English 101 [CO1]
Summer 2009
English 101: Composition I
Summer 2009
05:30 to 08:15 PM, Monday/Wednesday
Reynolds Building, Room 113
Instructor: C. L. McGranaghan1
Office Hours: 4 to 5 PM, Monday & Wednesday, WNC Library
Mailbox: TBA
Phone Messages: 775-445-4406
Email: mcgranag@wnc.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
In English 101, students study expository and argumentative writing. They practice
writing essays that are purposeful, unified, coherent, thorough, and convincing. In
addition, students learn the investigative, reasoning, and organizational skills necessary
to create effective research papers.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of English 101, students should be able to do the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Approach expository writing as a process.
Recognize and demonstrate the qualities of effective thesis-based writing.
Write to an audience of writers [classmates, the instructor].
Recognize and demonstrate persuasive argument.
Document essays using MLA’s style & format.
Required texts & writing materials:
Cohen, Samuel 50 Essays, a Portable Anthology [2nd edition],
Bedford/St. Martins, Boston 2007 [ISBN: 0-312-44698-5]
Lunsford, Andrea A. Easy Writer, A Pocket Reference [3rd edition],
Bedford/St. Martins, Boston, 2006 [ISBN 0-312-44874-0]
Runciman, Lex and Lengel, Carolyn Easy Writer Exercises [3rd edition],
Bedford/St, Martins, Boston, 2006 [ISBN 0-312-44876-7]
A 100-page spiral-bound & college-ruled writing journal
Course Content:
The course is structured on rhetorical writing principles, including appropriate style and
usage. Although a working knowledge of English grammar is a prerequisite for the
course, its rhetorical and logical emphasis necessitates grammatical reviews for both
1
Mr. McGranaghan, a writer and editor, has given courses at Western Nevada College since 1986.
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English 101 [CO1]
Summer 2009
sentence and paragraph structure. English 101 is not a first course in writing; students
who qualify for it already know how to structure a thesis sentence and how to support it
with relevant, specific details arranged in a logical pattern. During this course, students
will continue to develop critical thinking abilities and to enhance their writing skills.
Academic Writing:
Academic writing is best described as expository writing, writing that explains and/or
argues. Its objectivity requires writing in the 3rd person; its subjectivity permits writing in
the 1st person. It very seldom permits the use of the 2nd person [you, your, etc.], and it
discourages the use of contractions [won’t, aren’t, etc.].
The Writing Journal [1st 50 pages]:
Prior to each class meeting, you are required to write a ‘free writing’ entry [150 to
200 words] in a spiral-bound writing journal. The instructor will not assign topics for
you; you must choose your own topics. The entries, however, should not be just about
anything. Neither the instructor nor your classmates will count words, but he and they
will be reading what you have written as representative of what you have been thinking.
Therefore, the content of writing journal entries should be snippets of thought pulled
from daily life. What is it that you think about? Whatever it is, that is what your instructor
and your classmates want to read. Write about what happened to you today, or
yesterday, or five years ago; write about what you have thought or reflected. People,
relationships, friends, family, problems, sports, local or national news, economic
concerns – all are grist for your writing mill. Since they are published [read aloud by
classmates], entries must be written in blue or black ink, must be double-spaced, and
must be readable. The writing journals are evaluated during the 7 th and 15th class
meetings.
The Writing Journal [2nd 50 pages]:
Responses to course reading assignments: The 50 Essays text contains both
essays that are assigned for discussion during class meetings and essays that are
assigned for reading & response only. Whether read for class discussion or for assigned
reading, each essay requires an entry in the second section of the writing journal. Such
entries should include the author’s full name, the title of the essay, and a summary
paragraph that includes the essay’s thesis [main point], its ideas, and your reactions to
both. Since such entries are published [read aloud by classmates], they must be written
in blue or black ink, be double-spaced, and be readable. The writing journals are
evaluated during the 7th and 15th class meetings.
Course Communication:
The instructor communicates with students via email. Each student is required to
activate her/his WNC email address [assigned with course registration] and to have
emails forwarded to her/his home email address. Students who do not have an online
computer at home must retrieve course messages via a WNC Library computer.
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English 101 [CO1]
Summer 2009
Make-up:
Although the general rule is that there is no make-up for missed class meetings or the
activities related to such class meetings, a student may make-up one missed class
meeting with the recitation from memory of two short poems. The poems assigned for
the summer semester are Away, Away! [Robert Frost] and Breathes There A Man [Sir
Walter Scott]. Both poems are available via Internet research in the WNC Library. There
is no make-up for course-required essay assignments, the course-required documented
research paper assignment, or the course-required final examination.
