Karen McCosker
Fall 2011
ENGLISH 101 COLLEGE COMPOSITION
Pullen 111
Tu/Th 8:00-9:15
This course is designed to help you draw on your previous writing and life experience as you learn new writing strategies you’ll use to be successful in college coursework and future written work as a professional. In other words, we’ll connect writing for school
(sometimes called academic writing) with writing for life.
Our text, George Miller’s The Prentice Hall Reader , takes as its initial premise the fundamental connection between reading and writing:
You read in a writing course for three purposes: First, the essays are a source of information: you learn by reading, and what you learn can then, in turn, be used in your writing….Second, readings offer a perspective on a particular subject, one with which you might agree or disagree. In this sense readings can serve as a catalyst to spark writing….Finally, the readings represent an album of performances, examples that you can use to study writing techniques.
We will practice writing as a form of dialogue by responding to the assigned essays in the text with both short papers and more lengthy essays of your own composition. Our endeavor is not to arrive at tidy answers but to deepen civil inquiry. In addition, we’ll consider how to make appropriate and effective choices in writing. By the end of the semester, students should be able to do the following:
 Use written and oral communication as a means to engage in critical inquiry by exploring ideas, challenging assumptions, and reflecting on composing processes;

Write and speak with a clear purpose, point of view, and awareness of audience;

Identify and evaluate problems and arguments clearly and accurately;

Summarize and analyze texts accurately through the practice of close reading strategies;

Interpret accurately evidence/findings, especially positions different from their own.

COURSE INFORMATION
1.
Text : The Prentice Hall Reader , 10th ed., George Miller
2.
Attendance : Attendance is required. Missing more than four (4) classes may adversely affect your grade. Missing more than six (6) classes may cause you to fail the course.
3.
Participation : Participation is expected and rewarded. It may include taking part in class discussion, helping other writing group members with their work, and creating a cooperative, supportive class environment.
4.
Response/Reflection Papers : Students will write three (3) response/reflection papers--of at least one page--that require you to articulate the feelings and ideas raised by the readings. These papers will act both as a basis for class interaction and as a prelude to your longer essays.
5.
Essays : Students will write four 3-5 page essays during the semester based on questions and topics that arise from a close reading of the required essays in our text.
In addition, you must hand in at least one draft of each of the four essays signed by a writing center consultant.
6.
Assessment : Fifty percent of your grade in this course will be based on a portfolio of writings that you will work on all semester. The remaining 50%will be divided equally between your response/reflection papers and participation in class activities.
All writing assignments must be completed in order to pass this course. More detail about this portfolio is provided below.
1. Office: 209 Normal Hall
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
2. Office Hours: by appointment or drop in
3. Office phone: 768-9468
4. E-mail: karen.
mccosker@umpi.maine.edu
PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT
Traditional grading, in which you finish a paper, submit it for a grade, and begin another, works like a snapshot of your writing: its quality at a particular moment. Portfolio grading operates more like a film: it shows your writing in progress through time. Also, like a film editor, you’ll have the opportunity to return to any essay and continue to make changes right up until you submit the whole portfolio. Please do not send me your work via e-mail.
The final portfolio , due Tuesday, December 13, at the beginning of class, will contain
1. Reflective letter (persuade your instructor that you’ve met the goals of the course)
2. Drafts, written feedback (peer commentary), and polished version of the four essays.

COURSE SCHEDULE
Please note: Readings are due on the dates listed below.
Week 1
30 August (T) Welcome, Introductions, Syllabus
1 September (Th) Read pp. 1-10
Week 2
6
8
Week 3
13
15
(T)
(Th)
(T)
Read pp. 15-34
Read pp. 35-46
Read Megan Daum’s “Virtual Love,” pg. 309
(Th) Read Brock Read’s “Can Wikipedia Ever Make the Grade?”, pg. 101
Response/Reflection Paper 1
Week 4
20
22
(T)
(Th)
Essay #1 assigned
Draft of Essay #1
Peer Commentary
Week 5
27
29
(T)
(Th)
Essay #1 due
Read Margaret Atwood’s “The Female Body,” pg. 458
Week 6
4 October (T)
Read Deborah Tannen’s “But What Do You Mean?”, pg.257
6 (Th) Response/Reflection Paper 2
Week 7
11
13
Week 8
18
(T)
(Th)
No Classes
Conferences
(T) Essay #2 assigned
(Th) Draft of Essay #2
Peer Commentary
20
Week 9
25
27
(T)
(Th)
Essay #2 due
Read E. M. Forster’s “My Wood,” pg. 389

Week 10
1 November (T)
Read Lars Eighner’s “My Daily Dives in the Dumpster,” pg. 336
3 (Th) Response/Reflection Paper 3
Week 11
8
10
(T)
(Th)
Essay #3 assigned
Draft of Essay #3
Peer Commentary
Week 12
15
17
Week 13
(T)
(Th)
Essay #3 due
Conferences
22
24
Week 14
(T)
(Th)
Read Linda Lee’s “The Case Against College,” pg. 492
No Classes
29 (T) Essay #4 assigned
1 December (Th) Draft of Essay #4
Peer Commentary
Week 15
6
8
(T) Essay #4 due
(Th) Conferences
Portfolios due Tuesday, December 13.
This syllabus is subject to change.