Final Meeting

Our final meeting is on Monday, April 27th. Please be sure to upload a rough draft of your argumentative synthesis paper to the discussion board (to be titled, Synthesis--Rough Draft) by the beginning of that class. We will be meeting in person to conduct this workshop, but we will not be meeting on Wednesday, April 29th. Please reference the assignment sheet, the example essay, and the synthesis questions for consideration--available in the content section--and let me know if you have any questions. I will email you with some notes on your posts, regarding the thesis statement and subtopics over the next two days.

Homework for Wednesday, April 22nd

Please read the short essay, "Evolution's Sweet Tooth," (585) in the Current Issues textbook. We will discuss the construction and organization of the piece in class, based on what we talked about tonight, and look at a student example for the same purposes. If you missed class tonight, please be sure to review the assignment sheet for the final paper and keep in mind the due dates. 

Reminder about Wednesday's Class and Homework for 4/15/2015

Please disregard the reading assignment listed on the schedule for Wednesday's class, as we will not be meeting in person.

Instead, please address the following questions in a blog post by 11:59pm CST on Wednesday:

• What is the revised version of your thesis statement?
• What subtopics will you use to support this claim (include at least three, for now)
• Why do you feel your claim is important (what's at stake?) and how do your supporting points help to showcase that importance?

The answers to these questions could work as the skeleton for your final paper. If you have any questions or need help with your thesis, please email me.

Again, we are not meeting in person on Wednesday. Over the weekend, I would like you to read the Martin Luther King Jr. essay, "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," (beginning on page 736 in the Current Issues textbook) and write a response that focuses on what rhetorical devices/elements he uses effectively that you might want to utilize in your writing.

Homework for Monday, April 13th

I made a slight change to the schedule last night. Your homework for Monday is to read the Elliott Currie essay, "Toward a Policy on Drugs," which begins at the bottom of page 570 in the Current Issues textbook. You do not have a reading response due, but I will be asking specific questions about the essay, how it's constructed, and the effectiveness of the message in class on Monday, so be sure to have the piece read before class. We will save the MLK essay for the following Monday. If you have any questions, please contact me via email.

Homework for Tuesday, April 7th and Wednesday, April 8th

Please email me a tentative thesis for the final argumentative essay by 11:59pm CST tomorrow (Tuesday, 4/7). I have uploaded a document to the Content section with tips for formulating a strong synthesized claim. We will workshop these thesis statements in class on Wednesday. 

The tentative thesis for the final paper should also appear in your Compare/Contrast essay (either at the beginning or end), which is due by 11:59pm CST on Wednesday, April 8th. If you have questions about the paper or my feedback, please contact me by tomorrow (4/7) at the latest.

Homework for Monday, March 30th

Please read the two essays listed on the course schedule for Monday (Ricks on page 645, Eggers on 648 of the Current Issues textbook) and write a comparative response. The reading response should provide a brief summary of each piece and then identify similarities and differences between them (in terms of how they are written, what topics are addressed, who the writer is, the intended audience--all of the areas we discussed in class). Also, be sure to include what effects those aspects have on the essays. The reading response is due by the beginning of class on Monday as a dropbox submission.

Also, please continue to search for sources related to your research topic, since the rough draft of the Compare/Contrast essay is due in one week. The assignment sheet has been available in the content section for viewing/downloading; if you have not reviewed it yet, please do so as soon as possible. You can email me any questions you might have about the assignments, too.

Homework for Wednesday, March 25th

Please read the two essays that are listed on the course schedule (Tierney on 622, Hanson on 624) and be prepared to discuss the rhetorical elements that effect the way the messages are communicated. We'll focus on comparing the two pieces to one another in preparation for the next reading response, as well as the Compare/Contrast essay.

The assignment sheet for the Compare/Contrast essay is available under the Content section of D2L. Please review the guidelines and note the due dates for the assignment, then let me know if you have any questions.

