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TEXTS AND SUPPLIES:
Trimmer, Writing with a Purpose, 13th Edition
Winkler and McCuen, Readings for Writers, 10th Edition
A good dictionary and thesaurus
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Extensive writing, formal and informal, is the heart of English 1301. The course:
· provides practice in rhetorical analysis and writing, with emphasis on writing from sources for various audiences and purposes: personal, civic, professional, and academic
· develops writing skills through fostering critical thinking and reading and through instruction in the stages of the writing process, from invention through revision
· requires the use of the library and emphasizes learning appropriate documentation and style
RATIONALE:
No matter who you are or what you do, the ability to communicate your thoughts in a clear, well-reasoned, persuasive, and educated manner will help you succeed. In this class, you are going to learn how to communicate in just that way through a series of assignments designed to hone your ability to support your opinions and express yourself clearly.
OBJECTIVES:
1. The primary objective of English 1301 is to provide the student with knowledge and skills which will enhance his/her written communication. To accomplish this, we emphasize punctuation, grammatical usage, diction, sentence construction, paragraphing, logic, vocabulary enhancement, and the essay examination as well as the standard rhetorical modes. Lab work in room LRC 215 will be assigned and recorded for students having particular difficulties. We are including an English usage test (GPT) to provide a skills proficiency for exit level. This test must be passed within three tries for course credit.
2. A particular emphasis is placed on audience: i.e., we focus on skills and knowledge in communicating to a general audience. Thus, our writing efforts are controlled, diplomatic, and non-prejudicial. Furthermore, we never say, "Well, I knew what I meant." The writer's job is to make sure the audience knows what he/she meant. In other words, the writing process you will learn is audience-centered.
3. To improve reading and vocabulary skills, there will be quizzes over some assignments. You will need to use your dictionary. However, don't just look up the first definition: learn the nuances of words and, of course, study pronunciation keys and various forms of the word. If you are having trouble locating the word, perhaps you need to look up its root. Also notice how words are divided. Dividing words incorrectly is an error. For reading comprehension questions, study the author's line of argument and supporting details.
4. Students will learn college expository-persuasive writing. This is not a creative writing course, per se, so please don't expect to write "stories."
ESSAY REQUIREMENTS:
1. ALL essays will be written following MLA format as instructed. Unless otherwise specified, essays should be typed (letter-quality printing required) and double-spaced on bond paper.
2. Submit all work paper clipped together. Include the heading I will teach you in the upper left corner of the first page. Put your last name and the page numbers as I will show you on each subsequent page. Always title your papers - on the first page only - and don't underline or put quotation marks around your own title. Make a copy of each paper for your records and protection. Give me the original. Back up all your computer files.
3. Plagiarism is theft of another writer's/speaker's words or ideas and will receive a zero. Plagiarism includes turning in another person's paper as your own, lifting ideas and words from lectures of other media, copying word for word or paraphrasing without documentation. This includes textbooks from other courses. When in doubt, document. All direct quotations must be enclosed in quotation marks and followed by internal documentation.
4. I do not give split grades. No matter how "good" you may think your ideas are, if the paper is sloppily written with numerous errors that distract the reader, then you have, in fact, not written well. Always submit your best work, for I expect papers to be written at the college level. Think about your work and REVISE!
5. To avoid failure, make sure your essays always meet the minimum requirements I set out in this syllabus and in class.
6. All essays will include an outline, to be described in class. Students will automatically lose ten points for omitting the outline.
7. Graded papers will be returned to you as quickly as possible.
8. Take notes. Responsible students know the importance of good listening skills and following directions.
CLASS POLICIES - Read these carefully to avoid misunderstandings.
1. To get the full benefit of your education, attendance and class participation are necessary. If you are cutting class, you are jeopardizing your education as well as your grade. Remember that 10% of your grade is attendance. It is the student's responsibility to drop a course he/she no longer wishes to attend. If you choose to drop, you must do so on or before the published drop date to avoid an F. Your attendance grade comes from the percentage of classes you attend. If you attend class half the time, your attendance grade is a 50. If you come three-fourths of the time you get a 75, and so forth. If you are excessively absent, you will handicap your ability to make a good grade in this course; however, you will not be dropped for this reason.
2. Tardies are annoying and disruptive for both teachers and students. Some tardies are, of course, unavoidable. However, those students who make a habit of being late to class will not be tolerated. Students who come excessively late or leave excessively early will not be counted as having attended that day.
3. After being absent, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed. Either ask a friend or e-mail me at SodaScouts@aol.com. If you have an excused absence, you may make up graded assignments, but not in-class daily work. Make-up assignments must be turned in no more than one class meeting after your return.
4. I will accept late papers only at my discretion and no later than one class period after the original due date. The grade will be lowered five points per day. The responsibility is yours to submit papers on time. Have a friend submit your paper if you are unable to do so, but make sure your friend is reliable. Papers that are submitted outside of class (for example, left under the door or left in the wrong mailbox) will receive a grade of "0" if they are lost, and will have points deducted for late submission if they are late. For your own sake, do not put off the assignments are make excuses. Do your work on time.
5. There are no make-ups for unannounced (pop) quizzes. All quizzes are given at the beginning of class, and therefore those who are late and miss said quizzes will receive a zero.
6. In order to pass the course, you must complete all major assignments (essay and exams).
7. Students are expected to conduct themselves as responsible adults in a college classroom. Students who disrupt class and are disrespectful to fellow students and/or the teacher will be dropped from the course. Please turn off or set to "vibrate" all beepers, cellular phones, and other chirping devices before you enter class.
