Rhetoric 101027: English Composition I
Spring 2006
Instructor: Alexandra Milinkovich
Phone: 708-456-0300 ext. 3281
E-mail: amilinko@triton.edu
Room: L310
Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays 11-12:15 p.m.
Office: L-102C Office Hours: Monday/Wednesdays 3-4 pm, Tuesdays 3:15-4:15 pm
Thursdays 2-3 pm, Fridays 1-2 pm
Required Text and Materials
Axelrod, Rise B. and Charles R. Cooper. The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing. 7th Ed. Boston:
Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004.
Additional Materials:
1. One 3 ½-inch blank computer disk (double density or high
density). Save all drafts of essays on disk.
2. A spiral-bound notebook to use as a writing journal. You must
have a separate notebook for this class. Journals will be checked
frequently throughout the semester and collected for a grade at the
end.
3. A folder to keep handouts and drafts of essays.
* Please bring all materials to every class. *
Course Objectives
1. To demonstrate mastery of the techniques of the composing process: a) invention or gathering
and shaping information, b) planning and organizing, c) drafting, d) editing, and e) proofreading.
2. To demonstrate mastery of basic word processing as an aid to the composing process.
3. To produce five essays, 750-1000 words in length, demonstrating the ability to
describe/narrate, inform, argue, justify an evaluation, and interpret text.
Assignments and Grading
Quizzes: 6-10 mainly objective, brief tests on the reading assignments and previous class lecture
or discussion. Be sure to come to each class prepared. Quizzes are given at the beginning of class.
If you miss class or come in late, you will not be allowed to make up quizzes.
Tests: Final In-Class Essay Exam
Journals/Exercises: In-class and homework assignments taken from the text. These include
prewriting such as inventions and outlines, as well as rough drafts and peer reviews for all essays.
Peer workshop days are extremely important to your writing success. On these days, you will
bring two extra copies of drafts, exchange your work with other classmates, read each other’s
essays, and provide constructive feedback in the form of written peer reviews to help one another
improve your writing. If you miss a peer workshop day, you will receive a 0 for your rough draft
grade and a 0 for each peer review grade for a total of 20 points. As these are factored into the
final grades you receive on your essays, it will significantly lower your grade (20 points = 2 letter
grades). If you attend without a draft, you will receive 10 points for completing peer reviews.
Drafts that are not typed will not be accepted.
Essays: All essays must be typed and formatted according to MLA style guidelines. If you have
included information from sources which you have not cited, your paper will be returned.
Specific guidelines for citing sources and avoiding plagiarism will be discussed in class. Essays
must have a heading that includes your name, the instructor’s name, the name of the course,
draft number, and the due date as well as a title that is centered on the page following the
heading. In addition, when handing in essays, you must hand in the final essay along with any
previous drafts as well as peer reviews. KEEP ALL DRAFTS AND PEER REVIEWS
TOGETHER.
Grading:
Essays
Quizzes
Journals/
Exercises
Final Exam
70%
10%
10%
10%
100%
Grading Scale
90-100 = A
80-89 = B
70-79 = C
60-69 = D
59 and below = F
Classroom Policies
1. Attendance: Because repeated absences and tardiness can affect a student’s grade, students are
expected to attend every class meeting and be on time. You are allowed two absences, excused or
unexcused. If you miss three classes, your grade for the course will be lowered by one letter. If
you miss more than three classes, you will be dropped. If you come into class later than five
minutes, you will be marked tardy. In addition, three tardies will equal one absence. Students
are still responsible for completing class work and homework while they are absent. If you
are unsure about assignments, contact your instructor. Please contact me either through voicemail
or e-mail if you know you are going to be absent.
2. Make-up Policy: Late essays will be lowered one full letter grade for each day (not class day)
they are late. Essays handed in later than one week will be accepted and will receive half credit.
You must complete all essays in order to pass this course. Be sure to give yourself enough
time to account for problems that may arise. Also, make sure to keep back-up copies of your
work (it is a good idea to print out an extra hard copy and save essays to multiple disks). It is your
responsibility to provide another copy of your work if any problem occurs. Quizzes and other
homework/class work cannot be made up for a grade. Your lowest quiz grade will be dropped.
3. Additional Resources: If you are having trouble with your writing or with any aspect of the
course, you are strongly encouraged to make use of additional resources outside of the classroom.
The first is an individual conference with your instructor. You may see me before or after class or
call and make an appointment so that we can discuss your individual concerns. The second
resource available to you is the Writing Center located in the R building right below the library.
You can make an appointment with an experienced tutor who can help you at any of the various
stages of the writing process.
4. The 2003-2004 Triton College Catalog includes information about academic honesty.
Students will be expected to adhere to that policy. It states that
all forms of cheating deprive students of achieving true academic success,
and are therefore considered a serious violation. Furthermore, all incidents
of cheating will result in a disciplinary response from college officials. For
a non-inclusive list of behaviors considered to be violations of academic
honesty [including examples of plagiarism], see page 30.
5. Withdrawal from Course: The last day students can withdraw from the course and still
receive a grade of W is Saturday, April 13. Following this date, a grade of W will not be issued.
Note: This syllabus and schedule may be changed at the discretion of the instructor.
