Syllabus/ SPRING 08
Composition II (ENG134)
SEABER/AS27
Email: rseaber@MineralArea.edu
Phone: 518-2242
Office hours: M: 5:30—6:20 pm; WF: 11:00—11:50 am; T/Th 1 :00—1:50 pm and by appointment.
Website: http://www.mineralarea.edu/faculty/facultywebpages/rseaber/
Dept./Dept. Chair: English Department; Carolyn Gordon, Chair
Texts:
Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 6th ed.
New York: Modern Language Association, 2003.
(NOTE: This book is not required but highly recommended.)
McCuen-Metherell, Jo Ray, and Anthony C. Winkler. Readings for Writers.
12th ed. Thomson: Boston, 2007.
Troyka, Lynn Quitman, and Douglas Hesse. Handbook for Writers, 6th ed.,
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2002
TURN-IT-IN (This is an access code for a site on which you will upload your essays. The code should have been included in your materials, specifically, your Troyka text, for this class.)
Other Materials: Jump drive (memory stick); Microsoft Word; folder(s); three-ring binder; 3 x 5 index cards (optional); and other appropriate materials, at your discretion, as needed for organization of research materials.
Course Description: This course focuses on critical analysis and the research process, with instruction structured around research methods, proper citation and documentation, effective organization of resource information, and approaches to organizing and writing the research paper itself. In addition, formal essays will be assigned to enhance students' writing and research skills. Finally, the course reiterates writing as a recursive process (i.e., a cycle of writing and revision throughout the process and completion of a writing assignment) and emphasizes the thinking skills necessary for effective, college level writing.
Prerequisite : A “ C” or better in ENG133 (Comp I).
Course Objectives:
1. To promote research and writing as essential factors of critical analysis and scholarship.
2. To cultivate students' competence and credibility as writers.
3. To demonstrate writing as a recursive process consisting of prewriting, writing, and rewriting (i.e. revision = re-vision; seeing it again from another perspective).
Methods: Practical writing exercises, including both independent and in-class writing assignments; peer reviews; student-instructor conferences; lectures, discussion of example essays; group activities; independent reading assignments; library and other research assignments; quizzes, and other assignments as deemed necessary to facilitate learning of the course objectives.
Evaluation: I do not “give” grades; you earn your grades. That is, grades posted on students' assignments and academic records reflect the grades they have earned through their accomplishments in the course--trying and accomplishing are different beasts.
Overall grades will be computed based on an analysis of scores on completed essays, research paper, annotated bibliography, quizzes, in-class assignments, and major exams. In addition, class attendance and participation may be taken into consideration for determination of students' final grades.
Extra Credit: I do not grant extra credit— do not ask for it.
Major assignments:
Definition Essay; Cause/Effect Essay; Argument/Persuasion Essay ---Each of these major essays is worth 100 points.
The Research Paper is worth 200 points. ( NOTE: You must pass the Research Paper in order to pass the class. In addition, to receive a C or better in this class, you must also receive a C or better on the Research Paper.)
The Annotated Bibliography is worth 50 points.
Other assignments:
Pop quizzes, in-class writing assignments and other assignments, in or out of class, as deemed necessary along with your record of attendance and class participation constitute additional portions of your grade. The percentage of these grades toward your overall grade varies depending on the amount of class time available for these exercises during the semester.
The final exam is worth approximately 50 to 75 points. If given, the mid-term will also be worth approximately 50 to 75 points.
Grading Scale: 90 – 100 = A; 80 – 89 = B; 70 – 79 = C; 60 – 69 = D; Below 60 = F
Student Responsibilities:
* Students must come to class prepared. Bring pen, paper, jump drive, text(s),and completed assignments. In addition, students should finish their reading assignments on time and should come prepared to take a quiz and/or discuss the readings due for any particular class period.
* Students must obtain a MAC email address for use in this class. I may NOT respond to email that is received from addressees other than MAC addresses.
* Students should have all electronic devices turned off during each class period. Students allowing any pagers, cell phones, etc. to disturb the class will be asked to leave.
• Students are responsible for gathering announcements, assignments, etc. that they have missed while absent. It is highly suggested that students exchange email addresses and/or phone numbers with at least one other class member in the event that the instructor cannot be reached before the next class period.
• Students must submit completed essays in a folder along with all required drafts and peer review sheets for that particular essay. Required materials that should accompany each essay will be announced prior to the final draft's due date.
• Students must submit completed assignments on the date due. All submissions must be typed—no exceptions. Unless otherwise stated, all submissions must be turned in to the instructor in person and in hard copy. Emailed or faxed submissions are not accepted unless prior approval is obtained, or unless an email submission is designated as a requirement of the particular assignment. Instructor is not responsible for missing or “lost” assignments— always keep at least one copy of every assignment!
* Although they choose their own topics, students must obtain instructor approval of their essay and research topics. Should a student be told his/her topic is not acceptable, he/she must choose another topic and must still turn in his/her writing assignment on the due date. In other words, no time extensions are granted because of a topic change.
