English 104

Course Syllabus – Fall 2008

English 104.063, MW 3:00 – 4:40, CB 241

Instructor: Kathy Crutcher

Office: POT 1306

Office Hours: MW 1:00-2:30, and by appointment

Office Phone: 257-6994 (during office hours only)

Cell Phone: (520) 979-1757 (for emergencies only)

Writing Program Office Phone: 257-7002

Email: Kathy.Crutcher@uky.edu

Course Homepage: http://www.uky.edu/~kscrut2

Course Overview:

First of all, let me make one thing clear: this is not just a writing class. This is not just a requirement. This is not a class in which just showing up or just doing the work will earn you any sort of reward, whether in terms of your grade or of your personal enrichment. This is a class that pushes you, and that asks you—challenges you—to push yourself.

In this class, we will engage in ‘inquiry’ and ‘creative conflict.’ We will discuss and define these terms. Our goals are to become more skillful, powerful, and confident writers, but also to become more engaged and curious citizens and learners. We will explore PLACE in order to: recognize belief systems (both of ourselves and others), develop our skills of analysis and reflection, become resourceful researchers (in a variety of media), and articulate our own viewpoints within the context of others.’ We will focus on our values as informed, conscious choices, rather than inherited or absorbed beliefs. We will work hard. We will grow and change. We will also—I promise—have some fun.

§ In Unit #1, “Where Are You From?,” we will explore the places that have shaped our identities while developing our narrative skills and our voice on the page;

§ In Unit #2, “Where Are You Now?,” we will examine the University community from different perspectives and practice our primary research techniques;

§ In Unit #3, “Where Are You Going?,” we will engage with ethical conflicts within our possible future careers through both field work and traditional research;

§ In Unit #4, “This I Believe,” we will explore the origins and expressions of our own personal belief systems, in an attempt to lead what Socrates called “the examined life.”

Although close reading and discussing texts will play an important role in our development, English 104 is, above all else, an intensive course in writing. This term, you will learn techniques for writing, practice the process of writing, and produce a significant amount of writing, based upon personal experience, fieldwork, and popular and academic research. Warm up your pens and keyboards!

Required Texts and Materials:

§ (WP) Mathieu, Paula, George Grattan, and Tim Lindgren. Writing Places. New York, NY: Longman, 2005.

§ (SM) Lunsford, Andrea A. The St. Martin’s Handbook for the University of Kentucky, 6e, 2008.

§ (AWE) Kirkman, Deborah, ed. Award-Winning Essays, University of Kentucky Writing Program, 2007-2008.

§ Notebook and folder dedicated only to this course

§ Frequent computer access. Both email and the internet are integral to the course and will often be utilized to distribute necessary information. Therefore I ask that you check email regularly (at least once a day), and obtain necessary access to the internet to participate in class activities.

A Note About Readings:

Your readings this semester will come primarily from the official course textbooks, but you may also be asked to retrieve materials from our course webpage, e-reserves, or another source. If you access texts via computer, you will be expected to print out, annotate, and bring the hard copy of the text to class with you on the day of discussion.

Grade Evaluation:

Each Major Essay Assignment (MEA) must be completed in order to pass this class. Graded and revised essays will total at least 25 pages in length. Due dates are subject to change with advanced notice.

MEA 1 (5+ pages): 15% Due 9/24

MEA 2 (5+ pages): 20% Due 10/22

MEA 3 (10+ pages): 30% Due 11/24

MEA 4: (5+ pages): 10% Due 12/10

Class Work : 20% throughout the course

Participation: 5% throughout the course

Unless otherwise indicated, all assignments should be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point font and with standard 1” margins.

Class Work:

Class work will fall into various categories and will be graded on a ü+, ü, ü- scale unless otherwise indicated.

§ Writing Journals (WJ): You will often respond in writing (1-2 pages) to course readings. WJ instructions will be explained in class and posted on our class website.

§ Proposals: You will email me a proposal for each Major Essay Assignment, and I will respond with feedback and suggestions.

§ Drafts: You will email me a draft of each Major Essay Assignment. I do not respond to drafts via email, but am happy to discuss in a conference or workshop.

§ Peer Reviews: For each Major Essay Assignment, you will read and respond to the work of your peers via specific, constructive, critical letters.

§ Quizzes: Occasionally you may take brief in-class quizzes re: course readings or concepts.

§ Miscellany: Each unit may require miscellaneous other work, including but not limited to: transcripts, annotated bibliographies, blog updates, photo shoots, etc.

