English 101 (University of Alabama)

Dr. Karen Gardiner EN 101-017
TR 2:00 – 3:15
kgardine@bama.ua.edu 101 Morgan Hall

Course Policies – Fall 2003

Course Description and Overview: The purpose of EN 101 is to help you develop confidence and expertise in clear, organized expository essays acceptable in both content and language in the university community. Thus, this course should help you

· to generate and revise drafts
· to give and receive constructive feedback on peer texts
· to express thoughts and ideas precisely
· to organize effectively
· to read critically
· to think analytically
· to support arguments with appropriate and accurate evidence
· to master the conventions of written English

The theme for this course is “What is the Ideal Society?” It begins with the questions implied in Lois Lowry’s adolescent novel The Giver, about the nature of the ideal society. Subsequent texts, both nonfiction and fiction, debate the issue of the ideal society from a number of perspectives and ages. However, the course is organized around various writing skills that all college students need to know: how to write summaries, how to keep journals, how to produce written responses to readings, how to write critiques, and how to synthesize the information or ideas from several different sources into a unified paper. In addition, the practical work in the course will include the steps of the writing process: invention, drafting, and revising/editing.

In this class you will keep a reading journal, to which you will add throughout the semester. You will also write four essays: a two-part summary assignment, a critique, a response essay, and a synthesis (or research paper). In addition, your final exam will consist of a second synthesis paper, in which you will be asked to draw on your class readings during the semester to formulate a response related to the central question of the course. Due dates for these assignments can be found on the attached syllabus.

Texts: (underlining indicates what the text is called throughout the course syllabus)
· Lowry, Lois. The Giver. Laurel Leaf, 1993
· The University of Alabama Reader: What is the Ideal Society? Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004
· Wilhoit, Steven W. A Brief Guide to Writing from Readings (3rd ed), Pearson/Longman, 2004.
· Lunsford, Andrea A. The St. Martin’s Handbook (5th ed), 2004

Other Course Materials:
· 2 unmarked exam books, turned in before September 18
· Two manila folders: one for your reading journal; one for turning in papers
· Small pack of assorted color highlighters
Attendance, Make-up work, and Late Papers: You are urged to attend ALL classes. However, you may miss three classes for any reason. You are responsible for the material covered during your absence, and your work is still due on the assigned date whether you are absent or not. You are also responsible for having the next class assignment done when you return. A WORD OF CAUTION: Please use your three absences WISELY! Your final average will be lowered by five points for each absence over three. In addition:
· Please let me know in advance if you know you will miss class. Life happens, but if you let me know soon enough, I might be able to help you.
· I take attendance at the beginning of each class. If you come in late, be sure to see me after class to make sure that you are counted present in my records (even if I have called on you by name during class). At the end of the semester, what is marked in my grade book stands.
· Daily work must be turned in when due and CANNOT be made up for any reason. Your lowest three daily grades will be dropped, in accordance with the three absence policy. If you have perfect attendance, then these three daily grades will count as extra credit.
· Papers will draw upon material discussed and workshopped in class. Papers that do not follow instructions, either written or given orally during class, may be marked “F.”
· One (and only one) major-grade paper will be accepted up to one class meeting late with no penalty. Any other major-grade work that is turned in late will receive a penalty of one letter per class meeting for each meeting that it is late (i.e., due T, turned in R = -1 letter grade; due T, turned in next T= -2 letter grades). I will not accept any paper handed in after the assignment has been graded and returned to the class.
· The final exam should be taken as scheduled. Only in the case of direst emergency will you be allowed to make it up, and I do not give finals early. Make your travel plans accordingly.

Manuscript preparation: All out-of-class papers, drafts, and journal entries must be typed in a standard 12-point font, double-spaced, with 1” margins, according to MLA guidelines. Handwritten papers will not be accepted.

Grade Distribution:
· Daily Work (10%)
· Reading Journal Folder (10%; explained on separate handout)
· Paper #1 Summary (10%)
· Paper #2 Response (10%)
· Paper #3 Critique (20%)
· Paper #4 Synthesis (20%)
· Paper #5 Final Exam (20%)

Daily Work can include homework writing, peer critiques, in-class writing, drafts brought to class, editing exercises, practice assignments, and the like. These will receive checks: one check for any honest effort that is done completely; zero for incomplete work or work not done. At the end of the semester, I will drop your three lowest daily grades. I will then determine a number grade based on the percentage of checks earned.

Evaluation of Papers: Major-grade papers will be graded and commented on based on three criteria: Content, Organization, and Surface Language (as outlined by Lunsford and discussed in class). Please refer to the separate handout on Grading Criteria for more detail. Major-grade papers will always be returned to you before your next major-grade paper is due.
Please also be aware that the more I teach you about how to write an essay, the harder I grade. In other words, I grade harder as the semester progresses.

Paper Grades will be awarded using letters, which will be converted to a number (using the chart below) for determining:

A+ = 98 B+ = 88 C+ = 78 D+ = 68 F = 59 or below
A = 93 B = 83 C = 73 D = 63 0 = work not done
A- = 90 B- = 80 C- = 70 D- = 60

Final Grades will be determined by adding together all number grades using the percentages indicated by the grade distribution. The resulting total will be divided by 10, and the above chart will be used to convert your final number grade back to a letter.

ABC – No Credit Policy: All first-year English courses are graded A, B, C, No Credit (with pluses and minuses). NC is a non-punitive grade; it does not affect your GPA. It simply means that you need to repeat the course to get further help in improving your writing skills.

Academic Misconduct/Plagiarism: The UA Honor Code and Codes of Academic Conduct regarding plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, and misrepresentation apply in this course. They may be found in the UA Undergraduate Catalog (http://catalogs.ua.edu/undergraduate/10480.html). As a UA student you are responsible for knowing and abiding by them. In addition, you will be required to read and sign the First-year English Policy on Academic Misconduct/Plagiarism and the UA Academic Honor Pledge. If you have difficulties or questions regarding plagiarism, please consult me, your textbook, or the English Writing Center for help.

Student Conduct: You are expected to comport yourselves in class according to the Proscribed Conduct section of UA’s Code of Student Conduct (found in the Undergraduate Catalog; http://catalogs.ua.edu/catalog02/11340.html). In addition, please turn off your cell phones, beepers, and alarms during class; please don’t bring food to eat in class; and, if you bring drinks to class, be careful not to spill, and clean up after yourself.

Disabilities: If you are registered with the Office of Disabilities Services, please see me as soon as possible to discuss any course accommodations that may be necessary. If you have a disability, but have not contacted ODS, call 348-4285 or visit 220 Research Drive to register. Students with disabilities must be registered before receiving academic adjustments.

English Writing Center is located at 125 Morgan Hall. This free tutorial service can help you with organization and surface language problems. They do NOT proofread or write papers for you. You may call for 30-minute appointments (348-5049) or just drop in.

Conferences: Please feel free to come by my office during regular office hours (or by appointment) for individual conferences. Please remember, also, that you can send me an e-mail message asking for help at any time and I will respond as soon as possible.

Late Instructor: Please wait for me for at least 10 minutes. If I do not appear, you may leave. Please have your next class assignment ready as scheduled. One student should report my absence in Morgan 103, as there may be an emergency that needs to be checked on.

Some final advice: Throw NOTHING away, and erase NOTHING from your computer.
Dr. Karen Gardiner EN 101 - 017
110 Morgan Hall, 348-8498 TR 2:00 – 3:15
kgardine@bama.ua.edu 101 Morgan Hall

Tentative Revised Syllabus – Fall 2003 – “What is the Ideal Society?”

· This syllabus is subject to change with appropriate notice.
· All readings & assignments should be COMPLETED by the date listed.
· UA deadlines are listed as a courtesy. Double-check on Tide Guide.

Week 1 - Housekeeping
R 8/21 Course policies & syllabus; in-class writing; intro to textbooks
(Please notice that you DO have reading & writing homework this weekend.)

