ENGL 1101 English Composition I (3-0-3) 3 semester credit hours. 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. Prerequisites: 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. For all students, 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. This course is part of the core curriculum (Area A) and will enhance students’ ability to think critically and communicate effectively.

At Clayton State, English 1101 is designed to increase students’ ability to construct academic written essays. The course offers instruction in writing processes, collaborative writing strategies, methods of organization, research skills, discourse conventions of Standard Written English, rhetorical strategies, computer-based writing, and the production of expository academic essays. Readings consider issues of contemporary and cultural concern. In addition, some sections are part of the freshman experience.

Students will read and write a variety of nonfiction expository and argumentative genres.

Students will produce coherent, organized, effective, readable academic writing for a variety of rhetorical situations, both print and digital.

Students will effectively use writing aids, such as handbooks, dictionaries, online aids and resources, and tutors to research ideas and improve their writing.

“A man has perished and his body has become earth. All his relatives have crumbled to dust. It is writing that makes him remembered.”

Welcome to English 1101! We are embarking on a 16-week journey together. I may be the leader, but each of you is an important member of the crew. We’ll be doing a lot of reading and writing this semester with a focus on analysis and criticism, writing styles that you will need to navigate your collegiate journey. I want to be sure that you have all the tools you need to be successful both in this class and after you leave. That’s my job.

I love teaching writing, and I hope I can share my enthusiasm with each of you. I want to unlock some of the mysteries of academic “college” writing and to help you see a place for writing and reading beyond this classroom. Reading is an integral part of this course, and good readers make good writers. Both of these skills will broader your ability to think critically, make good decisions, and communicate them to others. Your job will be to join in this partnership, read the material, initiate and add to class discussion, and be willing to write and rewrite and edit so that your finished product represents your very best work. I hope you’ll grow to think of writing and reading as your gift to yourself.

Blakesley, David, Jeffrey L. Hoogeveen and Mary R. Lamb. Writing in the Digital Age: First-Year Writing and Beyond. Clayton State University. 3rd Edition. Cengage, 2011.

Connections: Readings for First-Year Writing. Cengage, 2011. ISBN TBA (Approx. $28.95)

Lamb, Mary R. First-Year Writing Guide. Clayton State University. Fountainhead P, 2011. ISBN 978-1-59-871-492-0. (Approx. $23.68)

These books are ONLY available at the Clayton State Bookstore, first floor of the Student Center, across from Admissions. The texts will also be on 2-hour reserve in the library.

These books are used for BOTH English 1101 and 1102, so please do not sell back your book at the end of English 1101. Your total cost for textbooks for both semesters is approximately $133.88, or $66.94 per semester. Please note that Dr. Lamb receives no royalties on these books; any royalties go to the first-year writing program and its students to enhance instruction. These books are available at the Clayton State Bookstore, first floor of the Student Center, across from Admissions. 678-466-4220.

Additional required text for Colvin's 1101 classes: Dunn, Mark. Ella Minnow Pea. San Francisco: MacAdam/Cage Publishing, 2001.

This book is available in both hardback and paperback and can be purchased online as well as in the CSU bookstore. The text will also be on 2-hour reserve in the library.

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 Notebook Computers: Notebook computers will be required as an integral part of our daily class activities throughout the semester. Use your schedule as your guide for the days to bring your computer. Days designated for “workshops” or “peer review” will always require the use of a computer in class. The scheduled library workshop will also require a computer. In addition, computers will be required to access course materials and to communicate with your instructor.

ETS Proficiency Test: Students in this course are required to take part in the ETS Proficiency Test (fall semester only), an important component of the SACS reaffirmation document in the testing center. Your instructor will schedule the class to take the test in the Testing Center.

Portfolio Requirement: Students are also required to create and post a FYW webpage and submit an electronic portfolio on this website in order to pass English 1102. See the First-Year Writing website and your instructor for further information. Webpage set up due: end week 6; Portfolios due: end week 15 in 1102.

University 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.

