English
102s-07--Spring 2003
"The
purpose of the writer is that he (she) is here to observe things that others
are to busy to observe." James
Baldwin
Instructor: Uzzie Cannon
Class Info: MWF,
Office Hours: MWF,
Office Phone: 334-3294 (better to email me)
Email: utcannon@uncg.edu
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Course Objective:
The purpose of this course is to help develop
and enhance your critical thinking skills through reading, writing, and
speaking--all of which are important to college success and everyday life. This will be accomplished through your constant
awareness of your own writing process, through your careful reading, and
critical analysis. Also, you will also be responsible for formally presenting
your research in a clear and coherent manner to your peers. You should be
prepared to do a great deal of reading and writing in and out of class.
Course Goals:
Upon
satisfactory completion of the course, students will be able to
1. Critically
read and analyze discourse
2. Use rhetorical strategies for organizing and developing thesis statements and presentations
3. Construct logical arguments
4. Communicate those arguments clearly, coherently and effectively
5. Write clear and effective essays on selected topics
6. Proofread
and edit essays
7. Develop evaluative research skills, both library
and online sources
8. Actively participate in group collaboration and
presentations
Teaching
Strategies:
Lecture, class discussions, group work and
presentation, formal essays, and formal speeches
Ramage, John D., et al. The
Allyn and Bacon Guide to Writing, 3ed, Brief Ed.
Online
Texts—TBD
Three-Prong
Sturdy Folder
Access
to an email account checked EVERYDAY
Access
to my website: www.uncg.edu/~utcannon
VHS
–videotape w/ name on it.
Requirements:
Writing
Portfolios
3-Formal
Essays
3-
Formal Presentations
In-class
writing
Informal
Speeches
2
Conferences
Group
Work/Presentations
Good
Attendance
Requirements Explanations
Writing Portfolios will
contain, as stated above, two formal essays along with two in-class pieces.
This should give you 15 pages of polished work. You will select all pieces, for
entry. The quality of the work in your
portfolio and meeting all the
requirements will determine your grade in this class.
Formal essays will represent the type of
essays you will be expected to write at some point during your college
career. Exactly what you will write on
will be given at a later time. You will be expected to have drafts written and
ready to be read by your peers and me throughout the semester. These essays
will become major components of your final portfolio, and therefore must be
well polished. In order to pass this class, all essays must be revised and
turned in. The workshops and conferences held throughout the semester should
help you in creating final pieces.
Free Friday Assignments
You
each will sign up for a particular Friday where you will informally present to
the class on the subject or idea listed for that day. You will have only ten minutes to present and
should bring handouts and/or other visuals to aid in your presentation. These presentations will count towards your
final presentation grade, so you should be thoroughly prepared to do them.
Conferences: You will be required to meet individually
with me twice during the course of this semester: at mid-term and at the end of
the semester.
Final Evaluation:
Final
Portfolio 40%
Presentations 40%
Participation 20%
Every assignment in this
class is important!
Don't
worry too much about not being graded on writing turned in to me. You will be
made aware of how you're doing through satisfactory or unsatisfactory comments
on your work at times. If you have
questions about your progress in this class, it is your responsibility to come
to me to conference about it. Anyway, if
you do everything that is asked of you, especially revising, you should do well
in this class.
Attendance:
Being
in class every meeting is essential in your becoming a better writer and
speaker. Further, there are times when I will give prompts in class that you
will need for specific assignments and if you are not there then you cannot get
the assignment done.
Please note that you are
allowed four absences without penalty; that is it!.
After four absences, you will fail this class regardless of the reasons missed. You usually would have
three in this particular class, but I will allow four. If you
know that you are going to be absence when an assignment is due, it is in your
best interest to turn it in ahead of time.
I will not accept late work or give make-up work. Tardiness is not
allowed whatsoever; three tardies constitute an
absence.
Words
to the wise, come to class every meeting and
definitely be on time. I cannot tolerate
those that do not arrive to class on time; it really perturbs me. My time is precious and so are your fellow classmates’.
