English 111: College Composition
Spring 2004
Sections:
HE:
MW
HJ:
TR 11:30-12:45 in MOS 216
HM: TR
1:00-2:15 in MOS 212
Required Texts:
Bass
and Young, Beyond Borders
Urrea,
Across the Wire: Life and Hard Times on the Mexican Border
Raimes,
Keys for Writers: A Brief Handbook
Three-ring
binder for ENG 111 only
Course Description
English 111 is designed to give you
the opportunity to improve your analytical and critical skills through
writing.
As part of the Miami Plan for liberal education, ENG 111 has four
goals: to
achieve perspective through critical thinking; to understand the
contexts in
which knowledge is created and transmitted; to engage with other
learners; and
to reflect and act on the learning that you engage in at Miami
University. We will
work to achieve these goals through writing, reading, and discussion.
ENG 111
understands that writing is a continuing process of thinking, of
discovery, of
learning, and of communication and that you will need these skills as
you
continue at Miami University and especially as you enter the world at
large.
This course also presumes that you learn to read and write better by reading and writing regularly, not by listening to lectures about writing. Consequently, this course will be a workshop course in which we will write regularly and copiously. We will work to develop a community of writers who will work collaboratively. By the end of the semester, you will produce a portfolio of four essays and ten short writings, with a total of approximately 30 pages of finished prose.
Border Narrative
10%
Border Analysis
25%
Collaborative Letter
10%
Documented Argument
35%
Short Writings + Portfolio
10%
Participation
10%
Class Participation.
You will be graded on your
active and positive participation. You may choose to participate by
completing
homework, engaging in group work, volunteering during class discussion,
and
completing assigned readings (see quizzes below). You should bring the
assigned
readings to every class meeting. Participation in these areas will be
graded on
the following criteria:
A = Regular active
participation demonstrating superior understanding and analysis of assigned
material; willingness to engage theories, perspectives, and group
members
B = Frequent
participation that demonstrates accurate and thoughtful familiarity
with the material; participation in
group interaction
C =
Contributions
are infrequent and/or demonstrate little familiarity with the material;
or contributions are not
relevant to material being discussed
D = In attendance
but does not participate in discussion
0 =
Not in
attendance or sleeping in class
Group Work. At the beginning of the semester, I will
assign you to a group with which you will work all semester. Groups
will
collaborate for in-class assignments, peer review, small-group
discussion, and
a collaborative paper. Your participation in group work will be
calculated into
your participation grade.
Reading Quizzes. There
will be a quiz at the beginning of every class meeting for which you
have had a reading assignment.
Your best ten scores will count in the calculation of your final
participation
grade. Quizzes cannot be made
up.
Papers. You will complete a Border Narrative, a Border Analysis, a
Collaborative Letter, and a Documented Argument. All final papers must
be
attached to a rough draft, both of which you will turn in. You will
receive in
class both written explanation and detailed descriptions of the
assignments.
All papers must conform to stated guidelines. Papers may not be
submitted
electronically (technology is not always reliable). Late papers will be
penalized 10% each calendar day until the paper is turned in. Students who fail to turn in one of the
four major papers (narrative, analysis, letter, or documented argument)
will
not pass the class.
Short Writings. Throughout the semester, I will
assign fourteen short papers, based on readings or lectures, to be
word-processed in advanced and
brought to class. These papers will allow you to practice a variety of
skills—summary, evaluation, analysis, reflection, and critique. Short
writings
are formal papers and should be revised and formatted according to
paper
guidelines. In addition to writing practice, these assignments offer
you the opportunity
to focus your ideas and comments before coming to class. The short
assignments
will be collected at the end of each class. Your best ten scores on the
fourteen assignments will count in the calculation of your final grade.
No late
papers will be accepted. Electronic submissions will not be accepted.
You must
be in attendance for the entire class period in order to turn in a
short
writing.
10 = Demonstrates
superior familiarity with the
material as well as analytical and critical thinking; points are
clearly articulated and easy to follow
8 =
Demonstrates
basic familiarity with the material; points are raised but not
developed or supported; or provides
a solid summary of material but little analysis or reflection
6 =
Demonstrates
only passing familiarity with material; analysis is absent or
simplistic; points are poorly
articulated or hard to follow; or provides only crude summary of
material
5 =
Turns in
assignment, but demonstrates no significant familiarity with material
or analysis of material
0 =
Does not
complete assignment
Student Responsibilities
Paper Guidelines. All papers will be word processed and double-spaced in 12-point Times New Roman with standard 1”- or 1 ¼”-inch margins. You may use either Word or WordPerfect, but papers may not be typed on a typewriter. If you do not have a computer, please take advantage of the campus computer labs, which I will be happy to show you at any time during the semester. You are expected to use MLA citation style, but if you are more familiar or comfortable with a different style, please let me know.
Attendance. Attendance will be taken at each class meeting. Regular attendance is expected. The University’s attendance policy is available at http://www.miami.muohio.edu/documents_and_policies/handbook/academic_regulations/acadregspvii.cfm.
Beyond this policy, students may miss up to three classes without penalty. No explanation is required, and these first three absences are considered “excused.” After the third missed class, the final course grade will be lowered ten percent. With each subsequent absence, the course grade will be reduced by another five percentage points. Twenty-four hours after the sixth absence, the student will be dropped from the class with a grade of F. Students receiving financial aid should consider carefully their absences as they are ultimately responsible for complying with regulations, and exceptions to the attendance policy will not be made for financial aid eligibility. Individual exceptions may be negotiated on a case-by-case basis under extraordinary circumstances.
Tardiness. You are expected to arrive in the classroom before the appointed class hour so that we may begin our work on time. Because students who arrive late disrupt class, tardiness will be penalized. Everyone will be allowed one tardy. After that initial late arrival, I will count two tardies as an absence. After four late arrivals, students will dropped from the course.
Technology. Please turn cell phones and pagers OFF (not to vibrate) when you enter the classroom. Students who use cell phones or check messages—voice or text—will be asked to leave the classroom and marked absent for the day. Any missed work cannot be made up.
Information for Students with Disabilities. If you have a disability or any other special circumstance that may have some impact on your work in this class, and for which you may require accommodations, please contact me early in the semester so that appropriate accommodations can be made in a timely manner. The Office of Disability Services at Hamilton, located in Rentschler Hall, is the designated office on campus to provide services and accommodations to students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Mary Vogel, Coordinator of Disability Services, by telephone at 513-785-3211 (TTY/TDD accessible) or via email at vogelmm@muohio.edu.
Plagiarism. Academic honesty is expected
and
required. All cases of plagiarism will be referred to the Office of
Judicial
Affairs.
By remaining in this course, you are
agreeing to the
terms of this syllabus.