English 106-Freshman Composition

English 106-Introductory Composition

Spring 2008

106-2701

1:30 P.M.

Inscriptions: Reading and Writing Identity

Instructor: Neal Gill

Office: Heavilon Hall 413

Phone: 496-1645

E-mail: ngill@purdue.edu

Office Hours: T 12-1:30; W 12-1:30; and as arranged

Course Syllabus Online: http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~wgilljr/106spr08.htm

Required Texts and Materials: Books available at Von’s Books on Chauncey Hill; 315 W. State Street

The Brief New Century Handbook by Hult and Huckin (4^th Edition)
Maus I and Maus II by Art Spiegelman
Either two IBM formatted computer diskettes, zip drive or memory stick for back-up
Spiral notebook for journal/notes/class handouts

Course Expectations:

Based on readings, film, and web-based material this course emphasizes critical thinking and writing at the college level. In addition, you will learn how to analyze texts, navigate the library, construct a basic web page, utilize various research techniques, incorporate information from differing sources into your own paper and document sources using MLA guidelines. We will practice these skills by examining how literature (in print, audio and video formats) shapes our values and what it may show us about our understanding of ourselves. In order to accomplish the course goals you must come to each class prepared. This means coming to class on time as well as completing readings and homework as assigned. Active participation in class discussions is crucial.

Graded Writing Assignments and Activity: Point Values

____________________________________________________________

One web-authoring assignment: 50

One 4 to 5 page critical paper with proposal: 100

Three 2 to 3 page argumentative essays: 150 total (50 each)

Five Quizzes: 100 total (20 each)

Group Presentations 100

Critical Bibliography: 150

Final 8 to 10 page critical paper with proposal 250

and 1st + 2nd drafts

Participation: 100

____________________________________________________________

Total 1000

Grading Scale

Your points will be translated into percentages; your final grade will be calculated according to the following point scale:

1000-900	A
899-800	B
799-700	C
699-600	D
599-below	F

Although such instances are rare, I reserve the right to reward students who have shown dramatic progress with higher grades than the scale suggests. On the other hand, I will not give a student a lower grade if all projects are completed on time and absences do not exceed the maximum allowed.

Note about Incompletes: The mark of ‘I’ is inappropriate if, in the instructor’s judgment, it will be necessary for the student regularly to attend subsequent sessions of the class. I will give an Incomplete only in cases of extreme emergency.

Class Participation & Assignments: This is one of the most important components to the success of the course. All reading and outside assignments are to be completed prior to class. This means reading carefully and critically, bringing materials to class, and coming prepared to engage with the ideas and your class. Class investigations are participatory assignments that include critical and active discussions as well as in-class collaborative work.

Attendance: Attendance is welcomed, expected, and mandatory. To best utilize our time, come to class on time. You are considered absent if 1) you are more than 15 minutes late and/or 2) you are unprepared for class. Students are considered tardy if they arrive after the scheduled class start time. There will be regular in-class work to check your attendance and preparation for class. You may miss four sessions without penalty. For every class absence after the first four, I will lower your final point total by 100 points or, in other words, by one letter grade.. After four absences you must attend a conference with me to discuss whether you should continue in this course. Eight or more absences constitute automatic failure of the course. Four tardies count as one absence.

Writing Deadlines & Submissions: You are expected to submit assignments by the deadlines listed. All written work is due at the beginning of class unless otherwise noted. In order to be considered for a grade, all assignments are to be complete, of the minimum acceptable length, and must, unless otherwise noted, conform to MLA documentation and format (word-processed, Times New Roman type, 12 point legible font, double-spacing, with one inch margins). No out-of class-papers will be accepted if they are handwritten. Late assignments will only be accepted with the specific, prior agreement of the instructor. No exceptions!!!

Conferences & Contact: I am open to discussing matters pertaining to the course, readings, and your writing; please feel free to contact me via email or phone as well as in person. I hope you will also take advantage of my office hours and email.

Peer Editing Workshops: Students will be responsible for participating in in-class writing workshops where they can benefit from the constructive criticism of their fellow students. Attendance and participation in peer workshops is mandatory and workshopped drafts of all longer papers with peer comments must be submitted with the final draft.

Revisions: You may revise the 4-5 page essay. I will return each assignment to you with comments, suggestions, and a grade. Works that are incomplete when originally turned in or papers not received by the deadline are not eligible for revision. Also, I will not accept revisions without your original graded project and all previous drafts. Revisions of the essay are due one week from the date they are returned in class.

To assist you in revising, please remember that revision is an active rethinking/reworking process. Papers which only correct surface errors are unacceptable, as are papers which don’t consider feedback. Revision is not a guarantee of a higher grade.

Portfolio: Please keep a folder with all written work for the course. Bring this folder with you when you attend conferences. Be sure you keep your copies of all written work with my original comments on them. Additionally, I strongly recommend you keep duplicate copies of your work in your Purdue H-drive, on floppy discs and on paper.

