FRAMINGHAM STATE COLLEGE
Fall 2011 EXPOSITORY WRITING
Carlos Martinez
Office: May Hall 104
Mailbox: May Hall 103
Classroom: May 317
Course Section: 110.025F
e-mail: cmartinez1@framingham.edu
Office Hours: Tues: 8:30 - 10:30 (by appt. 2:30)
Fri:
10:30 – 11:30 (by appt. 2:30)
Meets: Tuesdays and Fridays
T: 12:30
F: 12:30
Course Description:
This course is a writing workshop. Together we will work through the process of drafting,
crafting, and revising three different essays. For your first assignment, you will read and analyze
a published article and use it to analyze a film we will choose together. In the second essay, you
will read several critical discussions surrounding a recent legal case and use an idea set forth in
the secondary materials to put forth an argument about the verdict. Your third essay will be a
research project. We will use the film we already watched in class. You will analyze a problem
in the film and discuss what the film is saying about the time in which it was made. Ideally, you
have noticed a pattern by now. Ultimately, you will be discussing contemporary social problems
and assessing various ways that cultural texts speak to them. For each essay you will be expected
to free-write, draft, peer review, revise, and polish. You will produce at least two different drafts
for every essay. You will also be expected to write using correct English grammar and logical,
fluid, intelligible sentence structure. Overall, this class is designed to improve your essay
organization and critical thinking skills. My main goal this semester is to help you develop the
kinds of writing skills that will ensure your success at Framingham State University and beyond.
Course Objectives:
Writing Goals: Students should review and practice every area of essay composition
(development, presentation, and usage) so that by the end of the semester, they are able to
◘ develop a clear, substantive, and arguable thesis that responds directly to an assignment.
◘ construct an introduction that engages the attention of the readers and prepares them for the
focus of the following discussion.
◘ develop and organize paragraphs that coherently support a thesis.
◘ provide transitions between paragraphs that help the overall focus of the essay and establish
the order of paragraphs.
◘ report accurately the result of their research in summaries, paraphrases, and quotations.
◘ incorporate their primary texts and research into their essays appropriately and document
correctly through use of one or more style sheets.
◘ use language that is appropriate for the audience and topic.
◘ construct sentences that are grammatically and mechanically correct.
◘ use the principles of subordination and coordination to achieve clarity, conciseness, variety,
and correct emphasis.
◘ give clear and engaging informal oral presentations on their work.
Processes:
Effective writing is almost never produced in one sitting; instead writing is a flexible and multistaged process. To strengthen and refine their writing processes, students will practice a number
of skills:
◘ Developing multiple strategies for generating ideas, drafting, revising, and editing
◘ Developing effective research strategies, including use of the library, databases, internet
resources, and primary research methods
◘ Using the collaborative and social aspects of the writing process, including the ability to
critique effectively the work of others and apply critiques received from other writers
◘ Using technology effectively to support these strategies
Instructor Expectations:
Just as you are expected to meet expectations this semester, I will also hold myself to the
following standards. I promise to:
◘ know your name and treat everyone in the class with the respect due to human beings.
◘ not discriminate against you on the basis of your well-informed viewpoints.
◘ manage the class in a professional manner.
◘ prepare carefully for every class and begin and end class on time.
◘ teach only in areas of my expertise; if I do not know something, I will say so.
◘ return assignments quickly with detailed feedback.
◘ keep careful records of your attendance, performance, and progress.
◘ pursue the maximum punishment for plagiarism, cheating, and other violations of academic
integrity.
Grading Weights:
◘ Essay 1
10%
◘ Essay 2
20%
◘ Essay 3
30%
◘ Homework Assignments
15
◘ Class Participation
5%
◘ Research Presentation
5%
◘ Foundations Component
15%
All assignments and drafts are due at the start of class; late work will only receive half credit.
Grading Standards for Assignments (A#s):
All work that you turn in as an assignment will receive a numerical grade from 0 – 100 based on
its completeness and merit. Each grade weighs somewhere between 1-2 percent of the 20% total.
90 – 100
80 – 90
70 – 80
60 – 70
50 – 60
40 – 50
0
Exceeded in Responding to the Assignment
Amply Met the Requirements of the Assignment
Addressed the Assignment Correctly Satisfactorily
Did Not Address the Assignment Correctly or Enough
Correctly Addressed Assignment but Came in Late/Unfinished
Failed to Address Assignment Correctly and Came in Late or Unfinished
Failed to Complete Assignment
Grading Standards for Class Participation:
Students who receive an A for participation have completed all of the reading assignments on
time and have questions to ask and issues to raise in discussion. A students take risks in
discussion, which means that they may share thoughts or positions they are not 100% sure about.
Moreover, A students listen and respond thoughtfully to issues raised by other students.
Students who receive a B for participation have completed all the reading assignments on time.
They listen intently to what others have to say, but do not always put forth their own questions.