Homework for Wednesday, March 23rd

The reading assignment is listed on the Course Schedule--that is unchanged--however, we will not be writing/submitting a reading response on Monday. Simply read the two essays that are listed on the Course Schedule for the 23rd, and be prepared to discuss them in class. Also, please be sure to post a breakdown of a broad topic to your blog by Monday. I have uploaded the example (titled, Exploring Narrower Topics) to the Content section to give you an idea of what needs to be done. I will have more information about the next major writing assignment on Monday; if you have any general questions, please feel free to contact me via email.

Homework for Wednesday, March 18th

Please remember to submit the final draft of your interpretive essay to the D2L dropbox by the beginning of class this Wednesday. There are no additional assignments due, though I would like you to have a broad topic chosen for your final research paper. We will go over how to narrow down that broad topic in class tomorrow.

Here are directions to find our class page that Lynne setup for us yesterday. There you will find the four databases she showed us, as well as other important resources.

• Go to the library homepage: lib.mnsu.edu
• Along the left side of the page, you will see a link titled Class & Subject Guides; click that link
• You'll need to scroll down to the English Composition link; click it
• Our class should be appear under that heading; it will be titled English 101 Daniel DeWolf, Instructor; you know what to do
• The toolbar along the top of the screen will help you navigate our page

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Wednesday's Workshop

We will not be meeting in the class this Wednesday, BUT we will be workshopping each other's interpretive essay drafts. The discussion board is setup with the same groups as last time, and you will need to post your draft (in a compatible format--.doc, .docx, or .pdf) by 6pm. After you have posted your draft, you will read your partner's draft--I will list the partners in the D2L discussion forum--and response with at least 250 words of written feedback (not line-edited corrections). I will post to the content section of D2L a list of questions to consider when providing feedback.

Feedback must be posted in response to the discussion board by 11:59pm CST on Wednesday, March 4th. Posts made after that will not be considered for your participation grade. In order to receive full credit for the rough draft, you need to have at least 2 full pages of text, plus a Works Cited page. In order to receive full credit for the workshop, you need to have posted your draft by 6pm and have posted at least 250 words of feedback before midnight.

I have an example of a previous student's Interpretive essay in the content section of D2L for you to reference. Remember: this paper needs to include a brief summary of the story or poem being analyzed, it needs to have a central interpretive claim, there needs to be evidence from the text used to support the interpretations, and there needs to be connections made to examples outside the text (other works by the writer, critical/scholarly reviews, connections to news stories or other research). If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Homework for Monday, March 2nd

For Monday's class, please read Kate Chopin's "Story of an Hour" (on page 438 of the Current Issues book) and write a response. The reading response will need to be at least 500 words, and I recommend you focusing on how you came to your interpretive conclusions, using evidence from the text (craft elements/details). We will discuss this in class on Monday, and I will go over some the assignment sheet for the next paper in more detail. The rough draft of your interpretive essay is due next Wednesday, and the assignment sheet is posted in the Content section of D2L. If you have any questions about the guidelines, please feel free to contact me over the weekend.

Homework for Wednesday, February 25th

In addition to reading the Robert Frost poem, "Mending Wall," (page 426 in the Current Issues book), I have uploaded two poems to the Content section of D2L (located under the Readings heading). These poems are "What Work is," by Phillip Levine, and "A Prayer for Intercession," by Amy Fleury. There is no reading response due; simply read them and be prepared to discuss your thoughts and reactions to them in class on Wednesday.

Homework for Monday, February 23rd

Please read the short story, "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas," by Ursula Le Guin on page 695 of the Current Issues textbook. You have a reading response due on Monday, which should focus on how the writer communicates her message(s) in this piece of short fiction. Consider using craft elements and outside associations to the content in order to support your interpretations, as we did in class last night for "The Wig," and "Girl." If we have time to go over "Television" in class on Monday, we will; but please be sure that your reading response is about the Le Guin story. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via email.

