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The Composition Program

English 103

Sample Syllabus and Course Calendar

English 103 Syllabus/Fall 2006

Dr. Hoogeveen/484-365-7516 or lucomposition@yahoo.com

ENG-103 02 HM 106 T R 09:30AM 10:50AM

ENG-103 04 HM 104 T R 11:00AM 12:20PM

ENG-103 06 HM 106 T R 02:00PM 03:20PM

Office Hours: Tue/Thu 12:20-2:00; Mon/Wed 2:30-3:00, W 4:20-4:45,
and by appt.

English 103 Course Description (from the Bulletin):

ENG-103 English Composition II 3 credits

This course reviews the expository essay and introduces the student to the process of researching and composing a substantial term paper. It also introduces the student to the study of three genres of literature: drama, poetry, and the short story.

Pre-requisite: English 102 or placement in course.

English 103 Course Objectives:

English 103 introduces students to:

Ø      The process of planning and writing a college-level research paper in the humanities;

Ø      The principal literary genres, the study of literature, and the writing of analytical essays on literature;

Ø      The further development of expository writing skills by writing an argumentative essay. The elements of syntax, grammar, and style will be reviewed as needed by the students. Serious writing deficiencies must be overcome by the students independently and/or at the Writing Center.

Required Texts:

Glenn, Cheryl, and Loretta Gray. The Lincoln University Handbook, ISBN #1424092914. (Also The Harbrace Handbook, 3^rd Ed.) Wadsworth/Thomson, We have recently changed to a custom-published version of the third edition, and we ask that you accommodate students who have the second edition of the Harbrace for this year.

Schilb, John, and John Clifford. Making Literature Matter. Third Ed. NY: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2005

Class Requirements:

Participating in all class activities. Students should be prepared for all classes, including the reading of all assigned texts and the timely submission of due work.

Fulfilling all writing requirements. This includes submitting revisions and avoiding plagiarism.

Completing the exams and quizzes. You may miss up to three daily quizzes, or, if you have good attendance, I will drop your lowest grades.

Avoiding excessive absences. See the attendance policy below.

Assignment Descriptions and Due Dates:

Ø      Assignments are due in class. After class, they are one day late. Failure to complete any of the four in-class essays and the four revisions constitutes course failure.

Ø      All papers must arrive with a minimum of two other earlier drafts; both must be typed, and, if assigned, both must have the appropriate class exercise on them. If you use any outside sources for information, you MUST include copies of the original documents with your final draft with the information you are using marked in some way.

Ø      Late work will be accepted with the penalty of one third of a full grade deducted off the work’s final grade for each calendar day that the work is late, including weekends. (If you don’t already, you must learn how to email your final draft to me, over the weekend, if your papers are late.) Thus, a B paper handed in 6 days late will receive a D. Late papers can be submitted to my email account (no attachments ever; cut and paste them into the body of the email, and I will reply), and must be handed in the next class without any changes from the email version.

Ø      The two typed drafts must demonstrate a considerable revision. Simply changing a few problems (unless your in-class paper received a grade of an A) does not qualify as a revision. Copies or missing drafts will cause a grade of zero out of ten points.

Ø      The “Faculty Statement on Academic Dishonesty,” which is available online under the Registrar’s link, defines plagiarism and penalties. Plagiarism will be dealt with severely.

Other Activities:

ü      Attendance. The Department adheres strictly to the University policy, which permits three absences (“excused” and otherwise) for a three credit; after which, the final grade will be lowered. Three late arrivals (after ten minutes) are equal to one absence. After fifteen minutes, do not enter class. You are absent. Typically, each absence in excess of three will lower the final grade by one-third of a grade point.

ü      Minimum grades. In spring 1990, the Department adopted the following policy: in order to pass the course, students must receive a grade of a C- or better on at least four graded essays in ENG103.

Description of Research Papers:

The biographical research paper will be four full pages long, in standard academic format, plus a works cited page. You will need to use at least four sources, plus the text(s) from Making Literature Matter. You must rely on direct quotations, and you may only summarize or paraphrase two times in the entire paper. The paper will have three sections: a brief biography (about a page), which covers the areas of the author’s life that are pertinent to your analysis; a brief discussion of what one or two critics have said about your text (a page or two); and finally a brief analysis of how the author’s life experiences have impacted at least three areas in his/her text. The most common plagiarism problem with this paper has been the slight alteration of web sources about the author’s life—do not do this. In addition, Alice Walker and Raymond Carver are off-limits for this assignment.

