II. Catalog Description: This course is a study of more advanced composition skills, with emphasis on techniques of research.
III. Purpose: This course should improve students' comprehension of composition techniques taught in English 101 and enhance their ability to apply these techniques to analyses of prose works and preparation of a term paper.
IV. Course Objective: To help students refine the skills developed in English 101 and cultivate the following ones as well:
1. Understanding of academic and professional writing situations, audiences, and processes
2. Ability to gather research material from a variety of sources, including the library and electronic sources
3. Ability to analyze, summarize, paraphrase, quote, and document sources
4. Ability to critically evaluate and synthesize material from multiple sources
5. Skillful source-based writing,including adequate support and logical development of arguments
V. Course Outline: The course will be divided into 3: discussion and writing of first three papers and various essays from the assigned essay book; discussion of and preparation of the term paper, which incorporates theme 4; and more reading and discussing of the assigned essays.
In addition to writing short exercises, students will write 4 papers, based in part on primary and secondary sources (min. 750
words--each approximately 3-4 pages, depending on font size): 3 on general topics assigned by the professor, 1 on the term paper topic. Students will do prewriting exercises, including preliminary drafts, before handing in the final papers to be graded.
Rewrites/revisions of final graded papers will be required when appropriate and will count 111/4th of total paper grade. Students must have completed the final graded draft, plus post-revisions, of one paper before starting on the second paper. Final papers late without excuse will be marked down one step of a grade (e.g., A to A-, B+, etc.) for each class period after the due date. Students who turn in final papers not meeting minimum word length will have their papers returned with requests to lengthen them. The revised papers will then be regarded as late and will be penalized in the same manner as above.
Students must write and type a term paper (min. 2,500 words, approx. 8-10 pages, depending on font size). With the professor's approval, they will select topics, choose their view points, and defend their positions. They will
integrate their ideas with the results of their research, using a minimum of six sources directly related to their topics. All sources used must be made available (in the original form, photocopies, or other approved forms) to the professor upon request, especially during the rough-draft conference. These source forms, along with a bibliography exercise, a prospectus, and a rough draft approved in conference, are perquisites. Students who do not follow these
steps will not be allowed to turn in their term papers and will fail the course.
Term papers handed in late without an excuse will be marked down one step of a grade (e.g., A to A-, B+, etc.) for each class period after the due date, which will be assigned in class.
Students who turn in papers not meeting minimum word length will be have their papers returned with requests to lengthen them. The revised themes then will be regarded as late and will be penalized in the same manner as
above.
There will be a two-hour final essay exam on the assigned works.
VI. Instructional Activities: The course will consist of a combination of lectures, discussions, workshops, conferences, writing, and revising. Students will have conferences about themes and related problems when necessary, at least two term-paper conferences (preliminary and rough draft).
VII. Field, Clinical, and/or Laboratory Experiences: Students may use the computer labs to use the Internet, write and revise their papers.
VIII. Resources: Students may use any appropriate reference materials from any reliable source, including the Internet and Waterfield Library. Students are urged to e-mail the professor about their problems with papers and attendance.
X. Grading Procedures: Students who do not hand in all required themes, term papers, and revisions that are worthy of being graded will fail the course.
Since English 102 is designed to help the students improve their writing skills, their final works are more important than their initial
works. Hence, to get a certain grade in the course, students must have that grade on at least one of the last two final papers and the term paper--before revisions. If students do very poorly on the final examination, they will have their course grade lowered by at least one grade.
All drafts of papers, plus the term paper, must be kept in a theme folder, which the professor may request to examine at appropriate and convenient times.
Grades will be based on style, content, organization, spelling and grammatical accuracy, handling of research material, when called for, as well as promptness. Students must have all their work, including revisions, in and
graded by final exam time. Unless students make arrangements with the professor about handing in late papers and/or getting an I (Incomplete), they will not receive a passing grade in the course since the requirements will not have been fulfilled.
A=90-100, B=80-89, C=70-79, D=60-69, E=0-59
X. Attendance Policy: Regular class attendance is vital to academic success.
The official Freshman English absence policy will be enforced. Except in truly extraordinary circumstances, missing more than 10% of scheduled classes (4 MWF) will result in a lowering of students' course grades. To avoid
this penalty, students must offer plausible excuses, preferably written authorized, whenever they miss classes. Missing more than 25% of scheduled class sessions (10 classes) will result in automatic failure of the course. It this last requirement causes problems for students, especially those with legitimate excuses, they must take up the matter with the Director of Composition, who, along with the Freshman English Committee, is responsible for this requirement.
XI. Academic Honesty Policy: Students will be responsible for following the College of Humanistic Studies policy on academic integrity.
"Cheating, plagiarism (submitting another person's material as one's own or doing work for another person which will receive academic credit) are all impermissible. This includes the use of unauthorized copying of
examinations, assignments, reports or term papers, or the presentation of acknowledged material as if it were the student's own work. Disciplinary action may be taken beyond the academic discipline administered by the faculty member who teaches the course in which the cheating took place." Students are also responsible for the Academic Honesty policy statement on p. 50 of the 2001-’03 Undergraduate Bulletin.
XII.Texts and References:
Behrens, Laurence, and Leonard J. Rosen. Writing and Reading across the Curriculum. 7th ed.
Raimes, Ann. Keys for Writers. 2d ed.
XIII. Prerequisites: English 101 or the equivalent
