English 132.81 Writing ExperienceWinter Semester, 2006MWF 8:00—8:55 a.m.Instructor: Sue SkiendzielEmail: [email protected]: leave a message at the Hillsdale Center, 437-3343Course Description:English 132 is a continuation of the writing instruction and practice begun in English 131 with an emphasis on critical thinking, information gathering, and those forms of writing useful to academic and professional life. A large amount of class time will be devoted to peer and instructor review of students’ writing.Course Objectives:1. Students will understand and practice the process of writing.2. Students will be aware of the purpose and audience for each of their written works.3. Students will learn to read critically and give helpful feedback to their classmates.4. Students will learn to properly use and document sources in their writing.5. Students will use the computer for research and word processing.6. A thesis statement will be evident in each essay.7. Students will orally present one of their topics to the class.The Board of Trustees of Jackson Community College has developed a list of “Associate Degree Outcomes” (ADO’s). These are skills that all graduates of JCC should develop while attending JCC. English 132 meets several of these ADO’s, including:- The ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and intelligibly; using writing and oral skills.- The ability to comprehend and use information, including written and oral forms.- The ability to work productively with others.- Facility in the use of computers, by using the computer for word processing tasks and as a tool for obtaining information.Textbook:The St. Martin’ Guide to Writing, 7th ed. By Axelrod and Cooper.Course Materials:1. Four 2-pocket folders.2. Paper and pens/pencils for writing activities in class.3. Access to a computer with word-processing capabilities and a printer.4. A computer disc to save work.Guided Practice and Workshops (GPAW):The Guided Practice and Workshops component (GPAW) has been designed to create 16 hours of composition practice and reflective activities for JCC students enrolled in ENG 090, 131, and 132, outside of class hours. Through face-to-face workshops, online workshops, tutoring, and conferencing, and other department-approved activities, students will be given supplemental help on and guided practice for completing current essay assignments. You will receive a separate handout with the instructions for completing your GPAW hours.Grading:To determine the midterm and final grade for the course, I use a point system. The total amount of points that a student can earn for the semester is 1000. There may be occasional extra credit opportunities that can make the possible point total to be over 1000. You can keep track of your own grade by recording your points received as you have work graded and returned.A student’s final grade will be determined as follows:Portfolio 300 points (30%)GPAW 100 points (10%)Misc. assignments & quizzes 200 points (20%)Three major essays 280 points (28%)Participation 50 points (5%)Oral presentation 40 pointsWhole class review 30 pointsGrading scale:4.0 94—100 (940—1000 points)3.5 88—933.0 82—872.5 76—812.0 70—751.5 64—691.0 57—63.5 50—56Essays:There will be three essays assigned for this class. The first essay will be a Causal essay. This research essay will be four to six pages, and it will be worth 100 points. The second essay will be a Persuasive essay. This will be the longest essay at five to seven pages in length and will be worth 110 points. Finally, the third essay will be a non-research essay. It will be titled “This I Believe”. It will be worth 70 points. Each essay will have a process folder that will include drafts, all feedback, research notes, and thefinal essay. When each essay is assigned, the students will receive an informational sheet that will give the details of the assignment. Each student is required to have one essay’s draft reviewed by the whole class. This whole class review is worth 30 points. At the end of the semester, each student is required to give an oral presentation to the class on one of their essays. This will be worth 40 points.Portfolios:Portfolios are familiar to the students who have taken English 131 at JCC. The portfolio will contain 12 – 15 pages of your best work from this class. The portfolio will be graded by another English 132 instructor. A separate informational sheet about the portfolios will be given to you. The portfolio is worth300 points.Attendance:Attendance is important to your success in this class. I do not keep track of whether an absence is excused or unexcused. No points will be deducted for one or two absences. Ten points will be deducted from your final point total for the third absence and for any other absences after that, no matter what the reason. I would recommend that you save your free absences for emergencies. Or better yet, don’t use them at all! If you do miss a class, it is your responsibility to contact a classmate or the instructor before the next class meeting to find out what you need to do to prepare for the next class. Points will also be deducted for arriving late and leaving early. My goal is for you to be successful in this class. My experience has shown me that students who don’t attend the classes are generally not successful in class, and those who attend each class have the most chance at success.Late Work Policy:Assignments must be turned in on time. If one of the three major essays is turned in late, five points will be deducted from its grade for each class day that it is late. In-class work and quizzes that are missed due to absence need to be discussed with me on an individual basis.Participation:Your participation makes this class so much more interesting for both you and me! I have found that those who are actively engaged with classroom discussion are less likely to complain of boredom, and they learn the most from the class. I will subtract participation points from the possible 50 for: not using computer lab time appropriately, rudeness in speech or action to fellow students or the instructor, using cell phones inappropriately, sleeping, talking when others have the floor, etc. On the positive side, full participation points will be given to those students who participate in whole class and small group discussions and show engagement through body