ENGL115: English Composition Syllabus

ENGL115005: English Composition I
Spring Semester 2004
12:30-1:45p.m. Tuesday and Thursday

General Information Instructor: Bruce Closser
Office: Nethery Hall 116
Hours: As Posted
Phones: 471-3172 / 473-5480 (home)
E-mail: closserb@andrews.edu

Course Description and Objectives ENGL115: English Composition I is the first of two required general education writing courses required of all Andrews University students. The course is designed to introduce you to the general process of communicating meaning through writing and to provide you with practice in writing short personal essays drawn from "explorations of memory, observation, conversation, and reading" (Bulletin). At the conclusion of this course, you should be able to:

Understand the composing process (prewriting, drafting, revision, editing).
Implement strategies which enhance the effectiveness of your writing.
Respond to various demands of audience (organization, focus, voice).
Approach new writing tasks confidently.
Realize the power of writing to foster discovery and learning.
Present finished essays in standard written American English style.

Textbooks Albom, Mitch. Tuesdays with Morrie .
Elbow, Peter. A Community of Writers .
Potok,Chaim. My Name is Asher Lev .
Shakespeare, William. Merchant of Venice .

Assignments and Activities During this semester you will read from the four assigned text books in preparation for discussion and writing. In addition, you will complete a variety of in-class writing activities and quizzes which are intended to indicate that you were present on that day, that you completed the reading, and that you understand how to perform the skill we introduce during that class session. Since this class is focused on your experiences as a writer, you will examine your writing activities during the semester in a writer's journal . Finally, you will complete five writing assignments described briefly below. Additional instructions for each assignment will be provided as each assignment is introduced.

Writer's collage study yourself as a writer.
Narrative Essay examine an experience you have had and draw observations about life based on this experience.
Argument Essay take a position and develop an argument to support this position.
Personal Essay explore your priorities; develop a philosophy that will guide your life decisions.
Final examination discuss how you've changed as a writer during the semester. Cite evidence from your writing and your writer's process journal.

Course Policies Attendance is expected. Because this course is designed as a workshop, you will miss valuable activities and instructions if you are absent. To encourage you to be present, I will give quizzes or assign activities at every class period. To receive credit for these activities, you must be present. I will not make them up. In the case of an excused absence (one for which you inform me in advance that you will be absent, or one for which you bring me an official excusea doctor's note, for instance), I will average in any missing points. NOTE: The Andrews University Bulletin permits teachers to fail students who miss more than 20% of the scheduled classes and appointments. Any student who misses six (6) or more class periods may fail this course.
Extra credit may be earned by visiting the Writing Center for conferences over your writing. I'll award you an additional 2% for each visit you make to the Writing Center to have a consultant read your writing and make suggestions. Limit: 2 visits per assignment for credit, though you may visit the Writing Center as often as you find it helpful. Call 3358 to make an appointment or stop by Nethery Hall 203 to sign up. The Writing Center is typically open afternoons and evenings.
Late work is discouraged. Assignments are due at class time on the day listed in the schedule of activities below. Assignments may be submitted any time on the day scheduled without penalty; however, assignments submitted later than the assigned due date will automatically be reduced one letter grade unless prior arrangements have been made. Computers fail, so plan ahead. Save regularly; make back up copies of your work. Print hard copies of all drafts.
Paper format should follow some simple rules. 1) Use Times Roman 12-point font, double-spaced. 2) Set margins at one inch on all sides. 3) Activate the page-numbering, upper right hand corner. 4) Include your name on a separate title page, using the official Andrews University title page (including the academic honesty statement) attached below.
Academic honesty is assumed. All work you submit must be your own. Should I discover that you have submitted the work of another student as your own, you will fail that assignment and possibly the course.

Evaluation I will give points for each written activity you complete during this semester. The points will be totaled and your grade determined as follows:

10% Daily work (including any in-class writing and the writer's journal)
15% Writer's collage
20% Narrative Essay
20% Argument Essay
20% Personal Essay
15% Final examination

Your grade, based on the total number of points possible, will be determined according to this scale: A (95-100%) A- (90-94%) B+ (87-89%) B (84-86%) B- (80-83%) C+ (75-79%) C (70-74%) C- (65-69%) D (60-64%) F (below 60%).

