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ENGL 120:

College Composition II, 3 credits

Bulletin Description

Advanced practice in reading and writing of various genres for different situations and audiences. Includes field research, collaboration, and visual communication.

Extended Description

In this section of College Composition II, we will focus on rhetoric, research, and the intersections among music, culture, and identity. In terms of rhetoric and research, we will work on both concepts and application. In terms of the music theme, we will read texts, write about music-related issues, and consider the impact music has had on culture.

Required Texts

Trimbur, John. The Call to Write. Brief 4th Edition. 2008.

Recommended Texts

A writer’shandbook that includes MLA style sheets.

To save this expense, you may use online resources, such as the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL), but you will be expected to consult these resources and not rely on me to answer all questions of citation and grammar. Learning to use writers’ resources is part of learning to write well.

Expenses & Supplies

Photocopying/printing:

  • First drafts may be emailed to me to reduce printing expenses. Only first drafts. Any other drafts emailed and not handed in as hard copies will be considered late. You will still need to bring one hard copy of draft one for your peer to review.
  • To grading conferences, bring 1 hard copy for me and one for you.
  • When reviewing classmates’ work for whole class workshop, either print a copy of their writing or bring a computer so you can refer to the text during our discussion.
  • You will sometimes be expected to print items from the course site.

Feel free to format online readings and whole class workshop documents to reduce printing costs, but do print them and bring them to class or bring a laptop on which you can view them.

Other supplies:

  • Optional USB/flash drives: you may want to bring a USB/flashdrive for saving your work when we meet in the computer clusters (See course schedule). You may also use Digital Dropbox or may email your work to yourself as an attachment.
  • A writable CD for the playlist profile assignment.
  • Possibility of purchasing music for your playlist CD (maximum $8; I will return the CD to you)

Major Assignments

  • Class participation (based on attendance and level of participation in class). 100 points.

The participation grade will be earned as follows:

A / No more than 3 absences (1 week); active, substantive, and regular participation in class (your body being in the room isn’t enough!)
B / No more than 4 absences, active and regular participation in class
C / No more than 6 absences (2 weeks), regular participation in class
D / No more than 7 absences, some participation in class
F / No more than 8 absences, minimal participation. After 9 absences (3 weeks) the participation grade is zero points. 4 weeks absence or more will constitute failure of the course, regardless of reason.
  • Daily work, including peer responses. Each randomly collected/graded piece is worth 5-10 points. I will not collect all daily writing, but will not announce in advance which ones I will collect and grade. If it looks like not many people have done the work, you can bet I’ll collect and grade that day. Total: 50 points.
  • Playlist profile. Based on research (mini-annotated bibliography), create an 8-item playlist that uses music to profile a political or cultural leader, present or past. Create the CD to accompany the playlist. Full first draft 25 points. Final draft, 100 points.
  • Rhetorical analysis. You will analyze two related articles from the list of articles on music and culture. 5 pages. First draft 25 points. Final draft, 150 points
  • Mid-term learning portfolio. 100 points.
  • 5-entry annotated bibliographies for commentary project. Final draft, 55 points.
  • Researched commentary. 6 pages. Topic must be connected to music and culture. First full draft 25 points. Final draft, 170 points.
  • PowerPoint video version of your commentary. (After portfolio is submitted). Presented to the class. 100 points.
  • Final Portfolio. Students will include final versions of at least 3 different genres with a cover letter, must total 15-18 pages of writing. Lowest grade major project must be revised for an improved grade (over the pencil grade). 100 points.
  • Bonus opportunity: Any student willing to workshop (discuss) a piece of his or her writing once during the semester with the entire class will receive a 10-point bonus, and the workshop is likely to really help improve your writing (and your grade!) First come, first served.

General Education Outcomes for English 120

Outcome #1: To communicate effectively in a variety of genres for various audiences and situations

English 120 will emphasize academic genres, and extend reading and writing to include genres common in public communication situations. In order to achieve this outcome, students will:

  • Read a variety of genres of writing, with an emphasis on writing produced for students and scholars and writing produced for the general reader, intended to inform and influence members of the public on matters of concern to all.
  • Write in a variety of genres for various audiences and purposes (e.g. writing for specific disciplines, writing to communicate visually as well as textually in order to reach wider audiences and meet different reading styles, writing for the general public about issues you care about, etc.)
  • Practice effective and efficient writing strategies, including generating, developing, and focusing ideas, sharing drafts of writing with peers and the instructor, revising and editing for clarity, consistency, and correctness. Students should also understand that effective communication can only be defined within the context and situation of reading and writing tasks.

Outcome #6: To integrate knowledge and ideas in a coherent and meaningful manner

English 120 instruct students in library and web research skills, and introduce field research as an additional means of finding or generating ideas and knowledge. In order to achieve this outcome, students will:

  • Locate information in library and web resources, and respond to others' ideas within their own writing.
  • Conduct field research appropriate to their writing projects (e.g. observe people or things, conduct interviews, write and distribute surveys, relevant to their topic), and integrate that research
  • Use a thesis statement, claims, and evidence effectively when a writing situation calls for these particular elements.

English Department Outcome Applicable for English 120

To understand leadership as a dynamic role, rather than a static position, that can be played out through writing and collaboration

Students should come to understand the relationship between effective communication and leadership. While civic leaders are often examples of good communicators, students should come to see through the collaborative assignments and explorations of leadership in this course that leadership can take many forms, and individuals who communicate well can either take leadership roles or support strong teams throughout college, into their careers, and within their communities. In order to achieve this goal, students will:

  • Work collaboratively on at least one writing assignment.
  • Reflect on their experiences as a collaborator as a means of understanding their own experiences in a group, as a leader or member.
  • Reflect on, and in some cases do research on, the concept of leadership.

Grading Scales

For assignments worth 5 points:
A = 5
B = 4
C = 3
D = 2
F = 0-1 / For assignments worth 10 points:
A = 9-10
B = 8-8.9
C = 7-7.9
D = 6-6.9
F = 0-5.9
For assignments worth 25 points:
A = 22.5-25
B = 20-22.4
C = 17.5-19.9
D = 15-17.4
F = 0-14.9 / For assignments worth 55 points:
A = 49.5-55
B = 44-49
C =38.5-43.5
D = 33-38
F = 0-32.5
For assignments worth 100 points:
A = 90-100
B = 80-89
C = 70-79
D = 60-69
F = 0-59 / For assignments worth 150 points:
A = 135-150
B = 120-134
C = 105-119
D = 90-104
F = 0-89
For assignments worth 170 points
A = 153-170
B = 136-152
C = 129-135
D = 102-128
F = 0-101 / For the course:
A = 900-1000
B = 800-899
C = 700-799
D = 600-699
F = 0-599

1st Draft Grading Scales

Playlist
3 summaries with citation plus 8 item playlist = 25 points
Every citation + summary is worth 2.25 points.
Every playlist item is worth 2.25 points. / RA
4pages + works cited page = 25 points
3.75 pages + works cited page = 23.5 points
3.5 pages + works cited page = 22 points
Every quarter page is worth 1.5 points. Any draft less than a page in length will receive 0 points.
A missing works cited page will reduce the grade by 1 point.
Commentary
6 pages plus works cited = 25 points
5.75 pages plus wc = 24
5.5 pages plus wc = 23
Every quarter page is worth 1 point. Any draft less than a page in length will receive 0 points.
A missing works cited page will reduce the grade by 2 points. / * Please note that if you have lots of white space at the beginning, a bigger than normal font, big margins, spaces between your paragraphs, I will try to do my best to calculate how much text you have to make a fair comparison with others whose font is standard, margins are standard, etc.

Grade Descriptions

A = Excellent work, virtually free of mechanical error (grammar, citation, punctuation, spelling), going above and beyond the basic requirements of the assignment. Demonstrates sophisticated understanding of the assignment and the writing situation. Reader should be able to read without disruption.

B = Good or above average work, minimal mechanical error, going beyond the requirements of the assignment in a least one way, fulfilling all assignment requirements. Demonstrates understanding of the assignment and the writing situation. Reading should be easy, with minimal disruption.

C = Ok or average work, some mechanical error is acceptable, just fulfills all assignment requirements. Demonstrates basic understanding of the assignment and the writing situation. Reading may involve minimal to moderate disruption.

D = Needs improvement to meet assignment requirements. Reading the text is challenging.

F = Unacceptable work. Does not fulfill most of the assignment requirements, is not handed in, or is not the writer’s own work (the last two warrant 0s at best). Reading for comprehension may be nearly impossible.

Grading Guidelines

  • Pencil grade or final assignments handed in after their due dates will be reduced half a letter grade, unless prior arrangements are made with me. After a week’s lateness, the grade goes down a full letter grade for every week it is late. Missed and subsequently rescheduled grading conferences are considered late submissions.
  • First drafts handed in after the due date will receive 0 points. This is a nonnegotiable requirement. If you wake up sick the day a draft is due, send it via a classmate or email or post it to the blackboard site. Do not count on me checking my campus box after class.
  • Any projects completed collaboratively will receive one grade. Individuals will be asked to evaluate and support both their own work and their peers’ work on the project. The self-assessment will serve as a grading guide for me.
  • All written work is due at the very beginning of class on the due date.
  • I will hold mandatory conferences for the first couple of assignments.

Grading Conference Procedures

For the playlist profile and rhetorical analysis assignment, I will conduct an individual grading conference with you.

The week before the conferences begin, I will post a sign-in sheet on my office door (322D Minard Hall). You will sign up for a time that works for you. Then, you will come to the conference with two copies of your finished final draft, the peer responses you received on the draft, and copies of all sources you used.

In the conference, you and I will read your paper with a grading rubric to guide our reading. We will then compare our evaluations of the document and discuss any differences. You will be able to revise two of the major projects after the pencil grade for an improved grade.

