Engl 102: English Composition II

Engl 102: English Composition II

Spring 2013

CRN 35571

Tuesday & Thursday, 3:30pm – 4:45pm

ARTS-111

Instructor: Sascha Skucek

Email:

Phone: 717-780-2300 ext. 711183

Required texts:

Current Issues and Enduring Questions, Ninth Edition by Sylvan Barnet & Hugo Bedau

Required materials:

A good pocket folder, a small stapler for your book bag, a flash drive or other acceptable means for transferring files

Class materials including assignment sheets, exercises and online readings will be available at http://lonewolf.pbwiki.com

Office & Office Hours: Arts 214-F, Mondays 10-11am & Thursdays 2-3pm

You will be far more successful in finding me if you tell me in advance you want to meet. Letting me know will guarantee I’m in my office. I’m fast in responding by email. See me when you have questions about an assignment, when you would like to try out some ideas before a document is due, or when you have questions about a comment. You should also see me to get help with particular writing problems, to resolve differences about grades, or to suggest ways to improve the course.

Catalog Description

English 102 builds on English 101, connecting thinking, reading, and writing. Research, interpretation, and argumentation is emphasized.

Course Outcomes

Upon successful completion of English 102, the student will be able to

1. Read critically to identify and analyze an author’s position, purposxe, voice, audience and writing style.

2. Recognize fallacious and/or misleading arguments.

3. Use an accepted academic format and documentation style.

4. Identify, gather, and evaluate information from a variety of primary and secondary sources, including electronic sources.

5. Summarize, analyze and incorporate information and ideas from sources.

6. Write at a level of advanced complexity of thought, diction and style.

7. Use audience-appropriate rhetorical strategies to organize and develop academic writing.

8. Present conclusions and judgments which are consistent with the preceding arguments and evidence.

Grading, Requirements and Attendance

You must complete all assignments to pass this class.

Your grade will be divided into six major assignments and participation on a 100 percent scale as follows:

Resume/Cover Letter 15%

Pathos Narrative 10%

Definition Paper (Collaborative) 15%

Annotated Bibliography 10%

Proposal Research Paper 15%

Visual Analysis 10%

In-Class participation 5%

Homework & Quizzes 20%

Make-up Policy on major assignments: All projects are due at the beginning of class on the dates indicated on the syllabus. Assignments turned in late will be penalized one letter grade for each class day late unless you have made other arrangements with me in advance. It is extremely important that you turn an assignment in. Students who do not turn in major assignments will fail the course. Turning in an assignment very late and earning an F (50%) is far more recoverable than not turning it in and taking a 0%.

You are responsible for all class announcements, notes, discussions, assignments, etc. Get to know some of your classmates to help you catch up when you miss information.

The difference of almost three letter grades is based on the value of participation, homework and quizzes. That means your active participation in class, the completion of assigned homework and how you do on pop quizzes. Class attendance is contingent on all of these. You are expected to attend every class and to have your work with you.

Regular attendance is required, because course instruction depends on your active participation. Two or three absences will probably not affect your performance too much, but these should be officially excused. Further absences will result in a lower grade on future assignments, participation and quizzes.

According to College Policy 661, an excused absence is an absence that occurred for reasons that were a) beyond the student’s control to prevent and b) significant enough to reasonably prohibit attendance in class. Please provide me with written, official documentation that confirms not only the day and time of your absence but also the urgency of the situation.

Quizzes & Homework

Over the course of the semester you will be assigned about 15 quizzes and homework assignments. For those of you that are well disciplined with your reading and attendance, earning 100% is very possible and necessary to earn an A in this course. THERE ARE NO MAKEUP QUIZZES. Quizzes will be given at the start of the class. If you are late or miss class, you will get a zero. You may hand homework assignments late by one class period for half credit. After that, it’s a zero. During the course of the semester you will have a few earned opportunities to drop a low quiz grade.

Quizzes & Homework

Writing Center

Students may improve their writing by having their peers look over their work. Or, you may see me outside of class via office hours or appointments. You can also contact the writing center to set up a tutor: http://www.hacc.edu/Harrisburg/TutoringServices/Tutoring-Services.cfm

Assignments

In this course, I will try to hold you to the professional standards that prevail in your field. For example, of the requirements listed below, your employer will take some completely for granted, such as promptness, neat appearance, and correct mechanics.

Promptness. In this course, as in the working world, you must turn in your work on time. All projects are due at the beginning of class on the dates indicated on the syllabus. Assignments turned in late will be penalized one letter grade for each day late unless you have made other arrangements with me in advance.

Appearance. All work should be neatly prepared on a computer, using margins and spacing and design techniques that are conventional for the genre. Whether it is a story, essay or letter, your communication should exhibit complete and appropriate format. All writing for the course should be printed clearly, including draft work.

Grammar, Spelling, Proofreading. At work, even a single error in spelling, grammar, or proofreading can jeopardize the effectiveness of some communications (depending on the rhetorical situation). Grading will reflect the great seriousness with which these matters are frequently viewed in the working world. If you would like special assistance with any of these skills, I can recommend sources for extra help. READ YOUR WORK OUTLOUD TO YOURSELF before submitting a final draft.

Back-up Copies. Always back-up your electronic files. And always prepare TWO printed copies for each rough draft workshop. I will grade one copy and hand it back; the other copy will be for your own safe keeping and permanent records. Sometimes I will request a copy of one of your documents so that I can use it as a sample, to illustrate effective and problematic responses to assignments. Unless I completely obliterate any marks that might identify it as yours, I will never use your work in class without your permission.

