University at
Sections E1 MWF 12-12:50 Clemens 206
F2 MWF 1-1:50 Clemens 108
G2 MWF 2-2:50 Clemens
108
H1 MWF 3-3:50 Clemens 108
Credit hours: 3 Prerequisite: Appropriate test score
Instructor: Ms. Jane Adam Office: 644 Clemens
Office hours: M
Required
texts: (available at University
Bookstore)
McQuade & Atwan, The Writer’s Presence: A Pool of
Harris, Prentice Hall Guide to Grammar and Usage 5th ed.
Also Required:
--Pocket folder
--Access to computer or word
processor--all essays must be typed
double spaced in 12 pt font
(see p. 341 in Prentice Hall Guide for format example)
Course Objectives: English 102 gives you the
opportunity to further
develop your logic, argument
and research skills. You will learn what you need to write 5-10 page papers at the university level: you will work with complex and substantial ideas, do sufficient research to discover a variety of sources, incorporate and document information from these sources in your own writing, and gain control of basic skills including organization, grammar, mechanics and usage. You will grow in your ability to analyze, evaluate and appreciate others’ writing, including literary texts. You will have a chance to develop your own distinctive writing voice in a variety of writing assignments.
The class will work toward these objectives through reading and discussion, informal in-class writing, and invention, drafting, and revising of formal essays and a research paper--with input at every stage from instructor and peers. To demonstrate your progress as a writer and to motivate yourself to think critically about your education, you will keep all your written work throughout the semester, and you will revise some of your essays for your final portfolio.
Short Essays
(five total, length 1-2 pages, topic choices TBA)—on very specific topics,
these will help you develop skills and content to use in longer writings.
Longer Essays
(two total, length approx. 5-6 pages, topic choices TBA)—these will draw on
assigned reading, class discussion, personal reflection, and researched
information. For each one, you will
write a draft and at least one revision, as well as a cover letter.
Informal
Writings and Grammar Exercises--to be done in or out of class, individually , or in small groups as announced; completeness will count toward final grade.
You will also analyze and reflect on some of these in your final portfolios.
Group
Activities will include discussions and presentations from assigned
reading, plus draft workshops for formal essays. Participation will count toward final grade.
Assigned
Reading—Essays in The Writer’s
Presence will provide the subject
matter for most class discussion and
both formal and informal writing assignments.
We will use The Prentice Hall
Guide to review basics in class as needed; you will also use it
independently to work on your individual grammar problems and to find
guidelines for MLA documentation.
Unannounced quizzes will be given as necessary.
Research Paper
(10 pages)—Topic choices will be related to our reading and class
discussion—specifics to be announced.
You will use MLA documentation and follow a research process, with
thesis statement, working bibliography, annotated bibliography, oral presentation (5 minutes), draft,
and first revision due earlier in the semester; final revision due at the end.
Coursework cont.
Final Portfolio--includes further revisions of your research paper and some of your
longer essays along with a letter of reflection on your development as a
writer. You must keep all of your notes, drafts and revisions throughout the
semester to include in this portfolio.
Conferences: Each student will meet with the instructor at
least twice: at midterm and before final portfolio is due.
You will receive a letter (or number equivalent)
grade on your short and long essays, research paper, and oral
presentation. You will have a chance to
revise your longer essays and research paper for improved grades. You
must give an oral presentation and turn in all of the short and longer essays,
the research paper with all its components, and a final portfolio--along with a
minimum number of informal writings and in-class activities--in order to pass
the course. Your coursework will
then be weighted as follows to determine your final grade:
15%
-- Short Essays
20%
-- Longer Essays
35%
-- Research Paper and
components
10%
-- Final Portfolio
10% -- Group Activities, in-class (informal) writing
activities, cover letters, quizzes
10% -- Engagement (attitude, effort, class
participation, cooperation)
Final Portfolios are due
Attendance--You
are allowed four absences without
penalty. For each additional absence up to eight,
your final grade may be lowered. However, if you are absent nine or more
times, you will fail the course automatically. Attendance will be taken in every class, but
be sure to keep track of your own attendance also. You are still responsible for all material
covered and assignments due; contact a classmate to find out what you have
missed.
