TEXTS

The Bedford Handbook, Diana Hacker, 6th edition (“BH”)

A Writer’s Companion, Richard Marius, 4th edition (“Marius”)

The Writer’s Presence, Donald McQuade & Robert Atwan, 4th edition (“WP”)

A good college dictionary

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The class is based on the theory that you can improve your critical thinking and writing by: (a) writing a lot, (b) analyzing and discussing the writing of others, and (c) studying grammar fundamentals and the given wisdom of the craft of writing.

GRADES

Essays 400 each (1,200 total) PRs 75 each (450 total)

NW Batches 100 each (800 total) Self-Assessments 50 each (100 total)

Grammar Tests 100 each (700 total) Participation (550 total)

Total possible points: 3,800. To figure out your grade at any time, simply divide the total points you have earned by the total points possible up to that time and multiply by 100, and then apply the following table:

	B+ 87-89	C+ 77-79	D+ 67-69
A 94-100	B 84-86	C 74-76	D 64-66
A- 90-93	B- 80-83	C- 70-73	D- 60-63

Essays You’ll write three 600-750 word Essays on assigned topics. Each Essay must be turned in during class on the date indicated in the Class Calendar. You’ll give one copy to each member of your Study Group and one copy to me. If an Essay isn’t turned in on time (both initial and final drafts) its grade will be lowered 10 points for each day it’s late. No Essay will be accepted more than 5 days late. An Essay that doesn’t fully comply with the “Format Requirements” below (both initial and final drafts) won’t be treated as turned in.

PRs You’ll write 2 Peer Reviews (“PR”) for each of the 3 Essays. A PR is a critique of a fellow Study Group member’s Essay. By the end of the quarter you should have written at least one PR for each member of your Study Group. You should bring two copies of each PR to class on the due date (one for the student being critiqued and one for me). PRs turned in late won’t be accepted.

NWs You’ll complete approximately twenty 200-500 word Notebook Writings (“NW”) on assigned WP and Marius readings and other topics. On the dates indicated in the Class Calendar you should bring enough copies of the current batch of your NWs for each member of a Study Group other than your own and one copy for me. Your Study Group will exchange NWs with another Study Group each week for review. The best NWs will be read to the class. You won’t be able to turn NWs in late, but your lowest NW grade (i.e., the grade on your worst batch) will be dropped.

Grammar Tests You’ll be tested on your ability to (a) use BH as a resource, (b) apply the grammar rules in BH, and (c) conjugate be, have and do in the present and perfect tenses. You won’t be able to make up any missed grammar tests, but your lowest grammar test grade will be dropped.

Self-Assessment You’ll complete a self-assessment at the beginning of the quarter and another at the end.

Participation Your participation grade will be based on your attitude, the quantity and quality of your contributions to class discussions, and your attendance and punctuality. Your SG will select 2 WP essays or short stories (other than those assigned in the calendar) for a presentation that will take about 40 minutes. You’ll have a lot of flexibility. Each member of your SG will turn in the written text of his/her portion. You’ll be graded on your own discrete performance. A missed presentation can’t be made up so be sure to plan ahead. Two hundred of your participation points will be based on this presentation.

ATTENDANCE, PUNCTUALITY AND SPECIAL NEEDS

You must come to class regularly and on time to pass. Five absences won’t adversely affect your grade, but after that your overall grade will be lowered one notch (e.g., from A- to B+) for each missed class. If you’re absent more than 9 times you won’t pass. If you arrive late or leave early you’ll be treated as missing class (but I’ll overlook 2 late arrivals if you’re not more than 10 minutes late).

If you have special needs please discuss them with me as soon as possible in order to make sure appropriate accommodations and adjustments can be made. Please go to http://www.bcc.ctc.edu/artshum/studentinfo.asp and click “Student Procedures And Expectations.” The procedures and policies set forth there are a part of this syllabus and apply to this class. While you are in the Arts & Humanities website, please also go to Course Materials/Fall 2003/English, then scroll down to ENGL 101 and click Todd B. Please review the material there.

FORMAT REQUIREMENTS

All written work must be typed. Each Essay and batch of NWs must:

a. be typed in black ink on 8.5 x 11 inch white paper,

b. have page numbers,

c. have approximately one-inch margins on all four sides,

d. use a standard font (e.g., the Comic Sans MS 10 font used here or Times New Roman 12),

e. be stapled, and

f. have a heading which contains your name and clearly identifies the assignment (each PR must also identify the student whose Essay you’re critiquing, and each NW must have the topic in a caption).

Double-space Essays; everything else can be single spaced. Essays should be on one side of the page; everything else can be on two sides. Please don’t submit anything in a binder (staple pages instead).

FINAL WORD

The purpose of the class is to help you improve your critical thinking and writing. I hope you’ll work hard but have fun doing it. The rules are intended to make the class run smoothly for everyone. They’re based on courtesy and common sense. If you run into any problems, please let me know as soon as possible so I can help you find a solution. You’ll be expected to analyze and question what you read. The questions and the process of thinking about them will be more important than the answers—the class will focus more on the examination of ideas than on the memorization of facts. We won’t always agree with one another, so it will be important for all of us to treat one another with courtesy and respect—and to not take ourselves too seriously.