Composition II

English 112

Spring, 2007

Section Q 10-10:50 MWF

Section W 9-9:50 MWF

CENT 207

Dr. Chidsey Dickson

Office: Carnegie 222

544-8110 dickson_c@lynchburg.edu

Office Hours: 11am-1 pm MWF and by appt.

 

Required Texts

 

Killgallon, Don. Sentence Composing for College : A Worktext on Sentence Variety and Maturity.

 

Graff, Gerald and Cathy Birkenstein They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter

 

Course Packet (handouts)

 

Course Description

 

In this continued work on the writing process, students learn how to take command of an argument and support it effectively. Students learn to read and interpret texts containing language with multiple levels of meaning, develop techniques of writing research papers using argument and analysis with multiple sources, and to research topics efficiently and effectively using the full range of resources, tools, and methodologies. Students who have taken ENGL 111 normally stay in the same section for 112.

In addition to learning more about the conventions and challenges of academic discourse, the course offers guidance and practice in improving students’ information literacy, media literacy and visual literacy. The following definitions are drawn from www.infolit.org:

Information Literacy: the ability to know when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, evaluate and effectively use that information for the issue or problem at hand

Media Literacy: the ability to decode, analyze, evaluate, and produce communication in a variety of forms.

Visual Literacy: the ability, through knowledge of the basic visual elements, to understand the meaning and component of the image.

Finally, there’s a technical dimension to the course. You really cannot improve your writing without some focused practice with the varieties of sentence and paragraph construction. You will do the assigned exercises in the actual text OR, if the exercises involve writing, in a cheap-o BOUND notebook, which you will turn into me at the end of the semester.

 

Course Objectives

At the end of the semester, students will be able to

  • Write succinct argument summaries
  • Analyze and evaluate arguments
  • Analyze and compose images
  • Synthesize sources in multi-source writing projects
  • Shape (and revise) a research question and conduct a thorough rhetorical analysis of sources

Grades

 

Attendance and Participation in Class Discussion

10%

ConnectWeb Posts (consistency and quality)

15%

Writing Projects (4 x 15%)

60%

Sentence Composing Workbook

15%

Web Resources

Revising Prose: http://www.rpi.edu/dept/llc/writecenter/web/revise.html

Logical Fallacies: http://www.fallacyfiles.org/authorit.html

Image Analysis: http://dickson-c.web.lynchburg.edu/imageanal.htm 

 

              http://dickson-c.web.lynchburg.edu/warimages.htm

 

Standards

To get an A in the class you:

  • Be prepared to help the class or your group engage with the material for the day.
  • Participate in class in a lively manner—that is, listen attentively to what others are saying (not just the instructor), and add to or question the ideas presented.
  •  Turn in all assignments, including CW informal writing responses, at the appropriate time (exceptions can be negotiated if/when they occur, but must involve good reasoning and be discussed PRIOR to the due date).
  • Produce "A"-level writing in formal, high-stakes assignments (i.e., the writing projects)
  • Miss no more than 3 classes

To get a B, you will generally need to meet the criteria of an A, but with some inconsistencies. This inconsistency could happen in any area, but generally it shows up as not being prepared for every class (not having the reading done, not handing in assignments on time), writing projects that don't meet all the assignment criteria, sporadic participation in class, or attendance or tardiness problems. The key here is that you are generally meeting the criteria for an A, but occasionally or in a particular area you are not.

To get a C, those inconsistencies would need to become more of a norm rather than an exception. Any of the inconsistencies listed above that become the typical way that you interact in class—writing that continually misses assignment criteria, little to no participation in class discussions, routinely late writing assignments, etc.—would result in a C grade.

Behavioral Standards For Learning Environments

The values and attitudes that should guide student behavior consistent with maintaining an environment conducive to learning are set forth in the Lynchburg College catalogue and The Hornet. Responsibility and authority for maintaining order in the learning environment are assigned to faculty in Section 3.12.3 of the Faculty Handbook.

The following standards and procedures apply to all learning environments. However, each School and each instructor may have codes to specify additional standards suitable for learning environments or activities.

