English Composition 101-18

English Composition 101-18 M/W/F: 11:00-11:50, HHP 236 Fall 2009 Christine Tobin [email protected] or [email protected] Mailbox: MHRA 3114 Office: McIver 328; 256-8553 Office Hours M/Th 3:00-4:30 or by appointment

I. Course Information

A. Learning Goals 1) Interpret and evaluate written and/or oral arguments 2) Locate and evaluate relevant information 3) Construct and communicate cogent arguments 4) Adapt modes of communication to the audience and/or purpose

B. Description

English Composition is designed as an introductory course to college level writing. Composition treats writing as a way to learn as well as a skill. Throughout the semester you will be asked to analyze written text as a way to better understand the way an argument is constructed; through your own writing, you will become more adept at creating an argument and communicating the tenets of your support. Because composition is process oriented (as opposed to product), much of the course is devoted to the process of writing, both inception and revision. All formal assignments will be submitted as drafts, to be critiqued by peers in small groups and by me, as your instructor. Drafts will undergo multiple revisions before the final portfolio; the composition classroom is about continued improvement; writing is not a skill that can be learned in one semester, but we become better writers through the continued practice of reading, writing, critiquing, and revising.

C. Materials

Graff, Gerald, Cathy Brikenstein and Russel Durst. They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing with Readings. New York: W.W. Norton, 2008. (ISBN: 978-0393931747)

Nazario, Sonia. Enrique’s Journey. New York: Random House, 2007. (ISBN: 978-0912971781) Techne Rhetorike. Ed. Laurie Lyda. 2009.

E-Reserve readings on Blackboard, as assigned.

D. Other Requirements

Access to Blackboard, UNCG email, and a printer. Folder to keep handouts, drafts, and readings. 3-pronged folder for the portfolio. Paper for notes and in-class writing assignments.

II. Class Policies

A. Decorum

Be respectful of yourself, your peers, me, and the course. This means 1) active participation in class 2) arriving on time 3) having course materials in hand and read/written and 4) not introducing distractions during class time.

B. Electronics

You do not need a laptop during class. However, if you choose to bring/use a laptop, be aware that they may be used in class only to take notes pertaining to our class or to view documents on our Blackboard website. Any student who uses a laptop for any non-classroom activity during class time will not be allowed to use a laptop in class again. To be perfectly clear: one violation means no laptop use.

Turn off all electronic devices and store them away; don’t just put them on vibrate. Please, no texting or checking messages during class ever.

C. Attendance

Students are allowed a maximum of three absences without a grade penalty. For every absence beyond those allowed, students will be penalized one-half letter grade. Students who miss six classes will fail the course.

Students who are more than ten minutes late to class are considered late; three tardies will be counted as an absence, so it is important to be on time.

D. Conferences 2 Two conferences are required during the semester. During the first, we will discuss broad issues that came up during the first essay assignment and any questions about revision. During the second conference toward the end of the semester, we will discuss your last essay and concerns you have about the portfolio. As class is cancelled for three days to accommodate schedules, conferences are mandatory. Failure to show at a conference counts as missing three days of class.

E. Email policy

An email is probably the most efficient way to get in touch with me; be aware, however, that I do not check mail after 9:00 pm. I will return emails within 24 hours, except on weekends. If you do not hear back from me, please resend the original email. Also, please sign emails with your name and section number.

III. Assignments

A. Grading

1) Participation grades 15%

Your participation grade is made up of 1) class discussions (5%) and 2) peer reviews (4 @ 2.5% each).

2) Formal essays 20%

There are four longer essays (around 5 pages each). Each essay is worth 5% of your final grade, half when you turn in the 1st draft for workshop and half when you turn in the 2nd draft to me. You will be given a provisional grade for the final draft; however, the final grade is not assigned until the portfolio.

3) Short essays 15%

Several less formal writing assignments will be given. Some will be started in class and finished for homework; others are assigned outside of class. Each is worth 2.5% of your final grade.

