ENG 101 – ENGLISH COMPOSITION Term: Fall 2011 Instructor: S. Kealamakia Meeting Times: Section 42: MWF, 12-12:50 a.m. Classroom: HEHP 338 Office: 3210 E, MHRA Office Hours: W, 1:30-2:30 p.m. F, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Email: sykealam@uncg.edu COURSE DESCRIPTION English 101 satisfies three of the six hours of the Reasoning and Discourse (GRD) requirement at UNCG, which asserts that students “gain skills in intellectual discourse, including constructing cogent arguments, locating, synthesizing and analyzing documents, and writing and speaking clearly, coherently, and effectively” (http://web.uncg.edu/reg/Bulletin/Current/UnivReq/GECDescription.aspx). In addition, English 101 is designed to meet Learning Goal #1 (LG1) in the UNCG General Education Program. This is the ability to “think critically, communicate effectively, and develop appropriate fundamental skills in quantitative and information literacies.” (http://web.uncg.edu/reg/Bulletin/Current/UnivReq/GECProgram.aspx) Student Learning Outcomes: At the completion of this course, students will be able to: 1. Analyze the content and structure of complex texts (written, oral, and/or visual in nature); 2. Compose cogent, evidence-based, argumentative texts; 3. Identify and employ the rhetorical triangle, the canons, and the appeals in both formal and informal discourse; 4. Summarize, quote, paraphrase, and synthesize source material in support of an argument; 5. Employ drafting, peer review, and revision techniques in order to improve content, style, and structure of their own writing; 6. Appraise their own composing abilities and composing processes through critical reflection. Required Texts: Babb, Jacob, Sally Smits, and Courtney Wooten, eds. Technê Rhêtorikê: Techniques of Discourse for Writers and Speakers. Plymouth, MA: HaydenMcNeil, 2011. ISBN: 9780738046693 Graff, Gerald. They Say I Say With Readings. New York: Norton, 2008. ISBN: 9780393931747 Readings on Blackboard (see COURSE SCHEDULE). Other Resources: Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) – free access to resources for college writers. The website is: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/. You will be required to consult this resource for rules on MLA documentation and formatting. It also provides valuable refreshers on grammar, style, and punctuation. Blackboard: You are required to print Blackboard readings and bring them to class. We cannot have useful discussions of texts without the texts in front of us. I will not have extra copies of readings assigned on Blackboard. You are required to check Blackboard before every class. Any updates to the syllabus will be posted to Blackboard. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to check Blackboard and keep up with readings and class discussions. Bring ALL daily readings (books & Blackboard print-outs) to class. Check Blackboard for Essay Assignment Sheets and Portfolio Guidelines. Other Requirements: Access to Blackboard, UNCG email, & word-processing software Access to a printer. Please make sure to budget enough money to print Bb readings & drafts for peer editing. I will not accept “my card ran out of money” as an excuse for not having the documents. A spiral notebook for notes, in-class writing assignments, & reading quizzes. A folder or binder to keep all handouts, drafts, and readings. KEEP ALL DRAFTS OF YOUR PAPERS. They are needed for your portfolio. Comb binding with clear cover for final portfolio materials. GRADES Evaluation: Portfolio: 40% Essay Drafts: 30% Short Writing Assignments: 20% Participation and Group Work: 10% Grading Scale: I utilize the full range of grades from A to F (including plusses and minuses), in keeping with university grading policies. Your final course grade will be based on the following components that make up our work for the semester. UNCG defines an A as excellent; a B as good; a C as average; a D as lowest passing grade; and an F as failure. In adherence to this scale, you should understand that a C means you successfully met the requirements of the course, not that you did poorly, which would be indicated by either a D or an F. Likewise, an A or B indicate that you met and exceeded course requirements. Final Portfolio (SLOs 1,2,3,4,5,6): 40% of final course grade The Final Portfolio, due at the end of the semester, is composed of representative pieces of your work this semester. Your portfolio will include a critical rationale essay and revisions of three major writing