Williamson Policy 1

Self-Creation: Compositionin a World of Info Overload

Dr. Barbara Williamson Office: 24-339

English 101, Spring 2008 Phone: 533-4507

Daily 10:30-11:30, 5-114 Office Hours: 11:30-12:45MTRF

e-mail: afternoons by appt.

Required Texts:

Kirszner, Laurie G and Stephen R. Mandell. The Concise Wadsworth Handbook: Spokane Falls Community College. 2nd ed. Mason, OH: Wadsworth, 2008.

Portfolio Preview--a packet of information about and samples of English 101 portfolios from SpokaneFalls

Community College. Available in the bookstore.

Recommended Text:

A good, full-sized dictionary

Other Required Materials:

Several regular (not legal) manila file folders

A non-spiral notebook for journaling

At least $15.00 for copies throughout the quarter

Report Cover type folder (we will talk about this in class)

Access to the internet

An email address

Course Description: English 101 stresses active reading, writing, and the development of your style as a writer. This class will emphasize the writing process--techniques of prewriting, drafting, and revision--as well as the organization, development, and style appropriate to a topic and audience addressed. You will work extensively with your peers in pairs and small groups, thereby becoming both audience and helpmate to them. The purpose of the course, then, is for you to gain fluency as a writer, a person who can communicate ideas and thoughts to others AND one who can use writing as a way to discover and define those ideas and insights which are uniquely your own. Writing is a way of knowing your world and gaining mastery and control over that world. I will ask you to take responsibility for your learning and your contributions in class. In other words, you will get out of this class exactly what you put into it, so I strongly suggest you come to class prepared to work. Writing is usually difficult, often frustrating, but satisfying when we see our words take shape on the page; that is our goal.

Course Learning Outcomes: These are the things that, by the end of the quarter, a successful English 101 student should know. We will be working toward mastery of these elements throughout the quarter.

Students should use what they have learned about sentences, paragraphs, conventions of the essay, the writing process, and their own emerging capabilities as writers to:

1. recognize that writing is a process requiring thoughtful reconsideration and revision

2. discern and record details accurately as part of the composing process

3. generate varied ideas as part of the composing process

4. evaluate details and ideas in light of particular audiences and rhetorical purposes

5. organize ideas in a coherent manner

6. use specific details to support claims

7. gather, use, and document information to develop an argument

8. communicate with an academic audience to describe, analyze, and persuade

9. observe the conventions of standard edited American English

10. meet deadlines and complete requirements

11. write independently

12. provide feedback for other writers

13. use instructor and peer feedback to improve prose

Assessment Portfolios: You will be required to turn in a portfolio of your work for evaluation at midterm and at final. We will be discussing what this means in class, but for now you should know that we will participate in portfolio assessment as described in Portfolio Preview. LATE PORTFOLIOS CANNOT BE ACCEPTED.

Midterm Collection: Toward the middle of the class, you will present your first two papers in a collection for me. We will talk about how to do this in class. LATE COLLECTIONS CANNOT BE ACCEPTED.

Final Collection: Toward the end of class, you will present a compilation of your work in a collection for me. We will talk about how to do this in class. LATE COLLECTIONS CANNOT BE ACCEPTED.

Papers: Each of you will be required to present four (4) papers for evaluation. Each essay will go through several steps, all of which are required before you will be allowed to choose that essay for your collection.

Step 1: Writer drafts essay

Step 2: Writer takes essay to peer editing session then revises it

Step 3: Writer turns essay in for "Williamson Draft" then revises it

This means that each of your essays must have at least three drafts, although steps 2 and 3 may be repeated as often as necessary. Generally, peer editing will be done once every other week and Williamson Drafts will be collected a couple of days after group, although you are welcome to meet with me at any point about your essay, provided that the essay has been through peer review. I will offer copious comments and suggestions on each of your papers, but essays will not receive a permanent grade until midterm and final. This allows you to be graded on your very best work. Because this process will play an important part in your final grade, and because you will need to show evidence of this process, never throw ANYTHING away--if an idea occurs to you in Burger King one day and you jot it down on a napkin, keep the napkin. It will prove important. The only exception to this step process is the impromptu essay that will appear in your final assessment portfolio; this will be an in-class essay that you will have an opportunity to write and revise in class on your own.

Response Groups: Peer editing groups will be held approximately once a week. On these days, bring a copy of your paper for each group member (usually there are three or four). Some groups find it more helpful given the time constraints of the class to bring copies for their group members on the day before group so that, having had time to read the essay, they might better respond to it. Occasionally, I will require this. Because response group work is a vital part of the class, you will be graded specifically on your participation in group. Should you have to miss a response group, your paper will not be accepted until it has had two readers (at least one of whom must be a class member) who will sign the draft and comment on it. You should always revise Peer Drafts before they come to me.

