ENG 104 Advanced College Writing

Saint Michael's College
Fall Semester 2013
Class Time: M W F  9:45-10:50

 

ENG104-Fall213-Syllabus

Course Texts Section A B
Course Objectives Professor: Prof. Bauer-Ramazani Prof. Jonah Moos
Important Web Sites Class Location: Saint Edmund's Hall 103 Jeanmarie 360
Course Expectations,  Requirements, & Policies Professor's Office: SE 127 SE 123
Grading / Performance Evaluation Phone: 654-2642 Phone: 654-2828
Syllabus E-mail:    jmoos@smcvt.edu
  Office Hours: MWF 11:00-12:00 or by appt MWF 11:00-12:00

 

COURSE OUTLINE 

Course Description
This course is designed to help non-native speakers improve their academic writing skills. Students will be introduced to many of the types of academic writing assignments required at the college level. This courses uses eCollege for course delivery.

Course Objectives
Students will be able to

  1. paraphrase, summarize, and respond to academic texts  
  2. use academic language (discourse and vocabulary) appropriately in a variety of written genres
  3. recognize rhetorical patterns of organization and apply them in writing
  4. synthesize sources in academic discourse
  5. organize a research paper with proper citations and references
  6. learn to edit their own writing

Course Texts  

  1. Dollahite, N., & Haun, J. (2012).  Sourcework: Academic writing from sources.  Boston, MA: Heinle Cengage Learning
  2. Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English OR Online dictionaries (see RESOURCES below)

Materials/Resources

  1. a laptop (or iPad); 3-ring binder/notebook & filler paper (standard U.S. size: 8 ˝ x 11”) for class notes and handouts; a small holepunch to keep your materials organized; 2-3 highlighter pens; stapler and staples; a flash drive
  2. a Gmail account for GoogleDocs: Go to http://mail.google.com to set one up. (NOTE: Remember your username and password!)

Important Web Sites: Please bookmark them (Add to Favorites).

  1. Web site with Student Tools for SourceWork: Academic Writing from Sources
  2. Christine's Online Course-Related Materials for Advanced College Writing: http://academics.smcvt.edu/cbauer-ramazani/cbr/AEP/adv_coll_wr.htm
  3. eCollege course site: supplementary readings, worksheets, threaded discussions, etc.
  4. an online dictionary and thesaurus when you are writing; see my links at http://academics.smcvt.edu/cbauer-ramazani/Links/online_dictionaries.htm, in particular

Other Important Resources

  • The SMC Writing Center: Library 119, hours TBA (usually evenings): It is a good idea to consult the writing coaches on brainstorming for a topic, help with outlining a topic, coherence of an essay/research paper, preparing a bibliography, and feedback on sentence level issue in general (but no specific error correction).

Course Expectations

  • An effort to come on time and fully prepared (readings, homework) for each class meeting
  • Regular attendance (more than 3 absences will affect your grade--see attendance policies/expectations for undergraduate students (Saint Michael's College catalog, see Attendance Policy below)
  • Your full participation in class activities (this will also affect your grade)
  • Willingness to put in the effort that it takes to learn to be a better writer
  • Work passed in on time
  • Respect for your classmates

Course Requirements and Policies

  1. Assignments & Homework submission: Please follow these guidelines.
  • Homework assignments will be posted on the eCollege course site and must be submitted to the eCollege Dropbox, as specified in your assignment.
  • All writing must be spell-checked, well-organized, neat and reviewed (proofread) for errors in grammar, vocabulary, punctuation, and capitalization.
  • Assignments are to be completed on time and follow the format described in the task. Papers/projects that are late will receive an automatic reduction of 10% per day late (e.g. from A to B or B to C).
  • Assignments will NOT be accepted after the instructor has returned the graded assignment, and a grade of "F" will automatically be assigned for this component of the course.  Extensions will not be given except in extreme circumstances and only after consultation with your professor.
  • Assignments include:
    • Four short papers
    • One research paper
    • Other homework
  1. Academic Integrity: All work that you submit must be your own (= Academic Integrity).  For written assignments, you may only and are encouraged to receive help from the Writing Center (Library 119). A copy of your session with the Writing Center coach must be attached to your work. 
  • Students must abide by the Saint Michael's College Policy on Academic Integrity, as outlined on the Academic Affairs Web site. Violations of academic integrity include the following: plagiarism, unauthorized assistance, interference, interference using information technology, and multiple submissions. An Academic Integrity Offense Report will be filed and kept in the Office of the Provost-Vice Presiden for Academic Affairs. Sanctions may include repeating the assignment with a grade reduction, failure for the assignment, a grade reduction for the course, or fairlure for the course.
  • Using and citing sources in writing: If you use outside sources (Internet, books, articles) for your writing assignments, you must include a complete citation (reference) to these sources, using APA guidelines—see Citing Electronic Sources on my Web site: http://academics.smcvt.edu/cbauer-ramazani/Links/citing_electronic_resources.htm). In addition, every name or quotation included in your paper must be referenced in a Bibliography or Reference list.  If the written work is not properly cited, using APA guidelines, that particular assignment must be completely revised to avoid charges of plagiarism.