assignments. All work must be substantially revised over the course of the semester. Keep all drafts of your papers. At minimum, I want to see your first graded draft, the revised peer review draft, and the revised final draft for each paper. When you have all of the components prepared and printed, you will have them bound as a booklet at UNCG Graphics and Printing for a small fee. The Critical Rationale Essay (SLO 6) will be a 6-8 page document that: Assesses how individual pieces of writing as well as the collective contents of the portfolio illustrate the student’s growth as a writer throughout English 101. Explains the stylistic and organizational choices made in the portfolio, i.e., the thoughtful and deliberate arrangement of all portfolio components. Illustrates an awareness of rhetorical choices across contexts and an understanding of course materials. Offers a deep and sustained critical reflection on the writing and revision process that resulted in these polished essays and other writings. Unlike the your other papers, I will not grade the rationale essay separately. Instead, it will serve as an extended analysis of your work this semester, and thus it is a crucial component of the Final Portfolio. Rationale essays do not evaluate the quality or validity of individual assignments or course texts, nor do they assess my capabilities as an instructor. Rather, rationale essays should illustrate how you have met the Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) in English 101. You will submit a draft of the rationale essay for peer review before submitting the final revised essay in the Final Portfolio. Portfolios must include both a rationale essay and evidence of drafting and revision in order to receive a passing grade (D- or above). Students who do not submit a portfolio will automatically receive an F for English 101, regardless of the quality of work otherwise submitted prior to the portfolio. See Blackboard for complete Final Portfolio guidelines. Formal Essays (SLOs 1,2,3,4,5): 30% of final course grade You will regularly turn in formal writing assignments, each of which will receive a grade. Late assignments receive no credit, but you still need to turn them in to receive my feedback. These grades are entirely separate from the Writing Portfolio grade. Each assignment is designed to meet the first five Student Learning Objectives for English 101. Below are brief descriptions of the formal assignments. Each assignment has a corresponding full assignment prompt on Blackboard. Each assignment should be a minimum of five full pages in length, not including Works Cited pages or appendices. Essay 1: Definitive Narrative (5-6 pages, meets SLOs 1,2,3,4,5): A definitive narrative is a very focused form of writing that seeks to define what a word/concept/idea means to you. For this paper, we will be answering the question: What is writing? Using texts we’ve read for class and the rhetorical triangle to build your argument, you’ll construct your own definition of what writing is. Essay 2: Presenting an Argument with a Specific Audience in Mind (6-7 pages, SLOs 1,2,3,4,5): In this essay we will take the rhetorical skills we learned to compose Essay 1 and expand them to create a piece of writing that is more argumentative in tone. We will enter the conversation with a specific audience in mind, using the UNCG website as source material to build our argument addressing a specific issue on campus. Essay 3: Academic Discourse (7-8 pages, SLOs 1,2,3,4,5): This essay, while still employing the rhetorical canons and appeals, will take a more academic approach to research in order to compose an argument that addresses a social issue affecting Americans today. Short Writing Assignments (SLOs 1,2,3,4,5,6): 20% of final course grade The short writing assignments (see COURSE SCHEDULE) for this class give you the practice and support you need to later construct your formal writing assignments. Some short writing assignments are also for reading retention; writing about what you read helps you retain knowledge and be more prepared for classroom activities. Failure to do written homework will not only affect 20 percent of your final grade, it will also put you at a disadvantage when it comes to meeting other requirements for this course. Furthermore, some short writing assignments are mandatory for peer editing sessions. Submissions Guidelines for Written Work: Must be typed in 12-point Times New Roman font or 12-point Cambria font ONLY. Choose one and