Instructor: Jacqueline Wilcoxen
Office: UH 301.45
Office Hours: MWF (TBA)
Office Phone: (909) 880-7461 (DURING OFFICE HOURS ONLY)
Email: littlerunner96@aol.com (Note: Due to the amount of email I receive, I am not always able to respond to all email, but do leave a message. All messages will be saved and documented. When sending an email message, please provide the subject, your name and the class you are enrolled in. Mail without this information will not be opened.)
Required Texts:
Shroades and Finestone, eds. The Conscious Reader, 9th edition. Boston: Simon and Schuster, 1997.
Easy Writer Handbook or another current writing handbook
Much Ado About Nothing by Shakespeare
A pocket dictionary and 2 Large Blue Books
NOTE: Bring your Conscious Reader to EVERY class session!
Course Objectives:
The purpose of this course is to provide learning and writing experiences that allow students to improve their knowledge, skills, and understanding of writing and reading, and to demonstrate proficiency in library and research skills. By the end of the course, students should be able to paraphrase, summarize and analyze various types of college level texts, and to document sources using MLA Style.
Course Requirements:
Reflection Essay – 1 – 2 pages – 100 points
Paraphrase/Summary Exam – 100 points
Rough Draft and Peer Response of Evaluation – 20 points
In-class Review – 25 points (Bring two sample reviews to class)
Discussion Questions over Much Ado . . . – 50 points
Evaluation/ Review Paper ( 3 pages) –--100 points
Research Project:
Proposal – 50 points
Library Research Workshop – 20 points
Comparison Assignment (in-class) – 25 points
Rough Draft and Peer Response of Research Paper – 25 points
Argumentative Research Paper – 200 points
Oral Presentation of Research Project (this will be done in groups) – 25 points
Final Exam – 50 points
In-class Work (Response Papers, Quizzes, Writing Exercises, Discussion Questions . . . ) -- 100 points
Class Participation and Attendance – 50 points
TOTAL 1020 (This is an estimated total. Points are subject to change.)
Class Participation and Attendance:
Students are expected to attend every class session, and contribute to class discussion. Three absences will lower the grade one full letter; four or more absences will result in failure of the course – no exceptions! Two tardies equal one absence. It is your responsibility to consult other students for notes, handouts and assignments given on the day(s) missed. Handouts and homework assignments will not be delivered via email. In-class assignments must be completed in class, and cannot be revised or turned in late. In order to receive points for class participation, students must complete all assigned reading and writing before class, and be prepared to participate in class discussion. Note: All cell phones and beepers must be turned off before entering the classroom. Those who do not abide by this policy will have points deducted from their class participation.
Response Papers:
Occasionally, students will be asked to write a brief critique over a selected reading. These papers will usually be written in class, and should be approximately two to three pages in length handwritten and double-spaced. The purpose of the response papers is to generate class discussion, and to prepare students for the longer papers.
Late Work: Late papers and assignments will be penalized.
Revisions: Due to time constraints, rewrites will not be accepted; however, students will have ample opportunity to work on their drafts, and to receive feedback from the instructor and their classmates. The peer response sessions should give students a clear idea of any changes they need to make in their paper before turning in the final copy. All final copies should include the peer review sheets completed in class. Papers and assignments will be returned to you in approximately one to two weeks. Please be patient!
Grades: Grades will not be posted, or given out over the phone or email. All grades are confidential, and must be accessed via tracks. Graded research papers will be available the following quarter during office hours unless otherwise specified.
Manuscript Form:
The Reflection Essay, the Evaluation Essay, the Proposal and Research Paper must be typed and double spaced with 12 point font and 1” margins on all four sides of the page. See your writing handbook for proper MLA format
Note: The Research Paper must follow the MLA guidelines as listed in your handbook, and MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY PHOTOCOPIES OF ALL SOURCES USED. Research Projects turned in without highlighted photocopies will receive a failing grade. At a later date, you will receive a handout explaining the specific criteria for the Research Project Your project must conform to the assigned criteria in order to receive a passing grade.
Theft of another writer’s words or ideas is not acceptable and will result in failure of the course. Students suspected of plagiarism will be reported to the school dean. PLAGIARISM INCLUDES COPYING OR BORROWING INTERNET MATERIAL.
Tentative schedule (Due dates for papers are subject to change, and some readings and assignments may be added or deleted. All Changes will be announced in class.)
Week 1 – Introduction to 101; Reading: “Theme for English B” by Hughes , “Finishing School” by Angelou and “The Way We Are” by Lynch; Writing Sample: write a one page response (neatly handwritteen or typed – double spaced-12 point font) to one of the works by Angelou, Hughes or Lynch – Due Friday April 7.
Week 2 -- Readings in The Conscious Reader (CR) -- Theme 1: The Search for Self: “Anarchy in the Tenth Grade” by Griffin, “Hips” by Cisneros, “So This Was Adolescence” by Dillard, “Beauty: When the Other Dancer is Self” by Walker and “Casa: A Partial Remembrance of a Puerto Rican Childhood.
Week 3 – Rough Draft of Reflection Essay Due
Explanation of Paraphrase/Summary Criteria ; Readings : “Indian Camp” by Hemingway, “ How it Feels to be Colored Me” by Hurston, “How We Listen to Music” by Copland , “Is Ground Zero . . .” by Henninger, “Loneliness . . . An American Malady” by McCullers and “The Rewards of Living a Solitary Life” by Sarton
Final Draft of Reflection Essay Due
Week 4 – Paraphrase/Summary Exam
Library Research Day; Readings: “The Love Song . . .” by Elliot
Theme 2: The Cultural Tradition and Popular Culture and Art and Society
“ Leisure Will Kill You” By Buchwald, (handout), “Pornography” by Atwood, The Internet or a .45 . . .” by Balzar, and “Playing Upon the Strings . . .” by Solzhenitsyn; begin reading Shakespeare text.
Week 5 Film Much Ado About Nothing – Discussion of Film and Evaluation
Bring 2 sample reviews from LA Times to class. These can be book, movie, film, art, theater or music reviews.
Week 6 Due Discussion questions over Much Ado . . .
Theme 2 continued “The Sculptors Funeral” By Cather and “On Writing” by Stephen King
Examine art works in the beginning of our text. Prepare for Evaluation Essay.
Research Topic Due/Discuss Research Paper Proposal
Week 7 – Theme 3: Science, the Environment and the Future: “Asking How Much is Enough” by Durning
and “The Internet” by Barry.
Rough Draft of Evaluation due/Peer Response Workshop
Theme 4: Personal Relationships – Parents and Children: “ Daddy” by Plath and “ My Papa’s Waltz” by Roethke
“The Way We Are” by Lynch and “Somebody’s Baby” by Kingsolver.
Final Draft of Evaluation Essay
Discuss Comparison Assignment
Week 8 –“On Being a Cripple” by Mairs and “A Last Look Around” by Hoagland
Theme 5 --: Personal Relationship—Men and Women: “ What We Talk About…” by Carver
Due Comparison Assignment (specific date to be announced)
Week 9 -- MLA Documentation Workshop and Conferences
“Perhaps We Are Going Away” by Bradbury
Rough Draft of Research Paper Due – Peer Workshop
Week 10 -- Research Project Due
Oral Presentations
Prepare for Final Exam
Week 11 – Final Exam (See class schedule for date)
Final Exams
Students must take the final exam and complete the research project to pass the class.
STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL INFORMATION ON THE SYLLABUS.
NOTE: THIS SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. ALL CHANGES WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN CLASS.
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