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 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!