Tentative Schedule of Activities This schedule of activities indicates what you should read for each day and when each written project must be submitted. Depending on how quickly we move through our material, we may need to adjust the schedule. Any changes will be announced. To save space, I use several abbreviations:

EB: Elbow and Belanoff
AL: My Name is Asher Lev
PJ: Process Journal
TM: Tuesdays with Morrie
MV: Merchant of Venice

1/6 (T) Introduction to class. Introduce Project 1: Collage. First Writing exercises.
1/8 (Th) Quiz: AL: chpts 1-2. EB: 5-18: An introduction to the Variety of Writing Processes.
1/13 (T) Quiz: AL: chpts 3-4. EB: 31-37: From Private Writing to Public Writing. PJ: 14-15 (in class).
1/15 (Th) Quiz: AL: chpts 5-6. EB: 37-43:Section II
1/20 (T) Quiz: AL: chpts 7-8. EB: 44-55: Trying out Genres
1/22 (Th) Quiz: AL: chpts 9-10. PJ: 53 (in class)
1/27 (T) Quiz: AL: chpts 11-12. Submit Project 1: Collage. Introduce Project 2: Narrative. Discuss My Name is Asher Lev
1/29 (Th) Quiz: AL: chpts 13-14. EB: 70-76: Looping.
2/3 (T) Quiz MV Act I. EB: 99-106. Workshop 4: Getting Experience into Words.
2/5 (Th) Quiz MV Act II. EB: 107: Sharing and Responding. Bring an exploratory draft to class to share. PJ: 107 (in class)
2/10 (T) Quiz MV Act III. EB: 121-130: Experiment with voice in narrative essay.
2/12 (Th) Quiz MV Act IV. EB:133: Sharing and Responding. PJ 133 (in class)
2/17 (T) Quiz MV Act V. EB: 149-160: Drafting and Revising.
2/19 (Th) Conference over narrative paper. No Class.
2/24 (T) Conference over narrative paper. No Class.
2/26 (Th) Submit Project 2: Narrative Essay. PJ: 161 (in class)
3/2 (T) Introduce Project 3: Argument Essay. Discuss Merchant of Venice.
3/4 (Th) EB: 189-198 Purpose and Audience.
3/9 (T) Conferences to identify position for Argument Essay. No Class.
3/11 (Th) Conferences to identify position for Argument Essay. No Class.
3/16 (T) SPRING BREAK NO CLASSES
3/18 (Th) SPRING BREAK NO CLASSES
3/23 (T) Quiz TM: 1-25. EB: 255-263: Persuasion.
3/25 (Th) Quiz TM: 26-54. EB: 277-285: Argument.
3/30 (T) Quiz TM: 55-78. EB: 199,265, 286: Sharing and Responding. You will need a draft of the Argument essay to receive full credit for this class period. PJ: 199 and either 266 or 286 (take home)
4/1 (Th) Quiz: TM: 79-108. EB: 235: The Essay. Introduce Project 4: The Personal Essay.
4/6 (T) Quiz: TM: 109-151. Workshop. Loop writing on subjects drawn from TM: 66. Submit completed Project 3: Argument.Discuss Tuesdays with Morrie.
4/8 (Th) Quiz: TM: 152-192. Workshop. Loop writing on subjects drawn from TM: 66.
4/13 (T) Catch-up day. Use for any make-up work
4/15 (Th) Conferences over Project 4: Personal Essay. No Class.
4/20 (T) Conferences over Project 4: Personal Essay. No Class.
4/22 (Th) Final exam tutorial. Introduce Project 5: the Essay Examination. Optional Class period.
4/26 (M) Final Examination: Monday, 3:00-5:00 p.m. Submit Project 4: the Personal Essay. Write Project 5 during final examination period. You may bring any of your Process Journal entries with you to the final examination. If you want to prepare an outline in advance, you may do so, but the final essay must be written in class.

