ENG1102 Course Syllabus

Central State University
English 1102: Writing and Research – Learning Community

Course Policies and Procedures

Sections 12/Spring09

Ms. Annette Lorenzo
Office: Wesley Hall Office Hours: 10:00-11:30 AM/3:00-4:00 M-Th
E-mail: alorenzo1@aol.com
Phone: 937-776-6410 (cell)

Texts:
Lunsford A Andrea, and Ruszkiewicz J. John. The Presence of Others: Voices and Images That Call for Response, 5th ed. Bedford, St. Martins. 2008

A recently published dictionary and a recently published thesaurus.

Catalog Description:
ENG 1102 (4 credits, I, II) Writing and Researching the Essay: Research-based argumentative and analytical writing using library and Internet sources. Students will continue to develop proficiency in college-level writing and mechanics. They will write brief essays and at least one longer research paper, properly formatted, using both print and electronic sources. The research paper will be oriented toward the student’s major field or area of interest. Course includes review for the English Proficiency exam.

Prerequisite: Grad of C or above in ENG 1100 or 1101 or equivalent.

Note: This CSU- Spring2009/ ENG1102 works in conjunction with an assigned Learning Community course. Additional written assignment/classroom directives will be posted on this online blog, which will be administrated by the ENG1102 course instructor. The Learning Community directive document is an offical segment of the main syllabus of this ENG11002 course.

Purpose:
English 1102 has two primary goals. The first is to assist you in improving your academic writing and research. Writing is a skill that, like any skill, can be improved through guided practice. The class is designed to give you that guidance and practice so that, no matter what level of skill you start with, you can improve the writing skills you have already acquired and, over the course of the semester, become a better, more confident writer. The course has as an additional goal to help you prepare for the kinds of writing and research that you will be asked to do in your college and professional careers.

After the policies, you will find the department’s outline of the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that you will master during the course of this semester. In support of your goal of gaining greater control over the process of writing, you will learn a set of concepts and a vocabulary of language analysis, logic, and rhetorical strategy. By knowing more about how language, logic, and persuasion work, and by knowing more features of style and argument, you will become a better writer.

The course syllabus will take you through a series of assignments, each of which will focus on different rhetorical and linguistic skills. The syllabus specifies the kind of assignment you will do at each stage; however, you will be able in most cases to choose your own topic. You will also have the freedom to specify the audiences you want to address, though we will keep in mind the special situation of academic writing.

Course Materials:
In addition to the required textbooks, you will also need:

A notebook to keep class handouts and the notes you take.

A pocket folder. Each time you turn in a major writing assignment, you will need to place it in a pocket folder with all the background material for that paper and all your previous papers. This writing portfolio will help us assess the progress you make throughout the semester. After significant revision and reflection, you will turn in the best of your portfolio at the end of the semester. These can be collected at the beginning of the following semester.


WebCT page and Course Blog: This is a paperless classroom/course. Check these daily! The calendar will have homework assignments, and all handouts will be posted on the site. Blog and WebCT address will be provided during the first week of the course.

Requirements:
In-class Writing and Style Exercises: In addition to exercises in the textbook, you will write a variety of short memos, responses to readings, answers to questions, paper plans, commentaries and critiques. Not all of these exercises will be announced in advance. Some will be graded, most will not; all will be recorded. We will also do a great deal of language work because you can improve your writing by isolating and practicing specific language features before you incorporate them into your work.

Major Paper Assignments: Your main work in the course consists of six papers written outside of class. Though you will do some work on these papers in class (brainstorming, drafting, revising), they must be researched, formed and polished outside of class. Think of them as representing the best thinking and writing you can produce.

Final Exam: More on this as we reach finals. You will be expected to write a set of essays on the language skills and rhetorical concepts covered this semester.

Format for Assignments:
All major papers must be typed. If you do not own a computer with word processing capability, computer labs are available on campus with software that is easy to learn.

Papers must be submitted with a title page that includes your audience analysis. Use Times New Roman font, 12 point. Leave one-inch margins on all borders of the text. Papers must be double-spaced. Save your paper frequently while composing and make back-up hard copies of your finished work! Make a habit of emailing your paper to yourself as an attachment at least a couple of times during the drafting process and certainly BEFORE you exit the document for the last time and leave the computer lab, your friend’s computer, or even your own computer. This way, even if your paper is mysteriously erased, you still have a copy in your email files.

Late Papers:
Because the major paper assignments have been designed to build on each other, they must be done in the order specified and turned in on time. A paper drops one letter grade for every class period that it is late. A paper is considered late if turned in ten minutes after class starts. After one week, the late paper defaults to an “F.” To pass the course, you must complete all major paper assignments; thus, you must turn in a late paper even if it is an “F” so that you will still have a chance to pass the course. I understand that unusual situations occur; therefore, you are allowed one "free late" day for one paper -- no excuses needed. After that, the penalty is assessed -- no excuses allowed. Incomplete folders will be lowered one half grade; the "free late" does not apply.