Late or Missed Assignments—If you turn in a graded assignment up to one week (3
class periods) late, your grade will be lowered 1/3 letter grade (for example
B+ =B). After the first week, you will
lose one full letter grade for each class period the assignment is late
(B=C). If you do not bring a draft on
peer review workshop days, you will be counted absent. Emailed papers will not be accepted.
Classroom Behavior—Constant inappropriate behavior, including tardiness, talking out of
turn, and doing work from other classes, will not be tolerated (see Engagement, above).
Plagiarism
is the unacknowledged use of someone else’s words, ideas, or information. One plagiarized essay will earn you an F for
that assignment. A second plagiarized
essay will earn you an F for the course.
If you are unsure whether you are using someone else’s words or ideas appropriately in
your writing, ask for advice early in the writing process!
Incompletes--Only
those students who have fulfilled the attendance requirements for this course
and completed all but one of the written assignments are eligible for an Incomplete grade.
PH=Prentice Hall Reference Guide WP=The Writer’s Presence
1/12 introduction
1/14 introduction cont. . Letter of introduction due (a 1-2 page typed double spaced letter introducing yourself as a person, student & writer. Include quick description of your last English course and your strengths & weaknesses as a writer).
1/16 Read pp 1-15 in Prentice Hall Guide, 1-2 and 8-10 in WP. Discuss writing process.
In-class writing sample based on reading.
1/19 Martin Luther King Day—no class
1/21 Read in WP: Cunningham 335-340, Tan 260-265; in PH: 61-65. Discuss
assignment for Short Essay #1.
1/23 Draft of Short #1 due for Peer Review Workshop.
1/26 Short #1 due. Read in WP: Sante 508-514. Discuss Longer Essay #1.
1/28 Read in WP: Gladwell 389-396, Cole 327-334. Discussion cont.
1/30 Assignment to be announced
2/2 Plagiarism exercise
2/4 Grammar Review—assignment TBA
2/6 Draft of Long #1 due for Peer Review
PH=Prentice Hall Reference
Guide WP=The Writer’s Presence
2/9 Long Essay #1 (stage one) due
2/11
In PH read 23-34.
In WP Easterbrook 632-636, Fish 643-646
2/13 Short essay #2 to be written in class (On finding an
article & choosing material for long #1)
2/16
In WP read Gibson 651-654, Sunstein
770-775, Monette 716-719
2/18 In WP read Swift 776-784 and Singer
759-765 Discuss Long #2 & Short #3
(grammar report)
2/20 Peer review for Longer Essay #1 (Stage 2)
2/23 Longer
Essay #1 (Stage 2) due. Discuss research
topics.
2/25 Discussion cont.— In PH read 269-272, review 272-278
2/27 conferences.
Self-Evaluation letter and Short essay #3 due one day before your
conference.
3/1 conferences
3/3 conferences
3/5 Discuss research topics
3/8 Reading TBA.
Draft of Longer Essay #2 due for peer
review
3/10 Reading
TBA. Discussion continued. Library
orientation (tentative).
3/12 Longer
Essay #2 revision 1 due
3/15-3/19 Spring Break
3/22 Research topic proposal & tentative thesis due—informal
presentations
3/24 Discussion cont.—reading TBA
3/26 Reading TBA. Discuss
oral presentation.
3/29 Short essay #4 due (public speaking)
3/31 Oral presentations. Research outline and working bibliography due.
4/2 Oral presentations
4/5 Oral presentations
4/7 Oral
presentations. Short essay #5 due (on interview or survey)
4/9 Research paper
draft and Annotated bibliography due.
Peer review.
4/12 Revision workshop. Research paper revision 1 due.
4/14 Revision workshop.
4/16 Revision workshop
4/19 Conferences/revision
4/21 Conferences/revision
4/23 Conferences/revision
4/26 Final portfolio due.