Andrews University Title page Please use the official title page which follows. Supply your own title and your name and date where indicated. Include and sign the academic honesty statement on the cover page of each assignment.
(approximately 6 lines from top of page)
Andrews University
The College of Arts and Sciences (approximately 5 lines from previous section)
A Summary of Dr. Summitt's Lecture
The West in American History
(approximately 11 lines from previous section)
A Paper
Presented in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Course
ENGL115-005: English Composition II (approximately 5 lines from previous section)
by
Your name here
Date the assignment is due
I affirm that the work represented in this essay is my own
and does not include the written work or ideas
of any other individual except where indicated.
__________________________________
(Your signature)

General Information	Instructor: Bruce Closser Office: Nethery Hall 116 Hours: As Posted Phones: 471-3172 / 473-5480 (home) E-mail: closserb@andrews.edu
Course Description and Objectives	ENGL115: English Composition I is the first of two required general education writing courses required of all Andrews University students. The course is designed to introduce you to the general process of communicating meaning through writing and to provide you with practice in writing short personal essays drawn from "explorations of memory, observation, conversation, and reading" (Bulletin). At the conclusion of this course, you should be able to: Understand the composing process (prewriting, drafting, revision, editing). Implement strategies which enhance the effectiveness of your writing. Respond to various demands of audience (organization, focus, voice). Approach new writing tasks confidently. Realize the power of writing to foster discovery and learning. Present finished essays in standard written American English style.
Textbooks	Albom, Mitch. *Tuesdays with Morrie* . Elbow, Peter. *A Community of Writers* . Potok,Chaim. *My Name is Asher Lev* . Shakespeare, William. *Merchant of Venice* .
Assignments and Activities	During this semester you will read from the four assigned text books in preparation for discussion and writing. In addition, you will complete a variety of in-class writing activities and quizzes which are intended to indicate that you were present on that day, that you completed the reading, and that you understand how to perform the skill we introduce during that class session. Since this class is focused on your experiences as a writer, you will examine your writing activities during the semester in a writer's journal . Finally, you will complete five writing assignments described briefly below. Additional instructions for each assignment will be provided as each assignment is introduced. Writer's collage study yourself as a writer. Narrative Essay examine an experience you have had and draw observations about life based on this experience. Argument Essay take a position and develop an argument to support this position. Personal Essay explore your priorities; develop a philosophy that will guide your life decisions. Final examination discuss how you've changed as a writer during the semester. Cite evidence from your writing and your writer's process journal.
Course Policies	Attendance is expected. Because this course is designed as a workshop, you will miss valuable activities and instructions if you are absent. To encourage you to be present, I will give quizzes or assign activities at every class period. To receive credit for these activities, you must be present. I will not make them up. In the case of an excused absence (one for which you inform me in advance that you will be absent, or one for which you bring me an official excusea doctor's note, for instance), I will average in any missing points. NOTE: The Andrews University Bulletin permits teachers to fail students who miss more than 20% of the scheduled classes and appointments. Any student who misses six (6) or more class periods may fail this course. Extra credit may be earned by visiting the Writing Center for conferences over your writing. I'll award you an additional 2% for each visit you make to the Writing Center to have a consultant read your writing and make suggestions. Limit: 2 visits per assignment for credit, though you may visit the Writing Center as often as you find it helpful. Call 3358 to make an appointment or stop by Nethery Hall 203 to sign up. The Writing Center is typically open afternoons and evenings. Late work is discouraged. Assignments are due at class time on the day listed in the schedule of activities below. Assignments may be submitted any time on the day scheduled without penalty; however, assignments submitted later than the assigned due date will automatically be reduced one letter grade unless prior arrangements have been made. Computers fail, so plan ahead. Save regularly; make back up copies of your work. Print hard copies of all drafts. Paper format should follow some simple rules. 1) Use Times Roman 12-point font, double-spaced. 2) Set margins at one inch on all sides. 3) Activate the page-numbering, upper right hand corner. 4) Include your name on a separate title page, using the official Andrews University title page (including the academic honesty statement) attached below. Academic honesty is assumed. All work you submit must be your own. Should I discover that you have submitted the work of another student as your own, you will fail that assignment and possibly the course.
