student web projects

English 1102 Honors

when: T/Th 11:00-12:15   where: SRC 3683 Tuesdays /IC 2087 Thursdays

Tammie Bob, instructor

e-mail:  bobtam@cod.edu     Phone: (630)942-3327      

website: www.cod.edu/people/faculty/bobtam/website/index.htm

or better: www.tammiebob.com

Office: ic 3129b  

Spring Office Hours available on home page

TEXTBOOK:                The Curious Reader.  Ballenger, Payne                    

WELCOME TO ENGLISH 1102

First, some review.

Some major concepts of English 1101:

An essay is about one idea, the thesis, which describes both a topic and your point of view (or take) on that topic.

When you take a position you must explain and illustrate any statement you make. You do this through narrative, exemplification, comparison, categorization, definition of various types, quoting authorities and citing statistics. Poorly explaining your reasons will cause your audience to mistrust or dismiss your argument.

These lessons are still critical for English 1102, which focuses on the research process . 

We continue to grow as writers.  It is time to examine what excellent writers "do" to create lively, interesting prose, and how we can incorporate those techniques into our own writing to make it as compelling as possible. Research projects answer questions and present the ideas of others, but like all writing, researched papers should present your own ideas about what you have learned: your own understanding of and response to the results of that research. Researched writing does not only report, but also interprets information. More academic papers, business proposals, grant requests and other types of researched writing fail because the writer has not expressed him/herself well than because a source was incorrectly cited.  I also believe that reading good writing serves as a model for all writers; it inspires us to strive for better style and original technique. So we will read and analyze other writers to improve our own writing.

That said, we will certainly focus on the research process. By the end of the quarter you should feel confident about your ability to find any information you need, and understand how to decide if information is useful for your project. You’ll form the habit of  evaluating sources: you might find use for source that’s biased or even unreliable, but you should be able to present it as such.  Finally, we will thoroughly cover the  responsibilities and technical aspects of incorporating and citing outside sources in your own writing.

Attendance and Completion of Assignments
Consistent and punctual class attendance, responsible performance on assignments and participation in class and group activities and discussion are par for the course. Due to the amount of material that we will cover and time constraints, absence is strongly discouraged. If you miss more than three classes, your course grade may drop one letter grade; if you miss four or more, you may fail the entire class.  If you have questions about assignments or problems in completing them, speak to me after class, contact me by phone or e-mail, or come to my office hours. You do not have to call to tell me you are/were absent. Also, the reason for your absence doesn't change the fact that you weren't there and didn't have the benefit of class, turn in your assignment, etc., so I don't need to see doctors' notes, etc. However, I want you to succeed in this class--if you find yourself in a real jam that will affect your attendance over several class sessions, let me know at once so we can work out a solution.

Written Assignments

You must complete all written assignments with a serious attitude toward revising, editing and proofreading your own work. All written work must be typed unless otherwise specified.  Rough drafts of papers should be as complete as possible and viewed as essays to be revised rather than rough outlines. I don't collect drafts and "correct" them for you, but we do critique them in class, and you do receive significant points on your papers for both drafts and critiques.  I will gladly review topic proposals or rough drafts at any stage with you during my office hours. . All papers must be turned in with drafts, critiques, and other required  assignments, contained in a FOLDER so I do not lose any of your work.

WEB SITE:
The 1102  "Honors" website, which we'll often use in the computer lab, will have linked readings, a homework page, help for assignments and general writing help. I hope you will find it a useful tool and visit it often. You can access it through my home page: www.cod.edu/people/faculty/bobtam/website/index.htm. or better yet, www.tammiebob.com. Then click the 1102 "Honors" button on the navigation bar.

Some course materials can also be found at the Blackboard course site, which you can access through  your MyCOD portal. I will record grades in the Blackboard gradebook so you can keep track if you choose.
 

Late Assignments and Drafts
Essays, drafts, and other out-of-class assignments are due at the beginning of the class period for which they are assigned. Late assignments may result in a reduction of one letter grade or not counted at all if they are more than 1 week late. Peer critiques and other short out-of-class assignments are not accepted late. There is no makeup of in-class work.

HOWEVER: Revisions of graded work will be accepted anytime before the last week of the semester  with prior approval for a  revision plan. When you submit a revision, include the rough and final drafts of your paper and the grade sheet.

Scholastic Honesty
Turning in work that is not your own,  or any other form of scholastic dishonesty will result in a major course penalty, probably an "F" in the course. A report of the incident may be made to the Office of the Vice-president of Student Affairs. Be sure that you read and understand the Statement on Scholastic Responsibility in the Student Guide. If you have any questions about that statement, ask me. We will discuss how to use and cite sources in class. If you have any questions during the semester about the use of source material, talk to me before turning in the assignment in question. If you need help with your work, you may use the tutoring services at the Academic Support Center, or of course, come see me during my office hours..

Grades
Grades will be calculated as follows:
First project: (  researching a statistic from Harper's List)  30%                (

Second Project (Artifact Analysis)       30%                                                                         
Final research project: (a paper demonstrating mastery of synthesizing research to support a  thesis) 30%
Attendance and participation:  10%

*Note: each project is worth 300 points: 200 for the final paper but 100 divided among various preliminary assignments.
 

What you're writing this semester

I.   Your first assignment will be to work with a listing from the Harper's Index. You will need to check the source of the statistic, whether you think it is being manipulated and why, and determine a context to understand the current relevance of the topic..  What are the historical, cultural, economic and/or scientific circumstances that inspired the listing in Harper's Index, and how do you think the listing should  be understood? What implications or bearings does the situation have for our times?  What are some of the results or consequences of this situation in the world today?  How do you relate to this subject? (That is, do you have any opinions as a result of your research?) You will need to write a paper that explains the topic, analyzes information about it and develops an understanding of the issue.

 II. For the second project, we will analyze an artifact or group of related artifacts for what it can tell us about our social structure. Students will describe and evaluate the history, form, materials, construction, and function(s) of artifacts, and to study them in their original and contemporary contexts for what they reveal about the people   who used them then and now. The results may be written as a paper or constructed as  web sites.

   III. Finally, students will produce a researched paper on a subject directly or tangentially related to our readings. It’s important to choose an area that interests you, about which you have ideas and opinions. It may grow out of your earlier projects, if you like. A good research paper does not merely report; it explains causes/ effects, or identifies or explains a trend or phenomenon, or it evaluates/critiques, or recommends, or categorizes, or in some way interprets the results of the research.

Assignments and schedules may be altered to fit the needs of the class.

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