Syllabus

English 101E H12E                                                    Jessica Ramer
Spring 2014                                                                 jessica.ramer@usm.edu
Class Period:   MWF 11:00 -11:50                             Office: LAB 336
LIB 205                                                                      Wednesday, 10 -10:50 AM:

ENG 100E/101E: Composition I - Expanded

COURSE DESCRIPTION


English 100E/101E a two-semester sequence of classes referred to as Comp I-Expanded. These two courses together serve as the equivalent of English 101, a required course that introduces students to some of the strategies, tools, and resources necessary to becoming successful communicators in a range of academic, professional, and public settings.  Comp I - Expanded students learn not only to think carefully through writing but also to reflect critically about writing by engaging a variety of discursive forms.

The two semesters of composition classes are linked; thus, for both semesters, Comp I – Expanded students will usually have the same teacher, work with the same group of students, and when possible, have the same classroom. The Expanded Composition Program is designed to help build a writing community, as everyone has an entire year to work together to develop and enhance critical writing and reading strategies and skills.  Throughout the program, students will conference with their instructors, and to emphasize the continuity between the two semesters, the spring semester begins with student-teacher conferences to discuss fall semester grades as well as the role that previous essays might play in the spring section of the course.  Each semester, students’ final portfolios will include revisions of their major work from the semesters and include a self-reflection essay that analyzes their own writing processes and development.  Upon completion of each semester of ENG 100E/ENG 101E, students will receive traditional letter grades.

REQUIRED MATERIALS


The following are required:
  • Trimbur, John. The Call to Write, 6th ed. Cengage, 2014.
  • Blackboard Supplemental Readings (and a means and funds to print these out)
  • 3-ring binder and loose-leaf paper for in-class notes, informal writing assignments, etc.

Bring texts and/or supplemental materials to class. We will refer to the materials during our discussions, or you may need materials for in-class writing assignments and in-class activities. If you do not have materials with you, then you will have a difficult time in class and are unprepared for that day.  Please come prepared.

ONLINE ACCESS

To access the online components of this course, you must first go to https://usm.blackboard.com, then follow the log-in instructions. You will need to have your EMPLID and password (the same information you use to access SOAR and register for classes). If you have any questions or run into difficulty accessing the Blackboard material for this course, please call the iTech Help Desk at 601-266-4357 or helpdesk@usm.edu. You can also get specific instructions on how to use components of Blackboard by visiting www.usm.edu/elo.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
ENG 101 is a GEC-required course at USM, and students taking this course are expected to meet the following GEC learning outcomes:

1.      the student is able to develop a topic and present ideas through writing in an organized, logical, and coherent form and in a style that is appropriate for the discipline and the situation.

  1. the student can observe conventions of Standard English grammar, punctuation, spelling, and usage.
  2. the student can write a coherent analytical essay [considering the] rhetorical situation or through written communication effectively analyze the components of an argument.
  3. the student can find, use, and cite relevant information.

In order to assist students in meeting these GEC learning outcomes, the Composition Program at Southern Miss has identified specific learning outcomes for each of its first-year writing courses that are meant to complement the GEC outcomes. At the completion of ENG 101, students will be able to:

  • See that writing is a form of social interaction;
  • Analyze rhetorical situations and make effective choices based on audience and context;
  • Responsibly synthesize material from a variety of sources;
  • Make claims and support them with appropriate evidence;
  • Use writing to critically explore, explain, evaluate, and reflect on their experiences and on those of others;
  • Understand and effectively use a range of genres/forms;
  • Use conventions of expression appropriate to situation and audience;
  • Effectively revise and provide substantive feedback to others on their writing;
  • Articulate a revision strategy based on an understanding of their own writing processes;
  • Recognize the importance of technology in research, writing, and other forms of social interaction.

 

REQUIREMENTS

In order to receive at least a “C” grade in this course, you must satisfactorily complete all of the following:

  • complete all major writing projects;
·         complete the final portfolio project, to be submitted at the end of the semester (in lieu of a final exam);
·         maintain a section in your loose-leaf notebook regarding our course readings and discussions;
  • complete all reading assignments and homework, actively participate in class discussions and workshops, and maintain regular classroom attendance.
  • submit all sketches and informal writing assignments required throughout the year
  • complete all reading assignments and homework, actively participate in class discussions and workshops, and maintain regular classroom attendance;
  • meet with the instructor for all required conferences; and
  • utilize the Writing Center and Speaking Center as directed by instructor.


