Syllabus for ENC1101 x2850:
Intro to College Writing
Fall
2006
Tue., Periods 2-3 (8:30 – 10:25am)
Thur., Period 3 (9:35 –
10:25am)
Classroom:
CBD 312
Instructor:
Cari Keebaugh
Phone: (office) 352-6650
Office: Rolfs 501
Office Hours: W Periods 4-5 (10:40-12:30) and
other times by appointment
Email:
keebaugh@english.ufl.edu
Homepage:
http://www.nwe.ufl.edu/~keebaugh
Class Listserv: f06-2850@clas.ufl.edu
Course Description:
The purpose of this class is to cover the essential elements of writing
clearly
and effectively at the level of sentences, paragraphs, and entire
arguments. At
the level of sentences, we’ll focus on grammar and mechanical errors.
We’ll
also cover paragraph organization within essays, and finally, we’ll
cover the
fundamental types of arguments. We’ll also work on research,
documentation, and
avoiding plagiarism simultaneously with the rest of our work. The
context of
our class will be derived from pop culture, literature, and your own
unique
interests. By the end of the semester, I hope that each student will be
a
better writer, a better editor of his/her own work, and have a
broadened view
and awareness of rhetorics in the world at large.
Gen Ed Description:
ENC 1101 satisfies General Education requirements for both Composition
(C) and
Gordon Rule-Communication (E6). As a result, to fulfill the Composition
(C)
requirement, ENC 1101 offers instruction in methods of writing,
conventions of
standard written English, reading and comprehension skills, and ways of
making
expository and argumentative prose accessible to readers in varied
situations.
To satisfy the E6 Gordon Rule requirement, ENC 1101 also requires
students to
complete at least 6,000 words of evaluated writing during the semester.
Class Info:
Required Texts:
Lester
Faigley and Jack Selzer, Good Reasons with Contemporary Arguments:
Reading, Designing, and Writing
Effective
Arguments. 3rd edition. New York:
Pearson Education, 2006.
Lester
Faigley, The Brief Penguin Handbook. 3rd edition. New York: Pearson
Education, 2007.
Class
Schedule
WEEK
1 – Welcome to my world!
Aug. 24 – Th: First
Day of Class “Getting to Know You” (or Class Intro); Housekeeping
(or,
Reviewing the Syllabus)
WEEK
2 - “I’ll give you five
good reasons…1, 2, 3, 4, 5!”
Aug. 29 – Tue: Diagnostic essay; Ch 1
– Arguments
Last Day to Drop
Without Penalty
Aug. 31 – Th: Ch 2 (Reasons, Audience,
& Theses); Thesis
Writing
WEEK
3 - Could you use that in a
sentence, please?
Sept. 5 – Tue: Ch’s 4 & 5
(Rhetorical/Visual Analysis);
Rhetorical Triangle discussion
Sept. 7 – Th: Ch 6 (Definition
Arguments) Please read the Scott McCloud section
carefully!!!; Python Example; Assign and discuss Essay 1; “What is Text?” Discussion
WEEK
4 – “Every story is a tale
of human failing.” No, actually, every story is an argument!
Sept. 12 – Tue: Ch 12 (Revision); PEER
REVIEW SESSION
Sept. 14 – Th: Essay 1
due
WEEK
5 – Now what?
Sept. 19 – Ch 9 (Narrative Arguments);
Edgar Lee Master’s Spoon River, Seuss’s Butter
Battle Book, and Swift’s A Modest
Proposal examples; Sign up for next week’s conferences
Sept. 21 – Th: Ch. 9 con’t; Assign and
discuss Essay 2
WEEK
6 – Conferences
Sept. 26 – Tue: Conferences
Sept. 28 – Th: Conferences
WEEK
7 – Editors Wanted
Oct. 3 – Tue: Ch’s 16 & 17 (MLA
& APA style guides);
PEER REVIEW SESSION
Oct. 5 – Th: No class
– I will be at a conference in NY
WEEK
8 – “I’ll make him an offer
he can’t refuse…”
Oct. 10 – Tue: Essay 2
due; Ch 11 (Proposal
Arguments); Assign and
Discuss Essay 3
Oct. 12 – Th: Lib Orientation
WEEK
9 – Research: Not just for
guys in lab coats!
