Spring 2001:: ENC 1101: Composition
Rules
1. Attendance: You will miss helpful and important information if you miss class. You are responsible for all work due for any missed class as well as for the homework for the following class. You are also responsible for any work done during the class you missed (quizzes, in class writing, etc.). You should get the phone numbers of a couple of your classmates in case you miss a class. You can also contact me by email.
2. Don't be late to class. The class depends on your presence in order to conduct peer review and other in class activities.
3. Assignments are due on the class day they have been assigned for. Late work will not be accepted. Late papers, as they are not accepted, can not be revised.
4. All assignments (unless otherwise noted) must be typed on white 8 1/2X11" paper, to be double spaced, have 1" margins, in 12 point font, in either Times New Roman or equivalent, and be according to MLA style.
5. All students are expected to honor the University's Honor Code. All work must be your own. Copying without giving credit is plagiarism. Collusion (working with another student or tutor not connected with the class in an attempt to pass their work as your own) is equally unacceptable. Evidence of plagiarism and/or collusion will be dealt with according to the university's regulations.
6. Many different opinions will be expressed in this class. Students are expected to respect the views of other students. Sexist and racial hate speech will not be tolerated. A difference of opinion will naturally result and is expected and encouraged. But students must still respect the view points of the other students in the class.
7. Complaints about seperate assignments are to be discussed with me. Complaints about the final grade should be discussed with me in at least one conference soon after the next term begins. If the conference on the final grade does not resolve the problem in a valid, college-level manner, the complaint can be expressed on a form in the English Office, 4008 TUR; the form must be accompanied with copies of every assignment and my directions. The form and accompanying course material will be given to the Director of Freshman English for further action. Please note that the Department does not review the complaint about a seperate assignment nor will it review a complaint about final grades unless all assignments are submitted along with the instructor's directions for the assignments. The review committee may decide that the grade should remain as is, be raised, or lowered; but the review committee has the final decision. The material submitted for the complaint is to remain on file in the English Department.
Grades
Grades are calculated as follows:
1. Essays 35%:
The first essay 10%.
The second 10%.
The third 15%.
All essays need to be in print form so I can make comments.
2. Final Web Project 20%: The web project will allow you to apply all that you have learned regarding visual and written rhetoric. We will be discussing this in great detail in class.
3. Journals 20%: Journals for the week's readings will be due each Friday. Each journal will focus on a single reading that you select from the entire week's readings.Each journal entry will consist of 2 sentences describing the main point of the writing, 2 questions on the reading, and 150 words about your thoughts on the reading. The journal entries must be handed in to me or put in my mailbox by Friday of each week. Please put your name on the journal entries. The entries are due each Friday so you will have a choice of the week's readings to comment on. As with all other work, keep a copy of each journal entry for your records. There are 15 weeks in this semester, but only 11 journal entries will be due. Four journal entries will be waived - 1 for the first week of class, 1 for the final week of class, and 2 freebies.
3. Participation, In-class Assignments 20%: These can include in-class
essays, quizzes on the reading, and anything else I assign to be done
in class. This is where attendence is especially important, because
in-class assignments cannot be made up.
Peer-review sessions: These are perhaps the most important part
of your work in class, the peer review. We will spend a lot of our time
talking about the importance of revision, and how we can use our skills
to help each other become better writers. There will be four peer-review
sessions, one for each of our major essays and for the web project this
semester. You will need to bring a copy of your paper for each of your
bandmembers for review. We will focus on certain parts of each others'
writing, working to help each other with the revision process.
4. In-class diagnostic essay 5%: This can also be revised.
Revisions: With each paper you write, you will have the option to revise after I grade it (with the exception of the web project as it is due for the final). Revision is not editing. Merely correcting mechanical mistakes will not be sufficient. Revision is a "re-visiting" of the paper, perhaps a restructuring or re-conceptualization. Revisions are due one week after the papers are returned (if you are not in class the day they are returned, you do not get extra time unless it is an excused absence). You must turn in the original paper with the revision so I can see the changes you've made. If the revision is only a surface revision and not a true re-seeing of the paper, then it will not be accepted, nor will further revisions.
More on Grading
A papers: follow the assignment, have a clear thesis and solid support, are written thoughtfully and carefully, have gone through significant revisions, have virtually no grammatical errors or typos and are turned in typed, stapled and on time.
B papers: may deviate from the assignment slightly, have a clear thesis with good support, are written clearly and carefully, have gone through some revisions, have only a few grammatical errors or typos, and are turned in typed and stapled.
C papers: might deviate from the assignment, have a less clearly definable thesis or mediocre support, are written with less clarity, have done less revision, have several grammatical errors or typos, and are turned in typed in stapled.
D or E papers: might deviate widely from the assignment, have a poorly defined or absent thesis with lackluster or marginal support, are written sloppily, have not undergone any revision and have numerous grammatical errors and typos. Unacceptable.
Since each student must earn a C average or better to receive Gordon Rule credit for this class, anything below a C will be counted as failing (E).