English 1550: Writing I

NOTE: I will not be teaching a 1550 course in the Fall of 2003.

*To download a copy of this syllabus, click here.

Prerequisite

Placement from the Composition and Reading Placement Test or successful completion of English 1539 or 1540.  (A grade of N/C in English 1539 or 1540 does not satisfy the requirement.) 

General Education Requirements

Writing 2 fulfills YSU's General Education Writing Requirement and fulfills GER goals 1, 2, and 3.  For further information about the GER and its goals, consult the Undergraduate Bulletin or the University's website at www.ysu.edu 

Texts and Materials

	Jane E. Aaron, The Little, Brown Compact Handbook, 4th ed.
	Nora Eisenberg and Harvey S. Wiener, The Questioning Reader
	3 1/2" disks (at least 2) and a protective case for them
	dictionary (highly recommended)

Purpose and Goals

The purpose of this class is to develop and strengthen skills in reading, composition, critical thinking, argumentation, communication, and interpretation (just to name a few).  We are bombarded by vast amounts of information on a daily basis that appears in various mediums: in print, on TV or the radio, on the computer, from conversations with friends and relatives, etc.  The key is to be able to sort through all of the chaff to find the wheat, the kernel of meaning that will enable you to make sense of things.  Basically, this will involve reading, re-reading, thinking, discussing, writing, re-writing, and learning to deal with different types of literature, different types of ideas, and to appreciate these differences as part of what makes writing so complex, meaningful, and important.  Accomplishing all of this will involve the following:  

	thinking critically
	going beyond the page, beyond the obvious, to find meaning or a connection with what you're reading
	analyzing available information in conjunction with your ideas, thoughts, and opinions
	drawing logical conclusions as you develop your opinions about a certain assignment/etc.
	expressing these conclusions coherently and effectively in writing for a specific audience
	maintaining an open mind and a proper, mature attitude as you read, write, and participate in class discussions

By the end of the quarter you should be able to demonstrate the aforementioned skills in class discussions and to produce written assignments appropriate to a college-level English course.  In addition, you should demonstrate basic word processing skills, including creating, saving, editing, and printing files.  We will also cover the basics of using the WWW and researching on the web.

Attendance, Class Participation, and Class Preparation

In a nutshell, regular attendance is crucial to the successful completion of this course. This is not a correspondence course, nor is it one of the mythical "blow-off" classes of yore.   This is a hands-on, audience participation, snooze and you lose class. Plan on attending class, being prepared for the day's lesson, and participating on a regular basis.  

If you do miss a class, for any reason, you are responsible for finding out what you missed on that particular day, especially if there was an assignment given or a change of some kind was implemented.  The feeble clichéd excuse, "But I wasn't here that day" holds no water, feeds no bulldogs, and if you run it up a flagpole, no one salutes. 

If you miss more classes than you attend, this will negatively affect your grade in more ways than one.  Class discussions and exercises are opportunities to listen to others' ideas and perspectives as well as strengthen specific writing skills, and you must show up and participate to take advantage of these opportunities.  Hence, merely attending in the physical sense is not enough; to be a functioning member of the class, you must fulfill the following expectations:

	complete the assignment for the day
	be prepared to discuss it and/or complete related in-class exercises
	bring the necessary materials: text(s), pens, pencils, paper, disks, etc.
	try your best to understand the elements of the current discussion or assignment
	if you do not understand something, ask
	try your best to fulfill the expectations and assignments for the course

Grading

To pass this course you must complete all of the assignments and average at least a C- on them.  Grading is as follows:

(90-100 = A; 80-89 = B; 70-79 = C; 0-69 = N/C)

Journal*

This consists of various projects: in-class writing, response writing to readings or other prompts, an occasional quiz, and other exercises intended to facilitate learning and the strengthening of skills. This will enable you to explore different types of writing for different audiences, and enable you to explore your own writing style in order to improve the clarity, force, and strength of your writing. It will also involve reading pieces by a wide variety of authors, and this will help you see the many possibilities of writing in order to appreciate them and to learn from them, which could also help strengthen your own writing skills.

Papers*

These are short, argumentative**  papers that inform as well as persuade readers through their well-constructed thesis, logical support, clear definition of terms, and thorough explanation of ideas, opinions, and examples. They focus on your ideas, thoughts, and opinions, even if you're analyzing an essay, poem, etc. from the text. No outside research is necessary for these papers (that's 1551, Writing II). Papers are graded not only on what they say but how they say it: presentation, format, mechanics, and grammar will be important, as will a strong, clear thesis, good organization, thorough explanations of ideas, opinions, and the like. Also, adherence to the assignment and attention to audience are also significant for a paper to be successful. These qualities will be discussed in further detail in class.

**For additional information, go to Writing Argument.

Late Assignments

Assignments are expected to be turned in on or before the due date; that's why a due date is given. Anything and everything that is turned in late will lose points:

    papers are reduced by one half of a letter grade for each day that they are late--whether it is a class day or not. If the final grade on the paper is a B, for example, and the paper was one day late, the grade is reduced to a B-.

  late journals lose 2 points for each day that they are late--whether it is a class day or not. Each journal is worth 15 points, so if Tuesday's journal is turned in on Thursday, the most points that journal can earn would be 11, and that's only if it were to earn a 15 in the first place.

  in-class assignments that are missed may be made up, but will be considered as late and will lose 2 points for each day they are late.

Incompletes

To obtain an incomplete you must be averaging a C in the course and the reasons that you are unable to complete the course must be beyond your control.  These reasons must be deemed justifiable by your instructor.  The remaining work for the course must be completed within one year, or the "I" automatically converts to an "F."  In addition, YOU must request the incomplete from your instructor(s).

Plagiarism

Plagiarism includes copying someone else's work word-for-word and claiming that it is yours as well as summarizing, paraphrasing, or quoting and not providing the proper documentation and credit to the author, including information from the WWW or any other electronic source, even if the site specifically states that you are allowed to download and use any portion and claim it as your own.  It also includes overly helpful relatives and friends who are too generous with their input for the paper, no matter how pure their intentions are.  Keep in mind that plagiarism can and will result in a grade of N/C for the paper and for the course.  In other words, do not do it.

Additional Information

Since this is a computer course, there is a course fee.  The fee purchases and maintains computer hardware, software, supplies, and support services.  Support services are available for students requiring additional help with using the computers and with developing reading and writing skills.  These services are free to YSU students and provide support and help where needed.  Also, it is important to keep in mind that lab safety is a priority.  While in the lab, you are expected to follow the posted lab rules as well as the following:

	Absolutely no food, drink, tobacco products, or any type of substance that could spill and possibly damage any equipment.
	Absolutely no goofing around: i.e., do not access anything inappropriate, including games of any kind.  The labs are for academic work, not playing.  This includes class time as well as when the labs are "open" for general use.
	No headphones are to be worn during class, and you may not play music or use any other audio function on your computer.  Lab time is quiet work time, not the time to bother those around you who are trying to work.
	Do not change the settings on the computers, including the screen saver.  When you leave the lab, the computer should be on the main screen (the "aqua" screen) and Windows should be running.  Never exit Windows or turn your computer off.
	Do not use the Instructor's Station at any time.
	Do be aware of the class listings posted outside of the individual labs when you are searching for an "open" lab.  Just because the door to a certain lab is open, do not assume that there is not a class in session.  Make sure the lab is open to general use before you go in and begin your work.
	Do tell a lab assistant if anything at all goes wrong with a computer, printer, or any other piece of equipment.  If something goes wrong, do not merely walk away.  Tell a lab assistant or your instructor so the problem may be corrected.

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