English 101: College Writing, Spring 2012

Faculty: Susan Magee, MFA, Assistant Professor of Communications Email: magees@chc.edu; Cell: 215-370-2767 Office: #2 DeSales Center; exit back door of St. Joes, turn right, you will see garages on your leftoffice is above that.) Office Hours: Mon: 9:30-10:45 and 12:30-2; Tues: 9:30-10:30; Thurs 2-3, Fri by appt. All course documents such as this syllabus, assignments and grading guidelines will be posted on our class website on Blackboard (Bb): chc.blackboard.com (note address: no www). In case of class cancellation for any reason, you will be required to go on Bb and do your assignments as instructed.

Required Texts:
E-Dentity, Stephanie Vie, Fountainhead Press You are required to bring your book to each class & to do the assigned reading.

Course Description:
English 101, the first half of the two-semester freshman composition sequence (with ILA being the second course), introduces you to the writing of college essays. This course will: Prepare you for the large amount of writing that will be required throughout your college education. Help you become a more critical thinker capable of communicating ideas to specific audiences argumentatively. Assist you in finding your point of view as a writerwhat do you really want to say?and foster an interest in discerning other points of viewwhat are others saying and why? Inspire you become a more responsive, analytical reader. Introduce you to the process of writing within a collaborative, supportive community.

Instructor Philosophy:
Writing well does not boil down to either you have it you dont. Any person who practices writing can become a good, even a great, writer. You probably wouldnt ice skate or ski without lessons first. Technique takes practice. The same principle applies to writing. You have to learn how to do it. Therefore, each time we meet you will write in class and/or on your own. You will complete three formal essays and compile a portfolio to present and showcase your revised writing. You cannot be a writer without being a reader. Therefore, you will read the work of professionals and published writers and, just as importantly, the work of your fellow students. We will work hard to produce a community of trust and mutual respect. Learning how to respond to another writers work thoughtfully and supportively is an incredibly important step in your own development as a writer. You also cannot be a writer without hearing feedback, suggestions and criticism. This class will help you deal with the initial ego bust (OUCH!) that hearing criticism engenders in all of us. By the end of this class you will understand how considering and incorporating feedback in the revision process is critical to your success as a writer.

I will spend some time with grammar and usage as well as fundamental research issues that you will need to address for your research essay, but the majority of our time will be devoted to understanding the process of argument and also writing as a series of steps: brainstorming ideas, narrowing topics, finding sources, taking in-depth notes drafting to discover what you know and what you need to know, getting feedback, revising, polishing, reading a loudfirst to yourself, and ultimately to othersand revising some more. As a group we will think and talk, read and interpret, collaborate and coach, and ultimately leave a printed record of your journey, a record that reflects your maturation as a writer capable of expressing both critical and creative thought.

Course Goals:
1. Understand both writing and critical reading as processes. 2. Summarize, interpret and critique what you are writing. Develop writing as a response to what you have written and read. 3. Write a cohesive argument with a full and specific understanding of your audience. 4. Identify, locate, develop and distinguish writers voice in writing. 5. Distinguish between objective and subjective points of view in writing. 6. Distinguish between investigative/news reports (with a clear objective representation of an issue), a position paper (a rhetorically clear position) and a research paper (thorough research on a specific question or a topic with a sharp focus, with verification of sources and cohesion of theme). 7. Identify and fully utilize the best print and web-based sources for your personal area of inquiry. 8. Adopt carefully and systematically a method of citation of references in the text as well as for the workscited page, according to MLA manual of style. 9. Verify and distinguish between different kind of sources in writing (primary, secondary, original and derived). 10. Understand fully the process of attribution and plagiarism. Also the implications of plagiarism, in curriculum as well as in larger world of practice and recognition. 11. Read and critique various forms of popular writing on the subject of social media so that you can begin to understand the larger meaning and influence of computer use and social media in your own life. 12. Read and understand (without fear) scholarly literature on the subject of social media, computer use and the Information Age. 13. Learn the purpose of an annotated bibliography in scholarly research. Course Policies: I. Assignments: Assignments are graded on a scale of 1-12. 10-12 is work that I consider to be very well done and in the A range. 7-9 is average and acceptable. I will not accept work below that. Any

assignment which garners below a 7 will be returned to you and you will redo it. 2 points will be deducted for each day an assignment is late or is being redone.
II.

Blackboard: You are required to check our classroom site often and regularly. I can tell from tracking stats when you were on BB, what you did, and how much time you spent on it. I will update assignments, post readings, add links, and post discussions. Discussion Board Postings: DB postings are graded as assignments. Because the DB is such an essential part of this course and a way for me to give you feedback to your writing and assignments, here are the guidelines:
1. Post on time. Your deadline for posting will always be clearly noted, but you need to try to post

III.

