Chose a topic for your research paper and write a tentative thesis statement. This thesis sentence should be narrow enough to yield a focused, five to six page paper, but broad enough to where you're not limited to finding one or two resources on the subject. The topic and the thesis statements are tentative, so you don't have to worry about these being set in stone. Please email me your thesis statements by Monday, February 1st. We will workshop them in class the following day (the sentences will be presented anonymously).
Things to remember:
-Make sure you are not setting up an argument (i.e., Leopards are viewed as being superior to squirrels in the animal kingdom)
-Be sure to avoid taking a stance (i.e., I think leopards are cooler than squirrels)
-Avoid being too general (i.e., I'm writing a paper on leopards)
-Avoid being too specific (i.e., I'm writing about a single spot on Larry the leopard's coat)
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
MLK Summary/Response
- Who is the intended audience?
- Is there a secondary or broader audience, too?
- What is MLK's persona (ethos) and tone?
- Does MLK use pathos or logos in his argument?
- What is the main problem, or why is MLK in jail?
- What is his purpose?
Use the same guidelines provided in the post below for your response and formatting.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Summary/Response Questions
Summary
- What is the problem/issue Brady addresses in "I Want a Wife"?
- What is her purpose for writing the piece?
- What is she trying to say (her message)?
- Who is her intended audience?
- What is the writer's tone?
- What are some of the points she makes in the piece?
Possible Responses (You can address more than one of these options)
- Do you agree/disagree with what she is saying? Why or why not?
- Is this a fitting response to the stated problem/issue?
- How well does she say what she is trying to say, or is her message effective?
- Is there a more effective way to get this message across to her intended audience?
- Does the writer use any logical fallacies in her argument?
Remember: The paper needs to be composed in MLA format. Please refer to page 467 in your book for formatting/layout guidelines. The paper should be two pages (about 500 words). Upload a digital copy of your paper to the appropriate dropbox in D2L, and bring a hard copy to class on Thursday. We will discuss the Brady essay in class. Please email me if you have any questions/concerns regarding this assignment.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Course Schedule
Week 1
Tuesday, January 13th—Introduction, Blogs, Writing Assessment,
Homework: Read, “A Modest Proposal,” by Jonathan Swift
Thursday, January 15th—How to write a summary response, Discuss reading assignment
Homework: Write example summary response
Week 2
Tuesday, January 20—Swift response due; Logical fallacies
Homework: Read, “I Want a Wife,” by Judy Brady; write
summary/response
Thursday, January 22—Brady response due; Writing to a specific audience
Homework: Read “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” by Martin
Luther King, Jr.; write summary/response
Week 3
Tuesday, January 27—MLK response due; Begin research unit
Thursday, January 29—Brainstorming topics, tentative theses, narrowing the thesis
*Good Thunder*
Week 4
Tuesday, February 3—In-class Library orientation
Thursday, February 5—Outlining, structuring, in-text citations, works cited
Week 5
Tuesday, February 10—The writing process, revising
Thursday, February 12—NO CLASS
Week 6
Tuesday, February 17—In-class research day
Thursday, February 19—Research Paper Rough Draft Due
*Good Thunder*
Week 7
Tuesday, February 24—Conferences
Thursday, February 26—Conferences
Week 8
Tuesday, March 3—Conferences
Thursday, March 5—Research Paper Final Draft Due
Week 9
SPRING BREAK
Week 10
Tuesday, March 17—Begin Multi-Genre Research Project Unit
Thursday, March 19—TBD
Week 11
Tuesday, March 24—TBD
Thursday, March 26—TBD
*Good Thunder*
Week 12
Tuesday, March 31—TBD
Thursday, April 2—Multi-Genre Research Project Due
Homework: Read, “The American Male at Age 10,” by Susan
Orlean
Week 13
Tuesday, April 7—Discuss homework, work on in-class writing prompt
Homework: Read, “The Boy,” by Diana Joseph
Thursday, April 9—Discuss homework, work on in-class writing prompt
Homework: Read, “Black Hair,” by Gary Soto
Week 14
Tuesday, April 14—Discuss homework, work on in-class writing prompt
Homework: Read, “Me Talk Pretty One Day,” by David Sedaris
Thursday, April 16—Discuss homework, work on in-class writing prompt
*Good Thunder*
Week 15
Tuesday, April 21—Conferences
Thursday, April 23—Conferences
Week 16
Tuesday, April 28—Conferences