4) Portfolio 50%

3 The portfolio is composed of 25 pages of polished (revised) writing, all previous drafts, and a reflection piece. The portfolio is due at the end of the semester, though it is often helpful to begin the revision process early. Please keep all versions of your essays, as well as any peer critiques from workshops, until the end of the semester.

B. Guidelines

1) Late assignments will not be accepted. If you are absent on a due date, the assignment still needs to be turned in. Please make arrangements with me beforehand if you know you will be absent.

2) Papers should be formatted as follows:

Stapled! Titled Double spaced One inch ruled margins Size 12 New Roman or similar font Pages numbered Your name, course #, assignment, and date in upper left hand corner

3) For formal essays that will be workshopped, please bring three copies on the day 1st drafts are due: one you will keep; the other two will be distributed to your peer- reviewers. Peer responses are due the next class. Responses can either be a 1-2 page typed response or can follow questions on the handout, and should provide helpful feedback for the writer.

4) On the day 2nd drafts are due to me, please email the paper to me as an attachment (Microsoft Word document or .rtf file) by the time class starts. I will read and respond with comments and return the paper to you electronically. [Small caveat: electronic submission is an experiment for me this semester; if there are too many problems with emails/attachments, etc., this policy may change.]

5) Peer critiques are an integral part of the writing process in a composition classroom. As such, you are expected to read and respond to the essay drafts of your workshop group. Your workshop group, composed of three people chosen at random, will meet to discuss your drafts; peer critiques give helpful feedback to the writer when it comes time for revision. However, critiques also help strengthen your skills as a reader, which in turn strengthen your skills as a writer. Peer 4 critiques, while not turned in to me, will be checked during workshop to earn a grade.

6) For one of the short essays, you must attend one outside event. This event should be cultural (a dance performance or play) or academic (a lecture or discussion group). After attending the event, you will write a 2-page response giving a brief (very brief) overview of the event as well as your thoughts and reactions. While a short summary of the event is necessary for the reader’s understanding, I am most interested in your response. You might think about what role this event plays in campus life, why you chose to attend it, how the experience made your think, or what connections it might have to your classes. A listing of campus events can be found at http://calendar.uncg.edu. The last day to turn in the response, worth 2.5% of your grade, is Friday, October 30.

C. Plagiarism

“Academic integrity is founded upon and encompasses the following five values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. Violations include, for example, cheating, plagiarism, misuse of academic resources, falsification, and facilitating academic dishonesty. If knowledge is to be gained and properly evaluated, it must be pursued under conditions free from dishonesty. Deceit and misrepresentations are incompatible with the fundamental activity of this academic institution and shall not be tolerated” (from UNCG’s Academic Integrity Policy). To ensure that you understand the university’s policy on academic integrity, review the guidelines and list of violations at http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu. I expect you to abide by the Academic Integrity Policy. Violations of academic integrity will be reported to university officials and may result in consequences for the course ranging in severity from re-doing an assignment to failing the course.

D. MLA Style

You are asked to follow the MLA format for papers as well as citing sources. The Writing Center and library have helpful links for information about MLA style. The UNCG datebook also has a brief overview of MLA style in the back as a quick reference. http://www.uncg.edu/eng/writingcenter/citations.html http://library.uncg.edu/depts/ref/qil/styles.asp

E. Student Services

5 Students with documentation of special needs should arrange to see me about accommodations as soon as possible. If you believe you could benefit from such accommodations, you must first register with the Office of Disability Services on campus before such accommodations can be made. The office is located on the second floor of the Elliott University Center (EUC) in Suite 215, and the office is open 8am to 5pm, Monday - Friday. Telephone: 334-5440; e-mail: [email protected].

The Writing Center is located in 3211 of the MHRA building. They can help you at any stage of the writing process, from prewriting to polishing. Please schedule an appointment with them at any point during the semester if you need outside help with your writing. For more information visit www.uncg.edu/eng/writingcenter/.