COURSE POLICIES

GRADES and ASSIGNMENTS
Writing and thinking are complex processes that take time to develop. Thus, your overall grade for each semester of English 100E/101E is as dependent on how much your writing improves over the course of the semester(s), your demonstrated commitment to learning, the sophisticated and constructive support you offer your peers, the careful completion of homework and class assignments, and your own assessment of your strengths and progress, as any strict calculation of paper grades. Indeed, a portion of your final grade for this course will be determined by your Final Portfolio Project, which you will submit at the end of the semester, as well as your participation in the writing community that we are creating. Also, because this writing class practices sustained writing (which means you will brainstorm, draft, revise) with each essay, your projects will often require you to turn in documents that demonstrate your sustained writing throughout the development of each essay; thus, it is vital that you keep all drafts of your essays (hard copy and electronic).  Do not save over your drafts; rather, establish an electronic method for saving your documents.  Also, please note that the papers you write for the fall semester of the course will be revisited in the spring semester; thus, do not throw away your essays (or drafts) between semesters.

The below briefly outlines course assignments and serves only as a guide for expectations and grading:

General Expectations and Format of Formal Projects:
All formal written papers should be typed, double-spaced, using 12-font, Times New Roman.  In the upper left corner, you should include your name, the course (and section), the date, and (at least) the Project number.  All essays should have a title, be stapled, and use documentation when appropriate, following MLA format.  Please do not email assignments (unless you have prior approval), and in these extreme situations, you should keep a receipt of your email for your records.  While exact project assignments will be elaborated in detail throughout the course, the following offers a general explanation of these major projects:

Project Four: Argument Portfolio (45%)
A series of assignments that will help you to prepare to write the position essay. These assignments and their descriptions are listed below.
·         Academic summary (5%): a brief (300-500 words) academic summary of one of  articles pertaining to immigration and the American worker.
·         Annotated bibliography (10%): The goal of your annotated bibliography is to work through the readings we have discussed in order to summarize and to evaluate these texts. Doing so will help you to begin thinking through and identifying issues you may use when writing the position essay. List each source alphabetically in proper MLA works cited format. Follow each citation with an annotation. An annotation should include:
1.      a summary of the content and the author’s main point or claim, and
2.      a brief evaluation of the work
·         Critical Response (15%): A brief essay (750-1000) words in which you respond critically to one of the essays you have read for this unit. Your critical response must
1.      Summarize the text
2.      Analyze the assumptions at work
3.      Offer a critique
·         Position Essay (15%): An argument essay in which you illustrate your ability to summarize, analyze, and synthesize course readings. You will have the opportunity to choose from a selection of our readings as you determine the direction of your argument.

Project Five: Writing Redux (20%)
A multimodal reimagining of one of the essays you’ve written for Expanded, targeted to a specific audience who needs to hear your message.  This project will include a one- to two-page, single-spaced “heads up” rationale of your rhetorical choices. 

Final Portfolio Project (20%)
Two of the four first projects, systematically and thoroughly revised, as well as completion of the reflective essay assignment, which will ask you to critically reflect on and discuss nearly every aspect of your work for this course.  At least one of the included essays must demonstrate your ability to synthesize sources.

General Expectations and Format of Informal Writing:
Informal writing assignments can take many forms – from homework to in-class activities to brainstorming prompts to journal writing.  Because of this, informal writing assignments should be typed when possible and unless otherwise noted.  This form of writing is vital to the development of your writing process and to your growth as a writer; it serves as a means for you to work with and through your thought process, developing your ideas and critical thinking skills.  This class will have two distinct forms of informal writing:

Response Logs, Sketches, and Additional Informal Writing Assignments (10%)

Response logs encourage you to reflect on writing and the course material, including but not limited to readings and class discussions.  This in-depth exploration will help you and your peers unpack the material while developing your analytical skills.  Your response logs (200-400 words) should respond to our readings by analyzing, comparing, and contrasting how authors understand and respond to some aspect of the larger conversation and class discussions.  These logs will be assigned throughout the course, kept in your binder, and collected at the instructor’s discretion.


General Expectations of Participation
Participation includes, but is not limited to, discussing the readings, listening to your peers’ analyses and comments, and engaging with in-class and small group assignments. You are expected to come to class ready and willing to participate, being physically and mindfully present during class, orientations, conferences, and peer reviews. Failure to demonstrate such will negatively affect your participation grade.

