ENGL 1101 - CC, ZZ Composition I Dr. Robinson
Spring Semester 1999.
CC: 3:30-4:20 TT (Newton 2203), Lab 4-5:50 W (Newton 2214)
ZZ: 6:30-7:20 TT (Forest Drive Bldg. 1214), Lab 6-7:50 W (Newton 2214)
Office: Newton 3303B
Office Telephone: 681-0155
English Department Telephone: 681-5471
Office Hours: By appointment
E-Mail: DWROB@gasou.edu
Required Texts:
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 someTHING to communicate; hence, 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 (2-3 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 PC (not an Apple Macintosh).
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 and daily involvement in the
discussions and activities of the class. On alternate Mondays, 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.
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 151 & English 152: This booklet contains documents describing requirements for the composition courses, grading criteria, policy regarding plagiarism, instructions concerning the computer labs, and many other useful things. It is assumed 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.
TENTATIVE ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE
Note: We meet at the writing lab on Wednesdays; 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.
| WEEK 1 | ||
| Thursday | 1-7 | Introductory remarks; discussion of assumptions about writing. |
| WEEK 2 | ||
| Tuesday | 1-12 | Excerpt from Plato (Jacobus 275) due read. Initial writing exercise (in-class) |
| Wednesday | 1-13 | No class. |
| Thursday | 1-14 | Discussion of Plato. |
| WEEK 3 | ||
| Tuesday | 1-19 | Discussion of argumentative fallacies. |
| Wednesday | 1-20 | LAB -- Essay #1 |
| Thursday | 1-21 | Discussion of Bacon (Jacobus 379). |
| WEEK 4 | ||
| Tuesday | 1-26 | Critique of selected student essays. |
| Wednesday | 1-27 | No class. |
| Thursday | 1-28 | Discussion of Machiavelli (Jacobus 33). |
| WEEK 5 | ||
| Tuesday | 2-2 | Thesis preparation and group work. |
| Wednesday | 2-3 | LAB -- Essay #2 |
| Thursday | 2-4 | Discussion of Rouseeau (Jacobus 51). |
| WEEK 6 | ||
| Tuesday | 2-9 | Critique of selected student essays. |
| Wednesday | 2-10 | No class. |
| Thursday | 2-11 | Discussion of Jefferson (Jacobus 73). |
| WEEK 7 | ||
| Tuesday | 2-16 | Thesis preparation and group work. |
| Wednesday | 2-17 | LAB -- Essay #3 |
| Thursday | 2-18 | Discussion of Douglass (Jacobus 107). |
| WEEK 8 | ||
| Tuesday | 2-23 | Critique of selected student essays. |
| Wednesday | 2-24 | No class. |
| Thursday | 2-25 | Discussion of Thoreau (Jacobus 123). |
| ** March 1 is withdrawal deadline ** | ||
| WEEK 9 | ||
| Tuesday | 3-2 | Thesis preparation and group work. |
| Wednesday | 3-3 | LAB -- Essay #4 |
| Thursday | 3-4 | Discussion of King (Jacobus 151). |
| WEEK 10 | ||
| Tuesday | 3-9 | Critique of selected student essays. |
| Wednesday | 3-10 | No class. |
| Thursday | 3-11 | Discussion of de Beauvoir (Jacobus 173). |
| WEEK 11 | ||
| Tuesday | 3-16 | SPRING BREAK |
| Wednesday | 3-17 | SPRING BREAK |
| Thursday | 3-18 | SPRING BREAK |
| WEEK 12 | ||
| Tuesday | 3-23 | Thesis preparation and group work. |
| Wednesday | 3-24 | LAB -- Essay #5 |
| Thursday | 3-25 | Discussion of Marx (Jacobus 209). |
| WEEK 13 | ||
| Tuesday | 3-30 | Critique of selected student essays. |
| Wednesday | 3-31 | No class. |
| Thursday | 4-1 | Discussion of Gould (Jacobus 415). |
| WEEK 14 | ||
| Tuesday | 4-6 | Thesis preparation and group work. |
| Wednesday | 4-7 | LAB -- Essay #6 |
| Thursday | 4-8 | Discussion of Freud (Jacobus 307). |
| WEEK 15 | ||
| Tuesday | 4-13 | Critique of selected student essays. |
| Wednesday | 4-14 | No class. |
| Thursday | 4-15 | Discussion of Kaku (Jacobus 431). |
| WEEK 16 | ||
| Tuesday | 4-20 | Thesis preparation and group work. |
| Wednesday | 4-21 | LAB -- Revision of a previous essay. |
| Thursday | 4-22 | Discussion TBA (maybe a class pick?) |
| WEEK 17 | ||
| Tuesday | 4-27 | Course evaluations and announcement of Final Examination topic. |
Final Examinations:
CC: 9-11 a.m. Thursday, May 6, in the Writing Lab.
ZZ: 6:30-8:30 Thursday, May 6, in the Writing Lab.