Attendance:
We're doing important work in class! If you are absent, it is your responsibility to learn what you missed. Get notes from another student, check the WebCT page/Course Blog, and/or visit me during my office hours. I will not type out lecture notes via e-mail.

University policy states that you may fail a course for having more unexcused absences during the semester than the number of times the class meets per week. For ENG 1102, that is four times during the course of the semester.

An excused absence entitles you to make up what work can be made up. Satisfactory documentation for each excused absence is required, and must be presented within a week of that absence. Excused absences include religious observances, funerals, family/ medical emergencies, serious illness. I will not accept a Health Center receipt for an excused absence. I must have a letter from your doctor stating that you were unable to attend class for the specific dates that you missed. If something serious happens, I must know what is going on!! We'll work together to get you caught up.

Grading and Revision:
In any skills course, what counts is improvement. Thus, the grades you earn on later papers count more than grades on earlier papers. The percentage of each contribution to your final grade is as follows:

In-class writing, homework, and class participation 10%
Essay #1: Definition 10%
Essay #2: “What Are the Issues” 10%
Essay #3: Annotated Bibliography 10%
Essay #4: Rhetorical Analysis 10%
Essay #5: Pro/Pro Essay 20%
Essay #6: Position Paper 20%
Final Exam 10%

For the criteria determining grades A through F, see the attached grading standards. Revision is a key component of the writing process. Therefore, your final three papers will build on each other. Some of your work from each essay may appear in the next essay. For example, one side of your “Pro/Pro” essay will be the central argument of your final essay.

Office Hours:
Office hours are an important way for students and professors to get to know each other outside of class. You don’t need a major crisis to come by. Stop in if you need help brainstorming a topic, drafting an essay, or revising. The only way I will help you one on one outside of class is during my office hours or by appointment. I will NOT read any of your work over e-mail and “tell you if it’s OK.” I find it much more effective to be able to discuss your writing with you in real time!

During the Position Paper, I will cancel several classes and meet with each of you individually. Missing your conference will count as TWO unexcused absences.

Academic Integrity:
Plagiarism, whether it is submitting someone else's work as your own, submitting your own work completed for another class without my permission, or using other sources without proper citations, will not be tolerated.

We will discuss academic integrity and plagiarism thoroughly this semester, especially when working with source documentation. However, at any point in the semester, ignorance is not an excuse! If you have ANY questions about how to cite a source, come to my office hours. I WILL fail any paper that I suspect has been plagiarized, and you will be in serious jeopardy of failing the course entirely.

Special Circumstances:
If you have been documented as an individual with disabilities, please contact the Office of Disability Services at ext. 6387 so that reasonable accommodations can be made to assist you in your learning.

Additional CSU Information

ADA Statement: Central State University is committed to including students with disabilities as full participants in its programs, services, and activities through compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. If you are a student with a documented disability please schedule to meet with each of your professors to discuss any course accommodations you may need.

The final exam for this course will be conducted during the final exam period (May 4-7 on Main Campus and May 2-5 on the Dayton Campus); therefore your presence on campus is expected at the time our final is scheduled.

If you have any questions or concerns about a grade or an assignment, your instructor is your first and primary point of contact.

“I” grades (Incompletes) are given at the Instructor’s discretion and only if you: (1) have a legitimate incident that prevents completion of course assignments, and (2) adhere to these procedures:
-provide relevant documents
-have a C average going into the final exam period
-have attended at least 50% of class meetings
-agree in writing to the instructor’s terms for completing the missed work.

At CSU, we want to help you succeed; therefore, the following resources (and more!) are available to you:

-Tutorial Services (Ms. H. Scott), 937 376-6110
-Honors Program (Dr. Shevin), 937 376-6032
-Counseling Services 937 376-6171; 937 376-6479; 937 376-6494
(Mr. Adegbola, X6171; Dr. Hadley, X6479; Mr. Porter, X6494)
-Scholarship Information (CSU Foundation), 937 376-6278
-Dean of Students (Mr. D. Peal) 937 376-6494
- Police/Safety, 937 376-5111
-Health Center, 937 376-6134
-IT (Information Technology) Helpdesk, 937 376-7007
-Student Government Association, 937 376-6104
-Career Services, 937 376-6383
-Alumni Relations, 937 376-6640/6641
Advising Week begins April 1: see your advisor, register early for Fall ’09 or Summer ’09 classes and stay on track toward graduation! Last day to drop a class with a W grade, is April 3.


Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions for English 1102

Objective: At the completion of the course, the student will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions as follows:

Knowledge (what you can explain and/or teach to others)

Understand the various modes of writing (exposition, description, argumentation) used in research writing.
Explain the relationship between the thesis and the rest of the paper.
Describe the techniques of argumentation.
Refute adversarial positions.
Describe proper documentation as required by major area.
Communicate awareness of issues.