stick with it. Formatted for 8 ½” x 11” paper with one-inch margins. All papers should be double-spaced. Include your name, ENG 101, your section number, and date in your paper’s heading. Also include page numbers in your paper’s footer. All work must follow MLA style guidelines. (see MLA STYLE). No late work is accepted. See assignment deadlines and parameters on assignment sheets and on the syllabus. On the days we do peer editing (see COURSE SCHEDULE), you are required to bring a hard copy of your paper for yourself and for each person in your peer review group. In addition to affecting your final grade for the assignment, failing to bring paper drafts and review materials to peer workshop also results in an absence for that day. Participation (SLOs 1, 3,4,5,6): 10% of final course grade Much of the learning in this class is discussion-oriented, a result of student interaction with the instructor during lectures and with other students during group activities and peer review. To ensure you receive credit, you need to participate regularly in all discussions and course activities. In order to meet the Student Learning Outcomes, you will need opportunities to practice rhetorical, analytical, and argumentative techniques. Participation in class gives you this necessary practice. Thus in addition to class discussion and peer review assignments, participation includes informal writing activities in the classroom. Participation Rubric: At the last class meeting you will indicate both the appropriate letter grade for your Group Work and Discussion skills in the course and, specifically, where your grade falls along the range of a given letter’s distribution. You will also account briefly for why you feel you deserve this grade, supplying an alternative perspective to mine on the semester’s progress. The criteria are as follows: A B C D F Superior communicative skills; excellent preparation for class discussion; always volunteers; student exemplifies mastery, rigor, and intellectual curiosity regarding course readings and concepts while also introducing relevant independent insights to the discussion; student demonstrates enthusiasm and takes initiative, particularly during group activities. Good communicative skills; solid preparation for class discussion; consistently volunteers; student exemplifies interest and engagement regarding course readings and concepts; student demonstrates positive attitude; makes meaningful contributions during group activities. Adequate communicative skills; fair preparation for class discussion; occasionally volunteers; student exemplifies competence regarding course readings and concepts; student demonstrates an inoffensive, but noncommittal attitude; sporadic contributions during group activities. Limited communicative skills; uneven preparation for class; rarely volunteers; demonstrates indifference or irritation when prompted; inattentive during class; rare contributions during group activities. [Performance may be marked by other flaws: consistent tardiness; disruptive; etc.] Weak communicative skills; little to no preparation for class; little evidence of reading assignments (this can include not buying or printing the course texts or not making up missed material); never volunteers, or doesn’t respond when prompted; demonstrates potential hostility to discussion; irrelevant, distracting, or no contributions to group activities. Plagiarism & Academic Integrity: “Academic integrity is founded upon and encompasses the following five values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. Violations include, for example, cheating, plagiarism, misuse of academic resources, falsification, and facilitating academic dishonesty. If knowledge is to be gained and properly evaluated, it must be pursued under conditions free from dishonesty. Deceit and misrepresentations are incompatible with the fundamental activity of this academic institution and shall not be tolerated” (from UNCG’s Academic Integrity Policy). To ensure that you understand the university’s policy on academic integrity, review the guidelines and list of violations at http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu. I expect you to abide by the Academic Integrity Policy. Sanctions for Violating the Academic Integrity Policy: Suspected violations of the academic integrity policy will be reported to University administration and will be thoroughly investigated, resulting in any (or all) of the following: 1) failure of the assignment, 2) failure