Oct. 17 – Tue: Proposal Argument Examples (Swift & South Park);
Chapter 15 (Research)
Oct. 19 – Th: PEER REVIEW
WEEK
10 – If a picture is worth
a thousand words, what are a thousand pictures worth?
Oct. 24 – Tue: Ch 13 (Visual
Rhetoric); In-class Visual
Analysis Examples
Oct. 26 – Th: Essay 3
due
WEEK
11 – What you see isn’t
always what you get.
Oct. 31 – Tue: Th: Chapter Handout
(Web Design); Basic
Coding, WYSIWYG Programs, Other Miscellaneous Cool Computer Stuff;
Computer
Ethics Discussion
Nov. 2 – Th: Web, con’t; “The MOO and
You” discussion;
Assign and discuss Essay 4
WEEK
12 - Ladies and Gentlemen
of the Jury…
Nov. 7 – Tue: Ch 14 (Presentations)
Nov. 9 – Th: PEER REVIEW
WEEK
13:
Nov. 14 – Tue: Sign up for
presentations; In-class
presentation exercises
Nov. 16 – Th: Essay 4
due
WEEK
14:
Nov. 21 – Tue: No class; Thanksgiving
Nov. 23 – Th: Thanksgiving; No Class
WEEK
15:
Nov. 28 – Tue: Presentations
Nov. 30 – Th: Presentations
WEEK
16:
Dec. 5 – Tue: Presentations
Essay Guidelines and
Descriptions
Essay 1:
Definition
Argument (Use pages 125-126 for
help)
Pick ONE of the following prompts:
Option 1.) The University of Florida
has decided to
take one of your favorite classes off the books because it is not
“academic.”
Write an essay or letter addressing why this class is academic and
should
therefore stay on the books. Your paper should be 4-5 pages and follow
the MLA
citations style. You need to have at least two sources (one primary,
one
secondary) in an MLA-formatted bibliography.
1.) Pick your favorite class (sports psychology,
literature through film,
etc.). To help you choose, browse the Undergraduate Catalogue and
choose a
class that looks interesting, but one that has questionable academic
standing.
(For example, “Quilting 1103.”) YOU MUST GET YOUR TOPIC APPROVED BY ME
BEFORE
WRITING THIS ESSAY!
2.) Devise a strong thesis sentence. (For example, “This class should
stay on
the books because x, y, and z prove it to be an important academic
class.”)
3.) Make sure that after the introductory paragraph, at least two full
pages
are devoted to defining “academic” and thus to setting up your
argument. (For
example; “Class X has been voted out of the Undergraduate Catalogue
because it
is not deemed “academic.” An academic class is one that…”)
4.) After defining “academic” in the first part of your paper, spend
the rest
of your paper delineating why the class you chose is actually academic
and
should therefore be put back on the books.
3.) Draft your argument. Bring draft to Peer Review session.
4.) Edit and write a final version.
~OR~
Option 2.) Pick a song, movie, video game, etc., and explain why it
is
“text” by today’s broadly conceived notion of that term. Your paper
should be
4-5 pages and follow the MLA citations style. You need to have at least
two
sources (one primary, one secondary) in an MLA-formatted bibliography.
1.) Jot down a few criteria that makes
something “text” (ie,
define “text”).
2.) Pick a movie, video game, song,
music video, cartoon
featurette, etc. YOU MUST GET YOUR TOPIC APPROVED BY ME BEFORE WRITING
THIS
ESSAY!
3.) Devise a strong thesis sentence (ie, “The video game Final
Fantasy X is a great example of a ‘text’ because it has
character development, a coherent storyline, and influences the
player’s
behavior while the player is interacting with the game.”).
4.) Draft your argument. Bring draft to Peer Review session.
5.) Edit and write a final version.
Essay 2:
Narrative Argument (Use pages
170-172 for help)
Write a narrative argument. Your paper should be 4-5 pages and follow
the MLA
citations style. The topic can be anything you choose to write about,
but just
as last time I must approve your topic before you may begin writing.
See above
steps to help you organize your time. The final page of this assignment
must be
a well-written explanation defending what argument your paper is
making. Please
Note: You may choose to either follow the book’s suggestion and write
about an
experience you’ve had, or you may choose to write a children’s fable.
Either
way, you must still provide a synopsis of your argument on the last
page of
your essay.