Week 2 – UNIT ONE: SUMMARY & JOURNAL WRITING
T 8/26 Homework readings: The Giver, pp. 1-87; Wilhoit, Chapter 2 Journals (29-38)
Homework writing: JOURNAL #1-A: Write a 1-page (250-300 word) reading
journal entry in which you respond to a particular incident in chapter 5, 6, or 11 of The Giver. How did it strike you? And why?
In Class: Meet in Morgan Computer Lab (MR 238) for WebCT tutorial
W 8/27 Last day to register or add a course
R 8/28 HW readings: The Giver, pp. 88-179; Lunsford, 3-27; UA Reader, Chapter 1:
Evaluating Ideas: An Introduction to Critical Reading (1-11)
HW writing: JOURNAL #1-B: Write a 1-page (250-300 word) reading journal
entry that summarizes chapters 15 - 16 or chapters 21-23 of The Giver. You will
select one of your two homework reading journal entries from this week to
place in your reading journal folder.

Week 3
T 9/2 HW readings: UA Reader, “The Unknown Citizen” by Auden (49-50); Wilhoit,
Chapter 4 Paraphrase (57-68); Lunsford, “Writing Business Memos…” (940)
HW writing: Write a paragraph that paraphrases the Auden poem.
R 9/4 HW readings: UA Reader, “The Perils of Obedience” by Stanley Milgram (105-18);
Wilhoit, Chapter 3 Quotations (39-56)
HW writing: Select what you consider to be a significant quotation from the
Milgram essay and write a response paragraph that correctly incorporates the
quotation. Post as directed on WebCT and also bring a printed-out copy to class.

Week 4
T 9/9 HW readings: UA Reader, “Ideology and Terror: A Novel Form of Government”
by Hannah Arendt (202-20); Wilhoit, Chapter 5 Summary (69-82); handout,
Vonnegut’s “How to Write with Style” (3 pp)
HW writing: JOURNAL #2: Write the 250-300 word journal assignment listed
on page 3 of the Vonnegut handout
R 9/11 HW reading: Wilhoit, Chapter 12 Timed Writing Assignments
HW writing: PAPER #1 (part 1) draft: Write a 250-300 word informative
summary of the Arendt essay. Bring the finished essay to class with you.
(Optional: see class discussion on Arendt at WebCT.)
Week 5
T 9/16 In-class writing: PAPER #1 (part 2): Write a 300-400 word explanatory
summary of the same essay you used for your informative summary. Your
specific assignment will be given in class. Bring your revision of your
informative summary to turn in, attached to your rough draft and peer critiques.
Both will count together as one paper grade.
R 9/18 HW reading: Wilhoit, Chapter 9 Plagiarism (191-7)
HW writing: Write a list of at least three questions you have concerning
plagiarism. Post this list on WebCT before 10 p.m. on Wednesday (9/17)
In Class: hand out Berga essay for homework reading

Week 6 – UNIT TWO: RESPONSE ESSAYS
T 9/23 HW reading: Wilhoit, Chapter 6 Response Essays (83-94); reread Gerard Piel
essay in Wilhoit (76-78); Berga essay on handout
HW writing: Write a paragraph (100-150 words) summarizing the Berga essay.
R 9/25 HW reading: UA Reader, “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell (124-34)
HW writing: JOURNAL #3: Write a 250-300 word reading journal entry, in
which you state your response to some aspect of “Trifles” and try to explain why
you think the play or one aspect of the play had that particular effect on you.
In Class: in-class response writing assignment; hand out Paper #2 assignment
Week 7
M 9/29 First day for midterm grade submission for first-year students
T 9/30 HW reading: Lunsford, “Using Language Effectively” (500-46)
HW writing: PAPER #2 draft: Write a 500-750 word response essay to
“Trifles.” Bring your finished essay to class with you to workshop.
W 10/1 Last day for midterm grade submission for first-year students
R 10/2 HW writing: PAPER #2: Revise response essay and have it ready to turn in
during class. Attach your rough draft and your peer critiques.
In Class: Bring Lunsford text to class; work on common writing problems;
discuss ideal societies

Week 8 – UNIT THREE: CRITIQUES
T 10/7 HW reading: Wilhoit, Chapter 7 Critique (95-115; 125-6)
In Class: go over Wilhoit then walk to Gorgas Library for 2:30 library
orientation and instruction session; select and begin reading article for Journal #4
assignment (on handout), due Tuesday (10/14)
R 10/9 HW reading: UA Reader: “The Declaration of Independence” by Jefferson (193-
201); “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions” by Stanton (278-86)
HW writing: post at least two contributions to class discussion at WebCT,
following directions at “Jefferson/Stanton Discussion”
In Class: continue going over Wilhoit Chapter 7; work on thesis statements