Course Policy: This is a participatory class, and your attendance is most important. Class will begin promptly each day, and roll will be taken during the first few minutes. Tardy arrivals or early departures are disruptive and unacceptable. Students who enter after the roll is taken or leave before class is over must sign the tardy sheet. Three tardy entries will convert to one absence. In addition, students who arrive more than 20 minutes late or leave more than 20 minutes early will not be counted present for that day, nor will they receive credit for class activities. The Clayton State University attendance policy states that “Students are expected to attend and participate in every class meeting. . . . The university reserves the right to determine that excessive absences, whether justified or not, are sufficient cause for institutional withdrawals or failing grades.”

In accordance with this policy, I shall expect to see you in class. Students are expected to attend all class sessions and be punctual; however, as an extra incentive, perfect attendance merits 1 extra point added to your final grade.

Writing is a skill that requires practice through revisions, tutoring, and collaboration. Talking about ideas with others—including class discussions—improves your writing as it helps hone, clarify, and create knowledge. Since we are working together to improve our own and others’ writing, you should expect to participate; this is not a lecture class. For these reasons, your attendance and thoughtful participation are crucial for your success. Thus, students who miss 20% of classes will probably fail the course (9 classes for MWF; 7 for MW). Because of the cumulative nature of the course material, if you miss 5 classes before the midpoint, you should consider withdrawing.

Missed Work: Should you have an emergency or illness, I shall expect an email prior to the beginning of class on the day you are absent. Students who fulfill this requirement may be permitted to make up class work missed unless it is an in-class writing, a timed essay, a peer review activity, a discussion group/activity, or an unannounced class activity or quiz. Students who miss class will be responsible for the assigned work during the time they are absent and should be prepared for class on the day they return. A complete schedule is posted on my web page with all homework assignments. Absence is not an excuse for late work or a late essay. The work or the essay is still due on the due date. (See late option below.)

Essays: Final papers and all out-of-class writing should be typed on a word processor, double-spaced with standard margins and font, and follow MLA guidelines. All drafts for peer review--written or typed--should be triple spaced. All assigned drafts, essays, and projects are due at the beginning of the class period on the scheduled due date. You are allowed one late final essay or reading response submission. It will be due without penalty by the beginning of the class period following the due date. If your late essay/response is turned in after this grace period, I will deduct 10 points per class day from the earned grade. (The clock begins when class begins.) Additional late essays/responses will be penalized 10 points per class day, beginning with the due date. This extension does not apply to the Final Project/Exam. Please note that I do not accept emailed or faxed papers for any final assignment submission. Only hard copies of papers which include turnitin submissions will be graded. All major papers must be completed in order to pass English 1101.

Paper 4: English 1102 Argumentative Essay with Sources including Works Cited page

Paper 5: Non-FYW paper (written in another 1000- or 2000-level class at CSU*)

Paper 6: An essay (1-2 pp.) on writing growth and development in Eng.1101 and 1102

English 1101: Student web page created and uploaded (http://student.webs.clayton.edu/name/fyw) before Friday of Week 6 each semester and instructors determine: (1) if

web page is created and uploaded correctly and (2) if student needs workshops to enhance writing skills.

Web page set-up counts as class work/daily grade and factors into mid-term grade

English 1102: Portfolio due Friday before the last week of classes each semester

Turnitin: Students are required to submit all assigned essays and projects to Turnitin.com., a plagiarism detection software leased by CSU for faculty use. Students will have access to their Turnitin originality reports. In an effort to protect the integrity of a student’s original work, all assigned class essays must be submitted to www.turnitin.com. before an essay grade can be given. Credit for successful submission is factored into the class work portion of the student’s academic evaluation. Failure to submit to Turnitin on time will result in a loss of 10 points from the Turnitin percentage of the class work grade. Information on submission can be found on my website and instruction will be given in class prior to the deadline for the first essay.

Quizzes: English 1101 is primarily a writing class. Quizzes may be given at my discretion, but tests, including the final exam, will always be in essay format.