Thursday, April 30—Personal Narrative Final Draft Due
Finals Week
Tuesday, May 5 12:30pm–2:30pm
Location TBD
Tuesday, January 13th—Introduction, Blogs, Writing Assessment,
Homework: Read, “A Modest Proposal,” by Jonathan Swift
Thursday, January 15th—How to write a summary response, Discuss reading assignment
Homework: Write example summary response
Week 2
Tuesday, January 20—Swift response due; Logical fallacies
Homework: Read, “I Want a Wife,” by Judy Brady; write
summary/response
Thursday, January 22—Brady response due; Writing to a specific audience
Homework: Read “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” by Martin
Luther King, Jr.; write summary/response
Week 3
Tuesday, January 27—MLK response due; Begin research unit
Thursday, January 29—Brainstorming topics, tentative theses, narrowing the thesis
*Good Thunder*
Week 4
Tuesday, February 3—In-class Library orientation
Thursday, February 5—Outlining, structuring, in-text citations, works cited
Week 5
Tuesday, February 10—The writing process, revising
Thursday, February 12—NO CLASS
Week 6
Tuesday, February 17—In-class research day
Thursday, February 19—Research Paper Rough Draft Due
*Good Thunder*
Week 7
Tuesday, February 24—Conferences
Thursday, February 26—Conferences
Week 8
Tuesday, March 3—Conferences
Thursday, March 5—Research Paper Final Draft Due
Week 9
SPRING BREAK
Week 10
Tuesday, March 17—Begin Multi-Genre Research Project Unit
Thursday, March 19—TBD
Week 11
Tuesday, March 24—TBD
Thursday, March 26—TBD
*Good Thunder*
Week 12
Tuesday, March 31—TBD
Thursday, April 2—Multi-Genre Research Project Due
Homework: Read, “The American Male at Age 10,” by Susan
Orlean
Week 13
Tuesday, April 7—Discuss homework, work on in-class writing prompt
Homework: Read, “The Boy,” by Diana Joseph
Thursday, April 9—Discuss homework, work on in-class writing prompt
Homework: Read, “Black Hair,” by Gary Soto
Week 14
Tuesday, April 14—Discuss homework, work on in-class writing prompt
Homework: Read, “Me Talk Pretty One Day,” by David Sedaris
Thursday, April 16—Discuss homework, work on in-class writing prompt
*Good Thunder*
Week 15
Tuesday, April 21—Conferences
Thursday, April 23—Conferences
Week 16
Tuesday, April 28—Conferences
Thursday, April 30—Personal Narrative Final Draft Due
Finals Week
Tuesday, May 5 12:30pm–2:30pm
Location TBD
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
English Composition Syllabus
Minnesota State University
Fall 2008
Course: ENG 101–30 Composition
Course Meeting: 2:00pm–3:45pm TTh
Course Location: AH 327
Instructor: Daniel DeWolf
Office: AH 206A
Office Hours: 12:00pm–2:00pm TTh
Office Phone: 507-389-1022
Email: daniel.dewolf@mnsu.edu
Website: http://dewolfsyllabus.blogspot.com
Course Description: Students will practice strategies for generating and developing ideas, locating and analyzing information, analyzing audience, drafting, writing sentences and paragraphs, evaluating drafts, revising, and editing in essays of varying lengths. Students will also become experienced in computer-assisted writing and research.
Course Goals: To develop writers who use the English language effectively and who read and write critically. The course objective is to prepare students for the writing that they’ll be required to do throughout their college careers. By the end of the class, students will be able to do the following:
a.) demonstrate and practice strategies for idea generation, audience analysis, organization of texts, drafting, evaluation of drafts, revision, and editing;
b.) write papers of varying lengths that demonstrate effective explanation, analysis, and argumentation;
c.) become experienced in computer-assisted writing and research;
d.) locate and evaluate material, using PALS, the Internet, and other sources;
e.) analyze and synthesize source material, making appropriate use of paraphrase, summary, quotation, and citation conventions;
f.) employ syntax and usage appropriate to academic writing and the professional world.
Required Text: Rules for Writers Sixth Edition
Diana Hacker
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-45276-6
ISBN-10: 0-312-45276-4
Required Coursework/Grading:
Summary/Responses 15%
Informative Research Paper 25%
Multi-Genre Research Project 25%
Personal Narrative 15%
Each essay will be generated from an in-class prompt. Students will engage in the three steps of writing: pre-writing, drafting, and revising. Rough drafts will be posted on D2L for small group peer editing. The final draft of each essay will be submitted to D2L on the assigned due date and a hard copy will be required, as well. Essays will be graded on how well the students follow and apply the criteria for each essay outlined on the assignment sheets (to be provided).