No student in Lynchburg College classes, laboratories, performances, lectures, and/or organizations shall behave in any way that obstructs or disrupts the normal functioning of the environment. Such behavior includes, but is not limited to, behaviors that persistently or grossly (1) inhibit the ability of other students to learn; (2) interfere with the meaningful participation of other students; or (3) inhibit the ability of an instructor or presenter to do his/her job. Specifically, students should foster an optimal learning environment by doing the following

  • Arriving on time
  • Being seated when it is time to begin and being attentive throughout.
  • Refraining from engaging in conversations with others unless participating in group activities
  • Using a courteous tone when speaking
  • Using appropriate language
  • Refraining form leaving the class while it is in progress (except for illness or with prior approval)
  • Treating others with respect
  • Refraining from eating

Use of the Wilmer Writing Center (Hopwood 04)

All writers can benefit from discussing their work with another interested writer; hence, the individual attention provided by the Writing Center tutors is a helpful resource for all students in ENGL 111-112.  You should decide at what point in your writing process discussion with a tutor would be most helpful: 

-          invention and focusing the thesis in the early stages

-          developing and organizing ideas in the rough draft

-          integrating and documenting sources in a second draft

-          editing and proofreading before the final draft

You may like to visit the Writing Center more than once per assignment as your purpose changes at various points in the writing process, but all ENGL 111-112 students should consider visiting the Writing Center several times per semester.

Statement on Disabilities

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which guarantees the rights of all students with documented disabilities equal access to an education, limited only by personal ability and not by the disability, Lynchburg College supports students in obtaining reasonable accommodations at the college. Disclosure by the student and official documentation are required to determine eligibility for assistance due to a disability. For more information: http://www.lynchburg.edu/advising/learningresources/policies.htm

Plagiarism

Plagiarism occurs in written work and in oral/visual presentations in which the writer presents materials as his/her own that have originated with someone else. These materials include information, data, ideas, conclusions, words, sentence structures, images, movies, sounds, and music. Because plagiarism presents another's work as one's own, it is unethical and dishonest and is therefore prohibited by the Lynchburg College Honor Code.  There are two broad categories of plagiarism: first, plagiarism of ideas occurs when the writer presents the ideas of others as his/her own. Information, data, interpretations, and conclusions that come from a specific source must be attributed to the source even if the original language is not used.  Second, plagiarism of language occurs when the writer lifts sentences or substantive words from the source. For more information: http://www.lynchburg.edu/library/instruct_svcs/plagiarism.htm

Class Attendance/Lateness/Etc

More than three unexcused absences from class indicates that, regardless of your writing ability or performance, you are not really invested in the course. After three absences, I might ask to speak to you about what’s hindering your full engagement (problems with workload, difficulty of assignments, etc.). After four unexcused absences, your semester grade drops a letter grade. Students who have 6 unexcused absences automatically fail the class.

Missed Classes

Due to sickness, athletic events, family problems, etc., you will probably miss one or two classes during the semester. It is your responsibility to have the contact information for another person in the class (email and phone number) so that if you do miss a class you can find out what you missed, possible changes to the syllabus, etc.. If you miss more than one class due to sickness, you must provide more than one notification of a visit to the clinic. If you miss a class on a day when we are doing some in-class work (group work, etc.), you should contact a peer to find out what you missed. I will not bring extra copies of handouts to the next class. If you want to discuss what you missed, drop by my office during office hours.

If you are absent on the day when I return drafts (with my comments), you can pick up your work at any time that is convenient to you. It will be in a box outside my office. I will also place handouts in a separate box. If you miss a class in which a hand-out is distributed, you will know this after you speak with a peer, and you can swing by and pick it up. If you have questions about it, don’t hesitate to email me or stop by during office hours.

Late Revisions

Late revisions of Major Writing Projects are penalized a letter grade for every day they are late.

 

 

 

 

Schedule of Assignments Spring 2007

 

à whenever there is a reading from the packet or Moves That Matter, bring that text to class. Not bringing it means you are not prepared to participate in class. Consistent attendance and active participation in class constitute 10% of your semester grade.

 

à all descriptions of the first three formal writing assignments are in the Course Packet.

 

Date

Reading and Formal Writing Projects

(CP= course packet

M= Moves that Matter)

CW HW*

 

Sentence Composing HW**

(F= Focus)

*unless otherwise specified, “yes” in CW HW means read the prompt on the CW Bulletin Board and then click on the specific date in Discussion and respond to the prompt: 50-200 words à to demonstrate that you’ve thought about the reading(s). I will grade these twice: Jan 22 and May 1

**You are responsible for doing at least 3 exercises of every “Practice” except for the last one in each chapter, which asks you to rework some of your own writing. Generally speaking, expect to spend one to one and half hours on each “Focus.”

