Effective Date of this Description/Syllabus: Spring 2016
Prepared by: Dr. Rhonda V. Wilcox
Office: Honors House 104
Phone: (678) 359-5296
email: rhonda_w@gordonstate.edu
Spring office hours: TR 11:00-12:15; 3:30-4:30
W 12:30-2:00; 3:-5:00
Course Description/Syllabus
Course
Designation (discipline abbreviation & number): ENGL 1102
Course
Title:
Composition II
Class
hours per week: 3
Laboratory
hours per week: 0
Credit
hours: 3
Division
offering course: Humanities
Course
description for college bulletin:
A
composition course emphasizing interpretation and evaluation that incorporates
a variety of advanced research methods.
NOTE: If
you have not received a C in English 1101, you have not met the prerequisite
for English 1102. For most institutions, a C or better is required for
transfer.
Course
objectives:
English 1102 continues
the work of English 1101, with greater emphasis on literature, research,
analysis, and logical argument. Upon completion of English 1102, a student
should be able to:
understand and explain college-level reading;
write clear, coherent, well-constructed expository
essays which are logically and specifically developed, which contain few
serious errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics, and which unite style with
purpose;
understand quotation, documentation, and proper
research techniques;
demonstrate effective oral presentation of
college-level ideas;
demonstrate the ability to follow oral and written
instructions.
The
course thus addresses the college's expected outcomes for general education in
college-level reading and writing, bibliographic research and resource use, and
oral communication. Students will also have experiences related to the general
education outcomes in aesthetics.
The
Humanities Division’s formally stated objectives for all English 1102 classes
are:
Literacy
Objective
Students must
further advance their reading, comprehension, and response skills, both written
and oral, in relation to nuanced and complex texts.
Critical
Thinking Objectives
Students
should develop or significantly improve their ability to
•
Synthesize,
for example in the use of multiple texts as support for an original idea.
•
Reflect
on argumentative and research writing processes and products.
•
Develop
and respond to individualized critical questions.
Process
Objectives
Students
should develop or improve their ability to recognize and apply complex writing
processes, including but not limited to the following:
•
Increased
awareness of process fundamentals as stated in the process objectives section
of the ENGL 1101 Course Objectives. [See below.]
•
Strategies
and skills for academic research.
•
Strategies
and skills for framing and developing an argument.
•
Strategies
and skills for critical interpretation.
Product
Objectives
Students
should develop or improve their ability to produce an organized, coherent, and
developed essay demonstrating a mastery of Standard Written English.
Successful demonstration of these skills includes the following:
•
Increased
competency in rhetorical strategy as related to audience, tone, and purpose in
a variety of contexts.
•
Articulation
and understanding of complex subtleties involving a thesis idea.
•
Demonstration
of the ability to correctly apply modal competency in research and
argumentative situations.
•
Demonstration
of advanced documentation skills, including but not limited to the analysis,
interpretation, and appropriate documentation of primary and secondary critical
texts.
•
Competency
in grammatical and mechanical correctness.
•
Competency
in timed writing situations.
* Process
Objectives of English 1101
Students
should develop or improve their ability to recognize and apply complex writing
processes, including but not limited to the following:
•
Prewriting,
through various forms of invention.
•
Writing
and drafting.
•
Rewriting,
through revision and editing.
* LIBRARY HOURS: Because
Hightower Library is undergoing renovation this year,
we will not have the usual access. Instead of going to the library proper, you
will go to IC 117 and/or 112 and 116. Librarians will have to take books from
storage, so you will need to give them extra time to work with you. Hours (as
most recently announced) will be Mon-Thu 8:00 am--10pm; Fri 8:00 am--5 pm; Sun
2--10 pm; Saturday 10 am—2 pm.
Course
content:
English 1102 is a rhetoric-based writing course. For this class, the student
will write the following papers:
1.Literary analysis (no outside research),
500-600+ words (15%, in-class)
2.Argumentative essay (some research), 700-800+
words (15%, out-of-class); one third of this grade is constituted by an
associated oral presentation
3.Annotated bibliography (outside research),
500+ words (10%, out-of-class)
4.
Thoroughly documented literary research paper of at least 1500 words (excluding
outline, bibliography, etc., from the word count) with a minimum of 5 secondary
sources: i.e., a term paper (25%, out-of-class)
5.