Homework for Monday, February 16th

I have uploaded to the Content section of D2L our reading assignments for Monday. Please read the following short stories, and be prepared to discuss them in class: Lydia Davis's "Television," Jamaica Kincaid's "Girl," and Brady Udall's "The Wig." If you have any issues access/downloading these files, please contact me as soon as possible.

Class Today

Please remember, we are not meeting tonight (Monday, February 9th). If you have questions about your feedback or issues with the audio file, please email me tonight to ensure that I have ample time to reply. We will be meeting at our regularly scheduled time on Wednesday (2/11), and the final draft of your narrative is due by the start of class on Wednesday as a dropbox submission. 

Notes and Reminders about Personal Narrative Essays

Now that you've uploaded the rough drafts of your personal narratives, I will be providing you with audio feedback. I will email this feedback to you over the next few days, and will update this feed once all feedback has been sent out. If you have any questions about the feedback, or if you have issues with the file itself, contact me immediately. I will accept emailed questions about the feedback and your paper up until Monday to ensure that I have enough time to respond before the due date of the final draft. Please note: I am not able to read revised drafts prior to you submitting the final draft.

The final draft of this essay is due by the beginning of class on Wednesday, February 11th, as a dropbox submission. Please remember to submit the essay in a compatible file format (.doc, .docx, or .pdf). Additional guidelines can be found on the assignment sheet, and if you have any questions about the guidelines or due dates, please email me as soon as possible.

One final note: we will not be meeting on Monday, February 9th. Please utilize this time to revise your essay to ensure that they are polished and developed.

Homework for Wednesday, February 4th

The rough draft of your personal narrative is due by the beginning of class this Wednesday. Please be sure to upload a compatible file (.doc, .docx, or .pdf) to the Discussion Forum (titled Personal Narrative Workshop - 2/4/15), under your Group number. If you have any issues posting, please contact me as soon as possible, so that I can assist you. The rough draft needs to be at least two full pages (with correct formatting/style guidelines) and contain a beginning, middle, and end in order for you to receive full credit for the assignment.

Here is a link to the story I referenced in class last night, in case any of you were wanting to read it: "How to Tell a True War Story."

Homework for Monday, February 2nd

I have uploaded an example paper to the Content section (under Examples) of D2L titled, "Rough Draft Personal Narrative." Please read this draft in preparation for Monday, and be prepared to workshop with the class. On your blog, I would like you to take some notes while you read the paper, so that you have something to talk about when we examine the draft. You can either write a full paragraph or write the critique in list form, but I'm looking for about 200 words that focus on 1.) what's working in the paper (strengths) 2.) what needs improvement, in terms of clarity or development and 3.) what questions you would have for the writer. Make sure to post your notes prior to the start of class on Monday. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via email.

Also: I have uploaded the corrected version of the Course Schedule to the Content section, now including the missing week (2/9 and 2/11). Please download this updated copy for your records.

Homework for Monday, January 26th

I have uploaded a .pdf copy of the Stephen Marche essay, "Is Facebook Making Us Lonely," to the Content section of D2L, for those of you who have not gotten the textbook. Please read this piece and be prepared to discuss it in class on Monday.

The bookstore should have copies of the textbook, for those of you who don't have it. I would suggest that you either go there--they might be behind on email notifications--to see if it's available, or purchase the book through Amazon (see Syllabus for ordering information). If you have any questions about the assignment, please feel free to contact via email.

Homework for Wednesday, January 21st

Please note: in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we are not meeting on Monday, January 19th.

I have uploaded the reading assignment for Wednesday, January 21st to the Content section of D2L (under the Reading Materials subheading) for those of you who do not have the textbook yet. Please read George Orwell's essay, "Shooting an Elephant," and write a response, following the guidelines on the Reading Response Assignment Sheet (also located in the Content section, under the Assignment Sheets subheading). I have included a student example with its corresponding reading in the Content section (under Examples), as well. Please remember to submit the Reading Response to the D2L dropbox prior to the start of class, and be prepared to discuss the essay on Wednesday.

