English 105H, ISUComm: Fall 2006
Dr. Elyse Demaray demaraye@iastate.edu
Carver 320
(515) 294-3203
Office Hours: MW 11-2
Global Issues in a Changing World
“There are times when the question of knowing if one can think differently than one
thinks, and perceive differently than one perceives, is absolutely necessary if one is to
go on looking and reflecting at all.”
--Michel Foucault
Course Goals
This section of English 105 is part of ISUComm in the English Department. ISU
Comm is dedicated to helping students gain facility with Written, Oral, Visual and
Electronic forms of communication (WOVE). The course will include assignments in
WOVE with the aim of helping you integrate these forms of communication related to
a global theme. Therefore, your grades will come from specific assignments in written,
oral, visual and electronic communication, rather than the more traditional focus on
primarily written essays. ISUComm’s updated focus intends to prepare students for the
varied types of communication they will encounter in academic, professional, and civic
activities.
Required Texts
Student’s Guide to English 104-105, available at the University Bookstore
Muller, G. The New World Reader, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2005.
Wysocki, Anne & Dennis Lynch. Compose, Design, Advocate, New York:
Pearson, 2007.
Faigley, Lester. The Brief Penguin Handbook. 2nd ed. New York: Pearson,
2006.
USB flash drive for saving your work files in class
Course Grades*
Rhetorical analysis of an OpEd
OpEd essay
Rhetorical map of argument essay
Rhetorical analysis of a longer argument essay
Documentary photo analysis
Group power point: visual & written argument
Group contract & assessment
Oral presentation of power point
Homework, in-class participation, group-work
sessions, in-class writings
10%
10%
5%
15%
10%
15%
5%
10%
20%
* You must complete and turn in all assignments to pass this course
Most assignments require that you use a high quality color printer.
Stake one out early.
Attendance Policies
The English Department requires each class to have a clear attendance policy.
Our class policy is as follows: if you miss more than 3 class periods, your FINAL
grade will be lowered 1/3 of a letter grade for each additional absence. Example: if
you earn an “A” for the course and you miss 4 class periods you will receive a final grade
of “A-“. If you miss 5 class periods, you will receive a “B+. If you miss more than 5
class periods (6 or more) you cannot pass the course. Think about saving your
penalty-free days for unexpected events such as illness.
I will take attendance each class period. However, I do not make a distinction between
"excused" and "unexcused" absences, unless you have a serious emergency, or you
miss class for a University sanctioned activity. You are responsible for understanding
the policy and monitoring your absences, though I will be glad to let you know at any
time how many absences I have recorded for you.
If you belong to a university organization, provide me with documentation of your
scheduled activities if you will miss any class periods for this course. University
activities, if documented by the organization, do NOT count as an absence for this class.
If you know you will miss a class period, do the homework and turn it in one class ahead
of schedule.
Assignment Due Dates & Grades
All assignments are due at the beginning of the class period on which they are due. For
each day an assignment is turned in after the due date, the final grade is lowered 1/3 of a
grade, e.g., an A will become an A- after one day, B+ after two days, etc. This includes
days our class does not meet during the week and weekend days, too. Assignments will
not be accepted after one week following the due date. Make sure you have a backup
copy of all work on disk before you turn it in to be graded. An extra hard copy is also a
good idea. You are responsible for having an extra copy in case I need it. This is a
requirement for your benefit.
Format for papers
All papers, including daily homework, should be typed in an easily legible 12 point font
such as Times Roman or Palatino, double spaced with one inch margins all around and
page numbers. On each assignment, include your name, the course and section numbers
and a brief description of the assignment, e.g. Essay #1. Staple pages together
BEFORE class.
Plagiarism
Study all of the material covered in your Student’s Guide to English 104-105, especially
the section regarding ethics and plagiarism. Understanding what constitutes plagiarism
and academic dishonesty will help prevent you from committing these acts inadvertently
and will strengthen your writing. Plagiarism is a serious legal and ethical breach, and
suspected plagiarism will be reported for possible disciplinary action. Plagiarism will
result in an F on the assignment, or an F in the course, and/or suspension from the
University. If you have any questions about documentation, see me before you turn in an
assignment. We will also discuss plagiarism in class to clarify its definition, so that you
can feel confident that you are not plagiarizing when using someone else’s material.
DISABILITY STATEMENT
Please let me know of any special needs you have or special accommodations you will
need for this course at the beginning of the semester (by the end of week two) or as soon
as you become aware of your needs. Those seeking accommodations based on
disabilities should obtain a Student Academic Accommodation Request (SAAR) form
from the Disability Resources (DR) office (515) 294-6624. DR is located on the main
floor of the Students Services Building, room 1076.