O’Berry
Framingham State University
Fall 2011
Introduction to College Writing
FALL 2011 ENGLISH I ENGL100-006
Mondays/Wednesdays, 2:30 p.m.-4:20 p.m.
Whittemore Library UM 01
Instructor name: Shanna O’Berry
Office location: Whittemore Library 22
Office hours: Mondays 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Email address: [temporary shanna.oberry001@umb.edu]
Credits/Hours: 4 credits
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
An introduction to the writing of short essays typically required in the College’s General
Education program. Course work emphasizes the development of thesis statements, organizing
support information, summarizing, paraphrasing, quoting, and citing sources.
Editing and revising, including a review of grammar, mechanics, and usage are major features of the
course. A reading module reinforces critical thinking and analytical reasoning. Note: Credit is given
for this course only if taken before ENGL 110 Expository Writing.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK(s):
∙ Hacker, Diana. A Pocket Style Guide Manual. 5th edition. Boston: Bedford St. Martin’s, 2009.
ISBN-10: 031266480X
ISBN-13: 978-0312664800
∙ All other necessary materials will be distributed in class and/or posted on Blackboard.
RECOMMENDED LEARNING MATERIALS:
Purdue Owl Online Writing Center: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the completion of this course, the student will understand that:
1. Writing is a recursive and collaborative process and that good writing often requires multiple
drafts.
2. College-level reading is an active and critical process, and that critical reading requires attention
to both what an author says and how an author says it.
3. College-level essays require both structure and development.
4. College-level paragraphs require both structure and development and are the building blocks of
essays.
5. College-level academic writing adheres to certain conventions.
INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGIES:
Learning outcomes for the course will be achieved through a variety of in-class workshops, group
work, guided peer review, written reflections, independent and collaborative writing and reading
assignments, analysis of sample student and academic essays, and revision exercises.
O’Berry
Framingham State University
Fall 2011
CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE:
A few classroom rules should be adhered to in order to maintain a respectful, productive learning
environment:
1.) Cells phones should remain off and out of sight for the duration of class.
2.) Side conversations, talking out of turn, and other disruptions will not be tolerated.
3.) Tolerance and respect for others’ comments and work is expected at all times during class.
If you regularly disrupt the discussion or to fail to abide by the above rules, you will be asked to
leave class and will not receive credit for the day.
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Attending class and arriving on time is crucial to your success in this course. If you miss class, it is
your responsibility to find out what you have missed. Because the nature of this course is
collaborative and interactive, you may not miss more than 6 class periods and receive a passing
grade. Missing more than 3 classes will negatively affect your grade. Should you accumulate four
absences by the withdrawal deadline, you will be advised to withdraw from the course. Additionally,
excessive or frequent tardiness (2 or more tardies) will negatively impact your participation grade.
PARTICIPATION:
The success of this course is dependent upon your participation. You must come to each class
prepared to actively and respectfully contribute to small group work, class discussions, and
individual activities. To be fully prepared to engage in discussion means having carefully read and
completed all of the work assigned for each class. In addition, to receive full credit for participation,
you must bring the proper materials to each class.
ASSIGNMENTS:
All major projects are due by the beginning of class on the days specified by the course schedule.
Late projects will not be accepted. You MUST submit all papers on time in order to pass this
course.
In the case of an emergency, students should notify me as soon as possible after the fact. In
situations where you know of the absence in advance (e.g., religious observance), you should
make prior arrangements with me to submit work early or on time.
Homework and peer responses must also be on time, as in-class workshops, discussions, and
activities will almost always make use of your written work. Moreover, written assignments
(particularly Pre-Writing exercises) are the building blocks to longer papers and are meant to
ensure that you 1.) engage in critical thinking and 2.) are not writing papers at the last minute or
in a single night. Therefore, late homework and peer responses will not be accepted.
Written Assignments: These assignments will be developed at my discretion. They will usually
(but not exclusively) take the form of homework assignments intended to help you practice
critical reading and writing skills. Additionally, prior to handing in a paper, you will be assigned
O’Berry
Framingham State University
Fall 2011
multiple Pre-Writing (PW) exercises. These exercises are instrumental to the writing process, as
they compel you to engage in the type of critical thinking the longer paper assignment demands.
