English 1114--Comp II

Txtbks./Readings       How to Do Papers       Grading       Attendance       Course Packet

                                                

1114 SYLLABUS    (Summary of Course Website)                 Welcome to Eng 1114!  You are in the Eng 1114 website for Richard Jewell's version of this course.  This web page is a traditional syllabus.  It is simply a summary of the Eng 1114 web site with nothing new or different..  For more details about each of the topics discussed here and much more, return to the "Home Page" and click on the links of your choice.  To see more information about the author, including contact information, go to www.RichardJewell.org.       Additional Syllabus Information from the IHCC Administration ---          The Course                  Welcome to "English 1114--The Research Paper" as taught by me--Richard Jewell, your instructor.  This three-credit course has a workload of about nine hours per week: approximately six hours for homework and three hours for class-time activities.  The Inver Hills Community College Catalog describes this course as follows:  Eng 1114, The Research Paper: Emphasizes critical analysis of fiction or nonfiction texts, at least one book-length, resulting in a research paper that reflects analysis and synthesis of multiple sources. This section also is a hybrid physical-classroom and online-class course.  One third of your class time will be spent on the Web on discussion boards (bulletin boards), and the main textbook, syllabus, and other course materials also are on the Web.  Please sign up for this course only if you are able to easily handle working on the Web and using email.  If you have these basic Internet skills, then I am very happy to be working with you!   I'd like to make this course not only interesting and helpful to you, but also enjoyable.  I also want you to participate as actively in the class as possible.  In fact, part of your grade is based on your active participation, so have fun, talk out and up about class subjects in class and/or online, ask questions, and offer your input, especially when you are engaged in interaction with other students in the class, whether online or in a physical classroom. The more you put into this class, the more you'll enjoy it and the more rewarding you'll find it. I also would like to make sure that all the materials, discussions and activities that are part of this course are accessible to you. If you would like to request accommodations or other services, please contact me as soon as possible. It is also possible to contact the Disability Services Office, L-224; phone, 651/450-8628; TTY, 651/450-8369. Return to top.                                               Purposes and Course Content          Again, welcome to the course.  We will have a relatively small class (max. 28), so we'll be getting to know each other somewhat well, and I would like you to participate as actively in the class as I do. In fact, part of your grade is based on your active participation: so have fun, talk out and up about class subjects, ask questions, and be active. The more you put into this class, the more you'll enjoy it and the more rewarding you'll find it. How about the grading: will it be tough?  If you're willing to work hard, it won’t be. My assumption is that most of you will work hard and earn an average or above-average grade.  There also will be a lot of group work. Will you find it useless and/or boring? I doubt it. Even those who dislike group work usually find it productive and enjoyable most of the time in my composition classes. Why use it? It's highly efficient in teaching writing, it is enjoyable to most people, and it also is good training for your future profession. This section of 1114 is also different in that it makes use of the Internet, as mentioned above.  Internet use can save you $40-$80 because you will not have to purchase your main writing textbook and some class materials--they're on the Web.  We'll also have one class per week on the Web--on a Web bulletin board.  Finally, I sometimes may use email to contact you as a group and/or individually.  As mentioned above, all of this Internet use is required in this section of 1114, as noted in the school course schedule, so be sure you know how to handle such stuff before you decide to stay in this section.   What am I like?  For starters, please feel free to call me "Richard" or "Mr. Jewell"--or anything else that's nice.  :-)    I'm looking forward to working with you.  If you'd like to find out more about me, check out "About Richard."  There's a description of me, a picture, my resume, and a sample short story of mine.  I have been at IHCC for several years, now.  Before Inver, I taught undergraduate writing and literature at the University of Minnesota for five years; then, in 2001, IHCC offered me a lifetime (tenured) position.  One of the main reasons I decided to switch from the University of Minnesota to IHCC is that I believe two years at IHCC provides as good an education as the same two years at the average private four-year college in Minnesota, and a better education than the first two years at the University of Minnesota or a state university.  I'm very glad you've chosen Inver Hills as your school.  It is an excellent school.  