Sunday, June 23, 2013

Syllabus


English 1010: Introductory Writing
Instructor: Emily Whitby/ email: emilywhitby1@weber.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Office: EH226
Course:
First semester freshman composition is a course dedicated to reading and writing, and this semester we will do a great deal of both.  The chief objective of this course is to introduce students to strategies of reading and writing that will benefit them as they move through college (and beyond).  Freshman composition is also a course sequence aimed at providing students with the skills necessary to critically approach the world around them and the texts they encounter in it, and to construct and articulate arguments about that world.

Texts:
  • Writing Matters—Rebecca Moore Howard
  • Weber Writes 2011
  • Composition notebook (non-spiral bound)
Other suggested materials:
Wildcard (for printing on campus); Flash drive (for saving and transferring documents); Mini stapler (available for $2-3 at bookstore).

Assignments:
Readings:
You are to come to class each day prepared to discuss and write about the assigned reading.  You will need to bring a copy of the assigned reading with you to class—either a hard copy or an electronic copy on a laptop or tablet.

Writing Journal:
Each day, I will give you questions to write about in class.  These will deal with the assigned reading for the day, and will often be geared toward preparation for an upcoming essay.  You will need to respond to these questions in a “Writing Journal” that you will turn in near the end of the semester for grading.

Discussion Questions:
Over the course of the semester, you will write 10 discussion questions/comments based on your readings and submit them to the class blog. These questions should be posted before class each day that reading is due, and they must be designed to generate discussion about the day’s reading.

Reading Responses:
You will need to write 5 Reading Responses this semester and turn them in as indicated in the syllabus. These are to be a minimum of two full pages, typed, double spaced, and should include 1) a Summary of the text’s argument, 2) a Comparison with other texts we have read, and 3) an Evaluation of the text’s argument.  You must include all three sections and meet the minimum page requirement in order to receive full credit.

Essays:
You will submit two polished, final-draft essays this semester—a midterm and a final.  I will give you detailed descriptions of the essay assignments as we begin to draft them.

Percentages:
Essay 1 — 20%                                         Grade Scale:
Essay 2 — 35%                                         A   94-100%   A-  90-93%
Presentation –- 5%                                    B+ 87-89%    B 83-86%     B- 80-82%
Reading Responses — 10%                   C+ 77-79%   C 73-76%   C- 70-72%  
Writing Journal — 10%                          D+ 67-69%   D 63-66%   D- 60-62%
Attendance – 5%                                       E 61% and below       
Discussion Questions — 5%                UW   Unofficial Withdrawal
Topic/Annotated Bib – 5 %
Final Exam — 5%
Policies:
Attendance is mandatory.  I will take roll every day.  You may miss this class ONCE without penalty.  Each absence after that will affect your final grade.

Assignments are due at the beginning of class.  Unless prior arrangements are made, if you are not on time and prepared with your assignment in hand, it will be considered late.  Late work will be penalized 1/2 letter grade for each day it is overdue. 

Emailed assignments:  If you are going to miss class, you may email an assignment to me; however, you must bring a hard copy to me the next time you come to class.  Your assignment will not be graded until you give me a hard copy. This is for your protection, and so you can ensure that you receive credit for the assignment. 

I expect you to behave civilly and respectfully at all times (both to me and to your peers).  Should you behave inappropriately (chatting, texting, reading the newspaper, doing other work in my class, using laptops for anything other than 1010 classwork, etc.) you will either be counted absent for the day or be asked to leave the class and then counted absent.  In short, behave appropriately and respectfully.

I reserve the right to make changes to the syllabus to accommodate the dynamics of the class.

Plagiarism is the attempt to claim another’s work as your own. The WSU Student Code defines plagiarism as “the unacknowledged (uncited) use of any other person or group’s ideas or work” (Section 6-22, part IV, subsection D). Any attempt to claim credit another’s work, in whole or in part, is a violation of this policy and is regarded by the Composition Program as a serious offense, and plagiarism may result in failure of the courses.
Accommodations:
Any student requiring accommodations or services due to a disability should contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in room 181 of the Student Service Center. SSD can also arrange to provide course materials (including this syllabus) in alternative formats if necessary.

Weber State University recognizes that there are times when course content may differ from a student's core beliefs.  Faculty, however, have a responsibility to teach content that is related to the discipline and that has a reasonable relationship to pedagogical goals.  If you, as a student, believe that the content of the course conflicts with your ability to pursue a topic, you may request a resolution from the instructor.  Please see WSU policy 6-22 for further clarification on this policy.
Contingency Plan:
In the event of an extended campus closure, you will continue to submit assignments to me via e-mail and discuss the text on the class blog.  Please ensure that I have a valid e-mail address for you that you access on a regular basis.  I will e-mail you with further instructions if a campus closure occurs.


Week:

Reading:
Due:
Week
One
M 6/24
Introductions & Syllabus

W 6/26
--Writing Matters, Section 16 (pp. 128-138)







Week Two
M 7/1
---Paul, “The Neuroscience of Your Brain on Fiction”
--Room for Debate, “The Power of Young Adult Fiction”
--Writing Matters, Section 18 (pp. 147-162)
--Writing Matters, “Using Apostrophes” (WM 447-450).
Presentation: Apostrophes
Reading Response #1
W 7/3
--Fowler and Baca, “The ABCs of E-Reading”
--Pinker, “Mind Over Mass Media”
--Writing Matters, “Avoiding Sentence Fragments” (pp. 344-350).
Presentation: Sentence Fragments
Reading Response #2





Week Three
M 7/8
--Richtel, “Outdoors and Out of Reach, Studying the Brain.” (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/16/technology/16brain.html?pagewanted=all)
Richtel, “Growing Up Digital,Wired for Distraction” (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/technology/21brain.html?pagewanted=all)
--Writing Matters, “Avoiding Comma Splices and Fused Sentences” (pp. 350-355).
Presentation: Comma Splices
Reading Response #3
W 7/10
--Goldwasser, “What’s the Matter with Kids Today?” http://www.salon.com/2008/03/14/kids_and_internet
--Turkle, “Can You Hear Me Now?”
--Workshopping and Peer Review, Essay #1
--Writing Matters, “Using Semicolons” (pp. 444-446).
Presentation: Semicolons
Draft, Essay #1




Week Four
M 7/15
--Braithwaite, “Obamacare and the Constitution” (WW 5).
--Isaacson, “Drug Representatives” (WW 13).
Essay #1 Due
,
W 7/17
--Lake, “Waste Not, Want Not” (WW 34).
-- Pace, “I See the Moon, the Moon Sees Me” (WW 79).
--Writing Matters, “Writing Concisely” (WM 283-286).
Presentation: Wordiness
Reading Response #4




Week Five
M 7/22
--Lunt, “BCS: Bonus or Bust?” (WW 46).
--Ondrusek, “Star Wars: Timeless Work of Art or George Lucas’ Tinker Toy?” (WW 66).
--Writing Matters, Section 13 (pp. 101-107)

Reading Response #5
W 7/24
Pioneer Day Holiday—No Class






Week Six
M 7/29
--Mi, “No One Wins” (WW 56)
--Workman, “A Growing Sensation” (WW 91).
--Writing Matters, Section 14 (pp. 108-119)
Essay Topic Write-up
W 7/31
Drafting, Essay #2
Annotated Bibliography




Week Seven
M 8/5
Workshopping and Peer Review, Essay #2
Draft, Essay #2
Writing Journal Due
W 8/7
Turn in Essay #2
Take Final Exam
Essay #2 Due
Final Exam

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