Week 9
M 10/13 First day for advising for spring 2004
T 10/14 HW reading: UA Reader: “Pernicious Effects . . .” by Wollstonecraft (389-404);
“Woman’s Place in Man’s Life Cycle” by Gilligan (443-61)
HW writing: JOURNAL #4 due (see handout given during library class)
In Class: continue going over Wilhoit, Chapter 7; work on thesis statements &
paper outlines; give out Paper #3 assignment
R 10/16 PAPER #3 draft due
In Class: create personal writing inventory & workshop draft

Week 10
T 10/21 HW Reading: Lunsford “Sentences: Making Conventional Choices” (pp. 671-
82), “Sentences: Making Stylistic Choices” (pp. 698-735)
In Class: Work on sentence boundaries, sentence combining, and parallelism
R 10/23 PAPER #3 due
In Class: Continue work on sentence-level improvements; discuss ideal societies
F 10/24 Last day for advising for spring 2004

Week 11 – UNIT FOUR: SYNTHESIS
T 10/28 HW reading: Wilhoit: Chapter 8 Synthesis (127-55; 189-90); UA Reader:
“Crito” by Plato (60-74), “A Definition of Justice” by Aristotle (223-35)
HW writing: JOURNAL #5 due (Check WebCT for assignment)
W 10/29 Last day to drop a course with a grade of “W”; please let me know
R 10/30 HW reading: UA Reader: “Civil Disobedience” by Thoreau (251-77)

Week 12
T 11/4 HW reading: review Wilhoit Chapter 3 Quotation (39-55), read Chapter 10
Documentation (199-201; 211-5)
HW writing: write a 100-150-word paragraph in which you compare a point made
by Thoreau to a point made by either Plato OR Aristotle. Your paragraph should contain a quotation from each of the two works, correctly documented.
R 11/6 HW reading: UA Reader: “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by King (90-105)
HW writing: JOURNAL #6 due (Check WebCT for assignment)
In Class: give out paper #4 assignment

Week 13
T 11/11 HW reading: Wilhoit Chapter 11 Reference Lists and Works Cited Entries (217-8;
247-57); UA Reader: “Let America Be America Again” by Hughes (51-54)
HW writing: Create a Works Cited page for your homework paragraph from
11/4; in addition, search any of your approved library databases for an entry on
Langston Hughes and correctly add its citation to your Works Cited list.
R 11/13 In Class: small group work on King’s Letter and Hughes’s poem; rhetorical
analysis of both works. You WILL be accountable for this on your final exam.

Week 14
T 11/18 PAPER #4 draft due; workshop
In Class: workshop and work on personal writing inventory
R 11/20 PAPER #4 due
HW reading: on handout – Jeremy Bentham, “Of the Principles of Utility”

Week 15
T 11/25 HW writing: READING JOURNAL FOLDER due: attach all 6 previous
journal entries to back of folder; attach your reading journal response essay to the
top and turn in no later than 2:15. Happy Thanksgiving! Be safe!
W 11/26 Last day for all tests; Thanksgiving Holidays Begin at 5:00 p.m.
R 11/27 HOLIDAY – no class

Week 16 – Study Week; Prepare for Final Exam
T 12/2 HW reading: UA Reader: “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” by Le
Guin (54-9) AND EITHER “from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an
American Slave” by Douglass (236-50) OR “Free at Last” by Jacobs (334-46)
In Class: grade reports; give out final exam essay topics
R 12/4 Preparation for Final Exam
HW writing: bring a thesis statement and rough outline of your final exam essay
to workshop in class.

FINAL EXAM: PAPER #5 – In-class Synthesis Writing

Friday, December 12 You will need pencils or pens
8:00 – 10:30 a.m. You may bring a dictionary & your Lunsford text
101 Morgan Hall You may bring something to drink
I will provide exam books and sausage biscuits

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT FINALS:

Please note the date and time of your final exam and make your travel plans accordingly. Except in cases of dire medical emergency, you MUST take the final exam as it is scheduled by the University. I do not give finals early (so please DON’T ask), and,
because of the date of the final exam for this class, it will be impossible to give this final late. Make-up finals will be given ONLY in case of a dire emergency.