ENGL 10600: Introductory Composition Spring 2009

Syllabus Approach: “Writing Your Way into Purdue.”

Monday ,19 Tuesday ,20 Wednesday,21 Thursday ,22 Friday ,23
12:30-01:20 12:30-01:20 12:30-01:20 12:30-01:20 12:30-01:20
ENGL-10600 ENGL-10600 ENGL-10600 ENGL-10600 ENGL-10600
Heavilon 223 Conf Heavilon 105 Class Heavilon 223 Conf Wetherill 214 Lab Heavilon104 Class

Mr. Sweeten appointment

HEAV 443 Email: dsweeten@purdue.edu
Tel: 765-494-3784 Course Website:
Office hrs: W 1:30-2:30 p.m. and by http://www.digitalparlor.org/sp09/sweeten1/

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES

English 106 is the standard 4-credit hour composition course for entering students at Purdue. To meet all
your goals in this one-semester course, you should expect to produce between 7,500-11,500 words of
polished writing (or 15,000-22,000 total words, including drafts) or the equivalent. Some of this text
production will be done using multimedia, and some of it may be given through short assignments. Your
writing topics will be closely tied to the course’s theme, “Writing Your Way into Purdue.” This approach
is defined by ICaP as:

“By requiring students to identify and interact with other members of the Purdue community, each of the
assignments in the Writing Their Way into Purdue sequence enables students to become more integrally
involved in social action that affects them on the Purdue campus while developing their college-level
writing abilities and research skills. Assignments include a profile, a public document, an annotated
bibliography, a report, and a proposal.”

It is common practice in English 106 to conduct different types of research and create a final project that
demonstrates the expertise you have gained over the semester. So, we will be using planning assignments
in order to help you discover and explore a topic, perspective, or audience. We will also spend some time
in exploration of topics and rhetorical contexts, and in the production, interpretation, and analysis of
multimedia environments.

This course requires reading and discussing writing by you, your peers, and professionals. This reading
and discussion will be accomplished through in-class review sessions or in bi-weekly conferences.

The primary form of communication in this course will be conducted through the course website, which
you will be responsible for checking on a regular basis. The website will contain updates to assignments,
the reading schedule, and class meetings, so you would do well to check it daily.

REQUIRED TEXTS AND MATERIALS

• The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Readings and Handbook (Norton, 2008)
• They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing (Norton, 2006)
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• Thomas and Beulah by Rita Dove (Carnegie-Mellon UP, 1986)

• You will also be expected to provide a storage device for your electronic files. I would suggest
purchasing a USB drive. You should try to obtain one large enough to handle media files for certain
projects, but you shouldn’t need one any larger than 1GB.
• Manila folders, paper clips, and a stapler. All of your major essays will need to submitted in a manila
folder, paper clipped together, along with the other pertinent materials for that assignment. Your
response papers will not need to be in a folder, but must be stapled in the upper left hand corner.
Assignments not in folders or stapled will not be accepted.
• A three ring binder with notebook paper. We will be doing in-class writing assignments, so you
should come prepared with your binder and a writing utensil to every class. Additionally, the three
ring binder will come in handy for keeping the handouts I provide in class. Keeping all handouts from
the semester together will be a good practice and will likely work to your benefit.

COURSE EXPECTATIONS/PARTICIPATION

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. In terms of writing assignments,
you will be required to complete four 4-5 page essays, four response papers of 2-3 pages, a final project
which will comprise of multiple elements. Regular quizzes will be given to test the preparedness of the
class as a whole and will be graded under the small assignments section.

• 4 Response papers: 5 points each = 20%

• 4 essays: 10 points each=40%
• Final Project: 20%
• Quizzes, in-class writing, and blog: 10%
• Discussion/ Participation: 10%

GRADING SCALE

Your points will be translated into percentages; your final grade will be calculated according to the
following percentage scale:
100-90 A
89-80 B
79-70 C
69-60 D
59-below F
Although such instances are rare, I reserve the right to reward students who have shown dramatic
progress with higher grades than the scale suggests.
Note about Incompletes: The mark of ‘I’ is inappropriate if, in the instructor’s judgment, it will be
necessary for the student regularly to attend subsequent sessions of the class. I will give an Incomplete
only in cases of extreme emergency.

DESCRIPTION OF PAPER GRADES

A Range: You have fulfilled the requirements of the assignment with high quality work that shows
creativity and originality above and beyond the parameters of the assignment. There are no significant
flaws in logic or argument, or the flaws are minor and do not inhibit the paper’s overall effect, and the
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ideas presented are thought provoking.