Essay 3:
Proposal Argument (Use pages 207-210
for help)
In the spirit of Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal,” write a proposal
argument addressing a serious problem by posing a humorous/impractical
solution. Your paper should be 4-5 pages and follow the MLA citations
style.
You need to have at least two sources in an MLA-formatted bibliography.
1.) Reread “A Modest Proposal” and/or the Spoon River
pieces we discussed in class
2.) Choose a worldwide, statewide, or communitywide problem to solve.
3.) Come up with a creative, exaggerated solution (don’t choose
anything too
weird, or step 4 will become VERY difficult.)
4.) Devise evidence and strong reasons as to why your solution, were it
to be
implemented, would solve the problem.
I’m looking for both creativity and logic in this paper.
Your solution
should be able to solve the problem you address, but it should be a
non-implementable solution. For example, Swift suggested eating babies.
That
would most certainly solve world hunger, but is unethical and thus
non-implementable.
Essay 4:
Final Paper and Presentation
Revise ONE of your three previous essays and expand it into a 6-7 page
essay.
After this, turn your expanded paper into a 6-minute oral presentation.
For the
presentation, include at least one form of media (pictures, something
to pass
around, music, video clips, a PowerPoint presentation, etc.), and
address the
audience as though this were a formal conference presentation (that
means you
must dress up). If
you wish to design a webpage instead of doing a presentation, you may
petition
to do so. See me for more details if this interests you.
1.) Choose your favorite paper from this semester.
2.) Revise your paper; elongate if necessary. Your final paper should
be
between 6-7 pages.
3.) Compose a presentation of the argument you pose in your final
paper.
4.) Add media elements to your argument to strengthen it (these should
not be
random pictures or sound clips; instead, they should be symbiotically
tied to
your argument).
5.) Time yourself at home or with a friend; your presentation must be
6-7
minutes.
Your final paper will be due before the presentations,
and presentations
will run until the last day of class. You will receive separate grades
for your
paper and your presentation.
Essays,
Reading Assignments,
and In-Class Work
You are responsible for turning in all work on time. Late work will NOT
be
accepted.
Because I recognize the importance of
each student writing
about what interests you, for each essay you must have your topic
approved by
me before beginning to write. Anyone who
fails to discuss their topic with me beforehand will receive and
automatic
grade of “E” on their paper.
Essays are due at the beginning of class on the assigned date –
no
exceptions. If you know in advance that you will be late to or missing
class
the day an essay is due, you need to speak with me about it and hand
the essay
in early. Detailed descriptions of the essay assignments can be found
above and
will be discussed in class before each essay is due.
As part of the writing process, for
each essay you will
write a draft that will be used for the peer reviews. These drafts
should be as
complete as possible and cover the entire scope of the assignment. The
closer
you are to having a “finished” paper, the more help you will receive
both from
your peer group and from me! Drafts will be graded based on effort and
length
and will count towards your final essay grade (see grading section
below).
Drafts of essays obtained from Peer
Review sessions should
be either stapled or paper-clipped to the back of your finished essays.
Essays
that do not include peer-reviewed drafts will lose 100 points (see
grading
scale below).
You should complete readings and assignments included in the syllabus
before
coming to class on the date they are assigned, unless otherwise
indicated. In
general, when you are in class I will expect that you have something
constructive and relevant to contribute. Consistently refusing to
participate
will impair your participation grade.
Quizzes
Quizzes will be given at my discretion. I believe it is insulting to
you, as
college students, for me to try to test you on reading about writing;
therefore, I will not give pop-quizzes in class UNLESS it
becomes
obvious to me that the majority of the class is not doing the assigned
reading.
In this case, weekly quizzes will be given to test whether or not
you’ve done
your homework. You will not have the option of making up quizzes if you
are
absent or tardy. Grading for quizzes will fall under your participation
grade.
Peer Reviews
Peer reviews are an integral part of writing. You cannot become a good
writer
without also becoming a good editor; therefore, all peer reviews are
mandatory.
If you miss a peer review, your final essay grade will be lower by one
whole
letter grade. Details for peer reviews will be discussed in class
during the
semester (see schedule below). Please bring three copies of your paper.
POLICIES:
Academic
Honesty
Plagiarism is one of the many facets of writing that we will explore as
a
class. For now, however, please be advised that as a University of Florida
student, your performance is governed by the UF Honor Code, available
in its
full form at http://www.dso.ufl.edu/judicial/procedures/studenthonorcode.php
.
Plagiarism is a serious violation of the
Student Honor Code. You commit plagiarism when you present the ideas or
words
of someone else as your own. Remember, you
are responsible for understanding the University's definitions of
plagiarism and academic dishonesty, which include the following:
* Submitting all or part of someone else’s work as
if it is
your own.
* “Borrowing,” without crediting the source, any of
the
following:
o Any part of
song
lyrics, poetry, or movie scripts
o Any part of
another
person’s essay, speech, or ideas
o Any part of an
article
in a magazine, journal, newspaper
o Any part of a
book,
encyclopedia, CD-ROM, online WWW page, etc.
o Any idea from
another
person or writer, even if you express that idea in your own words.
* “Borrowing” verbatim text without enclosing in
quotation
marks and citing the source.
* Making "duplicate submissions" of assignments -
that is, submitting work in one class that you also submit in another
class
* “Collaborating” or receiving substantive help in
writing
your assignment unless such collaboration is part of the given
assignment
(however, you may receive general advice from tutors, writing
lab
instructors, or OWL staff).
* Failing to cite sources, or citing them
improperly.
Important Tip: You should never copy and paste something from the
Internet
without providing the exact location from which it came.
We will be covering plagiarism (and how to avoid it) during the course
of the
semester. If you at any time have problems or questions regarding
plagiarism,
please come speak with me!
Students with Physical
Disabilities
The University of Florida complies with the Americans with Disabilities
Act.
Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with
the Dean
of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide
documentation to
the student who must then provide this documentation to the Instructor
when
requesting accommodation.
Attendance, Participation,
& Professionalism
Unlike some of your other classes, this course is skills-based. In
other words,
practice makes all the difference; the more you write, the better you
become.
Consequently, the effects of this course are cumulative, and frequent
absences
will affect your progress and success dramatically. Instruction during
class is
often spontaneous, so it is impossible to offer a recap of what
transpired. Writing
is process and experience-based. This is not a course where you can
“catch up”
on what happens during class.
Attendance, in other words, is required.
Since we are all human, however, you may miss three class periods
without
penalty. However, after your third
unexcused absence your final grade will be lowered one letter grade
for
every class period missed.
In addition to the instructor's
policies, the policy of the
University Writing Program is that if you miss more than six
periods during
the term, you will fail the entire course. The UWP exempts from
this policy
only those absences involving university-sponsored events, such as
athletics
and band, and religious holidays. If you must miss class for a
university-sponsored event, you must let me know beforehand
and provide me with a written explanation from your
coach or director.
Even if you must have an excused
absence (or decide to take
one of your three “freebie” days), you are responsible for turning in
early any
work that will be due on the date you will be missing class. In-class
assignments may not be made-up.
Being tardy three times will count as one unexcused absence.
These
accumulate quickly, so it would behoove you to show up on time!
Also, this class hopes to test your boundaries; some controversial
topics may
arise. You should treat each other (and your instructor) with respect
and
dignity during such conversations. Those who cannot conduct themselves
in a
mature manner will be excused from the classroom, counted as absent,
and will
lose participation points.
Cell
Phones - The "I can
hear you now" Clause
Unless there is a family emergency or other extenuating circumstance
(which you
will have discussed with me before class), there is no excuse
for a cell
phone ringing in class; it is disrespectful both to your instructor and
to your
fellow classmates. In other words, you MUST TURN OFF your cell phone. If
your cell phone rings during class you will be counted as absent for
that class.
The ‘Net Clause
During the sixteen-week semester,
changes to the class
schedule are bound to occur. Also, examples, assignments, and links of
interest
will be placed on the web. It is your
responsibility to check my webpage often for updates. (I would
recommend at
least twice a day.) It is also your responsibility to sign up for the
class
listserv (we will go over how to do this). If you do not check the
webpage
and/or do not sign up to the listserv, any information you miss or
assignments
you fail to do will result in a failing grade for that assignment; the
excuses
“I forgot to check the webpage” and/or “I haven’t checked my email in a
while” will not be accepted.
Grading
Here is the meaning behind the grades I assign to your papers (you
should use the
statements to determine how you might work toward a higher grade):
A - You did what the assignment asked for
at a high quality
level, and your work shows originality and creativity. Work in this
range shows
all the qualities listed below for a B, but it also demonstrates that
you took
extra steps to be original or creative in developing content, solving a
problem, or developing a style. Since careful editing and proofreading
are
essential in writing, papers in the A range must be free of typos and
grammatical
or mechanical errors (papers with more than two or three errors cannot
receive
an A).
B - You did what the assignment asked of
you at a high quality
level. Work in this range needs revision; however it is complete in
content, is
organized well, and shows special attention to style. Papers with more
than
five typos, grammatical errors, or mechanical errors cannot receive a B.
C - You did what the assignment asked of
you. Work in this
range needs significant revision, but it is complete in content and the
organization is logical. The style is straightforward but unremarkable.
D - You did what the assignment asked of
you at a poor quality
level. Work in this range needs significant revision. The content is
often
incomplete and the organization is hard to discern. Attention to style
is often
nonexistent or chaotic.
E - An E is usually reserved for people
who don’t do the work
or don’t come
to class. However, if your work is shoddy and shows little
understanding of the
needs of the assignment, you will receive a failing grade. (If you try
to write
your paper the night before it is due, it is likely that you will
receive a
grade of D or E.)
Please remember, one reason I have office hours is so that you can come
talk to
me about your papers, both before AND after they’ve been graded! This
is why
I’m here, and I’d love to help you!!! :-)
One note: I will NOT reconsider the grade I’ve given
a paper because
your “high school English/History/Biology/Gym teacher would’ve liked
it.” My
answer without fail will be “This isn’t high school.” (And yes, I have
had people try that on me before!)
Helpful Things to Remember
When Writing Papers
♦ One paragraph is no less than four sentences.
♦ Most MLA formatting questions can be answered using the Penguin
Handbook.
♦ If your MLA formatting question isn’t answered in the all-knowing
Handbook,
try doing a Google search for your question (a search may look
something like
“MLA citation style comic books” if you wanted to figure out how to
list a
comic book in your bibliography).
♦ If both the Penguin Handbook and Google search fail you, see the last
point
on this list.
♦ A paper should always have a clear introduction, body, and
conclusion.
♦ Not including a bibliography is a
BIG no-no!!!
♦ A strong thesis sentence will make the rest of your paper much easier
to
write.
♦ Any argumentative paper you write will be stronger if you include and
discuss
at least one negative or impractical aspect of your argument.
Generally, if
your argument seems air-tight and perfect, people will be suspicious of
it!
♦ ALWAYS reread what you’ve written after you’ve written it, and then
at least
once more a few days later.
♦ Tertiary sources are NOT acceptable sources for this class. We will
discuss
primary and secondary sources in the third week of class, but for quick
reference:
A primary
source
is an original document (The Hobbit, “The Purloined Letter,” The
UF
Handbook, The Constitution of the United States, the
transcript from
a Jerry Springer show, etc).
A secondary
source
is something that someone has written about a primary source (“Bram
Stoker's Dracula:
A Psychoanalytic Allegory You Can Sink Your Teeth Into!”; Lacan’s
“Purloined
Poe” essays, etc.)
A tertiary
source
is something that someone has written about something that someone else
has
written about a primary source (Wikipedia, Encyclopedias, most personal
web
pages, etc). These sources are great to get you started, but ONLY to
get you
started!
♦ If you have a question, ASK! That’s what I’m here for!
Final Grade Calculation
The grading for this course will be based upon a 1,450-point scale and
will be
weighted as follows:
Attendance
100
Participation, In-class Writing,
Quizzes 300
In-class
Assignments
50
Essay 1 Draft &
Peer-review
100
Essay 1
100
Essay 2 Draft &
Peer-review
100
Essay
2
100
Essay 3 Draft &
Peer-review
100
Essay
3
100
Essay 4 Draft & Peer-review
100
Essay
4
200
Presentation of Essay
4
100
--------------------------------------------------------------
Total Possible
Points
1450
Grading scale for your final course grade:
A: 90-100
B+: 87-89
B: 80-86
C+: 77-79
C: 70-76
D: 60-69
E: 0-59
The University of Florida does not use “minus” grades (so you can’t
receive a
B- as your final grade for this course). However, other class work may
receive
minuses to allow for a more precise evaluation of the quality of your
work. The University
of Florida will
give you credit for this
course only if you receive a final grade of C or higher. |
