Calumet College of St.
Joseph
SYLLABUS FOR RHETORIC
& COMPOSITION I
Term: Fall, 2001-2002 (011) (Sept. 3 – Dec. 7)
Course Number: ENG 103b
Instructor: Dr. Chris Buczinsky
Office Phone: 219-473-4250
E-mail: cbuczinsky@ccsj.edu
Office Hours: Tuesday 2:00-5:00
Wednesday 12:00-3:00
Friday 8:30-10:30
Instructor Background: I graduated from
Northwestern in 1994. I spent four years as a performer of children’s poetry,
then spent two years as an editor of two trade magazines. This is my first year
at CCSJ. I teach Rhetoric and Composition, Writing for the Media, and a variety
of literature courses. I am also the faculty advisor for The Shavings, CCSJ’s student newspaper.
Course Time: Tuesdays and Fridays
10:30a.m. – 12:00p.m.
Course Description: English 103 is the study
and practice of correct, lively, and clear writing. In this course, we employ
the writing workshop method of developing correct writing through oral
presentations and reading. Individual
grammatical problems are addressed. This course must be taken in the student's
first semester at the College.
Learning Outcomes/
Competencies:
Students
in this course will:
·
Demonstrate
their communication skills
·
Demonstrate
a strong, clear voice in writing
·
Demonstrate
writing skills, especially writing substantive, coherent and organized essays
·
Identify
the differences between personal and academic writing
·
Employ
technology as it relates to writing essays and papers
Textbooks:
The Mercury Reader (2001 ed.) Compiled by CCSJ for Rhetoric and Composition I &
II
A Writer’s Reference (4th ed.) by
Diana Hacker
Black Boy by Richard Wright
Learning Strategies: In-class writing, Group
Work, Collaborative Learning, Teacher mentoring and instruction, etc.
Assessment:
Final
grades will be based on many things:
a.
oral
and written performance in class
b.
progress
and improvement in writing as reflected in the student’s portfolio
c.
fulfilling
the requirements of each of the assigned forms
d.
handing
in any and all rewrites as required by instructor
e.
quizzes
(if given)
f.
handing
in a substantial amount of acceptable
writing (including required revisions and rewrites)*
g.
passing
the end of course competency writing essay
·
A
rubric for acceptable writing is found
at the end of the syllabus. The end of
course competency writing essay is evaluated according to the same rubric.
Class Policy for
Assignments:
All
assignments must be handed in on time, or if late, with a proper
explanation. Late papers will adversely
affect the student’s grade. I will not
accept late papers the last week of classes.
All
papers will be/have:
a.
typed
b.
double-spaced
c.
stapled
d.
printed
in 12 pt. New Times Roman font ONLY
e.
one
inch margins
f.
a
cover page with student’s name, paper form and date turned in
g.
form
of paper typed as title on page 1 of paper
Papers
not done in this format will not be accepted.
Class Policy on Attendance:
In
accordance with English program policy, any student missing more than NINE (9)
hours of class will receive an F. These
nine hours include both excused and
unexcused absences. Please be aware
these hours include birthdays, sport events, illness, work, etc. If a problem arises with your absences,
please come and talk to me immediately.
Grading Scale:
Letter
grades will be assigned according to the student’s fulfilling the requirements
listed above (See assessment and Class policy for Assignments, and Class policy
on Attendance.)
Class Policy on Electronic
Devices:
Please turn off all cell phones, beepers, etc. It is disruptive to have them going off
during class. If there is an important
reason why you must have your phone or beeper turned on (e.g. illness at home,
work situation), please inform me before class begins.
Course Outline:
Forms and Assignments:
Unit
I Letter I : A letter to anyone on any topic
Unit
II Narrative
Unit
III How-to
Unit
IV Letter II: A letter on your behalf
Unit
V Comparison and Contrast
Unit
VI Cause-Effect
Unit
VII Persuasive
Unit
VIII Summary
Unit
IX Competency Paper
Appropriate
readings from The Mercury Reader, Black
Boy, A Writer’s Reference and other handouts will be assigned. Students are expected to hand in all papers,
required revisions, and do all the assigned readings.
Class Participation:
This
class is a workshop. This means what
goes on in class is extremely important.
It is absolutely imperative that you attend all classes and participate
fully in the exercises, as well as doing all the required writing. (Also see section above on Attendance
Policy.)
Please Note: Modifications
to this syllabus may be made to meet the needs of this specific class.
Center for Academic
Excellence:
Tutoring
assistance is free to all students of Calumet College of St. Joseph. Call the
Center for Academic Excellence (CAE), to make an appointment at 473-4287. The
Center has experienced and well-trained tutors in most subject areas to help
students who are struggling in a course or who are doing well and would like to
do better. Regular weekly tutoring sessions are likely to improve your grade.
Statement of Plagiarism:
If
an instructor or other Calumet College of St. Joseph personnel find that a
student has plagiarized or been involved in another form of academic
dishonesty, the instructor or other personnel may elect to bring the matter up
for judicial review. The maximum penalty for any form of academic dishonesty is
dismissal from the College. The procedures for judicial review are listed under
the section of CCSJ handbook that addresses student grievances. (Academic
Planner 2001/2002 p.27) Please be
aware that your paper may be submitted for examination for plagiarism to
Turnitin.com, a plagiarism-check Internet company with which the college has
contracted.
Citation Guidelines:
Calumet
College of St. Joseph adheres to citation guidelines as prescribed by the
particular discipline (i.e., MLA, APA, and Chicago Manual of Style or
Turabian.). All of these guidelines are
available in the Calumet College of St. Joseph library or bookstore. These texts outline how to cite references
from a variety of sources, including electronic media.
Withdrawal from Classes
Policy:
After
the last day for class changes has passed (see College calendar), students may
withdraw from a course in which they are registered with permission from the
faculty member conducting the course. A written request detailing the reason(s)
for the withdrawal must be filed with the Registrar. A written request for the
withdrawal must be received by the Registrar by the last day of classes prior
to the final examination dates specified in the catalogue. Written requests may
be mailed to the Registrar or faxed to the College fax number 219-473-4259.
Students are to make note of the refund schedule when withdrawing from courses.
The
request is forwarded to the faculty member, who makes the final determination
to accept or deny the request. If the request is honored, the student will
receive notification of official withdrawal; if denied, the notification will
indicate why the withdrawal is disallowed. Note: Degree Completion Division
(DCD) students should consult the DCD Student Handbook for information on DCD
withdrawals.
An
official withdrawal is recorded as a "W" grade on the student's
transcript. Dropping a course without written permission automatically incurs
an "F" grade for the course (see Refund Schedule).
RUBRIC/CRITERIA FOR
ACCEPTABLE WRITING: