COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is designed to help you become better readers, writers, and critical
thinkers. With a little luck and effort, this course will help you devise
strategies for other college and career writing, as well. In this class your
voice and style will not be banned; as a matter of fact, they are required.
To be successful, develop your writing persona, an awareness of audience,
and a sense of purpose; these tools make your rhetoric stronger.
We’ll discuss how to develop tone (persona), how to develop and manipulate
ideas (message/purpose), and how readers (audience) affect both persona and
message. We will have a lot of discussions, in small groups and as a class.
These groups (and your work in them) will be an important part of your success.
Ultimately, through this class, I hope you develop confidence in your writing,
recognize the writing tools you already own, and take fun and interesting rhetorical
chances. The best writers take chances. And this is scary, but we’ll
be reading our work out loud at times. It’s a good method for editing.
Save all drafts of your work!
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Axelrod, Rise B. et al: Reading Critically, Writing Well, 7e
Jordan, A. Van: M-A-C-N-O-L-I-A
UNCG Composition Dept: Writing Matters
Items on e-reserve through Blackboard
REQUIRED ADDITIONAL MATERIALS:
Three-ring binder
Paper and writing utensil brought daily
EMAIL AND BLACKBOARD:
You must have access to the internet and a UNCG email account. You need to
have an e-Spartan username and password to access Blackboard. Check Blackboard
often: blackboard.uncg.edu.
LEARNING GOALS for English 101 include:
Writing and evaluating arguments
Communicating clearly and effectively
Evaluating and using relevant information
Understanding aims and methods of intellectual discourse
Evaluating different viewpoints
ATTENDANCE:
This class relies upon your active participation. For that reason, you are
excused only two days, the equivalent of a week of class. After this point,
your grade will lower one letter grade per absence. Showing up 10 minutes
late or leaving 10 minutes early is equal to an absence. Three tardies equal
an absence. In extreme cases (car accidents, hospitalization, etc.), we will
work together to find a solution. In such an event, you will need a doctor’s
or university-authorized excuse. If you are absent, you are responsible for
obtaining any materials and completing any assignments prior to the next
class meeting.
BASIC ASSIGNMENTS:
JOURNAL: This is out-of-class typed writing. This is your place to sketch out
ideas and express yourself. Feel free to use your journal as a place for
creative writing. You must write in your journal at least twice a week. I
will give you a one-class warning before I collect them. You will turn them
in to me in the three-ring binder you will use to submit your portfolio.
At least one of those entries should concern your expectations and evaluation
of one of the readings from the week. When writing these entries, ask yourself:
1. Before reading: what are my expectations? How does the title inform my reading?
What do I know about the writer?
2. After reading: Did the piece meet my expectations? What can I take from
the piece and into my everyday life? If this isn’t possible, why isn’t
it and in what ways could the author have gotten more out of the topic?
FORMAL ESSAYS: You will write three formal essays during the semester. Each will be between three and five pages. All of our readings, weekly responses, class discussions, and informal writings will help you write your essays.
PORTFOLIOS: As a mid-term assignment, you will submit approximately 10 polished pages to me. Your final assignment is to submit 20 polished pages. There will be further information on this shortly. I just want to warn you, again, to save every single sheet of paper you produce in this course. You will be able to use pages from pretty much every assignment, so be sure to save them. Save all drafts, free writes, and brainstorms.
GENERAL COURTESY:
1. Turn off all electronic devices. A ringing telephone disrupts class and
affects your grade.
2. The five values listed in your Student Code of Conduct are Honesty, Trust,
Fairness, Respect, and Responsibility.
3. Expect your fellow students to have different views than you. Keep the feelings
of others in mind. If you think you shouldn’t say something, don’t
say it.
