The Absurd Hero:  The readings for this semester focus on heroism, in particular absurd heros.  We will discuss existentialism and literary criticism.  This class will include three out-of-class essays and two timed in-class essays.  Your grade will also include quizzes, group presentations, response writings and a literary terms test. The readings will come from an on-line collection of essays, two films (Igby Goes Down and Shortcuts), a collection of short stories by Raymond Carver (comes with Shortcuts DVD), and one novel titled Terrorist by John Updike. We will be using The St. Martin's Handbook as a reference and grammar guide.      

While we are studying literature, this class is primarily a composition class wherein we will be writing a great deal in and outside of class.  It is important to understand that writing is a process, one that takes a great deal of critical thought, revision and rewriting. 

Warning:  Because much of the material we will cover falls into the time period of contemporary literature, the texts often include controversial or difficult subject matter, often quite vividly conveyed. I expect students to handle this representation in a mature way, in the spirit of intellectual inquiry. Consider yourself forewarned that these texts are not free of sex, violence, or profanity.

Learning Community LCT will continue with the emma based program as we did in 1101. 

Participation: Because this is a writing- and reading-intensive course, student participation is both essential and mandatory.  As much of this class is discussion and workshop oriented, your presence, careful preparation, and active participation are crucial to your success. Students should come to class prepared to contribute to class discussion, listen attentively and critically to others’ comments and questions, respond collegially to others’ views, and generally conduct themselves in a professional manner. I expect you to take your work very seriously, preparing for each class by carefully reading each assignment, reflecting upon that reading, and thinking about the implications of the reading. 

Text-based Writing:  English 1102 focuses on text-based writing: expository writing that takes as its subject another writer's text (verbal, visual, or oral) with the intention of analyzing and explicating that text for the purpose of illuminating how the text makes meaning.  The aim of text-based writing is to enable students to recognize the text as a construction made up of choices that are subject to debate, interpretation, and further analysis.  Successful text-based analysis will implement smoothly, grammatically blended quotes and paraphrases (all documented according to MLA requirements) in order to analyze components including, but not limited to, theme, character, style and method.

You Will Also Need:

• Reliable internet and printing access.  You will need to access the reading schedule and materials online.  You are responsible for printing your essays and assignments prior to coming to class. 

• Jumpdrive or thumbdrive (portable hard drive) to record your in-class and out-of-class assignments and essays.   You are responsible for keeping copies of all your work and for bring current work-in-progress with you to class every day.

• West Georgia MY UWG e-mail account which is the official means of communication in this class.  Observe rules of email etiquette.  Any communication with the professor must be via MyUWG; this policy is a new university-wide requirement.

• Recommended:  College level dictionary and thesaurus

• You are responsible for making your computer compatible with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat and other programs used in this course.    LCT will be using the emma program and Open Office.

GRADING:  You must complete all your assignments in order to pass this course, and you must earn a letter grade of C or better in order to pass.

In order to better understand what is expected in your essays, review UWG’s adopted standards for grading.

• UniversityRubric for grading in-class essays at http://www.westga.edu/~engdept/FirstYearWriting/ENGL1101and1102/InClassWritingAssessment.htm

• UniversityRubric for grading out-of class essays at http://www.westga.edu/~engdept/FirstYearWriting/ENGL1101and1102/OutOfClassWritingAssessment.htm

Numerical grade equivalents: A+ = 98; A = 95; A- = 91; B+ = 88; B = 85; B- = 81; C+ = 78; C = 75; C- = 71; D+ = 68; D = 65; D- = 60; F = 50 and below; no work turned in = 0. No work turned in = automatic failure of course.

EXTRA CREDIT:  No extra credit will be assigned for this course.  Your composition grades will comprise the bulk of your grade because the goal of this class is to acquire good writing skills.

Administrative Withdrawal―Departmental Policy

If you are absent, you are still responsible for all the work that you missed.  Depending on the nature of the assignment, you may not be able to make up a missed assignment such as a daily quiz or in-class viewing and related in-class exercise.  Essays and assignments are still due on the day assigned regardless of your personal situation.  Get them to me via a friend, parent, or pet.  E-mail is an option only for validated emergencies.  I must agree to accepting email attachments before you are allowed to send it to me.   Workshop sessions are essential to receiving a good grade; if you miss these workshops, you can make no higher than a C on your paper.  The workshop and the time until your paper is due are considered your revision period. Use your time and resources wisely.  Midterms and Finals cannot be made up. 

