English Composition I--ENGL 1101-02 (CRN 52580 )

Summer 2007— TR 10:30-12:50pm—G133 (A&S Bldg)

 

Dr. Brigitte Byrd                                                           Office: A&S 210M
brigittebyrd@clayton.edu                                              Office Phone: (678) 466-4556

http://a-s.clayton.edu/bbyrd/Homepage.htm                   Office hours: TBA

                                                                                                (and by appointment)

 

ENGL 1101 Guidelines Check our Language and Literature homepage http://a-s.clayton.edu/langlit/

Text (required)

Perspectives on Argument (5th edition), Nancy V. Wood

A Writer’s Reference (6th edition), by Diana Hacker

College Dictionary

Other materiel (required)

A notebook with pockets

Manila folders or envelops for papers

Approximately $25 for copying expenses

Notebook Computer Requirement

Each CSU student is required to have ready access throughout the semester to a notebook computer that meets faculty-approved hardware and software requirements for the student's academic program. Students will sign a statement attesting to such access.  For further information on CSU's Official Notebook Computer Policy, please go to http://itpchoice.clayton.edu/policy.htm.

In-class Use of Student Notebook Computers

Student notebook computers will be used occasionally in the classroom. Computers are required to access course materials and to communicate with me.  Access to the internet is mandatory.

Catalog Description

A composition course focusing on skills required for effective writing in a variety of contexts, with emphasis on exposition, analysis, and argumentation, and also including introductory use of a variety of research skills.
[Notes: (1) Learning Support students who are required to take ENGL 0099 and/or READ 0099 must exit the requirement(s) before they can enroll in this course. (2) A grade of C or better (or K) is required in ENGL 1101 prior to enrollment in ENGL 1102. Grades of D in ENGL 1101 will not count toward graduation in any degree program.]

Course Objectives

This course aims at helping you improve your writing skills in all areas: discovering what you have to say, organizing your thoughts for a variety of audiences, and improving fluency and rhetorical sophistication. More specifically, you will write and revise numerous papers, write sustained exploratory journals, devise your own purposes and structures for those papers, work directly with the audience of your peers to practice critical reading and response, and learn many new writing techniques.  In order to help us focus on an issue, I have chosen to concentrate on race, culture, and identity.

Expected Learning Outcomes

Rhetorical Knowledge

Critical Thinking, Reading , and Writing

Writing Processes

Knowledge of Conventions

Late work Policy

I do not accept late work. Late work will receive a 0 unless arrangements are made between us before a planned absence or immediately after class, in the case of a personal emergency.  Once we have made arrangements, you will turn the assignment in question directly to me.

University Policies

Students must abide by policies in the Clayton State University Student Handbook, and the Basic Undergraduate Student Responsibility (see link below) http://as.clayton.edu/BasicUndergraduateStudentResponsibilities.htm

University Attendance Policy

Students are expected to attend and participate in every class meeting. Instructors establish specific policies relating to absences in their courses and communicate these policies to the students through the course syllabi. Individual instructors, based upon the nature of the course, determine what effect excused and unexcused absences have in determining grades and upon students’ ability to remain enrolled in their courses. The university reserves the right to determine that excessive absences, whether justified or not, are sufficient cause for institutional withdrawals or failing grades.

Attendance Policy (specific to this course)

Attendance is expected for all class periods.  An excused absence is an absence for which you provide me with a note from your doctor or other competent authority.  Any absence after 1 excused absence will affect your participation grade.  After 3 excused or unexcused absences, your overall grade for the course will drop one letter grade then one additional letter grade for each additional absence.

Plagiarism

Any type of activity that is considered dishonest by reasonable standards may constitute academic misconduct. Plagiarism is one of the most common forms of academic misconduct. It will not be tolerated.  Plagiarism is a counterproductive, non-writing behavior that is unacceptable in a course intended to aid the growth of individual writers.  Plagiarism is representing another’s work or part thereof, be it published or unpublished, as one’s own. All instances of academic dishonesty will result in a grade of zero for the work involved.  All instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Office of Student Life/Judicial Affairs.   Judicial procedures are described at

http://adminservices.clayton.edu/studentlife/judicial_affairs.htm.

Disability Services

Individuals with disabilities who need to request accommodations should contact 
the Disability Services Coordinator, Student Center 214, 678-466-5445. disabilityservices@mail.clayton.edu.

