English Grammar and Composition

WR097 Section L1

English Grammar and Composition

Fall 2014

SED 210, Tue, Thu 11:00am-12:30

Instructor:Kimberly Shuckra-Gomez

Office:100 Bay State Road, Room 337 B

Contact:; Office Number: 617-358-1561

Office Hours:Tu. 8:30-9:00; Wed. 11:00-1:00, and by appointment

Course Description

WR 097 is designed to prepare students for the challenges of WR 098 and WR 100. We study the conventions of academic writing along with review of grammar and prose mechanics. Our emphasis is on comprehension, summary, and critical analysis of a wide range of readings, and we focus on accuracy and fluency in writing and speaking. There are frequent papers and in-class writing in addition to student presentations and individual conferences.

Course Goals

Use effective strategies for reading college-level texts and for acquiring new vocabulary in academic contexts

Begin to build up a logical analytical argument in a short essay

Identify and practice various writing styles and formats

Fluently perform classroom language functions

Express ideas using a controlled range of structures

Understand the culture of the American academic classroom

Acquire knowledge of basic grammar and meta-language

Begin to perform meta-cognitive and self-reflective tasks

Course Requirements

Assigned readings with written assignments such as journal entries, summaries, outlines, and vocabulary logs

In-class writing

Two formal papers with drafts

Several minor papers

Presentations

Three quizzes

Mandatory instructor conferences and WC tutoring appointment

Class attendance and participation

Course Materials

Required Texts (available at BU Bookstore)

Cooley, Thomas. The Norton Sampler.8th ed., 2013 (main text - anthology)
Bailey, Stephen.Academic Writing.3rd ed. Routledge, 2011. (grammar/academic literacy text)
Watson, Larry. Montana 1948. Perseus, 2007.
Advanced English-English dictionary (your choice)

Our class has a Blackboard site that contains syllabus, assignments, and other course-related materials. You can log into your Blackboard page at:

Email Policy: I welcome your email communications. Please allow 48 hours for a response.

Assignments

You will be given a range of writing assignments in this course, including a self-assessment, various reading and writing exercises, several minor and two major papers. Some of this work will not be graded, but that does not mean it is unimportant. Students who prepare diligently for class, participate actively, and take the homework exercises and drafts seriously generally learn more and write better final papers than those who do not.

Major Papers (drafts and final versions): We will use the term draft to refer to unfinished or preliminary versions of your major papers. You will be required to write drafts of each major paper and will receive feedback from me and your classmates. Drafts will not receive explicit grades, although you will receive credit for completing them on time. Remember that you are more likely to write a better final paper if you write a substantive draft. Your performance on your drafts may also affect your participation adjustment (see below). Your course grade will be determined primarily by the quality of the final versions of your major papers. All drafts and final papers must be word-processed and be documented in MLA style. Please include a word count (available as a function on most word processors) at the end of all written work.

Homework Assignments andExercises: You will be assigned weekly HW (varying assignments based on the readings covered) and occasionally exercises and activities. You will do some of these in class; others will be given as homework.I recommend that you purchase a notebook to contain your in-class writing and that you bring this notebook with you to class each day. Your exercises may not receive explicit grades, although you will receive credit for completing them on time. Your performance on these assignments may also affect your participation adjustment (see below).

Self-assessment: Mid-semester, you will be asked to respond to the goals of the course in the form of self-evaluation, reflecting on your writing progress.

Sharing of Student Writing: Experienced writers routinely share their work with others, because they understand that the best way to improve a piece of writing is to test it out with actual readers. In this class, you will learn how to respond productively to the writing of others and how to use feedback from others to improve your own work. All students in the class will be required to share at least one draft of each paper. If you are concerned about sharing your writing, please talk with me about your concerns.

Oral presentation: You will be responsible forleading a class discussion on an assigned Norton Sampler essay and will receive evaluation and feedback from the class and the instructor. The oral presentation will allow you to practice public speaking.

Grading and Evaluation

Final course grades will be based on the major papers, written homework, in-class assignments and participation, oral presentations, and quizzes. Late papers will be penalized by one-half letter grade. Due dates will be outlined on the course schedule, and you are expected to plan accordingly and allow sufficient preparation time.

Grading and Evaluation

Your final grade will be calculated as follows:

Two major papers with drafts (Summary/Argument-based analysis) - 30 %

(paper I, Summary: 10%; paper II, Argument-based analysis: 20%)

Three minor papers (Basic summary/Outline/Response to rhetorical technique) = 15%

Unit quizzes and in-class writing 15%

Homework 25%

Oral presentations 10%

Participation 5%

Your final grade may also be adjusted to reflect your attendance and participation as described below.

Late and Missed Assignments:Unless you make other arrangements with me in advance, graded assignments will be penalized by one-third of a letter grade for each class day they are late. If you submit a homework exercise or draft late, I cannot promise to read it in time for my comments to be useful to you. If you do not turn in drafts, you are still responsible for turning in final versions of your papers when they are due. Please note too that we will regularly work with our exercises and drafts in class. If you are habitually late with your assignments, you will be unable to participate fully in the class.