Participation:

Please be aware that this is a discussion-centered course, and that you will be expected to actively participate in class. You will want to be sure to read every text carefully, make careful reading notes, and come to class prepared to share ideas and questions. I will keep track of your participation throughout the semester and will assign a final participation grade based upon the following criteria:

A = always attentive; consistently contributes to class discussion; takes group work and in-class

writing seriously; zero – few absences

B = usually attentive; sometimes contributes to class discussion; effectively participates in group work

and in-class writing; few absences

C = sometimes attentive; rarely contributes to class discussion; participates in group work and in

class-writing; some absences

D = inattentive or often late; never contributes to class discussion; barely participates in group work

and in-class writing; many absences

E = exceeds course absence policy regulations; will not receive credit for the course

I am always willing to discuss the status of your participation; please ask me any time.

Workshops and Conferences:

During each of the first three units, we will replace one regular class period with out-of-class small group workshops or individual conferences. You will be able to choose a date/time that accommodates your schedule. You are required to attend your workshops and conferences; failure to do so counts as an absence. You may also schedule other conferences with me throughout the semester as needed.

Attendance:

Because ENG 104 relies on writing workshop methods, regular attendance is essential. If a student misses more than one-fifth of class contact hours for any reason, s/he cannot receive credit for the course. For a course meeting twice a week, students must withdraw or receive a grade of E upon the sixth absence. Please see ENG 104 Writing Program Guidelines for a complete description of the absence policy.

I expect you to attend class. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to contact me to find out what you missed and to turn in any due assignments. Even if no assignment is on the course schedule for that day, do not assume nothing was assigned. Handouts that you do not receive will be available on the course webpage or on the folder hanging outside my office door (POT 1306).

Grading Policies:

• Late Major Essay Assignments (MEAs) due to unexcused absences will be penalized 10% (one letter grade) per day late, including weekends. Essays submitted on the due date but after class will lose 5%. Late class work (writing journals, proposals, drafts, etc.) will not be accepted for credit and cannot be made up. Late work of any kind due to excused absences (see absence policy) will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

• Email submissions (including class work) are permitted only if you must be absent for a due date; be sure to email before class begins in order to be considered on-time.
• Extension Days: Each student begins the semester with three (3) “extension days.” Instead of asking for an extension on a project, you can use your extension days. You can use all three days at once, or you can redeem them in increments. You may not redeem “extension days” on MEA 4; due to time constraints, no extensions will be granted for MEA 4. Please email me beforehand when you plan to use extension days, and when submitting, indicate on the essay itself how many days you have used. Extension days may be used for Major Essay Assignments only.

§ Drafts: Because revision is essential to the writing process and integral to this course, you will complete at least one draft for each Major Essay Assignment. Each draft must be revised substantially in content, organization, and style, not merely cosmetically.

§ Final drafts will be graded for successfulness in meeting the requirements for that essay (as specified on the assignment sheet), and in accordance with UK’s grading policies, as explained in St. Martin’s Handbook, pages UK 18 – UK 22. **Final drafts will also be evaluated for their effective use of revision, and therefore will NOT be graded if they are not accompanied by their previous drafts!** You are required to keep copies of all drafts until the end of the term.

• ‘C’ or Above policy from Guidelines: To pass the course, students must submit all Major Essay Assignments and earn a grade of “C” or higher on each. Any MEA that receives a “D” or below must be resubmitted by the end of the semester in a portfolio that contains a new version of the assignment, revised to reflect competency. Any essay earning a “D” or below due to failure to include required drafts or other components must likewise be resubmitted by portfolio and include, should your instructor require it, a new essay showing a complete series of significantly revised drafts. Portfolio revisions can raise the essay grade up to a “C-” level. Failure to revise will result in a grade of "E." Note that because there is no time to revise the final essay before the end of term, you must receive at least a “C” grade on your first try to pass the course. Essays receiving a “D” due to lateness alone cannot be revised.

Help for Your Papers:

Writing essays can be a stressful and demanding task. We will workshop every major piece you write; however, you may find that you need additional help. You are welcome to see me during office hours, but I also encourage you to take your paper to the Writing Center. The UK Writing Center is not there to “fix” your paper or guarantee an “A,” but it will provide valuable assistance with the writing process.

The UK Writing Center, www.uky.edu/AS/English/wc, 5^th floor, W.T. Young Library

Plagiarism: Please see Guidelines for a complete explanation of the plagiarism policy.

General Conduct and Common Sense:

Turn off you cell phones, don’t bring in your lunch (although a drink is OK), don’t belittle anyone’s opinions, don’t talk if anyone else is talking, etc. I want us to have an open forum for discussion, and in order to do that we have to treat each other with respect. I look forward to a great semester!