English Composition I

ENG 121        3 credits

Fall 2003

Instructor:  Rebecca Potter

Class Hours:  Tuesday/Friday  10:30am – 11:50am

Location:  Bristol Hall Room 119

Office:  Bristol Hall Room 304

Start/End Dates:  Tuesday/Friday 10:30am – noon

Email:  rpotter@coloradomtn.edu

Phone:  870-4447

Required Texts:  The Blair Reader, Kirszner and Mandell

    Modern Writer’s Handbook, Kline and O’Hare

Required Materials:  A pocket folder for turning in written assignments.

Course Description:

This course emphasizes the planning, writing, and revising of compositions, including the development of critical and logical thinking skills. 

Course Philosophy and Objectives:

Through reading, practice and process, students will gain competence in analytical, evaluative, and persuasive writing.  We will focus on increasing critical reading and thinking skills to help students actively engage with the world around them.  By the end of the semester, students should be able to articulate a position clearly, persuasively, and even eloquently.

Requirements/Assignments

• Readings must be read prior to class.  This does not mean skim or simply glance through them.  You need to have some sense of what you have read and your thoughts on the material before you came to class in order to make class time most useful.

• You will be asked to write responses to readings.  I may give you questions or prompts to consider, or you may be asked to simply reflect on the issue being addressed.

• Class participation is essential.  You will be asked to participate in in-class exercises, class discussions and workshops.  In order for students to participate effectively, they must come to class prepared.  ***If students do not arrive with ready drafts on workshop days, they will be marked absent for that class period.***

• You will write 6 major papers.  One of these will be a revision of an earlier paper.  One will be an extensive research paper.

• Students must complete all six assignments to receive credit for the class.  If one are more assignments are not turned in, the student will receive an ‘F’.

Paper Format:  Manuscripts must be typed, double spaced with 12 pt. font and page #’s.  Margins should be one inch.  Title pages are not necessary;  titles can be centered above the first paragraph.  Please STAPLE, not paper clip your manuscripts.

Late Assignments:  Papers must be handed in on time:  late papers will be docked one letter grade per day late (unless you receive approval from me prior to the due date).

Attendance:  Students are allowed to miss two classes.  Any absences beyond that will lower your final grade incrementally.  For example, three unexcused absences will drop a final grade of B to a B-.

Grading:  When calculating your final grade, I will use the following formula:  paper #1=5%, paper #2=10%, paper #3=15, paper #4=15%, paper #5=15%, paper 6=10% written responses=15%, participation=15%

Plagiarism:  Plagiarizing consists of stealing and passing off the ideas or words of another without crediting the source.  We will discuss different types of plagiarism in-class and how to avoid it.  If there are any doubts about what constitutes plagiarism, PLEASE see me.

Refund Date:  September 12, 2003

Withdraw date:  November 15, 2003

Please Note:

• Any or all of this syllabus may be altered during the semester by the instructor as the learning environment requires.  Students will be notified of changes.
• Students wishing to withdraw from this course must INITIATE the course withdrawal/drop process.
• This class could be cancelled one week prior to the census date if an insufficient number of students are enrolled.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act:  Appropriate accommodations will be made for all students with documented disabilities.  If you have a disability requiring accommodations in this class, please notify the instructor as soon as possible.

Course Schedule

August 26                    Introduction to Class.  Course requirements.  What is rhetoric?  In-class writing:  Letter to a Friend.

                                    Assignment:  Bring in ad for employment.

August 29                    Cover letter:  knowing your audience.

                                    Assignment:  Rough draft of cover letter.

September 2                Rough draft workshop.  Eliminating wordiness.  Diagnostic test.

Assignment:  Final draft of cover letter.  Read:  “Sex, Lies, and Advertising.”

September 5                Review reading.  Introduce ad analysis. 

Assignment:  Read “The Plug-In Drug”; “TV and African Americans.”  Bring in ad.

September 9                Discuss readings.  Review ads.  Introductions.  Eliminating wordiness.

                                    Assignment:  Introduction and two supporting paragraphs.

September 12              Review introductions.  Review student sample essay. 

                                    Assignment:  Rough draft of ad analysis essay.

September 16              Rough draft workshop.

                                    Final draft of ad analysis.

September 19              Ad analysis due.  Introduce rhetorical analysis.  Marvell and Montague.

Assignment:  Read “On a Woman’s Right to Suffrage”; “Militant Suffragists.”

September 23              Discuss readings.  Revisit use of supporting material. 

                                    Assignment:  “Declaration of Independence”;  JFK’s Inaugural Address.

September 26              Discuss Readings.  Short Film.  In-class reading of “I Have a Dream.”

Assignment:  TBA 

September 30              Introduce King’s letter.  Review statement from clergymen.  View first half of “Four Little Girls.”

                                    Assignment:  Revision due.

October 3                    View second half of “Four Little Girls.”

Assignment:  Read “Letter From Birmingham Jail.”  Analyze for ethos, logos, and pathos.

October 7                    Discuss film, reading and analyses.

                                    Assignment:  Rough draft of rhetorical analysis essay.

October 10                  Rough draft workshop.

                                    Assignment:  Final draft due.

October 14                  Rhetorical analysis essay due.  Introduce evaluation essay.

Assignment:  Read “School is Bad for Children”; “The Sanctuary of School.”

October 17                  Discuss readings.

                                    Assignment:  “Read Savage Inequalities”; “In Defense of Elitism.”

October 21                  Discuss readings.

Assignment:  “Why College’s Shower Their Students with A’s”; “College Pressures.”

October 24                  Discuss readings.  What is the Real Purpose of Education?  Hand out prompt.

Assignment:  “Who Cares About the Renaissance?”; “On the Uses of a Liberal Education: Lite Entertainment for Bored College Students.”

October 28                  Discuss readings.  Brainstorm session for evaluation essay.

                                    Assignment:  Outline for evaluation essay.

October 31                  Review outlines.  Grammar workshop.

                                    Assignment:  Rough draft of evaluation essay.

November 4                Rough draft workshop.

                                    Assignment:  Final draft due.

November 7                Evaluation essay due.  Introduce proposal essay.

Assignment:  Read “Death and Justice”; “The Need for a Moratorium on Executions.”

November 11              Discuss Readings.  MLA guidelines. 

                                    Read: “Unnatural Killers”; “When Life Imitates Video.”       

November 14              Discuss readings.  Brainstorm topic ideas.  In-class research.

                                    Assignment:  Research topic.

November 18              Review topic ideas.  In-class research.

                                    Assignment:  Research topic.

November 21              Create outline for topic.  Where are the holes in your argument?

                                    Assignment:  Research topic.

November 25              In-class writing. 

                                    Assignment:  More work on proposal essay.

November 28              NO CLASS THANKSGIVING BREAK

December 2                 Creating a works cited page. 

Assignment:  Rough draft of proposal essay.

December 5                 Rough draft workshop.

                                    Assignment:  Final proposal essay due.  Bring essay for revision.

December 9                 Proposal essay due.  Revision workshop.

December 12               Revision due.  Evaluations.