Required Papers (remember that the theme for this course is race, culture, and identity)

Paper #1: Remembering Events

Write a short essay about an event in your life that will be engaging for readers and that will, at the same time, help them understand the significance of the event.  The challenge in writing about such an event is to avoid the cliché, to find something distinctive in the experience, or to give readers a new perspective on it.  Tell your story dramatically and vividly.  Length: 2 pages, double-spaced pages.

Paper #2: Remembering People
Write an essay about a person who has been important in your life.  Strive to present a vivid portrait, one that will let your readers see the person’s character and the significance of the relationship.  The challenging part of this essay is the organization of seemingly unrelated anecdotes and descriptive details to illustrate the person’s character and reveal the person’s significance.  Length: 2 pages.

Paper #3: Writing Profiles
Write a short essay about an intriguing person, place, or activity in your community.  Observe your subject closely, and then present what you have learned in a way that both informs and engages readers.  This assignment relies on a different type of memory as you will take notes at the time of the interview or observation or just after.  Length: 2 pages.

Paper #4: The Personal Research Essay

This paper is an extension of one of your previous short papers in which you now use 2 outside sources that could include a combination of personal interviews, questionnaires, on-line sources, and/or print sources.  The ideas you bring to this paper will extend beyond your personal experience. At this point in the semester you should be ready to talk about something other than where you’ve already been.  For instance, you may choose to write a family history paper about a particularly interesting family member or you may write about a place you would like to visit. Length: 4-5 pages.

Journal

The journal is a notebook (with pockets for loose sheets of paper) where you will write a new entry daily--except over the week-end (Saturday and Sunday).  You will keep your invention exercises and grammar notes in the journal as well.  I expect to see all grammar assessments and exercises at the back of the journal. 

Writing Process Presentation

Each student will present an assigned element of the writing process

Performance

Presentations will occur at the end of the semester.  These are group projects.  Each group will choose a text we read in class and perform this text using another medium.

Conferences

You will attend 2 mandatory individual conferences.  Not showing up at a scheduled conference is the equivalent of an absence.

Evaluation

In order to receive a C in the class, a student must have a C average on four writing assignments, one of which must be written under monitored circumstances.  All assignments must be completed in order to pass the class—i.e. in-class writing assignments, drafts, peer reviewed papers, writing process presentation. 

Participation                 15%

Journal                        15%

Presentation                  10%

Performance (group)     10%

Paper 1                        10%

Paper 2                        10%

In-class paper               10%

Paper 4 (final)               20%                            

Grading

A         90-100 (excellent)

B          80-89 (above average)

C         70-79 (average—i.e. you did everything, but the quality of the work is average)

D         60-69 (you probably forgot to complete some assignments)      

F          60 and below

Important dates

6/12     Paper 1 due

6/19     In-class paper 2

6/21     Mandatory conference

6/25     Midterm progress report

6/26     Mandatory conference

7/05     Paper 3 due

7/24     Paper 4 due

7/26     Performances
Course Schedule

 

Bring your notebook and both required texts to all class meetings

 

Week 1

5/29     Introduction of course and to peers

5/31     PA 3-18, paper 1 assigned, discovery exercises

Week 2

6/05     presentation on parts of speech (B1) __________, __________, PA 587-90, sign up for conference

6/07     presentation on parts of sentences (B2) __________, __________, first draft paper 1 due for workshop, LeAnne Howe handout

Week 3

6/12     presentation on subordinate word groups (B3) __________, __________, thoroughly revised paper 1 due, paper 3 assigned, discovery exercises, PA 29-43 & 47-49

6/14     presentation on sentence types (B4) __________, __________, Terrance Hayes handout

Week 4

6/19     presentation on the comma (P1) __________, __________, in-class paper 2            

6/21     Mandatory conference

Week 5

6/25     Midterm grades

6/26     Mandatory conference

6/28     presentation on unnecessary commas (P2) __________, __________, first draft paper 3 due for workshop, Paisley Rekdal handout

Week 6

7/03     Film     

7/05     presentation on the apostrophe (P5) __________, __________, thoroughly revised paper 3 due, paper 4 assigned, strategy for developing paper exercise, PA 49-51

Week 7

7/10     presentation on quotation marks (P6) __________, __________, PA 591-94

7/12     presentation on other marks (P7) __________, __________, PA 595-97

Week 8

7/17     presentation on capitalization (M3) __________, __________, first draft paper 4 due to workshop, PA 597-600

7/19     presentation on italics (M6) __________, __________, Jhumpa Lahiri handout

Week 9

7/24     Preparation / performances, thoroughly revised paper 4 due

7/26     Performances

Week 10

7/31     No class