Extra Credit: In order to encourage participation in English related campus activities, I offer extra credit for attendance at the Visiting Writers’ Series and for CSU theater productions on campus. Instructions for receiving this credit can be found on my website. This extra credit (2 points per activity) is added to the class work component of the student’s academic evaluation. In addition, I offer extra credit for perfect attendance. This extra credit (1 point each) is added to your final course grade.

High Proficiency Good Proficiency Minimal Proficiency Non-proficiency

4 (20-18) 3 (17-16) 2 (15-14) 1 (13-0)

Invention of Content

topic

thesis (stated or implied)

focus

purpose

audience

Other:

Ideas and thesis are clear, insightful, thought-provoking, and focused; ideas consistently support the topic, thesis, and audience for the paper.

Ideas are clear and focused to support the topic and a clearly-developed central idea, but are not consistently insightful or thought-provoking.

Ideas are clear but

conventional or general; ideas generally support the topic, thesis, and audience for the paper.

Ideas are unclear or clichéd and demonstrate a lack of focus in support of the topic or thesis, which may be vague or missing.

Development

evidence (details, examples, textual support, logical appeals, emotional appeals, and appeals to writer’s credibility

Other:

Development is illustrative, with abundant details and examples that arouse audience interest and provide relevant, concrete, specific, and insightful evidence with effective appeals.

Development is adequate, but may lack depth, with details and examples that arouse audience interest and provide relevant, concrete, specific evidence with effective appeals.

Development is sufficient but general, providing adequate but perhaps not interesting details, examples, and evidence; few, ineffective, or fallacious logical, ethical, or emotional appeals.

Development is insufficient, providing scarce or inappropriate details, evidence, and examples that may include logical, ethical, or emotional fallacies or unsupported claims.

Organization

structure

coherence

unity

topic sentences

transitions

Other:

Organization is coherent, unified, and effective in support of the paper’s purpose and consistently demonstrates effective and appropriate rhetorical transitions between ideas and paragraphs.

Organization is coherent, unified, and effective in support of the paper’s purpose and usually demonstrates effective and appropriate rhetorical transitions between ideas and paragraphs.

Organization is coherent and unified overall in support of the essay’s purpose, but is ineffective at times and may demonstrate abrupt or weak transitions between ideas or paragraphs.

Organization is confused and fragmented in support of the essay’s purpose and demonstrates a lack of structure or coherence that negatively affects readability.

Style

sentence structure

word choice

tone

voice

verb tense

purposeful punctuation

Other:

Style is confident, readable, and rhetorically effective in tone, incorporating varied sentence structure and precise word choice.

Style is readable and rhetorically effective in tone, incorporating varied sentence structure and effective word choice.

Style is readable, but unremarkable in tone, sometimes including a lack of sentence variety and ineffective word choice.

Style is incoherent or inappropriate in tone, including a lack of sentence variety and ineffective or inappropriate word choice.

Grammar, Format, and Mechanics

paper format

Standard Written English (commas, s-v agr., sentence boundaries, etc.)

spelling

documentation format

MLA (or other required) format

Other:

Format, grammar, spelling, and punctuation are correct; meet all assignment directions, and work expertly to support the essay’s purpose.

Format, grammar, spelling, and punctuation are correct and meet all assignment directions, and work generally to support the essay’s purpose.

Format is mostly correct and meets critical aspects of assignment directions. Some distracting errors in grammar, spelling,

and punctuation.

Format faulty, does not meet sufficient aspects of the assignment direction, and does not support the essay’s purpose. Numerous distracting errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Grades reflect my best and fairest judgment of the overall quality of your work, taking into account how well it fulfills the assignment and its purpose; how focused and organized it is; how effectively it uses evidence; how effectively it communicates with its audience; to what extent it engages its reader’s imagination and understanding; how easily it can be read and comprehended (reading ease is affected by factors such as unity and coherence, grammatical correctness, and the physical appearance of the manuscript). I’ll give you more specific guidelines for each assignment. A more detailed explanation of my holistic grading can be found on my website.

