English 1101-91

Fall 2008
ENGLISH 1101, Section 94
Instructor: Jennifer West Gordon

West Georgia Newnan Center: (770) 254-7280

E-mail: jwest@westga.edu
http://www.westga.edu/~jwest

Office Hours: Before and after class or by appointment.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: English 1101 is a composition course focusing on skills required for effective writing in a variety of contexts, with emphasis on exposition, analysis, and argumentation, and also including introductory use of a variety of research skills.

REQUIRED TEXTS AND MATERIALS:
Writer’s Resource. New York: McGraw Hill, 2007.
McGraw, Erin. Good Life: Stories. Boston: Mariner, 2004.

O'Connor, Flannery. The Complete Stories. New York: Ferrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1971.

Sophocles. The Three Theban Plays: Antigone, Oedipus the King, and Oedipus at Colonus. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin, 2000.
Warren, Robert Penn. All the King's Men. New York: Harvest, 1996.

Access to the Internet, any word processing program, and a printer.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
* To develop skills in effective expository, analytical, and argumentative writing.
* To develop facility with the whole writing process from invention through 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 incorporate and document additional textual materials to strengthen and support argument.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

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 English 1101.

Reader's Responses

15%

In-Class Essay

15%

Out-of-Class Essays

60%

Peer Editing 10%

READER'S RESPONSE:

Periodically throughout the course you will be asked to reflect on what you have read before you come to class for discussion. I expect responses to be clearly written, easy-to-read, and free from major grammatical/stylistic errors.

IN-CLASS ESSAY: Students in 1101 are required to write a minimum of one in-class essay, which does not include the required diagnostic essay at the beginning of the course. The essay topic will reflect course content, and directions for the essay will be clearly outlined.

OUT-OF-CLASS ESSAYS: Students will write 4 full-length essays. Each essay must have a minimum length of 3 pages typed, using MLA format and in-text citation of quotes. Full-length essays will be revised and edited during class, both individually and with peers. You will have the opportunity to revise one of your essays. The revision will be graded and averaged with the original grade for the essay. Each essay should be submitted in a folder that includes brainstorming, rough drafts, peer revisions, and the final draft of the paper. More detailed instructions about essay submission will come in class. Essays that do not meet these requirements will receive a failing grade.

ATTENDANCE: Students will be administratively withdrawn from class based on the following attendance policy. For classes that meet twice a week, a student is allowed three absences. Upon the fourth absence, the student will be withdrawn. Be aware that no distinction exists between excused and unexcused absences. In addition, students should be aware that if the withdrawal date falls before October 8, the student will receive a “W.” If the withdrawal date falls after October 8, the student will receive a “WF.”

Late Arrivals: Late arrivals disrupt me and your fellow students. You are allowed two tardies only. All tardies after the first two will be counted as absences.

DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR: Students may be dismissed from any class meeting at which they exhibit 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 requirements policy above.

PARTICIPATION: Because this course is discussion oriented, you should come to class prepared to discuss the assigned readings. I expect you to read all assignments before we meet, and I expect you to participate regularly in class discussions.

LATE WORK: Late work will not be accepted with the exception of the out-of-class essays. These essays will be accepted with a ten point deduction for each class day they are late. Work will be collected at the beginning of class.

THE WRITING CENTER: I encourage you to visit The Writing Center at various points in the writing process. Regardless of writing skill level, one may always benefit from an intelligent discussion with knowledgeable peers. The Writing Center is located in the TLC 1201. To make an appointment, visit http://www.westga.edu/~writing/ or call 678-839-6513.

THE REGENTS’ EXAMINATION: The Regents’ Examination is a two-part test of minimum-level reading and writing proficiency. Students are required to take this examination during their first semester of coursework at UWG. Students who wish to seek preparation for the exam beyond that provided by this course may visit the Writing Center or the Excel Center. For more information about the exam, please visit http://www.westga.edu/~1st/RegFAQ.htm. For general info: http://www.gsu.edu/rtp and for sample topics: http://www.gsu.edu/~wwwrtp/topics.htm.