Overall, B students do not fully take initiative. B students wait for someone else to take the lead.
They participate, but only occasionally.
Students who receive a C for participation attend class and listen attentively to the discussion,
but they rarely participate unless directly asked a question. C students seem somewhat
disinterested in their own development as writers. It is also unclear whether or not C students
have done the reading.
Students who receive a D for participation have clearly not done the readings. They do not have
their readings in class and are unwilling to participate or answer questions when called upon. D
students frequently look like they are asleep or doing work for other classes.
Note: A few quiet days in class are normal. Everybody has off days or struggles with some of the
material sometimes. I will use this grade to communicate to you about your overall in-class
performance throughout the semester.
Written Assignments:
I only accept Microsoft Word documents. I cannot open Pages of Google documents. FSU offers
students and faculty an inexpensive deal on Microsoft Word. Please look into it. Essays should
have a complete heading and be in an accepted style sheet format (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.). In
general, essays should be double-spaced, in 12 pt. font, and have margins (top, bottom, right, and
left) set at one inch (be sure to change the MS Word default if necessary). You are responsible
for understanding and completing all assignments. It is up to you to ask questions if you are
unclear about what is being asked of you.
A Dire Tip
◘
Always save your work to at least three places: your hard drive, your email, a flash drive,
a net space, etc. Your hard drive will crash, and, unless you are prepared, you will
permanently lose all of your work.
Grading Standards for Drafts:
All drafts will receive a grade from A-F that will count as an Assignment grade and indicate
where the essay is grade-wise. A good revision could significantly raise the grade. But a poor
revision, or the failure to revise, will lower the final grade. All drafts must be significantly
revised.
Grading Standards for Final Versions of Essays:
All final essays will receive a letter grade from A-F. See the grading rubric on Blackboard for
specific details about my essay grading criteria.
Late Policy for Final Essays:
In the interest of fairness, I lower final essay grades 1/3 of a grade point (e.g. from an A- to a B+)
per day (including weekends) that the essay is late. I will not grant a passing grade to any essay
that comes in more than one week after it is due. You will still need to turn in the essay, but the
highest grade you will be able to get will be a 55, which is still much better than a zero. If you
know that you will not be able to turn in your essay during the allotted time, get in touch with me
and let me know as far in advance as possible. I will only accept late work if you contact me
about it at least 24 hours before it is due and if you provide a legitimate and verifiable reason that
it is late. Overall, I only excuse late work if you have official documentation from the Dean of
Students’ Office explaining why it is late. If you are experiencing a family or other emergency,
you should contact the Dean of Students immediately. You can do this through MyFramingham
by contacting Dr. Melinda Stoops.
Requesting Extensions:
I will grant a one day extension (till 7AM the following morning) if you show me that you have
gone to CASA for help and could use the extra day to get the work done. You will need to
request your extension by 3PM before the class it is due. Note: CASA often fills up fast, so you
should try to schedule an appointment far in advance of the due date if you know that you will
need help with an essay. If something comes up after this time or on the day an essay is due, you
will no longer be able to request an extension, but you should still email me to let me know what
happened and when you plan to get the essay to me. When grading the essays, I verify that you
have gone to CASA. They email me a list of students who have gone to them for help. If I cannot
verify your visit, the standard late policy applies.
Attendance:
I will grant two unexcused absences without penalizing your grade. Although you are not being
penalized, you should send me an email to let me know you will not be able to make it to class.
For each unexcused absence beyond two, I deduct one-third of a letter grade (e.g. from a B+ to a
B) from your final average at the end of the semester. Remember that each time you are absent
you may also be missing a workshop or classroom exercise. It is your responsibility to contact
someone in the class to find out what you missed and how to catch up with the class. Overall, I
do not allow more than five unexcused or five excused absences. After either five unexcused or
excused absences, I will not grant a passing grade for the course, and you may need to withdraw
or stop attending the class. For those who merit it, I reward perfect attendance at the end of the
semester with two full points to your overall average. This could mean the difference between a
B- and a B.
Excused Absences:
If you provide the proper documentation, I will grant excused absences. In order to receive an
excused absence, you must go through the Office of the Dean of Students in the College Center
in order to provide official documentation regarding your absence. This is the only way that I
will grant an excused absence.
The Office of the Dean of Students will only excuse absences of three days or longer. Look into
their policy early in the semester and find out exactly what you will need to do in order to have
your absences excused. Attendance is a very big part of this class and could be a very big part of
your grade. It is important for you to try to make it to all the classes.
Laptops:
You must bring your laptops to every class. Please make sure to charge the laptop before you
come. Limited electricity may be available, but you should not count on it.