Additional Requirements: Fall semester students in this course are required to take the ETS Proficiency Profile in the Testing Center. Our scheduled testing time can be found in my course schedule.

Midterm Grades: During the week of Feb. 27-Mar 2, I will provide you with a midterm average based on your graded work to date. This will be the same grade I submit to DUCK (due by Feb 28). According to the posted schedule and syllabus for this class, this grade will reflect your scores on Essay 1, the reading response, and your completed web page framework, or 20% of your semester requirements. No class work grades or accrued extra credit points are included in the midterm assessment. Based on this grade, students may choose to withdraw from the course and receive a grade of “W.” Students pursuing this option must fill out an official withdrawal form, available in the Office of the Registrar, or withdraw on-line using the DUCK by mid-term, which occurs on March 2.

Class Schedule: A complete copy of assignments and due dates can be found on my web page. As the semester progresses, changes to the schedule may be necessary. However, a current schedule will always be posted on my webpage, and I will announce any changes in class.

Class Work: You must be prepared for the assignment and the discussion of the day. This is a participatory class and your input is important. The assignments will require more than one reading, so allow enough time to prepare for each class period. A good rule of thumb for outside preparation is a minimum of two times the class time. For a fifty-minute class, you should plan for between one and two hours of preparation for each class period and for a seventy-five-minute class, two to three hours.

Email: Check your CSU email each morning before class. That is the most efficient way for me to communicate with you. Please remember that you must use your CSU email account to communicate with any CSU instructor. This protects your privacy and offers some protection against viruses/problems for both of us. In addition, any other email address will automatically be directed into my Junk/Spam account. I do not check this file.

Copies: Always keep copies of all important work—including print copies of electronic files—until after you receive your final grade in the course. As your instructor, I will retain your final exam, and may retain the originals or copies of your other papers, but the responsibility for document preservation (for grade appeals or other reasons) is yours.

Surveys or Testing: From time to time, students in any educational institution may be asked to participate in surveys or testing whose primary purpose is to gather information relevant to measuring and increasing the quality of education. If your class is selected for such surveying or testing, your participation is required. (See ETS Proficiency Profile information above.)

Operation Study: At Clayton State University, we expect and support high motivation and academic achievement. Look for Operation Study activities and programs this semester that are designed to enhance your academic success such as study sessions, study breaks, workshops, and opportunities to earn Study Bucks (for use in the University Bookstore) and other items.

Accommodations: Individuals with disabilities who need to request accommodations should contact the Disability Services Coordinator, Student Center 255 phone at 678-466-5445 or via email at disabilityservices@clayton.edu.

Writers’ Studio (Room 224, Arts and Sciences, 678-466-4728 and Learning Support (First Floor of the Library Bldg): I encourage students to seek additional personal instruction and tutoring at the Writing Studio, located in Room 224 Arts and Science Bldg., and Learning Support, housed on the first floor of the Library. The staff of both the studio and the center can assist you with all stages of the writing process, from invention to organization to revising. They will not, however, edit your papers or correct all your grammatical mistakes. If you seek help with a specific grammatical quandary or troublesome stylistic tendency, they can show you strategies for overcoming these problems. The service is free; you may drop-in and wait for a tutor or sign up for a regular appointment. Remember, however, that you, not your tutor, are ultimately responsible for the quality and content of the papers you submit.

Handbook Policy: Students must abide by policies in the Clayton State University Student Handbook, and the Basic Undergraduate Student Responsibilities.

Disruption of the Learning Environment: Behavior which disrupts the teaching–learning process during class activities will not tolerated. While a variety of behaviors can be disruptive in a classroom setting, some include arriving late or leaving early, interrupting others, eating in class, playing music or using electronic devices, texting, and doing homework for another class. More serious examples include belligerent, abusive, profane, and/or threatening behavior. A student who fails to respond to reasonable faculty direction regarding classroom behavior and/or behavior while participating in classroom activities may be dismissed from class. A student who is dismissed is entitled to due process and will be afforded such rights as soon as possible following dismissal. If found in violation, a student may be administratively withdrawn and may receive a grade of WF. A more detailed description of disruptive behavior and appeal procedures is provided at http://a-s.clayton.edu/DisruptiveClassroomBehavior.htm.