Late Assignments: All assignments are due on time, during the first ten minutes of the
due date class meeting. Late assignments are graded @ 50% of value. For example, if
an assignment earns a grade of 80 points, the late penalty would be 40 points, reducing
the grade to 40 points. Late assignments are not accepted after week #7.
Extra Credit Assignment: One 50-point extra credit 1200-word documented essay
assignment is available. The topic: The Greening of Rural Nevada.
The instructor does not accept assignments submitted via the Internet [attached to
emails, etc.] or assignments placed in his campus mailbox.
Other Stuff: The use of cell phones, pagers, earphones, and other electronic devices
are absolutely prohibited during class meetings.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: If you have a disability for which you will need to
request accommodations, please contact Ms. Susan Trist at the Disability Support
Services [DSS] office [Bristlecone Building, Room 103, phone number 445-3275] as
soon as possible to arrange for appropriate accommodations.
Summer Library Hours: Monday & Tuesday: 8 AM to 7 PM
Wednesday to Friday: 8 AM to 5 PM
Weekends: closed.
Plagiarism: The MLA Style Manual states that the origin of the word “plagiarism” is the
Latin for "kidnapper." The plagiarist copies another writer's sentences, phrases, words,
ideas, or organization and presents the same as her/his own. When the plagiarist uses
the copied material, she/he knows that the work is not her/his own. Plagiarized material
includes sentences and/or paragraphs copied from un-authored Internet sites. For the
plagiarist the use of the copied material is intentional. Some cases of plagiarism,
however, result from careless documentation. Unfortunately, the instructor who finds the
plagiarism, not knowing the writer's intent, can only assume the plagiarism is intentional.
Intentional or unintentional, plagiarism found in any course writing assignment will result
in course failure.
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English 101 [CO1]
Summer 2009
Evaluation: Course Evaluation is based on 1000 points.
Presence & Participation in class meetings = 200 points
Writing Journal ‘free writing’ entries = 100 points
Writing Journal assigned reading response entries = 100 points
Required essay assignments = 300 points
Required documented research paper = 200 points
Extra Credit assignment = 50 points
Final examination2 = 100 points
GRADE
POINTS
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
960-999
920-959
880-919
840-879
800-839
760-799
720-759
680-719
640-679
600-639
560-599
000-559
The schedule below may be adjusted to meets the needs of the class. After the initial
class meeting, students are required to read & prepare assignments prior to class
meetings.
Week #1
1st class meeting [Monday, June 8th]
Course description & reading of the syllabus
Examination of course texts
Easy Writer, pages 1 to 10 [Find it. Fix it.]
Easy Writer, pages 12 to 19 [Writing]
Paragraph assignment [report on biographical interview]
Essay: Didion, On Keeping a Notebook, page 131
Guidelines for reading aloud in class
2
Although course texts may not be used during the final examination, the student may use her/his writing journal.
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English 101 [CO1]
Summer 2009
2nd class meeting [Wednesday, June 10th]
Narration Essays
Read in advance for class meeting discussions
Enter writing journal notes for each essay
Angelou, Graduation, page 16
Hughes, Salvation, page 203
Orwell, Shooting an Elephant, page 302
Momaday, The Way to Rainy Mountain, page 291
Sedaris, Me Talk Pretty One Day, page 378
In-class writing assignments for documented research paper
Week #2
3rd class meeting [Monday, June 15th]
[Email change memo to class on 6/15/2009]
WNC Library from 5:30 to 6:30 PM
Learn how to use the subscription databases via one’s home
computer & [as time permits] do some research for paper.
1000-word Narration Essay [Essay #1] Due
Handwritten 1st edited draft [1000 words, 15 points]
Typewritten final draft [1000 words, 60 points]
Easy Writer, pages 20 to 31 [Making an Argument]
Easy Writer Exercises3, pages 5 to 6 [2.1 to 2.2]
Easy Writer, pages 58 to 65 [verbs]
Easy Writer Exercises, pages 7 to 14 [7.1 to 7.8]
4th class meeting [Wednesday, June 17th]
Description Essays
Read in advance for class meeting discussions
Enter writing journal notes for each essay
White, Once More to the Lake, page 450
Vowell, Shooting Dad, page 433
Hurston, How It Feels To Be Colored Me, page 206
Ehrenreich, Serving in Florida, page 15
Carter, The Insufficiency of Honesty, page 104
Easy Writer, pages 65 to 70 [subject-verb agreement]
Easy Writer Exercises, pages 14 to 16 [8.1 to 8.2]
Week #3
5th class meeting [Monday, June 22nd]
3
All the Easy Writer Exercises may be done in pencil.