Evaluation	I will give points for each written activity you complete during this semester. The points will be totaled and your grade determined as follows: 10% Daily work (including any in-class writing and the writer's journal) 15% Writer's collage 20% Narrative Essay 20% Argument Essay 20% Personal Essay 15% Final examination Your grade, based on the total number of points possible, will be determined according to this scale: A (95-100%) A- (90-94%) B+ (87-89%) B (84-86%) B- (80-83%) C+ (75-79%) C (70-74%) C- (65-69%) D (60-64%) F (below 60%).
Tentative Schedule of Activities	This schedule of activities indicates what you should read for each day and when each written project must be submitted. Depending on how quickly we move through our material, we may need to adjust the schedule. Any changes will be announced. To save space, I use several abbreviations: EB: Elbow and Belanoff AL: My Name is Asher Lev PJ: Process Journal TM: Tuesdays with Morrie MV: Merchant of Venice 1/6 (T) Introduction to class. Introduce Project 1: Collage. First Writing exercises. 1/8 (Th) Quiz: AL: chpts 1-2. EB: 5-18: An introduction to the Variety of Writing Processes. 1/13 (T) Quiz: AL: chpts 3-4. EB: 31-37: From Private Writing to Public Writing. PJ: 14-15 (in class). 1/15 (Th) Quiz: AL: chpts 5-6. EB: 37-43:Section II 1/20 (T) Quiz: AL: chpts 7-8. EB: 44-55: Trying out Genres 1/22 (Th) Quiz: AL: chpts 9-10. PJ: 53 (in class) 1/27 (T) Quiz: AL: chpts 11-12. Submit Project 1: Collage. Introduce Project 2: Narrative. Discuss *My Name is Asher Lev* 1/29 (Th) Quiz: AL: chpts 13-14. EB: 70-76: Looping. 2/3 (T) Quiz MV Act I. EB: 99-106. Workshop 4: Getting Experience into Words. 2/5 (Th) Quiz MV Act II. EB: 107: Sharing and Responding. Bring an exploratory draft to class to share. PJ: 107 (in class) 2/10 (T) Quiz MV Act III. EB: 121-130: Experiment with voice in narrative essay. 2/12 (Th) Quiz MV Act IV. EB:133: Sharing and Responding. PJ 133 (in class) 2/17 (T) Quiz MV Act V. EB: 149-160: Drafting and Revising. 2/19 (Th) Conference over narrative paper. No Class. 2/24 (T) Conference over narrative paper. No Class. 2/26 (Th) Submit Project 2: Narrative Essay. PJ: 161 (in class) 3/2 (T) Introduce Project 3: Argument Essay. Discuss *Merchant of Venice. 3/4 (Th)* EB: 189-198 Purpose and Audience. 3/9 (T) Conferences to identify position for Argument Essay. No Class. 3/11 (Th) Conferences to identify position for Argument Essay. No Class. 3/16 (T) SPRING BREAK NO CLASSES 3/18 (Th) SPRING BREAK NO CLASSES 3/23 (T) Quiz TM: 1-25. EB: 255-263: Persuasion. 3/25 (Th) Quiz TM: 26-54. EB: 277-285: Argument. 3/30 (T) Quiz TM: 55-78. EB: 199,265, 286: Sharing and Responding. You will need a draft of the Argument essay to receive full credit for this class period. PJ: 199 and either 266 or 286 (take home) 4/1 (Th) Quiz: TM: 79-108. EB: 235: The Essay. Introduce Project 4: The Personal Essay. 4/6 (T) Quiz: TM: 109-151. Workshop. Loop writing on subjects drawn from TM: 66. Submit completed Project 3: Argument.Discuss *Tuesdays with Morrie. 4/8 (Th)* Quiz: TM: 152-192. Workshop. Loop writing on subjects drawn from TM: 66. 4/13 (T) Catch-up day. Use for any make-up work 4/15 (Th) Conferences over Project 4: Personal Essay. No Class. 4/20 (T) Conferences over Project 4: Personal Essay. No Class. 4/22 (Th) Final exam tutorial. Introduce Project 5: the Essay Examination. Optional Class period. 4/26 (M) Final Examination: Monday, 3:00-5:00 p.m. Submit Project 4: the Personal Essay. Write Project 5 during final examination period. You may bring any of your Process Journal entries with you to the final examination. If you want to prepare an outline in advance, you may do so, but the final essay must be written in class.
Andrews University Title page	Please use the official title page which follows. Supply your own title and your name and date where indicated. Include and sign the academic honesty statement on the cover page of each assignment. (approximately 6 lines from top of page) Andrews University The College of Arts and Sciences (approximately 5 lines from previous section) A Summary of Dr. Summitt's Lecture The West in American History (approximately 11 lines from previous section) A Paper Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Course ENGL115-005: English Composition II (approximately 5 lines from previous section) by Your name here Date the assignment is due I affirm that the work represented in this essay is my own and does not include the written work or ideas of any other individual except where indicated. __________________________________ (Your signature)