ENGLISH 102: COMPOSITION II

FALL 2004 / TTh 9:30a-10:45a, 3p-4:15p

 

John Pruitt                                                                   433 Laird Fine Arts Bldg

Office Phone: 389-6547                                              Office Hours: TTh 11a-12p & 1p-2p & by appt.

jpruitt@uwc.edu

 

Required Texts

Lunsford, Ruszkiewicz, and Walters, Everything’s an Argument, with Readings, 3rd ed.

Diana Hacker, Rules for Writers, 5th ed.

Small three-ring binder for portfolios and journals

 

Course Description

This course is designed to help first-year students develop a process for creating arguments with primary attention on information, ideas, research, and documentation. As a writing and reading course, it will help you to develop the analytical and critical thinking abilities used in academic prose and research. We will learn what argumentation means in academic writing and the academic setting, and how we can use argumentation to discover, define, persuade, inform, and entertain. Many types of argumentation require research to find supporting evidence for our claims; therefore, you will learn about various ways to research for argumentative prose and how to evaluate and document the evidence and sources of your research. Globally, the composition class is the space conducive to empowering students with a command and mastery of the language, which is accomplished (in the widest scope) through understanding the uses of the language, learning proper mechanics, developing thoughts through writing, appraising writing environments, and enhancing critical thinking skills. Locally, daily assignments, which consist of collaboration, peer critiques, drafting, brainstorming, audience analysis, assessing rhetorical situations, and other concepts, will help you to accurately assess, improve, and refine your own writing.

 

Course Objectives

You must earn at least a C to receive credit for this course. So, if nothing else, please take the following skills with you:

 

Critical Reading Skills

 

Critical Writing Skills

 

Research Skills

 

 

Assignments and Grading

You will willingly and cheerfully complete the following assignments, some of which correspond to this year’s campus theme of civic engagement:

 

Summary Essay (10%)                                                Proposal (20%)

Source Evaluation Essay (15%)                      Collaborative Humorous/Visual Argument (15%)

Editorial (20%)

 

Writer’s Journal (10%): Your journal will consist of two parts. First, I’ll ask you to write short arguments and other types of essays based on your readings or in preparation for larger papers. Second, because I insist on your intelligent appraisal of current events and trends, every Monday morning I’ll post a recent local, national, or global news story by e-mail to which you’re to respond in a one-page essay. I’ll collect journals twice during the semester. Sorry, but journal entries are not collaborative. If even one of your entries looks suspiciously like someone else’s, both of you will automatically fail the assignment.

 

Reading Quizzes (5%) based on the information in the chapters in the Lunsford text.

 

Participation and Engagement (5%): You will earn a C by coming to class regularly. You will earn a higher grade by coming to class regularly and actively participating. Consistent tardiness, lack of preparation, and disrespectful, immature, and belligerent behavior will cause your grade to lower dramatically. It’s extremely easy to secure an A for this part of your grade, but you must earn it.

 

 

Attendance Policy, or Saving You from Temptation

I understand that things happen and you have to miss class, even for a mental health day, so you may miss two classes, including those for doctor appointments, illnesses, court dates, weddings, road trips, hangovers, job interviews, inconvenient work hours, auditions and rehearsals, abandonment in strange cities, distressing break-ups, advisor meetings, registration, field trips, and any other reason. Beyond two absences, your final course grade will be reduced by 1/3 of a letter per absence (an A will be reduced to an A- on the third absence, to a B+ on the fourth...), so pop an aspirin and come to class with your sniffles, sore throats, watery eyes, headaches, and emotional baggage, even on your off days. Keep in mind that there’s no difference between an excused and an unexcused absence. In the case of a devastating event such as a funeral or hospital visit that will keep you out of class for a significant amount of time, one of your family members should contact Student Services, which will in turn contact your instructors. I make sure to reward perfect attendance, and I also expect you to take responsibility for your absences and inquire independently about announcements or missed work. I take attendance very seriously because the nature of composition courses is based on their workshop atmosphere, which is why I press you to come to class, contribute to class discussions, draft and revise, and participate in peer critiques.

 

 

Academic Honesty, or Working Your Way through College with a Clear Conscience

According to the Board of Regents, academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to,

 

·         Permitting another student to plagiarize or cheat from your work

·         Submitting an academic exercise that has been prepared totally or in part by someone else

·         Acquiring improper knowledge of the contents of an exam

·         Using unauthorized material during an exam

·         Submitting the same paper in different courses without the knowledge and consent of your instructors

 

Punishment for such actions might include failure of work undertaken, failure in the course, and formal disciplinary action, including suspension or expulsion from the university. I strongly encourage you to make use of the writing tutors via e-mail with the UW-Waukesha Online Writing Lab; instructions are located at <http://waukesha.uwc.edu/academics/owl/>.

