classroom activity.  Cheating and plagiarism are not acceptable.  If your teacher finds evidence of cheating or plagiarism, you have the burden of showing that the paper has in fact been written by you.  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.  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 that shows evidence of cheating and/or plagiarism has been in fact 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 or the designated representative on the Academic Honesty Violation Report Forms.  Please see the 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.