SYLLABUS FOR RHETORIC & COMPOSITION I
Term: Spring, 2006
Course Number: ENG 103B
Instructor: Dr. Chris Buczinsky
E-mail: cbuczinsky@ccsj.edu
Office Hours: Tuesday 11:00-12:00, 3:30-4:30
Wednesday 3:00-7:00
Friday 11:00-12:00, 3:30-4:30
Instructor Background: I graduated from Northwestern in 1994 with my Ph.D. in English. Before coming to CCSJ I spent four years as a performer of children’s poetry. After that I worked two years as an associate editor of a trade magazine. This is my fourth year at CCSJ. I teach Rhetoric and Composition, Writing for the Media, Newspaper Design, American Literature, Global Perspectives (The Americas), and Literary Theory and Criticism. I am also the faculty advisor for The Shavings, CCSJ’s student newspaper.
Course Time: Tuesdays and Fridays, 12:10 p.m. – 1:40 p.m.
Course Description: English 103 is the study of correct, lively, and clear writing. Our main goal is to learn the fundamentals of academic writing. In doing so, each student will develop a portfolio of five essays and a total of at least 40 pages of writing. Before successfully completing this course, students must pass a competency essay exam on the assigned novel.
Prerequisites: NONE
Learning Outcomes/ Competencies: The aim of this course is to teach you to write a college-level essay. There are ten basic skills that you must master.
Textbooks:
Writing Essentials by Dawn Rodrigues and Myron C. Tuman
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
Xerox selections from various composition textbooks
Learning Strategies: In this course I use a mixture of traditional instruction (i.e. short “chalk talks” followed by exercises that allow you to practice applying key composition concepts and skills) and the writing workshop method of learning to write by writing. There will be individual teacher/student mentoring when you write in class and class discussion on the novel in preparation for the competency exam.
Assessment:
1. The Competency Exam. To pass English 103 you must pass the writing competency exam given to all English 103 students during the 10th week of class (3/13-3/17).
You will be asked to write an essay on one of five questions about The Things They Carried, a novel about young soldiers in Vietnam. You will be able to bring to the exam only a brief (1/2 page) outline and the book itself; however, you can mark up the margins of the book with plenty of notes and flag important passages with stickies.
Two CCSJ English instructors will evaluate your essay using the rubric found at the end of the syllabus; if they disagree, a third will break the tie. If you do not pass the exam (everyone has a bad day), you will be given a chance to try again; if you do not pass it twice, you will have to take this class again.
2. Final Grades. To award final grades I will use the following point system on individual assignments.
1. The Things They Carried Journal 50 pts.
2. Homework Assignments 50 pts.
3. Portfolio/Notebook 50 pts.
4. Essays 450 pts.
5. Chalk Talk Exam 100 pts.
Total Points 700 pts.
1. The Things They Carried Journal (50 pts.)
The aim of the The Things They Carried journal is twofold: to make sure that you have read the book and to begin gathering information you will need to pass your competency exam. It’s very unlikely that you’ll pass the competency exam without having read the book. The journal will help keep you on schedule; reading assignments are planned to help you finish the book well before exam day. I will check your journal five times (10 pts. each). The checks are scheduled to take place on the first five Fridays of the semester. Here is the schedule:
1/13 Pages 1-38
1/20 Pages 39-88
1/27 Pages 89-154
2/3 Pages 155-188
2/10 Pages 189-end
If you miss a journal entry you can make it up, but you will be docked one letter grade for every class period it is late. Journals will be graded on length alone. They must be organized in your notebook so that I can easily see the previous entries.
0 pages 0
1/2 page 6 D
1/2-1 page 7 C
1-1 1/2 pages 8 B
1 1/2-2 pages 9-10 A
2. Homework Assignments (50 pts.)
Homework assignments give you a chance to practice applying the concepts we learn in class. They are learning tools meant to help you understand ideas rather than assessment devices used to evaluate your performance. Therefore, if you do them completely and with integrity, you will receive full credit. Homework will be checked at the beginning of the class period when it is due. Each assignment is usually worth 5 points.