 

 

Disclaimers

·         Students who require accommodations because of a documented disability should notify Student Services and me within the first ten days of class for further instructions.

·         I will provide students who cannot be present for a scheduled peer critique because of a religious observance with an alternate way of fulfilling that particular course requirement, providing that they notify me of the scheduling conflict within the first ten days of class.

·         Mobile phones are subject to smashing if they ring during class. If you’re expecting an urgent call, let me know before class begins.

·         I have very particular feelings about late assignments, stapling papers, and misspelled words, so make sure to read the following section on Assignment Guidelines very carefully.

 

 

Assessment

The UW Colleges-wide assessment program was established to enhance the quality and effectiveness of the curriculum, programs, and services of the institution. The institution-wide assessment activities focus on analytical, quantitative, and communication skills because they are of primary importance in the general education of our students. This semester, students in composition will be assessed on communication skills, specifically the ability to communicate clearly, precisely, and in a well-organized manner.

 

Each department also conducts assessment activities that address discipline-specific learning goals. This year, the English Department is focusing on what students learn in literature courses, specifically the skills of close reading and interpretation. (Last year, the department assessed composition courses, and those who aren't teaching literature will be re-assessing their composition courses this year.) For more information, if you’re interested, refer to the college’s assessment web site on <http://www.uwc.

edu/resources/assess/>.

 

 

ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES

The following general guidelines apply to all assignments:

 

1.      Although it’s fashionable to be late in many circles, final assignments are due in class on the date specified on the schedule of assignments, even if you’re going to miss class because of a university sponsored event. I frown on receiving late assignments for whatever reason, including malicious computers that eat disks, crash and burn, mysteriously lose documents, or freeze up. You should always back up your work by printing hard copies of all drafts, saving them on disks (although they’re temperamental), and keeping e-mail attachments of your drafts in your accounts. Furthermore, don’t leave your assignments in your printers. Unless I tell you otherwise, I’ll lower the grade on your final papers and journals by one full letter per day (not class period) that they’re late, beginning with the moment that class ends on the day the assignment is due. If you find yourself in this situation, and unless I specify otherwise, e-mail the assignment to me before class and keep a copy in your account. If for some reason it doesn’t reach me, I’m going to ask you for evidence that you sent it when you claim you did.

 

2.      Because I’m visually impaired, print all assignments with a good quality printer only in unstreaked black or blue ink and always attach each final paper for your portfolio (final draft, first draft, and reflective statement) with a staple or paperclip (never tape or complicated ripping or folding) so my cats don’t shuffle the pages when they play in them. I hate to say it, but I have to: I won’t accept handwritten assignments, and, if your final papers are not attached together, I’ll automatically reduce their final grades by one full letter. Paperclips and staplers run amok through the campus, so you’ll have no trouble finding one or the other.

 

3.      Please number and type your name on each page, and make sure to proofread your paper before you turn it in because typos will severely lower your grade as they show me that you’re not paying close enough attention to your work. I consider typos to be misspelled words, missing words, extra words, or words used incorrectly (for example, know the difference between the commonly misused words oppress/suppress/repress, definitely/defiantly, exert/excerpt, its/it’s, there/their/they’re, and your/you’re). Unless I specify otherwise, you may make two typos without penalty to take the human error factor into account. However, if you make 3-4 typos, I’ll automatically lower your final assignment grade by 1/3 of a letter. If you make more than four typos, I’ll automatically lower your final assignment grade by one full letter per typo. If you’re not sure how to spell or use a word, consult a dictionary. Don’t let this rule frighten you—I just want to make sure that you proofread your papers carefully, that you suspend your faith in spell checking and grammar checking software, and that you have this basic grasp on the language.

 

4.      My assessment of your writing includes scrutinizing final drafts, peer critiques, and reflective statements. For this reason, each final paper must include these three documents. If your reflective statement is missing from any final paper , I’ll automatically reduce that assignment’s final grade by one full letter . Furthermore, I assign an in-class grade for peer critiques of first drafts, so if you forget to bring your own complete first draft to class on peer critique day, you may not critique someone else’s draft. It also means that you won’t be able to attach a peer critique of your own first draft to your final paper when you turn it in. I hate to say this, but I have to—if your first draft, critiqued by someone in class and not just by one of your friends, is missing from your final draft, I’ll automatically lower your final assignment grade by one full letter. I never offer the option of turning these documents in late (especially after I’ve handed back final grades), so be mindful of attaching them to each final draft.
SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS

Have readings completed by the beginning of class and bring the material that we’re covering that day with you. The schedule of assignments is subject to change at my discretion.