of the course, 3) suspension/expulsion from the University, upon recommendation from administration. In my experience, most students who violate the Academic Integrity Policy do it because they’re stressed and very busy, and see this as an “easy out” to being overworked. It’s not worth ending your college career over, so please don’t try it. CLASSROOM POLICIES Attendance: Daily attendance is a requirement for this course. Students are allowed a maximum of three absences without a grade penalty. For every absence beyond those allowed, students will be penalized one-half letter grade. Students who have six absences will fail the course. Excused absences will be considered only with proper documentation (i.e., doctor’s note, police report, etc.) If you plan to miss class because of a conflict that cannot be rearranged (i.e. sports event, jury duty, etc.), you must notify me 48 hours in advance of your absence via email: sykealam@uncg.edu. Be on time to class. Your participation grade will suffer if you are perpetually late. Three late arrivals (defined as coming in after attendance has been taken) will count as an absence toward your total. In addition, it is your responsibility to email a classmate or me about activities, notes, and quizzes you have missed. It is also your responsibility to come prepared to the class that follows your absence. Religious Holidays: You are, by state law, allowed two excused absences due to religious holidays, which do not count toward your total. If you plan to miss class because of religious holidays, you must notify me 48 hours in advance of your absence via email: sykealam@uncg.edu Restroom Breaks: Our class is only 50 minutes. If you are regularly leaving the room, it is a disruption. I request that you use the restroom prior to class, and keep your breaks during class to a minimum of one per class. Frequent classroom exits may affect your final participation grade. See also SPECIAL ACCOMODATIONS. Cell Phones: Turn your phones OFF during class. Even phones on vibrate are disruptive. Your participation grade will suffer if you are receiving calls, texting, or using your phone’s browser during class. If, on any given day, you need access to your phone for an emergency, you must approach me about it prior to the beginning of class. If problems persist after initial warnings, your final grade will be affected. Laptops: Laptops may be used only by students with a special need for purposes of notetaking or other classroom activities. Students with such a need should make specific arrangements with me prior to the second week of class. No student may use a laptop in class without a prior arrangement with the instructor. See SPECIAL ACCOMODATIONS. Respect: Mutual respect is required for this class and for all related interactions with the instructor and other students. This includes but is not limited to: texting (see CELL PHONES policy), speaking while the instructor or another student is talking, and/or using language that is sexist, racist, or homophobic. If I deem any student disrespectful in my class, I reserve the right to ask you to leave the classroom, in which case you will receive an absence. Email Response Policy: I will make every effort to respond to your email message within 48 hours. If I have not replied to your message after 48 hours, please re-send the message. Please also mention your course section in your email. LEARNING SUPPORT Special Accommodations/Disability Services: Students with documentation of special needs should speak to me about accommodations as soon as possible. You must first register with the Office of Disability Services on campus before such accommodations can be made. The office is located on the second floor of the Elliott University Center (EUC) in Suite 215, and the office is open 8am to 5pm, Monday Friday. Telephone: 334-5440; e-mail: ods@uncg.edu. The Writing Center: The purpose of the Writing Center is to enhance the confidence and competence of student writers by providing free, individual assistance at any stage of any writing project. Staff consultants are experienced writers and alert readers, prepared to offer feedback and suggestions on drafts of papers, help students find answers to their questions about writing, and provide one-on-one instruction as needed. Appointments are not necessary; consultations are provided on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please visit the Writing Center as often as you like. Take both your work in progress and all