Each visit to the Writing Center will be counted as half a point extra credit added to your final grade.

6 Calendar is subject to change. All changes will be posted to BB. Readings and assignments are listed by the date they are due. EJ = Enrique’s Journey TSIS = They Say / I Say TR = Techne Rhetorike BB = Blackboard HO = Handout

Date Readings due Assignments due

Week 1: the reading & writing process M Aug. 24 Anne Lamott (BB) in class W Aug. 26 135-148 (TSIS); Mike Rose (BB) 1-page essay F Aug. 28 Klass & Mellix (BB)

Week 2: the workshop M Aug. 31 1-27 (TSIS); Idea of the Audience Breakup email (in class (TR) writing) W Sep. 2 500-words (BB) Revised email F Sep. 4 Birmingham (BB) 1st draft of Essay 1

Week 3: revision M Sep. 7 No class, Labor Day W Sep. 9 Campos (TSIS 206); Rhetoric of Peer responses Voice (TR) F Sep. 11 Balub (TSIS 157); Arranging/Re- 2nd draft of Essay 2 arranging (TR)

Week 4: conferences M Sep. 14 Portfolio Process (TR) & Conferencing Rhetorically (TR) W Sep. 16 Conferences continued F Sep. 18 Conferences continued

Week 5: responding to texts M Sep. 21 EJ: 3-135 W Sep. 23 28-47 (TSIS); Performing 7 Rhetorically (TR) F Sep. 25 Book reviews (BB) Referencing texts (in-class assignment)

Week 6: primary sources M Sep. 28 EJ: 137-196 W Sep. 30 Language and Landscape (TR) Turn in topic for Essay 2 F Oct. 2 The Research Process (TR); Oral Presentations (TR)

Week 7: using sources M Oct. 5 EJ: 197-295 W Oct. 7 51-87 (TSIS) 2-minute presentation F Oct. 9 1st draft of Essay 2

Week 8: rhetorical concepts M Oct. 1 No class, Fall Break W Oct. 14 Introduction to Rhetorical Peer responses Concepts (TR) F Oct. 16 Johnson (TSIS 213); Will (TSIS 293)

Week 9: visual rhetoric M Oct. 19 Visual Rhetoric (TR) 2nd draft of Essay 2 W Oct. 21 Theses (Supplementals in TR) F Oct. 23 Visuals (BB) Developing a thesis (in- class writing)

Week 10: rhetorical analysis M Oct. 26 88-114 (TSIS); Logical Fallacies (Supplementals in TR) W Oct. 28 Fallacies (BB) 1st draft of Essay 3 F Oct. 30 Peer responses; last day for outside event responses

Week 11: making 8 evaluations M Nov. 2 The Wrestler and the President (TR); Rhetorical Positioning (TR) W Nov. 4 Kozol (BB) 2nd draft of Essay 3 F Nov. 6 Obama (TSIS) Outlining an evaluation (in-class writing assignment)

Week 12: making proposals M Nov. 9 155-122 (TSIS); Proposals (BB) W Nov. 11 Banzhaff (TSIS 162); Bartlett (TSIS) F Nov. 13 Outlining a proposal (in- class writing assignment)

Week 13: conferences & author visit M Nov. 16 Sonia Nazario lecture W Nov. 18 Conferences continued F Nov. 20 Conferences continued

Week 14: genre M Nov. 23 Kinkaid; Spiegleman; op-ed piece; Nazario response fairytale (all on BB) W Nov. 25 No class, Thanksgiving F Nov. 27 No class, Thanksgiving

Week 15: genre & meta M Nov. 30 Rhetoric and Creative Writing 1st draft of Essay 4 (sections (TR); 123-132 (TSIS) 1 & 2) W Dec. 2 Peer Responses F Dec. 4 2nd draft of Essay 4 (all sections)

Week 16: writing in public spaces M Dec. 7 Share genre pieces 9 T Dec. 8 Reading Day M Dec. 14 Exam: 8:00-11:00 AM Portfolio due