English 101-102 Syllabus

Eng 101.102 Fall 2010
Thursday at 5:20 pm



Johari A. Barnes

jbarnes@coppin.edu

Class blog: http://English101-102atCoppin.blogspot.com

Office Hours: By appointment only GJ 527


Writing Resource Center
(410) 951 – 3059
GJ 207

COURSE DESCRIPTION



English 101 is the study of the elements of composition, including the writing process, sentence structure, usage, punctuation, and mechanics. It is also serves as an introduction to documentation procedures, to prepare students for English 102. Its purpose is to provide students with practice that will help them to develop the ability to write clear expository prose in essays derived from critical reading and class discussions of selections from the reader or elsewhere.



Important: As of 2008-9, all sections of English 101 are officially hybrid courses, that utilize both traditional and online instructional modes. The online component for the course is supplied through tutorials and quizzes made available to us by Pearson Longman publishers at MyWritingLab.com. Use of MyWritingLab is not optional for ENGL 101; students must have access to the site, either by purchasing a new copy of the required test or by purchasing online access without textbook purchase (if they use a used textbook, for example).



By the second week of the semester, all 101 students should be enrolled in MyWritingLab, have completed the diagnostic, and be working with instructors on a plan to supplement classroom instruction with the resources of MyWritingLab.



Instructors: you may assign student-specific MyWritingLab tutorials in place of, or in addition to, Coppin Learning Resource center hours, based on your assessment of student performance on the written diagnostic and/or the MyWritingLab diagnostic.



REQUIRED RESOURCES



McWhorter, Kathleen T. Expressways Writing Scenarios: Paragraphs and Essays, Coppin State University Custom Edition. New York: Pearson Longman, 2009.



Coppin State University Department of Humanities, ed. Dancing With the Tiger: A Coppin State University Sundance Reader. New York: Pearson Custom Publishing, 2008.



MyWritingLab online modules and quizzes (http://www.mywritinglab.com)

Course ID –Barnes537129W



American Heritage College Dictionary, 3rd ed.,1993 or equivalent.



Please plan to purchase your composition textbooks in or before the first week of classes. As of Spring 2009, all Freshman Composition textbooks may be purchased without cash, on your Coppin Account. See p. 7-8 of this syllabus for details.



SUPPLIES



Blue book – for diagnostic essay

Pens – blue or black and another color, except red, to be used for peer review

Notebook paper – loose leaf is preferred

Portfolio folders – two pockets, no prongs



COURSE OBJECTIVES



At the end of the course, students should be able to do the following:



1. Focus on a purpose, select an essay topic, limit it to a length appropriate for the assignment, and respond in an essay that is within the realm of personal experience, observations, or critical reading;



2. Follow the writing process, including a) using various prewriting techniques, b) writing one or more drafts, c) revising and editing, d) proofreading, and e) making an outline and using it as needed in the writing process;



3. Write sentences that a) conform to the conventions of standard English in usage, punctuation, and mechanics, including spelling; and b) take a variety of forms, employing such devices as coordination, subordination, and parallelism;



4. Write unified, coherent, and adequately developed paragraphs with clearly expressed central ideas;



5. Use conventions of format and structure appropriate to the rhetorical situation;



6. Demonstrate in writing the ability to think analytically about personal experiences, observations or readings and develop these ideas in a coherent essay;



7. Demonstrate an understanding of how to cite summarized, paraphrased and quoted material used as support in required essays and a basic understanding of MLA documentation format;



8. Understand the uses of the dictionary and thesaurus, and use a dictionary to determine word meanings, parts of speech, etymologies, and possible usage problems; and



9. Develop a portfolio that includes:

a. a cover letter in business letter format;

b. two essays, one from each of the two categories of rhetorical models specified below under "Determination of the Final Grade," with at least one edited, graded draft of each;

c. two blue books for diagnostic purposes; one blue book should be completed in the first week of classes and the other in the last two weeks of classes.



If the portfolio does not include all of these items, it will fail; if the portfolio fails, the student must repeat the course.







PROCEDURES



Each student will complete compositions in various writing styles. All assignments must be submitted on time so that they may be discussed during class.



At midterm, the instructor will hold individual conferences to review work and for students to submit a midterm portfolio. During the final review, the instructors will again hold individual conferences to review work and for students to submit a final portfolio. Midterm and final portfolios are reviewed by the Freshman Composition committee.



PLAGIARISM



It will be taken for granted that any work oral or written, that a student does for any course is his/her original work. Any violation of this rule – including cutting and pasting from the internet without appropriate paraphrase or citation and documentation -- constitutes plagiarism.



Plagiarism includes any form of cheating on examinations, tests, quizzes and any unacknowledged and/or undocumented use of another's writing or ideas published or unpublished. The minimum penalty for plagiarism is that the student will receive a failing grade for the particular assignment.



FEC courses make use of the Turnitin online originality verification software.



WHAT YOU’LL DO



Bring the required texts to every class. There will be reading assignments every week.



At the start of each class an agenda will be distributed to the class for the week and the next week’s assignments.



There will be seven writing assignments throughout the semester.



Each student will be required to submit 100 word Maps at the end of the semester. Throughout the semester word maps will be collected and reviewed.



Each student will complete all modules of the MyWritingLab online writing lab. A passing score of 70 is required for each module.



HOW TO USE THE PEER REVIEW



Each writing assignment is to be reviewed by Professor Barnes. Additionally, the compositions will be reviewed by peer review. Your fellow classmates will preview the writing assignment, answer questions from peer review sheets, and provide helpful criticism to the student.



Comments made by Professor Barnes and the peer reviewer are suggestions on improving the writing assignment but ultimately it is the students’ responsibility to compose the assignment to the best of his/her ability.



GRADING



Students will be evaluated according to their performance on quizzes, tests, writing assignments, three required essays, the mid-term assessment, and the final portfolio. Instructors may include lab assignments and Writing Center attendance as a component in the final grade. Instructors determine the relative weight of each assignment, except the final portfolio. The determination of grades for all daily writing assignments is the individual instructor's. Instructors may consider not only the quality of the final draft but also the effort and attention given to the stages in the writing process. An excellent final draft will not necessarily be awarded a high grade if students have ignored instructions regarding pre-writing, drafting and revision. A passing portfolio consists of all three papers at a grade level of 4 (“C”) or better.



A “C” grade is defined according to the standards of the Maryland State System, as follows:

A. Content

The "C" paper fulfills the assignment, meeting all specified requirements, such as subject, organization, and length, and reflects the author's awareness of audience and purpose. The paper presents a central idea supported by relevant material (facts, figures, examples, quotations, or other details). The reasoning is sound; arguments are supported with adequate evidence; and the paper makes appropriate use of specific, concrete, and relevant information. Other points of view are acknowledged and responded to as appropriate. Sources of information are accurately presented and fully attributed.

B. Organization

The "C" paper has a discernible and logical plan. It has a focus, and the writer maintains the focus throughout the essay. The writer has unified the entire essay in support of the central idea, or thesis, and individual paragraphs in support of subordinate points. Some individual paragraphs, however, may be weak. The writer promotes coherence through the logical order of paragraphs and the use of some or all of the following devices: thesis statement, topic sentences, opening and closing paragraphs, and transitions. The use of these devices may lack smoothness, but the writer has achieved an acceptable level of organization.

C. Style/Expression

The "C" paper uses reasonable stylistic options (tone, word choice, sentence patterns) for its audience and purpose. The writing is clear. As a rule, the paper has smooth transitions between paragraphs, although some transitions may be missing or ineffective. The meaning of sentences is clear, although some sentences may be awkward or there may be a lack of variety in sentence patterns. Nonetheless, sentence structure is generally correct, although it may show limited mastery of such elements as subordination, emphasis, sentence variety and length, and modifiers. The paper reflects current academic practices of language use established by professional associations such as the Modern Language Association and the American Psychological Association.

D. Grammar/Mechanics

The "C" paper follows the conventions of standard written U.S. English; thus, it is substantially free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and mechanics. What errors are present must not impede meaning nor overly distract the reader.





Determination of the Final Grade



Student's Daily Work



Forty percent (40%) of the final grade will be determined by the student's daily written work, scores on quizzes and tests, and attendance at the Writing Center. Instructors may choose to give grades for class participation, regular attendance, and compliance with other individual or departmental course policies, activities or events. Because late work is accepted at the discretion of the instructor, grades for late assignments may be reduced or not graded at all.



A





Narration

Description

Classification and Division

Process Analysis

B



Exemplification

Compare and Contrast

Definition

Cause and Effect



Essays from this category must include MLA in-text citation and a works cited page. Only one bibliographical entry is required, and citation formats should follow the conventions for an essay in an anthology or an article in a periodical. Please do not allow students to use internet sources for this project.







Portfolio



Before the end of the semester each student is expected to complete a portfolio reflecting the best work they have done. Sixty percent (60%) of the final grade will be determined by the student's portfolio. Unless otherwise arranged between the student and instructor, the portfolio must be turned in to the instructor of record and will be graded by the instructor.



