English Composition (ENG
101-30) Syllabus
Minnesota State University,
Mankato
Spring
2014
Wednesdays 6:00pm-9:45pm
Armstrong Hall (AH) 203
Armstrong Hall (AH) 203
Instructor: Daniel DeWolf
Office: AH 201K
Office: AH 201K
Office Hours: Mondays (e-hours) 2:00pm-4:00pm
Office Phone: 507-389-5540
Office Phone: 507-389-5540
Wednesdays
4:00pm-6:00pm
Course Goals: develop writers to use the English language
effectively in their work and to 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;
demonstrating knowledge of proper source documentation;
f)
employ syntax and usage appropriate to academic
writing and the professional world.
Required Texts: Next
Text: Making Connections Across and Beyond the Disciplines
by Anne Kress and Suellyn Winkle
by Anne Kress and Suellyn Winkle
ISBN-10: 0-312-40106-X ISBN-13: 978-0-312-40106-1
Required
Coursework/Grading:
Weekly
Writing Responses 20%
Each
week we will have a written assignment due. These assignments include reading
responses, critiques, and rough drafts of your formal essays. I will provide
you with detailed guidelines for each of these writing assignments prior to
their due dates.
Essays 55%
Summary/Response
Essay 15%
Personal
Narrative Essay 15%
Argumentative Synthesis
Essay 25%
The
majority of your grade will be determined by the quality of work you produce
when composing three major essays: a Summary/Response, a Personal Narrative,
and an Argumentative Research paper. Students will engage in the three steps of
writing: pre-writing, drafting, and revising. Rough drafts are to be posted to
D2L for in-class, peer editing. The final draft of each essay will be submitted
to D2L on the assigned due date, along with a hard copy. Essays will be graded
on how well the students follow and apply the criteria outlined on the
assignment sheets, which will be available to students on the day each essay is
assigned.
Participation 25%
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. During lectures, discussions, and presentations, you will
be required to TURN OFF your computer monitors and pay attention. If you are
caught using your computer, phone, or other electronic devices when you have
been directed to turn them off, you will not receive participation points for
that day.
Attendance
While
attendance doesn’t make up a portion of your final grade, failure to show up to
class will negatively impact it. You cannot receive participation points if you
are not in class. You are allowed one (1) absence without penalty; after that,
you will receive a 5% deduction per absence from your final grade. There are no
distinctions between excused and unexcused absences. If you are not able to
attend class, please refer to D2L or the syllabus blog for homework and missed
assignments.
Grading Scale:
A =
100-90 B = 89-80 C =79-70 D
= 69-60 F = 59-0
NOTE: the lowest
PASSING grade a student can earn in English 101 is a C. If a student earns
a grade lower than a C, he/she will have to repeat the course. This is a policy
that has been set by the university.
Academic Dishonesty: MSU
has a zero tolerance policy in this
regard. Students caught plagiarizing, cheating, or colluding could receive a
failing grade, requiring them to retake the course.
Plagiarism
– Blatantly submitting someone
else’s work as your own and/or failing to properly credit an original source.
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.”
