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.