DISRUPTIONS:  As stated above, all cell phones, pagers, PDAs or any other communication devices must be turned off at the beginning of class.  Any disturbance caused by such devices or by disruptive student behavior can result in said student being dismissed from class, which will be counted as an unexcused absence.  Late arrivals are disruptions.  Any arrival after 10 minutes into the class will be counted as an absence. 

FORMAT FOR ALL PAPERS:  All papers must be typed according to MLA guidelines  including in-class writings.   I reserve the right to refuse any paper that does not meet MLA standards. 

NO REVISIONS—NO MAKEUPS—NO REDOS:  Welcome to the adult world.  Life does not have an undo button, neither does this class.  Before each essay is due, we will have a workshop to help you with your full first draft. This session is your opportunity to solicit assistance in revising your essay.  Although I will not pre-grade a paper, I will advise you on what you need to do to make your paper better.  I advise you to take full advantage of the workshops and to seek my help outside of the classroom if you need additional help.  I also advise you to seek help from the Writing Center. Seeking my advice on a paper does not guarantee that you will earn the grade you want.  Writing is a process, and for most (if not all) students, more than one work session with me and/or the Writing Center is needed for any substantial improvement.  You, and only you, are responsible for improving your writing and grammar skills. 

LATE WORK:  See attendance policy above.  I reserve the right to refuse to accept excessively late work.  Items more than one class period late is considered excessively late.  Tardiness impedes your ability to progress in your writing.  Any late work, if accepted, will be docked at least one grade level for each class session late. 

Computer/printer problems are no excuse for not turning papers in on time.  Do not wait till the last moment to write and print your paper.  Do it ahead of time, then if you have difficulties you will have time to get assistance.  We all have printer problems from time to time; as adults we learn to work around life’s difficulties.  The college has several computer labs at your disposal.  I recommend that you e-mail your papers to yourself.  That way, you can access them in any lab for correction and printing.  Lab locations and hours are posted at http://uwglabs.westga.edu/default.asp under the tab labeled Information.

You are also responsible for keeping copies (electronic or paper copies) of all your essays and assignments.  This is a safeguard in case an essay or assignment is misplaced or damaged.  We will also share papers in the classroom. Bring copies of current assignments with you to class every day.

THE WRITING CENTER:  The Writing Center is such an excellent resource for writing students, and the staff encourages you to visit as often as you’d like.   The Writing Center will not revise your paper for you; neither will they proofread.  Plan what you want to work on before you enter the Writing Center. To make an appointment, call 678-839-6513.   The Writing Center’s website is located at http://www.westga.edu/~engdept/writing/index.htm.

PLAGIARISM AND ACADEMIC HONESTY:  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, which is another form of misrepresenting the truth. Having another person write any portion of your essay, called excessive collaboration, is considered plagiarism.  Plagiarism is grounds for failing the course.   The University and English Department policies for handling Academic Dishonesty are found in the following documents:    

Plagiarism--Definition and Prevention

http://www.westga.edu/~engdept/Plagiarism/pladef.html

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/

PLAGIARISM IS GROUNDS FOR FAILING THE CLASS.

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.

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 678-839-6428.  See website at http://www.westga.edu/~dserve/.  Please do not wait until the end of the semester to plea for special accommodations; they cannot be applied retroactively. 

THE REGENTS’ EXAMINATION: Plan to take the exam this semester if you have not already passed it.  Register via Banweb or the Excel Center.  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 and for which you will not receive academic credit.

• General Info:  http://www.gsu.edu/rtp

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

IMPORTANT DATES:

• The last day to withdraw with a grade of W is March 3

• The last day of T/R classes is Tuesday, April 29.

• Final exams: 

All Grades will be posted on BANWEB at the end of the course.

Remember that before the essays are due, a workshop will always be held prior to the due date.  This is your revision period.  On these workshop days you must bring a full first draft to class.  If you are absent--for any reason--or do not have a full first draft, your grade on the essay's final draft cannot be higher than a C.

Essay Due Dates: 

• Essay #1:  Due February 7

• Essay #2:  Due March 25

• Essay #3:  Due April 15

You are required to periodically check the

Reading Schedule for changes and updates:

Readings and Assignments:

Do not print as changes will be

made weekly or as needed.

IMPORTANT:  Changes may be necessary. 

Please check on-line reading schedule weekly.