English 1102 Syllabus HERE

English 1102 Course Outline MW 2 pm

English 1102 Course Outline   TR 9:30 am and    TR 2 pm

English 1102 Writing Assignment Prompts

What can reading and studying literature teach us about writing well?

And what can it teach us about our selves, the world, and how we exist in it?

These are the two central questions we will take up in ENGL 1102, English Composition II.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  English 1102 is a composition course that develops writing skills beyond the levels of proficiency required by English 1101, that emphasizes interpretation and evaluation, and that incorporates a variety of more advanced research methods.  You will explore how studying literary works can help you develop critical thinking and interpretive skills, and you will improve and practice those skills as a writer.  To that end we will be reading a variety of literary texts, participating in class discussions, completing a number of formal and informal writing assignments, and engaging in peer response and other collaborative projects.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:  Our two central objectives for the course are (1) that you will learn to use the study of literature as a springboard to more complex and accomplished writing and thinking about your self, your writing, and the world around you, and (2) that you will learn to write critically and effectively about literature.  Therefore, our specific goals for the course will be as follows:

¨       That you will develop a vocabulary of rhetorical and literary terms that will enable you articulately, intelligently, and effectively to analyze and discuss your own writing and the rhetorical strategies employed by you, your fellow students, and professional writers;

¨       That you will develop and improve your critical and analytical reading and writing skills so that you can effectively evaluate literary genres and texts orally and in writing, both for their use of effective rhetorical strategies and literary conventions and for meaning and significance;

¨       That you will diversify your composing strategies, developing a greater range of methods for generating ideas, and improve your ability to articulate a complex thesis and support it with evidence, your ability to evaluate and respond appropriately to different audiences, and your ability to revise critically and thoroughly;

¨       That you will improve your facility with research methods and expand your understanding of the research process, including learning more effective ways to integrate your own ideas with those of others; and that you will understand and control writing conventions such as the accurate documentation of sources, appropriate stylistic choices, and surface features such as syntax and grammar;

¨       That you will develop increased confidence in your ability to participate thoughtfully, provocatively, and considerately in small groups and whole class discussions.

REQUIRED TEXTS

Glenn, Cheryl, et al, eds. The Writer's Harbrace Handbook.   Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace & Company, 2003.

Stanford, Judith A.  Responding to Literature.  5th ed.  Mountain View, CA: Mayfield, 2002.

Vreeland, Susan.  Girl In Hyacinth Blue.  New York: Penguin, 2000.

English 1102 McGlaun Course Packet available at Print Services

A reliable collegiate dictionary

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION

Writing Assignments:   All English 1102 students will write 4500 words during the semester of evaluated writing.  Assignments will be distributed evenly throughout the semester and will demand the use of critical thinking skills, knowledge of rhetorical and literary terms and genres, and analysis of literary creations as models of good writing. Revision will be considered as part of the 4500 words, which means that it must be what Meredith Sue Willis calls “deep revision,” or an extensive rethinking of what you have written, rather than simply edited versions of earlier pages.  The writing assignments in this course will include several short writing assignments and quizzes, an explication/analysis paper, a position paper, a researched essay and annotated bibliography, an in-class essay final exam, and a contribution to a collaborative novel project.

Readings:  You will be reading a variety of texts in this course, including selections of creative non-fiction, poetry, fiction, and plays.  We will also read and discuss some texts that address the writing process and effective rhetorical strategies.  The readings are an integral part of the course, and you will need to engage your critical and interpretive skills as you read.  This means reading actively—reading closely, underlining, writing comments and questions in the margins, and bringing your responses, confusions, and the reasons behind those responses and confusions to class.  There may be periodic “annotation checks” to ensure you are engaging with the texts as you read.

Exams:  Currently, the only exam scheduled is a final essay exam, which will cover the last thematic topic, Love, Hate, and Gender.  I reserve the right to schedule additional quizzes or exams on rhetorical and literary terminology or readings should I conclude that you are not keeping up with reading assignments or vocabulary.  The choice is yours. 

Participation:   Our success as a class (and your success in it) depends upon your active presence and participation.  This means reading carefully and critically, attending class faithfully, arriving on time and prepared, contributing to class discussions thoughtfully, enthusiastically participating in informal group works, and completing all writing assignments in a timely manner (Whew!).   Be here—we need you!

EVALUATION

Course components: Evaluation in this course will be based on the following factors.  Please note that you must complete ALL major assignments in a timely manner in order to receive a passing grade in the course!

¨       Short writing assignments and reading quizzes 12%

¨       Paper 1 Explication 12%

¨       Paper 2  Position Paper  14%

¨       Paper 3 Researched Essay  18%

¨       Annotated Bibliography 12%

¨       Paper 4  In-class Essay Exam 12%

¨       Collaborative Novel Project 10 %

¨       Hard Work: Peer Response, Participation  10%

Standard Grading Scale:

A+= 98, A = 95, A-=90       B+= 88, B = 85, B-=80        C+= 78, C = 75, C-=70      D+= 68, D = 65, D-=60      F = 59–0

Requirements for successful completion of English 1102:

Students will be able to

1)       Demonstrate and apply knowledge of the writing process (drafting, revision, editing, peer responding, publishing).

2)       Compose increasingly sophisticated college-level essays, each with a controlling idea, adequate supportive evidence, and effective organization.

3)       Demonstrate and apply, in textual analysis and original compositions, an understanding of effective stylistic choices and their relation to audience and purpose.

4)       Demonstrate a clear understanding of different rhetorical forms and genre conventions, as well as the uses of literary elements as rhetorical choices.

