ENGLISH 1301: Composition I Syllabus Spring 2011 MWF 9-10 a.m. CRN63600, FAC 314 Instructor: Leslie Schwartz leslie.schwartz@hccs.edu Phone: 713-718-6671 Office hours: by appointment only CATALOG DESCRIPTION: A course devoted to improving the student’s writing and critical reading. Writing essays for a variety of purposes from person to academic, including an introduction to argumentation, critical analysis, and the use of sources. Credit: 3 semester hours (3 lecture hours) PREREQUISITE: A satisfactory assessment score, completion of ENGL 0310 or ENGL (for non-native speakers) ENGL 0349. COURSE PURPOSE: This college-level course is designed to acquaint you with writing expository, analytical and argumentative essays. You will learn not only through practice, but also through the reading of essays in which you analyze purpose, audience, tone, style and writing strategy. TEXTBOOKS REQUIRED: *NOTE—Books must be purchased by fourth class or you will be dropped from the class. The Norton Reader, Peterson & Brereton, Eds. 12th edition. The McGraw-Hill Handbook. Maimon, Peritz, & Yancey. 2nd edition. MATERIALS: Binder/folder with dividers to contain graded papers and assignment sheets, and exercises USB drive Highlighters College-level dictionary and thesaurus STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 1. Demonstrate knowledge of writing as process. 2. Apply basic principles of critical thinking in analyzing reading selections, developing expository essays, and writing argumentative essays. 3. Analyze elements such as purpose, audience, tone, style, strategy, in essays and/or literature by professional writers. 4. Write essays in appropriate academic writing style using varied rhetorical strategies. 5. Synthesize concepts from and use references to assigned readings in their own academic writing. BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Students will write at least 3,000 words during the course to include both in-class (graded and non-graded) writing and out-of-class essays. You 1 also must read all assignments and be ready to discuss the essay(s) at the next class session. Be prepared to study two hours for each hour spent in class every week. COURSE REQUIREMENTS: 40% In-class essays (at least 3) 30% Out of class essays 20% In-class writing activities, journal entries, quizzes, attendance 10% Final Exam Scholastic honesty: Students are expected to behave with honesty and integrity in the writing of papers and in-class discussions. Plagiarism—acknowledged or unacknowledged use of another person’s words or ideas—earns a ZERO for the assignment. REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION: Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodation must contact the Disability Support Services Office at the beginning of each semester. Faculty members are authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the Disability Counselor. Please visit the Disability Support Office at the Central Campus building LHSG 108 on the first floor, or call them at 713-718-5165. SUPPORT SERVICES: Tutoring: Free tutoring is available and may be required by the instructor. Check the door of Central Campus FAC 321b for the fall schedule. Open Computer Lab: Computers are available for word processing in the Computer Writing Lab and in the Library. Check for Open hours. Instructor will not read e-mailed essays. STUDENT ATTENDANCE: You will be graded on your attendance. It is in your best interest to attend class every time, excluding emergencies. HCC’s policy states that you will be dropped after 6 class sessions have been missed. Three tardies will equal one unexcused absence. COURSE CALENDAR: Note: Readings may be accompanied with journal entries, quizzes, or in-class writing/activities on due date, but these assignments will be delivered in the form of handouts or instruction in class. Also, except for the assignment on the first week, reading assignments in the McGraw-Hill Handbook will individualized, according to grading suggestions. *Please note that syllabus is subject to change. 2 WEEK ONE January 17 Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance. January 19 Intro to the course. Diagnostic Essay. January 21 Read McGraw-Hill Handbook Chapter 7 p. 120-130 (Do not do Exercises 7.2 and 7.3. Do exercise 7.1 only). Read Norton Reader Lee 1, Didion 9, Eiseley 88. WEEK TWO January 24 Read McGraw-Hill Handbook 3, 4, 5 on essay paragraphing, development and essay organization. January 26 January 28 Read Norton Reader Eighner 20, Angelou 34, Hurston 43, Rios 47. Read McGraw-Hill Handbook Chapter 2. In-class Essay #1 (Personal Essay) WEEK THREE January 31 Read McGraw-Hill Handbook Chapter 4, 5 and 11 In-class Essay #1 (Personal Essay) DUE Out of Class Essay A (Personal) February 2 February 4 NO CLASS NO CLASS WEEK FOUR February 7 Peer review of Essay #1 February 9 Re-write of Essay #1 February 11 Read Norton Reader Cunningham 262, Sullivan 236, Slater 243. Read McGraw-Hill Handbook Chapter 8. WEEK FIVE February 14 Read Norton Reader Baron 577, Rollin 369. February 16 Read Norton Reader Swift 858, McKibben 378. February 18 Out of Class Essay B DUE (Informative Essay) Read McGraw-Hill Handbook Chapter 10. WEEK SIX February 21 No Class – President’s Day February 23 Read Norton Reader Cohen 718, King 892, Gordon 740, Tisdale 747. February 25 Out of Class Essay C due (Argumentative Essay) Read Norton Reader Gould 754, Bird 467, Brooks 412, Ivins 405. WEEK SEVEN February 28 Read Norton Reader Baldwin 387, Barthes 342, Goodheart 303. March 2 Read Norton Reader Naylor 510, Rollin 369, Staples 396. March 4 In-class Essay #2 (Cultural Analysis) 3 WEEK EIGHT March 7 In-class Essay #3 (Cultural Analysis) March 9 Peer Review of Essay #3 March 11 Re-write of Essay #3 Due WEEK NINE March 14, 16, 18 No Class – Spring Break WEEK TEN March 21 Read Norton Reader Bruffee 425, Didion 100, Steinem 268. March 23 Read Norton Reader Orwell 581, Gore 918, Fussell 763, Konner 991. March 25 Thoreau 776, Wollstonecraft 603, Johnson 596. WEEK ELEVEN March 28 Out of Class Paper D due. (Cause and Effect) March 30 Read Norton Reader Bacon 593, FitzGerald 845, Kincaid 173, Quindlen 241. April 1 In-class Essay #3 (Compare and Contrast) WEEK TWELVE April 4 In-Class Essay #3 (Compare and Contrast) April 6 Peer Review of Essay #3 April 8 Re-write of Essay #3 Due WEEK THIRTEEN April 11 Read McGraw-Hill Handbook Chapter 15 and 16. April 13 Read McGraw-Hill Handbook Chapter 18, 19 and 20. April 15 Read McGraw-Hill Handbook Chapter 21, 22, and 23. WEEK FOURTEEN April 18 Oral presentation project introduced. Read McGraw-Hill Handbook Chapter 13. April 20 Oral Presentation Project presented. April 22 Oral Presentation Project presented. WEEK FIFTEEN April 25 In-Class Writing Exercise. April 27 In-Class Group Exercise. April 29 Out of Class Essay E due (Research) WEEK SIXTEEN May 2 Read Norton Reader Wilson 1007, Williams 666, Burgess 297. May 4 Read Norton Reader Chesterfield 674, Cronon 651, Leopold 733. May 6 Prepare for final. FINAL TO BE ANNOUNCED 4