Revisions. You will receive feedback on your writing at various stages of the writing process. You should try to apply the comments to improve not only the particular assignment you are working on at the time but also your strategies for writing in general.

Expectations

In addition to the requirements outlined above, you are expected to work until the class period has ended; to complete all reading assignments on time; to help your classmates learn by your responses to their writing; to choose projects that require significant research and analysis; to spend at least six hours per week out of class for writing and class preparation; and to be courteous and considerate.

Cell Phone & Laptop Policy

Cell phones and laptops should be kept out of sight and turned off.

Grades

Grades values on your papers are as follows:

A+= 100, A=95, A-=90, B+=87, B=84, B-=80, C+=77, C=74, C-=70, D=65, F=59. A zero will be given to assignments that are incomplete or not handed in.

When grading each of your assignments, I will ask one overriding question: “Does this essay do its job successfully?” That is, would your communication have the intended effect on the reader you are addressing. I will, of course, recognize the difference between a competent performance (a “C”) and good and excellent performances (“B” and “A”). A competent performance is one that stands a chance of succeeding; an excellent performance is one that seems assured not only of success but also of winning praise:

A superior; the work is of near professional quality. The document meets or exceeds all the objectives of the assignment. The content is mature, thorough, and well-suited for the audience; the style is clear, accurate, and forceful; the information is well-organized and designed so that it is accessible and attractive; the mechanics and grammar are correct.

B good; the document meets the objectives of the assignment, but it needs improvement in style, or it contains easily correctable errors in grammar, format, or content, or its content is superficial.

C competent; the document needs significant improvement in concept, details, development, organization, grammar, or format. It may be formally correct but superficial in content.

D marginally acceptable; the document meets some of the objectives but ignores others; the content is inadequately developed; or it contains numerous or major errors.

F unacceptable; the document does not have enough information, does something other than the assignment required, or it contains major errors or excessive errors.

Final Grade Values

At the end of the semester, the following values will decide your final grade:

89.5% - 100% = A

79.5% - 89.4% = B

69.5% - 79.4% = C

59.5% - 69.4% = D

0% - 59.4% = F

W, I & Y Grades – According to AP 667:

A W grade may be awarded to students who have withdrawn or have been

withdrawn from a course after the refund period and through the last class day of

the semester/session. The simple act of not coming to class anymore does not give you an automatic withdrawal. Be careful to complete the necessary paperwork for proper withdrawal. Otherwise, not attending class will result in a failing grade.

An I grade is awarded by the approving faculty member to students who because

of extenuating circumstances need additional time beyond the semester to

complete coursework. Normally, students request the I grade.

A Y grade may be granted in specified courses when the instructor judges that

the student has shown sufficient progress but needs more time to complete the

course objectives.

Academic Integrity

According to Administrative Procedure 594, academic dishonesty is defined as an intentional act of deception in which a student seeks to claim credit for the work or effort of another person, or uses unauthorized material or fabricated information in any academic work. It includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, cheating and academic misconduct. Dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated in this course and I will fail you.

Talking over your ideas and getting comments on your writing from friends are NOT plagiarism. Taking someone else’s published or unpublished words and calling them your own IS plagiarism. When plagiarism amounts to an attempt to deceive, it has dire consequences.

Temporary Accommodations and Services for Disabilities

It is the policy of Harrisburg Area Community College, in full accordance with the law, not to discriminate in employment, student admissions, and student services on the basis of race, color, religion, age, political affiliation or belief, gender, national origin, ancestry, disability, place of birth, General Education Development Certification (GED), marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, genetic history/information, or any legally protected classification. HACC recognizes its responsibility to promote the principles of equal opportunity for employment, student admissions, and student services taking active steps to recruit minorities and women.

The Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (“PHR Act”) prohibits discrimination against prospective and current students because of race, color, sex, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, handicap or disability, record of a handicap or disability, perceived handicap or disability, relationship or association with an individual with a handicap or disability, use of a guide or support animal, and/or handling or training of support or guide animals.

The Pennsylvania Fair Educational Opportunities Act (“PFEO Act”) prohibits discrimination against prospective and current students because of race, religion, color, ancestry, national origin, sex, handicap or disability, record of a handicap or disability, perceived handicap or disability, and a relationship or association with an individual with a handicap or disability.

Information about these laws may be obtained by visiting the Pennsylvania Human Relations Comission website at http://www.phrc.state.pa.us

If an accommodation is needed, please contact the disability coordinator for your campus: http://www.hacc.edu/StudentServices/DisabilityServices/Contact-Us.cfm

HACC Harrisburg Campus:

Carole Kerper –

Director of Disability Services

Cooper 230

One HACC Drive

Harrisburg, PA 17110

Phone: 717-780-2614

Delayed Opening

The announcement that HACC is on a “Delayed Opening” schedule will be made by 6:00am. Classes will meet for shorter periods. For more information and for starting times please see:

www.hacc.edu/academics/collegecalendars/delayed-opening.cfm

Schedule

“CIEQ” refers to the text Current Issues and Enduring Questions.

Week 1

Topic / Due
1/15 / T / Course Introduction
1/17 / TR / Resume/Cover Letter Discussion / Bring in required materials
Hills Like White Elephants (Online)

Week 2: January 22 is the last day to add classes or drop for a full refund

Topic / Due
1/22 / T / Resumes Cont. / Read Resume/CoverLetter Chapter (Online)
1/24 / TR / Critical Reading
Cover Letters / p.32-57 (CIEQ)
Resume draft session
Bring in three job ads

Week 3