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English 103
Dr. Michael Bryson
Texts:
Dilks, et al, Cultural Conversations: The Presence of the Past
Lunsford, The St. Martin's Handbook
Course Policies
Attendance
and Class Participation: These are
required. This is neither a correspondence course nor a spectator sport.
Absences will affect your final grade, possibly resulting in dropping
from A to B, B to C, C to D, D to. . . well, you get the idea.
Each unexcused absence will lower your final grade by 20 points out of
1000 points—that is 2% out of 100%.
Peer
Reading: Each formal essay (except the final essay) you submit to me will first be peer-read.
A group of your classmates will read and comment upon your essay, giving you
feedback in an attempt to help you make your paper as strong as it can
be before I see it for the first time. You will, in turn, do the same
for them. The copy submitted for peer-reading must be typed or
word-processed and must be as well-prepared as if you were going
to submit them to me for immediate grading—no doing a half-baked job on
this; you will only be hurting yourself if you do not take this process
seriously.
Unexcused
absence on a peer-reading day will result in a triple penalty—60
points out of 1000.
Essay
Submissions:
Each essay must be turned in no later than the pre-announced due date.
Submission via e-mail attachment is acceptable, as long as the file is
in a standard Microsoft Word-compatible format.
Late
Work: Work will be accepted no later than 1 week after the
original due date (except for the final essay, which must be
submitted on time). The late work will be penalized one full letter
grade, and no student may turn in more than 1 late assignment.
Revision:
Each essay (except the last one) may be revised once. There is no reason why—with help from
your peers in class and from me—that you should not be able to produce
the quality of writing which will allow you to earn the kind of grade
you want.
Plagiarism:
This is stealing. If you do this on an essay (using a friend's work and
pretending it is your own, or quoting from a book or other source
without citing that source), and I catch you, you will
receive an F for that assignment.
Assignments
1. Journal—100 points.
A basic notebook, in which you will do in-class writing, as assigned.
2. Three "Informal" Essays--50 points apiece, 150 points total.
These are brief, 2-3 page, assignments given in response to various
readings. These will be typed/word-processed (double-spaced, 12-point
font, normal 1.25 inch margins all around).
3. Three "Formal" Essays--250 points apiece, 750 points total.
These are longer, 4-5 page, assignments that ask you to respond to
complex issues arising from the course readings. These will be
typed/word-processed (double-spaced, 12-point font, normal 1.25 inch
margins all around). The first two of these essays will go through the
peer-reading process.
Evaluation Standards
An "A" essay shows deep thought, attention to detail,
and critical thinking. It is well organized and flows naturally,
leading the reader through the subject easily. Sentences show
variety and planning, and paragraphs are carefully put together.
The essay is engaging and interesting to read, and the treatment of
the subject is original and intriguing. Clichés, triteness, and "stilted"
language are absent. Finally, an "A" essay displays no mechanical,
spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors—it has been written as
carefully as a letter of application for a job, and has often been
revised several times.
A "B" essay possesses most (but not all) of the qualities
of an "A" essay. The "B" essay typically
shows a fair amount of thought, attention to detail, and some evidence
of critical thinking. It may have slight organizational problems;
it may have a few mechanical, grammatical, spelling, or punctuation
errors, or it may employ clichés or trite language in a few places.
A "C" essay is an average effort. It displays most (but
not all) the qualities of a "B" essay, with additional problems
in thought, organization, and expression. Triteness or clichéd language
may be present, or the treatment of the subject, though competent,
may be uninteresting or unoriginal. Mechanical and/or spelling, punctuation,
and grammatical errors are a consistent problem. The essay is understandable
and the reasoning adequate.
A "D" essay is below average. In a "D" essay,
difficulties with structure, organization, or content make the essay
difficult to follow. The treatment of the subject may be inadequate,
or the reasoning seriously flawed. Problems with mechanics, grammar,
punctuation, and spelling interfere seriously with the essay's effectiveness.
An "F" essay is one in which all of the problems listed
in the "D" essay are severe enough to make the paper incomprehensible.
Schedule (Subject to Change)
Week 1
Thursday, 9/12:
Introduction to the course.
Work due for today:
Obtain materials and textbooks.
Week 2
Thursday, 9/19:
Work due for today: Read "Introduction" to Cultural Conversations. Read
Keller: Selections from The World I Live In (210-221) and Context
selections (223-229).
First session:
discussion of Keller. Organize small groups. We'll begin work on Keller, reading
an excerpt from the text and responding to the extract from Keller's "Story of
My Life" in the context section (228-230) with in-class response-writing and
discussion.
Second session: In
small groups, work out relations between one of the Context selections and the
Keller selection, and present findings to class.
Informal
essay #1:
2-page essay on Keller and her contexts, using Ideas for Writing #2 on page 235.
Due in class, 9/26
Week 3
Thursday, 9/26:
Work due for today: Informal essay #1. Read Lane, "A Different Center" (262-271)
and Linton, "Reassigning Meaning" (281-296).
First session:
15-minute in-class writing, and discussion of Lane.
Second session:
discussion of Linton. 15-minute in-class writing on Linton/Keller.
Informal essay #2: Three
page response paper to Lane and Linton. Due in class 10/3.
Week 4
Thursday, 10/3:
Work due for today: Informal essay #2. Read Freud (315-339).
First session: Plan:
Formal essay #1: Essay will be in response to Ideas for Research #3 on page 308. Essay
will be 4-5 pages and will be due for peer review in class, 10/10.
Second session: 15-minute in-class writing, and discussion of Freud.
Week 5
Thursday, 10/10:
Work due for today: Read Freud (339-349).
First session: 15-minute in-class writing, and discussion of
Freud.
Second session:
Peer review of Formal essay #1. Revised essays due in class 10/17.
Week 6
Thursday, 10/17:
Work due for today: Formal essay #1 on "Disabled Persons" chapter. Read Freud
Context (357-373).
First session:
15-minute in-class writing, and discussion of Freud Context.
Second session: In
small groups, work out relations between one of the Context selections and the
Freud selection, and present findings to class.
Informal essay #3:
(2-3
pages), using Ideas for Rereading 32 on page 356. Essay due in class 10/24
Week 7
Thursday, 10/24.
Work due for today: Informal essay #3. Read Malcom, "Dora" (420-436).
First session:
15-minute in-class writing, and discussion of Malcom.
Second session:
Plan:
Formal essay #2: Essay will be in
response to Ideas for Research #4 on page 439. Essay will be 4-5 pages and will
be due for peer review in class, 10/31.
Week 8
Thursday, 10/31:
Work due for today: Draft of Formal essay #2.
First session:
Peer review of Formal essay #2. Revised essays due in class 11/7.
Second session:
Introduce “Nonviolence chapter.”
Week 9
Thursday, 11/7:
Work due for today: Read Gandhi and Contexts (444-467).
First session:
15-minute in-class writing, and discussion of Gandhi.
Second session:
Plan:
Formal essay
#3: Essay will
be in response to Ideas for Writing #1 on page 471. Essay will be 4-5 pages and
will be due for peer review in class, 11/14.
Week 10
Thursday, 11/14:
Work due for today: Draft of Formal essay #3.
First session:
Peer review of Formal essay #3.
Second session:
Course wrap-up; arrangements for final submission of Formal essay #3.
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