University of Wisconsin-Madison
INTERMEDIATE COMPOSITION
English 201, Lecture 2
6108 H.C.
White Hall
Christine Stephenson
Instructor
Office: 6132 H.C. White; Phone: 3-2050; e-mail: cstephenson@wisc.edu; Mailbox: 657
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday TBA and by appointment
GNWQI SAUTON(1)
English 201 fulfills an important requirement at
the university. It is a practical writing course that will enable you to write
effectively. All of this is true; however, the idea that a composition course
is "just a writing class" is tragically limited. While writing certainly
will occupy much of our focus, all that informs the writing we do is as
important to the process of writing as the drafting itself. In truth, the study
of composition involves a multitude of disciplines: psychology, sociology,
philosophy, and politics. Composition, then, is in many ways the human mind in
practice.
REQUIRED TEXTS
Lundsford, Andrea, A. The Everyday Writer, Third Edition, Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2004.
A binder, notebook, or other such
record-keeping book, separate from your class
notes, for compiling your personal daybook (more on this in
"REQUIREMENTS").
OBJECTIVES
Complicate our understanding of
"language" in order to better understand its efficacy and
implications.
Create a safe, communal environment in
which everyone may examine and test his or her assumptions, engage in
meaningful discussions, and witness new (sometimes challenging) perspectives.
Practice rhetorical, empirical, and
analytical techniques that will help strengthen our writing, add depth to our discussions,
and hone our literacy skills.
Come to understand the ways that writing
is an extension of self (and why that is important).
Research, write, revise, review, discuss,
revise . . . write a little more . . . revise . . .
REQUIREMENTS
English 201 is designed to offer substantial instruction and practice in the four modes of literacy: speaking, reading, writing, and listening. This course will be divided into five units, each having its own set of assignments. To ensure your success in this course, please abide by the following guidelines:
Written Assignments
For each unit, you will be asked to complete a final project. At least three of these will take the form of a formal academic paper (I will provide detailed guidelines for each project at the beginning of each unit). Each project will require research. Additionally, you are required to participate in a digital discussion of the course texts at least once per week (see "Learn@UW," below). You will complete two drafts of each project and submit a third draft (of select projects . . . more details in the "GRADING" section of this syllabus) in a final portfolio at the end of the term
Oral Assignments
You will have two opportunities to address the class formally during this semester:
Unit III: Literacy in Action. For this project you will observe literacy practices in action and present your findings to the class through your choice of methods.
Presentation of your final portfolio.
These presentations will be graded. Detailed descriptions and criteria will be distributed in advance of your presentations to help you prepare.
Daybook
Your "daybook" is a personalized text that you will gradually build over the course of the semester. At least once a week, I ask that you gather at least one text to add to your daybook, something that commands your attention, causes you pause, moves you . . . any text that you feel is worthy of reflection or investigation. Your texts may take the form of clippings, transcribed audio, cartoons, images, etc. (we will talk more about defining "text" during the semester). Please strive for variety. For each addition to your daybook, please write a brief synopsis or introduction that addresses why you chose the particular piece. We will turn to these daybooks at various times during the semester.
One caveat: what you gather is fair game for use in class, and you will be called upon to share some items from your daybook with the class. Avoid compiling texts that are too personal to comfortably share with the group.
Learn@UW
With your participation, we can make this tool an essential and rewarding part of our class. I will post this syllabus, new assignments and texts, and other resources to the site. I will use it to communicate with you. I encourage each of you to use it to communicate with me AND the rest of the class (for sensitive or strictly individualized questions or concerns, please use my e-mail: cstephenson@wisc.edu).
Additionally, three students each week will post one text from their daybooks, with their comments; those who did not post a text that week will respond to at least one of the three new texts. We will rotate this responsibility so that each of you will post a text twice during the semester. I will monitor and participate in these discussions
Attendance and Participation
Put simply, this class doesn't work without your explicit participation. This course is dependent on interaction and discussion: as such, you must be present in mind as well as in body, and all assignments MUST be completed on time. And speaking of class presence . . .