B Range: You have fulfilled the requirements of the assignment with high quality work. The argument is
well thought out and fully proven, the detail is sufficient and directly supports the argument, and there are
no major flaws in logic.

C Range: You have met the basic requirements of the paper assignment, and the paper is complete, but
unremarkable. Papers in this range tend to have superficial arguments and lack full detail, but the skeleton
of the argument is present.

D Range: Your paper has met the basic requirements of the assignment, but the quality of work is poor.
Papers in this range usually contain large flaws in logic or argument or have clear logic and a well thought
out argument but fail to follow the assignment.

F Range: Most often, papers only fall in this range due to plagiarism, failure to meet page length
requirements, or for being late. F papers usually show a general lack of effort on the part of the writer.

CLASS PARTICIPATION & ASSIGNMENTS

This is one of the most important components to the success of the course. All reading and outside
assignments are to be completed prior to class. This means reading carefully and critically, bringing
materials to class, and coming prepared to engage with the ideas and your class. Class investigations are
participatory assignments that may include critical and active discussions as well as in-class collaborative
work.

ATTENDANCE

Attendance is welcome and expected. To best utilize our time, come to class on time. You are considered
absent if 1) you are more than 15 minutes late and/or 2) you are unprepared for class. There will be
regular in-class work to record your attendance and preparation for class. You may miss two sessions
without penalty. For every class after the first two, I will lower your final grade by five percent. After two
absences you must attend a conference with me to discuss whether you should continue in this course.
Five absences constitute automatic failure of the course.

WRITING DEADLINES & SUBMISSIONS

You are expected to submit assignments by the deadlines listed. All written work is due at the beginning
of class unless otherwise noted. In order to be considered for a grade, all assignments must be complete,
of the minimum word count (with a total word count noted at the end of your paper), and in proper MLA
documentation and format (word-processed, 12 point legible font, double-spacing, with one inch
margins). No out of class papers will be accepted if they are handwritten, and all assignments must be
emailed to me before class. Late assignments will only be accepted with the specific, prior agreement of
the instructor. No exceptions.

CONFERENCES & CONTACT

In addition to regular weekly conferences, I am open to discussing matters pertaining to the course,
readings, and your writing; please feel free to contact me via email or phone as well as in person. I hope
you will also take advantage of my office hours and email.

PEER EDITING WORKSHOPS

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Students will be responsible for participating in in-class writing workshops where they can benefit from
the constructive criticism of their fellow students. Attendance and participation in peer workshops is
mandatory and workshopped drafts of all longer papers with peer comments must be submitted with the
final draft. Not participating in peer editing or failing to give feedback to the members of your peer
editing group will adversely affect your grade.

REVISIONS

You may revise the four longer essays. I will return each assignment to you with comments, suggestions,
and a grade. In order to revise an essay, you must schedule a time to meet with me and discuss what needs
to be improved before you can submit the revision. Works that are incomplete when originally turned in
or papers not received by the deadline are not eligible for revision. Also, I will not accept revisions
without your original graded project and all previous drafts. Revisions of the essays are due one week
from your meeting with me about the revision.

To assist you in revising, please remember that revision is an active rethinking/reworking process. Papers
which only correct surface errors are unacceptable, as are papers which don’t consider feedback. Revision
is not a guarantee of a higher grade.

PLAGIARISM

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 held (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 available at
http://www.purdue.edu/odos/osrr/integrity.htm.

CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR

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 may be permanently removed from the class in addition to other possible
punishment given by Purdue University (See the Purdue University Student Code of Conduct (Available
at http://www.purdue.edu/ODOS/osrr/conductcode.htm). In order to have an effective teaching and
learning environment we must practice both respect and tolerance, without question.

As we will be discussing subjects that will be controversial to some students, all remarks made in class
must be based on fact. Purdue is similar to the rest of the nation in that it contains a very diverse student
population with largely different social, economic, cultural, and religious backgrounds, many of which
may come into conflict with one another. Your thoughts and opinions will be requested in class discussion
throughout the semester, but be aware of potential controversial topics when engaging in said discussions.
Also, please be advised that we will be reading, discussing, and writing about issues of class, gender,
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sexual orientation, etc. If you have personal or theological beliefs that may hinder your discussion and/or
participation please let me know ASAP so that we can discuss your options.

On another note, electronic devices are not to be used in class without my permission. Use of cell phones,
mp3 players, or portable gaming systems will result in immediate expulsion from class and will be
counted as an absence.

