ENGL 1101 - NZ, OY Composition I Dr. Robinson

Fall Semester 1999.

NZ: 3:30-4:20 TT (Newton 2215), Lab 2-3:50 F (Newton 2211)

OY: 2-2:50 TT (Newton 2216), Lab 2-3:50 F (Newton 2210)

Office: Newton 3303B

Office Telephone: 681-0155

English Department Telephone: 681-5471

Office Hours: By appointment

E-Mail: dwrob@gasou.edu

Website: www2.gasou.edu/facstaff/david-r/

Required Texts:

• A World of Ideas, ed. Jacobus.
• The Harbrace grammar handbook.
• Any hardcover collegiate dictionary
• English Composition for Students in English 1101 and English 1102






Purpose of the Course:

This course is intended to help you improve your skills in communication of all sorts, but especially in writing. Toward this end, we will read a number of essays from the reader on various topics. The idea behind this is that to communicate, you need some content to communicate; so I have chosen material that will open up discussions interesting in their own right, not just useful as writing exercises. Since writing normally occurs in a broader context of purposeful communication, the class discussions and the practice gained in critical reading are as important as the writing assignments. The key word here for both reading and writing is critical--we will be not just reading and writing, but also thinking about how we do these things. The reading assignments should be thought of as examples of real people solving real problems of thought and communication.





Grading:





The final grade will be composed of grades for essays, participation in classroom discussions, and the final examination. The proportions are as follows:





Graded essays....	60%
Participation........	15%
Final.....................	25%
	100%

Essays and Final:





There will be six essays of 300-500 words (the equivalent two to three typed, double-spaced pages). These will be written every other week in the Writing Lab, and the topics will be related to the reading assignments. One previous essay will be rewritten at the end of quarter, and the higher of the two grades will prevail. In order to back up your computer-written essays, you need to obtain a high-density, 3 -inch floppy diskette formatted for a IBM-type PC (not an Apple Macintosh).

This term, for the first time, essays will be submitted electronically. The (almost) paperless classroom is here. When you have completed an essay in the lab, you will save it to a special network folder, from which I will retrieve it. Paper submissions will be accepted in emergencies, and you can also attach papers to e-mails to me if that suits you. Caution: this is an imperfect world and new procedure, so be sure to back up your work on your floppy diskette. Full instructions on how this will work will be announced in class and demonstrated during a lab.

The final examination will be identical to a regular essay, with the topic given in advance. Preliminary drafts may not be brought in at the exam time, but books and other approved materials may.

Participation:

The participation grade is determined on the basis of daily attendance . On alternate Tuesdays, students will be assigned to work in groups, and I will not take kindly to members of groups who let down their comrades by not showing up. Attendance will be kept EVERY DAY, and a pattern of frequent absence (more than six in the quarter after the first week) will result in an automatic zero for participation. A portion of the participation grade will be based on your contributions to a weekly online class discussion. This will be accessible from my homepage. On the evening prior to the discussion of a reading assignment, you will have until midnight to contribute a question or comment abou the reading, or to respond to somebody else's comment. Back-and-forth discussions will be welcome. Your name must be signed to all comments. Full instructions on how this will work will be announced in class and demonstrated during a lab.





Miscellaneous:





All assignments must be handed in on or before the due date--late assignments will not be accepted. In the event of a foreseeable absence, it is the responsibility of the student to see to it that all assignments are turned in beforehand. Students should be aware that under university policy, there is no such thing as an "excused absence."

If a grade lower than "C" is received for an essay, the student is advised to visit the tutors provided by the Department of Writing & Linguistics in the Humanities Building. (There is a sign-up sheet there for appointments.) All the essays so far written should be brought along when visiting the tutors or my office.

Selected student papers will be used each week for discussion by the entire class. Before reproducing them, I will remove the students' names.

About the information packet, English Composition for Students in English 1101 & English 1102: This booklet, produced by the Department of Writing and Linguistics, provides requirements for the composition courses, grading criteria, policy regarding plagiarism, instructions concerning the computer labs, and many other useful things. The policies in the booklet are not binding on the Department of Literature and Philosophy and may be superseded by the policies laid down in this syllabus. It is assumed, however, that you will familiarize yourself with the information in this booklet.

