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Have something to say, and say it as clearly as you can. That is the only secret of style.
Matthew Arnold
I have never had a thought which I could not set down in words with ever more distinctiveness than that which I conceived it.
Edgar Allan Poe
The structure of every sentence is a lesson in logic.
John Stuart Mill
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Mr. Neal E. Buck
Office: MHRA 3210E
Office Hours: Monday 12:00 – 1:00 and Thursday 12:00 – 1:00
TIME AND LOCATION
TR 2:00 – 3:15 in MHRA 1210
REQUIRED TEXTS for CORE 101
Babb, Jacob, Courtney Wooten, and Sally Smits, Eds. Techne Rhetorike: Techniques of Discourse for Writers and Speakers. Plymouth, Michigan: Hayden-McNeil, 2011. Print.
Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. They Say I Say With Readings. New York: Norton, 2008. Print.
Miscellaneous essays on Blackboard.
Blackboard
You will be required to print essays I will post on Blackboard, read them, and bring them to class. We will also use Blackboard courseware as a way to publish class information and materials.
How to Contact the Instructor
The best way to contact me is by email ().
REQUIRED WORK
Participation (5%)
Discussion Questions (DQs) and Quizzes on the Readings (10%)
In and Out of Class Writings/Journals (10%)
4 Critical Reading Logs (CRLs): First Draft (15%)
4 CRLs: Revised (20%)
Final Portfolio (graded holistically for 40% of the final grade)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
English 101: Composition I
University of North Carolina-Greensboro
Statement of Student Learning Outcomes and Course Requirements
(Effective Fall 2011)
English 101 satisfies three of the six hours of the Reasoning and Discourse (GRD) requirement
at UNCG, which asserts that students “gain skills in intellectual discourse, including constructing
cogent arguments, locating, synthesizing and analyzing documents, and writing and speaking
clearly, coherently, and effectively” (http://web.uncg.edu/reg/Bulletin/Current/UnivReq/
GECDescription.aspx).
In addition, English 101 is designed to address Learning Goal #1 (LG1) in the UNCG General
Education Program. This is the ability to “think critically, communicate effectively, and develop
appropriate fundamental skills in quantitative and information literacies.” (http://web.uncg.edu/
reg/Bulletin/Current/UnivReq/GECProgram.aspx)
The following are English 101 student learning outcomes, each of which correspond to both the
GRD goals and to LG1:
English 101 Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):
At the completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Analyze the content and structure of complex texts (written, oral, and/or visual in nature);
2. Compose cogent, evidence-based, argumentative texts;
3. Identify and employ the rhetorical triangle, the canons, and the appeals in both formal
and informal discourse;
4. Summarize, quote, paraphrase, and synthesize source material in support of an argument;
5. Employ drafting, peer review, and revision techniques in order to improve content, style,
and structure of their own writing;
6. Appraise their own composing abilities and composing processes through critical
reflection.
REQUIRED MATERIALS
• A college dictionary of your choice. The OED (Oxford English Dictionary) is the best and most comprehensive English language dictionary, and you can access it here through the Walter Clinton Jackson Library website: http://www.oed.com.libproxy.uncg.edu/.
• A writing notebook with pockets (for journal entries, free writes, reading responses, class notes, handouts, etc.)
• $Money$ for photocopies and incidentals. I generally do not accept emailed work, so be sure to have enough printer money to cover printing expenses for the semester, including printing the documents I have posted on Blackboard and your own writings.
• Electronic storage device (optional but recommended)
COURSE FORMAT
This course is both self-directed and self-propelling. You will get out of it as much as you put into it. Learning about the world by writing about it in a self-conscious and responsive way is something very new for most of us. Likewise, for most of us, learning to write effectively and authentically is a slow and gradual process. Each step is crucial, and only you can take it for yourself. Also, each step is cumulative: each day builds on the previous days.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
“Academic integrity is founded upon and encompasses the following five values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. Violations include, for example, cheating, plagiarism, misuse of academic resources, falsification, and facilitating academic dishonesty. If knowledge is to be gained and properly evaluated, it must be pursued under conditions free from dishonesty. Deceit and misrepresentations are incompatible with the fundamental activity of this academic institution and shall not be tolerated” (from UNCG’s Academic Integrity Policy). To ensure that you understand the university’s policy on academic integrity, review the guidelines and list of violations at <http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu>. I expect you to abide by the Academic Integrity Policy. Violations will result in failure of the assignment as well as a possible mark on your university record and/or failure of the course.
ACCOMODATIONS
Students with documentation of special needs should arrange to see me about accommodations as soon as possible. If you believe you could benefit from such accommodations, you must first register with the Office of Disability Services on campus before such accommodations can be made. The office is located on the second floor of the Elliott University Center (EUC) in Suite 215, and the office is open 8am to 5pm, Monday - Friday. Telephone: 334-5440; e-mail: .