THE WRITING LAB

The Writing Lab (Heavilon 226) is a superb resource. The staff is willing to help no matter what stage
you're at in your paper, from brainstorming to putting on the final touches. Since writing a good paper
entails having other people looking at it and giving you feedback, visits to the Writing Lab are highly
recommended.

The following is a statement from the Writing Lab describing their services:
“The Writing Lab offers consultations to graduate and undergraduate students at Purdue. You can visit the
Lab for feedback on any aspect of writing, including getting started on an assignment, grammar, or
developing an argument. Sessions are thirty minutes long, so come with some specific questions about
your assignment. To make an appointment for consultation, you can call at 494-3723 or stop by Heavilon
226. For more information about the Writing Lab you can visit http://owl.english.purdue.edu/writinglab/.”

SYLLABUS AS A LIVING DOCUMENT

The syllabus is not a static document and may change depending on the course the class takes. This will
most often work in your benefit as assignments are rescheduled, tweaked, or changed altogether in order
to meet your needs in the course. I will, however, inform you of any such changes long in advance to
allow you time to adjust and prepare.
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Reading Schedule ENG 10600 Spring 09

NB: The readings listed under each week are listed in the order that we will be covering them. As such,
you do not necessarily need to have every reading assignment done by the Tuesday of each week, but you
should have at least the first couple done.

Week 1: Jan 12-16:

• Rhetorical Situations, (Guide 1-17).

Week 2: Jan 20-23: Assign Response Paper #1

• “Yes/No/Okay, But” (They Say I Say 51-63).
• Dylan Thomas, “Fern Hill” and “Do not Go Gentle into That Good Night,” (Guide 712-714).
• William Faulkner, “A Rose for Emily” (Guide 700-709),
• Willow Crystal, “ ‘One of us...’: Concepts of the Private and the Public in ‘A Rose for Emily’
” (Guide 694-699).

Week 3: Jan 27-30: RP#1 due Friday, assign Essay #1

• Literacy Narratives (Guide 21-38, 488-517).
• Generating Ideas and Text, Drafting (Guide 199-207)
• “So What? Who Cares?” (They Say I Say 88-98)

Week 4: Feb 3-6: Rough Draft of Essay #1 due for Peer Review
• Drafting (Guide 205-207)
• Assessing Your Own Writing, Getting Response and Revising, Editing and Proofreading (Guide
208-223)
• Beginning and Ending (Guide 237-249)

Week 5: Feb 10-13: Essay #1 Due, assign RP#2

• “They Say” (They Say I Say 17-27)
• “Her Point Is” (They Say I Say 28-38)
• Gregory Mantisios, “Class in America—2003” (Guide 589-610).

Week 6: Feb 17-20: RP#2 due Friday, assign Essay #2

• Profiles (Guide 153-159, 747-775)
• Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarization (Guide 358-369)
• “As He Himself Puts It” (They Say I Say 39-47)

Week 7: Feb 24-27: Rough Draft of Essay #2 due for Peer Review
• Print Text (Guide 453-463)
• Spoken Text (Guide 464-475)
• Dialogue (Guide 294-298)
• Narrating (Guide 304-312)

Week 8: March 3-6: Essay #2 due Friday, assign RP#3

• Maggie Cutler, “Whodunit — the Media?” (Guide 629-635)
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• “And Yet” (They Say I Say 64-73)

• “Skeptics May Object” (They Say I Say 74-87)

Week 9: March 10-13: RP#3 due, assign Essay #3/PSA

• Reporting Information (Guide 60-81)
• Proposals (Guide 160-167)

SPRING BREAK

Week 10: March 24-26: PSA and Essay #3 due Thursday, Assign Essay #4
• “As a Result” (They Say I Say 101-114)
• “Ain’t So/Is Not” (They Say I Say 115-122)
• “In Other Words” (They Say I Say 123-132)
• Literary Analyses (Guide 137-146)

Week 11: March 31-April 3: discuss literary analysis approaches

• Literary Analyses Readings (Guide 662-714)
• Thomas and Beulah (11-43)
• Comparing and Contrasting (Guide 266-274)

Week 12: April 7-10: Rough Draft of Essay #4 due for Peer Review
• Thomas and Beulah (47-77)

Week 13: April 14-17: Essay #4 due Friday, begin discussing Final Project, assign RP#4

• Assessing Your Own Writing (Guide 208-212)

• Editing and Proofreading (Guide 219-223)

Week 14: April 21-24: Rough draft of Final project due for Peer Review

Week 15: April 28- May 1: Dead Week, presentations on Final Project

Week 16: Finals