January

15

Introduction to Course and Connectweb

 

 

17

CP McPaper; M 133-135

Yes

Ix & F1

19

CP Divorced, Listener Loyalty, Age of Propaganda

Yes

F2

22

CP Foreword (Future of Media)

Note: you will receive a grade from me via email for your CW participation.

Yes

F3

24

M x-14

Yes

F4

26

M 17-27

Yes

F5

29

CP Popspeak, Like Whatever, Proverbia, Engfish

BRING YOUR Sentence Composing Workbook to class.

Yes

F6

31

CP Habits, M 142-148

 

Yes

 

February

2

M 28-37

Yes

F7

5

M 51-63

Yes

F8

7

 

2 Summaries ofCP readings

 

9

 

2 Responses to Summaries

F9

12

Due: WP#1 (post on CW under Assignments, NOT in Discussion. Be sure you’re uploading under the right WP. If you do the wrong one, you lose 5 points off the top for inattention to detail).

No

 

14

M 39-47; 64-72

Do exercise 2 on your WP#1

 

16

M 74-87

Do exercise 1 or 2; if 2, do on your WP#1

 

19

Due: Revision** of WP#1

CP Hard News, Human Interest

 

 

21

M 88-97

Do exercise 2 on WP#1

 

23

CP Radical about Weblog?, Terms of Authority, Hacker as Gift

Yes

 

26

Read WP#2 (“Reading the News”) Assignment Description

M 115-122; 123-131

No

 

28

Begin work on WP#2

Yes

 

March

2

Due: WP#2 (upload to CW)

 

 

12

Read WP#3 (“Argument w/ Analysis”)

 

 

14

 

100-200 word summary of Hentoff’s “Free Speech on Campus”

F10

16

Due: Revision of WP#2

Work on WP#3

 

 

19

No Class: work on WP#3

Yes

 

21

No Class

Due: WP#3 (upload to CW)

 

 

23

No Class: work on Revising WP#3

 

 

26

Due: Revision of WP#3

 

 

28

CP Picturing Texts

Yes

F11

30

CP The Method

Yes

 

April

2

CP Powerpoint is Evil, The Man Has Spoken

Yes

F12

4

Due: 10 slide PPT on one of your previous WPs

 

 

6

CP Geography of Childhood

Yes

 

9

Read WP#4 (Research Paper TBA)

 

 

11

TBA

 

F13

13

TBA

 

 

16

TBA

 

 

18

TBA

 

 

20

TBA

 

 

23

TBA

 

 

25

TBA

 

 

27

TBA

 

 

30

TBA

 

 

May

Exam

 

 

 

 

 

**Revision Format: If you don’t follow all these directions to a “T,” you lose 10 points off the top of your grade for the project. Purpose: the point of revising is for you to learn to use the feedback you receive* to re-think the initial structure of your thoughts and articulation of your ideas. Thus, a revised paper does not mean you fixed a couple errors and tacked on or inserted a few new sentences somewhere. It means you have completely rethought your first effort at two, possibly three levels: ONE: ideas—you have received feedback on the quality of your ideas and responded by rethinking how your frame, announce and develop your central idea(s). TWO: organization—you have taken any comments about the “flow” or “coherence” of your ideas and translating them into changes that make your paper easier to read. This often means improving transition sentences, topic chains in a paragraph, tone/word choice, and other stylistic concerns. THREE: if I wrote in the final comments of your first draft that you have mechanics/grammar issues, you need to visit the Writing Center (or me during office hours) and turn in an editing log.  Details: print out your revised document AND your first draft (from CW, so that comments are visible). Staple or paperclip the revised text (and, if applicable, the editing log) ON TOP of the first draft. à If you do not own a stapler or have some large paperclips, buy one or the other. I will not bring a stapler or clips to class, so it’s up to you.

 

*If you turn your first draft in on time, you will receive  prompt feedback from me. If you miss the due date, even by a few hours, you will not receive feedback from me. You will still (hopefully) receive feedback from your peers. If you do not receive any feedback on your writing, then one option you have is to take your work to the Writing Center and work on a revision with a peer tutor.