Kenyon 1
ENGL 004 02 – Basic Writing Instructor: Ms. Kenyon
MWF 12:20-1:10 REDC 203Fall 2007
Course Syllabus
Office: Carriage House Annex 2, Room #12email:
Office hours:MWF 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.Phone: 898-6176
TTH 1:00 p.m. – 2: 00 p.m.
& by appointment
Required Texts:Encounters: Essays for Exploration and Inquiry, 2nd Edition (Hoy II and DiYanni)
The Little, Brown Compact Handbook with Exercises (with What Every Student Should
Know About Using a Handbook), 6th Edition (Aaron)
A good College Dictionary
Writing notebook
Course Description: This is a basic writing course to help prepare students to construct college level essays. Since the act of writing is interwoven with the act of reading, the purpose of English 004 is to provide opportunities to practice these dual skills required of undergraduate students. In each writing assignment students will be asked to practice what they read:exploring, incorporating,and interpreting essays from Encounters: Essays for Exploration and Inquiry.
The course objectives, therefore, are to improve students’ critical reading and writing skills. These skills are of the utmost importance for your academic career as a college student. In order to build and refine these skills, students will read and re-read essays, participate in critical classroom discussions, keep an open mind, and, of course, write academic essays.
Successful completion of English 004 will establish a solid foundation in writing and reading critically, and give students the confidence that should go with such abilities. This is a difficult course but a valuable one; success in English 015, later in English 202, and in all other classes here at Behrend depends to a large extent, on the skills gained in English 004. Consider it a cornerstone.
Journal: You will be required to keep a journal for this class. Please be sure to bring your writing notebook with you to each class meeting. The journals will be used for reflections, brainstorming, clustering ideas, outlining, drafting, responding, etc. They will be collected at midterm and at the conclusion of the semester. The journal entries will be used to evaluate 1.) your comprehension of class readings and discussions, and 2.) your ability to focus, form, and defend a coherent idea. It is not always easy to write on command; however, college life demands discipline and focus. This exercise will help develop both.
Classroom Policies:Since conversation is crucial to the successful completion of any composition course, you are expected to be present and prepared for all class meetings and class activities. At this point, let me clarify what I mean by “prepared.” Students are expected to participate in classroom discussion and activities. I realize that “group” work is not always “fun”; however, it is valuable and necessary. Learning to discuss ideas with your peers is an essential skill in college and beyond. Few careers allow you to live and work in an office and never collaborate and speak with your peers. Therefore, coming to class does not = participation and preparation. Coming to class = “attendance”, “participation” = doing the reading, coming to class prepared to discuss the reading, asking questions, leading discussion, joining discussion, and responding thoughtfully (thoughtfully = critically and respectfully) to what other people have to say. As your instructor, I am in the front of the room to lead and facilitate discussion. This is not MY class; it is YOUR class. By being prepared and willing to participate you will increase the value of this classroom experience by 100%. If you, as a class, choose not to participate and come to class unprepared, I will be forced to evaluate your knowledge through quizzing and testing, which I prefer not to do. Be confident. Keep an open mind. I will do my part to create a learning environment in which it is comfortable to speak freely. Please do your part and be prepared.
You are allowed three (3) excused absences. Every absence after the third will be marked as unexcused and your grade will therefore be penalized. Your final grade will be reduced by ½ letter grade for every absence thereafter. Use your absences wisely for serious illness or unavoidable misses.
All students are expected to conduct themselves in a manner conducive to a learning environment in an academic setting. We will be working with issues that invite academic argument and debate. Criticisms should be constructive, not personal. I will absolutely not accept: disrespect, racism, sexism, chauvinism, or any other “ism” that involves degrading other human beings based on gender, race, age, religion, intelligence, income, etc.
Cell phones, text messaging and listening devices (iPod, MP3, etc) are prohibited. Turn off all electronic devices prior to entering the classroom.
Late Work:All work must be completed on time. Late essays will be penalized ½ letter grade for each day the essay is late (including weekends and holidays). All assignments must be uploaded to ANGEL and/or Turnitin.com before class time on the due date. All assignments must be completed. Even if you know you will receive a failing grade on an essay, the essay must be turned in or you will fail the course.