As your instructor, I am committed to providing you with timely written or verbal feedback on one draft of each major paper and written feedback and a grade on the final version of each major paper. You can generally expect my responses to your drafts within two weeks of your punctual submission of them; graded final versions will also be returned to you within two weeks.

Participation and Attendance:Since this course is a seminar, your regular attendance and participation are essential both to your own learning and to your classmates’ learning.

Under ordinary circumstances, missing more than one week of class will lower your final grade. Missing more than two weeks of class may lead to a failing grade in the course. Note that these absences need not be consecutive.

The second and third weeks of absences (3-6) will each lower the participation grade by a third of a letter for each class missed (e.g., B becomes B-C+CC-). Seven or more absences (more than three weeks) could be grounds for an “F” in the course.

If you have a special obligation that will require you to miss several classes (e.g., varsity athletics, religious observances), please talk with me at the beginning of the semester.Missed conference appointments will be counted as absences.

CAS Center for Writing

At the Writers’ Studio in the CAS Center for Writing (100 Bay State Road, 3rd floor with a satellite office at Mugar Library) students enrolled in WR courses can receive one-on-one consultations about their writing with well-trained tutors familiar with WR assignments. When you visit the Writers’ Studio, you should expect to be actively involved in your session. Tutors will work with you at any stage in your writing process, but they will not edit or correct your paper for you. Rather, they will work with you to help you do your own best work. The Writing Studio is a resource for all WR students. Whether you consider yourself to be a strong writer or a weak one, you can benefit from consulting with a tutor.

The Writers’ Studio’s hours are Monday through Thursday 9:00 am to 7:30 pm and Friday 9:00 am to 5:15 pm.While the Studio accepts walk-in visits, you are strongly encouraged to make an appointment in advance. Because of the high demand for consultations, students are limited to one reservation per week. You may schedule a session online at:

You may also schedule a session in person at the Arts & Sciences Writing Center or by calling 617-358-1500. Cancellations must be made at least 12 hours in advance.

Please make sure to book an appointment with a designated ESL tutor, who has the competence to help with specific language issues.

The Arts & Sciences Writing Program publishes an online journal of exemplary writing from WR courses. If you are interested in looking at samples of successful WR papers, or if you just want to read some good essays, I encourage you to visit the journal at:

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the passing off of another’s words or ideas as your own, and it is a serious academic offense. Cases of plagiarism will be handled in accordance with the disciplinary procedures described in the College of Arts and Science Academic Conduct Code. All WR students are subject to the CAS code, which can be read online at:

Penalties for plagiarism can range from failing an assignment or course to suspension or expulsion from the university. In this class, we will discuss conventions for using and citing sources in academic papers. If you have any questions about plagiarism, I invite you to speak with me.

Resources

Arts & Sciences Writing Program: Administers all WR courses and the Arts & SciencesWritingCenter. You may contact the Writing Program if you have any concerns about your WR class.

100 Bay State Rd., 3rd Floor

617-358-1500

BostonUniversity Libraries: Offer a wealth of online and print resources. Research Librarians will introduce you to the many resources the library offers in any field of research. They can work with you to develop a research plan and organize your sources. The ResearchCenter welcomes you for walk-in consultations on the first floor of Mugar Memorial Library or at any other library on campus.

Research appointments can be made at

Mugar Memorial Library

771 Commonwealth Avenue

Phone: 617-353-2700

EducationalResourceCenter: Offers tutorial assistance to all undergraduate students in a range of subjects, including writing. You should use the Writing Program’s WritingCenter for your WR classes, but you may wish to visit the ERC for tutorial assistance in other subjects.

100 Bay State Rd, 5th floor

Phone: 617-353-7077.

DeanRalphW.TaylorAcademicAdvisingCenter: A central resource for all questions concerning academic policy and practice in the College of Arts and Sciences. The office is headed by the Associate Dean for Student Academic Life and has a staff of fifteen faculty advisors and five academic counselors. All students can receive academic advice about and assistance through this office. Students who have not yet declared concentrations can receive pre-registration advising through this office.

Dean Ralph W. Taylor Academic Advising Center

100 Bay State Rd. 4th Floor

Email:

Phone: 617-353-2400

Office of Disability Services: Responsible for assisting students with disabilities. If you have a disability, you are strongly encouraged to register with this office. You may be entitled to special accommodations in your courses, such as additional time on tests, staggered homework assignments, or note-taking assistance. This office will give you a letter outlining the accommodations to which you are entitled that you can share with your teachers. If you require accommodations, you must present me with an official letter from Disability Services.

19 Deerfield Street, 2nd floor
Phone: 617-353-3658

Student Central: Web page that provides direct access to public and personal academic, financial and institutional data maintained in the University's central computer system.

