Missouri Western State University

Department of English, Foreign Languages, and Journalism

Syllabus—FALL 2009

ENG 104 College Writing and Rhetoric

Instructor: Ellen Lilley, MS Ed elilley@missouriwestern.edu

Office: Eder Hall 213 Phone: 816-271-4310

Conference by appointment: Tuesdays or Thursdays

Meeting information: Tuesdays and Thursdays Murphy Hall

Section 04 9:30 a.m.—10-40 a.m. Room 108

Section 11 11:00 a.m.—12:20 p.m. Room 109

Required Text and materials:

The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing. 8th ed, Axelrod and Cooper, Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007

· Computer disk or jump drive for revising and saving work.

· Printer and internet access (available at many sites on campus)

· Stapler, highlighter, pens/pencils, notebook paper

· Pocket-folder, notebook, or other system for organizing handouts, class work, notes, etc.

Bookmark these web sites: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl

Sign-in to (free access): http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/theguide8e

http://www.engrade.com/elilley

code = engrade-elilley-xxxxxx (student # w/o G or beginning 0’s)

O: drive access http://www.missouriwestern.edu

> Current Students> O: and P: Drive Access> Distribution (O:) > EFLJ> Lilley

Course Description and Goals:

http://www.missouriwestern.edu/EFLJ/eng104.asp

Janet Alsup and Michael Bernard-Donals in “The Fantasy of the ‘Seamless Transition” describe inquiry as

. . .analogous to ‘critical thinking,’ ‘analysis,’ and even ‘argument.’ When applied to the teaching of writing, a process of inquiry includes the following stages: development of interest in a topic; exploration of this interest through reading, talk, and prewriting; crystallization of a question or issue to be explored; drafting of a text; discussion of text with peers and instructor; revision; asking new questions; revision again; editing; and finally sharing with an audience (Teaching Writing in High School and College, 120).

A variety of methods will be used to encourage students’ learning: textbooks, lectures, class discussions, group work, journaling, informal and formal writing. Students are expected to read, summarize, and respond to text selections, take notes, ask questions, complete journal and other writing exercises and assignments, and participate in peer revision teams, and conference with instructor. Each of these activities will contribute to your final grade.

Attendance and Class Preparation/Participation:

http://www.mssiouriwestern.edu/

In order to improve student learning and to achieve compliance with federal financial aid policies, Western has a mandatory attendance policy for all 100- and 200-level courses. 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. ALL other absences “count” (unlike high school where absences are termed excused or unexcused).

For this class the maximum number of absences allowed before midterm is 3. When you incur a 4th absence before October 14, you will be reported to the Registrar’s Office where you will be automatically withdrawn from the class and the Financial Aid Office will reduce financial aid as appropriate. In addition, if you exceed 5 absences during the course of the semester in this class, you will receive an FA for the course, no matter what your grade is at that time. If you choose to contest absences, you must present outside documentation that ALL absences were unavoidable.

Students are expected to arrive prepared and on time for every scheduled class meeting, to remain for the entire period, and to participate in class discussions and peer editing groups; these attitudes of respect and cooperation provide the forum for sharing ideas, asking questions, and maximizing learning. Three instances of being tardy count as an absence. Leaving class early two times counts as an absence. You are expected to return from absences prepared for class. Late work will not be scored and in-class quizzes and writings cannot be made up.

Grades:

http://www.missouriwestern.edu/EFLJ/grades.asp

A minimum grade of “C” in this course, ENG-104, is required for admission into ENG-108. 90%=A 80%=B 70%=C 60%=D

Grades are earned by accumulating points on:

o quizzes, informal writings, drafts, and other assignments (organized by date and title)

o 4 formal essays

o Portfolio of revised formal essays

o Presentation

o Final Exam

You must complete all requirements—essays, portfolios, presentation, and final exam— in order to pass this course. All drafts and final papers must be word-processed (MLA style) and (backups in RTF recommended). Process-work must be included each preceding draft to document your writing process; a revision is NOT eligible for points if prior work did not meet deadlines and/or task objectives. Three copies of word-processed drafts may sometimes be required for participation in mandatory peer revision teams.

Deadlines for all work = beginning of class. If you are not in class on a due date, you are still responsible for submitting work on time. If you must be absent when an assignment is due, the paper must be received as an e-mail attachment in Rich Text Format before your class meeting time to be considered on time. Late homework papers are not accepted. Only one late final essay will be accepted—and there will be a 10% deduction for each 24-hour delay. Writing conferences and presentations must occur on the agreed-upon date unless you are able to reschedule before that date.

http://missouriwestern.edu/handbook/index.pdf.

Academic Honesty

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. 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 has been written, in fact, 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. See the 2006-07 Student Handbook and Calendar (page 21) for specific activities identified as violations of this policy and the student due process procedure.

Students with Disabilities:

Anyone who has a disability that prevents the fullest expression of his or her potential to succeed in this course must notify me as soon as possible and contact Michael Ritter, Special Needs Coordinator, to submit all necessary documentation so we can make the necessary accommodations.

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 a class; specifics include use of cellular/other electronic devices during class, private conversations, and sleeping. Review your Missouri Western student handbook for further information

Note: Welcome. You can succeed in this course! Experience indicates that students who attend class regularly and complete daily work find success; experts report that students who spend 2-3 hours studying for each hour in the classroom have the greatest success rate. If you have problems or questions, please call or e-mail, or make an appointment to see me so we can work together to create a positive experience for you—and please don’t wait until the last minute when there is no way to “fix” the problem!