Course: WRIT 102 Term: Spring 2014 Office Hours: Instructor: e-mail: Office: Sections: Course Description: WRIT 102 (Writing 102) is a theme-based, first-year writing course designed to build on writing skills learned in WRIT 100/101 and develop critical thinking and research skills appropriate for use in academic writing. The course pays special attention to developing argumentative skills, analyzing texts, and synthesizing information into thoughtful, coherent essays and projects. Students enrolled in WRIT 102 will produce papers that are longer and more in-depth than in WRIT 100/101. The course culminates in a final electronic portfolio of the student’s work. Course Outcomes: The objectives of this course are (1) to develop basic writing skills learned in WRIT 100/101, including the understanding that writing is a process that develops over time through revision (2) to write for specific purposes and for specific audiences, (3) to respond critically to different points of view, allowing the student to create effective and sustainable arguments, (4) to become skilled at locating primary and secondary research from a variety of sources and at evaluating their reliability, and (5) to become effective researchers and writers of research papers as a member of an active writing, reading, and researching community. [SELECT WHICH THEME YOU ARE TEACHING] Course Theme: Business. How many economic decisions have you made today? From what you had for breakfast to what you decided to wear to class, your choices have been influenced by businesses, both local and global. But there may be some issues of which you are many not even be aware. In this class we will explore a variety of questions related to business, including, but not limited to: is Wal-Mart good for America? Should corporations have the same legal rights as that of an individual person? Is out-sourcing jobs a good idea? What ethical obligations does a business have to the environment? to our health? to the nation? Required Texts Money, Ed. Kenneth M. Gillam, Fountainhead Press, 2011 Handouts and readings on reserve/online. A Writer’s Reference, 7th Edition (Please buy the Ole Miss custom edition from the Ole Miss Bookstore.) Diana Hacker and Nancy Sommers ; Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-4576-0413-3 Course Theme: Environment. What is the meaning of ecology and nature? What counts as an environment? How do current issues about our environment affect our daily lives? How do we begin to connect with and investigate the real issues of impacting local ecologies and environments? We will read and analyze a variety of genres—literary, social commentary, cultural analyses, theory, and philosophy that relate to our theme. Required Texts Four Fish, Paul Greenberg. The Penguin Press. Literature and the Environment, Eds. Lorraine Anderson, Scott Slovic, and John P. O’Grady. Longman, 1999. A Writer’s Reference, 7th Edition (Please buy the Ole Miss custom edition from the Ole Miss Bookstore.) Diana Hacker and Nancy Sommers; Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-4576-0413-3 Course Theme: Food. This WRIT 102 class looks at writings and arguments about food in the United States. From the beginnings of food--planting, growing, feeding, and raising; to the sale of food--harvesting, vending, and herding; to the effects that food have on those who eat it-environmental, governmental, health, and economical impacts--we will discuss the importance and impact of food in the lives of 20th and 21st century Americans. In discussing the world of food, students will contribute critical evaluations and ambitious arguments to the already ongoing conversations. Required Texts Four Fish, Paul Greenberg. The Penguin Press. Food. Eds. Brooke Rollins and Lee Bauknight. Fountainhead, 2011. Handouts and readings on reserve/online. A Writer’s Reference, 7th Edition (Please buy the Ole Miss custom edition from the Ole Miss Bookstore.) Diana Hacker and Nancy Sommers; Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-4576-0413-3 Course Theme: Literature as Argument. In this section of WRIT 102, we will approach literature as an argument that constructs, deconstructs, presents, discusses, and questions a specific place, time, and/or culture. In our textbook, Literature and the Writing Process, we will read a variety of literary genres -- fiction, poetry, and drama. At first, we will become skilled at reading literature critically and at constructing our own arguments about what the literature is telling us; then, we will learn how to integrate and respond to what other scholarly secondary sources argue. Required Texts Literature and the Writing Process. 9th Edition. Eds. Elizabeth McMahan, et al. Longman, 2011. A Writer’s Reference, 7th Edition (Please buy the Ole Miss custom edition from the Ole Miss Bookstore.) Diana Hacker and Nancy Sommers; Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-4576-0413-3 Course Theme: Pop Culture. Films, music, television, advertising—in our daily lives we our surrounded by and inundated with a constant stream of information. But how often do we stop to ask ourselves what it all means? In this theme of WRIT 102 we will turn a critical eye on popular culture to examine the various ways in which we influence and are influenced by pop culture. Some questions we will attempt to answer are: “how are we affected by advertising?” “What can we learn from television, film, and music?” and “what are the roles of race and gender in popular culture?” Students should come into this course prepared to examine critically and thoroughly a variety of a mediums and sources that are often disregarded or taken for granted. Required Texts Signs of Life in the USA: Readings on Popular Culture for Writers. 7th Edition. Eds. Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon; Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012. A Writer’s Reference, 7th Edition (Please buy the Ole Miss custom edition from the Ole Miss Bookstore.) Diana Hacker and Nancy Sommers; Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-4576-0413-3 [ALL THEMED COURSES WILL INCLUDE THE BELOW INFORMATION] Required Materials wi-fi enabled laptop, notebook, pens, pencils [There is room to move some of these percentages up or down but the ePortfolio should be at least 20% (preferably 25%), and not less than the Research Paper). Major Assignments and Grade Weighting 1. Analysis Essay (10%) 2. In-class Essay (5%) 3. Synthesis Essay (15%) 4. Research Paper (20%) 5. Multimodal Project (15%) 6. Electronic Portfolio (25%) 7. Homework/Class Participation (10 %) Grading Scale A AB+ B BC+ C CD F 93-100% 90-92% 87-89% 83-86% 80-82% 77-79% 73-76% 70-72% 65-69% 64-below Attendance Policy Students are expected to attend all class meetings. Improving writing skills takes time and is a process unlike learning content alone. In acknowledgment of the fact that students may experience some circumstances which prevent complete attendance, the following policy is in effect: MWF Courses 5 absences: final course grade lowered by 1 letter grade 6 absences: final course grade lowered by 2 letter grades 7 absences: final course grade lowered by 3 letter grades 8 absences: failure T/Th Courses 4 absences: final course grade lowered by 1 letter grade 5 absences: final course grade lowered by 2 letter grades 6 absences: final course grade lowered by 3 letter grades 7 absences: failure There is no distinction between excused and unexcused absences. Scholarship Clause If a student is attending UM with a scholarship requiring course absences (e.g, athletics, band), the following exception applies: students will not be penalized for required absences alone, as long as the student presents to the instructor by the end of the course drop/add period an official letter from the scholarship-issuing program declaring the required absences for the entire semester. If a scholarship student accrues absences beyond those designated by the letter, he or she will incur the penalty listed above. (For example: A scholarship student who documents a requirement to miss 5 T/Th course meetings for a scholarship and is absent 5 times will suffer no penalty; a student who documents a requirement to miss 5 T/Th course meetings for a scholarship and is absent 6 times will have the final course grade lowered by three letter grades). Students who miss 8 MWF or 7 T/Th classes for any reason will fail the course regardless of scholarships, and students who plan to miss 10% of the course should enroll in the course during another semester. Students whose scholarship-issuing programs cannot produce such a letter, or determine a schedule in advance, should take the course during another semester. Letters cannot be amended. Students suffering traumatic hardships (hospitalization, emergency service, etc.) should promptly consult section VI of the M-Book for procedures on contacting the Dean of Students. If a student is absent from a class, then he or she must seek permission from the course instructor as to whether or not the missed work can be submitted for a grade. In general, students who notify an instructor of an absence in advance will be afforded the ability to submit their coursework. Late Work Policy DEFINED BY INSTRUCTOR Tardiness Policy DEFINED BY INSTRUCTOR, BUT TARDIES SHOULD NOT BE CONFLATED WITH ABSENCES Communication The official communication channel for this course is the University of Mississippi Webmail system, accessed through olemiss.edu. Check Webmail and Blackboard each day. Academic Honesty All work that you submit under your name for credit at UM is assumed to be your original work for this class. While teachers hope and expect for you to incorporate the thinking of others in your work, you must credit others’ work when you rely upon it. In your written assignments, there are only three methods for properly importing the work of others: quotation, paraphrase, and summary (see pp. 376379, 448-451, and 502-504 in A Writer’s Reference). The penalty for plagiarism in Writing 100, 101, 102, or LIBA 102 is failure of the course. Additional penalties are possible. Upon determining plagiarism, the instructor will notify the student and the Director of the Center for Writing and Rhetoric in writing. Students may appeal this finding and/or penalty by notifying the UM Academic Discipline Committee within 14 days of the instructor’s decision. The applicable full UM policy is ACA.AR.600.001 and should be consulted by any student concerned with plagiarism. Broadly speaking, plagiarism is completely avoidable: if you are ever uncertain whether or not you are committing plagiarism, ask your instructor. Classroom Decorum DEFINED BY INSTRUCTOR [Here is an example of a policy:] The classroom is a place of learning; others are paying to be here too. Please make sure not to distract others from learning and to respect the opinions of others. From time to time we will review each other’s writing, either in peer review sessions or by work shopping an essay. Please follow the guideline of being a “critical friend” in reviewing your classmates’ work. Students who cannot adhere to these behavioral expectations are subject to discipline in accordance with the procedures described in the M Book. Laptop and Internet Use Policies DEFINED BY INSTRUCTOR Cell Phone Policy DEFINED BY INSTRUCTOR Students with Disabilities If you have a documented disability as described by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 933112 Section 504) or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and would like to request academic and/or physical accommodations please contact Student Disability Services at 234 Martindale Center, 662-915-7128. Course requirements will not be waived but reasonable accommodations may be provided as appropriate. Please consult http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/sds/ for more information on student disability services. University Writing Center Aside from one-on-one meetings with teachers during office hours, the best way to improve your writing is to work with writing consultants at one of the University’s Writing Centers. On the Oxford campus, the writing center is on the 3rd floor of the J.D. Williams Library. Writing consultants will work with any student writer working on any project in any discipline. To learn more about Writing Center locations, hours, scheduling, and services, please go to http://cwr.olemiss.edu/writing-centers/ Changes All information in this syllabus is subject to change at any time, especially during the first weeks of the semester. I will announce changes to our schedule during class time and also via BlackBoard. You are responsible for changes to the schedule as they arise, regardless of whether or not you attend class. Course Calendar DEFINED BY INSTRUCTOR, INCORPORATING THE FOLLOWING TIME COMMITMENTS WITH SUGGESTED DUE DATES Analysis paper (2 weeks): Friday, January 31 Synthesis paper (2 weeks): Monday, February 17 Research paper and in-class essay (4 weeks): Research Proposal: Monday, March 3 In-class essay: Wednesday, March 5 Annotated Bibliography: Wednesday, March 19 Rough Draft/Peer Review: Wednesday, March 26 Conferencing with students: During the Week of March 31 Final Draft due: Wednesday, April 9 Multimodal (2 weeks): Monday, April 21 ePortfolio (several days throughout the semester and two dedicated weeks at the end) Friday, May 2