5)       Demonstrate the ability to cite and document material taken from secondary scholarly and critical sources and integrate source material effectively with the students’ own ideas.

6)       Demonstrate critical thinking and textual analysis skills with the aim of transferring them to other disciplines.

7)       Construct grammatically correct and rhetorically effective sentences.

Please note that achievement above the minimal passing level with a grade of A, B, or C  results from exceeding these minimum expectations in terms of essay development and quality of content. 

NCTE and NCATE Standards:  This class has been designed to meet NCTE standards 1-8 and 12.   (1) Students will read fiction and non-fiction; (2) they will encounter different periods and genres; (3) they will apply various strategies of comprehension; (4) they will practice active and effective communication; (5) they will employ a range of writing strategies; (6) they will apply detailed knowledge of language conventions; (7) they will conduct focused research; (8) they will use technological and information resources; (12) they will use language to accomplish their own purposes.  Also, this class is designed to meet NCATE standards 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, and 3.5.

COURSE POLICIES

Paper Format:  The format of all written assignments will follow current MLA guidelines.  See your Writer’s Harbrace Handbook, the Course Packet, and/or visit The Writing Center for guidelines if you have not yet mastered MLA format.  Please, NO creative or oversized fonts, title pages (save the trees!), binders or folders.  You should simply STAPLE your pages together BEFORE CLASS. 

Classroom Etiquette:  Books: This should go without saying, but: be sure you have the appropriate textbook(s), pen, and paper in class everyday.  Showing up without the appropriate text is detrimental to our class discussion, your participation, and (thus) your participation grade.  Phones:  Turn off all cell phones and pagers during class, and please keep them off your desks and out of sight (yours and mine).  If it rings, I reserve the right to answer it.  I-pods and related devices:  Same as the cell phone—off and out of sight.  Food:  No eating in class, please.  Drinks are fine.

Attendance Policy:  We need you in class everyday for you and the class to be successful.  To allow for illnesses and other unforeseeable misfortunes, you are permitted a limited number of absences. If you must be absent, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed and what assignments, if any, will be due at the next class, so that you might turn them in on time.  Foreseeable problems should be discussed with me before the absence.  Make-up exams and essays will be permitted only for documented reasons (to be excused, illness must be documented).  Please note that university policy states that if your total absences exceed 14% of the scheduled classes, you may be dropped from the class with a "WF."  FOUR classes is your limit, including excused and unexcused absences!  I reserve the right to deduct 1/3 of a letter grade from your final average for every absence over three.

Late Assignments:  All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due dates specified on the syllabus.  Late papers as a rule are unacceptable; this includes drafts.  You will receive one “late paper coupon” at the beginning of the semester.  With this coupon, you may submit one assignment late, with a possible 1/3 of a letter grade deduction.  Please see the coupon for details and exceptions.  Once you have used your coupon, I will NOT accept any more late work from you, so save it for the emergency it was intended for.  Do not leave completed assignments in your room or car and ask to turn them in later, unless you are using your coupon.  DO NOT ASK me to make exceptions to this policy—it makes me cranky!

Incompletes:  Incompletes are awarded only when a student is doing satisfactory work, but for non-academic reasons beyond the student’s control, is unable to meet the full requirements of the course.

Academic Integrity:  Plagiarism is a serious error, one that will not be tolerated at NGCSU.  Ethical and responsible writers do not use another’s words or ideas as if they were their own.  The Writer's Harbrace Handbook notes that you must document all the following material derived from sources: direct quotations, summaries or paraphrases of material; ideas, illustrations, tables, graphs, and charts; and public electronic and personal communication. To avoid problems, please read the “Research: Finding and Evaluating Sources” and “Research: Using and Citing Sources” sections of The Writer's Harbrace Handbook.  You are also responsible for reading and following the guidelines on plagiarism presented in the North Georgia College & State University Undergraduate Bulletin: “Academic Integrity Policy” (74-77).  The student who plagiarizes will be given a zero for the assignment, typically an F for the class, and should expect disciplinary action by the college.

RESOURCES

Conferences with Professor:  I encourage you to seek out, and may require, individual conferences with you over the course of the semester.  Conferences are a great resource for you, and my pleasure.  If you cannot make my office hours and would like to schedule a conference, please let me know and we will make arrangements.

The Writing Center @ NGCSU:  North Georgia has a staffed Writing Center in Dunlap 111.  I encourage writers working at ANY level of competence and at any stage of the writing process to visit the Writing Center; whether you consider yourself a highly competent, pretty good, or struggling writer, it is always helpful to have a dialogue with someone about your work.  The staff will not write, revise, or edit your papers FOR you, but they will respond thoughtfully to your essays and help you discover and employ effective writing and revision strategies.  If you visit the Writing Center, please take whatever notes or draft work you have (if any), as well as the writing assignment prompt. 

Office of Student Disability Resources:  North Georgia College & State University is committed to equal access to its programs, services, and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need accommodations in this class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the instructor, and you will need to register with the Office of Student Disability Resources. Please contact Elizabeth McIntosh, Coordinator at 867-2782, 221 Barnes Hall.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO EARN AN A?

If so, then consider the following recommendations.  Please note that the following are neither guarantees nor requirements.  These recommendations are simply based on my experience: students who make use of the resources offered to them are more often successful than those who don’t.

To earn an A: I suggest a minimum of five visits to the Writing Center and three conferences with me about your work.

To earn a B: I suggest a minimum of four visits to the Writing Center and two conferences with me about your work.

To earn a C: I suggest a minimum of three visits to the Writing Center and one conference with me about your work.