Classroom Policies: In this class certain behaviors are particularly distracting and, therefore, are totally unacceptable. Please follow the following behavioral guides. This is your only warning. While you are in my classroom, I expect your full attention. Distractive talking/activity when someone else has the floor is unacceptable. In the classroom community, it is imperative that students respect the opinions and ideas of other students and that the class environment be conducive to open discussion and writing/reading exploration. Writing is hard work. Be respectful of your fellow students. Computer screens must be down during any discussion period or during a lecture or presentation. Cell phones and pagers must be silenced or on vibrate. Students may not text, Twitter, make, or receive calls during class. Headphones, ear buds, and Bluetooth devices should not be worn during class lectures or discussions. Food is not permitted in the classroom, but closed drink containers are permitted--until we have a spill. Then drinks will be limited to bottled water only. Visitors, especially children, regardless of their age or good behavior, are not permitted to come to class with you. This is a strict department policy.

Academic Misconduct: All students will follow the “Student code of Conduct” section of the online Student Handbook, available at http://a-s.clayton.edu/langlit/L&L%20Plagiarism%20Policy.htm. Any type of activity that is considered dishonest by reasonable standards may constitute academic misconduct. The most common forms of academic misconduct are cheating and plagiarism. 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/judicial.

Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty in which you present another’s ideas as your own (Student Conduct Handbook I.E.). Plagiarizing means you thwart your own education and forego your responsibilities as a writer. Furthermore, you violate the ethical, academic standards of the academic community. These standards include the value of research and informed argument, open and honest debate and sharing of ideas, critical thinking about evidence, the careful presentation of research, and acknowledgement of the sources of ideas. We will devote class time to learning how to incorporate others’ ideas honestly and effectively. Your papers will also be submitted to Turnitin.com for plagiarism detection. Students who violate plagiarism policies in this course, as explained below, will receive the prescribed academic and disciplinary penalties.

Students are expected to cite both written (print and electronic), oral, and visual sources consulted in papers and presentations. All borrowed ideas—both direct quotations and

paraphrasing from another’s work—require accurate citation, and direct quotations require quotation marks. Students should

learn and use correct format for block quotes, quotations, and in-text parenthetical documentation. Source material should be introduced fully, and all borrowed ideas should be

Students should fully introduce and cite borrowed material. Cutting and pasting passages from your source into your

own paper without citation and turning in the paper as your own is plagiarism, as is directly quoting without using quotation marks. Undocumented paraphrasing is plagiarism:

fully cite the source of your ideas. In addition, students are expected to paraphrase and summarize using their own stylistic features, not the source’s, to avoid patchwriting

(also called stylistic plagiarism). If your summary is too close to the original in a draft, keep working to synthesize it fully. In addition, students are expected to develop their

own framework for their papers rather than borrowing their source’s argument wholesale (even if acknowledged). Final papers will receive an zero (0) for failure to meet the minimum

Students are expected to write their own original papers for each assignment, from development of ideas and research to revision. If students turn in final papers

substantially written by someone else (i.e. acquired or bought through the Internet, an organization, friends, family members, or another student; most of the paper cut-and-

pasted from sources without documentation, etc.), the student will receive an F for the course and face disciplinary action as per the CSU Office of Student Life/Judicial Affairs

In an effort to protect the integrity of a student’s original work, all assigned class essays must be submitted to www.turnitin.com. before an essay grade can be given. Failure to submit to Turnitin on time will result in a loss of 10 points from the Turnitin percentage of the class work grade. (See additional information about Turnitin above.)

April 16 - 30 Instructor evaluations (failure to submit evaluations online will result in a delay of your semester grades)