PLAGIARISM:

Academic Dishonesty

Cheating: All written work submitted for a grade in this course must be the product of your own composition. Ideas generated due to reading and group discussion may provide the inspiration for your work, but should not be the sole ideas represented. With collaborative projects, of course, ideas should be representative of the group’s work.

Plagiarism is the act of presenting as your own work another individual’s ideas, words, data, or research material. The concept applies equally to written, spoken, or electronic texts, published or unpublished. All ideas and quotations that you borrow from any source must be acknowledged: at a minimum, you should give the name of your author, the title of the text cited, and the page number(s) of the citation. The only exceptions to this requirement would involve what is familiar and commonly held (e.g. the fact that the earth is round). You should know that penalties for plagiarism are severe and can entail suspension from the University. Students are responsible for reading and understanding the University policy on Cheating and Plagiarism.

CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR: Insults, slurs, or attacks of any kind will not be allowed in my class. Any student who engages in this type of behavior in the classroom will be permanently removed from the class. In other words, required to drop the course, in addition to other possible punishment given by Purdue. Please make sure cell phones, i-pods and beepers are turned off during class. In order to have an effective teaching and learning environment we must practice both respect and tolerance, without question.

COURSE CONTENT ADVISORY

*Please note that since we will be reading and discussing literature that presents a wide range of human behaviour, beliefs and language we may at times encounter scenes, situations or language which may be objectionable in some settings. This, however, is a college classroom and open discussion is essential. By not dropping this class your continued attendance will constitute agreement that you are not offended by such frank discussion.

Useful Computer Links

MLA Guidelines:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/

Purdue-Programs/Offices

Purdue University-West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University Libraries

Library education modules http://core.lib.purdue.edu/

Purdue directory available at http://www.itap.purdue.edu/directory/

ICaP Introductory Composition at Purdue

ITaP - Information Technology at Purdue

Directions for saving to your Purdue home directory (H-Drive) from home

http://www.itap.purdue.edu/connections/vpn/

Additional Links:

Plagiarism:

http://www.purdue.edu/odos/publications.htm

http://www.indiana.edu/~istd/definition.html

Links to Website Analysis

http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/webeval.html

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html

My Virtual Reference Desk

http://www.refdesk.com/

Sample sites for analysis:

http://zapatopi.net/afdb.html

http://home.inreach.com/kumbach/velcro.html

http://www.improb.com/airchives/classical/cat/cat.html

http://www.bigredhair.com/boilerplate/

http://descy.50megs.com/descy/webcred/webcred/Fredericton.html

http://www.c-span.org/

http://www.msnbc.com/

http://www.cnn.com/

http://www.cia.gov/cia/ciakids/index.shtml

http://www.nationalenquirer.com/

http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/

http://www.sciam.com/

http://www.nytimes.com/

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/home/index.html

http://www.delafont.com/music_acts/ludacris.htm

http://www.janet-jackson.com/

http://www.williamgibsonbooks.com/index.asp

http://www.blogger.com/

http://www.technorati.com/

http://gprime.net/

A few Webcomic sites:

Achewood – A mixture of housecats and stuffed animals sassin’ each other like nobody’s foolin’. Each week the Achewood team tackles sex, money, and the afterlife. Shenanigans. The writing is insanely funny, and Chris Onstad, the artist, has quite an ear for character voices. He even gives each character a regularly updated blog. The Achewood Empire is a thing to behold. Suggested: The “Ray’s Toilet Party” arc. Also “Cartilage Head.”
Scary Go Round – Take the teens from Scooby Doo and give them the ability to approximate human emotion and you’ve got Scary Go Round. The real treat in this comic is the dialogue (more sass-mouth), but artist John Allison’s ability to sustain fairly clever storylines over the course of many individual strips is pretty amazing as well. He recently switched from computer artwork to the hand-drawn variety. Suggested: Do yourself a favor and read the “Meddling” chapter. Right now. Go.
Perry Bible Fellowship – Nothing to do with bibles or fellowship. Quite demented. This is generally a 3-4 panel strip with a trick ending, where the trick is almost always near-unspeakableness. Suggested: “Game System” and “Barb and Rudy.”
Toothpaste for Dinner – Poorly-drawn hilarity. Suggested: “My Dad Can Beat” and “Dogs Offer Many Services.”
Natalie Dee – Why is she so good? It is impossible for me to say. Everyday, without fail, Natalie Dee transforms my reality. That is all I have to say to you. Suggested: Everything. Make sure you click on the “ Dairyland” entries, too.