Student Health Services: Offers an array of health services to students, including wellness education and mental health services (behavioral medicine).

Important Dates for Fall 2014

Last Day to ADD WR ClassesMonday, September 8

Last Day to ADD non-WR Classes Monday, September 15

Last Day to DROP Classes (without a ‘W’ grade) Monday, October 6

Last Day to DROP Classes (with a ‘W’ grade) Friday, November 7

Last Day to Officially Take a Leave of Absence

or Withdraw from the University for Fall 2013Tuesday, December 2, 2014

WR 097 Schedule

Handouts for other readings and assignments will be posted on our blackboard cite during the course of the semester.

NS:Norton Sampler

AW:Academic Writing

M:Montana 1948

Bb:Blackboard

Week 1

Tu 09-02Introduction to course/Diagnostic writing

Assigned reading: “Reading as a Writer” (NS 20-23)

Th 09-04Peer editing/Basic summary

Assigned reading:Lederer “English is a Crazy Language” (NS 216);

Verbs (AW); Subject-Verb Agreement (AW)

Week 2

M 09-08Last day to add or change writing seminars

Tu 09-09Critical reading/Annotating

Assigned reading: Tan “Mother Tongue” (NS 253);“The Writing Process” (NS24)

Th 09-11 Due: Minor paper: Basic Summary/Outlining

Assigned reading: Julavits “Turning Japanese“(NS 155);Writing Paragraphs” (NS 42);

Week 3

M 0915Last day to add a non-WR class

Tu 09-16Conferences this week/Summarizing

Academic Honesty and Plagiarism: BU Code of Conduct: Boston University Arts & Sciences

Th 09-18 Outlining

Assigned reading: Marquez “Why and When We Speak Spanish in Public”

(NS 506)

Week 4

Tu 09-23Oral presentations begin: see schedule on Bb

Assigned reading: LI “Orange Crush” (NS 161)

Th 09-25Due: Minor paper: Outline/Basic summary and analysis

Assigned reading: Tannen “Gender in the Classroom”(NS 397);Nouns,

Pronouns, Adjectives, Adverbs (AW)

Week 5

Tu 09-30Due: Draft of Paper 1; Conferences on Paper 1/Coherent paragraphs and types of paragraphs

Assigned reading: Goodman “So You Want to Be a Writer? Here’s How.”(NS322);Coherent Paragraphs& Types of Paragraphs; (AW)

Th 10-02 Quiz 1/SentenceStructure

Assigned reading: King “I Have a Dream” (NS 481); Word Forms (AW)

Week 6

M 10-06Last day to drop classes without a “W” grade

Tu 10-07Introduction to Rhetorical Analysis; 10/07-last day to drop classes without a “W” grade

Th 10-09Due: Final Version of Paper # 1/ In-class editing

Assigned reading: Catton “Grant and Lee”(NS 373); Sentence Structure (AW); (WC Unit7)

Week 7

M 10-13Holiday—No classes

Tu 10-14Substitute Monday schedule of classes

Assigned reading: Brooks “Harmony and the Dream” (NS 279)

Th 10-16Self-assessment /Working with sources

Assigned reading:Document Design(AW);Pinker “Mind Over Mass Media” (NS 559)

Week 8

Tu 10-21Quiz 2/Argument

Assigned reading: Lusting “The Toxic Truth about Sugar” (NS 284)

Th 10-23Due: Minor paper: Analysis of Rhetorical Technique

Assigned reading:) Carr “Hal And Me” (NS 563);Constructing reasonable arguments & Evaluating arguments(AW)

Week 9

Tu 10-28Review

Assigned reading: “Argument” (NS 376-388)

Th 10-30Continued work on argument

Assigned reading: Montgomery “The Island of Plenty” (NS 539); Subordinate WordGroups, Fragments and Run-on Sentences (AW)

Week 10

Tu 11-04Introduction to the Novel/ In-class editing and grammar review

Assigned readingAppropriate Language and Exact Words(AW); Word Choice (WC Unit 13)

Th 11-06Quiz 3/ Discussing Fiction

Assigned reading: Prologue and Chapter 1(M)

F 11-07 Last day to drop classes with a ‘W’ grade

Week 11

Tu 11-11 Discussion of Novel

Assigned reading:Improve Flow of Ideas (AW)

Th 11-13 In-class writing practice/Team presentations

Assigned reading: Chapter 2 (M)

Week 12

Tu 11-18 Thesis statements for paper 2

Assigned reading: Chapter 3 and Epilogue (M)

Th 11-20 Draft of Paper 2 workshopped

Week 13

Tu 11-25 Team presentations

Fall Recess: 11/27-11/30 (Thanksgiving)

Week 14

Tu 12-02Draft of Paper 2 workshopped

Th 12-04Course evaluations

Week 15

Tu 12-09 Last day of classes; Due: Final Paper 2