ENGLISH 101-CV4
FALL 2007
INSTRUCTOR: Steve Wilper
EMAIL: dwilper@siue.edu
OFFICE: PB 3408
PHONE: 650-5027
OFFICE HOURS:
Tuesday: 1:45-3:00
Wednesday: 4:00-6:00
Thursday: 1:45-3:00
NOTE: THE FOLLOWING SYLLABUS/COURSE SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
TEXTS AND MATERIALS:
TEACHING METHOD: This class will consist
of a combination of lecture, in-class exercises, and, hopefully, a lot of
class participation. You will be assigned readings from
the rental, purchase texts, and handouts, and will be expected to have read
them prior to the particular class for which they were assigned. Further,
we will likely continue conversations and projects that are ongoing in your
History 111 class.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: This section of English 101 is linked to History
111 CIV and fulfills a Freshman Seminar requirement. These two courses (History
and English) offer you a unique learning opportunity: You will work
with a cohort of students in two courses, which provides you with an opportunity
to forge new social and intellectual networks. You also begin to make connections
between ideas in two courses, which is what college is all about—synthesizing
information across disciplines. Here, you’ll have a deliberately constructed
opportunity that one that we hope will be a model for the rest of your
learning at this institution. In that regard, your experience in this section
of ENG 101 will be different from students who are not in this linked CIV
experience. Further, while all the faculty teaching the linked ENG 101 sections
have been and will continue to work closely in the planning of this learning
experience, each of the linked ENG 101 sections will be somewhat different
from each other. Nonetheless, you can be assured that each section is comparable
in terms of overall amount of writing, grading, and purpose, and that the
sections are in line with the standards of the Expository Writing Program
at SIUE. Each experience will be unique. We feel that the opportunity to
learn will be rich if you actively engage with the course. While we
will use much of the material in your 111 course, THIS IS STILL PRIMARILY
A WRITING COURSE. The difference is that we will be writing about topics
and ideas that are related to your 111 course. We will accomplish this
by generating ideas from your experiences, from outside readings of various
topics, from the world around you, from electronic media and, importantly,
from your History 111 class; we will then turn these ideas into good writing.
Much of what you do will be summary and analysis, re-definition of terms
and ideas, and in this class we will end with formal argument with a bit
of research. Many of your assignments will require original thinking
and ideas and will ask you to make an argument of some sort and to support
this argument with facts, examples, and substantive analysis. Gone
are the days when you could simply write the personal narrative and gone
are the days when your opinion, unsubstantiated, is enough. Because
you “feel” strongly about something is just the starting point. You
must, in writing your papers and expressing your points of view, give ample
logical reasons for your opinions and develop your arguments thoroughly.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: The following point system will be used to determine
your final grade. Your total points will be 1000 with 900-1000 being
an “A,” 800-899 being a “B,” 720-799 being a “C," 620-719 being a "D,"
and below 620 is an "F."
ABOUT GRADES:
Since this is a class that is tied to a 111 class, if you drop one class
you drop both. If you receive a grade of below a "C," you will not pass
101. You could still pass 111, but would have to take 101 again. You
can also receive a grade of "PR," which means that you did all of the work,
but not at a "C" level. You will have to take 101 again. You
can still pass 111, though.
PLACEMENT AND DIAGNOSTIC TESTS: During the first two classes
you will be taking some diagnostic tests to not only see where you are at,
but to get a feel for your perceptions of writing and history. We will
further revisit these diagnostic tests at the end of the semester in two
other classes.
THE PORTFOLIO: I will explain this in detail
in class, but you will be required to keep a portfolio.
This does not necessarily count towards my aspect of your grading.
During week 9, you will have a portfolio folder like the one
I show you in class. You will
pick your best writings and at your descretion you can come to my office
and revise these as you want.
You will need about 7 pages of polished writing.
This has nothing to do with my grading of your papers.
This will go to a portfolio committee and they will judge your
portfolio at this time and they will discuss whether you are doing writing
that indicates you will be ready for 102 by the end of the semester.