Journals:I will ask that you keep a journal in a manila file folder which I will collect at various and usually unannounced times during the quarter. The only way to write well is to write often, and journals will give you that practice. These journals will be on topics I assign, about a page long, and usually handwritten, although occasionally I will require they be typed. Since the benefit of these journals is that they are completed, they will not be graded for mechanics or grammar nor will I read every word of every entry; rather these will be assessed on your thoughtful responses to the reading assignments and evaluations of your writing progress. Typed journals will be worth more than your daily journals and will be assessed for completeness, thoughtfulness, and organization. Please bring journals to class EVERY DAY. It is in your best interest to keep on top of your journal situation. I DO NOT ACCEPT LATE JOURNALS for ANY reason.

Attendance and Participation: Your participation in our class is vital to our shared learning experience. If you miss just one discussion or small group, you have deprived both the class and yourself of quite a bit. Therefore, I consider not only your physical presence but your active participation a requirement for successful completion of this course. This participation grade will reflect several elements, among them talking in class (when appropriate) and volunteering for activities/exercises. Most importantly, however, we will be forming a writing community and the key question to ask regarding participation is: How much am I contributing to our community of writers? It is primarily in response to this question that participation grades will be issued. Our class should be a better place every day because you are in it. Because you are a member of a community that is impacted by your behavior, please turn off your cell phones when you come to class; few things are as distracting to your fellow learners and to me as a ringing phone. Because all students deserve a safe and secure learning environment, no offensive language of any kind, even meant in jest, will be tolerated.

You will be given 4 “free” absences. These absences are yours to use (or not) when you choose. Should you miss more than those 4 days, your grade will be lowered .3 for each additional absence through absence 8. Should you choose to miss more than 8 classes, you have chosen to fail this course (what would happen if you missed 8 days of work in 10 weeks?). It will be your responsibility to sign the attendance sheet. If you do not sign, you are not here. Sign only your own name. Should you sign for someone else, you will both be counted absent. If you must miss class (and I know sometimes things happen), please call me at my office, drop me a note in my mailbox, e-mail me, or otherwise let me know you will miss the class. It is your responsibility to make up missed work; in-class exercises usually cannot be made up. In addition, because coming to class late severely disrupts the educational process, I expect everyone to be on time for class everyday. For every two times you choose to be late (even a little bit late), you will accrue an absence.

Online Syllabus: For your convenience, I’ve put together an Online Syllabus component on the Internet. From this Online Syllabus, you will be able to download the course syllabus, announcements, journal topics, and assignments. Because each of you has already paid a technology fee with your tuition, you have access to computers and printers at various places around campus. This online syllabusis also available from your homes. To access this, go to then scroll over student resources, then click on online syllabus, then Williamson, Barbara, English 101—Composition—Spring 08. Make sure you check this site often, as I’ll update it with announcements, links, and other information that will help you with your writing. If you miss class, this is also a good place to check for journal assignments, etc.

Conferences: Each of you is required to meet with me in two conferences--one by May 2 and one by May30. Of course, you are all welcome to stop by my office at any time. I will pass around sign-up sheets for these conferences. If you sign up for a conference time and cannot make it, please give me a call and cancel it. If you miss a conference appointment without canceling it, it will count as an absence.

Presenting Ideas: Mechanical correctness alone does not guarantee a satisfactory grade. Conversely, a few mechanical errors will not lower your grade unless they are the kinds that keep the reader from comprehending your ideas. At the beginning of the course, I consider composing to be more important than mechanics. In fact, most mechanical errors result when our ideas are not clear, and we will work on clarifying and developing ideas first. Also, you will be more responsible for mechanical correctness after these specific skills have been discussed in class, in a conference, or on your paper. Obviously, they will become more important as the course progresses.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is using the ideas of another writer, whether a fellow student, a published author, or a source book, without properly referencing the source. This WILL NOT be tolerated, and the mildest penalty is failure of the paper and may result in a 0.0 for the course.

Disability Support: If you have a health condition or disability which may require accommodations in order to fully participate in this class, please contact me after class or contact Disability Support Services in Building 17-201, Phone 533-4166. Information about disability will be regarded as confidential.

Peer-to-Peer Tutoring: SFCC offers free peer tutoring to students who seek it. They can help with writing papers for all classes, including this one. The program is located in 5-113 (in the CLC) and in the library. To make an appointment with the tutors, stop by the CLC or phone Sally Nick at 533-4187.

Evaluation: Meeting all of the requirements for the class (writing all four papers at a college level, attendance, participation, conferences, response groups, daily journals, response journals, portfolios, collections, all writings, etc.) will result in a grade of "C." A higher grade will be based on the quality and development of your work, on your ability to guide a piece of work through the various stages of revision, and on a willingness to explore new subjects, genres, and techniques. You must receive or revise to a “low pass/pass” during portfolio assessment in order to be eligible for grading; however, these ratings do not guarantee a particular grade.

