English 28

Required Texts:

Princess, Jean Sasson

              Always Running, Luis Rodriguez

               Rules for Writers, Diana Hacker (6^th)

              A dictionary

Please bring Rules for Writers to class every day, as well as assigned textbook.  Regarding Princess, please read as much as you can within the scheduled time period.  You will be expected to read all of Always Running.

Course Goals: This course introduces students to the principles and techniques of essay writing.  Practice includes the writing of descriptive, narrative, expository essays and argumentative research papers.

In-Class Exercises.   There may be in-class writing exercises daily; therefore, attendance is important.  These exercises cannot be made up at another time.  Some of these exercises will be for a letter grade; some will be for credit/no credit. If over 10% of exercises are missing, your final grade will be lowered one full grade, e.g. A becomes B.   Grammar homework may be assigned on an as-needed basis.  This homework is not always collected, but always corrected.

Readings: Assigned readings are to be read before the class meeting.  Readings not contained in the texts will be provided.  On occasion, there may not be enough time to discuss an assigned reading in class; however, you are still responsible for knowing the content.  The journals described below are based on these readings.

Summary and Response papers, aka, Journals.  You must turn in a loose-leaf academic journal for every assigned reading in Always Running.  Journals are due at the beginning of class. You may not turn in your journals late.  Journals must follow the Summary and Response format.  These papers do not need to be typed.  You will receive credit/no credit for this work, not a letter grade.  Students may be dropped or receive a full letter grade reduction when a total of four journals are not turned in.  If you are more than 15 minutes late, your journal will not be accepted.   Once 2 journals are missing, you will not pass the class.

In-Class Essays. In-class essays are to be written in the classroom during the assigned class time.  Once engaged in taking the in-class essay, you may not leave the classroom. In order to pass the class, a student must pass at least one in-class essay.  There is also a departmental English Exit Exam (see English Exit Exam below) you must take, as well as an in-class final during finals week.  If you fail to take these final essays, you will not pass the class.  Due to the unique situation of this semester, the English Exit Essay will receive a letter grade. All students must take the Departmental English Exit Essay. If you do not take the English Exit Exam, you will not pass the class.  If you do not pass this final, you may not pass the class.  The topic is chosen by English faculty. 

Writing Assignments and Research Paper.  You will write several formal papers, including one argumentative research paper.  These papers are to be typed, double – spaced, printed in 12 point Courier (or the equivalent), and have one-inch margins all the way around.  The MLA format must be followed.  Because rough drafts may be peer edited, they must be typed.   All of your prewriting, (notes, outlines, drafts) and photocopies of sources (if applicable) may be collected, so keep everything.  Please turn in your assignments stapled, without any report cover, sheet protector, or folder. Papers sent via email will not be accepted.  Papers must be submitted in consecutive order – you must turn in the first assignment before the second assignment, etc.  When you submit papers at an unconventional/inconvenient time and/or place, you will be doing so at your own risk. Wikipedia is not considered a reliable source; therefore it may not be used as a source for you works cited page. You must turn in all papers, or you will receive an F for the class.  All criteria must be met for each paper or I will not read your paper -- it will receive an F.

Late Papers: Papers are due at the start of class on dates indicated.   Late papers will only be accepted with proof of medical emergency.  Late papers will receive a reduced grade. Late papers will not be accepted more than two days late.  Again, if you do not turn in all papers, you will fail the course. 

Attendance:   Students will be dropped when their total number of unexcused absences is two class meetings.  If you are absent on any day, for any reason, it is your responsibility to get a class update (i.e., material covered, homework, etc.) from another student. Please remember that students, and not the instructor, are responsible for keeping up with college assignments and the pace of the course.

Portfolio.  You may be required to turn in a complete portfolio containing all class work: Quizzes, Exercises, In-class Essays, and drafts and final revisions of Papers.  Keep everything.
Grades.  Grades will be determined as follows:

Class Participation      10%

     In-class essays         40%

     Research Paper           50%

Plagiarism, or copying and use of another’s work without proper acknowledgment, is not permitted, nor is it permissible for anyone to allow another person to copy his or her work for the purposes of assessment.  Plagiarism is a form of theft; if you are caught plagiarizing, your paper will receive an ‘F’ and you will be asked to leave the class.

Classroom Etiquette: Rudeness will not be tolerated. Turn off pagers and cell phones. Your calls can wait. No tape recorders. Please do not socialize in class. Take notes on instruction, the questions asked by classmates, and the answers given to your classmates. If you are disruptive in anyway, you will be asked to leave. If it happens twice, I will insist that you do not return to class.

Examples of disrupting the class: talking loudly, putting on make up, doing your own or someone else’s hair, putting your head down on desk, sleeping, etc.

Disruptions distract the classroom and ruin the learning environment. Students who are tardy will not be allowed to ask questions on what was covered during their absence. If you are late, or you have missed a class meeting, ask a classmate to fill you in on what you have missed. I will not cover material twice.  If you arrive late, please do not disrupt classroom activity; quietly sit down.  If I am lecturing, do not interrupt me.  Please do not offer an excuse for being tardy; I will never ask you why you were tardy.

Classroom Etiquette Rule of Thumb: DO NOT MAKE YOUR PROBLEMS EVERYONE ELSE’S.

Americans with Disabilities Act.  Students with disabilities who need any assistance or accommodation should contact the instructor.

English 28

Papers Due

Draft Due:     November 17

Draft Due:     December 3rd

Draft Due:     December 10th

Final Due:      December 15^th 11:00 a.m.

Type: Argumentation

Length: 5 pages of text

Subject: Princess or Always Running

Assignment:  This paper must be an argumentative paper based on either Princess or Always Running.  This paper should follow either the Classical or Rogerian structure. 

All rough drafts must be typed; however, they do not need to be finished.  I do not look at late rough drafts.  I do not proofread rough drafts. Rough drafts do not receive a letter grade; they are graded credit or no credit and will count towards your class participation grade.

Form Requirements: 1250 word minimum: use Word Count; typed or word processed, double-spaced, printed in 12 pt Courier/New Courier (or the equivalent); one-inch margins all the way around.  Follow MLA format.

In this paper, do not forget to:

• provide evidence
• use in-text citations
• provide a Works Cited page
• follow the MLA format
• use Princess or Always Running as a source
• use at least 5 additional sources

Remember: If you do not turn in this assignment, you will fail the course.

This Syllabus and the Assignment Schedule to this syllabus are subject to change.