Peer Responses: Peer response is a critical part of the work for this course. Writing is
inherently collaborative, and I will be asking you to comment extensively on the drafts of your
classmates. Your peer responses will be graded based on the thoroughness and effort of your
responses. We will be responding to peers’ work in different forms: as a group and/or
through peer workshops. If you do not attend these sessions or are unprepared, you will not
receive any credit for the assignment.
Papers: There are three major papers for this course. The sequencing of paper assignments is
intentional--each paper forces you to practice and review earlier concepts, while tackling
increasingly complex writing tasks. Additionally, all papers will require you to incorporate
external sources into your writing, citing others’ works correctly. As noted above, papers are due
at the beginning of class on the day indicated on the schedule. Late papers will not be accepted.
Please note that although these three papers are collectively worth 30% of your final grade, you
MUST submit all three papers in order to receive a passing grade in the course.
Revision Project: In lieu of a final exam, you will perform a major revision of a previous paper.
This project will also require you to complete a corresponding annotated bibliography and a
cover letter. More details will follow at the appropriate time.
*Revision Policy: This course has an open revision policy for its three major papers. This means
that you may revise any and all of these papers up to two times. Other work--including your
Revision Project, peer responses, and other written assignments--is considered final when you
submit it, and no revisions will be allowed. There will be certain requirements and deadlines in
order to complete a revision; directions to follow. I cannot stress the importance of revision for the
writing process and encourage everyone to revise.
FINAL GRADE CALCULATION:
Grades for the course will be developed according to the following percentages:
Attendance, attitude, class work, and participation
15%
Written assignments (homework, exercises, etc.)
15%
Peer responses
15%
Papers 1, 2, & 3
30%
Revision Project
25%
Total
100%
MAKE-UP POLICY:
O’Berry
Framingham State University
Fall 2011
Any student who is legitimately absent may make up missed work after speaking with the professor
to determine a course of action.
CENTER FOR ACADEMIC SUPPORT AND ADVISING (CASA):
CASA provides tutoring and advising services free-of-charge to all Framingham State University
students. Professional math and writing tutors are available 54 hours a week. CASA is located at the
annex at Peirce Hall, directly behind Horace Mann residence hall. Math tutoring is available on a
walk-in basis; writing tutoring is available by appointment. Subject Peer Tutoring is available for all
major subjects (biology, business, chemistry, computer science, history, geography, nutrition, physics,
earth sciences, and foreign languages). Subject tutors are not available as often as professional tutors,
but they are available at different times throughout the week to accommodate student schedules.
Academic Success Peer Tutors (ASPT) are available to work one-on-one throughout the semester
with students who are needing additional academic support. ASPTs serve as academic mentors and
role models for students. Students who are wishing to meet with an ASPT should contact the Director
of Academic Support at lbridges@framingham.edu
COLLEGE POLICY REGARDING ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:
Integrity is essential to academic life. Consequently, students who enroll at Framingham State
University agree to maintain high standards of academic honesty and scholarly practice. They shall
be responsible for familiarizing themselves with the published policies and procedures regarding
academic honesty. Academic honesty requires but is not limited to the following practices:
appropriately citing all published and unpublished sources, whether quoted, paraphrased, or
otherwise expressed, in all of the student’s oral and written, technical, and artistic work; observing
the policies regarding the use of technical facilities.
Definition of Plagiarism: claiming as one’s own work the published or unpublished literal or
paraphrased work of another. It should be recognized that plagiarism is not only academically
dishonest but also illegal.
STUDENT ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT:
Any student found to be plagiarizing will automatically receive an F in the course. This policy applies
to any and all written work (papers, homework assignments, peer responses, etc.) completed for the
course. Please note that this is not debatable; plagiarized papers cannot be revised or re-written to
receive a passing grade.
DISABILITY SERVICES STATEMENT:
Framingham State University offers equal opportunities to all qualified students, including those
with disabilities and impairments. The University is committed to making reasonable
accommodations as are necessary to ensure that its programs and activities do not discriminate, or
have the effect of discriminating, on the basis of disability. Academic Support serves students with
learning and psychiatric disabilities as well as students with visual, mobility and hearing
impairments. For further information, please contact Ms. LaDonna Bridges at 508-626-4906 or
lbridges@framingham.edu.
O’Berry
Framingham State University
Fall 2011
IMPORTANT DATES:
Last Day to Add/Drop: September 13
Last Day to Withdraw from Fall Courses: November 4