Clark College #6621

Spring 07

MW 3:30-5:50, HHL 102

5.0 credits

Brandy McKenzie, instructor

bmckenzie@clark.edu

http://mysite.verizon.net/res1ryso

Required texts:

Jacobus, Lee A.  A World of Ideas, 6^th ed.  Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2002.

The Little, Brown Compact Handbook, custom ed. New York: Little Brown, 2006.

     Welcome to ENG 101, part of a series of required writing courses at Clark College.  In this class, you will be learning the essential tools of college composition, namely critical reading and writing skills. By doing so, you will be developing the following College-Wide Abilities, or areas of your education which Clark focuses on enriching: Communication, Creative Thinking and Problem Solving, and Effective Citizenship. For not only will we revisit the basics of presenting and supporting a given position in writing, but we will also explore in depth what it means to present such a position in the context of your community, and some of the various means of doing so.

     In other words, in this class you will begin to enter dialogs which have been going on for some time.  To that end, we will be reading a series of essays which deal with complex issues, both thematically and stylistically, and attempting to tie these themes to events in our own lives, particularly current events.  Be forewarned:  these essays are not, as a whole, easy reading.  They explore some of the fundamental questions and ideas of our culture—hardly simple topics, but good ones to consider as you pursue a college degree.  The essays will demand a high degree of attention and effort on your part; therefore, we will be spending approximately a week on each essay.  Please be prepared to read each essay at least two times and to thoughtfully respond to them both in class and in your writing.

     Through these essays and your responses, you will begin to understand how to construct an effective critical and persuasive argument.  There are no blueprints for success, but there are many tricks to pick up along the way.  While mastering certain elements of college-level reading and writing, you will create a “writer’s toolbox” which should allow you to take certain skills into any field you choose to pursue: by the end of this course, you should be able to effectively communicate both verbally and in a written manner, as suited to audience and occasion; understand the principles of using and speaking to other voices in order to develop your own; search for and present information to support your assertions; accurately utilize and analyze college-level reading material; and work both collaboratively and independently  towards a final goal that has been developed over time.

     For the sake of developing these skills, you will have the following assignments this term:

Long essays, of which there will be three and one revision, will be spaced evenly throughout the term.  These essays are four-to-six page, formal essays written in response to our readings and discussions, and must address an issue we have brought up in class.  In other words, if there is something related to one of the readings which you want to write about, it is your responsibility to bring that subject into the discussion.   The class will be discussion based, and will need as many voices and interests as possible to succeed.  I want to hear from each of you as much as possible, for your opinions do matter, and writing about something which interests you is important for effective communication.    

     Essays should introduce the issue, offer a thesis in relation to the issue, examine arguments around the issue, and provide specific examples to support your opinions.  Examples are not limited to the readings, but must be appropriate and convincing.  MLA citations should be used.  An “A” essay will have very few grammatical or technical errors, will demonstrate an understanding of the material and concepts discussed, will be cohesive and appropriately cover the scope it sets forth, and will demonstrate a depth of thinking beyond a simple repetition of ideas mentioned in class.  A “B” paper will have minimal grammatical and technical errors, will show an understanding of the material and necessary scope of evidence, and may or may not take the discussion beyond the ideas presented in class.  A “C” paper will at minimum meet two of these requirements.

     The final long essay will be a revision of your choice of the earlier three, with the additional support of outside sources.  This fourth long essay will demonstrate your ability to take an idea from inception through several revisions and into a finished product.  Your score on this final essay will not change your grade on the earlier version of the paper, but will be considered as an entirely new grade.

Shorter Essays, two typed pages considering the connections between the themes of two or more readings.  These will be a graded diagnostic essay assigned early in the term, and another short essay near the end of the term.

Reading responses, one of which will be due at the beginning of class on the day of discussion of each reading.  Reading responses will be a one page freewrite connecting a theme or themes of a reading to contemporary or personal issues.  I want you to use these freewrites to organize your thoughts about the readings:  how can the ideas in the reading pertain to your life or to the lives of those around you?  These responses can be considered prewriting for your longer essays, but are not required to be so.  They will, however, form the basis for our discussions of the readings, so it’s important that you turn them in on time.

In class exercises will consist of a variety of activities designed to deepen your inquiries into the themes of the readings.  They will include one peer review at the end of the term, which is to be used on the paper you want to turn into your fourth long essay.

Participation, while including the contributions you make to the discussions, will also include such aspects of performance as your efforts in class, timeliness with assignments, willingness to speak with me about any difficulties you may be having, etc.

     Your final grade will be tallied in the following manner:

Long Essays --50%

Shorter Essay–10%

Reading Responses--20%

In Class Exercises (including peer review)--10%

Participation--10%

     Please note that both attendance and timeliness are crucial to your success and may also affect your final grade.  Therefore, you will only be allowed two absences; for every subsequent absence, your final grade will be lowered 5%.  Furthermore, your grade on assignments will be lowered ten percent for every calendar day they are late unless you have been granted an extension by me beforehand.  Of course, should any emergency arise, I will be more than happy to work with you—just be sure to keep me informed.

     Plagiarism will also affect your grade for the course, in that it is the policy of the English department at Clark College to fail any students who have knowingly presented the unacknowledged ideas of others as their own.  This means that the source of any information that is not public knowledge, or not specifically your own idea and/or reasoning, must be cited in a way that is accepted by the academic community.  I will be reviewing the basics of MLA citations, but if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.

     If you have a disability which may affect your performance in this class or require special accommodations, please let me know as soon as possible so that arrangements may be made.