Grading: Grades will be determined as follows:
Essay 1: 10%Paragraph Assignment:10%
Essay 2: 15%Library Research Assignment:10%
Essay 3: 15%Journal:10%
Essay 4: 20%Class Participation/Homework: 10%
A = 94-100A- = 90-93B+ = 88-89B = 83-87B- = 80-82
C+ = 78-79C = 70-77D = 60-69F = Below 60
Class activities/homework will be evaluated as follows:
HighPass
Pass (satisfactory performance)
Fail (unsatisfactory performance)
Each essay assignment will be evaluated as follows:
Thesis (10%)
A clear, identifiable thesis statement. The thesis must make a claim and that claim must be supported by reasons. The thesis must be relevant to the chosen essay and to the guidelines of the assignment.
Content (40%)
The content of the student’s essay must show comprehension of the chosen essay, critical analysis of the author’s use of literary devices and techniques and relevant evidence from the chosen essay to support the student’s thesis. The content must also show the student’s ability to following the guidelines of the assignment.
Organization (15%)
The essay must have clear topic sentences, unified and coherent paragraphs, and the body paragraphs must relate to the student’s thesis. The essay should have a well articulated introduction and conclusion as well as smooth transitions.
Language Use/Style (15%)
The student must use sophisticated, yet clear language. Word choice is crucial to a successful essay. The student must make deliberate and specific decisions while writing essays for this course.
Spelling/Grammar (10%)
This should be an easy 10 points…. PROOFREAD!!!!
MLA Format (10%)
The essay must follow standard MLA format: proper documentation of parenthetical citations, proper placement of quotation marks and punctuation, exact documentation of quoted material, properly labeled page numbers, and a properly documented Work Cited entry.
NOTE: Failure to cite sources will result in a failing grade.
Peer Tutoring: Peer tutors who have successfully completed this course can be very beneficial to your learning. If you wish to make an extra effort to improve your skills and enhance your learning, or if you experience difficulties with reading and annotation, grammar or other writing skills, the LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER (LRC) offers free tutoring services in English and other subject areas. The LRC is located on the 2nd floor of the Lilley Library in room 203.
Academic Integrity:Plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty, will not be tolerated. While you may discuss your work with others, the writing must be your own work. Any time you use another’s words or ideas, the source must be properly acknowledged. This includes information from the internet as well as books and periodicals. Plagiarism is a serious offense; the penalties range from failing an assignment to failing the course and having a permanent mark on your record.The more serious offenses may result in dismissal from the university. Refer to the following web site for more information:
Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities should contact the Office of Educational Equity in order to speak with a Disability Specialist, Lauri Enterline. Ms. Enterline will meet with you to discuss possible accommodations which may be helpful and will then write a letter for you to bring to your instructor(s). She can be reached at 898-6111 and her office is located at 115 Reed Union Building. To learn more about this please see
Miscellaneous:You are required to have access to your work from the computers in the campus lab at all times. You may save your work for this course in ANGEL under the dropbox marked STUDENT FILES.
It is highly recommended that you save your work in TWO places, for example, your hard drive and your “P” account. If you lose work, you may have to re-write from the beginning to create the necessary “paper trail”; at best, you will have to rewrite at least one draft. Unnecessary re-writes generally result in lost points due to poorly written or late papers.
HOW DO YOU CONTACT ME????
Email is my primary mode of communication: or via ANGEL. Also feel free to come to my office at any time. I have an open door policy – if the door is open, I’m available to meet with you. College is a bit different than high school: you are responsible for yourself. If you feel that you need to meet with me to discuss something than you need to initiate that meeting.
Tentative Schedule (dates may change and additional assignments may be given)
DateAssignmentWhat’s Due
8/27: Short Introduction to course.Diagnostic Essay.
8/29: Syllabus, Course expectations, requirements, and
goals. Campus Resources, LRC, Turnitin.com,
Writing Lab, Using a Handbook.