 

Th

9/2

Introduction to the course

Journal Entry #1: Examining Yourself as a Writer

For Tuesday, read Lunsford chapters 1-3 (Introducing Argument 3-61)

 

T

9/7

Introduce the elements of argument

Exercise on reading critically

Journal Entry #2: Informing, Convincing, Exploring, Deciding, Meditating

 

Th

 

9/9

 

Introduce the concepts of audience, purpose, and style

Journal Entry #3: Gauging Audiences

For Tuesday, read Lunsford chapters 4 and 5 (Lines of Argument 65-87) and “Between

  Football and War” (875) and bring to class a print advertisement that relies on emotional

  appeals (and remember which magazine or newspaper it came from)

 

T

9/14

Introduce pathos and values in argument and discussion of “Football and War”

Exercise on universal pathos

Journal Entry #4: Questionable Values

For Thursday, read Lunsford chapters 6 and 7 (Lines of Argument 88-118) and “If Only We

  Spoke” (704) and Hacker on sentence clarity (101-15)

 

Th

 

9/16

 

Introduce ethos and logos and discussion of “If Only”

Exercise on sentence clarity

Journal Entry #5: Character Flaws

For Tuesday, read Lunsford chapters 20 and 21 (Conventions of Argument 401-23) and

  “We Should Relinquish” (540)

 

 

 

T

9/21

Introduce Summary Essay

Exercise on summary, paraphrase, and quotation

Journal Entry #6: Writing Out of a Difficult Situation

For Thursday, read Lunsford chapter 8 (Structuring Arguments 121) and “Why Fear

  National ID Cards?” (556)

 

Th

 

9/23

 

Exercise on the Toulmin structure

Journal Entry #7: Sentence Variety

For Tuesday, read Lunsford 18 (What Counts as Evidence 367), “Why Liberty Suffers”

  (535), and “Title IX Facts” (570)

 

 

 

T

9/28

Introduce Editorial Assignment

Exercise on audience and evidence

Journal Entry #8: The Implications of Title IX

For Thursday, complete first draft of summary essay and bring four copies of your

  complete draft to class (remember, if you don’t have your complete draft, you’ll

  automatically lose a full letter from your final assignment grade; I’ll circulate to make sure

  that you have it and that it’s complete) and read Hacker on grammar (185-201)

 

Th

 

9/30

 

Peer critique of summary essay

Exercise on grammar

Journal Entry #9: Problems with Personal Experience

For Tuesday, finish up your first round of journal entries and revise your summary essay

 

 

 

 

T

10/5

Library Orientation (9:30a class meets in room 465; 3p class meets in room 130)

Summary Essay due

Journal Entry #10: Editorial as Argument

For Thursday, contemplate an amazing editorial topic & read Lunsford chapter 22

  (Documenting Sources 424), with careful attention to the section on In-Text Citations

 

Th

 

10/7

 

Collaborative Editorial Invention

MLA Quiz on Writing In-Text Citations (make sure to have the Hacker or Lunsford book

  with you)

For Tuesday, complete Editorial proposal and review Lunsford chapter 22 (430-40)

 

 

 

T

10/12

Editorial proposal and invention exercise due (remember, one full letter grade deducted

  from this assignment if you don’t turn them in today)

Introduce source evaluation essay

In-class practice citing print and electronic sources (make sure to have the Hacker or

  Lunsford book with you)

Journal Entry #11: Informing, Convincing, Persuading, Entertaining, Reporting

For Thursday, begin your research and review Hacker on quotation marks and italics (300-

  06 and 322-25)

 

Th

 

10/14

 

MLA Quiz on Formatting Titles and Works Cited pages (make sure to have the Hacker

  book with you)

Journal Entry #12: Writing Transitions

For Tuesday, read Lunsford chapter 19 (Fallacies of Argument 384) and continue

  researching and working on your source evaluation essay

 

 

 

T

10/19

Journal entries #1-12 and current event reactions #1-7 due

Quiz: “Find the Fallacy” (make sure to have the Lunsford book with you)

Review Introductions and Conclusions

For Thursday, complete your source evaluation essay & read Hacker on commas (266-86)

 

Th

 

10/21

 

