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English 101

Robin Pruter

pruter@cdnet.cod.edu

(630) 695-8164 (emergency only)

Office Hours:  By appointment

 

 

Composition 1

 

Course Description:

        English 101 is the first part of the required three-part sequence in English composition.  The goal of this course is to acquaint you with the basics of academic writing and with the critical thinking skills to aid you throughout your college experience and in your future career.  You will write six papers and various in-class assignments, and you will practice reading, evaluating, and analyzing academic texts and texts written by yourself and your fellow classmates.

 

 Readings:

        For this course you will be required to purchase two books:

Troyka, Lynn Quitman.  Simon & Schuster Handbook for Writers.  Sixth Edition.

Doctorow, E.L.  Ragtime.

In addition, a number of web-based readings will also be required.  It is expected that you will complete all reading assignments.  Should I discern that the readings are not being done, I will revise the syllabus to include reading quizzes.

 

Course Requirements:

        Your grade in this class will be determined from the following requirements:

v    10% Process Analysis Paper

v    10% Narrative Paper

v    15% Ragtime Paper

v    20% Definition & Exemplification Paper

v    20% Compare/Contrast Paper

v    5%   Response Paper

v    10% Handbook Exercises

v    10% Class Participation

Six Major Papers:

        For this course, you will write six graded papers.  Each paper must be typed, double-spaced, and stapled.  (Please do not use fonts that are difficult to read or bigger than 12 pt.)  You must submit all six papers in order to pass this course.  You may, but do not need to, submit rough drafts for commentary.

Handbook Exercises:

Over the course of the term, you will complete a number of exercises from you Simon & Schuster Handbook.  These are listed in the schedule section of this syllabus as “Homework.”  All exercises must be typed to ensure accuracy in grading.

Class Participation:

        This part of your grade will be determined by participation in in-class discussions, writings, and group activities.

 

 

Deadlines:

      Your papers are due at the beginning of class on the date due.  I will not accept late papers except under the following circumstances. 

·        Major illness/Loss of Blood/Excessive Vomiting/Food Poisoning  (Any of these excuses must be accompanied by a note from a doctor or hospital.  If you’re sick enough to have to turn in a paper late, you’re sick enough to go to the doctor.)

·        Death in the immediate family  (With the paper, you must include a copy of an obituary that includes your name for a late paper to be accepted under this excuse.)

·        Dismemberment or mutilation 

·        Jury duty  (I believe it’s important to be a good citizen and will excuse you.  You must discuss this situation with me before missing any class or assignment.  You must also include a copy of the notice with your paper for it to be excused.)

I will not accept any papers more than a week late.  All other exceptions will be at my discretion.   No late Response papers will be accepted, regardless of reason.

The following excuses will not be accepted:

·        Feeling poorly  (If you’re sick enough to have to turn in a paper late, you’re sick enough to go to the doctor.)

·        Arrests or court appearances  (I feel no obligation to complicate my life because of your bad judgment.)

·        Driving anyone to or picking anyone up from airport for any reason  (Make sure your paper is submitted first.)

·        Printer or computer problems (Please make sure you have plenty of time to print up your papers before class; printer problems have been known to happen, and no exceptions will be made for such problems.  Of course, should you have trouble printing your paper, you may e-mail the paper to me or turn it in on disk.  Always back up your files.  No exceptions will be made for accidental deletion or computer absorption of paper.)

·        “I flaked.” (You’re an adult; be responsible.)

 Should you anticipate having to turn in a paper late, please let me know as far before the due date as possible. 

 

Paper Expectations:

        I expect your papers to demonstrate proficiency in the six major areas of writing (Higher Order Concerns)—Purpose, Audience, Thesis, Development, Focus, and Organization.  I also expect competency in grammar and mechanics (Later Order Concerns), but the majority of your paper grade will be based on the higher order concerns.

Guide to Higher Order Concerns and Lower Order Concerns

 

 

Academic Integrity:

        The goal of this course is to improve your writing.  Thus, you will only benefit from the course if you turn in your own work.  Turning in someone else’s work as your own is a violation of COD’s plagiarism policy and will result in failure of this course.  We will discuss how to incorporate source materials into your paper and document them during this course.  Should you have a question regarding using sources, I encourage you to visit the writing center and/or see me.  Note:  The practice known as “cutting and pasting” is plagiarism and will be treated as such.

 

 

Attendance:

            I have no set attendance policy.  However, excessive absences will negatively affect your class participation grade.  Missing class is no excuse for a late assignment.  If you miss class, you still must ensure that I receive any homework due that day.

 

 

Extra Credit:

                I do not regularly allow students opportunities to use extra credit to make up for missed class sessions or assignments or for poor performance on regular assignments.

 

 

Withdrawal:

        I will give my permission to withdraw throughout the quarter for any reason.  However, if you don’t think you can complete the class, I would hope you would drop within the first few weeks, so you don’t waste my time and your money.  If you remain in the class until after the last day for automatic withdrawal, I would hope you would have the fortitude to complete the class.

        If this policy is abused, I will revert to a stricter withdrawal policy.

 

Course Schedule

Subject to change

Assignment Color Key:   Homework  Reading  Paper

Some Useful Websites

Purdue Writing Lab On-line—thorough guide to all major aspects of writing.

The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing—detailed discussion of almost every aspect of academic writing.  If you have a question, this is a great place to start.

The Writing Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute—offers information on thesis development and citation forms.

Guide to Grammar and Writing—quick-check guide to grammar and introduction to writing.

On-line Writing Assistance—thorough guide to all major aspects of writing.

Writing Paragraphs—a wonderful step-by-step introduction to writing topic sentences and organizing and developing paragraphs.

Film Genres—a good introduction to the use of genre in film.  Not all genres listed make great paper topics, but still a good place to start.

 

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11 September 2003