Participation 10%
Students will be required to engage in free-writing (to be posted as a blog) during specified times, conduct peer reviews of essay drafts via D2L, and participate in class discussions based on the assigned reading. Failure to participate in any of these activities will result in the loss of some or all of a day’s participation points.
Attendance 10%
You cannot receive participation points if you are not in class. If you miss class and have not exceeded the allotted two absences, you can complete in-class assignments as homework and receive no penalty. In-class assignments will be posted on D2L (under the Discussions heading) for those who have missed class and are eligible for the homework alternative.
Grading Scale:
A- = 90-92 A = 93-97 A+ = 98-100
B- = 80-82 B = 83-86 B+ = 87-89
C- = 70-72 C = 73-76 C+ = 77-79
D = 60-69
F = 0-59
NOTE: the lowest PASSING grade a student can earn in English 101 is a C. If a student earns a C- or lower, he/she will have to repeat the course. This is a policy that has been set by the university.
Class Policies: Students are allowed 2 absences. Any absence after the allotted two will result in the lowering of the student’s final grade by 4% per absence. There are no distinctions between excused and unexcused absences. All coursework must be completed to pass this class. Failure to turn in work at the beginning of class on its due date will result in a full letter grade deduction for that assignment. Writing done for this class is considered public text. Assignments are tentative and subject to change. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated; it may result in failure of the class. Students who need to meet with the instructor and are unable to do so during scheduled office hours can make an appointment via email. Students are required to meet with the instructor for conferences twice during the course of the fall semester to review course work and class progress.
Academic Dishonesty: MSU has a zero tolerance policy regarding Academic Dishonesty. Students caught plagiarizing, cheating, or colluding will receive an automatic failing grade, and they will be required to retake the course. Academic Dishonesty—per MSU Policies and Procedures—is defined as follows:
Plagiarism – Submission of an academic assignment as one’s own work, which includes critical ideas or written narrative that are taken from another author without the proper citation. This does not apply only to direct quotes, but also to critical ideas that are paraphrased by the student. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to:
• submitting the work of others as your own
• submitting others’ work as your own with only minor changes
• submitting others’ work as your own without adequate footnotes, quotations, and other reference forms
• multiple submission of the same work, written or oral, for more than one course without both instructor’s permission, or making minor revisions on work which has received credit and submitting it again as new work.
Cheating – Use of unauthorized material or assistance to help fulfill academic assignments. This material could include unauthorized copies of test materials, calculators, crib sheets, help from another student, etc.
Collusion – Assistance to another student or among students in committing the act of cheating or plagiarism.
Center for Academic Success: In addition to working with the instructor, students are encouraged to take advantage of the services offered by MSU’s Center for Academic Success located in the basement of Memorial Library (ML 116). These services include free tutoring sessions in nearly all subject areas, including composition. By appointment or walk-in, the Center is open to students Monday through Friday. MavCard required. Go to http://www.mnsu.edu/supersite/academics/success or call 507-389-1791.
Note for Students with Disabilities: From the Office of Disability Services: “MSU provides students with disabilities reasonable accommodation to participate in educational; programs, activities, or services. Students with disabilities requiring accommodation to participate in class activities or meet course requirements should first register with the Office of Disability Services, located in 0123 Memorial Library, telephone 389-2825, TDD 711 and then contact me as soon as possible.”
Additional Information: Cell phone use in class is not permitted. Please silence or power off phones while in class. If an emergency arises, please exit the classroom quietly to take the call outside. Drinks and food are not allowed in the computer lab. You will be asked to discard or put away any food or drink you bring to class.
Fall 2008
Course: ENG 101–30 Composition
Course Meeting: 2:00pm–3:45pm TTh
Course Location: AH 327
Instructor: Daniel DeWolf
Office: AH 206A
Office Hours: 12:00pm–2:00pm TTh
Office Phone: 507-389-1022
Email: daniel.dewolf@mnsu.edu
Website: http://dewolfsyllabus.blogspot.com
Course Description: Students will practice strategies for generating and developing ideas, locating and analyzing information, analyzing audience, drafting, writing sentences and paragraphs, evaluating drafts, revising, and editing in essays of varying lengths. Students will also become experienced in computer-assisted writing and research.
Course Goals: To develop writers who use the English language effectively and who read and write critically. The course objective is to prepare students for the writing that they’ll be required to do throughout their college careers. By the end of the class, students will be able to do the following:
a.) demonstrate and practice strategies for idea generation, audience analysis, organization of texts, drafting, evaluation of drafts, revision, and editing;
b.) write papers of varying lengths that demonstrate effective explanation, analysis, and argumentation;
c.) become experienced in computer-assisted writing and research;
d.) locate and evaluate material, using PALS, the Internet, and other sources;
e.) analyze and synthesize source material, making appropriate use of paraphrase, summary, quotation, and citation conventions;
f.) employ syntax and usage appropriate to academic writing and the professional world.