• As Composition II students, you are expected to have a working knowledge of the writing process and a command of the English language. If you have weaknesses in these areas, you should visit the Writing Lab in the MAC Library. My role as a Comp II instructor includes helping you with the invention and formulation of the content of your essays and facilitating your development of the critical thinking skills necessary for good writing; my role is not that of an editor. Regardless, you need to turn in papers that have few, if any, grammatical and technical errors—and, you need to thoroughly proofread your papers so that any errors are caught and corrected before your assignments reach my hands. NUMEROUS GRAMMATICAL, USUAGE, SPELLING, MECHANICAL, ETC. ERRORS MAY RESULT IN FAILURE OR A SIGNIFICANTLY LOWERED GRADE FOR ANY GIVEN ASSIGNMENT.
• Students are expected to revise their writing assignments prior to completion of the final draft. Keep in mind that although revision may, and often does, include the correction of grammatical and technical errors, it also nvolves much more than proofreading and editing. Revision means re-vision. In other words, revision is the process of seeing your work in a new light and changing the content accordingly so that your reader has a better understanding of the message you are attempting to convey.
• Students must maintain appropriate classroom behavior. (See “Policies”)
* Students are responsible for gathering the announcements, assignments, etc. they have missed while absent. Students may consult the instructor's website for updates on assignments. Additionally, it is highly suggested that students exchange email addresses and/or phone numbers with at least one other class member in the event that the instructor cannot be reached before the next class period and in the even that a delay takes place in updating the website. NOTE: YOU are responsible for gathering notes/assignments/etc. should you miss a class--I will NOT reiterate a lecture/lesson for you!
MY RESPONSES TO YOUR WORK: When I respond to your writing, I will make comments both within the margins and with a final end note. In addition, be aware that I use my own set of markings on your papers to assist your understanding of some of the issues I may have encountered when reading your papers. Here are my major marks for your future reference:
X Means I found an error in spelling, punctuation, grammar, usage, etc. You will find the “X” in the margin of the line where the error occurs. Furthermore, two “Xs” mean I found two mistakes, three “Xs” indicate three mistakes, etc.
[ ] Brackets around a sentence or phrase indicate that either a major error has occurred, or that you need to reword the sentence for clarity. Sometimes you will see “frag.” over the brackets. This abbreviation indicates that the words within the brackets constitute a sentence fragment in lieu of a complete sentence.
|| Two parallel lines mean that you have violated either the rule of parallel structure or the rule of agreement.
W/C W/C means "word choice." The word you have used does not convey your meaning or does not convey your meaning as well as it could. Choose
another word.
A squiggly line next to a sentence or paragraph means I no idea what you're trying to say. Revise!
POLICIES:
Late Work: Late work is not accepted without prior approval. Nevertheless, even with prior approval, the late assignment will receive a score that is reduced by 10 percent. No assignment will be accepted later than one week past the original due date. The research paper is a semester-long project that will be due quite late in the class schedule—therefore, NO LATE RESEARCH PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
Rewrites: Adequate time and resources are provided for the revision process prior to the due date for each essay. Therefore, NO writing assignments may be rewritten for a higher grade. Do not ask.
Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend class. Roll is taken at each class period. Students who must miss class for any reason are still responsible for completing current assignments and should email me or speak to me in person or by phone prior to the absence to let me know they will not be in class. I will not recap or repeat my lectures for students who miss class--do not ask. Missing class not only affects your grade indirectly (because you will lack a complete understanding of the class materials), it also affects your grade and/or status directly as follows:
* Students may be dropped from the class after the 4th consecutive absence
* Students will be allowed only 4 absences for any reason--I do not differentiate between "excused" and unexcused" absences. Upon the 5th absence, students' final grades are lowered by one full letter grade--regardless of reason.
* Students are responsible for keeping track of the number of absences they
accumulate, meaning I will not remind or warn students that they will be dropped or have their grades lowered.
Quizzes: Quizzes may be announced or unannounced. Quizzes cannot be made up. Quizzes are given at the beginning of the class period and questions are not repeated for latecomers.
Plagiarism/Academic Honesty: In this class, plagiarism means the use of someone else's ideas or words, intentionally or unintentionally, without giving credit to/acknowledging the original source. Any plagiarized work automatically receives a failing grade and may result in failure of this class. Any other form of academic dishonesty (i.e., "cheating") will also result in failure of the assignment and/or exam, and also may result in failure of the course. You will be asked to sign a pledge of honesty on all major assignments and exams. Be forewarned—I take the issue of plagiarism quite seriously!
Appropriate Classroom Behavior: As college students, you are expected to behave as such. Should you engage in behavior that is disruptive, you will be asked to leave the classroom for the remainder of the class period, and your final grade may be penalized for such behavior. I deem which behaviors are disruptive. That is, if I say the behavior is inappropriate, it is.
Use of Internet/Computers: Because this is a computer classroom, you may feel tempted to use the Internet, check email, or work on other assignments during class. Do so at your own risk—using the computers for anything other this course, and only during the class time allotted for computer work is considered disruptive behavior. Anyone found using the Internet or working on assignments during class, other than those assignments in accordance with my instructions for a particular class period, will be asked to leave for the remainder of that class period. Your dismissal from class under such circumstances will be recorded as an absence and your grade may be penalized. Class participation, or lack thereof, as well as class disruptions vs. attentiveness are factors of students' overall semester grades.
SPECIAL ACCOMODATIONS: Students with special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act should notify me so that appropriate accommodations can be arranged.
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FOR SCHEDULE--See the "current assignments" page of my website—address found on heading section of this syllabus.