UNIV 1117
Basic Composition for Multilingual Writers
Fall 2015
Instructor: Lavon Smith
Office: 206 Milledge Hall
Email address: lsmith@uga.edu
Office hours: To be announced
Days and time of class: Tues. & Thurs., 3:30-4:45
Classroom: MLC 274
Withdrawal Deadline: Thursday, October 22
Last day of class: Tues., Dec. 8
Holidays: Mon., Sept. 7 (Labor Day); Fri., Oct. 30 (Fall Break); M-F, Nov. 23-27 (Thanksgiving)
Course description and objectives
The course is designed for undergraduate students whose first language is not English and
who need or want to improve their grammar and written English. Course work will include
daily grammar (text) and/or writing skills assignments (handouts), 3-4 grammar tests,
occasional reading assignments, short paragraph assignments, 3-4 writing skills tests,
and 3-4 (1½ - 3 pages) essays.
By the end of the course, you should
•
know how to structure a typical American-style academic essay, which asserts a
thesis and supports it with logical reasoning, evidence, and examples;
•
be able to write essays that are coherent and well organized, with well developed,
logically sequenced paragraphs;
•
be able to write in an academic style rather than in an informal style; and
•
be able to find and correct major errors (such as verb errors, word-form errors,
wrong word uses, sentence-structure errors, and so forth) as well as careless errors
(typos, spelling errors, formatting errors, and so on) when editing your essays.
Textbook
Understanding and Using English Grammar, by Betty Azar, 4th ed., with Answer Key
(required)
NOTE: The grammar book may be purchased at the main campus bookstore, at one of the
off-campus bookstores on Baxter Street, or online at amazon.com. You may be able to find
used copies of the books (which sell at a reduced cost) if you prefer.
Course requirements and policies
•
Please try to arrive at class on time and to attend every class. Although you may
have up to four unexcused absences, you will need to provide an excuse to make
up a missed test or assignment. If you are absent on the day an essay is due, you
must submit (by email) the essay by 5:00 p.m. that day. If you are unable to
attend a class—especially if there is an exam that day or if there is an essay to
be submitted—email me before the class to let me know.
•
You must purchase the grammar textbook (no book sharing) and bring it to every
class.
•
Laptop computers must be closed except when you are working on a paper in class.
Please do not use your laptop for personal or entertainment purposes during class.
•
All other electronic devices, such as cell phones, iPhones, iPods, blackberries,
headphones, and so forth, must be turned off or silenced and kept out of sight during
class.
Class format
During some classes, we will focus mostly on grammar (textbook) and/or writing skills
(handouts). During other classes, we may focus mostly on compositions, including giving
each other feedback on drafts, revising drafts, and editing final drafts. There may also be
classes during which we will spend time on both grammar and writing.
Breakdown of grades
Your final grade for the course will be calculated as follows:
Attendance and preparedness for class:
20%
(includes attendance, being on time for class,
completion of homework, and participation)
Average of grammar test grades:
25%
Average of essay grades:
30%
Average of academic style & writing skills test grades:
25%
Explanation of homework and preparedness
Most grammar homework will be done in the book; you will not turn it in to me.
Preparedness for class also includes arriving at class on time, bringing the indicated
number of hard copies of drafts to class (i.e., the number I instruct you to bring each time a
draft is due), participating diligently in draft-exchange feedback and in group exercises, and
staying focused on work during class.
Late drafts of essays are not normally accepted (if you are absent the day a draft is due,
send it to me in an email attachment by 5:00 that day).
Tests
Grammar tests may follow each unit (of the text) completed or may combine more than one
unit if appropriate. (The decision about what to include on each grammar test will be
determined as we work through the book.)
Writing skills tests will be based on activities done in class or for homework. Handouts on
writing skills will generally be provided. Please bring these handouts to each class.
Essays
All drafts (not just final drafts) that you bring to class and turn in must be typed (not
handwritten) in a size 12 font, double-spaced, with one- to one-and-a-half-inch margins on
the left and right sides. Ideally, your paper should be stapled or held together with a paper
clip, and page numbers should be included. For your final draft (the one you turn in for a
grade), you must have a title (center the title approximately one inch from the top of the
page, and capitalize the first letter of the first word and all the other words except articles,
prepositions, and conjunctions). Also, you must type your name, the date the essay is due,
and the number of the essay (Essay 1, Essay 2, or Essay 3) in the upper right corner of the
first page. In grading your essays, I consider the essay’s development, organization,
coherence, grammar, word choice, punctuation, spelling, and format. I also evaluate the
essay in terms of academic style and acquisition of the writing skills we cover.
Numerical and letter grade equivalents
90 - 100
A
80 - 89
B
70 - 79
C
60 - 69
D
< 60
F
University’s statement on academic honesty
All academic work must meet the standards contained in “A Culture of Honesty.” Students
are responsible for informing themselves about those standards before performing any
academic work. The link to more detailed information about academic honesty can be
found at this site: https://ovpi.uga.edu/academic-honesty/academic-honesty-policy.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism—the unacknowledged use of another’s writing or another’s ideas—is a serious
offense. Plagiarism includes copying part or all of a document written by someone else
(this includes internet sources), quoting or paraphrasing from another person’s work and
not acknowledging that source, having someone else write your paper for you, and having
someone else edit your paper for you. Though not literally plagiarism, turning in a paper
that you wrote for another course is not allowed in this course. If you are unsure about
how to acknowledge and document outside sources, please ask me for help. Penalties for a
conviction of plagiarism may include receiving an F for a course and even expulsion from
the University.
Caveat and diagnostic “test”
This course description is a tentative plan for the course. Deviations may be necessary and
will be announced. A diagnostic “test” will (probably) be given on the second or third day
of class to help me determine how to best use our textbook and to provide a sample of your
writing.