Ruth E. Bell
Office: PH 3305
E-mail:  rubell@siue.edu
Phone: 650-3398
 

· Materials
· Course Description
· Attendance and participation
· Evaluation of student achievement
· Assignments
· Grades
· Writing Center
· Plagiarism
· Withdrawal
· Schedule

   From SIUE English Dept. Webpage: http://www.siue.edu/ENGLISH/index.html
    SIUE English Department’s Student Handbook for English Composition 101 & 102 for 2001-02

    Writing Journal: Each student is required to purchase an 8½ x 11” spiral-bound notebook for this course for journal entries and note taking. That notebook should be brought to class daily.

Course Description:
 An introduction to basic research methods and further development in writing clear, concise, expository prose. Expository writing explains, analyzes, and /or persuades. There will be discussions and exercises based on assigned readings from the four textbooks from textbook rental.

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Attendance and participation:
 Freshman Composition is a skill-building course; hence, regular attendance is essential to success.  You may miss no more than five classes without penalty.   Between and including weeks three and ten, those who have missed more than five classes will be dropped from the roster and assigned a “WR” for the course.  Before week three and after week ten, those who have missed more than five classes will be asked to drop the course.  I will count off one letter grade for each day more than five. However, if dangerous weather prevents you from safely driving to campus, call me or e-mail me to let me know the reason.  If possible, inform me about absences in advance.  Contact a classmate and check the syllabus to make up the assignment for the day missed. You must come to class prepared to work, having read the assigned chapters and bringing the required number of drafts.  You must turn in assignments when due, and actively participate in class discussions.  Absence is not an excuse for late assignments.

Evaluation of student achievement:
The course will consist of reading assignments, class discussions, 5 summaries, 4 out-of-class (OC) essays, in-class (IC) writings and exercises, and a major research paper.  All will be graded for organization, development, quality of content, and standard English usage. Daily assignments will include prewriting, drafts and peer sheets, journal writings, and possible quizzes. The research paper will be 8-10, DS, typed pages.  It should include a thesis/outline page, parenthetical notes, and a bibliography containing at least 10 sources.

In-class writings, exercises or quizzes  - 10%
Four essays - 40%
Research  paper (2,000 - 3,000 words) - 30%
5 summaries- 10%
Journals, class discussion, and attendance - 10%

Assignments:
 All work must be submitted on time.  Late papers will lose one letter grade. Permission to hand in a late paper should be requested by a written note in class, by email or by phone message.  Papers will then lose one letter grade for each additional late class period. Assignments and out-of-class essays over one week late will not be accepted.  When you hand in final drafts of your papers, you must also hand in any planning, all drafts, and all peer review sheets.  Any omissions will lower your grade by 5 points.

For out-of-class essays, all final drafts must be double-spaced, typed pages in Times New Roman size-12 font, with 1” margins all around. All rough drafts should be typed and copied for use in peer groups.  All in-class essays must be written in ink, double-spaced and written on only one side of the sheet, using  standard margins.  Please no frayed edges on the sheets.

Keep an extra copy of each out-of-class essay.  The original graded essay must accompany any revisions allowed.  Save all graded work throughout the semester.

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Grades:
 Refer to your Student Handbook for department standards on grades and grading.

Writing Center:
See the yellow handout. (http://www.siue.edu/IS/WRITING/) In Peck 1419, is a variety of help – tutors, modules, workshops, writing tips via e-mail, and credit for taking ENG 100.  Use these facilities to remedy errors in grammar, etc.  Problems in sentence structure may cause failing grades on papers.  Proofread carefully.  You are responsible for any typos or spell check errors.

Plagiarism:
Read the Student Handbook on plagiarism.  If you quote or summarize information from other writers, you must give them credit within your paper or you are plagiarizing  their work.  Intentional plagiarism will result in failure in the course.

Withdrawal:
See the Student Handbook on withdrawal from class.  To withdraw from this course you need to go through the official process to get a W grade.  Just disappearing will get you an E or a WR,  due to nonattendance.  If you miss 5 classes or more, please withdraw from the class.

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SIUE Spring 2002 Schedule
Reading assignments are due on the date listed for that class period.  More reading assignments from the other texts will be given as needed throughout the class.  Ongoing, periodic grammar reviews will be added as the schedule permits.  Assignments are subject to adjustment.  Conferences TBA.

Week 1  2 3 4  5  6 7  8  9 10  11  12 13  14  15 16

Week 1

M Jan 07 – Introduction to the course and requirements;  discuss library tour, computer labs, and possible research topics (have one ready for Wednesday); WS vii-x
W       09 – Read pp. 28-37 in SFH on thesis statements; review of ENG 101, essay and paragraph review; topic proposal due; do in-class student interviews; write interview essays at home and bring to class Fri. Jan 11
F         11 – Read pp. 66-91 in SFH ( writing as process; revising, editing, proofreading); peer groups evaluate the interview essays in class; introductions

Week 2

M Jan 14 – Possible research topics due;  assign essay #1,  defining a problem or issue; WFS pp. 3-20 on Reading for Understanding
W       16 – WFS pp. 8-16, discussion; WFS pp. 462-6 on interviewing
F        18 – WFS pp. 21-33, logic and argument; WFS, pp.  239-54, finding sources; journal           on  WFS pp. 8-16, impromptu in-class journal

Week 3

M  Jan 21 – Dr. Martin Luther King Day Holiday – No classes
W        23 – Bring to class four copies of essay #1, definition of a problem;  WFS pp. 254-74, working bibliography
F         25 – General Library Tour – meet at Information Desk in library

Week 4

M Jan 28 – ESSAY #1 due – defining a problem; WFS pp. 43-6, writing a summary; WFS pp. 99-121 paraphrasing
W       30  –WFS pp. 73-99, Ch. 2,  quoting; assign essay #2,  analyze the causes and effects of the problem or issue (use two resources, citations and notes)
F  Feb 01 – WFS pp.364-94, acknowledging sources, plagiarism; bring all sources to class

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Week 5

M  Feb 04 – Library tour over journals and electronic sources;  read before tour WFS pp. 275-88 on evaluating sources
W         06 – WFS pp. 92-121, Ch. 2 – citations and paraphrasing; do exercise 12, pp. 119-21; bring 2 potentially useful sources to class, WFS pp. 48-60
F          08 –Assignment and discussion of major research essay; scan SFH Ch. 35, 36, & 37 on beginning and developing a RP and MLA documentation;  practice summaries

Week 6

M Feb 11 – First draft of c/e essay due, four copies for peer groups;
W       13 – Summary #1 due (over an article on your RP topic.  Bring 4 copies of your summary and a copy of the article to evaluate in peer groups.)
F         15 – Final draft of ESSAY #2 due, c/e of a problem or issue;  essay #3 assigned, solutions (use 3 sources)

Week 7

M Feb 18 – Library research day; meet in the library
W        20 – SFH pp. 578-630, Ch. 35, on  beginning the RP; especially, pp. 626-30, on organizing RP, working bibliography; WFS pp. 189-222, on multiple source essays
F         22 – Summary # 2 due  and a copy of your article, groups; SFH pp. 631-68, Ch. 36,  on developing a RP

Week 8

M Feb 25 – Journal on progress on research; draft one of essay #3 due, four copies
W        27 – Summary # 3 due; SFH  pp. 676-724, Ch. 37- MLA documentation
F  Mar 01 – Final draft of ESSAY # 3 due, on solutions to the problem/issue; assign essay #4, predictions (4 sources)

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Week 9

M Mar 04 & W 06 – Working bibliography of RP due (10 items at least) and the narrowed topic due (submit a one paragraph description of what your RP will be about); in-class discussion of this bibliography and RP connected with them
F Mar 08 – Summary # 4 due;  editing exercises

Week 10

M Mar 18 – First draft of essay #4 due, four copies, peer groups
W        20 – Bring a 10 item bibliography for your RP, both books and periodicals; entries should be annotated; summary #5 due
F          22 – Final draft of ESSAY # 4 due, on predictions;  revised thesis and working RP outline due, peer groups

Week 11

M Mar 25, W 27, & F 29 – General discussion of problems and progress on RP;  documentation and RP format, WFS, Ch. 8, pp. 335-63, organizing and writing the research essay; (be able to document a source for every note, quote, and piece of information you use.)

Week 12

M April 01 – Library research day; conferences in library
W April 03 and F 05 – Documentation and format, WFS, Ch. 9, pp. 364-409,  see sample RP

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Week 13

M April 08 – First draft of RP due; schedule conferences; last week to hand in any revisions of essays
W          10 – Research notes workshop;  bring all notes, photocopies, etc. to class, WFS, pp. 307-409
F            12 – In class conferences on research paper, notes, bibliography draft, and second draft of RP all due; WFS pp. 397-409

Week 14

M April 15, W 17, & F 19 – In-class conferences all week on research paper; notes, bibliography draft, and second draft of RP all due;  WFS pp. 397-409

Week 15

M April 22 – Research  paper complete draft due: revision session
W          24 – RESEARCH PAPER due; total project in final form, complete with list of works cited, is due at 11 a.m.; course evaluations
F           26 – Review of course;  creative writing day; discuss Belles Lettres

Week 16

No class meetings; possible conferences in my office TBA

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