Attendance

In compliance with NDSU University Senate Policy, Section 333: Class Attendance and Policy and Procedure, < and with the English Department’s Attendance Policy, < students’ prompt, regular attendance is required for this course.

If you are aware of a potential conflict with this class, consider taking another section at another time. You have 1 week’s worth of free misses for illness/emergency. After a week, your participation grade will go down, and after three weeks’ absence you will automatically receive a zero for participation.

According to English department policy, students who miss more than four weeks of class during the standard academic semester (e.g., twelve 50 minute classes, eight 75 minute classes, or their equivalent) will not pass the course. Moreover, each student is accountable for all work missed because of absence, and instructors have no obligation to make special arrangements for missed work. If you have a major emergency that causes you to miss a large amount of class unexpectedly, you should withdraw and take the course at a time when you are able to attend more regularly.

What To Do If You Miss a Class Meeting For Any Reason

1. Do not come to me asking, “What did we do?” (Or, even worse, “Did we do anything?”)

2. As soon as possible, contact at least 2 classmates for full class notes, instructions, handouts, etc. If the classmates you contact did not take helpful notes or are otherwise uninformed, you should contact someone else. (You are responsible for knowing what transpires in each class session, whether you are present or not.)

3. After contacting classmates for full information, you may then visit or email me if you have specific, informed questions.

4. To submit late projects,staple an explanatory note to any material handed in late, clearly identifying the item, the reason for its lateness, and the date it was originally due. If you are handing the work in by email attachment, you must include an explanatory comment in the body of the email message, as well as clear identifying information on the email subject line. You may not hand in daily writing or in-class activities after the class period during which they were due, nor can you hand in first drafts late for credit.

5. Material handed in without this explanatory information will not be accepted.

6. Late work will receive a grade reduction that will persist in revisions (5% per week).

Critical Incident Questionnaires (CIQs)

Each Thursday, at the end of class, I will hand out a document called the Critical Incident Questionnaire. In the last 10 minutes, we will all fill out a questionnaire, answering questions about our engagement with the class materials, concepts, and activities. Each of us will use a piece of carbon paper to make a copy for ourselves to keep. It is very important that you keep these copies, as you will look back at your responses each time you complete a portfolio. The CIQs will help you to recall important learning moments and challenges. The questionnaires are anonymous. I will use them for a few primary purposes: addressing major points of confusion shared by several students in the class, slowing down or speeding up delivery of material to address student learning, adjusting my teaching strategies to target learning styles in the class, and helping other teachers through research and publication of my findings to understand how we can use reflection to improve learning and class communication.

Writing Format:

  • Unless specified otherwise, all assignments must be typed.
  • Use a 12-point font, double space, with one-inch margins all around, unless the document requires a special design.
  • Staple your document together or put it in a paper folder.
  • Cover sheets are unnecessary, but use a heading that includes your name, the date, the title of your work, and any draft information (Example: Playlist Profile, Draft 1 or Rhetorical
  • Analysis, Final). Do not use headers for letters.
  • Include works cited, citations, and "help received" statement as necessary (check your handbook or a reliable online handbook for citation conventions).

Academic Honesty

"I stole my term paper off the Internet, but I think it’s okay. My topic is plagiarism."
—Cartoon by Randy Glasbergen

Cartoons accessed May 16, 2008

Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism: Work submitted for this course must adhere to the Code of Academic Responsibility and Conduct as cited in the Handbook of Student Policies: “The academic community is operated on the basis of honesty, integrity, and fair play. Occasionally, this trust is violated when cheating occurs, either inadvertently or deliberately. This code will serve as the guideline for cases where cheating, plagiarism, or other academic improprieties have occurred . . . . Faculty members may fail the student for the particular assignment, test, or course involved, or they may recommend that the student drop the course in question, or these penalties may be varied with the gravity of the offense and the circumstances of the particular case” (65). See also:

Academic Honesty Defined: All written and oral presentations must “respect the intellectual rights of others. Statements lifted verbatim from publications must be cited as quotations. Ideas, summaries or paraphrased material, and other information taken from the literature must be properly referenced” (Guidelines for the Presentation of Disquisitions, NDSU Graduate School, 4).

English Department Policy on Plagiarism. Instructors in the English department try to distinguish between inadvertent and deliberate plagiarism. Initial instances of inadvertent plagiarism will be pointed out and revision will be expected; deliberate plagiarism may result in zero for an assignment, possible F for the course. See the English department guidelines for more details:

Helpful website for understanding and avoiding plagiarism:

Special Needs

In keeping with the Americans with Disabilities Act, I encourage students with special needs who need accommodations in this course to contact me as soon as possible so that the appropriate arrangements can be made.

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College Composition II

Schedule

Please note: this schedule may and probably will change slightly throughout the semester.

**CtW = Call to Write

Unit One: The Playlist Profile

Date / Reading Assignment / Writing Assignment / Class Details