The issue research paper will be seven to eight pages, in standard academic format, plus a works cited page. You will need to use at least six sources. You must rely on direct quotations, and you may only summarize or paraphrase two times in the entire paper. This paper will use the standard research organization: an abstract (one paragraph), a brief (no more than a few paragraphs) overview of the entire paper, a review of literature (two or three pages), a discussion of your methods or goals (a page or two), your analysis (two or three pages), and, finally, a discussion of the implications of your work and/or future work to be done. A works cited page will follow. These are general guidelines, which you should adhere to, but you are free to alter them slightly, as long as you cover all of them sufficiently and clear any changes with me. You may work with up to three people from any of my fall 2006 English 103 classes on this project, but only after clearing the group with me.

For both papers (and anywhere else you cite information from outside sources), include copies of your sources (i.e., web pages or texts you cite information from).

Grading of Written Work:

All of your written work in English 103 will be evaluated based on three areas:

Ø     The use of standard Academic English,

Ø     The organization of the essay, and

Ø     The depth of your ideas.

Serious deficiencies in any one area can cause overall failure.

Final Grades:

A student’s final grade will be based on the following scale:

Argument:             20% (Blue book-10 points and typed draft-10 points)

Research 1:            30%

Research 2:            30%

Homework/Quiz/Participation:

(7, 6, 7 points)            20%

Extra credit essay:

5 points (Argument)

_______________

Final grade = Possible 105%

Deduct 1/3 of a grade for each absence over 3: final grade =

English 103 Fall 2006 Course Calendar:

Week 1 (August 22--26)

Introduction: Argument; Topics of Literary Study (Chapter 1) Intro to class/discussion of exams and assignments; writing assignment

Homework: readings to be announced in first week of class

Week 2 (August 29--Sept 2) (2nd is the last day to add)

1: The Composing Process (Chapter 2)

2: Writing About Poems (Chapter 4); argument structure intro

Week 3 (Sept 56--9) No classes on Mon, Sept. 5, Labor Day)

Living in Families (Chapter 7): Memories, Reconciling, continued

1: Discussion of homework, quiz

2: argument structure continued

Week 4 (Sept 12—16)

(continued) Living in Families (Chapter 7): Mothers & Daughters, Siblings in Conflict, Different Children.

1: Discussion of homework, quiz, and prep for essay

2: In-class argument essay

Week 5 (Sept 19--23)

Teaching and Learning (Chapter 8): Recalling Lessons, Teaching Children, Comparing School Culture

1: Return argument essay, bring handbook, write two paragraphs, discuss WC page and quotations, discuss reading, quiz

2: Discuss reading, quiz

Week 6 (Sept 26—Sept 30)

(continued) Teaching and Learning (Chapter 8): Recalling Lessons, Teaching Children, Comparing School Culture

1: Discussion and quiz

2: Discussion and quiz; intro to biographical research

Week 7 (Oct 3—7)

Loving (Chapter 9): True Love, Romantic Dreams, Completing the Self, Appearance of Love

1: Discussion, quiz

2: Discussion, quiz

Week 8 (Oct 10--14) MID TERM WEEK

Loving (Chapter 9): True Love, Romantic Dreams, Completing the Self, Appearance of Love

1: Hand in final draft of argument, with all revisions and two grammar paragraphs, discussion, quiz

2: Discussion, quiz

Week 9 (Oct 17--21) Oct 22--Homecoming

Considering Outsiders (Chapter 10): Persecuting Outsiders, Ethnic Outsiders, Misfits, Sexual Transgressions

1: Discussion, quiz

2: Discussion, quiz

Week 10 (Oct 24--28) Monday, October 24 is the last day to withdraw from class

Considering Outsiders (Chapter 10): Persecuting Outsiders, Ethnic Outsiders, Misfits, Sexual Transgressions

1: Discussion, quiz

2: Discussion, quiz

Week 11 (Oct 31--Nov 4)

Considering Outsiders (Chapter 10): Persecuting Outsiders, Ethnic Outsiders, Misfits, Sexual Transgressions

1: Biographical research paper due, discussion, quiz

2: Intro to issue research, discussion, quiz

Week 12 (Nov 7--11)

Making Judgments (Chapter 11): Moral Law, Judging Sanity, Punishments, Judging Society

1: Research paper assignment (library?)

2: Discussion, quiz (library?)

Week 13 (Nov 14--18)

Making Judgments (Chapter 11): Moral Law, Judging Sanity, Punishments, Judging Society

1: Research paper assignment (library?)

2: Discussion, quiz (library?)

Week 14 (Nov 21--25) 23rd begin Thanksgiving Recess

Making Judgments (Chapter 11): Moral Law, Judging Sanity, Punishments, Judging Society

1: Research paper assignment (library?)

Week 15 (Nov 28-Dec 2) FINAL WEEK OF CLASS

Making Judgments (Chapter 11): Moral Law, Judging Sanity, Punishments, Judging Society

1: Issue research paper, with all attachments, due in class

2: Prepare for final exam period/model argument exam
Final exam period. Argument—extra credit: 5 extra credit points. December 8 at 3:30 p.m., place to be announced.

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