English 101 J: English Composition
3 semester hours
Instructor: Dr. Marrs
Office:
Office Hours: M 10:00-12:00
MW 1:30-3:00
TTh 1:15-3:15
Email: marrs@mc.edu
Text
Axelrod,
Rise B. and Charles R. Cooper. The
Catalog Description
The study of the elements of composition through writing and analysis of expository prose with emphasis on short essays.
Rationale: The purpose of English 101/Freshman Composition is to enable you to become a better writer and, consequently, a better thinker. The course consists of discussions/lectures about writing, readings from the text (both explanatory and exemplary), in-class writing exercises, conferences with the instructor, and the composition of five essays of 3-5 pages in length. Emphasis will be placed on writing as a process. To this end, instruction will focus on the importance of invention or pre-writing (finding something to say) and revision (finding the best way to say it) as well as the final product (the essay you turn in). The course will begin and end with a diagnostic essay, the purpose of which will be to aid in the evaluation of your progress as a writer. The essays or papers are sequenced to move from reflective to informative to argumentative, or if you prefer, from less to more difficult.
Attendance: Your attendance is especially important in this class and your grade will suffer with more than a couple of absences! That is not a threat; it is an observation. See pp. 54 of the General Bulletin for details and for the appeals process; in this course, 8 absences result in an automatic “F” grade. Appeals of absences may be directed according to the guidelines in General Bulletin: “If a student misses more than the number of class periods specified in university policy and believes that there are reasonable explanations for the absenses [sic], he/she may appeal the absences to the dean of the school in which the course is being taught. Students may obtain a Student Absence Appeal Form from the office of the appropriate dean” (p. 54).
Academic Integrity Statement: “
honest. Dishonesty, such as cheating
or plagiarism or furnishing false information, including forgery, alteration or
misuse of College documents, records or identification, will be regarded as a
serious offense subject to severe penalty, including, but not limited to, loss
of credit and possible dismissal” (MC General Bulletin, p. 57).
Objectives
Students shall
1. learn to write effectively for various audiences
2. learn to write with clarity, conciseness and in standard edited English
3. learn to think critically
4. develop interpersonal skills that facilitate group work
5. understand the ethical dimensions of writing
6. appreciate their own cultures and cultures of others
Assignments and Assessment
4 papers 80%
Participation 10%
Exam 10%
All graded papers must be typed (12-font Times New Roman). Please double-space.
Students will be required to keep drafts,
revision sheets, and graded papers for all units in a file folder. This will comprise part of the participation
grade.
Grading Scale
90-100 A
80-89 B
70-79 C
60-69 D
Below 60 F
Papers will be graded on the basis of content, organization, development of ideas, and mechanics.
Late Papers Policy
Papers
are due on-time. Late papers will have
five points deducted from the total grade for each class period they are late.
Schedule of Classes
Week 1 Diagnostic
Essay 1;
Aug.23 Diagnostic essay
Week 2
Aug.29 Audience and tone; organizing a paper. Thesis statement and implied thesis.
Aug.31 Ch. 15, Describing; picking a paper topic.
.
Week 3 Ch.3 (Remembering People)
Sept.5 Read the essays by Amy Wu and Jan Gray in Chapter 3.
Sept.7 Use of anecdotes to describe; implied thesis.
Week 4 Revision and Completed Paper
Sept.12 Revision Workshop
Bring two copies of a typed draft, minimum three pages, for in-class
revision.
Sept.14 Paper #1 due.
Observation exercises. “I Spy” activity homework.
Week 5
Sept.19 Come up with possible paper topics.
Share “I Spy” experiences.
Sept.21 Read from Ch. 4, “I’m Not Leaving Until I Eat this Thing,” “The Edison Café,”
“The Last Stop.” Pick paper topics.
Week 6 Drafting, revision, conferencing, and peer editing
Sept.26 Discuss profile topic.
Sept.28 Revision Workshop
Bring two copies of a typed draft, minimum three pages, for in-class revision.
Week 7 Paper 2 (Profile) due;
Chapter 8 (Justifying an Evaluation)
Oct.3 Paper #2 Due. Defining—types of definition
Oct.5 Chapter 8, Justifying an Evaluations
Week 8 Chapter
8
Oct.10 Read from Chapter 8, “A Hell for Fathers and Sons,” “The Elder Scrolls III,” “Working at MacDonald’s,” “Children Need to Play.”
Oct.12 Picking a topic.
Week Nine
Oct.17 “Guide to Writing” (Chapter 8)
Oct.19 The Five + Paragraph Essay.
Week 10
Oct.24 Fall Break
Oct.26 Methods to strengthen your argument.
Week 11 Revision
Workshop; Paper #3 due.
Oct.31 Revision Workshop
Bring two copies of a typed draft, minimum three pages, for in-class revision.
Nov.2 Paper #3 due. Discuss argument.
Week 12 Chapter 6 (Arguing a Position)
Nov.7 Read “Sticks and Stones” and “Nickeled and Dimed”
Nov.9 “Who’s More Worthy” and “Point of No Return”
Week 13 Chapter 6
Nov.14 Paper topics
Nov.16 “Guide to Writing”
Week 14
Nov.21 Library day.
Nov.23 HOLIDAY
Week 15 Revision
Workshop and Paper #4 due.
Nov.28 Bring two copies of a typed draft, minimum three pages, for in-class revision.
Nov.30 Paper #4 due. In-class essay.
Student Information Sheet
(Turn this sheet in to your instructor)
NAME HOMETOWN;
EMAIL ADDRESS: MAJOR:
Describe yourself in two sentences:
What is your favorite movie/book/song/actor?
Where will you be in 2024?
MY INSTRUCTOR HAS EXPLAINED TO MY FULL UNDERSTANDING THE MEANING OF PLAGIARISM AND THE ACADEMIC CONSEQUENCES OF COMMITTING PLAGIARISM. SHE HAS ALSO DISCUSSED METHODS OF ATTRIBUTION AND DOCUMENTATION TO AVOID PLAGIARISM.
__________________________________________________
Signature