Attendance for 201 is mandatory. Any
student who misses three consecutive classes at any point in the term is
subject to failure. A student who has excessive absences throughout the
semester risks penalty, either in the form of an appropriate reduction in grade
or failure of the course. Any missed work may not be made up unless the reasons
for the absence involve extenuating circumstances (i.e. family emergency,
illness, etc.). If you know that you must miss a class meeting, please let me
know in advance.
Conferences
Talking with each of you one-on-one about your experience in the course is, for me, a privilege. For each unit, I will schedule times for individual conferences. You will be required to meet with me at least three times during the semester, though I invite and encourage you to meet with me more than three times. These opportunities for individual instruction can be valuable, for both of us; I encourage you to take advantage of these sessions as often as possible.
Peer Review (Workshops)
Peer workshops afford the opportunity to tap in to a variety of resources: you get several perspectives on your project; you have the opportunity to engage other texts in process; you are able to "test" you ideas and audience . . . there are so many more benefits of peer review, too many to detail here, though discussing the benefits (and possibly the s shortcomings) of our peer review sessions will become a regular part of our class.
This opportunity will be extended to you for each unit project. For essays, please bring enough copies of your work for every member of your group. You will each decide, as a group, what your goals are for the session. Use this time effectively, as I will not collect or comment on first drafts. Likewise, I will not accept drafts that have not been reviewed by your peers. For oral or multimedia projects, workshop time will be dedicated to "practice runs" with your group members as your audience. The time spent practicing such events, as well as the constructive feedback you receive from your group, can help your project's success tremendously.
Prerequisites
Because English 201 fulfills Part B of
the General Education Communication Requirement at the UW-Madison, students
must have successfully completed (or have been granted exemption from) Part A
of the requirement. If you are unsure, please talk to me immediately.
GRADING CRITERIA
Your work in the course will be assessed on a continuous basis, with your unit projects constituting the largest percentage of your final grade. At the end of the semester, each of you will submit a portfolio of your three best, polished projects. At least two of these projects must be in essay form. Your final portfolio will also include a self-evaluation/ portfolio introduction and acknowledgments. We will discuss the contents of the portfolio at length throughout the semester.
In addition to the portfolio, you will be
awarded points throughout the semester for the successful completion of the
required assignments. A breakdown of the point distribution is as follows:
Final Portfolio 50% 500 points
Three (3) revised projects
Self Evaluation/Introduction
Five (5) selections from your
daybook
Learn@UW 12.5% 125 points
Prompting discussion (25 points X 2)
Weekly responses (5
points/week)
Oral Presentations 20% 200 points
Unit III Literacy Study (100 points)
Presentation of Portfolio (100
points)
Unit V Project 5% 50 points
Not eligible for inclusion in the final portfolio
Workshop Participation 10%
100 points
Attendance 2.5%
25 points
TOTAL 100 %
1000 points
GRADING SCALE
by points
A 930-1000
AB 880-929
B 830-879
BC 780-829
C 710-779
D 650-709
F 649 or below
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Plagiarism
Defined as the use of someone else's words or ideas as your own, plagiarism is an academic felony, and it WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. All work that is not your own must be properly documented. NO exceptions. If you are unsure, ASK. The penalties at UW-Madison are swift and decisive.
Late Work
You must have a draft of your essay (and enough copies to go around) for peer workshop planning days (usually one to two class meeting prior to the actual workshop). If you do not, you will forfeit the "peer review" points for the unit (see grading criteria). All other assignments are due on or before their stated dates. Failure to complete an assignment on time may result in the forfeiture of points. For large projects, I will charge you five points for each class period your project is overdue.
Special Concerns
If you find or anticipate that outside circumstances (such as a disability or challenging personal situation) affect/ will affect your ability to do your best in this class, please talk to me as soon as you feel comfortable, preferably within a week or two. I will do all I can to facilitate your participation and learning in this course. Additionally, the university offers a number of resources, including counseling services, to assist you.
If you have a disability, you should take
advantage of the services offered by the McBurney Disability Resource Center
(263-2741, 905 University Avenue), which provides assistance and reasonable
accommodations for students with learning and other disabilities. If you are
interested in learning more about these services, please contact me.
