English 100 Introduction to Writing
WIU Department of English and Journalism • Fall 2014
“You learn to write by writing.”—On Writing Well, William Zinsser
Section 21
Tuesday/Thursday 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Simpkins Hall 120
Instructor: Lisa Kernek, Assistant Professor of Journalism
Office: Simpkins 226-i
Email: l-kernek@wiu.edu
Mobile: (309) 569-1270
Office hours: Monday Noon-1:30 p.m.; Wednesday Noon-1:30 p.m.; Friday 9:30-10:30 a.m., or by
appointment
Texts and Materials (please bring them to every class)
Reynolds, Ed and Huntington, Marcia. Confidence in Writing. Fourth Edition.
A notebook for in-class notes and exercises.
A three-ring binder or a folder to keep your papers. (Please save everything.)
A pen.
Purpose of the course
English 100, Introduction to Writing, is a preview of the writing skills you’ll need to
successfully complete Western’s required writing courses and to do the writing expected
in other classes.
English 100 includes work with the process of writing. You’ll learn how to discover ideas
to write about, how to organize your thoughts, and how to revise and edit. You’ll practice
elements of sentence construction, punctuation, usage, and mechanics.
IMPORTANT NOTE: A grade of C (73 percent) or higher is required to pass this
course. Students receiving a C- or lower will be required to repeat the course. Dropping
this course requires the permission of the instructor and the Director of Writing. Students
wishing to drop this course will need to speak with me first, and I will forward your
request to the Director for consideration (permission is not granted automatically).
Because you need permission to drop, you should begin the drop process early.
Course overview
This course requires:
 Reading assignments to help students develop an ear for language.
 Grammar and short writing exercises.
 A midterm and a final exam.
 Three writing assignments (details below).
Writing assignments (handouts with instructions will be provided):
1) First-person column: Students will write about themselves using first-person voice.
2) Interview paper: This paper requires students to do a sit-down interview with another
student and write a paper that reveals the subject’s personality.
3) Campus issue paper: This paper requires students to interview students, professors or
others on campus about a problem or controversy and write about it.
Your grade will be determined by the following:
First-person column
Interview paper
Campus issue paper
Midterm exam
In-class exercises/daily homework
Participation/attendance
Final exam
Total
100 points
100 points
100 points
50 points
300 points
100 points
50 points
800 points
Grading scale
(Based on percentage of total points. Grades are posted on Western Online.)
A
93 to 100 percent
A90 to 92.9
B+
87 to 89.9
B
83 to 86.9
B–
80 to 82.9
C+
77 to 79.9
C
73 to 76.9
C–
70 to 72.9
D+
67 to 69.9
D
63 to 66.9
D–
60 to 62.9
F
0 to 59.9
POLICIES
Attendance, tardiness and make-up work
This class requires some in-class assignments. Regular, prompt attendance is important. I
take attendance by circulating a sign-in sheet that I collect 10 minutes after the start of
class. Students arriving after I have collected the sign-in sheet will be counted absent for
that day.
I grant three automatically excused absences—no questions asked, no documentation
needed. Assignments missed because of the first three excused absences should be turned
in within a week of the absences. Make-up work turned in more than a week after the
missed class will not be accepted. I do not accept make-up work resulting from
unexcused absences.
Beginning with the third absence, five points per absence will be deducted from the
participation grade. I make exceptions for absences caused by circumstances beyond
students’ control, so please contact me in the event of an emergency.
Accommodations for disabilities
In accordance with University policy and the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA), academic accommodations may be made for any student who notifies the
instructor of the need for an accommodation. For the instructor to provide the proper
accommodation(s) you must obtain documentation of the need for an accommodation
through Disability Resource Center (DRC) and provide it to the instructor. It is
imperative that you take the initiative to bring such needs to the instructor's attention, as
he/she is not legally permitted to inquire about such particular needs of students. Students
who may require special assistance in emergency evacuations (i.e. fire, tornado, etc.)
should contact the instructor as to the most appropriate procedures to follow in such an
emergency. Contact Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 298-2512 for additional
services.
Plagiarism/fabrication
You are expected to do your own, original works of nonfiction. WIU’s academic integrity
policy defines plagiarism as “intentionally or knowingly presenting the work of another
as one's own” (http://www.wiu.edu/policies/acintegrity.php). In other words, if you quote
from someone else’s work, give credit where it’s due. Plagiarizing another’s work
without giving credit, and/or fabricating quotes, names, events or other material,
will result in an F for the course.
More information on student rights and responsibilities can be found here:
(http://www.wiu.edu/provost/students.php)
Penalties for late work
Hard copies of papers are due at the start of class on the day they are due. A paper
handed in late or e-mailed after class on the day it is due will lose a half-letter grade. A
paper will lose one letter grade for every weekday it is late.
Classroom Conduct
Mobile devices, including phones, tablets and laptops, should be set to silent and OUT
OF SIGHT during class so they won’t distract the instructor or other students. Students
who use mobile devices during class time will receive one friendly reminder of this
policy the first time it happens. Students who repeatedly use mobile devices will be asked
to leave the room and counted absent for the day.
SCHEDULE (subject to change, with notice)
AUGUST
26 Introduction
28
SEPTEMBER
2
4
9 Read chapter 1
11
16 Read chapter 2
18
23 First-person column due
25
21 Read chapter 5
23 Interview paper due
28 Read chapter 6
30
NOVEMBER
4
6
11 Read chapter 7
13
18 Read chapter 8
20
24-28 Thanksgiving break
30 Read chapter 3
OCTOBER
2
7 Read chapter 4
9
14 Midterm exam
16
DECEMBER
2
4 Campus issue paper due
9
11
Thursday, Dec.18: Final exam 10 a.m.
Important dates
August 29: Open registration ends (technically at 11:59 PM, but if students need
permission to enroll or drop, they should seek permission before 4:30 that day)
September 1: Labor Day—no class
September 8: Last day of restricted schedule changes (technically at 11:59 PM, but
students need permission to enroll [and sometimes to drop], so they should seek
permission before 4:30 that day)
October 10: Fall Break—no class
November 2: Last day to drop a course (students needing permission to drop should seek
permission prior to October 31 at 4:30) AND last day for a total university
withdrawal
November 24-28: Thanksgiving Break—no class