Respect:
As
an undergraduate, you are now a part of a diverse group. Therefore, you must be respectful of those
that do not see things the way you do.
Further, there should be no talking, sleeping, or passing notes while
the instructor or classmates are speaking.
Please do not leave the class to smoke, talk with friends, or make
unnecessary phone calls. No pagers, cell phones, or other electronics should be
operated while in class. Remember, respect is a two way street. If you have any concerns surrounding these
types of issues, I am more than happy to talk with you after class.
Plagiarism Policy:
Simple-DON'T DO IT. There are two types, intentional and
accidental, both self-explanatory. There
are dire consequences for both. If you
have any questions about citing information in your work, please ask. To be on the safe side, any time you refer to
outside sources just cite the information. Skim the Academic Integrity Policy
in your Student Handbook.
The
M-13 Introduction to Class
HW—Read
pp. 5-16 (No writing) and 686-700
W-15 Demands of College Writing and Speaking
HW—Read
pp. 25-38
F-17 Pursing
Problems
HW—Read
pp.40-59
M-20 NO CLASS—DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
W-22 Thinking Rhetorically Part I
HW
Read pp. 60-81
F-24
Thinking Rhetorically Part II
HW—Read
pp. 197-201
M-27 Informative Writing (with a Surprise)
HW—Read
“Not Guilty. . .”pp. 201 and “”Behind Stone Walls. . .”pp. 204
W-29 Discuss
HW--Do
Writing Project on p. 199 (1-2 pp. only)
F-31 FREE FRIDAY—INFORM YOUR CLASSMATES
HW—Bring
in a copy of the Sunday Paper
M-3 IN CLASS Research Assignment w/ Newspaper
HW-Bring
in your favorite magazine—NO PORN
W-5 Magazines Assignment
HW—Read
“Two Cheers for Materialism” (online)
And “Winners and Losers in the Information
Age” (online)
F-7 Discuss
M-10 WORKSHOP ESSAY # 1
W-12 ESSAY 1 FINAL DRAFT DUE/ WORKSHOP PRESENTATION w/ PowerPoint/
VIEW SPEECHES / MEET IN Stone 227
Computer Lab
F- 14 FREE FRIDAY—If You Could Invite 5 People (Dead or Alive) to
Dinner, Who Would They Be and Why?
M-17 Presentations of Informative Essay
W-19
Presentations of Informative Essay
F-21 Presentations of Informative Essay
M-24 Intro to Analysis and Synthesis
HW—Read
218-219, Do writing Project on 222
W-26 Analyzing Images/Analyzing Film
F-28 FREE FRIDAY—SHARE YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE
M-3 CONFERENCES
W-5 CONFERENCES
F-7 NO CLASS—GET AHEAD ON YOUR WORK
10-14
SPRING BREAK
M-17 FILM
W-19
FILM
F-21 FREE FRIDAY—BOOK SHARE
HW—Read
pp.275-285 and “The Lottery” and “Battle Royal”(online)
M-24 Analyzing a Short Story
HW—Read
“Hands” and “Sweat” (online)
W-26
Discuss
F-28 NO CLASS—(Get Essay 2 written)
M-31 WORKSHOP ESSAY 2
W-2 ESSAY 2 FINAL DRAFT DUE/WORKSHOP Presentation
2
F-4 Presentation of Essay 2
M-7 Presentation of Essay 2
W-9 Presentation of Essay 2
F-11 FREE FRIDAY—Why Should
HW—Read
pp. 372-376 and “Resistance to Civil Government”
M-14 Writing a Classical Argument
W-16
Dilemma Activities
F-18 NO CLASS—Don’t Forget to meet with groups
for debate
M-21 Groupwork on
Arguments/Conferences
W-23 Groupwork on
Arguments/Conferences
F-25 Groupwork on
Arguments/Conferences
M-28 DEBATES Rough Draft ESSAY 3 DUE
W-30 DEBATES FINAL ESSAY 3 DUE
F-2 Workshop PORTFOLIOS
M-5 Portfolios DUE in Class
PORTFOLIOS
RETURNED DURING EXAM TIME