NOTE: Portfolios will be kept for a year, but no longer, unless there is a dispute pending over the grade.



The portfolio should include the following contents:

• Two completed essays, one each from categories A & B. Each essay will be a minimum of 750 words in length, include a clear introduction and conclusion, and exhibit a well-defined paragraph structure of five or more paragraphs. The essay from category B will include in-text citation and a works cited page.

• A bluebook diagnostic completed at the beginning of the semester;

• A cover letter (500 + words) describing the contents of the portfolio and detailing the writer's experience and development in the writing process over the course of the semester.

• One or more graded drafts of each of the two essays and the cover letter.



If the portfolio fails, the student is required to repeat the course.



FINAL GRADES AWARDED



The grades given in English 101 are " A", "B", "C", "CS", "I”, and "F".



"CS" means "continuing satisfactorily" --- that is, the student is making progress but needs more instruction at the English 101 level. A student whose writing is not yet up to standard but who attends class regularly, completes all assignments in a timely fashion, and fulfills all other course requirements will receive the "CS" grade. Although "CS" is not a passing grade, it does not lower the grade point average as does the "F". A "CS" grade may be assigned if the student satisfies all other course requirements but fails the final exam.



Students who have received a "CS" in English 101 two or more times must inform their instructors immediately. Repeaters will be referred to the Coordinator of Freshman English for additional assistance in revising the portfolios.



"I" means "incomplete." An "incomplete" will be given only if a student who has been completing satisfactorily all assignments has an end-of-term emergency which prevents completion of not more than two final assignments. The student must discuss the situation with the instructor and provide verification of the emergency. The decision to give an "I” grade is the instructor's prerogative.



Note: The “I” grade will not be given to students who satisfy all other course requirements but fail the portfolio. If students receive an "I" because they were unable to complete the portfolio they must complete it by the end of the following semester or at least two weeks before the deadline for changing “I” grades. Failure to do so will result in the conversion of the "I" to an "F".



ATTENDANCE POLICY



Regular and punctual class attendance is required. Students who are late fifteen minutes for class will be marked absent. Excessive lateness will affect the final grade.



Students who are absent more than six class hours, whether the absences are excused or not, may fail the course. The class hour is equivalent to fifty minutes, which is not necessarily equivalent to a class meeting or period.



EXPECTATIONS FOR CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR



1. All students are expected to listen to and respect the comments, analyses, and questions of others, regardless of whether they agree or not; wait their turns to make contributions; refrain from conversations with classmates when the professor or another classmate is speaking;



2. Cell phones and pagers must be turned off in the classroom;



3. College policy prohibits eating in classrooms;



4. Students must not interrupt the class to leave the room for any reason other than an emergency. If they do so, they may not return and will be marked absent.



If a student engages in disrespectful conduct, the instructor reserves the right to ask that student to leave the classroom and will follow disciplinary procedures for such behavior as outlined in the Student Handbook (pp. 64-68).



COLLEGE-WIDE WRITING POLICIES



The Department of Humanities and Media Arts adheres to the University of Maryland standards for a “C” paper and other University of Maryland composition standards.



TECHNOLOGY USED IN THIS CLASSROOM



At the discretion of the instructor, power point, web-based resources, computer /word processing tutorials and/or audio-visual formats may be used. All sections will have full use of tutorials and quizzes at MyWritingLab.com.



At least one assignment completed in this class will be submitted to Turnitin, an online originality verification services.



MODES OF INSTRUCTION



As noted above, this is a hybrid course involving extensive use of online technology to enhance learning opportunities. In addition, the instructor is encouraged to vary classroom experience by the use of lectures as appropriate, class discussion, writing, revising, and editing activities, reading essays out loud, and small group activities.



WRITING CENTER/MYWRITINGLAB.COM REQUIREMENT



Students who need additional help with the writing process will be required to attend tutorial sessions and/or workshops at the Writing Center and/or complete assigned grammar modules in MyWritingLab.com. In order for students to have access to tutorials, they must have a typed assignment from the instructor.



SPECIAL ACCOMODATIONS



Coppin State University supports all students in their academic endeavors. Should you need academic accommodations because of a disability, please contact CSU’s Disability Support Services Program (DSSP) counselor, Ms. Pat Johnson, to register for reasonable accommodations. Ms. Johnson is located in HHSB-355. If already registered with this program please provide the DSSP Accommodations Form to the professor immediately to describe what accommodations you are requesting.



TEXTBOOK POLICY



By special arrangement, all Freshman Composition course textbooks may be charged to your student account. The system works as follows:



• A student who is enrolled in one of the Freshman Composition courses will simply go to the bookstore and pick up his/her textbook (with other books or not).