And the composition courses here are, in my own opinion and in accordance with national research, among the best in Minnesota. Note #1: Disturbing Content. Please be warned that some of the materials in this course may upset some people--for example, there may be books, discussions, and or movies in class at times about such topics as physical and emotional violence, especially against women; modern slavery; child soldiers; the Holocaust; and war. While the predominant tone of this class is positive, you are welcome to choose--or ask for--alternatives to readings that are emotionally too difficult for you to read. And if a discussion or movie during class is hard for you to handle, you may always simply leave as if you already arranged to do so with me, your teacher. And you will be allowed to make up this missed class time with a similar amount of extra credit time.   DISABILITIES IHCC faculty and staff are glad to meet or exceed the legal requirements for helping people with disabilities. You can see a description of IHCC's disabilities services by clicking here on Disabilities Services Info. In addition, my classes have no tests, so no accomodations for testing are needed. If you have any other questions, please let me know. Also, I'd like you to know that any disability you report to any faculty member will not be shared in any way with students.   RESOURCES FOR FINANCIAL CHALLENGES Any student who faces financial challenges securing their food or housing and believes this may affect their performance in the course is urged to contact the counseling department for support.  The phone number is 651-450-3864 and email is counseling@inverhills.edu. Furthermore, please notify me if you are comfortable in doing so.  This will allow me to help connect you personally with the counseling department.   MOBILE PANTRY The Mobile Pantry is brought to Inver through a partnership with The Open Door Pantry.  Students can select FREE food for themselves and their family members.  The food includes FRESH fruit and vegetables, deli items, dairy items, meat, eggs and also some other nonperishable items.  Students can also get things like DIAPERS or formula for their children or other personal hygiene items!  The Mobile Pantry is on campus Wednesday afternoons 12-2:30.  There are no income requirements or limitations.  All students are eligible. If you have questions or would like to sign up for this resource please call our counseling appointment line at 651-450-3508 or email us at counseling@inverhills.edu  and ask to make an mobile pantry intake appointment with a counselor. Return to top.                             Textbooks and Work Load     (For details, see "How To Do Homework.")       TEXTBOOKS     REQUIRED RESOURCES YOU MUST PURCHASE:   (A) One of six books about "women as survivors": Girls and Sex by Peggy Orenstein girl soldier by Faith J.H. McDonnell and Grace Akallo Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Cheryl WuDunn Lucky by Alice Sebold Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich Slave by Nazer and Lewis   (B) A second book of your choice from a list of 30-40 books and articles about "women as survivors." OTHER REQUIRED RESOURCES (you do not need to buy these): "Course Packet for Eng 1114" (Click here to find the link; then print the "Course Packet.") A college writing textbook at www.WritingforCollege.org  A college grammar handbook: The Online Grammar Handbook and/or your Comp I handbook This 1114 course Web site (You can always find it by going to http://richard.jewell.net and clicking on "English 1114.") In some sections, there are, for class time, online discussion boards.  If this course section is listed as a "hybrid" course, then start by going to this section's website page called "D2L." ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: See the "Online Resources" page in this Web site.                    WORK LOAD             I'd like to ask you for your commitment this semester to the expected amount of time for work. The Inver Hills (and national) standard is three hours of work (two of homework and one of class time) per week for every one college credit, to receive an average grade. This class is a three-credit class, so please plan on spending at least nine hours per week on class and homework: three on class and six on homework.  This represents an average--some weeks may be less, some more.  It also represents the work needed by the average college student to receive an average grade (which, nationally, is probably a "B" or "B-" in the first two years of college).  If you want an "A" or you tend to be a below-average student, you may need to work more than the amount of time described here. Return to top.                             Assigned Papers    (For details, see "How To Do Papers" and "Dates/Weekly    Assignments")                For our section of this course, I have developed a somewhat unusual approach.  There will be no graded papers.  Instead, you will have a number of drafts of papers and revisions of those drafts, and you will receive X's for the drafts once they are complete.  You also will make your own choices of subject matter for these drafts, as long as the subject is related to or from the required reading books.  If you don't get the drafts right the first time, you will have as many chances as you need to fix them.  The only limit you will have on these drafts and the X's you get for them is a time limit: you must be done with them by a certain time in the semester--a different time for each type of draft.  There also will be readings of chapters to do, and rough-draft study questions or journals to write about them.   In all, I have planned a large amount of practice for you--i.e., practice of writing--as that is the primary way in which people become good writers.  Some of these papers are like lab practice in a biology course: they will show me you've done the readings and help you practice writing and think about it more.  