Week 1
Essay #1:
Remembering
Events/People
Week 2
Remembering
Events/People
Week 3
Remembering
Events/People
Week 4
Essay #2:
Explaining a
Concept
Week 5
Explaining a
Concept
Week 6
Explaining a
Concept
Schedule of Assignments
In Class
Homework: Reading/Writing
Jan 24: Introduction to course/
Jan 24: Read 35-51
Review of Essay Structure
Write 1-page journal response
Discuss “American Childhood”
Complete syllabus worksheet
Jan 26: Essay Diagnostic: Identity
Jan 26: Read 83-107
Syllabus Jeopardy
Write 1-page journal response
Jan 31: Discuss “Uncle Willie”
Jan 31: Write 1-page journal of
/Begin Invention for Essay 1
invention notes 55-59
Feb 2: Film: What the Bleep Do We
Feb 2: Write 1-page journal response
Know?
to film/Begin drafting Essay 1
Feb 7: Film: What the Bleep Do We
Feb 7: Write draft of Essay #1 –
Know?
Bring 3 copies
Feb 9: Peer Workshop Day – 1st
Feb 9: Revise Essay 1
Read 201-211, 216-223 and write 1Draft of Essay 1 Due
Discuss Peer Reviews and Revisions page journal
Feb 14: Discuss concept essay:
Feb 14: Read handout: “The Four
“Love: The Right Chemistry”
Functions of Mythology” & write 1Begin Invention for Essay 2
page journal
Complete Invention 235-241
Feb 16: Final Draft Essay 1 Due
Feb 16: Read Ch. 16 & 595-599
Discuss “The Four Functions of
Write Proposal for Essay 2
Mythology”
Proposal Assignment
Feb 21: Library Visit – Find 3-5
Feb 21: Continue research and begin
sources/ Discuss Proposals
drafting Essay 2
Feb 23: Write draft of Essay 2 –
Feb 23: Write draft of Essay 2 –
Bring 3 copies
Bring 3 copies
Feb 28: Peer Workshop Day/ 1st
Draft Essay 2 Due
Mar 2: MLA Quiz/ Bring sources/
Discuss MLA Style /Incorporating
sources
Week 7
Essay #3:
Arguing a
Position
Week 8
Arguing a
Position
Mar 7: Discuss Arguing essays/Begin
Invention for Essay 3
Mar 9: Final Draft of Essay 2 Due
Discuss Arguing essays/Invention:
Thesis & Outline
Mar 13-17: Spring Break
Feb 28: Revise Essay 2
Read Ch. 22 MLA Style & bring
sources to class
Mar 2: Revise Essay 2 – Add
Works Cited page
Read 261-265, 287-295 and write 1page journal
Mar 7: Read Ch. 19
Mar 9: Read handouts: “The
Forgotten Language” & “Body &
Mind” and write 1-page journal
Mar 13-17: Complete Invention &
Write draft of Essay 3 – bring 3
copies
Week 9
Essay #4:
Justifying an
Evaluation
Mar 21: Peer Workshop Day/1st
Draft Essay 3 Due
Week 10
Justifying an
Evaluation
Mar 28: Finish discussion of Allegory
of the Cave
Mar 30: View scenes from Matrix/
Begin Invention for Essay 4
April 4: View scenes from
Matrix/Thesis statements
April 6: Peer Workshop Day / 1st
Draft of Essay 4 Due
April 11: Discuss Literary Terms,
Annotation
April 13: Final Draft of Essay 4
Due
Discuss “Araby”
April 18: Discuss student
interpretations of “Araby”
April 20: Discuss “Story of an Hour”
Week 11
Justifying an
Evaluation
(cont’d)
Week 12
Essay #5:
Interpreting
Stories
Week 13
Interpreting
Stories
(cont’d)
Week 14
Interpreting
Stories
(cont’d)
Week 15
Interpreting
Stories
(cont’d)
Week 16
Interpreting
Stories
(cont’d)
Week 17
Mar 23: Final Draft of Essay 3 Due
Discussion of chapter 8/ Begin
Allegory of the Cave
April 25: Discuss “Story of an Hour”
April 27: In-class reading of
“Omelas”
May 2: Continue “Omelas
due
May 4: Thesis writing
May 9: Peer Workshop Day / 1st
Draft of Essay 5 Due
May 11: Final Draft of Essay 5 Due
Journals Due
May 16-19: Finals – In-class essay
exam
Mar 21: Revise Essay 3
Read 391-400 and write 1-page
journal
Mar 23: Finish reading Allegory &
write 1-page journal response
Watch film The Matrix and write 1page journal response
Mar 28: Write 1-page journal
comparing Matrix and Allegory
Mar 30: Complete Invention
April 4: Write draft of Essay 4 –
Bring 3 copies
April 6: Revise Essay 4
Read 507 & 584-591
April 11: Read 526-530, annotate &
write journal response
April 13: Read 530-539, Do
analyzing writing strategies
April 18: Read & annotate 509-511,
write 1-page journal response
April 20: Continue reading “Story of
an Hour”
April 25: Read and annotate
“Omelas” (handout) and write 1page journal on utopia
April 27: Write 1-page journal
response to “Omelas”
May 2: Choose story and complete
invention
May 4: Write draft of Essay 5 –
Bring 3 copies
May 9: Revise Essay 5
May 11: Review for exam