CLASS PARTICIPATION:
Your voice, your actions, and your engagement with the texts and with each
other are important to your grade. You will lose participation points for
each activity or assignment you do not complete. Major participation assignments
include:
1. Writing Leader – Each student will take a turn being the in-class
writing leader. This person will bring in a topic for the class to write about
for the first 10 minutes of class. Topics will be related to what we are reading
and writing. You should bring in something—article, website, song, video,
story to read.—to spark our writing.
2. Free Writes – 5 to 10 minutes and free-form. Do not worry about spelling
or grammar. This will be where we will get some ideas to start the day. You
revise a few of these writings to include in your final portfolio. These revisions
will be edited, typed, and expanded.
3. Conferences – You will meet with me at least twice during the semester.
Each time we meet you should bring your work and questions or concerns to discuss.
If we have scheduled a conference and you miss it, it is the same as missing
a class.
LATE ASSIGNMENTS:
Assignments are to be turned in during class. You may turn it in to my mailbox
by the end of the day and lose five points. Assignments turned in a day late
will lose 10 points. Two days late, you lose 20 points and so on. If you
know beforehand that you will be absent the day an assignment is due, turn
it in early. The “On-time Drafts” portion of your grade rewards
you for turning in essay drafts on time. Portfolios must be in on time—no
exceptions.
PLAGIARISM:
DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Plagiarism is the theft of words and/or ideas; it is a serious
offense that could result in failing the course or expulsion from the university.
THE WRITING CENTER:
Located in 101 McIver, this resource is available for all students who want
to get feedback on drafts in progress. Tutors will teach you to develop ideas,
organize, edit, compose and proofread your paper. Call 334-3125 for an appointment
or stop by.
DISABILITY SERVICES:
Students with any sort of disability who need accommodations for any of their
courses should contact 334-5440.
GRADING:
Your essays will not have letter or number grades when you get them back. They
will have advice on how you could make stronger arguments or present your
ideas more thoroughly.
Participation 20% (group work, in-class writing, writing workshops, readings,
discussion, etc.)
Journal 20% (out-of-class, typed writing, graded on a 0-10 scale)
On-time Drafts 10% (see dates on course schedule)
Portfolio 50% (mid-term and final) Again, save your drafts so you can include
them here.
GENERAL CALENDAR:
-THESE DATES ARE NOT CARVED IN STONE-
RC- Reading Critically, Writing Well
Mac- M-A-C-N-O-L-I-A
WM- Writing Matters
8.16 Intro to English 101
8.18 Step 1: What is a sentence? RC 1-26, 33-39
8.19 Last day to change courses without special permission.
Last day to drop course for tuition and fees refund.
8.23 Grammar Day
8.25 Ideas: Where do they come from? RC 27-32, 40-52
8.30 Workshopping: Talkin’ ‘bout other folks’ stuff. Personal
Narrative Workshop
WM 15-16
9.1 Audience: You Talkin’ to Me? RC 59-69, WM 7-10
Bring two copies of Personal Narrative to Class
9.6 student conferences (2nd Draft to my mailbox Monday with marked copy of
1st Draft)
9.8 student conferences (2nd Draft to my mailbox Monday with marked copy of
1st Draft)
5 9.13 Revision and You: What works? RC 326-357, Personal Narrative Due
9.15 TBA
9.20 TBA
9.22 TBA
9.27 TBA
9.29 TBA
10.4 TBA - Mid-Term Portfolio Due
10.6 Visit Weatherspoon Art Gallery
10.11 Fall Break- NO CLASS
10.13 Mac
10 10.18 Mac
10.19 A. Van Jordan Reading
10.20 Mac wrap-up/comparison of expectations. Turn in 1-page evaluation of
reading.
10.25 Evaluation Essay Due
10.27 TBA
11.1 TBA
11.3 TBA
11.8 TBA
11.10 TBA
11.15 student conferences
11.17 student conferences
15 11.22 Argumentative Essay Due
11.24 Thanksgiving Break - NO CLASS
11.29 Portfolio Workshop–
12.1 Portfolio Workshop, WRAP-UP/EVALUATION –
12.5 Final portfolio due in my office by 5:00