Common Goals for General Education Courses: Mastering the Tools of Learning

The work of the fourth class year is designed to help the student master the fundamental tools for learning: language (needed for learning in all disciplines, but especially in the humanities and social sciences) and mathematics (the tool most needed for learning in the scientific and technical disciplines). The use of these tools during the first year at VMI will lay the foundation for proficiency in such areas as

1. Critical thinking and reading

2. Precision in oral and written communication

3. Academic and professional ethics

4. Commitment to lifelong learning and physical health

Attainment of these four objectives not only should help the student see interconnections among the various academic disciplines but also should lead him or her to an expertise in the major field of study.

Course Goals

--To introduce writing as a process, including such essential practices as

invention, arrangement, and revision

--To develop the ability to analyze texts (including essays produced in the course) for their strengths and weaknesses in the presentation of ideas, paying special attention to such rhetorical considerations as audience, occasion, organization, and style

--To develop the ability to write a well-organized, thorough essay that advances a

precise, logical thesis

--To develop the ability to edit for grammatical/mechanical correctness.

Common Course Requirements:

--Students must write 4-7 essays totaling at least 5000 words submitted for a

grade

--Students must receive a written assignment for each essay

--Students must attend at least three individual conferences with the instructor

--At least 90% of the course grade must be based on grades assigned to essays

Course Results:

Students who have passed EN 101 will be able to write an essay designed to clarify and communicate ideas, to present and argue an informed opinion, and to convince readers of the merit of that opinion. The essay will

--have a clear, logical, and thoughtful thesis that reveals the writer’s sense of

purpose, occasion, and audience;

--have an appropriate structure, including clearly focused, well-organized

paragraphs;

--offer thorough and compelling support for assertions;

--use precise, idiomatic, appropriate diction; and

EN 101-16 Course Description: This section is designed to help you learn to express yourself through writing and to introduce you to university level academic writing. We will assume throughout the course that writing is a heuristic—a tool for the generation of ideas. Furthermore, we will assume that writing is a skill that requires practice to improve. We will write extensively, therefore, in order to help sharpen cognitive and literacy abilities. My job as an instructor is to help you explore your viewpoints surrounding a given issue or idea and to help you generate and express your own thoughts about that issue.

Texts: Bring all texts to EVERY class.

Goshgarian, Gary. Exploring Language. 8^th edition. New York, Longman, 1998.

Kenne, Michael L. and Katherine H. Adams. Easy Access: The Reference

Handbook for Writers. 2^nd edition. VMI Custom Edition. Mountain

View, CA: Mayfield Publishing Co., 1999.

Readings and research surrounding the issues we discuss in class are expected. I suggest the MLA Handbook for more complicated issues of citation.

*****I may distribute other pertinent readings in class or may assign a reading from a source other than our texts. Any handouts I distribute should be considered an addendum to the course syllabus and part of the requirements of this course.

Requirements:

Attendance: I expect you to attend every class, and attendance is a necessary component of a passing grade. Missing more than 6 classes constitutes failure of the course. No exceptions. Tardiness will not be tolerated.

Essays: 2 one page papers and 2 two page papers worth 100 pts each, and 1 three and 1 five page paper worth 200 pts each. We will have extended class discussions on the expectations for your papers. One short paper may be rewritten for a higher grade.

Revision: Paper 5 revision will be graded, worth 100 pts

Quizzes: pop quizzes will be based on the given week's reading and will be purely factual. 10 pts each.

Daily work: we will write a tremendous amount in class, and the class writing assignments will be graded. You may earn up to 50 pts. for the semester.

NO LATE WORK ACCEPTED. No exceptions.

Grade Breakdown:

1000-900=A

899-800=B

799-700=C

699-600=D

599-below=F

Other Materials:

1. Pocket Folder: you are required to keep ALL course work, including drafts of essays. I may ask for you to show me previous work you have done. Bring all materials for class EVERY DAY; I may ask the class to do some work on a previous paper during a class period.

2. Blue or Black pen

Tentative Schedule

August 22--Introductions

23 Read Syllabus and VMI Section of EA

Photocopy due

ethos—awareness of writing self

Assign Paragraph

25 Assign Paper #1

audience—awareness for whom you are writing

28 Paragraph Due—ethos and architecture

30 Read EA 3-20

Sept. 1 Library Introduction--Meet in the Library

4 Read EA 21-44, EL 519-530

Make an appointment to see me if you have not already met with me outside of class

6 Read EA 43-50

8. Paper #1 Due

Assign Paper #2--Description

11 EL 19-28

13 EL 30-33

15 Draft of Paper #2 Due--In Class work on Draft

18 Meet in Science 204

20 Paper #2 Due

22 EL 532-550

25 EL 251-263

27 EL 443-455

29 Meet in Science 204

Oct 2 Due: Heinemann handout

4 Meet in Science 204

6 Paper #3 Due

Assign Paper #4

9 EL 491-500; 176-77

11 EL 522-530

13

16 Meet in Science 204

18 Peer Review

20. VMI Conference--No Class

23 Paper #4 Due

Assign Paper #5

25 EA 53-80

27 EA 80-91

30 No class--individual conferences

Nov. 1 No class--individual conferences

3 Meet in Science 204

6 Meet in Science 204

8 Peer Review

10 No Class--ASHR

13. Paper #5 Due

Assign Paper #6

Library Visit

15

17. Sources Due

20-24--No Class--Thanksgiving

27 Meet in Science 204

Paper #5 Revision Due

29 Peer Review Paper #6

Dec 1

4 Meet in Science 204

6 Paper #6