Instructor Information
Dr. Karen K. Lee Office: DeBartolo 236 Office hours, Fall 2012: Tuesday & Thursday 12:30 2:45 PM; Saturday 11:45-12:15 PM; and by appointment* email: kklee@ysu.edu (best way to reach me) office phone:330-941-1633
Course focus
Building upon the critical reading, thinking, and writing skills learned in Writing 1 (English 1550), students in Writing 2 work to refine their ability to construct credible, authoritative, and appropriatelydocumented arguments.
Placement
Placement into Writing 2 is based upon successful completion of Writing 1 (English 1550).
Fee
YSU requires students to pay a technology and materials fee in Writing 2. This fee is used to maintain and replace equipment, software, and supplies.
*I'm usually on campus five days a week, please don't hesitate to email me to make an appointment.
Texts
The required handbook is EasyWriter 4th Edition with MLA/APA Updates: A Pocket Reference by Andrea A. Lunsford. ISBN: 0-312-65031-0
Other assigned readings for this class will be available digitally, either online or in PDF; they will be posted to the class Blackboard site.
Course Theme
The research and writing for this section of ENGL 1551 will be focused on issues affecting Youngstown, YSU, Northeast Ohio, and Western Pennsylvania. Researching and writing about the place you live will give you the skills you need to be an engaged citizen of your community. So even if you wind up moving to a new area after you graduate, you will be able to take the skills you learn in this class and apply them anywhere. We will spend the first few weeks of the semester discussing various topics that would be suitable for your research projects, such as the economy, urban gardening, the shrinking city, and hydraulic fracturing (fracking). This will help you decide which topic you would be interested in learning more about. This topic will then be the focus of your work for the semester.
Attendance
Work done during class time work cannot be made up you must be present to participate. As a result, the more classes you miss, the lower your final Course Work grade will be. Even if you are absent, you are still responsible for understanding all the lessons and information covered in each missed class. You can do so by reviewing the course Blackboard site or talking to a fellow class member before or after the class. After doing this, send me an email with any specific questions on the materials you may have. Because of the importance of in-class work, you should plan on coming to every class session. This will serve you well in case you do encounter those unavoidable events that occasionally prevent you from attending class for example, illness, car trouble, or other emergencies at some point in the semester. The only exceptions to this policy for making up in-class work are for religious holidays that the university does not close for, or for university sponsored events that require your attendance. Please provide written notice to me no less than two weeks in advance of these events so we can make arrangements for making up work due. In the case of university sponsored events, a letter from the team coach or supervising faculty member is also necessary. Note that if you are late to class or leave class early, you will be subject to losing one point of your final Course Work grade per incident.
Late Work
Late work is not accepted. If you are going to be absent on a project due date, please make arrangements to turn it in early. If a serious and unavoidable problem arises, such as hospitalization or a death in the family, you should contact me either via email or in person prior to the project due date to determine whether or not an extension for the work may be granted.
Respectfulness
To create and preserve a classroom environment for optimal learning, all participants share a responsibility in creating a civil and non-disruptive forum. Students are expected to conduct themselves at all times in this classroom in a manner that does not disrupt teaching or learning. Both instructor and students should respect the rights of others seeking to learn. Differences of viewpoint or concerns should
be expressed in terms which are supportive of the learning process. The short version of this is, as Bill and Ted put it so eloquently, be excellent to each other.
Center for Student Progress (CSP) / Disability Services office (330-941-1372). At minimum, students are expected to learn to use research from MaagNet, OhioLink, and credible Internet websites in their writing.
Grades
Final grades for Writing 2 are A, B, C, and NC (No Credit): Students who earn a grade of A or B have fulfilled course assignments at an outstanding or higher than average level; a C indicates satisfactory performance in the course. A final average of less than C will earn a grade of NC for the course. An NC does not affect the overall GPA, but it does appear on the students transcript, and the student must repeat Writing 2. It may be retaken only once without the approval of the dean. Students are responsible for being aware of their grades in Writing 2 when they register for their next semesters classes. YSU Policy on Incomplete grades: The instructor may assign a grade of Incomplete (I) only if the following conditions are met: the student has requested the Incomplete ahead of time; all course work prior to this request has been satisfactorily completed; the Instructor agrees that an I is warranted. YSU policy states that students have at maximum one semester to complete an Incomplete; instructors are permitted to require that the work be completed in a shorter amount of time. If no formal grade change occurs within one semester, the I automatically reverts to an NC. Please note that I only allow Incomplete grades in extreme instances such as a death in the immediate family or a major illness. Audit Policy: Students who register to audit a composition course should consult the instructor about minimum requirements.
Information Literacy
Information literacy is essential. In Writing 1, students were introduced to Maag Library and shown how to use readings in their essays. Now, to enhance students information literacy and facility with research in various formats, they will use Maag Library, electronic sources made available through OhioLink, and other credible websites in projects, culminating in a final researched argument.
Transfer credit: Students wishing to receive transfer credit for a college composition course taken elsewhere must have that course evaluated by the Composition Program Director(s) before taking any of YSUs composition courses.