Other papers are continuing revisions so that you can feel and see your papers growing from a first, rough idea to a very well-finished product.  I am doing these kinds of assignments instead of having several objective tests or several graded papers because I believe that in the long run, you'll learn more from writing frequently on a weekly basis.     DETAILS ABOUT WEEKLY PAPERS, ROUGH DRAFTS, & FINISHED DRAFTS How many assignments are there?  There are many.  Most, however, are short and relatively easy, and some, while longer, still usually are rough-draft papers.  The key to whether or not you succeed in this class is consistent hard work: if you keep working hard to get the rough-draft papers done each week, you will succeed in this class.  Please remember that you may write these as "lab" papers--in very rough-draft form--without worrying about grammatical usage, spelling, or punctuation (except for the Draft-4 papers). STUDY QUESTIONS: First, you'll read a required chapter in the main textbook.  This chapter will describe how to write a certain type of paper.  Then you will type or handwrite rough-draft answers to the "General Study Questions" available through the chapter.  You'll have a choice of questions to answer for 150+ words about the chapter.   JOURNALS: There will be several journals--about yourself, the course Web site, some of the chapters you've read, and how you liked the course (at the end).  Journals must be 300+ words, rough draft.   DRAFT 1, 2, 3, AND 4 PAPERS: The final type of weekly papers is the drafts of papers to write each week.  You will have a number of drafts to write, and you will be responding to a  main reading book mentioned above, which everyone will be reading, or to a book of your own which you will choose from a list of possible books on related topics.  There will be no graded papers.  You'll simply receive X's for each correct draft.  And if a draft isn't right, you'll have time to fix it--and even fix it again, if necessary. The only limit you will have for fixing these drafts is the length of the class itself:  You must have all the drafts (or as many as you can) done by the end of the semester.  You will have a total of five Draft 1's, and from these you'll develop two Draft 2's.  From these, to receive more than a "D," you'll develop one Draft 3.  And from this, to receive more than a "B," you'll develop one Draft 4.  You will have thorough directions at each step of the way. NOTE: For more instructions on how to write these papers, see "How To Do Papers."  Be sure to check the "Dates/Weekly Assignments" regularly to see what is due.  If you run into a true emergency, do call me or come see me before homework is late.   Return to top.                                 Grading, Attendance, et al.    (For details, see "Grading" and "Attendance.")               GRADING FOR THE SEMESTER I use a point system, as mentioned above.  As a result, attendance is worth roughly 1/3rd of your grade; your writing (weekly, rough-draft, and finished papers) is worth about 2/3rds of your grade; and your participation and improvement can bring the total grade up or down up to one letter grade. WEEKLY & OTHER PAPERS This portion of your grade will be determined by how many of your weekly, rough-draft, and finished writing assignments you turn in. Each assignment will be worth one or more check marks or "X's" of credit. Your total number of X's for both writing and attendance will determine your grade, along with some final changes for improvement and participation.  ATTENDANCE & IMPROVEMENT/PARTICIPATION The attendance portion of your grade will be determined by how many of your classes you attend.  Both on-ground (in-person) classes and online (discussion board) classes count toward attendance.  Make ups are allowed but may involve extra time because you have missed direct contact with me and the rest of the class.  Each class you attend is worth 1/2 to 1 "X." Your total number of X's for both writing and attendance will determine your grade, along with some final changes for improvement and participation.  Lateness/Leaving Early in regular classroom at IHCC: If you are 15 min. late to arrive or early to leave a physical-classroom class, you'll lose half a credit for that class hr. Make up: --see details in "Attendance."   The improvement/participation part of your grade will be determined by how actively you participate and improve.  There are a variety of ways to do this.  Your letter grade for the course as determined by the above point system (for attendance and writing) can go up or down an entire letter grade based on excellent or poor improvement/participation. DISABILITIES I am committed to supporting the learning of all students in my class. If you have already registered with Office of Accessibility Resources and have your Letter of Accommodation, please meet with me early in the course to discuss, plan, and implement your accommodations in the course. If you have or think you have a disability (learning, sensory, physical, chronic health, or mental health), please contact the Office of Accessibility staff to learn more about the services and supports available for students with disabilities at Inver Hills. OAR staff can be reached at 651-450-3884, by visiting the office in the Learning Center (L207) or by visiting the website at www.inverhills.edu/LearningSupport/AccessibilityResources/ index.aspx.   CONCLUSION I hope you enjoy the class!  If there's anything I can do to help you enjoy it more--alternatives, help with understanding something, etc.--come see me, email me anytime, or call me from 9 am-9 pm.  My phone number, email address, and other info are at the beginning of this syllabus.          Return to top.