PLAGIARISM AND 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 definition of plagiarism is located under the section titled "Honor Code" in the Student Handbook, which can be found at UWG online.

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 with UWG, please contact Disability Services in Parker Hall at 678-839-6428.

COURSE READINGS

Readings and assignments are due on the dates listed below:

Please note that all assignments and due dates are subject to change.

August
T 19	Course Introduction and Objectives Frederick Douglass' "Independence Day Speech at Rochester." If you need to access the speech later, you can find a copy of the speech online at http://www.libertynet.org/edcivic/freddoug.html.
TH 21	Notes and Discussion on Aristotle's Rhetoric Print, read, and bring a copy of The Declaration of Independence. You'll find a copy of it online at http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm. Print, read, and bring a copy of Elizabeth Cady Stanton's "Declaration of Sentiments." You'll find a copy of the speech online at http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/Senecafalls.html.
T 26	Diagnostic Essay
TH 28	Print, read, and bring a copy of Abraham Lincoln's "Second Inaugural Address." You'll find a copy of the speech online at http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/abrahamlincolnsecondinauguraladdress.htm. Print, read, and bring a copy of Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Pearl Harbor Address." You'll find a copy of the speech online at http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/fdrpearlharbor.htm.
September
T 2	Print, read, and bring a copy of Dwight D. Eisenhower's "Farewell Address." You'll find a copy of the speech online at http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/dwightdeisenhowerfarewell.html. Print, read, and bring a copy of John F. Kennedy's "Inaugural Address." You'll find a copy of the speech online at http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/jfkinaugural.htm.
TH 4	Assign Essay #1 Essay organization, MLA and basic grammar review
T 9	Notes and Discussion on Kenneth Burke's Pentad Print, read, and bring a copy of Ted Kennedy's "Chappaquiddick Speech." You'll find a copy of the speech online at http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/tedkennedychappaquiddick.htm.
TH 11	Introduction to Greek Drama Read the first half of Sophocles' Oedipus (Stop at the part where Oedipus threatens to exile/kill Creon)
T 16	Peer Editing - Bring two typed copies of your essay with you to class this evening for editing.
TH 18	Work on Essay #1 Revisions
T 23	Essay #1 Due Finish Sophocles' Oedipus
TH 25	Assign Essay #2 Topics Read Chapter 1 of Warren's All the King's Men
T 30	Read Chapters 2 and 3 of All the King's Men
October
TH 2	Read Chapters 4 of All the King's Men
T 7	Peer editing - Bring two typed copies of your essay with you to class this evening for editing. October 8th is the last day to withdraw with a grade of "W"
TH 9	Fall Break - No Class
T 14	Essay #2 Due Read Chapters 5 and 6 of All the King's Men
TH 16	Assign Essay #3 - Essay 3 Topics Read Chapter 7 and 8 of All the King's Men
T 21	Read Chapters 9 and 10 of All the King's Men
TH 23	Watch Casablanca
T 28	Conclude Casablanca
TH 30	In-Class Essay for Casablanca
November
T 4	Peer Editing - Bring two typed copies of your essay with you to class this evening for editing.
TH 6	Essay #3 Due O'Connor's "The Life You Save May Be Your Own," pages 145 - 156
T 11	Assign Essay #4 O'Connor's "Good Country People," pages 271 - 291 and "A Good Man is Hard to Find," pages 117 - 133
TH 13	McGraw's "The Beautiful Tennessee Waltz," pages 1 - 15 and "Aruba," pages 67 - 83
T 18	No class - Work on Essay #4
TH 20	Peer editing - Bring two typed copies of your essay with you to class this evening for editing.
T 25	Essay #4 Due Directions for Essay Revisions
TH 27	Thanksgiving - No Class
December
T 2	Student Conferences for Essay Revisions
TH 4	Essay Revisions Due Last Day of Class

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