Optional revision of essay 1, 2, 3, or 4 (to be averaged with the original
grade; out-of-class)
6. Final
exam, 500+ words (25%, in-class)
Students
will be required to produce out-of-class papers on a computer (available in the
Instructional Complex and library; or students may use their own).
Any
student who fails to turn in any of the essays (except the optional revision)
will fail the course. Any student who fails the in-class final exam will
receive no higher than a D in the course.
Class
participation, brief writing assignments (e.g. in-class paragraphs), pop
quizzes (usually on reading assignments), and exercises will make up the
remainder of the student's grade.
The kinds of instruction may include class preparation for writing, small-group
critiques of finished essays or preparatory work, oral presentation and
evaluation of papers, lectures, discussions, and other activities.
Each student will have a minimum of three
conferences (required to pass the course) with the instructor. Either the
student or the instructor may schedule additional conferences. Students MAY NOT
MISS OTHER CLASSES in order to attend a required English conference. If a
student is found to be missing another class in order to attend a conference
for this class, the relevant essay will be penalized five points. Any student
who has genuine difficulty scheduling a conference should discuss the problem
with the instructor outside class.
Required
Texts:
Venus, Wesley, and Mark King. The Gordon State College
Writing Handbook. Barnesville:
Gordon College, 2015. Ebook. < http://faculty.gordonstate.edu/wvenus/Handbook.htm >.
Literature and Ourselves: A Thematic
Introduction for Readers and Writers. 6th ed. Ed. Gloria Mason Henderson et al.
New York: Pearson-Longman, 2009. Print.
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic, 2012. Print.
Required folder: Attach papers (essays and
revisions) in the folder, earliest assignments on the bottom. AT THE END OF
THE SEMESTER, TURN IN THE FOLDER (required).
Grading
Policy:
Standards: A=90-100; B=80-89; C=70-79; D=60-69; F=below 60
B+ =88; B
=85; B- = 82; C+ =78, etc.
The following description of grade standards (composed by the faculty of Elon
College) further explains the evaluation process:
A:
This indicates clearly superior
work. The A theme has significant content and a clear purpose that it
successfully accomplishes without major errors of any kind. Its organization
and style are appropriate to the subject, which is so restricted that it can be
intelligently treated within the limits of the paper. It handles the mechanics
of punctuation, sentence and paragraph
construction, and the choice of diction and idiom logically and appropriately.
B:
This indicates writing that is clearly of good quality. Although the B theme
will probably lack some of the insight and tight control of superior work, it
demonstrates the same ability of handling significant content according to a
clear purpose. Its organization and mechanics are free of major errors.
C:
This represents average college work, but it possesses few distinguishing
qualities. It may show some breakdown in logic and organization, careless
proofreading, and a deficiency in writing mechanics.
D:
This grade indicates a piece of writing that falls below average college work.
Although the D theme may show a potential for average achievement, it is flawed
by mechanical errors, such a s those of spelling,
punctuation, and capitalization. It does manage to convey its ideas to the
reader, but its organization is probably weak.
F:
This indicates unacceptable college writing. It is likely to be marred by
serious errors of punctuation, spelling, diction, sentence and paragraph construction.
The subject is likely to be incoherently presented.
Some
examples of serious errors are: sentence fragments; comma splices; fused
sentences
Some examples of lesser errors are:
capitalization mistakes; inappropriate (vs. inaccurate) diction
•
ADA and 504
•
If you have a documented disability as described by the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,
Section 504, you may be eligible to receive accommodations to assist in
programmatic and/or physical accessibility. The Counseling and
Accessibility Services office located in the Student Center, Room 212 can
assist you in formulating a reasonable accommodation plan and in providing
support in developing appropriate accommodations to ensure equal access to all
GSC programs and facilities. Course requirements will not be waived, but
accommodations may assist you in meeting the requirements. For
documentation requirements and for additional information, contact Counseling
and Accessibility Services at 678-359-5585.
•
Title IX
•
Gordon State College is committed to providing an environment
free of all forms of discrimination and sexual harassment, including sexual
assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking. If you (or
someone you know) has experienced or experiences any of these incidents, know
that you are not alone. All faculty members at Gordon State College are
mandated reporters. Any student reporting any type of sexual harassment,
sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence or stalking must be made
aware that any report made to a faculty member under the provisions of Title IX
will be reported to the Title IX Coordinator or a Title IX Deputy
Coordinator. If you wish to speak with someone confidentially, you must
contact the Counseling and Accessibility Services office, Room 212, Student
Life Center. The licensed counselors in the Counseling Office are able to
provide confidential support.
•
Gordon State College does not discriminate against any student
on the basis of pregnancy, parenting or related conditions. Students
seeking accommodations on the basis of pregnancy, parenting or related
conditions should contact Counseling and Accessibility Services regarding the
process of documenting pregnancy related issues and being approved for accommodations,
including pregnancy related absences as defined under Title IX.
Student Evaluation of Instruction: Near the end of this course, you will be
asked to evaluate the instruction of the course. Your honest responses will
help make this a better course. Also, please feel free to make suggestions during the course. Remember, I want to
hear from you.
Plagiarism,
Cheating:
The
English faculty of Gordon College views any form of cheating as a serious
violation of commonly accepted standards of honesty. All student work must be
solely that of the person submitting the work. Any giving or receiving of
unauthorized help from others or from notes or other materials during the
course of taking a quiz, test, or exam or in writing a paper will result in an
F on the work; any use of forbidden materials such as rough drafts during the
course of in-class writing will also result in an F for the assignment. Note
that an F on the work involved in cheating is the minimum punishment; a zero on
the work is another possible consequence; if justified by aggravating
circumstances, the matter may be referred to the Academic Dean or (according to
a rule approved by the Faculty Senate in Fall 2009) the Dean of Students. See
the Academic Dishonesty Policy in the Academic Catalog (pp. 60-61).
Moreover,
when source materials are used in the writing of papers, the student must
document such use of sources both by clearly indicating material being used as
quotation and by giving proper recognition when ideas or information has been
paraphrased or summarized; the following principles enunciated in the section
on avoiding plagiarism in James D. Lester's Writing
Research Papers: A Complete Guide, 8th edition, should be scrupulously
observed:
1. Acknowledge borrowed
material by introducing the quotation or paraphrase with the name of the
authority. This practice serves to indicate where borrowed materials begin.
2. Enclose within quotation
marks all quoted materials.
3. Make certain that
paraphrased material has been rewritten into your own style and language. The
simple rearrangement of sentence patterns is unacceptable. [To illustrate: It
is unacceptable to simply rearrange sentence patterns.]
4. Provide specific in-text
documentation for each borrowed item. For example, MLA [Modern Language
Association] style requires name and page for all in-text references.
Requirements differ for other fields . . . .
5. Provide a bibliographic entry
on the Works Cited page for every source cited in the paper.
6. Omit [from the
bibliography] sources consulted but not cited in the text. This point is important.You do not want your instructor leafing back
through the paper trying to find your use of a source that, in truth, was not
cited. (140-41)
Furthermore, you must avoid collusion. Here is
a definition from the Humanities Chair:
Collusion is
defined as receiving excessive help to the point that a work can no longer be
considered the product of a single author and therefore cannot be accurately
assessed an individual grade. If I suspect a submitted work to be the result of
collusion, I reserve the right to refuse credit for that work if the claimed
author is unable to demonstrate sole authorship. A good way to avoid this
problem is to get help from the Student Success Center rather than from family
or friends.
I may decide to have you submit some of your
work to Turnitin.com. Terms and Conditions of Use may be found at http://www.turnitin.com/static/usage.html.
In general, if you have a question, feel free
to ask it. My goal is for you to learn and to enjoy learning.
Business
procedures
Cell
phones,
Blackberries, and other electronic devices: Turn off your cell phones
and any other electronic devices before class begins. Exception: Emergency
personnel may leave theirs on and slip out of class to take phone calls in the
hall when necessary. If you have a job as an EMT (or similar work), notify
me during the first week of classes and be sure to sit near the door. All
students should remember that they will receive a class participation grade,
and cell phone interruptions disturb discussion. If you are texting during
class, it suggests that you do not find the course to need your full attention.
What kind of impression do you think that will make on the teacher?
Attendance: You may receive a WF if you fail to attend regularly. If you
receive a WF, you will be ineligible for VA and other financial assistance.