3. The Portfolio (50 pts.)
The portfolio is a collection of all the work you do for this class. It is a three ring binder with labeled dividers that will organize the work you do in this class. It should include at least the following sections: O’Brien Journal, Chalk Talk Notes, Homework/In-Class Assignments, and Essays. It will be graded on how complete it is (whether or not it includes everything we have done) and on neatness and organization, which will be key to your academic and personal success. It will be graded twice, once on the first Friday of the semester (25 pts.) and again on the last Friday of the semester (25 pts.)
4. Individual Essays (450 pts.)
You are required to write five (5) essays in a variety of forms. Some are worth more than others. The due dates are given in the table below.
|
Unit |
Essay Forms |
Page Length |
Points |
Due Dates |
|
1 |
Narrative Essay |
2-3 pages |
50 |
Jan.13 |
|
2 |
Five Paragraph Essay |
2-3 pages |
100 |
Feb. 3 |
|
3 |
Compare/Contrast Essay |
5 pages |
100 |
Feb. 17 |
|
4 |
Cause-Effect Essay |
5 page |
100 |
March 3 |
|
|
Competency Exam |
Minimum 3 pages |
P/F |
March 13-17 |
|
5 |
Persuasive Essay |
5 pages |
100 |
April 7 |
|
|
Total Points |
20 pages |
450 |
|
All essays must be written to pass the course. You can earn an A on every paper, but if you fail to write one of them, you will fail the course.
All essays must be handed in on time. Papers will be marked down one letter grade for every class they are late. 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 heading on the first page with student’s name, paper form and date turned in
g. student’s name on all subsequent pages (ex. Buczinsky/2)
h. a title
Papers not submitted in this format will not be accepted.
Papers will be evaluated using the same criteria used to grade your competency exam (see Rubric for Acceptable Writing at the end of this syllabus).
5. Chalk-Talk Exam (100 pts.)
The chalk-talk exam will test your knowledge, understanding, and ability to apply the concepts I teach you in my “chalk talks” (short, 20-40 minute presentations at the chalk board). (So note: this is not the same as the Competency Exam). It will include multiple choice, true/false, matching, and short answer questions as well as a five-paragraph essay. Here is a tentative list of topics:
1. Chaos is Good: Freewriting
2. How to Organize a College Essay
3. Introductions and Conclusions
4. Making things Stick: Transitions
5. Paragraph Development I: Illustration and Example
6. Paragraph Development II: Other Modes of Development
7. Editing Live: Paragraph Development and Unity
8. Sentence Quality 1: Correct vs. Incorrect
9. Sentence Quality 2: Economy vs. Wordiness
10. Sentence Quality 3: Vigor vs. Weakness
Grading Scale:
Grades will be assigned based on your performance on the requirements listed above. Students will be assigned final grades based on the following scale:
|
|
607-629 = B+ |
534-559 = C+ |
467-489= D+ |
0-419 = F |
|
666-700 = A |
583-606 = B |
513-535 = C |
443-466= D |
|
|
630-665 = A- |
560-582 = B- |
490-512 = C- |
420-442 = D- |
|
Warning: Theoretically, you could earn an A in the course, fail the competency exam, and therefore fail the course and have to take it over again (though this is very unlikely); conversely, if you pass the competency test and fail grade-wise, you can still pass the course (though you will not necessarily do so).
Class Policy on Tardiness and 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; it also includes all tardies of more than 15 minutes. 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.
Our class begins at 12:10 p.m. sharp. If you are tardy, I have to stop the class to get you up to speed. This is unfair to other students, and it wastes time. I reserve the right to lock the doors to all who are consistently late. I also reserve the right to mark you absent for the whole class if you develop a habit of leaving early (which is especially disruptive). In short, I want the pleasure of your company for the entire class period.
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.
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. The number is 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 but 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 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).
Modifications to this syllabus may be made to meet the needs of this specific class.
RUBRIC/CRITERIA FOR ACCEPTABLE WRITING: