Course Description:

The focus of Eng. 102 is the development of critical thinking skills. This course is both writing and speaking intensive. It balances both the written and oral communication of your ideas and opinions. We will practice using reason and logic to construct informed arguments. Because this course is advanced composition, you will be required to do a great deal of writing in several different forms and genres. Because it is also speaking intensive, you will be required to speak publicly in a number of ways. Part of what you will learn in this course is how the elements of good communication, both written and oral, intersect and diverge in interesting ways.

Learning Goals:

Interpret and evaluate argumentative discourse, including writing and speech
Construct cogent arguments
Communicate those arguments clearly, coherently, and effectively
Locate, synthesize, and evaluate relevant information
Demonstrate an understanding of the aims and methods of intellectual discourse
Weigh evidence and evaluate the arguments of differing viewpoints.

Required Texts:

Reading Life: A Writer’s Reader
The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven

Policies and Procedures:

Attendance: Since much of the written work is done in class, and all of the oral communication and spoken projects, you must be here in order to do your job. It’s not possible to make up the kind of work we’ll be doing without access to the class, nor is it fair to your group or the class (or me!) if you don’t prepare for the day’s conversation. Regular attendance and participation is crucial to the success of this course. I take issues of prompt, prepared attendance very seriously. If you aren’t in class, you can’t learn from class discussion nor do we have the chance to learn from you. Miss three classes, you’ll be docked a letter grade. Miss six classes, you’ll be dropped from the course. I also have no tolerance for tardiness; it disrupts class. Don’t do it.

Class Participation: Though there will be occasional lectures, this course is primarily discussion based. This means that participation is MANDATORY. A lack of participation will significantly affect your grade. Come to all classes prepared to talk about the reading materials. When a majority of the class has not done the reading, class discussion is curtailed and a quiz results. Also, be prepared to give extensive feedback to your fellow student’s on their writing and on their oral presentations. Class etiquette is extremely important for this course. We will be having several small and large group discussions, as well as individual and group presentations. It is extremely rude to carry on another conversation while someone else is talking, whether it is me or one of your classmates. If you can’t possibly pay attention, you should leave, and I reserve the right to ask students to leave the class at any time.

Presentations: You will be required to give two formal presentations in this class—one group and one individual. The group presentation will be on some aspect of the presidential election. The subject of your individual presentation will be an analysis of a current events/political/news publication (examples: New York Times, The Nation, Harper’s, Newsweek, etc….) You will receive detailed handouts with more information about these assignments.

Response Journal: For this course you are asked to keep an ongoing response journal. There will be no set schedule in which I collect these; it will be random. I will, however, give you one class period’s notice before I collect the journals. You are required to write in the journals three times a week for at least fifteen minutes each time. The subject of your writing will not be assigned, though it must relate to the course in some way. The journal is an outlet for you to work through your ideas on paper. Write about class discussion, assigned readings, or upcoming papers and presentations.

Discussion Leaders: One way in which you’ll be required to participate in this class is by acting as discussion leader. Once throughout the semester you will be assigned a day in which you take on this role. Though these are more informal presentations, they still play a large part in determining your grade. You will lead your fellow classmates (for at least the first five minutes of class) in an analysis of the day’s assigned reading.

The Speaking Center: The Speaking Center, located in 22 McIver Building, is resource that I highly encourage you to use. The hours are Mon 10am-8pm, Tue-Thurs 10am-6pm, and Fri 9am-Noon. To schedule an appointment, call 256-1346.

Grading:
Presentations (1 individual and 1 group): 40%
Class Participation: 25%
Paper (3-5 pages) on The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven: 15%
Response Journal: 10%
Quizzes: 10%

Class Schedule:

Week 1:
Aug 16: Introduction to class. Syllabus. Groups assigned.
Aug 18: Reading Life, p. 14-16 and p. 455-463
Aug 20: RL, p. 700-703 and 734-736

Week 2:
Aug 23: RL, p. 555-557 and 563-565. Sign up for discussion leaders.
Aug 25: RL, p. 583-589
Aug 27: RL, p. 74-81 and look through “color image gallery” on p. 91-122

Week 3:
Aug 30: Presentation on Speaking Center. RL, p. 547-550 and 551-554
Sept 1: RL, p. 170-177
Sept 3: RL, p. 307-315

Week 4:
Sept 6: Labor Day. No Classes.
Sept 8: Workshop in Speaking Center! Meet at 21 McIver (basement of McIver)
Sept 10: RL 481-485

Week 5:
Sept 13: RL, p. 640-651
Sept 15: RL, p 632- 636
Sept 17: Presentations on magazine advertisements

Week 6:
Sept 20: RL, p. 431-447
Sept 22: Bowling for Columbine film
Sept 24: Bowling for Columbine film

Week 7:
Sept 27: RL, 207-222
Sept 29:RL, p. 228-237
Oct 1 : RL, 238-240 and look at b&w images on p. 260-263

Week 8:
Oct 5: Handout
Oct 7: Group Presentations
Oct 9: Group Presentations. Mid-term letters due!

Fall Break!

Week 9:
Oct 13: RL, p. 788-793
Oct 15: RL, p. 754-764

Week 10:
Oct 18: Discuss Lone Ranger and Tonto
Oct 20: Lone Ranger and Tonto
Oct 22: Lone Ranger and Tonto

Week 11:
Oct 25: RL, p. 332-339
Oct 27: RL, p. 375-377
Oct 29: RL, 372-374

Week 12:
Nov 1: RL, 481-486
Nov 3: RL, 470-479
Nov 5: RL, p. 510-514

Week 13:
Nov 8: RL,p. 521-526
Nov 10: RL, p. 499-509
Nov 12: David Ives play Sure Thing. Your Teacher’s Birthday!

Week 14:
Nov 15: Presentation Prep
Nov 17: Individual Presentations
Nov 19: Individual Presentations

Week 15:
Nov 22: No classes

Thanksgiving Break!

Week 16:
Nov 29: RL, p. 146-151
Dec 1: RL, p. 178-181
Dec 3: Handout

Week 17:
Dec 6: “Wrap up” day
Dec 8: No classes
Dec 10: Papers due

End of Semester—Go and Relax!