Grades will be tallied based on the following points:

Journals 100 pts.

Attendance/Participation100 pts.

Drafts--100 pts.

PD @ 15 pts. ea.

WD @ 10 pts. ea.

Mid Collection--

Letter 25 pts

Paper 1100 pts.

Paper 2100 pts.

Final Collection

Letter25 pts.

Paper 3150 pts.

Paper 4150 pts.

Paper 150 pts.

Paper 2 50 pts.

TOTAL950 pts.

Extra Credit: I am philosophically opposed to extra credit because it seems a holdover from junior high and, besides, if you do your real credit, you should have no need for “extra” credit. Nevertheless, because there are several important events scheduled outside of our class time this quarter, and because going to those events will help with your papers, I’m offering “extra” credit for those who go. These opportunities are indicated on your calendar. To earn 5 points per event, type a one-page response that tells me what you learned and how you felt about the event. These will be due within one week of each event. If you should be on the border of 1.9 and 2.0, extra credit cannot place you above a 1.9. Also, extra credit will be capped at 25 points total.
I will use the following criteria to evaluate your work:

(in other words, what qualifies for a peer draft, a Williamson draft, etc.)

Peer Draft—

typed

author’s note

at least 2 full pages

specified number of copies for peers

Williamson Draft—

typed

inclusion of peer sequence (author’s note, draft)

new author’s note

substantial revisions from peer draft

Group Work—

evaluations of group members

self-evaluation

teacher observation

Attendance and Participation—

how much did you contribute to our writing community?

getting to class on time

participating in all in-class exercises

talking when appropriate (during discussion for instance)

not talking when NOT appropriate (during lecture for instance)

respecting self/classmates/teacher

Journals—

thoughtfully addressing assigned topic

length of entry (at least one page for out of class assignments)

completeness of journal (no missing entries)

accessibility and organization

Midterm and Final Collection—

professional appearance

organization

completeness

amount of reflection and awareness demonstrated in portfolio letter

the quality of your writing product, particularly papers 3 and 4.

Quality Measure

An "A" paper:

  • conveys immediately a sense of “person” behind the words: an individual voice speaking firmly and clearly from the page.
  • has an intro. and thesis working together smoothly to indicate the direction, scope, and tone of the whole piece. The reader feels the writer's assurance and has no doubt about what is being communicated.
  • carries thesis throughout work, never losing the reader.
  • is packed with information. Evidence is carefully chosen and has a “just right” feel to it. Consistently deft integration of evidence.
  • analyzes evidence appropriately and insightfully.
  • organizes the material smoothly, logically. The reader does not stumble or hesitate over the sequence of facts or ideas.
  • has varied sentences, with rhythm and emphasis appropriate to the meaning. Phrasing is often fluent, even graceful, and the sentences read well aloud.
  • offers word choices, especially verbs, that are accurate, sensitive to connotations.
  • has punctuation that is appropriate, helpful to reader, displays no mechanical errors (grammar and spelling).

An "A" paper is not necessarily flawless; there is no such thing in writing. But it reflects a writer who is in full control of the material and the language.

A "B" paper

has most of the characteristics of an "A" paper, but:

  • the evidence and analysis may be a little thin, slightly forced, or exaggerated.
  • the organization is clear, and reader does not stumble over sequence.
  • sentences tend to be unexciting and occasionally awkward or wordy.
  • word choices are workable and clear, though verbs may lack bite or strength.
  • punctuation is occasionally confusing, a very few mechanical errors (grammar and spelling) characterize the prose.

A “B” paper reflects a writer still developing mastery over his or her material and style.

A "C" paper:

  • thesis is clear and controls paper yet lacks specificity, unification.
  • is characterized by wide-spread inelegance of sentences with little or no structural variety. Phrases often are awkwardly placed.
  • has evidence and analysis that is adequate--but thin.
  • displays organization which occasionally is not clear, causing the reader to stop and re-read previous material to be sure of meaning.
  • often uses diction that is characterized by wordiness, clichés. Unnecessary words and phrases make the writing loose.
  • displays several grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.

A "C" paper will do: it's adequate. But it gives a reader an impression of fuzziness and lack of assurance by the writer. The reader has to work to understand what he or she is reading.

A "D" paper:

  • leaves the reader with an impression of the writer's haste, carelessness, lack of attention, or inability to craft direct or even simple sentences.
  • is barely adequate in the categories listed above.
  • may make some sense, but only when the reader struggles to find the sense. The writer has scanty control of the material.
  • displays multiple grammar and spelling errors and often a sloppy visual presentation as well.

Course Calendar

3.31
Syllabus intro
Intro paper 1 / 4.1 /

4.2

/

4.3

NO CLASS /

4.4

NO CLASS

4.7

/

4.8

/

4.9

PD 1 /

4.10

/

4.11

intro paper 2
WD 1

4.14

/

4.15

/

4.16

/

4.17

/

4.18