8/31: Constructing Effective Paragraphs Assignment
Paragraph Unity & Coherence(LBH 38-45)
9/3: Labor Day – No Class
9/5: Developing Paragraphs (LBH 45-53)
Grammar Diagnostic/Review
9/7: Have read “Craftsmanship” (EEEI 632-637)
and Audience, Purpose, Academic Writing
(LBH 69-74).
9/10: Library Session (Class will meet in Lib. 107)
9/12: Reading with a Pencil and Summarizing
Paragraphs. Have read “Introduction”
(EEEI 1-3).Essay #1: Experience, Exploration,
& Analysis
9/14: Have read Critical Thinking and Reading
(LBH 82-89). Have read “I Will Be My Own
Hero” (EEEI 50-54).
9/17: Have read “Odalisque”(EEEI 55-59) and
Thesis and Organization (LBH 14-21).
9/19: Have read “Down the Unwritten Path”
(EEEI 60-67). Thesis workshop and critical
thinking exercises.
9/21: Review Parts of Speech and Common Errors.
Have read Invention and Drafting
(LBH 3-13 & 22-24).
9/24: Individual Conferences – No Regular Class.
9/26: Individual Conferences – No Regular Class.
9/28: Individual Conferences – No Regular Class.
10/1: Have read Clarity and Style (LBH 141-183).
Review common grammar errors from Essay #1
10/3: Introduce Essay #2: Appealing to Audience.
Introduce rhetorical appeals and strategies.
10/5: Have read “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
(EEEI372-385).
10/8: Have read The Comma(LBH 298-314).
Punctuation Reviewand Exercises.
10/10: Have read “Race Matters” (EEEI 625-631).
10/12: Have read “How it Feels to be Colored Me”
(EEEI349-353).
10/15: Review strategies for writing paragraphs,
drafting essays, and proper formatting. MLA
Documentation and Works Cited (LBH).
10/17: Review ofLibrary Resources
(Class will be held in the library)
10/19: Effectively Using Your Library
10/22: Introduce Essay #3: The Power of Language.
Have read “On Being a Cripple” (EEEI 408).
10/24: Literary Devices. Have read “The Knife”
(EEEI 687).
10/26: Have read “How to Tell a True War Story”
(EEEI 439).
10/29: Literary Devices Workshop.
Peer Review Introductions for Essay #3
10/31: Forming and organizing an Argument
(LBH 95-104).
11/2: Have read Avoiding Plagiarism (LBH 418-426)
11/5: Introduce Essay #4: Analyzing a Work of Art.
Have read “How to Read Photographs”
(EEEI 68-73).
11/7: Have read “Mother Tongue” (EEEI 602-608).
11/9: Have read “‘Mother Tongue’ and Standard
English: Amy Tan’s Literary Fusion and
Ours” (EEEI 74-76).
11/12: Review common mistakes from Essay # 3
Peer Review Essay #4 Maps, Thesis
Statements and Introductions
11/14: Have read Using Visual Arguments
(LBH 104-114).
11/16: Bring summarized and annotated work and
notes for Essay 4.
11/19: Thanksgiving Break: No Classes
11/21: Thanksgiving Break: No Classes
11/23: Thanksgiving Break: No Classes
11/26: Multiple meanings in photographs and poetry.
11/28: Connecting rhetorical and literary strategies
with visual arguments.
11/30: Have read Revising and Editing (LBH 24-38)
12/3: Review common errors: grammar, formatting,
documentation, & argumentative.
12/5: Peer Review Essay #4
12/7: Re-read “Craftsmanship” (EEEI 632-637).
