ENGL 1102: Composition II

                                                             SYLLABUS

 Instructor: Jason Kesler

Office: TLC 1112

Office Hours:  M -- 10am-noon; Th – 11am-noon; 2-3pm   

Office Phone: (678) 839-4147

E-mail: jkesler@westga.edu

Website: www.westga.edu/~jkesler

Course Description and Learning Outcomes

A composition course focusing on skills required for both effective writing for various rhetorical situations and critical reading of texts. In writing, students must demonstrate competency in argumentation, and writing that is strengthened by the use of multiple textual sources.

By the end of this course, students should have learned:

 -- to read, understand and interpret 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 develop facility with the whole writing process from invention to revision.

-- to understand and employ a variety of rhetorical modes and techniques of persuasion.

-- to acquire reasonable mastery of conventions of college-level prose writing.

 -- to develop skills in all the tools necessary for effective argumentation.

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

-- to incorporate and document additional textual material to strengthen and support objectives.

Required Material

            Fitzgerald, F. Scott.  The Great Gatsby.  1925.  New York:  Scribner, 2003. 

Maimon, Elaine P., Janice H. Peritz and Kathleen Blake Yancey.  A Writer’s Resource.  

3rd ed. Boston:  McGraw Hill, 2010.

Packer, ZZ.  Drinking Coffee Elsewhere.  New York:  Riverhead Books, 2003. 

Plagiarism & Academic Dishonesty
The Department of English and Philosophy defines plagiarism as taking personal credit for the words and ideas of others as they are presented in electronic, print, and verbal sources. The Department expects that students will accurately credit sources in all assignments. An equally dishonest practice is fabricating sources or facts; it is another form of misrepresenting the truth. Plagiarism is grounds for failing the course.

 The University policies for handling Academic Dishonesty are found in the following documents:

 The Faculty Handbook, sections 207 and 208.0401 http://www.westga.edu/~vpaa/handrev/

 Student Uncatalogue: "Rights and Responsibilities"; Appendix J. http://www.westga.edu/handbook/

Excessive Collaboration
By the end of the term, students should demonstrate the ability to produce independent writing (writing without collaborative assistance of peers, writing tutors, or professionals in the field) that shows a level of competency in both ENGL 1101 and 1102. Although classroom activities and out-of-class assignments may highlight collaborative learning and collaborative research, excessive collaboration (collaboration that results in the loss of a student's voice/style and original claims to course-related work) is considered another form of academic dishonesty and therefore will not be permitted.

http://www.westga.edu/handbook/

Role of the Writing Center
The role of the Writing Center is to offer consultation in which tutors question, respond to, offer choices, and encourage revision in student essays. Tutors do not evaluate or prescribe solutions to problematic areas in student essays, and tutors are specifically trained to avoid appropriating the student's work.

 For more information, visit the Writing Center online

TLC 1201                             678-839-6513     

Writing@westga.edu       www.westga.edu/~writing

The University Writing Center works with students and other members of the UWG community to improve writing skills.

What We Do:

·         Discuss ideas, read drafts, and work through revisions of essays; we do not proofread

·         Regents’ Test Preparation (both the reading and essay sections)

·         Creative Writing Consultations

·         MLA, APA, Chicago/Turabian, and other citation formats

Policies:

·         Please make appointments in advance. We accept walk-ins, but we cannot guarantee that a tutor will be available.

·         If you cannot keep your appointment, you must call or email us 24 hours in advance to cancel. If you do not notify us 24 hours in advance, you will be counted as a No Show.

·         Please arrive at your appointment on time. If you are 10 minutes late or more, you will be counted as a No Show and will not be able to have your appointment.

·         If you have 3 No Shows in one semester, you will not be able to have any more appointments for that semester.

Hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 10:00am-7:00pm

Thursday 10:00am-3:00pm

Friday 10:00am-12:00pm

Attendance Policy
Students will be administratively withdrawn from class based on the following attendance policy. For classes that meet three times a week, a student is allowed four absences. Upon the fifth absence, the student may be withdrawn. For classes that meet twice a week, a student is allowed three absences. Upon the fourth absence, the student may be withdrawn. Be aware that no distinction exists between excused and unexcused absences.  If the withdrawal occurs prior to March 2, the student will receive a grade of W. If the withdrawal occurs after March 2, the student will receive a grade of WF. (FYW Department Policy)

Disruptive Behavior Policy
Students will be administratively withdrawn from class for exhibiting behavior that disrupts the learning environment of others. Such behavior includes — but is not limited to — arriving late for class, allowing cell phones to ring, speaking disrespectfully to the instructor and/or to other students, checking email or surfing the web, and using personal audio or video devices.  Each dismissal of this kind will count as an absence and will be applied toward the attendance policy above. (Department Policy)

Grading Policy

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

            Inductive Argumentative Essay — 20%

            Deductive Argumentative Essay One — 20%

            Deductive Argumentative Essay Two — 30%

            In-Class Essay — 10%

            Research Summaries --- 10%

            Miscellany (Class work, exercises, quizzes, etc.) — 10%

Grading Summary

            In-Class Essay: 4=95%; 4/3=92%; 3/4=88%; 3=85%; 3/2=82%; 2/3=78%;

2=75%; 2/1=72%; 1/2=68%; 1=65%; 1/0=62%; 0=50%

Out-of-Class Essay: A+=98%; A=95%; A-=92%; B+=88%; B=85%; B-=82%;

C+=78%; C=75%; C-=72%; D+=68%; D=65%; D-=62%; F=50%

 MLA Documentation Style
The Department expects that students learn to cite sources accurately in the MLA style for documentation.  All papers must be written using MLA documentation style.

Late Work Policy

Class work and exercises will not be accepted late.  Papers turned in late will be penalized a full letter grade for each day they are passed due.  Students must notify the instructor ahead of time if they will not be able to be in class for any of the in-class essays.  In-class essays may be rescheduled only with a valid reason for missing class, such as a death in the family, serious illness, and the like. 

Revision Policy

None. 

Extra Credit Policy

None.

Disability Pledge (see below for statement)

I pledge to do my best to work with the University to provide all students with equal access to my classes and materials, regardless of special needs, temporary or permanent disability, special needs related to pregnancy, etc.

If you have any special learning needs, particularly (but not limited to) needs defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and require specific accommodations, please do not hesitate to make these known to me, either yourself or through Disability Services in 272 Parker Hall at (678) 839-6428.

Students with documented special needs may expect accommodation in relation to classroom accessibility, modification of testing, special test administration, etc. This is not only my personal commitment: it is your right, and it is the law!

For more information, please contact Disability Services at the State University of West Georgia.

Course Outline (subject to change)

Jan. 9: Intro course, review syllabus.

            11:  Review composition

            16: MLK Jr. Day (No Class)

            18:  In-class essay

23:  Intro. Inductive Argumentative essay; “Brownies” (Drinking Coffee

Elsewhere 1-31)

25:  “Our Lady of Peace” (DCE 54-81)

30:  “The Ant of the Self” (DCE 82-116) 

Feb. 1:  “Doris is Coming” (DCE 234-65)

6:  Using Primary Sources (review)

8:  Secondary Source discussion

            13:  Secondary Source discussion, cont.

            15:  Inductive review, Research Summary One due

            20:  Inductive Argumentative Essay due

22:  Intro Research; ZZ Packer Presentation

27:  Intro Deductive Argumentative Essay

29:  The Great Gatsby (Chs. 1-2)

(March 2:  Last day to withdraw with a grade of W)

5:  TGG (Chs. 3-5)

7:  TGG (Chs. 6-7)

12:  TGG (Ch. 8-9)

            14:  Secondary Source discussion

            19:  Spring Break

            21:  Spring Break

            26: Secondary Source discussion

28: Deductive review; Research Summary Two due

April 2:  Deductive Argumentative Essay One due; Intro Editorial Cartoons

            4:  Editorial Cartoons

            9:  Editorial Cartoons

            11:  Editorial Cartoons

            16:  Deductive review

            18:  Research Summary Three due 

            21-27:  Finals Week (Deductive Argumentative Essay Two due)