• The bookstore staff knows of this arrangement. We have had several meetings with them. If the clerk doesn't seem knowledgeable - perhaps because they are a recent hire -- the student should ask for the textbook or store manager.

• When they check out they need to identify this book(s) to the cashier and s/he will have the student sign a log form acknowledging that they have gotten the text(s). This book(s) will be rung up separately.

• The log form will be posted next day to the student's bursar account charging him or her for the price of the book including applicable tax. The signature will evidence the purchase for our records.

• If there are problems - as there generally are with any new procedure - faculty should contact VPAF Dick Siemer by phone or e-mail; students should talk with the textbook or store manager. Here are names and numbers:

o Charlie Ward Bookstore Mgr 410-951-1222

o Tina Hughes Textbook Mgr 410-951-1222



BIBLIOGRAPHY



This syllabus is adapted from the Coppin State University, English 101 Syllabus, 2010-11 and University of Baltimore, Words & Images Syllabus Spring 2005.



TENTATIVE COMPOSITION SCHEDULE



September 2, 2010 Paper 1-1

September 9, 2010 Paper 1-2, Paper 2-1

September 16, 2010 Paper 1-3, Paper 2-2

September 23, 2010 Paper 1-4, Paper 2-3, Paper 3-1

September 30, 2010 Paper 2-4, Paper 3-2

October 7, 2010 Paper 3-3, Paper 4-1

MIDTERM PORTFOLIOS DUE

October 14, 2010 Paper 3-4, Paper 4-2

October 21, 2010 Paper 4-3, Paper 5-1

October 28, 2010 Paper 4-4, Paper 5-2, Paper 6-1

November 4, 2010 Paper 5-3, Paper 6-2, Paper 7-1

November 11, 2010 Paper 5-4, Paper 6-3, Paper 7-2

November 18, 2010 Paper 6-4, Paper 7-3

November 25, 2010 NO CLASS THANKSGIVING BREAK

December 2, 2010 Paper 7-4

WORD MAPS DUE

Final Portfolio Review

December 9, 2010 FINAL PORTOFOLIO DUE

LAST DAY OF CLASS



Paper 1-2 means First paper, second phase



First Phase – Brainstorming



Second Phase – Outline/Idea Map



Third Phase – Rough Draft/Peer Review



Fourth Phase – Final Revised





PROJECT PHASES



Phase 1 – Brainstorming



Brainstorming will take place for approximately 20 minutes in the class section where a new composition is assigned. Everyone is to say the first idea that pops in their head and everyone is to respect other people’s ideas. All brainstorming ideas will be written down and added to the class blog.



At the end of each class everyone will announce what the subject of their composition will be.



After class, continue brainstorming and write down all relevant topics or ideas related to the assignment.



Phase 2 – Outline/Idea Map



At this phase students should bring to class an outline/idea map of the proposed composition.



Phase 3 – Rough Draft/Peer Review



For each writing assignment a rough draft is required. MLA format should be used and each assignment has a word count minimum of 750 words.



All rough drafts must be submitted to Professor Barnes no later than 5pm the Tuesday before class to jbarnes@coppin.edu . Bring a copy of the rough draft to class to be reviewed during class.



Phase 4 – Final



After receiving a critique on your writing from both Professor Barnes and your peer reviewer you will use these comments to improve your composition.



When submitting the final version of the composition be sure to include the final version, and the drafts reviewed by Professor Barnes and the peer reviewer as well as the outline/idea map.



Submitting compositions electronically to Professor Barnes



Coppin State University Policy now requires all student email communication with faculty to originate in a Coppin Email address. If you are not already familiar with your Coppin email account, please learn how to use it. Please do not communicate with your instructor using an account from an internet service provider.



All compositions sent electronically must be sent as a Microsoft Word 2003 document as an attachment to jbarnes@coppin.edu . Please label your attachment with your last name and the name of the assignment (i.e. Barnes-narrative). Do not add any other information such as date, the class, etc.



If you are sending a revised version of a composition please add the number 2 (or the version it is) to the end of the attachment name (i.e. Barnes-narrative2).

English 101-102 Welcome

I would like to welcome each of you to English 101-104 English Composition I. The next 16 weeks will be filled with lots of information, writing assignments, and hopefully personal growth in the composition of essays. By submitting assignments on time, learning from composition errors of others, as well as yourself, you will become a better writer and earn the best possible grade in this class. This class is not easy and I have high expectations of each of you.




I am looking forward to working with you,



Ms. Barnes