8. I don't e-mail grades. You can see me at person, or you can use Stargazer at the end of the year.
9. The instructor reserves the right to amend the above policies for individual circumstances. It is always the student's responsibility to apprise the instructor of extenuating circumstances.
GRADING:
Final grades will be determined as follows:
Assigment Percentage Average of 5-paragraph Essays 30% 6-page Research Paper 20% Annotated Bibliography 5% Average of Paragraphs 10% Average of Daily Grades/Quizzes 5% Class Participation & Attendance 10% Final Exam 20%
GRADING SCALE
90-100 = A80-89 = B
70-79 = C
65-69 = D
Below 65 is an F for the course. An F on an essay or paragraph is a numerical grade of 50. See course handouts for further explanations of the F on a paragraph or essay. Plagiarism is a zero. I will try to give you a warning if you are in danger of failing the course; however, given the exigencies of semester responsibilities, student absences, failure to turn in assignments after the drop date, and/or failing grades after the drop date, such a warning is not always tenable.If you have any questions, see me, but please remember that all students follow all rules outlined in the syllabus and other course documents. It is the student's responsibility to be familiar with and follow these guidelines. If you have major family, medical, or other emergencies, you must talk with me so we can try to avoid misunderstandings and work something out - within reason and within course requirements.
COMMON EDITING SYMBOLS
Symbol Meaning abst abstract or general words (Be more specific) agr agreement error (subject/verb, pronoun) ambig ambiguous, unclear awk awkward phrasing choppy too many short, repetitive sentences cliche (trite) worn-out phrase cs comma splice (two sentences joined together with only a comma) / delete dev/exp further develop or expand on an idea frag sentence fragment FS/RO fused or run-on sentence (two complete sentences stuck together with nothing in between them ^ insert // faulty parallelism ref unclear reference (pronouns) rep repetitive sp spelling error trans transition needed wc word choice inappropriate
GRADING:
A The grade of A on a paper means that it excels in most or all of the following ways:
a. Treatment of subject shows good critical intelligence, careful workmanship, and originality.
b. Organization is so clear that the reader knows at all times what the purpose is and how the writer intends to accomplish it.
c. Paragraphs are coherent and are developed as fully as their function demands.
d. Sentences are clear in meaning and so constructed as to contribute precisely and effectively to the writer's purpose.
e. Choice of words is exact, appropriate, and sensitive.
f. Grammar, punctuation, and spelling conform to accepted usage.
"A" papers have few, if any, minor errors and no major errors.
B The grade of B on a paper means that a paper is good:
a. Treatment of subject shows some originality and better than average ability to relate ideas.
b. Organization is clear, though lacking the full clarity and tight coherence of A work. It is appropriate to the subject and purpose.
c. Paragraphs are reasonably unified, coherent, and well-developed.
d. Sentences are generally fluent and clear, and are sufficiently varied to make for an easy style.
e. Words are used precisely and with some attention to stylistic appropriateness.
f. Grammar, punctuation, and spelling conform to accepted usage.C The grade of C means that a paper is rather routine in its total effect:
a. Treatment of subject is acceptable but lacks distinction.
b. Organization is fairly clear; a central idea is systematically treated.
c. Paragraph development shows little originality; paragraph structure shows some coherence but tends to be loose and uneconomical.
d. Sentences are correct and are sufficiently linked to make for continuity. Generally, however, the style is flat, and the meaning is not always clear.
e. Choice of words is generally appropriate but shows little attention to effect.
f. There are few slips in grammar, punctuation, and spelling.D The grade of D means that a paper has a number of the following weaknesses:
a. Treatment of subject tends to be thin, vague, or trite.
b. Organization is not clear or effective.
c. Paragraphs tend to be incoherent and poorly developed.
d. Sentences are generally awkward or overly simple and show little awareness of style. Their meaning is frequently not clear.
e. Choice of words is often imprecise, inappropriate, or trite.
f. There are a number of errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling.F The grade of F means that a paper falls below minimum requirements, that it has a number of the following weaknesses:
a. Treatment of the subject is thin, vague, or trite.
b. The paper lacks a distinct beginning, middle, and ending.
c. Paragraphs obviously lack unity and are poorly developed.
d. Sentences are awkward, or are constructed in primer style. Many are not clear.
e. Choice of words is frequently inexact or inept.
f. Grammar, punctuation, and spelling are faulty.
MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS:
Paragraph Assignments (2): All paragraphs must include at least 7 sentences
Multi-Paragraph Essays (3): All multi-paragraph essays must have a minimum of five paragraphs, 5-10 sentences each, and all multi-paragraph essays must include an outline to receive credit.
Annotated Bibliography: 5 separate summaries of 5 sources for your research paper. Each summary should be approximately one page, making a total of 5 pages.
Research Paper: Must be at least six full pages (text), include five secondary sources, fully documented, and carefully edited to avoid failure. See all handouts for further minimal requirements.
Final Exam: Five-paragraph timed essay
BASIC COURSE OUTLINE:
Assignment Due Date Paragraph #1 Week 4 Paragraph #2 Week 5 Multi-Paragraph Essay #1 Week 7 Multi-Paragraph Essay #2 Week 10 Multi-Paragraph Essay #3 Week 11 Annotated Bibliography Week 13 Research Paper Week 15 Final Exam Week 16
SPECIAL NEEDS:
If you have any special needs due to a physical or medical condition, it is your responsibility to inform me so that I can try to accommodate them.
IMPORTANT:
If you have any questions about the information and policies outlined in this syllabus, please ask me for clarification.
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