English Composition 101-26

Spring 2002 TR 2:00-3:15

McIver 330

 

Instructor: Rita Jones-Hyde

rljones3@uncg.edu

Office: Petty 01D

Office Hours:  Monday 2:00-3:30, Tuesday 12:30-2:00, and by appointment

 

“If you can write one true sentence, then you are a writer.” ~ Hemingway

           

Welcome to English 101!  I am looking forward to having a wonderful and eventful semester.  English 101 is designed to help you become a better writer through the use of rhetoric and revision.  Your writing skills will improve and will be applicable to any college classroom setting.  You will learn to communicate your ideas and thoughts in a clear and pertinent manner to your fellow classmates and to your reader.  In addition you will write, revise, and revise, creating your midterm and final portfolio.  Through the combination of continual and sometimes habitual writing and active participation (speaking and writing in class and groups everyday), you will also learn more about your own abilities as a writer and also about your writing process.

 

Learning Goals:

Read, write, and revise texts

Communicate, interpret, and evaluate constructive arguments

Use and understand relevant information

Demonstrate and understand the aims of intellectual discourse

Evaluate different viewpoints

 

Required Texts:

The Brief Bedford Reader 

Writing Matters: A Guide to English 101

The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven

A Writer’s Reference

 

Recommended Texts:

The Writer’s Reference

Dictionary or Thesaurus

 

Class Materials:

Loose-leaf paper for writer’s notebooks and in-class writing assignments

(Do not use a spiral notebook)

Three ring binder for midterm portfolio and final portfolio

UNCG email account

Internet (Blackboard) access

Please bring your writer’s notebook, drafts, and previous in-class writing assignments to each class

 

Attendance:

You are allowed two absences before action will be taken.  Because in-class discussions and in-class writing assignments are essential to the class, any additional absences will result in a reduction from your final grade.  At five absences you will be dropped from the course.  For each missed class you will be held accountable for the homework and writer’s notebook missed.  Also, you must come prepared to the class following your absence.

 

Writer’s Notebook:

This is a notebook consisting of your responses to readings, discussions, and assignments.  Each entry should be two full hand-written pages or one full typed page with twelve point times new roman font and one inch margins.  One entry is required for every class period i.e. two entries per week.  Be creative with your notebook!  I will take up the entries every two weeks.  Also, entries will be a part of the midterm and final portfolios.

 

In-Class Writing:

The in-class writing assignments may be used as a jumping off point for discussion or often as small group assignments.  I may also use writing prompts or ask for short written reflections, responses to texts, or responses to groups.  Furthermore, free writes, suggested by you, usually begin each class period.  You may use the in-class writings as ideas for your four major papers or for topics to notebook entries.

 

Group Discussion:

Group discussions include revision workshops, papers, and projects.  You will be placed into various groups and asked to exchange, read, and discuss each others papers.  There should be a designated group leader, who keeps the session on task, and a recorder, who writes down important breakthroughs on the paper or topic.  When reading each others papers please pay special attention to clarity, organization, additions, and revisions.  Group discussions may also include discussions on recent readings or presentations.

 

Group Presentations/Book Club:

During the semester, you will work in a book club group.  You will read selections from Sherman Alexie’s The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven and construct a presentation based on a collection of the short stories.  All group members will be held accountable for their activities in the group, and I will continuously observe and monitor the group’s progress.

 

Grading and late work:

I am not going to grade every paper that you turn in to me.  You will receive credit for all work completed on time which will count towards your grades listed below.  In lieu of letter grades you will get comments that will help you revise.  No late papers will be accepted!

25% participation (including but not limited to in-class writing, group work, and writer’s notebooks)

25% midterm portfolio

50% final portfolio

 

Plagiarism:

Any type, form, or method of plagiarism will not be tolerated in my class.  Don’t do it.  It’s not worth it!  For definitions and punishments see the Student Academic Handbook.

 

Students with Disabilities:

If you have a disability that could affect your performance in this course or for which you need accommodation, please contact me and/or the office of Disability Services at 334-5400.

 

Additional Information and Resources:

Blackboard: http://bb.uncg.edu

Style Guides:  http://library.uncg.edu/depts/ref/qil/styles.htm

Jackson Library:  http://library.uncg.edu

Composition website:  www.uncg.edu/eng/comp

Writing Center:  www.uncg.edu/eng/writingcenter

            Open M-TH 9-8 and F 9-3            101 McIver

            Call 334-3122 for more information or to make an appointment

 

 

Weekly Schedule:

 

January 14:             introduction, course syllabus

 

January 16:             Writing Matters (WM) pg. 10-17, 20-23, 79-85

 

 

January 21:             WM pg. 38-43

                                     Joan Didion-On Keeping a Notebook (ereserve)

 

January 23:             Brief Bedford Reader (BBR)-Didion-Marrying Absurd

                                      

 

January 28:             Angelou-Champion of the World (BBR)

                                       Tan-Fish Cheeks (BBR)

                                     Alexie-Indian Education (BBR)

 

January 30:             Notebooks Due

                                     Angelou-Graduation (ereserve)

                                      

 

February 4:              Rough Draft Essay #1 (2 copies)

                                        Workshops

 

February 6:             Conferences on Essay #1

 

 

                                   

February 11:             Revised Essay #1 Due

                                      WM pg. 44-48

                                        Lahiri-Indian Takeout (BBR)

 

February 13:            Angelou-Uncle Willie: chapter 2 (ereserve)

 

 

February 18:            Notebooks Due

                                        Bring a picture

                                        One observation

February 20:            White-Once More to the Lake (BBR)

 

February 25:            Rough Draft #2 Due

                                      Workshops (Bring 2 copies)

 

February 27:            Conference #2

                                      Bring Midterm Portfolio Materials

 

 

March 4:                    Revised Essay #2 Due

                                        Work Day

 

March 6:                    Midterm Portfolios Due

 

March 8-17th           Spring Break

 

March 18:                March 19th Last Day to Drop Classes

                                    Buckley Jr.-Why Don’t We Complain? (BBR)

                                     

March 20:                Swift-Modest Proposal (ereserve)

                                      WM pg. 49-56

 

March 25:                 Stanton-Declaration of Sentiments (ereserve)

                                       Jefferson-Declaration of Independence (ereserve)

March 27:                Rough Draft #3 Due

                                    Workshops (Bring 2 copies)

 

April 1:                     Conference #3

                                    Notebooks due at Conference

April 3:                     Brady-I Want a Wife (BBR)

                                      Brott-Not All Men Are Sly Foxes (BBR)

 

April 8:                     Revised Draft #3 Due

                                     Alexie-Lone Ranger and Tonto

April 10:                   Book club work day

                                      Two to three page reflection on short story due

 

April 15:                   Notebooks Due

                                    Group Presentations

 

April 17:                   Group Presentations

 

 

April 22:                  Discuss Reflection Letters

                                     WM pg. 72-78

 

April 24:                  Final Conferences

 

 

April 29:                  Work Day (Bring final portfolio materials)

May 1:                       Final Portfolio Due

 

Tuesday May 13th    Final Exam 3:30-6:30  Pick up final Portfolios