Their comments are advisory at this point.
During weeks 15 and 16 we will do this once again.
This time you need about 15 pages of polished writing.
It can be any combination of your best writings up to this
point. This will go to a comitte
of instructors and they will pass or fail the portfolio.
If you fail the portfolio, and if you are at about a C or below
in my class, you will have to take the class again next semester.
If you are getting a B or better in my class and it fails,
I will appeal your file. This
portfolio reading is meant to be a way to set consistent standards and is
not meant as a punishment. 102
is a rigorous class, and those teaching it will be among those evaluating
your portfolio. If you pass
the portfolio, you will receive the grade you are earning in my class.
In both portfolios, you will also include letters of reflection,
which will be explained in handouts and in later classes.
You may also include in your portfolios any of the writings
that you do in your history 111 class.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT YOU SAVE ALL THE ASSIGNMENT SHEETS I GIVE
YOU FOR THE WRITINGS AND INCLUDE THEM IN YOUR PORTFOLIO. If using a paper
from the history class, include the assignment sheet for this.
ESSAYS: There will be 3 (three) assigned essays that will
involve writing as a process. We will generate ideas and rough writings
from other assignments (sketchbook, summary and analysis writings) and then
work these ideas into formal papers. This will be a process, and you
will receive points for each step of the way. You will first write a rough
draft for peer group evaluation. The drafts will not be graded, but
will act as a guide in the process towards a final graded paper. Though
the drafts will not be separately graded, presenting them on the date due
in peer group sessions will count towards your final grade (see “Peer Groups”
below). After the draft is reviewed in peer groups you will revise
and work on your paper. Then, for two of the essays, you will meet
with me in a private conference to look at your paper, which should have
been heavily revised since the draft you presented to your peer group. During
the weeks of conferences, class will not meet. This is not a week off,
but a time to work on the paper. During this time I will be in my office
and you can come by for a personal conference (I will pass around a sign-up
sheet the day of peer groups). However, you must have a draft of your
essay ready for me to look at if you sign up for a conference. After
this, you will do the necessary revisions and then bring your revised copy
to the next class and turn it in for a grade. After this, you will
place this in your portfolio and you will be given a chance to revise this
one final time.
WRITING EXERCISES: These are various exercises such as summary, analysis,
angle of vision, etc. They will be graded and are worth 200 points.
READINGS: During the semester, you will be assigned various readings.
Some are listed on the schedule below and some I will give to you during
class. You will read these for the next class. These readings are for
the purpose of class discussion and may be used as prompts for either reading
responses, in-class essays, or quizzes. Many will be tied to your history
111 course.
QUIZZES: You will be given brief quizzes during the semester.
These will usually be at the beginning of class. The quizzes will be
objective answers to questions taken from assigned readings. The quizzes,
sketchbook and reading responses (see “Reading Responses” below) will total
100 points in determining your final grade. No make-up quizzes.
READING RESPONSES: During the semester, I will have you write one
or two paragraphs in response to the reading assignments. These may
be either in-class or take home assignments, and the readings for them my
not be reflected on the course schedule. In other words, I may find
something interesting and bring it to class, discuss it and then have you
write a response to it. The more you talk in class, the less time I
will have to give you a take home reading response. The reading responses,
quizzes, and sketchbook, as mentioned above, will total 100 points in determining
your final grade.
REVISIONS: All of your writings will be kept in a portfolio. You
should bring this with you whenever you come to my office and when you come
to class. I will do revision exercises on many of the shorter writings.
However, revisions of the three major papers are on you. After
peer groups and conferences, you will turn in your paper and receive a grade.
I CONSIDER THE PEER GROUP DRAFT AND THE CONFERENCE DRAFTS REVISIONS
AND DO NOT ALLOW FURTHER REVISIONS AFTER THIS. There will be comments
on your paper and a typed page at the end, along with the grade for that
paper. However, if you want to come see me to revise the paper for
the portfolio, I will be glad to help you.