Required Text: Rules for Writers Sixth Edition
Diana Hacker
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-45276-6
ISBN-10: 0-312-45276-4
Required Coursework/Grading:
Summary/Responses 15%
Informative Research Paper 25%
Multi-Genre Research Project 25%
Personal Narrative 15%
Each essay will be generated from an in-class prompt. Students will engage in the three steps of writing: pre-writing, drafting, and revising. Rough drafts will be posted on D2L for small group peer editing. The final draft of each essay will be submitted to D2L on the assigned due date and a hard copy will be required, as well. Essays will be graded on how well the students follow and apply the criteria for each essay outlined on the assignment sheets (to be provided).
Participation 10%
Students will be required to engage in free-writing (to be posted as a blog) during specified times, conduct peer reviews of essay drafts via D2L, and participate in class discussions based on the assigned reading. Failure to participate in any of these activities will result in the loss of some or all of a day’s participation points.
Attendance 10%
You cannot receive participation points if you are not in class. If you miss class and have not exceeded the allotted two absences, you can complete in-class assignments as homework and receive no penalty. In-class assignments will be posted on D2L (under the Discussions heading) for those who have missed class and are eligible for the homework alternative.
Grading Scale:
A- = 90-92 A = 93-97 A+ = 98-100
B- = 80-82 B = 83-86 B+ = 87-89
C- = 70-72 C = 73-76 C+ = 77-79
D = 60-69
F = 0-59
NOTE: the lowest PASSING grade a student can earn in English 101 is a C. If a student earns a C- or lower, he/she will have to repeat the course. This is a policy that has been set by the university.
Class Policies: Students are allowed 2 absences. Any absence after the allotted two will result in the lowering of the student’s final grade by 4% per absence. There are no distinctions between excused and unexcused absences. All coursework must be completed to pass this class. Failure to turn in work at the beginning of class on its due date will result in a full letter grade deduction for that assignment. Writing done for this class is considered public text. Assignments are tentative and subject to change. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated; it may result in failure of the class. Students who need to meet with the instructor and are unable to do so during scheduled office hours can make an appointment via email. Students are required to meet with the instructor for conferences twice during the course of the fall semester to review course work and class progress.
Academic Dishonesty: MSU has a zero tolerance policy regarding Academic Dishonesty. Students caught plagiarizing, cheating, or colluding will receive an automatic failing grade, and they will be required to retake the course. Academic Dishonesty—per MSU Policies and Procedures—is defined as follows:
Plagiarism – Submission of an academic assignment as one’s own work, which includes critical ideas or written narrative that are taken from another author without the proper citation. This does not apply only to direct quotes, but also to critical ideas that are paraphrased by the student. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to:
• submitting the work of others as your own
• submitting others’ work as your own with only minor changes
• submitting others’ work as your own without adequate footnotes, quotations, and other reference forms
• multiple submission of the same work, written or oral, for more than one course without both instructor’s permission, or making minor revisions on work which has received credit and submitting it again as new work.
Cheating – Use of unauthorized material or assistance to help fulfill academic assignments. This material could include unauthorized copies of test materials, calculators, crib sheets, help from another student, etc.
Collusion – Assistance to another student or among students in committing the act of cheating or plagiarism.
Center for Academic Success: In addition to working with the instructor, students are encouraged to take advantage of the services offered by MSU’s Center for Academic Success located in the basement of Memorial Library (ML 116). These services include free tutoring sessions in nearly all subject areas, including composition. By appointment or walk-in, the Center is open to students Monday through Friday. MavCard required. Go to http://www.mnsu.edu/supersite/academics/success or call 507-389-1791.
Note for Students with Disabilities: From the Office of Disability Services: “MSU provides students with disabilities reasonable accommodation to participate in educational; programs, activities, or services. Students with disabilities requiring accommodation to participate in class activities or meet course requirements should first register with the Office of Disability Services, located in 0123 Memorial Library, telephone 389-2825, TDD 711 and then contact me as soon as possible.”
Additional Information: Cell phone use in class is not permitted. Please silence or power off phones while in class. If an emergency arises, please exit the classroom quietly to take the call outside. Drinks and food are not allowed in the computer lab. You will be asked to discard or put away any food or drink you bring to class.
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