Late Policy:
I take attendance at the start of class. If you are marked absent and arrive late, you will need to
email me after class to let me know that you joined the class late and need to have the absence
modified into a late arrival. Please take this opportunity to let me know if anything is wrong. I
count two late arrivals as an absence. Something to consider: Please come to class even if you do
not have an assignment to turn in or are running late. Overall, it will be better for you to show up
late to class or without an assignment than for you to miss class entirely.
Common Courtesy:
There should be no media gadgets out or on during class (cell phones, Ipods, Iphones,
Blackberrys, etc.). Similarly, you should not be emailing, shopping, or IMing (in any form,
including Facebook) during class. You get one mistake, and the next time I will count the
infraction as if you were late to the class, since you are essentially taking time away from the
class. If the problem persists, I will ask you to leave the class that day and you will receive an
unexcused absence. The idea here is that I want you to treat this class professionally. You are
here for less than two hours, and in that time I need you to be concentrating on your work.
Student Support Services:
◘
If you need help with Blackboard or with your computer network, you may
contact the “Student Help Desk” at 508-215-5950
◘
Professional writing tutors are available at CASA (Center for Academic
Support and Advising) at x 4509.
◘
You may also go to the Career Center for assistance with writing cover letters,
resumes, and exploring employment possibilities (x 4635).
◘
Student Counseling provides excellent services for students (x 4640).
Inclement Weather:
The emergency phone number is (508) 626-4898
If you are a student with a documented physical, psychological, or learning disability and
wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see me as soon
as possible.
*This syllabus is subject to change.*
Schedule of Classes and Assignments:
All specific assignments are on Blackboard
Essay 1
1 Tuesday September 7
Introduction, discuss course goals, five par. vs. the coll. essay
2 Friday September 9
Review Blackboard (Emails, Announcements, Calendar, etc)
Discuss Essay Reading and Summary Assignment
MLA/APA, Quotation and Paraphrase Lecture
Essay 3
17 Tuesday November 1 (Last day to withdraw with a W)
Final Essay 2 Due
Discuss Annotated Bibliography and Research Project
18 Friday November 4
Discuss Research Summaries
19 Tuesday November 8
Library Class – Meet in Whittemore Library
Secondary Source Quiz Due
Order ILL books as soon as possible.
3 Tuesday September 13 (Last Day to Add/Drop)
E1A1 due
Discuss Responses, Review MLA/APA and Quotation
Select Film, Discuss Film Summary
20 Friday November 11
E3A1 due
Citation Workshop, 10 Note Card Entries due at end of class
4 Friday September 16
View Film
21 Tuesday November 15
E3A2 due
Motive and Thesis Workshop
5 Tuesday September 20
E1A2 due
Motive, Thesis, Claim-Evidence-Warrant Discussion
22 Friday November 18
Motive and Thesis Workshop, Drafting Workshop
6 Friday September 23
Motive and Thesis Workshop, Drafting Workshop
7 Tuesday September 27
E1A3 due
Evidence Workshop, Set up Peer Review
8 Friday September 30
Grammar Workshop
9 Tuesday October 4
Revision Workshop/Begin Cover Letter
10 Friday October 7
E1A4 due
Essay 2 - Final Essay 1 Due
11 Tuesday October 11
Discuss Essay 2 Reading/Review Summary Model
Review Secondary Research
12 Friday October 14
Discuss Article, Begin E2A1
13 Tuesday October 19
E2A1 due, Discuss Responses
Drafting Workshop, Motive and Thesis Workshop
Integrating Sources Workshop
14 Friday October 21
E2A2 due
Motive and Thesis Workshop, Source Workshop
15 Tuesday October 25
E2A3 due
Evidence Workshop, Peer Review Workshop
Midterm Warnings Due
16 Friday October 28
E2A4 due
Revision workshop
23 Tuesday November 22
Drafting Workshop
24 Tuesday November 29
E3A3 due
Evidence Workshop, Peer Review Workshop
25 Friday December 2
Grammar, Citation, and Quotation Workshop
26 Tuesday December 6
E3A4 due
Revision Workshop
27 Friday December 9
Presentations
28 Tuesday December 13 - Last Class
Presentations
Final Essay 3 Due – 12/16
Summary of Due Dates:
E1 A1: 9/13 (Summary 1)
E1 A2: 9/20 (Summary 2)
E1 A3: 9/27 (Draft)
E1 A4: 10/7 (Peer Review)
E1A5: 10/11 (Cover Letter)
Final of E1: 10/11
E2 A1:10/18 (Summary 1)
E2 A2: 10/21 (Annotated Bibliography)
E2 A3: 10/25 (Draft)
E2 A4: 10/28 (Peer Review)
E2 A5: 11/1 (Cover Letter)
Final of E2: 11/1
E3 A1: 11/4 (Research Summaries)
E3 A2: 11/ 15 (Annotated Bibliography)
E3 A3: 11/22 (Draft)
E3 A4: 11/ 29 (Peer Review)
E3A5: 12/16 (Cover Letter)
Final of E3: 12/16