12/10: Peer Review Journals
12/12: Manipulation of Sources and Academic
Integrity – A Critical Look at Communication
12/14: Closing Remarks: What to Expect Ahead. / Rough Draft of Paragraph DUE
Final Draft of Paragraph DUE
Essay #1 Essay Map DUE
Rough Draft of Essay #1 DUE
Rough Draft of Essay #1 DUE
Rough Draft of Essay #1 DUE
Final Draft of Essay #1 DUE
Essay #2 Thesis, Essay Map and Introduction DUE
Final Draft of Essay #2 DUE
Library Exercise DUE
Essay #3 Introduction and Thesis Statements DUE
Final Draft of Essay #3 DUE
Essay #4 Essay Map, Thesis and Introduction DueEssay #4 Rough Draft Due
Essay #4 Final Draft Due
Essay #4 Final Revised Copy DUE
Journals DUE
Course Assignment Sheet
Assignment 1 – Basic Paragraph Structure (1 paragraph)
Assignment 2 – Essay #1: Experience, Exploration, & Analysis (3 pages)
Assignment 3 – Essay #2: Appealing to Audience (3 pages)
Assignment 4 – Essay #3: The Power of Language (3-4 pages)
Assignment 5 – Using Resources
Assignment 6 – Essay #4: Analyzing a Work of Art (3-5 pages)
These assignments will reinforce different writing tools which help writers to convey an idea or argue a point. The assignments will focus on Experience and Exploration, Audience Awareness, Literary Devices, and Critical Analysis. The first three essays will help to prepare you for the final assignment which will ask you to criticallyanalyze a work of art.
Assignment 1: Basic Paragraph Structure (1 paragraph 10%)
After reviewing the concepts of paragraph unity and coherence, students will be asked to write one focused paragraph addressing “What it takes to be a successful student.”
Assignment 2: Essay #1: Experience, Exploration, & Analysis (3 pages 10%)
Writing is not only about research and analysis, but it is also about experience and exploration. How we experience the world around us will have a direct effect on what we write about. After reading the following student essays, consider how each student addresses the role or function of women. How do they define that role? How is that role changing or how do the authors change their definitions? Finally, how do their experiences dictate their definition? Also, consider how each writer is inspired or motivated by a work of art. How do they combine experience, exploration, and analysis?
“I Will Be My Own Hero” – Kristen E. Hughes
“Odalisque” – Elizabeth MacDonald
“Down the Unwritten Path” – Han N. Pham
Write a 3 page essay which considers how these writers combine experience, exploration and analysis to address their ideas for the role of women in society
Assignment 3: Essay #2: Appealing to Audience (3 pages 15%)
All writers must keep in mind who they are writing for. Understanding how authors use rhetorical appeals to persuade audiences will enhance your ability to comprehend and analyze literature. One of the greatest examples of this is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”
Using this essay, write a 3 page essay which analyzes how Dr. King appeals to his audience on a variety of levels. Use examples from the text to support your claims and assertions.
Assignment 4: Essay #3: The Power of Language (3-4 pages 15%)
Consider how the following authors dissect language and how they define particular words. How do they echo what Woolf was addressing in her lecture on “craftsmanship”? How do they use particular literary devices to explore their ideas and make a specific point? Consider how they use imagery and metaphor.
“On Being a Cripple” – Nancy Mairs
“The Knife” – Richard Selzer
“How to Tell a True War Story” – Tim O’Brien
In a 3-4 page essay discuss one of the following essays and its particular use of language. Consider the meaning the author is trying to convey, consider literary devices that are used, and consider if and how the essay is effective. Use specific examples from the essay to support your claims and ideas.
Assignment 5: Using Resources (10%)
After spending some time in the library and learning about the resources that PennState has to offer you, it is time to get your hands dirty and start digging in. Students will be given an assignment sheet which will lead them on a journey through the Lilley Library. They will need to sharpen their research skills as they are asked to locate particular sources. They will then need to create an annotated bibliography which will be handed in. This exercise will help prepare students for future research projects and teach them about the resources Penn State Behrend has to offer.
Assignment 6: Essay #4: Analyzing a Work of Art (4-5 pages 20%)
It is now your turn to analyze a work of art. Using the list given to you in class, choose one of the pieces and analyze it for its effectiveness. In order to do this you will need to first assert what you believe the purpose, or a purpose, of this work might be and then consider how it achieves that purpose. Does it achieve that purpose? What are its strengths and weaknesses? Cite specific examples from the work to support your assertions about it.
Keep in mind that you have a variety of strategies to consider when analyzing a work of art: experience, rhetorical appeals, literary devices, etc. Are any of these strategies at work and how are they working?