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English 101 [CO1]
Summer 2009
WNC Library [5:30 to 6:30 PM, research paper source cards]
Classroom [6:30 to 8:15 PM]
1000-word Description Essay [Essay #2] due
Handwritten 1st edited draft [1000 words, 15 points]
Typewritten final draft [1000 words, 60 points]
Easy Writer, pages 76 to 81 [pronouns]
Easy Writer Exercises, pages 24 to 32 [11.1 to 11.9]
6th class meeting [Wednesday, June 24th]
Process Analysis
Read in advance for class meeting discussions
Enter writing journal notes for each essay
Alexie, Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me, page 11
Bryson, How You Became You, page 93
Malcolm X, Learning to Read, page 281
Essays assigned for reading and making journal entries
Eighner, On Dumpster Diving, page 161
Gould, Women’s Brains, page 184
Easy Writer, pages 71 to 76 [modifiers]
Easy Wrier Exercises, pages 17 to 23 [9.1 to 10.3]
Week # 4
7th class meeting [Monday, June 29th]
WNC Library [5:30 to 6:30 PM, RP source cards & drafting]
Classroom [6:30 to 8:15 PM]
Writing Journal Evaluation
Easy Writer, pages 82 to 86 [sentence problems]
Easy Writer Exercises, pages 32 to 37 [11.9 to 13.1]
8th class meeting [Wednesday, July 1st]
Classroom, 5:30 to 6:30 PM
Mid-semester examination [based on writing journal assignments]
Classroom, 6:30 to 8:15 PM
1000-word Process Analysis [Essay #3] Due
Handwritten 1st edited draft [1000 words, 15 points]
Typewritten final draft [1000 words, 60 points]
Easy Writer, pages 88 to 94 [sentence style]
Easy Writer Exercises, pages 40 to 53 [14.1 to 18.4]
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English 101 [CO1]
Summer 2009
Week #5
9th class meeting [Monday, July 6th]
Classroom [5:30 – 7:00 PM]
Complete 1st draft of research paper due
Peer Review of RP drafts
Classroom [7:00 – 8:15 PM]
Easy Writer, pages 94 to 100 [sentence style]
Easy Writer Exercises, pages 40 to 53 [14.1 to 18.4]
10th class meeting [Wednesday, July 8th]
Argument
Read in advance for class meeting discussions
Enter writing journal notes for each essay
Swift, A Modest Proposal, page 408
King, Letter from Birmingham Jail, page 220
Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence, page 211
Essays assigned for reading and making journal entries
Hearne, What’s Wrong with Animal Rights? page 192
Singer, Animal Liberation, page 384
Bordo, Never Just Pictures, page 85
Pfeifer, Devastating Beauty, page 28 [in Easy Writer text]
Week # 6
11th class meeting [Monday, July 13th]
Classroom [5:30 to 7:00 PM]
Final draft of research paper due
Flash-drive transfers to all-paper document
Peer review of RP final drafts
Classroom [7:00 to 8:15 PM]
12th class meeting [Wednesday, July 15th]
1000-word Argument essay [Essay #4] due
Handwritten 1st edited draft [1000 words, 15 points]
Typewritten final draft [1000 words, 60 points]
Round-robin reading of essays #2 [description] & #4 [argument]
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English 101 [CO1]
Summer 2009
Week #7
13th class meeting [Monday, July 20th]
Ethics
Read in advance for class meeting discussions
Enter writing journal notes for each essay
Ascher, On Compassion, page 56
Ericsson, The Ways We Lie, page 174
Plato, Crito, page 310
Buckley, Why Don’t We Complain? Page 97
Mairs, On Being a Cripple, page 267
Easy Writer, pages 155 to 166 [sentence structure]
Easy Writer Exercises, pages 96 to 104 [35.1 to 37.1]
14th class meeting [Wednesday, July 22nd]
Return of graded research papers
Week #8
15th class meeting [Monday, July 27th]
Course Evaluation
Writing Journal Evaluation
16th class meeting [Wednesday, July 29th]
Final Examination
The use of course texts is not permitted.
The use of the writing journal is permitted.
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