ASAP. Your work, no matter how insightful and intellectually stimulating, simply are not going to be worth much to the rest of the class if you post them at the last possible second or after the deadline.
2. Write professionally. This is a writing-intensive course. When youve been teaching for a while,

certain things make you want to cry. For me, its when students post on DB with complete disregard for the rules of grammar or even just any semblance of normality. DB is not IM. Its not okay to write in code. Its not okay to write in fragments or not to capitalize your first sentences. (Same goes with e-maildont send me poorly written e-mails. Im a writing instructor, I notice.)
3. Follow through. You are never to post and walk away into the sunset. You must check back, and

acknowledge my comments or your classmates comments. You will not be graded until all threads are complete and you have one week from the date of assignment (same goes for in-class writing) to complete your forum.
4. Participate with enthusiasm. I am looking for genuine engagement and interest in the discussion.

(My father once told me the secret to getting a job is to be enthusiastic during the interview. I think he may have been right!) This means you should never post non-substantive comments such as "Me, too!" or I agree. Show me that you care and that youre learning something. I expect at least two to three chunky paragraphs per posting. (Numbers two and three above are what I call chunky-sized paragraphs.)
5. Know its being read. I will read and comment to everything you post as long as you post on

time.
6. DB Hinkiness: Posting on DB is convenientthats the good news. The bad news is that

sometimes you might hit the button to submit and your computer or BB or some horrible jinx will befall you and all your hard work will disappear. I call this the BB hinky and its the worst! Talk about wanting to mutilate your computer! So my advice is: Always begin in Word and then copy and paste it into the DB. Or, before you hit submit, copy what youve written. A glitch like this is not the equivalent of the dog ate my homeworkin other words, Ive warned you so I dont want to hear that this is why you couldnt post on time. More DB Hinkiness: The good news is that DB does have spell check. The bad news is its pretty limited. Soproofread please!!

Course Grade:
Your course grade will be derived from the following formula. Your final grade will be recorded as it appears on Blackboard unless your overall course grade is being lowered for absences or plagiarism on the final paper or portfolio (see policy on attendance and policy on academic integrity below). Grading guidelines (for papers and the annotated bib) will be available on our Bb site under Course Documents. Class Participation: 15% Assignments: 30% Research Essay/Special Report: 30% Argument Essay: 15% Annotated Bibliography: 10% Final Exam: We will be meeting for the final and you will do a presentation that will be included in your assignment grade. More details will follow. See chc portal for exam schedule. The Colleges policies on withdrawal and incompletes are in the undergraduate catalog.

Classroom Community & Decorum:

Part of being in a college community means learning from and helping the other members of that community. To respect the classroom and the people in it, I ask that you: come to class prepared and on time listen to each other and respond appropriately turn off all cell phones, etc. log into BB upon entering class and then turn off your monitor in general help to create a welcoming, productive space in which we can all learn Do not leave the classroom except in extraordinary circumstances

I will ask you to leave the class if you cannot comply with these guidelines. IMPORTANT: Policy on Academic Integrity. The colleges policy is available in the catalog on the CHC website. In addition, we will talk about plagiarism throughout the semester. From day 1, though, you are expected to uphold CHCs code of academic integrity/honesty. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. First time mistakes will mean that you must rewrite the paper and might mean that you fail the assignment. Future lapses and overt first offenses will result in your name going to the Dean and most likely in you failing the class, regardless of your grade at that point. To help us with this issue, we will be using turnitin.com.

Attendance: First year student college-wide policy: I am required to report to the Director of Academic Advising the name of any first-year student with 2 absences. Even if I know why you missed, I still have to send your name to the advising office. Writing Program Policy & my class policy: Any student who misses 6 or more classes will automatically receive a failing grade for the course. This does not mean youre entitled to miss 5 classes without penalty. IMPORTANT: Sometimes you will need to miss class for a good reason (a death in the family, illness). Those still count as absences, & you cannot have more than a total of 6 for the whole semester. Even though I will not excuse any absences, if you miss for a good reason, you are entitled to make up class work (when possible), submit an assignment late, etc. This work is your responsibility to find out about, and its your responsibility to remind me if Ive approved an extension. Absences also bring down your participation grade by two points each time since if you are not there you cannot participate. Excessive tardiness (2 lates = one absence) will count as absences. School Closing Information: 215.248.7009, www.chc.edu, and AM 1060. Our school # is 126. You can also request to get text messages about school closings by registering at www.kyw.com

Special Accommodations / Disability Policy: Americans with Disabilities Act: Any student whose disability falls within ADA guidelines and has accommodations authorized by the Chestnut Hill College Disabilities Committee should inform me at the beginning of the semester of any special accommodations or equipment needs necessary to complete the requirements for this course. You would inform me by giving me a copy of your Accommodations Letter provided by the Chestnut Hill College Disabilities Committee. If a student does not have accommodations and believes that he/she is eligible to receive them, the student should meet with Leslie Wilson, Director, Office of Student Learning Services, Room 58 A, St. Josephs Hall, 3rd floor, E-mail: wilsonl4@chc.edu, Phone: 215-248-7013, Fax: 215-248-7019. Resources Me. I am your first resource. If you do not understand an assignment or the reading for a day, do not ask your roommate first, dont go to the writing center first; come to me first. If you cant make my office hours, stop by other timesI may be in. If Im not in, email me to make an appointment. The library staff. The staff at the library will be invaluable to you this semester. They are there to help you and are knowledgeable about how to find sources on any topic. Dont be shy. Your peers. Ask each other for help. You can use blackboard to email each other. The writing center: located on the 3rd floor of St. Josephs Hall, open M-F. You are encouraged to make an appointment ahead of time, but you can just walk in.

In addition to our class time, the PA department of education requires that we meet or work together for 5 additional hours a semester. Details about this requirement will be posted on Blackboard. You will complete the following activities in order to comply with this requirement:

1. Visit to the Writing Center by appt. or Visit to the Library for Research appt 2. APA Tutorial Posted on BB 3. Information Literacy Assignment Posted on BB

Course Goals/Outcomes:
English 101 is an introduction to writing in college. To that end, it emphasizes key CHC learning outcomes, such as written communication, critical thinking, information literacy, and collaboration in writing. By the end of the semester, students will have practiced and strengthened the following: Written Communication. You will: Write correct and effective sentences Write coherent paragraphs (with transitions, links, etc.) Formulate a thesis, create a focus for papers Develop/defend a thesis with reasons and evidence Critical Thinking. You will: Summarize & explain arguments Analyze (break down) arguments Synthesize (summarize, categorize and relate) ideas Identify and use rhetorical conventions effectively (awareness of audience, tone) Evaluate their own writing Information Literacy. You will: Find, evaluate, and use sources properly and effectively Collaboration with others (through group work and structured peer review work) The following CHC outcomes are embedded in activities & assignments in English 101: integrative learning (through readings on all sorts of subjects and projects that make connections between traditional disciplines). Writing is not only about putting pen to paper or finger to keyboard. It often starts with reading and with conversation. Much class time will be spent in conversation about the concepts and skills you are learning and practicing and about the examples you are reading. In this way, we will create a writing community, as you engage with your own writing and your peers. civic responsibility (again through readings and also through teaching classical argument that emphasizes the writers civic and ethical responsibility to argue responsibly for a public audience as well as through demonstration of your own responsibility to this class) ethical responsibility (to the class, the school, the students own academic integrity)

 knowledge of self & others (through readings; through projects that make students see multiple perspectives; through teachings and projects that emphasize awareness of audience; through group collaboration and peer review; and through reflective writings that get students to be more conscience of their writing process and of writing as a sequence of choices that they make). intentional learning (through reflective writings throughout the semester, culminating in a revision and reflection project at the end of the semester) In addition to meeting for our regular class and completing required assignments, the PA department of education now requires that you complete 5+ additional hours (to total 42 hours per 3 credit course).

Class Schedule: This schedule is subject to change. I will always list your assignments and readings on the Assignment Page of BB. T 1/17 Th 1/19 Introductions Syllabus Assignment I: Informal Essay: Who Are You As a Writer . Critical Reading; Subjective and Objective POV Assignment 2: Read: Born Digital. Do critical reading assignment sheet. Proving you get the pointSummary/Rhetorical Prcis Read Dawn of the Digital Natives Assignment 3: Critical reading and Finding a Topic on DB Summary Rhetorical Precis Research Topics Assignment 4: How FB Is Redefining Privacy, Critical Reading and RP

T 1/24

Th 1/26

T 1/31 Audience and Primary and Secondary Sources Research Questions must be finalized Assignment 6: Read Faux Friendship and Write a RP Th 2/2 Library Databases Assignment: Find two sources (Not newspapers) using Library Database Do Rhetorical prcis on both T 2/7 Intro to Research Logs Paraphrasing/Quoting ICW: Paraphrase Practice on DB Finish Two Research Logs Th 2/9 Evaluating Web Sites/Blogs In Class Workshop Research Log #3 T 2/14 Working with Scholarly Sources In Class Workshop Research and Reading Log Research Log #4 on scholarly source Th 2/16 Scholarly Sources cont Giving sources context/citing Reading Log #5 on scholarly source

T 2/21 Reading Log #6 Th 2/23 Reconsidering Research Sources Annotated Bibliography T 2/28 Annotated Bibliography Workshop Th 3/1 Annotated Bibliography with Summary Due

Spring Break T 3/6 3/8 T 3/13 Mash Ups Putting Sources Together Adding Your Voice/POV Th 3/15 Mash Ups Continued

T 3/20 Adapting Research Logs-What do you actually have? Outlines Th 3/22 Introductions Workshop T 3/27 First Drafts Due Peer Review Th 3/29 Conferences No Class

T 4/3 Revision Workshop Conclusions Th 4/5 T 4/10 T h 4/12 T 4/17 Th 4/19 T 4/24 Th 4/26 No Class Easter Break Analyzing Arguments Read: Small Change and Argument Critique Responding to Arguments Making Your Argument Outline for your Argument First Draft Argument Due Revision Workshop Final Draft Argument Due Presentations

T 5/1 Last Class