ENGLISH 102:  FIRST-YEAR COMPOSITION

Spring 2003   *  Section 142  *  CCIT 319  *  MWF 3:00-3:50

Instructor:

Audrey E. Tinkham

Office:

W236 CCIT         Phone:  626-8098

Hours:

R 1:15-3:15 and by appointment


COURSE PURPOSE AND GOALS

Building on the close reading, focused research, and reflective writing done in English 101, English 102 combines reflections on general education with explorations of varied fields of inquiry to enable you to synthesize what you are learning and use it to write for varied purposes and audiences.  The course deconstructs the processes of academic inquiry, research, analysis, and argument to acquaint you with the type of study and writing you will be doing throughout college and in your career.  It also provides you with an opportunity to explore your educational, academic, and professional interests, to help you begin to "find yourself" at the university.  As you examine how knowledge is composed in varied fields of study, you will work on analyzing and revising your own writing and reflecting on your writing process.  In English 102, reflection, research, and revision are interrelated processes of inquiry that are fundamental to liberal education, specialized studies, and public life.

REQUIRED TEXTS

REQUIRED MATERIALS

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

In addition to writing and performing research, this course requires you to possess an email account and to check your email regularly. You will also register for this course through the WebCT system and participate routinely in online activities.

ESSAYS

In Unit 1:  Writing to Learn, you will explore the processes of reading and analyzing texts, determining a course of study to conduct an inquiry, and beginning research. You will write in and out of class on a daily basis. Some of your writing will be graded, and some will be required to complete other graded assignments. To begin, you will write an interest inventory to explore the areas you may wish to pursue further in your semester inquiry. Then you will write a brief summary of an argument covered in Unit 1, followed by an analysis of the same argument to review and build upon the close-reading strategies you learned in English 101.  

In Unit 2:  Writing Persuasively, you will continue your inquiry in a focused way by defining the issue you wish to research and write about. You will begin by writing a proposal for research and writing. Then you will analyze your research in an annotated bibliography. You will also do a focused writing in class. Finally, you will write your argument, using your research to support what you say.

In Unit 3:  Learning as Revision, you will have an opportunity to reflect upon what you are learning in this and other general education courses and to use such reflection as a context for considering how you write and revise. You will write a self-assessment memo that uses the goals of this course and the assumptions of a field of study as a context for discussing your work in this class and in other general education courses and give an overview of what you plan to work on during this unit. You will then work on revisions of your chosen essays.  You will then compile a portfolio of these revised writings and include a cover memo that describes how you revised the essays and why you revised as you did and meet with me in a conference to discuss your work. Finally, you will write a Reflective Essay that analyzes your writing and how you have developed it.

You must complete all required writing in order to receive credit for the course. Completing all the daily writing and other assignments, drafts, and peer responses to the best of your ability, with thought and care, will be worthwhile in itself and will improve your writing--and therefore your final grade.

All essays must be typewritten, double spaced, with one-inch margins on 8.5" x 11" white paper and for­matted in Times New Roman 12-point font. Follow MLA guidelines in Rules for Writers sections 6 and 55 for acceptable essay formatting and documentation.  Do not include a title page with any essay. While word processing program spell-checkers are handy, they do not obviate the need for proof­reading. Avoid misspelled words and grammatical errors arising from carelessness. Submit each essay in a two-pocket folder; place all drafts in the left-hand pocket, and place your final copy in the right-hand pocket.

EVALUATION

You must complete all major assignments and the final examination in order to pass this course. Students cannot receive a passing grade in English 101 unless they have submitted drafts and final versions for all major assignments and the final exam. Drafts should exhibit significant changes from one version to the next.

The general guidelines for evaluation in English Composition are set out in the Student's Guide. Criteria for the specific application of those guidelines will be discussed in class and conferences. My comments on your written work will consider the following aspects of writing in the context of the specific assignments: purpose, audience, content, expression, organization, development of ideas, mechanics, and maturity of thought. Individual assignments will carry the following grade percentages:

 

 

 

Unit 1

Interest Inventory

Required

Unit 1

Summary of an argument

Required

Unit 1

Analysis of an argument

15%

Unit 2

Research proposal and assignments

10%

Unit 2

Persuasive essay

20%

Unit 3

Self-assessment memo

Required

Unit 3

Portfolio and reflective essay

30%

Unit 4

Final essay exam

10%*

Other

Additional writings, peer reviews, presentations, and other assignments

15%

A = 90-100%

B = 80-89%

C = 70-79%

D = 60-69%

E = 59 or below

No Credit = 0

*In the event the final exam is canceled, an alternative writing assignment will be substituted.

COMPOSITION COURSE POLICIES (Approved by CPAC on 4-23-02)

A Student's Guide to First-Year Composition: All First-Year Composition Students are required to purchase the Student's Guide. The Guide addresses in detail all of the matters addressed below. Also see the Writing Program web page: http://w3.arizona.edu/%7Ecomp/.

Introduction to Research: All First-Year Composition Students are required to do documented research. For more on research, see also the Main Library web page.

Attendance:  Attendance is mandatory. Composition classes are workshop classes that include in-class writing, peer group work, and conferences. If you must miss a class, contact me as soon as possible to discuss your absence. The best way of contacting me is through e-mail, but you may also call my office, call the English Dept. and leave a message, or leave a note in my mailbox in ML 445.  If you miss more than two classes, I may drop you from the course. I can drop you with a W during the first eight weeks of the course, but thereafter you may receive an E. You are responsible for finding out about and making up any missed assignments. In-class writing may not be made up.

Requirements for Writing Assignments:

4      In-class and out-of-class writing will be assigned throughout the course. Students not in class when writing is assigned are still responsible for completion of the assignment when due.

4      Late work will not be accepted without penalty unless students make arrangements for an extension before the due date. For every calendar day an essay is late, one-half a letter grade will be deducted from the grade you earn.

4      Students are required to keep copies of all drafts and major assignments until after the end of the semester. In the rare event that I lose your paper, you will be asked to provide another copy.

4      Drafts must be turned in with all essays. Drafts should show significant changes in purpose, audience, organization, or evidence. No paper will be accepted for a grade unless it is accompanied by a draft.

4      Final copies should be typed and double-spaced with numbered pages and a title. See the Student's Guide for information about due dates for essays and the returning of graded essays.

Conferences: Individual or small group conferences with the instructor will be scheduled. Students should come to conferences prepared to discuss their work. Missing or arriving excessively late to a conference counts as an absence from class.

Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism: All UA students are responsible for upholding the Code of Academic Integrity, available through the office of the Dean of Students and online at http://w3.arizona.edu/~studpubs/ policies/cacaint.htm. Read the summary in the Student's Guide.

Class Conduct: All UA students are responsible for upholding the Student Code of Conduct, which can be read online at http://w3.arizona.edu/~studpubs/policies/studcofc.htm.

All students, faculty and university personnel are also required to observe professional standards in sending email, as detailed in the U of A Email Policy (http://w3.arizona.edu/~records/ efinal.htm). Misuse includes but is not limited to harassment, defamation, and obscenity. You may stop another user from sending you e-mail by requesting him or her to stop. Failing to honor such a request violates university policy.

Disabilities Accommodations: Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations to fully participate in course activities or meet course requirements must register with the Disability Resource Center. If you qualify for services through DRC, give your letter of accommodations to your instructor as soon as possible. 

Syllabus: Each instructor will distribute a course syllabus during the first week of class. Instructors will review the course syllabus and policies with students. Students should talk with the instructor if they anticipate a need for alternative assignments or readings.