Source Evaluation Essay due

Exercise on commas

Review Essay Structure and Thesis Statements

For Tuesday, complete the 3-page draft of your editorial and bring four copies of your

  complete draft to class

 

 

 

T

10/26

Peer Critique of Editorial and Works Cited page (one full letter grade deducted from this

  assignment if you don’t have the complete draft with you)

Journal Entry #13: Exploding a Moment

For Thursday, read Lunsford chapter 12 (Proposals 238) including Rauch’s “The Fat Tax”

  (259)

 

Th

 

10/28

 

Introduce Proposal Assignment

Exercise on Campus Rages

Journal Entry #14: Rauch’s Playful Proposal and Argument

For Tuesday, revise your editorials and works cited pages (don’t forget to include your first

  draft and reflective statement) and read “Should Physician-Assisted Suicide” (654) and

  “Hospice, Not Hemlock” (660)

 

 

 

 

T

11/2

Final Editorial with Reflective Statement Due

Discuss “Physician” and “Hospice”

Journal Entry #15: Girsh vs Loconte

For Thursday, think of at least three possible speakers you’d like to bring to campus and

  why you’d like to bring them and read Hacker on mechanics (316-41), leaving out the

  section on italics)

 

Th

 

11/4

 

Collaborative Proposal Invention

Exercise on mechanics

For Tuesday, read Lunsford chapter 11 (Causal Arguments 205)

 

 

 

T

11/9

Exercise on cause and consequence

Journal #16: The Cause of Slumping CD Sales

For Thursday, complete Proposal proposal and read “A Little Matter of Faith” (784) and “A

  Hindu Renaissance” (789)

 

Th

 

11/11

 

Project proposal and invention exercise due (remember, one full letter grade

  deducted from this assignment if you don’t turn them in today)

Discuss “Faith” and “Hindu”

Journal #17: Faith in Newspapers

For Tuesday, start drafting proposals and read Hacker’s section on clarity (83-91)

 

 

 

T

11/16

Exercise on clarity

In-class work on proposals

For Thursday, keep drafting and read another Hacker section on clarity (92-100)

 

Th

 

11/18

 

Exercise on clarity

In-class work on proposals

For Tuesday, complete the 3-4- page draft of your proposal and bring four copies of your

  complete draft to class

 

 

 

T

11/23

Peer Critique of Proposal, including works cited page

For Tuesday, read Lunsford chapter 13 (Humorous Arguments 262) and “Turning Boys

  into Girls” (486) and bring in a (relatively) current political cartoon photocopied onto a

  transparency

 

Th

 

11/25

 

Thanksgiving Break

 

 

 

T

11/30

Final Proposal Due

Introduce Collaborative Humorous/Visual Argument

Exercise on humor

Journal Entry #18: Responding to Cottle

For Thursday, read Lunsford chapter 15 (Visual Arguments 301) and prepare to discuss

  and participate in exercise 2 on p. 329

 

Th

 

12/2

 

Exercise on verbal and visual design

Journal Entry #19: The Pulitzer Prize

For Tuesday, complete your project proposal, read Lunsford chapter 14 (Figurative

  Language 285), and bring in a photocopy of 2-3 paragraphs of description from a

  romance novel or a western novel

 

 

 

T

12/7

Project proposal due (remember, one full letter grade deducted from this assignment if

  you don’t turn them in today)

Exercise on Style and Figurative Language: The Smiths, “Girlfriend in a Coma”

For Thursday, keep drafting

 

 

Th

 

12/9

 

In-class work on humorous arguments

For Tuesday, complete the draft of your humorous argument and bring four copies of your

  complete draft to class

 

 

 

T

12/14

Peer Critique of Humorous Argument

Course Evaluations

Journal Entry #20: What I Learned in English 102

 

F

 

12/17

 

Due in my office by 10am:

Final Humorous Argument

Journal entries #13-20 and current event reaction papers #8-15 due

 

 

 

Reflective Statements

Each of your formal writing assignments must include a reflective statement, which is a means of exploring how you went about writing your papers. Its focus is your writing itself, both your draft and the processes that produced it, and its aim is critical understanding, usually for the purpose of revision. It gives you the opportunity to think about what’s working or not working in the draft, what thinking and writing processes went into producing it, and what possibilities you saw for revising it. However, it isn’t the place to be too general. Don’t tell me that you started with a catchy introduction because it’s important to grab the reader’s attention. We already know that. To write an effective reflective statement, pick out a question from each section of the list below, look at specific aspects of your paper, explore your past thinking against your present thinking, and support your analysis with adequate details: