SYLLABUSENGLISH 131 WRITING EXPERIENCEWinter 2005Monday 131.01Kim McKeown, InstructorOffice hours: TBA email address: [email protected]: The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing by Axelrod and CooperWelcome to English 131, Writing Experience. If there is anything I can do to help you learn more comfortably in this class, please let me know.Course Description: The ability to write is one of the most powerful tools that we have as human beings. Writing allows us to communicate with others. In addition, it helps us form better ways of articulating ourselves when we speak. In this course, we will explorethe power of language. Since we best learn from our own triumphs and errors, each major assignment must be rewritten at least once: however, most students benefit from three: A first draft, a revised draft and a final edited draft. We will begin by asking you to write from your own experience and knowledge, but as the semester progresses you will be expected to look beyond yourself and to write about subjects that you have yet to learn. We will explore our own and others’ writings, looking for ways in which the written language is used. Though these goals are not easy, writing is a worthwhile endeavor that I hope you enjoy. By the end of the semester, you will understand more clearly how to write more effectively and how to look at strengths and weaknesses of your own writing as well as your peers.Additionally, JCC has established Associate Degree Outcomes (AFO) that courses must satisfy. These ADO are probably easiest thought of as abilities or skills and understandings. This course satisfies a number of these ADO including the following:ADO1a, the ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and intelligibly using writing skills;ADO2, the ability to comprehend and use information including written and oral forms;ADO5, the ability to work productively with others;ADO7, facility in the use of computers and other technologies appropriate to the programof study.Attendance Policy: If I have to be here, so do you. Since we will be writing and discussing our work every class period, it is in your best interest to here on time and prepared. If you miss more than one class period, your grade may be affected. I do understand that problems and commitments do occur, so please let me know if you will not be in class. My email address and home phone are on this syllabus.Course Assignments: 1) A Writer’s Journal. This is worth 15% of your total grade.Every student must keep a writer’s journal. This will be filled with in-class writing assignments, homework assignments, free writes, and other exercises. Most journal entries must be at least one full page. Please keep your journal organized and dated. You may use a spiral notebook, a three-ring binder with loose-leaf paper or keep iton a computer and print it out for class. You must bring your journal to class every session. I will collect your journals twice during the semester and give you a grade basedon completeness, content, and organization. We will be going over some journal assignments in class.The best way to learn how to write well is to write often. The more you practice throwing a football, the more accurate you will be. This is the same for writing. The more you practice, the more powerful it becomes. So, you will be asked to write a lot of journal entries. You may write in your journal even when not given a specific assignment. If you read an interesting new article, you may want to write your reactions in your journal. It may inspire you to the topic of one of your papers. But please remember that your writer’s journal is not a diary or a grocery list.2) Essays/Papers. This is worth 25% of your total grade.You will write 4 papers/essays for this class. Each paper should be 3-5 pages in length and must be typed, double-spaced, with a 12-point font and one inch margins. A first draft and a revised draft have to be submitted to me for all 4 papers. An edited draft of each paper that you intend to include in your portfolio is also due to me prior to the submission of the portfolio. You will write 4 different types of essays:- Personal Narrative- Informative/Concept- Argumentative/Persuasive- Character AnalysisIn addition to the four essays, you will be participating in peer editing sessions which willbe graded. If you do not participate in peer editing, you will lose points.3) Portfolio. This is worth 40% of your total grade.Every English 131 student has to submit a portfolio of finished writing which willbe read, evaluated, and graded by other members of the Language and Literature Department.4) Group Project. This is worth 5% of your total grade.Toward the end of the term, we will be doing group projects and presentations. We will discuss the details of this later on in the semester.5) Research Test. This is worth 5% of your total grade.Every student needs to know how to research a subject, how to cite sources, and how to write a works cited page. We will be learning these essential tools and applying them in our paper. You will be evaluated by a short test.6) Individual writing (workshops/tutoring). This is worth 10% of your total grade.Every English 090, 131, and 132 student must complete a total of sixteen hours ofadditional writing work outside of classroom time. These hours include workshop attendance, tutorial work in The Center for Student Success, and other personalized writing instruction as approved by me. You will be given a form to fill out during the semester, remembering to get appropriate signatures, and returning the form to me. These are required hours and I will assist you in making choices to fulfill this requirement. The grading system is as follows:Journals (15%): 1st journal 20 points2nd journal 10 pointsEssays/papers (25%): 1st paper 10 points2nd paper 10 points 3rd paper 10 points4th paper 10 pointspeer editing 10 pointsPortfolio (40%): 80 pointsGroup project (5%): 10 pointsResearch test (5%): 10 pointsIndividual writing work (10%) 20 pointsTotal points for class 200 pointsLate Work Policy:In-class assignments cannot be made up. To get full credit for your papers, they must be turned in to me on the date that they are due. You may receive partial credit for papers one class period late. I will accept any assignment that you need help with no matter how late, but it will not be credited. Since emergencies do occur, please come
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