English 106 is a class that will give you the opportunity to think and talk and write and research using all of the resources available to you: the library, the internet, technology, your classmates, and me. As you know, you will meet four times a week with your English 106 class. Two days, Tuesday and Friday, will be spent in a "traditional" classroom (HEAV 109 and 108), and though we'll have chairs and desks and a chalkboard, I can't guarantee that it will be your traditional English classroom experience. We will spend Thursdays in a computer classroom (ENAD 130) exploring different ways we can use technology to communicate with each other through writing. We won't just be talking about word processing; we'll consider how we can communicate our ideas through e-mail, chat rooms, blogs, list serves, and web pages. On either Monday or Wednesday, you will meet with me to conference about the work we're doing in class (HEAV 223). We can talk about the readings we've done, your writing, technology...basically anything that has to do with our class. Sometimes you'll meet with me one-on-one; other times we'll meet in small groups. The conference schedule will be posted on the course website at the beginning of each week. Our primary focus for the semester will be, of course, on writing, but we'll be looking at it through the lens of literacy-personal, academic, and cultural. Doing so will allow you to take a critical look at who you are as a person, student, and member of our society, and what your goals and responsibilities are as such.
When you've completed this course, you will have:
Rhetorical Situations/Real Texts course pack, available at CopyMat in Chauncey Hill
Access to a computer with the following software:
All of the software is available on any ITaP computer on campus. The software is also available at Boiler Copy Maker in Purdue Memorial Union at a discounted price if you are interested in purchasing it, but it will not be necessary for you to do so.
In order to accomplish the course goals, you must come to each class prepared. This means coming to class on time, as well as completing your readings and outside assignments. Active and informed participation in class discussions and collaborative work is also crucial.
You will be responsible for the following this semester:
The course blog (short for web-log) is a forum for us to continue the conversations we begin in the classroom after our class time is over. You'll have the opportunity to reflect on the readings, raise questions, discuss issues, and share ideas about the course material. You will be responsible for one blog posting per week on anything related to the course-that means a total of at least 16 blog posts, though you are strongly encouraged to post as much as you'd like.
Throughout the semester, you will complete seven brief writing assignments, including three reading response papers, three paper proposals, and one annotated bibliography. All assignments (except for those completed in class) must be typed and legible, and you must turn them in to me at the beginning of class on the day they are due. Late writing assignments will not be accepted.
You will complete three projects this semester that you will turn in at the assigned due date. Each paper will be returned to you promptly, and we will discuss plans for revision during your conference time. You will not receive a grade on each paper; instead, you may continue to revise your paper throughout the semester, and you are encouraged to conference with me on your drafts. The last day I will accept drafts for review is Tuesday, November 22. Your final electronic writing portfolio will include the final drafts of the three writing projects you complete this semester, as well as an essay reflecting on what you learned as a writer and reader this semester. This portfolio will be due by Monday, December 12, by 12 noon in Heav 303E.
All writing is a process, and we have a better understanding of that process when we look at all the materials we create as we write. The process portfolio provides a way to collect those materials, and it is an essential tool for you to keep track of your research and writing process as you move through your projects this semester. Your process portfolio should be clearly divided into three sections-one for each of the projects you will complete this semester. You should keep all invention and planning documents you completed for each project, as well as any research notes, bibliographical information, outlines, drafts, or other documents you complete-in your research portfolio. This binder should be attached to your hip this semester, at least when you're doing anything related to English 106. Bring this binder with you to class every day, and be certain you have it when you come to conference with me. The material you have in your binder is proof of the work you're doing in class, so it's important to keep it updated and organized. Your process portfolio will be due with your final portfolio on Monday, December 12, by 12 noon in Heav 303E.
| Assignments | Percentages | Points |
|---|---|---|
| class blog | 5% | 50 |
| short writing assignments | 20% | 200 |
| research portfolio | 30% | 300 |
| final electronic portfolio | 45% | 450 |
| Points Earned | Final Grade |
|---|---|
| 1000-900 | A |
| 899-800 | B |
| 799-700 | C |
| 699-600 | D |
| 599 and below | F |
Although class participation is not a graded component of the course, it is to your benefit to actively participate in classroom activities and discussion. If, at the end of the semester, you are at the border between two grades, I will use your class participation as a means of determining your grade.
You will be responsible for participating in in-class writing workshops where you will benefit from the constructive criticism of your fellow students. Attendance and participation in peer workshops is mandatory, and workshopped drafts of all projects must be turned in as part of your final portfolio. You must be in class and prepared when a workshop is scheduled; failure to participate in these workshops will result in a deduction of 20 points from your final portfolio grade for each workshop you miss.
Cheating: All written work submitted for a grade in this course must be the product of your own composition. Ideas generated due to reading and group discussion may provide the inspiration for your work, but should not be the sole ideas represented. With collaborative projects, of course, ideas should be representative of the group's work. Plagiarism is the act of presenting as your own work another individual's ideas, words, data, or research material. The concept applies equally to written, spoken, or electronic texts, published or unpublished. All ideas and quotations that you borrow from any source must be acknowledged: at a minimum, you should give the name of your author, the title of the text cited, and the page number(s) of the citation. The only exceptions to this requirement would involve what is familiar and commonly known (e.g., the fact that the earth is round). You should know that penalties for plagiarism are severe and can entail suspension from the University. Students are responsible for reading and understanding the University policy on Cheating and Plagiarism set forth in Purdue University's Academic Integrity: A Guide for Students.
To get as much out of this class as you can, you've got to be in class, but it is also your responsibility to manage your time. I do not have a formal attendance policy. You will not lose points for missing class. However (and this is important), students in the past have found that the more class they miss, the harder it is to do well in the class; as such, you are strongly encouraged to attend class except in the case of serious illness or a personal/family emergency.
In case of extended illness or an emergency, please contact your advisor and the Office of the Dean of Students to make necessary arrangements.
I look forward to discussing with you matters pertaining to the course, readings, and your writing. Please feel free to contact me via e-mail or phone, and I hope you will also take advantage of my office hours, which are Monday and Wednesday from 2:30-3:20 p.m. in HEAV 303E.
I am committed to creating a classroom environment that raises questions, challenges our beliefs, and forces us to think critically; however, it is crucial that this is done in a respectful, tolerant manner. Insults, slurs, or attacks of any kind will not be allowed in my class. Any student who engages in this type of behavior in the classroom will be permanently removed from the class and may be subject to punishment given by Purdue University (see the Purdue University Student Code of Conduct).