  1. Attendance Policy: Saint Michael’s College Academic Policies and Regulations: Students should understand that the main reason for attending college is to be guided in their learning activities by their professors. This guidance takes place primarily in the classroom and laboratory. 

  • The instructor of a course will set the attendance policy for that course. Thus, during the entire ENG104 course, you are allowed 3 absences equal to the number of class meetings per week [= 3 in ENG104], only for illness or emergencies.  Additional absences will be considered excessive and reported to the Associate Dean of the College.
    Please note: More than 3 absences will result in your course grade being lowered by half a letter grade.

Please call your professor or the ALD Office (654-2300) in case of illness or other emergency. You may also email your professor.

  1. Learning Disabilities Policy (Saint Michael's College Academic Policies and Regulations)

If you have a documented learning disability, please see the College’s Learning Disabilities Policy, and contact the Director of Accessibilities Services in Klein 111 or at 654-2818.  Discuss options with your professors as soon as possible.

 

Grading/Performance Evaluation

There will be a course grade for ENG104 which will be entered into your GPA (grade point average).  The following criteria will be used for performance evaluation in the course (subject to change):

Note:    Essays and research papers are composed as first and final drafts. First drafts are counted at 60% of the assignment grade and final drafts at 40%.These criteria as well as their weighting may be adjusted by the instructor as necessary.  Students will be notified of any changes in weighting.
            
            10%     Homework and participation (Objectives 1, 6)
            20%     Short Writing Assignments, including a summary, response, summary & response (Objectives 1-3, 5, 6)
            20%     Short papers (5% Essay One, 15% Essay Two) (Objectives 2, 3, 5, 6)
            40%     One Research paper, 8-10 pages in length (Objectives 4, 5, 6), including 25% for the final research paper and
                       15% for the following elements:

  • Research Proposal, Rough Outline, and Thesis Statement
  • Detailed Outline
  • Notes

  10%    Final Exam 

These criteria as well as their weighting may be adjusted by the instructor as necessary.  Students will be notified of any changes in weighting.

Grading system: 

A

95-100  

C        

74-76       

A-

90-94    

C-       

70-73       

B+      

87-89    

D+      

67-69        

B        

84-86

D

60-66       

B-       

80-83    

F         

Below 60 

C+      

77-79   

 

 

Course Schedule
(revised 10/17/2013)

WEEK

TOPIC

DUE DATES

Week 1

Aug. 26 – 30

Introduction to the course; diagnostics; intro to essays (format, organization)

 

Week 2
Sept. 2 - 6

Essay #1; Paraphrasing

 

Week 3
Sept. 9 - 13

Paraphrasing;  Writing a Response/Reaction Paper
Review of Adjective Clauses/Phrases

 

Week 4
Sept. 16 - 20

Writing a Summary 
Review of Passive Voice

 

Week 5
Sept. 23 - 27

Writing a Summary & Response/Reaction Paper
Review of Run-on Sentences

 

Week 6
Sept. 30 – Oct. 4

Patterns of Organization / Thesis Statements
Review of Adverbial Clauses

 

Week 7
Oct. 7 - 11

Patterns of Organization / Thesis Statements (cont’d)
Review of Fragments

 

Week 8
Oct. 14 - 18

The Research Paper: Thesis Statement, Supporting Points); mind maps
Review of Gerunds and Infinitives

 

Week 9
Oct. 21—no class
Oct. 23 - 25

The Research Paper: Research Proposal, Finding and Evaluating Sources
Library 208: Using databases to find resources--Oct. 25—Please bring your laptops.

Research Proposal due Oct. 23

Week 10
Oct. 28 – Nov. 1

Finding and Evaluating Sources
Working References

Detailed Outline due Oct. 28

Week 11
Nov.  4 - 8

Research Paper: Taking Notes/Outlining
Review of Noun Clauses

Detailed Notes due Nov. 4

Week 12
Nov. 11 - 15

Research Paper: Integrating Evidence
Introduction and Conclusion

Introduction & Conclusion due Nov. 15

Week 13
Nov. 18 - 22

Research Paper: Incorporating In-text Citations, References, APA Format

Revised Outline due Nov. 18
References due Nov.  22

Week 14
Nov. 25
Nov. 27, 29 – no class (Thanksgiving Recess)

Research Paper: Research Paper: Editing and Proofreading  

First draft due Nov. 25

Week 15
Dec. 2 - 6

Individual Conferences

Final draft due Dec. 6, 10:50 am

Final Exam: Dec. 10, 9:00-11:30, in your assigned classroom

Final draft of Research Paper