documentation relating to the assignment (prompts, comments of prior drafts, research notes) and plan to stay up to an hour. Located in the Moore Humanities and Research Building, room 3211. www.uncg.edu/eng/writingcenter/ MLA Style You are asked to follow the MLA format for style and citations. The Writing Center and library have helpful links for information about MLA. The UNCG datebook also has a brief overview of MLA style in the back as a handy reference. The Learning Assistance Center: offers free services to the entire UNCG undergraduate community and is located in McIver Hall, rooms 101-104, and 150. For help with study skills, contact Erin Farrior, Academic Skills specialist. Telephone: 334-3878; e-mail: lac@uncg.edu. Student Affairs: If you have a serious illness, family death, or family emergency that is affecting your ability to attend class or complete work in a timely manner, then you should notify your instructors and contact the Student Affairs Office at (336) 334-5514 or at 141 Mossman right away. COURSE SCHEDULE (Subject to change at the instructor’s discretion. Changes will be announced in class and posted to Blackboard.) M 8/22 Week 1 Course introduction, review of syllabus. Assignment: Print syllabus & bring it to class. W 8/24 Readings: F 8/26* Readings: Bb: “The Joy of Reading and Writing,” (Alexie) TSIS: Introduction “Entering the Conversation” Assignment: Write a 1-2 page reflective history of your experiences and comfort levels with reading and writing, both in and outside of school. E-mail to sykealam@uncg.edu by 8 a.m. Wednesday. Bb: ”Shitty First Drafts” (Lamott), “Paragraphs” (Safire) Review MLA style rules at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ Assignment: In a 1-page written response, explain Lamott’s defense of the multi-draft writing process. Print and bring your response to class. *Also bring Techne Rhetorike to class. M 8/29 Week 2 Readings: TR: “Understanding the Rhetorical Appeals” (Dodson), “Reading for the Rhetorical Appeals” (Shook) Bb: “Learning to Read” (Malcolm X) Assignment: Mark in the margins and underline passages in Malcolm X’s essay where you see the rhetorical appeals of ethos, pathos, and logos. Bring your notes to class. W 8/31 Readings: TR: “How the Thesis Guides Effective Writing” Bb: “Reading the History of the World” (Allende) Assignment: How does Allende’s take on reading apply to writing? Write your 2-page response & email to sykealam@uncg.edu by 8 a.m. Assignment: Print Essay 1 Assignment Sheet (on Bb) & bring to class. F 9/2 Readings: TR: “Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting” TSIS: Chapter 2 “The Art of Summarizing” Bb: “On Keeping a Notebook” (Didion) Assignment: Underline or highlight 3 areas in Didion’s essay where you agree or disagree with what she’s saying. Be prepared to use them in class. Week 3 M 9/5 Labor Day. No Class! W 9/7 Readings: F 9/9 Readings: M 9/12 Week 4 DUE: Essay 1 Draft 1. Turn in hard copy at the beginning of class. W 9/14 Readings: Bb: “What is Writing” (King) TSIS: Chapter 5 “Distinguishing What You Say from What They Say” Assignment: In King’s essay, he uses the analogy of telepathy to define writing. What’s an analogy of your own creation that defines writing for you? Write a 1-page explanation of this analogy, email it to sykealam@uncg.edu by 9 a.m., and bring a copy of it to class. Bb: “The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society” (Kozol) TSIS: Chapter 8 “As a Result” Bb: “The Writing Life: Chapter Two” (Dillard) TR: “Revision is Writing” (Mullins) F 9/16 M 9/19 Readings: TR: “Writing the Response Essay” (Bowman) TR: “The Portfolio Process” (Ray) Week 5 Readings: TR: “Beginning and Ending with Power” (Lancaster) Assignment: Bring 4 copies of Essay 1 Draft 1 to class for peer review. W 9/21 Assignment: Read through your peer review group’s essays again and fill out worksheet for each (see Assignments on Blackboard). Bring in all essays and worksheets to class. F 9/23* Assignment: Bring to class all drafts and comments of Essay 1, including the copy with teacher’s comments. Read through your readers’ comments and jot down 3 questions you want your peer review group to help answer for you. *Assignment: Bring Essay 1 Assignment Sheet, Essay Grading Rubric Sheet, and Revision Analysis Assignment Sheet (on Bb) to class. M 9/26* Week 6 DUE: Essay 1 Draft 2. Print and bring your essay to class. *Assignment: Bring Revision Analysis Assignment Sheet to class. W 9/28 Readings: TSIS: “Me Against the