Great Basin College English 101: Composition I E03 Fall 2006
Instructor: Patrick Lysons
Email: GBC
Texts: The Writer’s Way
SF Writer’s Resource Text
Course Process:
Please read the Great Basin College Course Description Page for the complete requirements and expectations of this class. In a nutshell, this course is a university transfer class in critical reading, critical thinking, and expository/expressive writing. Four college level essays are required. The goal of the course is to adequately prepare the student for the kinds of thinking, reading, and writing that other college courses require.
The emphasis in this class is on writing—in a workshop format—therefore it is important that you become a peer reader and a writer in this class. A key feature of the workshop process is that it enables you to strengthen your writing by rewriting/revising your work without fear of a grading penalty. You’ll be able to correct your writing errors in a spirit of friendliness and seriousness without fear of censure or penalty as will your fellow students. Once you get past your initial jitters about this process I am confident that, as a student, you will come to class looking forward to the process rather than cowering in fear.
Scheduled due dates for each required essay as well as the type of essay to be written will be determined after our first two class meetings. The last essay of this semester will require you to do valid research using MLA documentation which will help prepare you for English 102: The Research Paper. This essay is not a “term paper” and is designed to give you some practice in doing research. You will cite at least three primary sources for this essay.
Your goal is to learn to acquire sound academic writing and thinking skills that will serve you well in your other courses as you work toward an Associate of Arts or Bachelor degree in the major of your choice. A standard rubric will be used as an evaluation tool for each essay. It is included with this preliminary syllabus.
Finally, the workshop format in this class will help you to: 1) see and hear the work of other writers in your group; 2) respond to others’ writings and provide important critical feedback; 3) have your work critiqued so that you become more aware of the types of writing errors you are prone to make and doing the revisions necessary prior to handing in a finished essay for the instructor’s grade. Two (2) peer critiques are required for each final essay turned into the instructor.
All major assignments must be submitted in proper manuscript form: double-spaced and word-processed using 12 point font and standard script, with one inch margins on standard sized white paper.
Student Evaluation:
A final grade for the course will be determined by the following criteria:
Daily work will constitute 15% of the grade. Assessed by classroom
participation, peer review feedback and contributions, responses to
reading assignments, and exercises in grammar, diction, as well as
attention to essay corrections in style, content, and development.
Four essays and one impromptu in-class mid-term essay will
Constitute 85% of the final grade; the four essays will be evaluated in a final revised draft, submitted in the WebCT. The in-class essay
will be graded as a final product. The types of essays are determined in the calendar course syllabus and discussed in the first two class meetings. A diagnostic essay is given the 2nd meeting of the class to help determine
workshop peer groupings for the term.
The instructor uses a grading system which awards +’s and –‘s and gives a W until the 13th week of class, after which an F will be given. A student must formally withdraw before Friday of the 13th week to avoid earning an F for the course. According to the policy established by Great Basin College, to receive an Incomplete, a student must have completed at least ¾ of the course with a grade of C or better, but be unable to complete the class for good cause.
Academic Integrity Policy:
Students are expected to be honest. If ideas are borrowed, the source must be cited by standard MLA documentation format. Internet sources are subject to documentation as well as careful evaluation of what the student chooses to cite. Acts of plagiarism are violations not only of the standards of intellectual honesty, they are considered criminal acts and are the perpetrator can be subject to criminal prosecution. Students who violate such standards are subject to punishment ranging from failing a class to dismissal from the academic institution.
Late Submission Policy:
The English department has adopted a policy that no late papers will be accepted.
Grade Appeal or Professional Conduct:
If you have any concerns or academic problems, or if you feel you need special assistance, please discuss such matters with your instructor first—and as soon as you can. See pages 46-47 of the General Catalogue 2002-2003 on procedures which deal with these issues.
Student Conduct:
Students are expected to observe the conventions of common
courtesy: no cell phones in class, prompt and consistent attendance, courteous listening, and attention to due dates.
Revision Policy: In English 101, students are expected to revise drafts for clarity, adequate development, conciseness, and emphatic arrangement. Peer group conferences in a workshop format with the instructor are an integral part of this course. Essays will be assessed but not always graded in these formats where discussion, criticism (constructive), and suggestions from peers as well as the instructor will be made. In final evaluation of a required essay, the instructor will use a standard rubric which describes the key writing skills determined by Great Basin’s English department to be essential to good writing.
English 101 Course Syllabus
Fall 2006 Great Basic College
Patrick Lysons
Tuesday/Thursday: 5:30-6:45 PM
Health Sciences Building Room 108
Office Hours: By appointment—before or after class meetings
NOTE: Dates listed are subject to revision depending on class needs or other unforeseen events beyond the instructor’s ability to control. Due dates for essays are firm.
Date Activity/Reading(s) Assignment
8/29 Introduction to Course Read Prologue/Chaps. 1-2
8/31 In class essay/diagnostic Personal Essay/Chapter 3
Discussion Chaps. 1-2 <due 9/26> Chap 10, on-going
9/5 Peer Group workshop/assigns “Seed” thoughts/text
9/7 Generating ideas for writing Chaps. 4-5
9/12 Audience and Purpose/workshop Chap. 6
9/14 Peer Group I only workshop Chap 10/Chap 8
9/19 Peer Group II only workshop Chap 10/Chap 8
9/21 Beginning, Ending, Titling (all) Chap 9
9/26 Personal Essay Due w/peer critiques Chap 11/Nevada Essay
<Due 10/26>
9/28 Language, Diction, Prefixes/Suffixes Chap 12/Editing
10/3 Editing/Grammar issues Chap 12, continued
10/5 Group II peers only workshop exer./mechanics
10/10 Group I peers only workshop exer./style/diction
10/12 Topic for Mid-term Essay Reading Essays/Group I
10/17 Mid-term in-class Essay Reading Essays/Group II
10/19 Group I/reading essays (all) Essay development issues
10/24 Group II/reading essays (all) Essay development issues
10/26 Essay discussions Academic Essay assigned
<Due Nov 14>
10/31 Essay discussions Workshop exer./spec. issues
11/2 Academic Essay Literary Workshop exer./spec. issues
11/7 Academic Essay Scientific Workshop exer/spec. issues
11/9 Peer Group discussions Workshop exercises
11/14 Peer Group discussions Argument/Research Essay
<due Dec 5>
11/16 Documentation MLA Format Research issues
11/21 Research Citing Issues Workshop exercises
11/23/ no class/Thanksgiving Break Workshop exercises
11/28 Rough Drafts/Research Essay Workshop exercises
11/30 Works Cited Page/Bibliography Workshop exercises
12/5 Individual conferences Research Essay Due
12/7 End of semester Grades posted 12/8