WRITING CENTER
The purpose of the Writing Center is to enhance the confidence and competence of student writers by providing free, individual assistance at any stage of any writing project. Staff consultants are experienced writers and alert readers, prepared to offer feedback and suggestions on drafts of papers, help students find answers to their questions about writing, and provide one-on-one instruction as needed. Located in the Moore Humanities and Research Building, room 3211. Online usage and citation guides are also available at <http://www.uncg.edu/eng/writingcenter>.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPECTATIONS
1. Given the active role we all will take in this course, it is vital that we all understand our responsibilities:
o First, all of us will come to class prepared to the best of our ability. This means that you will be responsible for completing the writing and reading assignments, reflecting upon them, and relating them to your experiences. All reading must be completed by the specified date. We will not always take class time to go over basic material; however, we can and will discuss specific questions dealing with the content of the readings.
o Second, it is your responsibility to ask questions. If no one stops discussion to ask what a concept or word means, to ask the point of a reading, or to ask me (or a student) to clarify a point, I have to assume you understand. I can only help you if you tell me you need help.
o Given the interactive nature of the course and my expectations of your role, absence from any given class will negatively affect your grade. If you miss class for any reason, remember that it is your responsibility to find out any material missed as well as announcements, including schedule and syllabus changes.
o Use Blackboard and the buddy system: if you are comfortable doing so, trade email addresses and/or phone numbers with someone whom you could contact should you need to miss class. Do not contact me for information until you have attempted to get class notes from Blackboard or from a classmate. I’m serious about this. There are such things as dumb questions—they are questions I answered in a class you missed or slept through. Also, check the syllabus. I have tried to provide as much information as I can in this one document, and, therefore, there is a good chance whatever question you have is answered here.
2. In terms of your role as a writer, I have the following expectations:
o That you will find topics and purposes for your writing that matter to you, to your life, to who you are and who you want to become
o That you will make your own decisions about what is working and needs more work in pieces of your writing
o That you will attend to formal conventions (spelling, format, punctuation) and legibility as you compose
o And, finally, that you will take a deliberate stance toward writing well.
In addition, know that your papers will often go through a class workshop, and I may sometimes use parts of your papers in classroom presentations (in this case, it will be anonymous unless I ask your permission beforehand), and all papers will ultimately be graded. Feel free to write candidly, but also know that there is a good chance that others will see your paper as well, so only turn in papers that you would not have a problem being graded by me and/or read by other students.
CLASSROOM DECORUM
As we will all be learning together, it is important that each individual feel comfortable and safe in class. Be advised, then, that any comments or actions that could make any individual (including the instructor) feel unsafe will not be tolerated. This includes remarks which show a lack of respect for the feelings and remarks of others, as well as any which demean others by virtue of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, physical appearance, political affiliation, and the like. Of course, you are welcome (indeed, expected) to disagree with one another, but different views can be discussed in a manner which is not a personal attack or power-based. If, after a verbal warning, the disruptive behavior persists, your case will be referred to the appropriate university authorities.
PARTICIPATION
Be on time and come to class prepared to discuss your writing and the assigned readings actively. Active participation includes bringing all assigned materials to class. If we are discussing your essay in class, you need to bring that essay. If we are discussing one of the readings, you need to bring the appropriate book. I will not ask you to leave if you are not prepared for class. However, your final grade will reflect any inappropriate behavior in class, including, but not limited to, tardiness, unpreparedness, and disrespect.
ABOUT WIRELESS DEVICES SUCH AS CELL PHONES, iPods, AND LAPTOPS
•First, DON’T—just don’t turn them on, don’t let me see or hear them, any of them.
•DO NOT TXT MSG DURING CLASS.
•Do not use your laptop in class. If you require the use of one for legitimate reasons (medical or otherwise), let me know as soon as you can, and we can work something out. Often I will ask you to bring an article to class that you must print from Blackboard. Be prepared for this with your printing costs.
ATTENDANCE POLICY AND LATE WORK
Attendance: Here is the department’s policy regarding attendance to English 101: Students in TR classes are allowed two (2) absences without grade penalty; students who miss four (4) classes on a TR schedule will fail the course. I do not generally distinguish between excused and unexcused absences. I don’t want to appear unsympathetic, but after a while, even valid excused absences must add up to some kind of absence. Consequently, I request that students who must miss class because they have colds or pressing personal matters not ask for special consideration. If you are aware of dates when you will be forced to miss class, you may perhaps be allowed to make other arrangements if you contact me beforehand.
Tardiness: I call roll first thing each class period. If you are not present for roll call, you need to talk to me immediately after class so that I can make sure you are marked present but tardy. If you do not contact me, you may be marked absent. For every two times you are tardy, your grade will be negatively affected.
Late Work: I will accept late work up to one day late for half credit—after that, I do not accept late work. “Late” is defined as any time after I have taken up the rest of the class’s work. If I take up the work at the beginning of class and you show up late and turn in your work, your work will be considered late and will receive half credit. Also, “one day” is one actual day, not one class period. If a paper is due Tuesday, you have until Wednesday at the same time to turn it in for half credit, not until the following class period.
***N.B. If you have any problems, questions, concerns, etc., please contact me immediately in order for us to be able to work together to resolve matters in the best manner possible. If personal issues arise that prevent you from being able to do your work in a timely manner or any other hindrances crop up that might negatively affect your performance in my class, the earlier we can talk about these issues, the better. A lot of difficulties can be avoided if you talk to your instructors as soon as you recognize there is a problem.***
MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS
See assignment sheets (to be handed out in class and posted on Blackboard) for more specific details for each assignment.