Media” (Rockler-Gladen) Assignment: Answer ‘Joining the Conversation’ question #2 (at the end of Gladen’s essay) in a 1-page written response. Email to sykealam@uncg.edu by 9 a.m. F 9/30* Readings: M 10/3 TR: “Developing an Idea of the Audience” (Babb) TSIS: Chapter 9 “Ain’t So/Is Not” *Assignment: Bring Assignment Sheet for Essay 2 to class. Week 7 Readings: TR: “The Canons of Rhetoric as Phases of Composition” (Dodson) Assignment: Which of the canons do you find the most effective for creating an argument? Write a 2-page response using Dodson’s material. E-mail to sykealam@uncg.edu by 9 a.m. W 10/5 Readings: TSIS: Chapter 4 “Yes/No/Okay, But” TSIS: “Watching TV Makes You Smarter” (Johnson) TSIS: “Thinking Outside the Idiot Box” (Stevens) F 10/7 Readings: Bb: “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (M.L. King, Jr.) Assignment: Answer 3 questions off worksheet for King’s essay (see Blackboard Assignments). Bring worksheet to class. Week 8 M 10/10 Fall Break. No Class! W 10/12 DUE: Essay 2 Draft 1. E-mail to sykealam@uncg.edu by 8 a.m. Assignment: Bring 4 copies of Essay 2 Draft 1 to class for peer review. F 10/14 Assignment: E-mail peer review response letters to group members and CC: sykealam@uncg.edu by 8 a.m. Bring all essay drafts (yours and theirs) back to class. Assignment: Sign-up for a conference appointment on Blackboard before 5 p.m. M 10/17 Week 9 Conferences by appointment* *Readings: TR: “Conferencing Rhetorically” (Meriwether) *Assignment: Bring 3 specific questions to your conferencing session. W 10/19 Conferences by appointment* *Readings: TR: “Conferencing Rhetorically” (Meriwether) *Assignment: Bring 3 specific questions to your conferencing session. F 10/21 Conferences by appointment* *Readings: TR: “Conferencing Rhetorically” (Meriwether) *Assignment: Bring 3 specific questions to your conferencing session. M 10/24 Week 10 DUE: Essay 2 Draft 2 and Revision Analysis of Essay 2. Email both to sykealam@uncg.edu by 5 p.m. W 10/26 Readings: TSIS: Chapter 7 “So What? Who Cares?” Assignment: Bring Essay 3 Assignment Sheet to class. F 10/28 Readings: M 10/31 TR: “Finding a Conversation to Find Research” (Wooten) Assignment: Think about what topic you want to write about for Essay 3. Brainstorm a list of 5 terms or phrases that relate to that topic. Bring your list to the library. Room location TBA. Readings: Week 11 Bb: “How to Say Nothing in 500 Words” (Roberts) TR: “Researching Rhetorically” (Benson & Lyda) W 11/2 Reading: Bb: “The Ethics of Compassion” (Jacobus) Assignment: Answer 3 questions off worksheet about the Dalai Lama’s rhetoric (see Blackboard Assignments). Bring worksheet to class. F 11/4 Reading: M 11/7 Readings: W 11/9 Readings: F 11/11 Readings: M 11/14 Week 13 DUE: Essay 3 Draft 1. Email sykealam@uncg.edu by 9 a.m. and bring 4 copies to class for peer review. TR: “The Writing Center: Where Writers Meet” (Benson) DUE: Writing Center Analysis (2 pages). Email to sykealam@uncg.edu by 5 p.m. Week 12 TR: “The Genre of Academic Discourse” (Morehead) TSIS: “Confronting Inequality” (Krugman) TR: “Asking Questions to Find a Starting Point” (Leuschen) Assignment: Write a 1-paragraph description of what you want to cover in Essay 3 and bring it to class. TSIS: Chapter 10 “In Other Words” TSIS: “Are We Losing Our Edge?” (Lemonick) W 11/16 Assignment: E-mail peer review response letters to group members and CC: sykealam@uncg.edu by 8 a.m. Bring all essay 3 drafts (yours and theirs) back to class. F 11/18 Readings: TSIS: Chapter 6 “Skeptics May Object” Assignment: Bring all essay 3 drafts back to class. M 11/21* Week 14 DUE: Essay 3 Draft 2 and Revision Analysis of Essay 3. Email to sykealam@uncg.edu by 9 a.m. *Assignment: Bring Critical Rational Essay Assignment Sheet and Portfolio Guidelines Sheet to class. W 11/23 Thanksgiving Break. No Class! F 11/25 Thanksgiving Break. No Class! M 11/28 Week 15 DUE: Critical Rational Essay Draft 1. Assignment: Bring 4 copies of Critical Rational Essay draft to class for peer review. Also bring Critical Rational Essay Assignment Sheet. W 11/30 Assignment: Bring TR to class, along with Portfolio Guidelines Sheet. F 12/2 Assignment: Bring all portfolio materials to class for peer review. (See Portfolio Checklist on Bb.) Also bring Portfolio Guidelines Sheet. M 12/5 Week 16 DUE: Portfolios due at the beginning of class. Assignment: Review Participation Rubric section of syllabus. Exam Day Pick up portfolios, and be on your way to holiday break! Exam Date: Friday, December 9 12:00 noon–3:00 pm