Monday/Wednesday

Section 38:  3:30 -4:45

Room:  Humanities 205

What the Heart Wants:  Self-Identity Through Desire:  As humans we define ourselves in many ways.  Some choose to define themselves through the jobs they do, while others focus on the families from which they come.  Still others see themselves through their intellectual ideals, just as some choose to focus on their ethnic or religious backgrounds.  Although we may have definite codes of behavior and ideals for which we strive, we all seem to fall victim to the desires of the heart that transcend all our intellectual, cultural, and ethnic rules.  The readings for this semester focus on balancing matters of the heart with the intellect, culture, ethnicity, and other forms of identity. 

This class will include in-class writing exercises and response readings which will comprise a portfolio that you will mark up and correct during in-class and out-of-class activities.  You will write four out-of-class essays and two in-class essays.  The readings will come from an on-line collection of essays, short stories, and poetry; Jamie Weisman’s As I Live and Breathe; and Tobias Wolff’s This Boy’s Life.  We will also watch an episode of All in the Family and film clips. 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  ENGL 1101 is a composition course focusing on skills required for both effective writing for various rhetorical situations, and critical reading of texts, primarily non-fiction. In writing, students must demonstrate competency in exposition, argumentation, and writing that is strengthened by the use of multiple textual sources.

REQUIRED TEXTS AND MATERIALS:

      As I Live and Breathe: Notes of a Patient Doctor  by Jamie Weisman

      This Boy’s Life by Tobias Wolff

      A Writer’s Resource by Maimon/Peritz

Additional Texts Available On-line:

      “Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin

      “Roselily” by Alice Walker

      Excerpts from Heart: A Personal Journey Through Its Myths and Meanings by Gail Godwin

      “Jack and Jill” by Anthony Grooms, Trouble No More

      “A Small, Good Thing” and “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver, Cathedral

      Excerpt from “Our Three Languages” by Northrop Frye, The Sundance Reader

      “The Third and Final Continent” by Jhumpa Lahiri, Interpreter of Maladies

      Poetry of Robert Lowell, Denise Levertov, Marie Rainer Rilke, Emily Dickinson

      John Donne’s Meditation XVII:  “Now, This Bell Tolling Softly for Another, Says to Me: Thou Must Die”

      Dana Gioia’s “Can Poetry Matter?”

You Will Also Need:

      Internet access and a West Georgia MY UWG e-mail account

      Portfolio:  3-prong folder

      Disk or other means to record your in-class assignments  (You are responsible for keeping copies of all your work.)

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

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

      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.

      For specific learning outcomes see English Department’s First-Year Writing Program at

      http://www.westga.edu/~engdept/writing/Rsc_for_Prof_Folder/1101_course_description.html

COURSE REQUIREMENTS :  

      Students must complete 4000 words of graded—final draft—writing in several informal response papers and four formal essays, one of which must be research-based (there are approximately 250 words per full page of typed, double-spaced, 12-point text).

      These projects will give you practice in a number of writing styles which will be valuable to you throughout your college career and in the workplace.

      Most importantly, plan ahead and pace yourself.  Learning to structure your time and your life is a valuable life skill.

      Another important requirement for passing 1101 is successfully completing a timed, in-class writing assignment; you'll be given two opportunities this semester to meet this objective (mid-term and final).

GRADING:  You must complete all your assignments in order to pass this course, and must earn a letter grade of C or better in order to go on to English 1102.

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

• University Rubric for grading in-class essays at http://www.westga.edu/~engdept/writing/Rsc_for_Prof_Folder/in-class-assessment.html.

• University Rubric for grading out-of class essays at http://www.westga.edu/~engdept/writing/Rsc_for_Prof_Folder/out-of-class-assessment.html.

Your grade will be determined as follows:

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- = 61; F = 60 and below; no work turned in = 0.

Portfolio Grading Rubric:  Review rubric for portfolios which will be 20% of your grade.

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.

ATTENDANCE:  Class time is structured for your benefit.  Do not ask, “Will we be doing anything important today?”  Every class period is important or I wouldn’t bother to show up either.  Class discussions are essential to helping you understand the assignment and the assigned readings.  However, I know that occasional emergencies arise, so keep me informed if you need to be absent.

NOTE:  Repeated late arrivals will be counted as absences.  I will notify you by e-mail when I am crediting you with an absence due to excessive tardiness.

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 Portfolios 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.  Workshop Critique sessions are essential to receiving a good grade; if you miss these workshops, you can make no higher than a C on your paper. 

At my discretion, excessive absences will result in the student's administrative withdrawal from class with a grade of F.  I will give you one written warning if you are in danger of being withdrawn from this course. Validated emergencies will be taken into consideration.

DISRUPTIONS:  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. 

FORMAT FOR ALL PAPERS:  All papers must be typed according to MLA guidelines (see Writer's Resource Tab #6) except for in-class writings.   

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 critique 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 this workshop 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.  We will not hunt you down and make you get help.  You must do that for yourself. 

LATE WORK:  See attendance policy above.  I reserve the right to refuse to accept excessively late work.  Items more than one week 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. 

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 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.    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; it is another form of misrepresenting the truth. 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 Responsiblities"; Appendix J.
 http://www.westga.edu/handbook/

PLAGIARISM IS GROUNDS FOR FAILING THE CLASS

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/.

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 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 midterm exam is on Wednesday, September 28, 2005.

      The last day to withdraw with a grade of W is October 13, 2005.

      The last day of M/W classes is Wednesday, December 7, 2005.

      Final exams: 

ALL GRADES WILL BE POSTED ON BANWEB

AT THE END OF THE COURSE.

Full First Draft Critique Workshop Dates:

      Workshop 1:  Monday, September 12, 2005    

      Workshop 2:  Monday, October 17, 2005         

      Workshop 3:  Monday, November 7, 2005

      Workshop 4:  Wednesday, November 30, 2005

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

Essay Due Dates: 

      Essay #1:  Due Monday, September 19, 2005

      Essay #2:  Due Monday, October 24, 2005   

      Essay #3:  Due Monday, November 14, 2005

      Essay #4:  Due Wednesday, December 7, 2005

Portfolio Due Dates:

      Portfolio #1:  Due Wednesday, September 21, 2005

      Portfolio #2:  Due last day of class.  MW classes—December 7, 2005       

SCHEDULE OF READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS:

IMPORTANT:  Changes may be necessary. 

Please check on-line syllabus weekly.

Unless material is marked in-class it is due the day listed.

Portfolios and Essays to be returned on day of final.