Here are the links to the articles I referenced in class last night, for those of you who are interested in the topics of happiness and gender roles/expectations in today's society:

"Meaning is Healthier than Happiness"

"Why Women Still Can't Have It All"

English 101-11 Assignment Schedule (Due Dates)

Week 1	Monday 1/12 Introductions/Setup Blogs	Wednesday 1/14 Discuss Dalai Lama (781)/Brady (801)
Week 2	Monday 1/19 *No Class – MLK Day*	Wednesday 1/21 Discuss Orwell (721); Response 1
Week 3	Monday 1/26 Discuss Marche (600)	Wednesday 1/28 Discuss Cronin (203); Response 2
Week 4	Monday 2/2 *Rough Draft Personal Narrative	Wednesday 2/4 Conferences
Week 5	Monday 2/16 Discuss Chapters 1 (3-11) Personal Narrative	Wednesday 2/18 Discuss Chapters 2 (34-46); Reference Chapter 8 (337-343)
Week 6	Monday 2/23 Discuss LeGuin (695); Response 3	Wednesday 2/25 Discuss Frost (426)/.pdf poems
Week 7	Monday 3/2 Discuss Chopin (438); Response 4	Wednesday 3/4 *Interpretive Analysis Rough Draft
Week 8	Monday 3/9 *No Class – Spring Break*	Wednesday 3/11 *No Class – Spring Break*
Week 9	Monday 3/16 Library Day	Wednesday 3/18 Interpretive Analysis
Week 10	Monday 3/23 Discuss Jimenez(117)/Takaki(123); Response 5	Wednesday 3/25 Discuss Tierney (622)/Hanson (624)
Week 11	Monday 3/30 Discuss Ricks (645)/Eggers (648); Response 6	Wednesday 4/1 *Compare/Contrast Rough Draft
Week 12	Monday 4/6 Conferences	Wednesday 4/8 Thesis Statement Workshop Compare/Contrast Source Analysis
Week 13	Monday 4/13 Discuss MLK (736); Response 7	Wednesday 4/15 Discuss Tugend (518)
Week 14	Monday 4/20 Discuss Currie (570); Response 8	Wednesday 4/22 Discuss Lieberman (585)/Student Example
Week 15	Monday 4/27 *Argumentative Synthesis Rough Draft	Wednesday 4/29 Assignment TBD
Finals Week	Monday 5/4 Scheduled Meeting 6:00pm – 8:00pm Argumentative Synthesis Final Draft

English 101-11 Syllabus, Spring 2015

Monday/Wednesdays 6:00pm-7:45pm                               Armstrong Hall (AH) 331

Instructor: Daniel DeWolf                                                  Office: AH 201K

Office Hours: Mondays/Wednesdays 4:00pm-6:00pm       Office Phone: 507-389-5540

Email: daniel.dewolf@mnsu.edu    

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:    Current Issues and Enduring Questions by Sylvan Barnet and
                               Hugo Bedau 
ISBN-13: 978-1-4576-2260-1

OWL at Purdue: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
 

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                                                                                           65%

Personal Narrative                                                      15%

Interpretive Analysis                                                  15%

Compare/Contrast Source Analysis                           15%

Argumentative Research Synthesis                            20%

The majority of your grade will be determined by the quality of work you produce when composing four major essays. We 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                                                                                 15%

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. 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:

                               B+ = 89-87     C+ = 79-77     D+ = 69-67

A  = 100-93     B   = 86-83      C   = 76-73     D   = 66-63     F = 59-0

A- = 92-90       B-  = 82-80     C-  = 72-70     D-  = 62-60

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 (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 free services offered by MSU’s Center for Academic Success located in the Memorial Library (ML 116). The Center is open to students Monday through Friday, by appointment and walk-ins. MavCard required: http://www.mnsu.edu/supersite/academics/success or 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.”


Note on Safety: MSU values the safety of all individuals on campus. You are encouraged to review the campus Emergency Response Guide online (http://www.mnsu.edu/security/emergencies). This information will help you create a personal safety plan and consider your options in the event of an emergency.