PEER GROUP/DRAFTS: You are expected to participate in all group activities
with an open mind and willingness to work. On days that we meet in
peer groups, you will bring 3 typed copies of the draft being worked on (or,
if in a computer room a disk with your essay on it and one printed draft),
unless told otherwise. Drafts will not be graded, but presenting them
to your peer group will figure in your final grade of the paper being edited.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A DRAFT FOR PEER GROUPS, YOU WILL LOSE 10% OF
OF THE FINAL GRADE OF THE PAPER. Do not bring hastily hand-written
drafts. You will hand in one copy of your draft to me and you will
have to sign a list to show you were in class and did peer work. If your
draft is incomplete or hastily written, I will not give you credit for that
peer group session and your final draft will begin minus 10% (I.E., I GRADE
THAT PAPER AND THEN TAKE OFF A FULL GRADE AFTER MY EVALUATION).
ESSAY FORMAT: All drafts and assignments (with the exception of in-class
reading responses and in-class essays if you are not in a computer lab) are
to be typed, double-spaced, have a title, and contain your name and the course
on the front page. Essays not following this form will not be accepted.
OVERALL CLASS PARTICIPATION: As I stated, this will be considered
in your final grade.
CLASS ATTENDANCE: I take signed attendance at the beginning of class.
If you are late, it is your responsibility to come and see me after class
in order that I don't count you absent. Further, it is your responsibility
to come to me for any handouts you miss because of absence. I
will abide by the 10% policy discussed in the Student's Handbook--that is,
if you miss more than ten percent of the classes (3 classes), you will
not pass the course. Also, if you are over 15 minutes late,
this will be recorded as an absence. And if you are late 3 times (under
15 minutes), this will count as an absence. Since students sometimes
forget, you will sign an attendance sheet at the beginning of every class.
During the first week, you will sign a paper that states that you understand
the attendance policy. Students who get 3 quick absences and then
try to remain in the class must understand that it doesn't matter when you
get the fourth. You will fail. FURTHER, MISSING A CONFERENCE
WILL COUNT AS TWO ABSENCES. conference
LATE PAPERS: WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT A VALID EXCUSE .
If you have a medical emergency or other similar excuse, I will consider
this. Bring me documentation, however.
PLAGIARISM: The policy on plagiarism (presenting another person's
work as your own) is simple: if you do it, you flunk the course (see the
Student's Handbook). In addition, you may face further action from
the university.
DISCUSSING A GRADE: We all make mistakes. If you wish
to discuss a grade, set up an appointment with me. Do not crowd around
my desk after class in order that you can dispute a grade. Take the paper
home, look at it and compose a well reasoned argument that you can present
to me at our appointment.
*Realize that I will usually assign things from one handbook or the other,
but there are sections in the other handbooks that cover the same areas.
ALWAYS BRING YOUR SCOTT FORESMAN HANDBOOK TO CLASS.
CLASS SCHEDULE
WEEK 1
(8/21 and 8/23)
Tuesday
Thursday
WEEK 2
(8/28 and 8/30)
Tuesday
Thursday
WEEK 3 (9/4 and 9/6)
Tuesday
Thursday
WEEK 4 (9/11 and
9/13)
Tuesday
Thursday
WEEK 5 (9/18 and 9/20)
Tuesday
Thursday
WEEK 6 (9/25 and 9/27)
Tuesday
Thursday
WEEK 7 (10/2 and 10/4)
WEEK 8 (10/9 and 10/11)
Tuesday
Thursday
WEEK 9 (10/16 and 10/18)
Tuesday
Thursday
WEEK 10 (10/23 and 10/25)
Tuesday
Thursday
WEEK 11 (10/30 and 11/1)
WEEK 12 (11/6 and 11/8)
WEEK 13 (11/13 and 11/15)
WEEK 14 (11/20 and 11/22)
WEEK 15 (11/27 and 11/29)
WEEK 16: