SPRING 2007

ENGLISH 1102—Composition II (Section 39)

Paf 208, TTH 12:30-1:45

Instructor: Dr. Margaret E. Mitchell

Office: TLC 2235

Office Phone: 678.839.4852

Office Hours: TTH 3:30-5; W 11-12, 2-4 and by appt.

E-mail: mmitchel@westga.edu

 **Scroll Down FOR SPECIFIC ASSIGNMENTS AND UPDATES**

Course Description
The course serves as a continuation of English 1101 and as an introduction to more sophisticated study of argument and textual analysis, focusing on the composition of increasingly complex thesis-driven analytical essays about written and visual texts. Students must demonstrate advanced competency in critical analysis and interpretation of texts. Readings in this class will all grapple with the idea of “coming of age,” a theme that has preoccupied many writers and which raises provocative questions about identity and culture. This emphasis should provide an engaging and varied springboard for your thinking and writing throughout the semester.

COURSE MATERIALS, ASSIGNMENTS & GRADING

Required Texts & Materials

·          A Writer's Resource

·          Shared texts: Spike Lee’s Malcolm X and The Twenty-fifth Hour

·          The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger

·          The Rule of the Bone, Russell Banks

·          Ellen Foster, Kaye Gibbons

·          Parable of the Sower, Octavia Butler

Assignments

·          2 3-page (1000 word) essays and 2 5-page (1500-word) analytical essays.

·          Weekly reading quizzes. You must achieve a passing quiz grade (65%) in order to pass the class. In other words, you MUST keep up with the reading, since that is the basis for all of the writing you will do in this class. Quizzes are graded on a 10-point scale.

·          2 formal in-class essays (these will count as the midterm and final). Graded on a 100-point scale.

·          Short written assignments, both in and out of class, including preparatory exercises and drafts for your papers. Graded on a 10-point scale.

Grading

All assignments must be completed in order to pass this course.  NOTE: You must earn a letter grade of C or better in order to pass ENGL 1102.

Quizzes                                                            10%

Writing exercises, drafts                                 15%

Class participation                                            10%

First paper                                                        10%

Second paper                                                   10%

Third paper                                                      15%

Fourth paper                                                    15%

Timed essay exams                                           15%

Grading Chart

A+   =   98       B+   =   88       C+   =    78      D+   =    70      F   =    No credit.

A     =  95       B     =  85       C     =    75      D     =    68

A-   =   91       B-   =   82       C-   =     72      D-   =     65

COURSEWORK POLICIES

Plagiarism & Academic Dishonesty

Presenting the language or ideas of someone else as your own constitutes plagiarism--whether your source is a friend, a relative, or a critic; whether the uncredited material is a phrase, a paragraph, or an entire paper; whether it is a formal or an informal assignment; whether the language is exact or paraphrased. Plagiarism will result in a failing grade for the class; will be reported to the English Department, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, and the Student Judicial Officer; and may have consequences at the university level. There will be no exceptions, no negotiations. “Accidental” plagiarism is plagiarism nevertheless. If you are ever concerned about what constitutes plagiarism, please consult me. You may also see the English Department website for more details and resources (see the link on my website).

Late Work

I will accept late papers, but they will be penalized. I will deduct I/3 of a letter grade each day a paper is late (for instance, a B would become a B-). Missed quizzes cannot be made up except by prior arrangement. Late homework/in-class writing exercises will not be accepted.

Revision Policy

You have the option to revise any of your first three papers. In order to count as a revision, an essay must show substantial rewriting and rethinking. If you have made only minor changes, I will not regrade it. Your grade will be an average of the original paper and your revision.

CLASSROOM POLICIES

Attendance: I understand that illnesses and emergencies are a part of life, and therefore you are allowed to miss three classes without penalty, regardless of your reason. I do not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences unless the absence is due to participation in an official University activity (such as band, sports, debate, etc.). I will deduct a letter grade for your fourth absence, and another for your fifth. If you miss six classes you will automatically fail the course. If you do miss class, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed and arrange to obtain handouts, notes, or information. (If you have truly extraordinary circumstances documented by the university, please meet with me to discuss your options.) In order to be considered present you must bring the text(s) under discussion with you to class.

Quizzes

You will take a reading quiz each Tuesday. The questions will be straightforward and fact-based; they are intended to demonstrate that you have done your reading. You may use reading notes (which you are strongly encouraged to take) but not, of course, the text. There are no make-up quizzes. Each quiz is worth 10 points. If you do not have a passing quiz score you will fail the course. I will drop the lowest quiz grade.

Please turn off cell phones and other potential sources of electronic disturbance before you enter class and remove them from sight. If such a device does go off during class, or if I see you checking messages, etc., I will mark you late.

Communication: All email correspondence must take place through UWG accounts. I cannot read or respond to emails from students coming from other sources. Make a habit of making your communications with your professors relatively formal: use the recipient’s title, sign your name, use standard capitalization, and write in full sentences. You should also check my website regularly, since I will use it to post assignments and adjustments to the syllabus.

Lateness: Each tardy will count as ½ of an absence. If you are late on a quiz day, you will miss the quiz and you will not be able to make it up. Out of respect to the other students, try to arrive on time.

Disruptive Behavior
Students will be administratively withdrawn from class for exhibiting behavior that disrupts the learning environment of others. This includes sleeping in class.

Participation

I expect you to come to class prepared to offer thoughtful, serious commentary on the material. You should try to make at least one insightful comment each class. Participation is part of your grade; I will rate you on a scale of 0-5 based on the regularity and thoughtfulness of your contributions to discussion.

Format for All Papers

All papers and documentation should be in MLA format.

Extra Credit and Previous Work Policy

·          There no extra credit work in this course

·          Work completed for another class will not be accepted for fulfilling the requirements of this course.

Special Needs

If you have a registered disability that will require accommodation, please see me at the beginning of the semester.  If you have a disability that you have not yet registered through the Disabled Student Services Office, please contact Dr. Ann Phillips in 137 Parker Hall at (770) 836-6428.

Reading and Assignment Schedule

Note: in general, your reading for each week will be due on Tuesday, and you should expect a quiz. On Thursdays we will tend to focus on writing instruction; the writing exercises listed on the syllabus will either be assigned as homework on Tuesday or as in-class work on Thursday—or perhaps some combination of the two. They will be announced in class, on the website, or both.

1/9:   Introduction to class and policies.

1/11: The Catcher in the Rye, 1-39. Writing exercise.

Type out one passage from Thursday’s reading you think is interesting, provocative, particularly revealing. Express your thoughts/ideas in a paragraph after the quotation. Be prepared to discuss.

Note: This, as you know, is a classic novel. Please resist the temptation to consult internet sources like Sparknotes or Cliffs Notes: I am interested in your thinking, not theirs; such sources discourage independent, original thought and thereby detract from your writing.

1/16: The Catcher in The Rye, 40-104.

For Tuesday: imagine you’re writing a short essay on Holden’s contempt for/ obsession with the movies, and you’re working on your opening paragraph. Compose a  complex statement that offers an analysis of Holden’s attitude (in other words, your interpretation of it; why you think it’s important to understanding Holden). Type this up and bring it on Thursday.

1/18: Writing exercise.

1/23: The Catcher in the Rye, finish.

1/25: Writing exercise.

For Thursday: choose one isolated minor incident from the novel that strikes you as representative. Jot down notes about why it’s important, how it helps to illuminate some of the novel’s major themes. In other words, your focus will be on something very small, but you’re looking for how it relates to the big picture. Write a page or so of unstructured thoughts and associations.

Essay #1assignment (1000 words)

1/30: The Rule of the Bone, 1-83.

2/1: Detailed outline of essay #1 due: writing exercise. (See essay assignment, linked above, for details).

2/6: The Rule of the Bone, 84-183.

2/8: Essay # 1 due. Writing exercise.

2/13: The Rule of the Bone, 184-272.

2/15: Writing exercise.

2/20: The Rule of the Bone, finish. Essay #2 assigned.

2/22: Midterm: In-class essay.

2/27: Ellen Foster, 1-50. Assignment # 2 distributed.

3/1:   Writing exercise: Mountain of notes, essay #2. Writing exercise. Last Day to Withdraw with a "W."

3/6: Ellen Foster, finish.

3/8: Essay # 2: tough draft workshop.

3/13: The Parable of the Sower, 1-60.

3/15: Writing exercise. Essay #2: due (turn in notes, rough draft, evaluations, final draft).

3/20: Spring Break

3/22: Spring Break

3/27: Parable of the Sower, 61-149.

3/29: Writing exercise.

4/3: Parable of the Sower, 151-244.

4/5: Writing exercise.

4/10: Parable of the Sower, finish. Revision due, essay #2. Essay #3 assigned.

4/12: Writing Exercise.

4/17: Spike Lee film: Malcolm X.

4/19: Spike Lee film: The Twenty-fifth Hour.

4/24: Rough draft #3: Writing Exercise.

4/26: Conclusion.

Final Exam: Timed essay #2.

5/2:   Final Papers due in my office by 5 p.m.

The Writing Center

I encourage you to visit The Writing Center at various points in the writing process.  The Writing Center is located in TLC 1-208.  To make an appointment, call (678) 839-6513.

The Regents’ Examination

The Regents’ Examination is a two-part test of minimum-level reading and writing proficiency.  Students must take this examination after passing English 1102 or after 30 hours of coursework.  In the hour-long written portion of the Regents’ Exam, students are required to write an essay based on personal experience and a general understanding of current events.  The essay is expected to be clearly focused, well articulated, and relatively free from patterns of error; however, no particular studying should be necessary for the exam besides a few general rehearsals, a general cognizance of current events, and close attention to the lessons of English 1101 and 1102.  Students who do not pass the Regents’ Exam by the time they have completed 45 hours of coursework are automatically placed in classes which provide additional writing support.

General Info:  http://www.gsu.edu/rtp

Sample Topics:  http://www.gsu.edu/~wwwrtp/topics.htm

Learning Outcomes

 http://www.westga.edu/%7Eengdept/FirstYearWriting/ENGL1101and1102/English1102CourseDescription.htm]

General Learning Outcomes

·          To develop reading, understanding, and interpreting of a broad range of written and visual texts from a variety of genres, including but not limited to nonfiction, fiction, poetry, drama, and film.

·          To extend the skills of analytical writing, critical thinking, and argumentative interpretation of meaning established in English 1101.

·          To enhance the understanding of literary principles and the use of basic terms important to critical writing and reading.

·          To construct essays using textual evidence from both primary and secondary sources.

Specific Learning Outcomes
Critical Reading and Analysis

·          Develop an understanding of genre and the role of genre in textual analysis.

·          Understand connections between primary and secondary sources and how those connections affect and generate intertextuality.

Writing Process and Rhetorical Objectives

·          Demonstrate the ability to connect primary and secondary sources in a logical, persuasive, and correct way.

·          Expand the length and complexity in the writing and thinking process

Minimal Competency Requirements
Essay Level

·          Continuation of the learning objectives of ENGL 1101, that is, creation of clear theses, effective introductions and conclusions, and logical, persuasive patterns of essay organization.

·          Additional requirements include the ability to develop a logical argument advancing a particular explication or interpretation of a literary text, focusing on the ways in which the incorporation of secondary materials enhances argument.

Paragraph Level

·          Continuation of the paragraph development skills required in ENGL 1101.

·          Additionally be able to manage quotations from primary and secondary texts as a means for developing paragraphs, neither letting the quotations dominate the paragraphs inappropriately nor under-explaining the quotations once used.

Sentence Level

·          Continuation of ENGL 1101, consistent evidence of sentence variety and control of syntax to achieve clarity.

·          Consistent use of apt and varied diction.

·          Additionally be able to use quotations in sentences while maintaining grammatical correctness and competent punctuation.

·          Demonstrate a command of mechanics, grammar, and usage conventions of Standard Edited English as required in ENGL 1101.