DISRUPTION OF THE CLASS THROUGH EXCESSIVE TALKING OR OTHER BEHAVIORS THAT AFFECT THE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT WILL RESULT IN A DEDUCTION OF CLASS PARTICIPATION POINTS.

Class Participation (5%)
Your contributions to class discussions, engagement in collaborative assignments, development of drafts, involvement in and preparation for peer reviews, and active dedication to the completion of assigned readings and class activities and writings all factor into class participation.  You may be periodically asked to reflect on your participation and to self-assess.  Your self-assessment is not your participation grade, but allows us to remain in dialogue about your course participation.

NOTE: DISRUPTING THE CLASS THROUGH EXCESSIVE TALKING OR OTHER INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR WILL RESULT IN A LOSS OF CLASS PARTICIPATION POINTS.

Below is a table to assist you in keeping track of your grades:

Assignments
Percentages
Space to Record Your Grades
Project Four
15%

Project Five
20%

Project Six
25%

Final Portfolio Project
25%

Response Logs, Sketches, Informal Writings
10%

Class Participation
05%


Grading Scale:
            A = 100-90; B = 89-80; C = 79-70; D = 69-60; F = 59 and below

Note: For program assessment purposes, some final portfolios may be randomly selected for institutional review at the conclusion of the semester. In such cases, portfolios will be collected anonymously from among all available sections of English 101 and the Expanded Composition program. This review is intended solely to improve the quality of the curriculum and will not affect your grade in any way.
     
PREPARATION
You are expected to arrive to class on time with all of the required materials and to be prepared to participate intellectually, critically, and respectfully.  In addition to completing all reading and writing assignments, preparing for class means being ready to discuss and intelligently question issues raised by the material. This does not mean, however, that you must master the material. On the contrary, it is perfectly reasonable that you may be confused by some readings the first time we encounter them. But in such cases, you should be prepared to discuss what you specifically found puzzling, aggravating, thought-provoking, engaging, or difficult about the assignment. In other words, if you feel you have nothing to state about a piece of writing, you should actively develop a list of questions about it. Remember, much of your grade in this course will be determined by how much you improve over the course of the semester, so there is really no such thing as a stupid question, provided that you ask it in the spirit of honest inquiry.

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
This course relies on class discussion, peer review, and constructive feedback, and you are expected to participate and to be respectful at all times.  Being physically present in class is not enough; you must also be mentally present.  Sleeping, engaging in distracting behaviors (such as interrupting discussions, texting, playing on social media, doing work for other classes, holding private conversations, etc.), or refusing to participate in class activities and discussions is unacceptable and is grounds for being counted absent and/or being asked to leave.  If you have a hard time staying awake, concentrating, or sitting still at your desk, you may stand up or move around, provided you do so in a non-distracting way.

CONFERENCES
The Expanded Composition Program incorporates teacher-student conferences to offer students the chance to discuss writing processes, to foster instructive and supportive spaces for students throughout their semesters.  This is a unique opportunity for students to share their successes, to ask for specific assistance, and to simply dialogue more with the instructor.  These mandatory conferences will be held at least once a semester in lieu of class.  If you miss your scheduled conference, you will receive two absences.

ATTENDANCE
The framework of this course – with its emphasis on class discussion and group work – demands that you attend class regularly. Failure to complete in-class work, such as peer reviews, in-class writing assignments, and group meetings will result in the lowering of your overall grade.  Indeed, no in-class activities (including quizzes) may be made up due to tardiness or absence, and students who accumulate more than three absences over the course of the semester (or two courses in a class that meets two days a week) will automatically have their final grades lowered 10 points for each additional absence. There is no distinction between excused and unexcused absences.  More than six absences (or four absences in courses that meet two days a week) in a semester will result in your failing the course. Three tardies and/or early departures will equate to one absence; please note that very late arrivals and/or very early departures will simply equate to an absence.

LATE WORK

Late work will only be accepted if you can demonstrate that you have encountered a valid obstacle before the deadline (i.e., that you’ve been working on the project in good faith, but have run into some problems). If you feel you may be unable to complete an assignment on time, you should contact me as soon as possible, but no later than two days before the due date. After reviewing all the work you’ve done on the assignment, we will set a new deadline together. In all other cases, late work will automatically be docked one letter grade per day past the deadline, beginning on the day the assignment was due and including weekends.

PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES

Students may use portable elecronic devices (such as tablets and laptops) for constructive and class purposes.  Students who choose to use these devices for our electronic readings must show evidence of annotation and analysis via an annotation program (iAnnotate, Good Reader, etc.).  Texting, checking email and social media sites, gaming, listening to music, doing work for other classes/purposes, and other distracting uses of technology are unacceptable.  Your cell phone must be turned to silent and stored away.  If I notice that you are using technology in an inappropriate way, I will not (further) distract the class by pointing it out, but I will deduct a point from your final average for each infraction.

PLAGIARISM
All members of the academic community at the University of Southern Mississippi are expected to take responsibility for academic honesty and integrity. Plagiarism – the willful copying/presenting of another person’s work as if it were your own – and other forms of cheating are unacceptable. The penalties for such behavior can include failure of the course and, in some cases, even expulsion from the university. If you have any doubts about what constitutes plagiarism, please refer to your student handbook, to USM policies on Academic Honesty, or come talk to me.

SERVICES AND RESOURCES

ADA NOTICE
If a student has a disability that qualifies under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and requires accommodations, he/she should contact the Office for Disability Accommodations (ODA) for information on appropriate policies and procedures.  Disabilities covered by ADA may include learning, psychiatric, physical disabilities, or chronic health disorders.  Students can contact ODA if they are not certain whether a medical condition/disability qualifies.
Address:
The University of Southern Mississippi
Office for Disability Accommodations
118 College Drive # 8586
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
Voice Telephone: 601.266.5024 or 228.214.3232 Fax: 601.266.6035
Individuals with hearing impairments can contact ODA using the Mississippi Relay Service at 1.800.582.2233 (TTY) or email Suzy Hebert at Suzanne.Hebert@usm.edu.

THE WRITING CENTER
The Writing Center is a free program available to all student writers at the University of Southern Mississippi. It offers one-on-one help with any kind of writing project, at any stage of the writing process. The Writing Center is located in Cook Library 112. For more information, and hours of operation, you may contact The Writing Center at 601-266-4821, or visit the website at: http://www.usm.edu/writingcenter/.

THE SPEAKING CENTER
The University of Southern Mississippi offers a Speaking Center, with consultations available at no cost to all students, faculty, and staff.  The center is available for advice on all types of oral communication—formal individual presentations, group presentations, class discussion, class debates, interviews, campus speeches, etc.  The center also offers several practice rooms for recording presentations and practicing with delivery aids (PowerPoint and internet access are available).  Visit the center in Cook Library 117, call the center at 601-266-4965, or visit the website at www.usm.edu/speakingcenter.

THE COUNSELING CENTER
USM strives to ensure quality services for students, promoting sound mental health and skills for successful pursuit of educational and personal goals. Also, USM does not tolerate violence or harassment.  If you experience an emergency, are feeling harassed, or need assistance of this nature, you should call 911 or contact the Student Counseling Services (601-266-4829): http://www.usm.edu/student-counseling-services.  There are a number of available resources, including after hours mental health emergencies (601-606-4357) and campus police (601-266-4986).

IMPORTANT SPRING DATES

Jan.14              Classes begin, including first half-semester
Jan.20              Martin Luther King holiday
Jan.28              Last day to drop full semester classes and receive 100% financial credit
Feb.24             Last day to drop full-semester classes without academic penalty
March 4           Mardi Gras holiday (Day and night classes do not meet)
March 7           Midpoint in semester
March 10-14    Spring Break holiday
April 18           Good Friday holiday
May 2              Last day of full term classes
May 5-8           University Scheduled Final Exams Period

Course Schedule

A tentative schedule will be provided to you; this schedule is subject to change as the course progresses.  You will be updated with changes, additions, deletions accordingly; it is your responsibility to be aware of these changes. 

A tentative schedule is below; this schedule is subject to change as the course progresses.  You will be updated with changes, additions, deletions accordingly; it is your responsibility to be aware of these changes. 

HW = Homework assignment
EAA = Everyone’s an Author
BB = Blackboard Supplemental Reading
RL = Response Log

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE 
TCTW: The Call to Write 
BB: Blackboard Readings 

Week 1: Introductions and Course Goals 
W1/18Introductions/Syllabus/Course Goals 

F1/20Conferences 
Course Goals: Type and print a couple of paragraphs that outline your goals for the spring semester. Be prepared to discuss these with your instructor during your scheduled conference.  

Week Two: Active Reading, and Note-taking 
M1/23Conferences 
Course Goals: Type and print a couple of paragraphs that outline your goals for the spring semester. Be prepared to discuss these with your instructor during your scheduled conference.  