Bring your textbook to all classes. If you don't have it with you on a day when we are to discuss a reading assignment, don't bother coming.

ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE





Note: We meet at the writing lab on Fridays. All other class meetings take place in the regular classroom. The assigned readings must be completed before the class time scheduled for their discussion. Students are responsible for any changes to this schedule which may be announced during class time.

The day to day assignment schedule (including reading assignments) may be found on my website (see address above). I will not distribute a paper schedule, though you may decide to print one out. Class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays (except holidays) plus alternating Fridays for the lab. Lab dates are as follows:





Week One (Section OY): 8/27, 9/10, 9/24, 10/8, 10/29, 11/12, 12/3





Week Two (Section NZ): 9/2, 9/17, 10/1, 10/22, 11/5, 11/19, 12/10

















WEEK 1
Tuesday	8/24	Introductory remarks
Thursday	8/26	Discussion of Plato (Jacobus 275).
Friday	8/27	Lab OY - initial exercise
WEEK 2
Tuesday	8/31	Discussion of argumentative fallacies.
Thursday	9/2	Discussion of Bacon (Jacobus 379).
Friday	9/3	Lab NZ - initial exercise
WEEK 3
Tuesday	9/7	NO CLASS
Thursday	9/9	Discussion of Machiavelli (Jacobus 33).
Friday	9/10	Lab OY - Essay 1
WEEK 4
Tuesday	9/14	NZ: thesis preparation and group work. OY: discussion of selected papers.
Thursday	9/16	Discussion of Rouseeau (Jacobus 51).
Friday	9/17	Lab NZ - Essay 1
WEEK 5
Tuesday	9/21	NZ: discussion of selected papers. OY: thesis preparation and group work.
Thursday	9/23	Discussion of Jefferson (Jacobus 73).
Friday	9/24	Lab OY Essay 2
WEEK 6
Tuesday	9/28	NZ: thesis preparation and group work. OY: discussion of selected papers.
Thursday	9/30	Discussion of Douglass (Jacobus 107).
Friday	10/1	Lab NZ - Essay 2
WEEK 7
Tuesday	10/5	NZ: Discussion of selected papers. OY: thesis preparation and group work.
Thursday	10/7	Discussion of Thoreau (Jacobus 123).

Friday	10/8	Lab OY - Essay 3
WEEK 8
Tuesday	10/12	TBA.
Thursday	10/14	FALL BREAK
Friday	10/15	FALL BREAK
WEEK 9
Tuesday	10/19	NZ: thesis preparation and group work. OY: discussion of selected papers.
Thursday	10/21	Discussion of King (Jacobus 151).
Friday	10/22	Lab NZ - Essay 3

WEEK 10
Tuesday	10/26	NY: discussion of selected papers. OY: thesis preparation and group work.
Thursday	10/28	Discussion of de Beauvoir (Jacobus 173).
Friday	10/29	Lab OY - Essay 4
WEEK 11
Tuesday	11/2	NY: thesis preparation and group work. OY: discussion of selected papers.
Thursday	11/4	Discussion of Marx (Jacobus 209).

Friday	11/5	Lab NZ - Essay 4
WEEK 12
Tuesday	11/9	NY: discussion of selected papers. OY: thesis preparation and group work.
Thursday	11/11	Discussion of Gould (Jacobus 415).
Friday	11/12	Lab OY - Essay 5
WEEK 13
Tuesday	11/16	NY: thesis preparation and group work. OY: discussion of selected papers.
Thursday	11/18	Discussion of Freud (Jacobus 307).
Friday	11/19	Lab NZ - Essay 5
WEEK 14
Tuesday	11/23	TBA.
Thursday	11/25	THANKSGIVING
Friday	11/26	THANKSGIVING
WEEK 15
Tuesday	11/30	TBA.
Thursday	12/2	Discussion of Kaku (Jacobus 431)
Friday	12/3	Lab OY - Essay Revision
WEEK 16
Tuesday	12/7	Course evaluations and announcement of Final Examination topic.
Thursday	12/9	TBA
Friday	12/10	Lab NZ - Essay Revision





Final Examinations:





ENGL 1101-NY: Thursday 12/16 2-4 pm

ENGL 1101-OY: Tuesday 12/14 2-4 pm