English
102-04S English Composition II Fall 2002
Reasoning, Humor and Discourse
MWF 11:00-11:50 in Graham 106
http://www.uncg.edu/~scstewar/102Fall02.html
Instructor: Shannon C.
Stewart
Office: 01F Petty Science Building
Office Hours: Mon. & Wed. 1:00-2:30 p.m. and by
appointment
Contact: 334-3294 or scstewar@uncg.edu
(best way to reach me)
Course Description: This course emphasizes developing ideas and supporting varied writing and speaking tasks. Goals include uses of evidence, control in style and voice, understanding varied forms and perspectives in both speech and writing.
Student Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of this
course, the student should be able to :
1. understand the
principles of effective oral and written rhetoric (the rhetorical triangle)
2. write for a
variety of audiences and understand audience demands for oral situations
3. offer supportive
evidence developed ideas for both written and oral presentations
4. develop
evaluative research skills, both library and online sources
5. participate in
group feedback and support processes for improving writing and speaking
6. understand
effective listening skills as part of the writing and speaking processes
Objectives: Humor is a part of our lives everyday—or at least it should be. Therefore, we will use it as a non-threatening springboard from which to improve our powers of critical thought, our writing, and our ability to exchange ideas in a variety of (often verbal) forms.
The aim for this course is not to destroy humorous texts by overanalyzing them—though I know that we must murder to dissect. I truly believe that looking at humorous texts in the ways we will approach them this semester will deepen our appreciation for them. We will gain a better understanding of what they do for us in society and the ways in which they do it. To that end, we will look at texts in a variety of genres, cultures, time periods, with a variety of aims, points, and methods of attaining or making them. By building on what we already know about humor, these texts, their backgrounds, and reading and writing, we will develop ways to develop, write, and present more sophisticated analyses and arguments.
Teaching Strategies: discussion, group work, conferences, student presentations, and essays
Evaluation Methods and Guidelines for Assignments: Students will collect their materials in a portfolio that will be evaluated at mid-term and the end of the term as well. All final written work will be revised and should approximate twenty to thirty pages of informal and formal writing. For the oral component of the course, students will reflect on the peer and teacher feedback. The feedback evaluations will be included in the portfolio, along with the written reflection about development of speech skills.
At this stage in your academic career you should know that the printer or your disk will destroy your paper, your friend will drive off with your books in his car, and the dog will eat your homework. Make copies of everything so that these sorts of disasters don't lower your grade. Remember that I will not accept late work. In addition to your timely submission of all required work, your grade is based on quality of work, improvement over the semester, and attendance and participation.
Specifically,
final grades will be based on the following percentages:
Writing
Assignments=50%
Speaking
Assignments=30%
Attendance/Participation=20%
Required
Texts/Readings/References:
an email account
that you check regularly
Naked by David Sedaris
various texts online
and on reserve in Jackson Library (you may wish to purchase a photocopy card
from one of the library’s machines)
some kind of grammar
and writing handbook (any one of your choosing)
Academic Honor Code: Using someone else’s word or ideas as your own on any type of written or oral assignment is plagiarism. The policy is defined in the student handbook and online (http://www.uncg.edu/cex/common/honor.htm). Please see me if you have any questions concerning what constitutes plagiarism.
Attendance Policy: Since this course is based on discussion, in-class writing and speaking activities, regular attendance is mandatory. If you miss more than three classes, your grade will be lowered. If you miss more than six class sessions, you will be dropped from the course. (Keep up with your absences, and remember that tardies will also significantly and negatively affect your final course grade.)
Additional Requirements: Please remember that group work involves all members of a group and affords you an opportunity to practice your speaking skills in front of a small group before you speak in front of the larger class as a whole. Group work is an integral part of this course, and you must be present on group work days.
Also remember that humor is subjective and not everyone has or appreciates the same type. You may not find some of the materials in this course particularly humorous; however, you should remember that none of them were chosen in order to insult or offend anyone. None of our classroom discussion should do so either. Rather than getting angry with a text or a classmate, examine WHY and HOW it has upset you and explain what you discover (this is, after all, a course in reasoning and discourse).
Statement about disabilities: If you have a documented disability that I need to know about, please see me during the first week of class so that we can work together to make sure that your needs for this course are met.
Schedule
of Class Meetings (Subject to Change)
Mon.,
Aug. 19
Introduction
to course, me, and each other
Overview
of English 102-08 and just what that “S”
means
Wed.,
Aug. 21
Introduction
to rhetoric, especially as it relates to humor
Specifics
of class policies (noting lots of speaking and group work)
Introduction
to group
work, establishing of groups for the term
First
group assignment given
Fri.,
Aug. 23
General
information
on writing assignments and how to succeed on them
Mon.,
Aug. 26
General
information on speaking assignments
and how to succeed on them
Wed.,
Aug. 28
General
course information, rituals, etc.
“Celebrated Jumping Frog of
Calaveras County” by Mark Twain
Fri.,
Aug. 30
"Cindy
Ellie, a Modern Fairy Tale" by Mary Carter Smith -- on reserve at JACKSON
LIBRARY in Honey, Hush on page 292
Mon.,
Sept. 2
Labor
Day Holiday--no classes
Wed.,
Sept. 4
Discussion
of rhetoric of short fiction
Individual
presentation information
Fri.,
Sept. 6
30
Seconds in Hell
How-to
information for paper one and presentation one
Mon.,
Sept. 9
Shel
Silverstein exercise
Wed.,
Sept. 11
Workshop
paper one and presentation one
Individual
presentation 1
Fri., Sept. 13
PAPER
ONE AND PRESENTATION ONE DUE
Mon.,
Sept. 16
Group
work on your own
Wed.,
Sept. 18
Discussion
on humor of short video
Individual
presentation 2 & 3
Fri.,
Sept. 20
Young
Ones screened in class (read the script!)
Mon.,
Sept. 23
Crocodile
Hunter screened in class
Wed.,
Sept 25
Individual
presentation 4 & 5
How-to
information for paper two and presentation two
Fri.,
Sept 27
Workshop
paper two and presentation two
Individual
presentation 6
Mon.,
Sept. 30
PAPER
TWO AND PRESENTATION TWO DUE
Wed.,
Oct. 2
Work
on mid-term portfolio
Individual
presentation 7
Fri.,
Oct. 4
Revision
for portfolio
Individual
presentation 8
Mon.,
Oct. 7
Mid-term
conferences--mandatory
Wed.,
Oct. 9
Mid-term
conferences--mandatory
Fri.,
Oct. 11
In-class
writing on essay exams
MID-TERM
PORTFOLIO DUE
Mon.,
Oct. 14
Fall
Break --no classes
Wed.,
Oct. 16
Mid-term
review and prepare for second half of course
Introduction
to David Sedaris
and Naked
Individual
presentation 9
Fri.,
Oct. 18
Portfolios
returned and processed
Individual
presentation 10
Mon.,
Oct. 21
How-to
information for paper three and presentation three
Discussion
of long fiction
Wed.,
Oct. 23
Naked
Individual
presentation 11
Fri.,
Oct. 25
Naked
Individual
presentation 12
Mon.,
Oct. 28
Workshop
paper three and presentation three
Individual
presentation 13
Wed.,
Oct. 30
PAPER
THREE AND PRESENTATION THREE DUE
Fri.,
Nov. 1
Naked
Individual
presentation 14
Mon.,
Nov. 4
Princess Bride screened
in class (read the script!)
Wed.,
Nov. 6
Princess Bride screened
in class
Fri.,
Nov. 8
Discussion
of long video humor
How-to
information for paper four
Individual
presentation 15
Mon.,
Nov. 11
Getting
ready for the final portfolio
Individual
presentation 16 & 17
Wed.,
Nov. 13
Workshop
paper four
Fri.,
Nov. 15
PAPER
FOUR DUE
Discussion
of internet humor
Individual
presentation 19 & 20
Mon.,
Nov. 18
Meet
in computer lab--I'll let you know which one later
Wed.,
Nov. 20
Work
on internet humor
Individual
presentation 21 & 22
Fri.,
Nov. 22
End
of term conferences
Mon.,
Nov. 25
Pulling
together your final portfolio
Individual
presentation 23
]Wed.,
Nov. 27
Thanksgiving
holiday--no classes
Fri.,
Nov. 29
Thanksgiving
holiday--no classes
Mon.,
Dec. 2
Naked
Individual
presentation 24
Wed.,
Dec. 4
Naked
Individual
presentation 25
Fri.,
Dec. 6
Workshop
final portfolio
Individual
presentation 26
Mon.,
Dec. 9
FINAL
PORTFOLIO DUE
Discussion
of ways writing and speaking inform one another
Course
evaluations
****MONDAY,
DECEMBER 16****
FINAL
EXAM
Meet
at 9:00 AM
Portfolios
and final grades