Skills (tasks you can perform)

Read and think critically.
Analyze argumentative issues.
Relate information in essays to one’s own academic major or areas of interest.
Apply the techniques of argumentation to research-based writing.
Read and think critically.
Use approved documentation forms in research-based writing.
Use primary and secondary sources properly.
Write unified and coherent analytical and persuasive essays.
Choose and limit a research topic.
Find information in the library and on the Internet.
Formulate a thesis for the research paper.
Use MLA or APA formatting and documentation conventions.

Dispositions (attitudes and behavior)

Value careful reading and effective written communication.
Value critical awareness of differing arguments.
Maintain interest in current topics.
Confidence in discussing issues.
Evaluate and organize ideas.
Achieve proficiency in the tools of research.
Recognize rhetorical modes used in research writing.



Grading Criteria for ENG1102

The A Paper

It not only fulfills the assignment but does so in a fresh and mature way. The paper accommodates itself well to the intended audience.
The evidence is detailed and used persuasively; citations are used effectively where appropriate and are formatted correctly.
The organization gives the reader a sense of the necessary flow of the argument or explanation. Paragraphs are fully developed and follow from what precedes them; the conclusion reinforces the reader’s confidence in the writer’s control of the argument. Transitions are used as appropriate.
The prose is clear, apt, and occasionally memorable; the paper contains few, if any errors of grammar, mechanics, word choice or expression, none of which undermines the overall effectiveness of the paper.

The B Paper

The assignment has been followed and fulfilled at a better-than-average level. The paper appropriately addresses its intended audience.
The evidence is detailed and persuasive. The paper may sometimes rely too heavily on the obvious, though the writer does not consistently settle for the obvious. The reasoning is better than adequate; it is thoughtful, with awareness of other points of view.
The introduction and conclusion are clear, but perhaps not as forceful as they could be. Most paragraphs follow well and are appropriately divided, though one or two could be better placed and developed.
The expression is more than competent. Not only is sentence structure correct, but subordination, emphasis, sentence length, and variety are used effectively. Some sentences could be improved, but it would be surprising to find serious errors, such as comma splices, fragments, or fused sentences in a B paper. Punctuation, grammar, and spelling reveal proficient use of the conventions of Standard American English.

The C Paper

The assignment has been followed at a satisfactory level. The paper presents an appropriate thesis. However, the thesis may be too broad or general, or its presentation may be problematic in some way – e.g., the intended audience may, for various reasons, have trouble immediately discerning the thesis.
For the most part, the argument is supported with evidence. However, the evidence is likely to be obvious; the paper may even lack some pertinent information. The reasoning, while generally sound, is predictable; or the reasoning, while generally good, is occasionally flawed. There is some awareness of other points of view.
There is an implicit sense of organization, but several paragraphs and/or sentences within paragraphs are misplaced to the extent that the organizational structure is recognizable but disjointed.
Sentence structure is generally correct, although the writer may show limited competence with sentence effectiveness, failing to use such elements as subordination, sentence variety, and modifiers to achieve emphasis. Comma splices, unintentional fragments, and fused sentences – errors that betray an inadequate understanding of sentence structure – may occasionally crop up. The vocabulary is fairly limited. The paper may contain errors in spelling, mechanics, and grammar that reveal unfamiliarity with conventions of Standard American English.

The D Paper

There is a poor sense of audience and a limited sense of purpose. The purpose or thesis cannot be discerned without significant work on the part of the reader.
Necessary evidence is out of order and/or missing; irrelevant evidence may instead be present. The reasoning will necessarily be flawed.
The organization is difficult to discern. The introduction is unclear or nonexistent, paragraphs are not well-developed or arranged, and transitions are incorrect or missing.
There are numerous errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. The diction and/or syntax may be so weak that sentences are sometimes incomprehensible for the intended audience, although experienced readers can make sense of what is written. Lack of proofreading may turn an otherwise adequate paper into a D paper.

The F Paper

It is off the assignment. The thesis is unclear; the paper moves confusedly in several directions. It may even fall seriously short of minimum length requirements.
and/or
There is virtually no evidence, or the attribution of evidence is problematic or has been neglected.
an/or
The organization seems to a significant degree haphazard or arbitrary.
and/or
Numerous and consistent error s of grammar, spelling, diction or syntax hinder clarity or even basic communication. Some sentences are incomprehensible.

(The grading criteria are adapted from: Introduction to Academic Writing, 2003-2004. Freshmen Writing Program, Department of English, University of Maryland, College Park. Needham Heights, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing, 2003.)

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Contact Information for English 1102

Ms. Annette Lorenzo, MPA
Phone: 937-776-6410 E-mail: alorenzo@centralstate.edu

WebCT:
Blog: address provide during face to face meeting.

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Contract for English 1102


I, ­­­­­­­­­­­____________________________, certify that I have read and understand the policies and procedures for English 1102. I agree to abide by these policies and contact a fellow student and Ms. Annette Lorenzo, MPA, ASAP if I have questions or problems.



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Signature date