W1/25Introduce Argument Portfolio 
TCTW Chapter 20 (pp.552-566) 

F1/27Discuss and practice active reading and note-taking 
Summarizing 
The Curious Researcher “Writing in the Middle” (pp. 101-133) 
 (BB) 

Week Three: Summarizing  
M1/30 Read "City of Dreams" on BB 
Reading Log:  Exercise 3.2 in “Writing in the Middle” (p. 104-105) 

W2/1 Read "Immigrants Aren't Stealing American Jobs"
Print “Writing Summaries Handout” (BB) 
Reading Log: Exercise 3.3 in “Writing in the Middle” Step One (p. 115-116) 

F2/3Summary Draft due in class for workshop 

Week Four: Analyzing and Responding to the Arguments of Others 
M2/6 Read "Do Immigrants Take Jobs from American-born Workers" 

W2/8TCTW Chapter 4 “The Shape of the Essay” (pp. 88-115) 
Discuss and Review the Critical Response assignment sheet (in class) 

F2/10  
Reading Log: Exercise 3.3 in “Writing in the Middle” Step One and Two (p. 115-116) 


Week Five: Constructing Your Response 
M2/13 Read "Adding Up the Cost of Uncontrolled Immigration"
Reading Log: Double-entry journal  

W2/15  
TCTW “Logical Fallacies” (pp.619-622) 
Reading Log: keep up with your notetaking (using any strategy you like). Pay particular attention to any logical fallacies you notes in the reading. 

F2/17Review the articles we have read so far, and choose one for the  
critical response. Read it again carefully, taking notes (using the strategies we have discussed over the last few weeks). Type your notes and initial responses, and be sure to bring them to class.  

Week Six: Drafting and Workshop 
M2/20Critical Response Draft and Workshop 

W2/22Critical Response Draft and Workshop 

F2/24Critical Response Due in class 

Week Seven: Evaluating and Annotating  
M2/27Mardi Gras Break 

W3/1TCTW “Evaluating Sources” (pp. 429-430) 
TCTW “Integrating Sources” (pp. 439-446) 
In Class: MLA,Working with sources (review), and practice annotations 

F3/3Choose one of the readings we have discussed so far (not the 
one you chose for the critical response) and complete an annotated entry for the source. 
Workshop 


Week Eight: Taking a Position 
M3/6Annotated Bibliography Draft and Workshop 

W3/8Annotated Bibliography Due 
Review and Discuss Position Essay Assignment Sheet (in class) 

F3/10TCTW Chapter 3 “Persuasion and Responsibility” 


Week Nine 
M3/13Spring Break 
W3/15Spring Break 
F3/17Spring Break 

Week Ten: What Does a Position Look Like?  
M3/20  
Reading Log: What is the author’s thesis? What are the issues? What are the claims? What kinds of evidence does the author use to support those claims? Once you have answered these questions, focus on one of the issues, and write a brief response of your own (use the tips we discussed from “Writing in the Middle.” )  

W3/22 Read "The Immigration Bandaid"  
Reading Log: Pay attention to the organization of the argument. Identify the author’s thesis. Write an outline for the author’s argument.  Be sure to describe the function of each paragraph and the role the paragraphs play in developing the author’s line of reasoning.  

F3/24In-Class Invention for the Position Essay 
Constructing the position essay 

Week Eleven: Drafting and Workshop 
M3/27Draft and Workshop 

W3/29Draft and Workshop 

F3/31Draft and Workshop  

Week Twelve: Multimodal Writing and Revising 
M4/3Position Essay Due on BB  
Introduce Project Five (Digital Redux)  

W4/5TCTW Chapter 12 “MultiGenre Writing” 

F4/7Establishing Genre Criteria 

Week Thirteen: Drafting and Designing 
M4/10TCTW Chapter 17 “Visual Design” 

W4/12Studio Day 

F4/14Good Friday 

Week Fourteen: Workshopping and Revising 

M4/17Draft Presentations 
W4/19Draft Presentations 
F4/21Draft Presentations 

Week Fifteen: Composing a Final Portfolio  
M4/24Project Five Due 
Introduce Portfolio 

W4/26TCTW Chapter 22 “Writing Portfolios”  
Revising and Editing  

F4/28Writing a Self-Evaluation Essay 

Week Sixteen: Putting it all Together  
M5/1Conferences 

W5/3Conferences 

F5/5Last Day of Classes 

Final Portfolios Due During Final Exam Week 





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