Syllabus

EN 101-03 English Composition Prof. Roger Thompson

M-F Morning 9-11:30; Afternoon 1-3 Office 207C LeJeune

Room: Cocke Hall 330A By appointment

www1.vmi.edu/english_rt/STP thompsonrc@mail.vmi.edu

x7057

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

--be free of spelling errors and major errors of grammar.

EN 101-03 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.

This section will pursue a theme as a way to introduce you to the writing process. We will be evaluating and discussing nature writing throughout the course, and our assignments will center on the idea of nature as heuristic for writing. Our class discussions will often center on each student's experience of nature and each student's expression of that experience.

Texts: Bring all texts to EVERY class.

Marius, Richard. A Writer's Companion. 4^th Ed.

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 will 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 3 classes constitutes failure of the course. No exceptions. Tardiness will not be tolerated.

Essays: 2 one 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.

Revision--each of your first 3 papers will be revised, and the revision will count 100 pts

Quizzes: 5 pop quizzes will be based on the given week's reading and will be purely factual. 10 pts each.

Homework: Written assignments up to a page in length will be graded on a credit/no credit basis. 50 pts.

NO LATE WORK ACCEPTED. No exceptions.

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 TO CLASS EACH DAY EVERY ASSIGNMENT THAT YOU HAVE FINISHED, THAT YOU ARE WORKING ON, OR THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN GRADED. At times, I will have assignments in class that will involve previous work.

2. Blue or Black pen

3. Photocopy of something—anything—to be handed in on the 2^nd day of class. Please keep in mind copyright laws and my extremely sensitive and naïve mind.

Grade Breakdown:

600---essays

300--revisions

50 pts---quizzes

50 pts--homework

No extra credit will be offered or awarded

1000-900=A

899-800=B

799-700=C

699-600=D

599 below=F

Other Information:

1. Plagiarism—see departmental policy and the Honor Code. If you are ever unsure as to what constitutes plagiarism, please ask me. I will deal with any plagiarized work severely.

2. Medical Information: If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please let me know immediately.

3. I will make every effort to create an atmosphere free of discrimination or harassment of any kind, and I will do my best to ensure that each individual has an equal voice in class discussion. If you have any concerns or suggestions on how to create an atmosphere conducive to the exchange of ideas, please speak with me.

4. No food or drink is permitted in the classroom.

5. Conferences—EN 101 requires three conferences with your instructor. You will probably need to schedule some conference time outside of class to meet the 3-conference requirement. Please come to these sessions prepared with any material I have asked you to bring. Missing a conference session for which class has been canceled counts as two absences.

6. I am available for you. Please contact me if you have any professional questions, concerns, or celebrations.

 

Tentative Schedule