Course Calendar

Date	Readings (to be done by this date)	Activity
Week 1 Monday 1/7/06		Heavilon 223 Cancelled Week 1
Tuesday 1/8/06		Weatherall 214 Introduction; Syllabus Overview; e-mail; H-drive
Wednesday 1/9/06		Heavilon 107 Summary, Analysis, Interpretation
Thursday 1/10/06		Heavilon 223 Cancelled Week 1
Friday 1/11/06		Heavilon 107 In-class writing
Week 2 Monday 1/14
Tuesday 1/15	Handbook pgs. 1-10; 47-51; Brainstorming 1st essay	Observation/Analysis/Claim/Support "It's all about the process."
Wednesday 1/16	Maus I-1st half Quiz	Claims Examples Handout
Thursday 1/17		Rogerian vs. Toulmin
Friday 1/18		Essay 1 Due "The Uses of Argument" Last day to drop without a "W" appearing on transcript
Week 3 Monday 1/21	Martin Luther King Day	No Classes
Tuesday 1/22
Wednesday 1/23	Video Maus I-2nd half Quiz
Thursday 1/24
Friday 1/25
Week 4 Monday 1/28
Tuesday 1/29
Wednesday 1/30	Library Introduction	Essay 2 Due with Reverse Outline...a page divided into 2 columns...one column summarizes what each paragraph of your essay says, the second states the purpose each paragraph serves in the essay
Thursday 1/31
Friday 2/1	Handbook 303-311 purposes of writing	Proposal due for 4 to 5 page argument
Week 5 Monday 2/4
Tuesday 2/5	Handbook 109-114 Research	Thesis, Thesis questions Styles of Argument First Draft of Argument Due
Wednesday 2/6	Maus II-1st half Quiz
Thursday 2/7
Friday 2/8	Handbook 14-28
Week 6 Monday 2/11
Tuesday 2/12	Maus II-2nd half Quiz
Wednesday 2/13	4-5 page essay Due
Thursday 2/14
Friday 2/15	Techniques for revising; Handbook 34-42
Week 7 Monday 2/18
Tuesday 2/19	Visual Rhetoric...Analyzing Websites; Internet Research Handbook 115-128	Web Instruction
Wednesday 2/20		Web Practice Essay 3 Due
Thursday 2/21
Friday 2/22	Handbook 291-301 “The Girl Who Was Plugged In” Quiz
Week 8 Monday 2/25	No Class CONFERENCE SCHEDULES	Conferences
Tuesday 2/26	No Class	Conferences
Wednesday 2/27	No Class	Conferences Website Due
Thursday 2/28	No Class	Conferences
Friday 2/29	No Class	Conferences Revisions of 4-5 page essay and "Girl Who Was Pluggd In" Quiz due by 3:00 P.M.
Week 9 Monday 3/3	Group Project	Work on Group Presentations
Tuesday 3/4	Handbook 343-351 on Oral presentations	Work on Group presentations
Wednesday 3/5		Work on Group presentations
Thursday 3/6		Work on Group Presentations
Friday 3/7	CLASS CANCELLED
Week 10 Monday 3/10	Spring Break
Tuesday 3/11	Spring Break
Wednesday 3/12	Spring Break
Thursday 3/13	Spring Break
Friday 3/14	Spring Break
Week 11 Monday 3/17		Planning Research
Tuesday 3/18	Research Techniques... Beginning Research-Handbook 99-107	Group Presentations
Wednesday 3/19	Plagiarism Handbook 143-164	Group presentations
Thursday 3/20		Planning Research Final Paper Proposal Due by E-Mail
Friday 3/21	Tools for Finding Sources-Handbook 129-142	Invention & Invention Techniques
Week 12 Monday 3/24
Tuesday 3/25
Wednesday 3/26	Handbook 52-86 Structure
Thursday 3/27
Friday 3/28	Handbook 43-51
Week 13 Monday 3/31
Tuesday 4/1	MLA Format; Handbook 219-231	Critical Bibliography Due Instructions.......Example
Wednesday 4/2		1st Rough Draft Due First Rough Draft Due Secondary Research
Thursday 4/3
Friday 4/4
Week 14 Monday 4/7
Tuesday 4/8		Secondary Research
Wednesday 4/9
Thursday 4/10
Friday 4/11	MLA Guidelines...Accident insurance; Handbook 173	Second Draft Due 2nd Draft Due
Week 15 Monday 4/14
Tuesday 4/15
Wednesday 4/16		How to Idiot-Proof your paper
Thursday 4/17		Pre-flight checklist...grading rubric for final paper
Friday 4/18		Third Draft Due (Optional Extra Credit Assignment Due-Description)
Week 16 Monday 4/21	Attendance Optional
Tuesday 4/22	Attendance Optional
Wednesday 4/23	Attendance Optional
Thursday 4/24	Attendance Optional
Friday 4/25	Attendance Optional Final project Instructions Grading	Final project/paper due by 5:00 P.M. in my office

Essay 1 Due

Spring Break

Second Draft Due

2nd Draft Due

Third Draft Due

(Optional Extra Credit Assignment Due-Description)

Week 16