As a matter of courtesy, you should explain your absences to me. However, you
should realize that even "excused" absences count against you--not as
a moral judgment, but simply as a matter of getting business done. As a
college student, you are responsible for all class and assigned work whether
you are present or not. Whenever possible, you should notify me ahead of
time (in person, by phone, by email, or by a note slipped under my office door)
if you must miss a class, so that we can try to make appropriate arrangements.
Leave a message by phone or email as soon as possible. Because of the volume of
email I receive, I cannot provide lengthy explanations or commentary by email.
Do feel free to use your email to contact me if you have a problem, but follow
up later by phone or in person. If you must miss a class and cannot contact
anyone, then prepare the next assignment listed on the schedule (see last
page of syllabus).
Some
work, such as in-class essays, can be made up only under special extenuating
circumstances (work not made up gets a zero unless it is excused). Students who
miss more than nine MWF, six MW or TR, or three once-a-week evening classes
normally fail the course. Three tardies equal one
absence. In general, it is a good idea to save your cuts because (1) you may
get deathly ill towards the end of the quarter, and not have enough allotted
absences left, and (2) things actually do happen in class.
Late papers: Late papers, including revisions, are penalized five points
per calendar day. I am very strict about this policy. On the other hand, I am
very reasonable about giving extensions (without grade penalty) for good cause
IF you arrange the matter beforehand. If you do not get an extension
beforehand, then the penalty will stand unless you can produce evidence of
serious, unavoidable problems intervening in the composition process.
My office (see full contact information on page one): Feel free to visit
me to talk about the course (whether you have a problem or just an interest).
You may also leave messages on or under my door. You may call me at my office
at 678-359-5296. My email address is rhonda_w@gordonstate.edu. If you find
yourself involved in an English Emergency, you may also call me at home
(404-373-5328). (I have kept my landline for my students’ convenience.)
In
general,
LET ME KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON and ASK FOR HELP IF YOU NEED IT!
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Additional
readings may be assigned.
Lit=Literature and Ourselves; HG=The Hunger
Games. Short stories (with titles
in quotation marks) and plays (with titles italicized) are in Lit. Read the
material before the class period in which it is listed below; it will be
discussed during the class period in which it is listed (T=Tuesday, R=Thursday).
If you miss class, keep up with the reading listed below.
Week 1 (1/7) R: Introductory material; writing
sample
Week 2 (1/12-14) T: “A Rose for Emily,” 480; R:
“A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” 1075
Week 3 (1/19-21) T: “Araby,”
984; R: Literary analysis: Lit 1-13, 23-39
Week 4 (1/26-28); T: Quotation review, Lit 1149-55; R: Literary
Analysis Essay (15%, in-class)
Week 5 (2/2-4) T: Required conferences: some
class members will have conferences during the period; others will meet outside
of class on various days; R: Trifles,
763
Week 6 (2/9-11) T: A Doll’s House, 332; R: Argumentation, “Love Is a Fallacy,” 238
Week 7 (2/16-18) T: Research techniques; begin
argumentation assignment work; R: paraphrase review
Week 8 (2/23-25) T: Research techniques, continued;
bibliography, Lit 1155-64; R: preparation for oral presentation
[Monday
Feb. 29: last day to drop classes without WF]
Week 9 (3/1-3) T: Oral presentation (in-class); R: Argumentative Essay (out-of-class) due (15% in
combination)
Week 10 (3/7-11) Spring Break
Week 11 (3/15-17) T: Required conferences; R: The
Hunger Games Ch. 1-6
Week 12 (3/22-24) T: HG Ch. 7-12; R: Ch.
13-16
Week 13 (3/29-31) T: HG Ch. 17-27 (end); R: critical essays
on HG TBA
Week 14 (4/5-7) T: Term paper subject due,
critical essays continued; R: Annotated Bibliography due (10% out-of-class);
Week 15 (4/12-14) T: Term Paper planning
conferences; R: research, discussion continued
Week 16 (4/19-21) T: Term Paper rough draft due
for in-class workshop; R: Term Paper due (25%)
Week 17 (4/26) T: Exam preparation, readings
from Lit; Term Paper feedback; R: Optional Revision due
April 28 will be a campus-wide study day.
FINAL EXAM
For 12:30 class: Friday April 29, 10:15
a.m.—12:15 p.m.
For 2:00 class: Tuesday May 3, 12:30—2:30 p.m.
Any
changes made to the syllabus are at the instructor’s discretion.