PRELIMINARY CLASS SCHEDULE
AND OVERVIEW OF UNITS(2)
UNIT I
September 2-September 23
Everything Is an Argument . .
. or Is It?
In this unit, we will explore the compelling idea advanced by Lunsford,
Ruszkiewics, et al. that all texts contain an argument. We will examine
different types of arguments, as well as different kinds of texts; in doing so,
we will begin to build a basic understanding of rhetoric and persuasion. We
will then begin to build a better understanding of the implications of language
as it functions in a given culture.
Important Dates:
Friday, September 16 Distribute draft copies among group
Monday, September 19 Peer Review
Monday, September 26 Second Draft Due (to me)
UNIT II
September 26-October 7
Art of Language: Where
Method Meets Expression
In this unit, we will build on the historical, cultural, and rhetorical
foundation we began in the first unit by examining different types of texts to
uncover how it is that they "work their magic." The assignments and
discussions in this unit are designed to help you hone your empirical and
analytical skills. We will read texts closely, then compare our findings with
our initial impressions of a text. Along the way, you will have the opportunity
to expand your technical toolbox. In other words, this unit is dedicated to
taking things apart to see how they work.
Important Dates:
Monday, October 3 Distribute draft copies among group
Friday, October 7 Peer Review
Monday, October 10 Second Draft Due
UNIT III
October 10-November 4
Literacy in Action: An
Ethnographic Study
Unit III offers a unique opportunity: field research, of sorts. This unit
will focus on audience and the effects and uses of language on/by individuals
in a specific environment. You will spend time observing people and their
literacy practices within a given space. For the final project, you will
present your findings to the class. You may choose to write a traditional paper
and present it, conference-style, or you may choose to create a multimedia
presentation in order to present your findings. Whichever method you choose,
your final project (either on paper or disk) will be eligible for inclusion in
the final portfolio. Please note, the oral component of this unit project is
subject to grading independent of the final hard product.
Important Dates:
Friday, October 14 Project Proposals Due
Friday, October 21 Practice Run/Peer Review
October 26-November 4 Oral Presentations
UNIT IV
November 7-November 23
Beyond the Academic Essay:
Creative Nonfiction
Creative nonfiction refers to a genre of writing that uses literary and
other rhetorical techniques to compose nonfiction essays. It differs from the
traditional academic essay in that it afford the author the opportunity to
become a storyteller to a larger degree than in the academic essay, though it
still relies on accurate, well-researched information at its core. A creative
nonfiction essay may take any of the following forms (or subgenres): personal
essay, exposition, memoir, satire or humor writing, and the like. Your essay
may be inner-directed or outer-directed. For this assignment, you are free to
exercise your creative energies.
Important Dates:
Monday, November 14 Distribute draft copies among group
Friday, November 18 Workshop
Monday, November 21 Second Draft Due
Wednesday, November 23 NO CLASS. Research/Study Day.
Friday, November 25 NO CLASS. HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
UNIT V
November 28-December 2
Negotiating the
Post-Baccalaureate World
This should be called a mini-unit, as it will serve as a crash-course in the
basics of business communication. In this unit, I hope to cover a few helpful
hints about writing letters of application, professional e-mail and e-mail
etiquette, proposals, query letters, resumes, curriculum vitae, etc. We will
focus on the ways the skills you have practiced throughout the semester can be
brought to bear in very practical ways.
Important Dates:
Friday, December 2 Mini-workshop
Monday, December 5 Unit V project due (ineligible for inclusion in final
portfolio)
CODA
December 5-December 14
That's a Wrap
The last two weeks of class, you will have the opportunity to work with your
groups in preparing and editing your final portfolio. Additionally, you will
deliver a final presentation of your work to the class prior to submitting your
portfolio. We will negotiate the specific dates for workshop and presentations
as we near the end of the semester, depending on your preferences as a class.
FINAL
PORTFOLIO DUE BY 5 PM ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16
1. The Greek aphorism gnothi seauton, or "know
thyself," inscribed above the entrance to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi,
is said to have been adopted by Socrates as his personal motto. Not a bad thing
to keep in mind as we proceed.
2. Please Note: This schedule is subject to change as necessary to accommodate any unforseen circumstances.