English 1301-SA01:  Composition and Rhetoric

Fall 2009, Wayland Baptist University, San Antonio

Monday, 6:00-10:10

W11550

 

Instructor:  Ken Billings

Office hours:  Before and after class and by appointment

Phone:  home: 673-9289 (no calls after 9 pm or before 9 am); work: 397-6040, ext 3219; cell: 508-7620

Email:  kenneth.billings@nisd.net (best way to communicate with me)                      

 

·        Catalog Description

Principles of clear, correct, effective expository writing, with illustrative readings and frequent essays and conferences.

 

·        Required Textbook

Reinking, James A. and Robert von der Osten.  Strategies for Successful Writing:  A

Rhetoric, Research Guide, Reader, and Handbook.  8th ed.  New Jersey:  Pearson

Prentice Hall, 2007.

 

·        Highly Recommended Books

Giabaldi, Joseph.  MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.  6th ed.

Strunk, William and E.B. White.  The Elements of Style.  4th ed.

Also, you will need a good dictionary and thesaurus.

 

·        Course Outcome Competencies

Upon the conclusion of this course, students actively engaged in learning will be able to:

    1. Apply standard rules and conventions of the English language to written expressions.
    2. Summarize the steps and components of the writing process.

    3. WBU Grading Scale:

      A=90-100%

      B=80-89%

      C=70-79%

      D=60-69%

      F=Below 60%

       
       
      Compose academic, nonfiction essays or responses in at least four different rhetorical modes or style.
    4. Demonstrate basic college-level research skills.
    5. Employ active reading strategies.

                                                                                                                            

·        Course Requirements and Assessment

    1. Written Assignments—50%
      • Narrative “My First Life Line”—15% (2-3 pages)
      • Description, Process Analysis, Illustration, or Classification—15% (2-3 pages)
      • Comparison, Cause and Effect, Definition, or Argument—15% (2-3 pages)
      • Typed Rough Drafts—5%

 

Note well:  All assignments must be turned in at the beginning of class on the day in which it is due.  There will be no late papers.  For extreme circumstances contact me before the paper is due.

 

    1. Midterm and Final—20% (Both tests will be in-class essays worth 10% each.  A blue book is required.)

 

    1. Reading Quizzes—10% (There will be weekly quizzes based on the content of the reading from the “Reader” in the textbook.)

 

    1. Grammar Assignments—10% There will be weekly grammar assignments based on this website:  http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/writingfirst.  We will discuss this on the first day of class.

 

    1. Journals—5% (At the beginning of each class, there will be a journal that will be collected at the end of the course.  There will be a total of ten journal entries.)

 

    1. Attendance and Participation—5%

 

  • Every student begins with a “22”—or perfect attendance.  Each absence will lower the grade by two points, and each half-day absence will lower it by one point.  A half-day absence will be defined as missing fifteen or more minutes of class, either at the beginning or at the end.  Two tardies will be considered one half-day absence.  A tardy will be defined as missing less than fifteen minutes of class.

 

Attendance Requirements: As stated in the Wayland Catalog, students enrolled at one of the University’s external campuses should make every effort to attend all class meetings.  All absences must be explained to the instructor, who will then determine whether the omitted work may be made up.  When a student reaches that number of absences considered by the instructor to be excessive, the instructor will so advise the student and file an unsatisfactory progress report with the campus dean.  Any student who misses 25 percent or more of the regularly scheduled class meetings will receive a grade of F in the course.  Additional attendance policies for each course, as defined by the instructor in the course syllabus, are considered a part of the University’s attendance policy.

 

Note well: 

-- Do not assume that you can miss as much as 25% of the class and still suffer no consequences.

-- There are no excused absences:  an absence in an absence regardless of reason.

-- Part of being in class is participating:  there will be ample opportunity for every student to read, comment, question, and discuss in the class.  This is expected and required.

 

  • Academic Honesty:  Plagiarism—copying another’s words or ideas and presenting them as your own—is cheating, a serious academic offense that will result, in the very least, in an F on the work in question.  More serious consequences, such as failure for the class, should be expected.

 

  • Disability Statement: It is University policy that no otherwise qualified disabled person be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity in the University.  Students should inform the instructor of existing disabilities at the first class meeting.  (Documentation of disability may be required.)

 

  • English tutoring every Saturday, 10-2, in student lounge/computer room.

 

Back up all your work.

You will lose it.

And losing it is not an excuse!
 
 

 

 

 


Tentative Class Schedule

 

Week 1:  17 August:  Introduction, review syllabus, Journal #1, peer interviewing and writing.

What makes good writing? “My First Life Line” handout

 

Week 2:  24 August:  Read Chapter 5 (80-95), “The Perfect Picture” (484-86), and “Sound and Fury” (486-88).  In class we will read “Momma’s Encounter” (489-93). Journal entry #2 and Quiz #1.

How to write an essay.

 

Week 3:  31 August:  Read Chapter 6 (96-111), “When the Full Moon Shines Its Magic over Monument Valley” (498-99), and “Assembly Line Adventure” (503-06); read Chapter 7 (112-25) and “Waves of Destruction” (516-19).  In class we will read “Let’s Get Vertical” (520-22).  Journal entry #3 and Quiz #2. 

 

Week 4:  7 September:  Bring 2 typed copies of your narrative essay rough draft to class.  Read Chapter 8 (126-37), “Binge Drinking, A Campus Killer” (528-32), and “Rambos of the Road” (532-34); read Chapter 9 (138-53), and “The Men We Carry in Our Minds” (544-47).  In class we will read “The Company Man” (539-41).  Journal #4 and Quiz #3.

 

Week 5:  14 September:  Bring 2 more typed copies of your narrative rough draft.  Journal #5.  Catch-up period.  Journal #6.

 

Week 6:  21 September:  Final draft of your Narrative paper due.  Midterm.  Read Chapter 18 (305-11).

 

Week 7:  28 September:  Bring 2 typed copies of your Description, Process Analysis, Illustration, or Classification paper to class. Read Chapter 10 (154-67), “Grant and Lee:  A Study in Contrasts” (559-62), and “Conversational Ballgames” (562-65); read Chapter 11 (168-83) and “Why We Keep Stuff” (581-83). Journal #7 and Quiz #4.

 

Week 8:  5 October:  Bring 2 more typed copies of your Description, Process Analysis, Illustration, or Classification paper to class.  Read Chapter 12 (184-99) and “When Is It Rape?” (598-605); read Chapter 13 (200-37), “The Misguided Zeal of the Privacy Lobby” (617-20), and “Halt and Show Your Papers!” (620-25). Journal #8 and Quiz #5.  Begin writing Comparison, Cause and Effect, Definition, or Argument essay.

 

Week 9:  12 October:  Final draft of your Description, Process Analysis, Illustration, or Classification paper due.  Bring 2 typed copies of your Comparison, Cause and Effect, Definition, or Argument paper to class.  Journal #9.

 

Week 10:  19 October:  Bring 2 more typed copies of your Comparison, Cause and Effect, Definition, or Argument paper to class.  Read Chapters 15-17 and do assigned exercises (247-304). Journal #10.  All ten journals due.

 

Week 11:  26 October:  Final draft of your Comparison, Cause and Effect, Definition, or Argument paper due and Final Exam.