Institution: University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee
Discipline: English
Title: College Writing and Research
Instructor: Kathleen Dale

COLLEGE WRITING AND RESEARCH
Student Syllabus, Spring 2003

English 102, sections 70 and 71 (3 credits), and Eng. 298, s. 002, for one additional service learning credit.

These are partially online, service learning sections. In addition to the three class hours a week, students will spend about thirteen hours during the semester at a service learning site to be assigned. In addition, much of the work of the class will be done online at http://blackboard.mt.uwm.edu

Instructor: Dr. Kathleen Dale
Office: Mitchell 165A
Phone: 229 3748
Office Hours: M 9 3, W 9 11, F 9 11, TR 12:30 1:30, and other times by appt.
Email: kdaleC@uwm.edu
Home page: http://www.uwm.edu/People/kdale

Texts: (All required texts are on library reserve under the name of ‘Dale.’)

Soul of a Citizen by Paul R. Loeb (about $16 new)
Good Reasons by Faigley and Selzer (about $24 new)
A Pocket Style Manual (3rd ed.) by Diana Hacker (about $7)
Student Guide to the English Dept’s First Year Writing Program ($3.50)

Prerequisite:

Grade of C or better in English 101 or placement score of 576 or higher (Code 3 on the EPT).

Goals:

1. Rhetorical Knowledge and Awareness
English 102 promotes rhetorical knowledge and awareness through carefully selected course readings which illustrate how a particular topic is formulated differently depending upon the rhetorical situation and through a sequence of argumentative writing assignments which ask students to compose rhetorically self conscious arguments in light of audience, purpose, and context.

2. Reading/Writing/Critical Thinking Connections
English 102 encourages reading/writing/critical thinking connections through writing assignments which require accurate, close reading of texts. Together, the reading and writing assignments require students to acknowledge multiple points of view and to use writing to understand others’ ideas and to think through their own in increasingly complex terms.

3. Writing Process Strategies
English 102 emphasizes writing process strategies, particularly invention and revision. Writing, reading, and research activities are presented as forms of inquiry, ways of investigating and discovering ideas. Extensive revision is presented as a way of continually rethinking and reshaping one’s ideas and presentation of ideas. Ongoing reflective writing, which culminates in a final reflective essay, illustrates the importance of a repertoire of writing strategies and conscious control of rhetorical choices.

4. Academic Writing Practices
English 102 teaches common academic writing practices: summary, paraphrase, direct quotation, appropriate citation, research techniques and common academic writing genres, particularly various forms of argument.

Class Policies and Procedures:

• Students will write four essays around the themes of homelessness, hunger, and/or illiteracy as explored through their service learning and/or reading and research: a rhetorical analysis; a causal and policy argument; a position paper; and a reflective analysis of the student’s own learning and writing process. All essays will involve some form of research, and all essays must be word processed.
• The first drafts of essays two, three, and four must be at least 850 words to receive first draft credit (the first draft of essay one must be at least 800 words). You must add a word count to all of your first draft. Two of these four essays will be revised numerous times for the final portfolio. Portfolio essays must be between 1000-1500 words, except for the reflective analysis essay, which should be about 500-700 words. Keep all copies of your various drafts! You will be asked to submit them with your portfolio.
• Tardiness: Being late to class or to your service learning assignment is annoying to all involved. You are expected to be in class and at your volunteer assignment on time. Chronic tardiness may have a negative effect on your grade. However, it’s better to come to class late (once in a great while) than to stay away just because you are a few minutes late.
• Attendance: Since writing courses are based on student participation during class time, attendance in English 102 is mandatory. Students who miss more than four class sessions and two service sessions will necessarily earn a grade of C or lower in the course and will have to repeat it. There is no distinction between excused/unexcused absences. Every time you are not in class or at your assigned service site, for whatever reason, it counts as an absence. Your Service Learning Time Record, signed by your site supervisor, must be turned in to me by Monday, May 5, or your portfolio will not be accepted.
• There will be “entry tickets” to many of the regular class sessions. These “tickets” will involve assignments that must be handed in at the door or shown at the beginning of class, or you will lose points.
• Make up service sessions must be arranged with your onsite supervisor, who will notify me of your attendance.

Grading:

If I believe your final portfolio to be borderline, I will take it to a final assessment session of other 102 instructors at the end of the semester. Although they will determine whether a portfolio is passing (C level work or above) or failing, I will assign the final grade.

HOW POINTS CAN BE ADDED:

• Up to 300 “electronic points” (EP) may be added for the quality and timeliness of your electronic participation in reflective/journal forums, quizzes, essay postings, essay discussion forums, and your other web site work. These 300 points will be divided among the individual electronic assignments as seen in parentheses (EP points) throughout the schedule of assignments.
• Ten points an hour extra credit may be earned for up to 10 extra hours (100 points) at your volunteer service learning site (must be documented by your supervisor and should probably be served immediately before or after your regularly scheduled time). These are in addition to the 13 required hours.
• Five points extra credit will be given each time you visit me, a tutor, or the writing center to work on a specific essay or the revision of an essay. I will have forms available which you may take to be signed by the tutor or writing center staff person you consult. I will keep track of those students who come to my office.
• There will be other opportunities for extra credit, such as attending various service learning events, and the creation of a Power Point slide show based upon your research paper. More information later.

HOW POINTS CAN BE SUBTRACTED:

• Ten points will be LOST for each class or volunteer day missed (up to 60 points before you fail the class).
• Ten points will be LOST every time you do not turn in one of the ten assigned “entry tickets” at the beginning of class (up to 100 points). If you are absent, you lose points for BOTH attendance and for any “entry ticket” due that day.
• Ten points will be LOST for each first draft of an essay NOT turned in or posted by the due date listed in this syllabus (up to 30 points).

Assignments Schedule

Jan. 21/Tues: Introduction to class (MIT B 9). If you are unfamiliar with Blackboard, please see me for more help individually.

Please fill out your “Student Home Page” in Blackboard and include a current picture of yourself. There is a scanner in MIT 133 and other computer labs to scan a photo of yourself onto a disk. Then you can upload it onto your page (up to 20 points for a complete and timely page with your picture).

Jan. 23/Thur: Take Online Quiz about the syllabus (under “Assignments”) before class (15EP). Bring to class as “entry ticket #1.”

Service learning introduction and overviews by site representatives. Sign up in class or by Monday, Jan. 27 with the Institute for Service Learning here on campus, ENG B59, (229 2767), for one of the following sites:

• Hope House (209 W. Orchard near South side) homelessness
• Laubach Literacy Center (2724 W. WeiIs) illiteracy
• Milwaukee Rescue Mission, Joy House (830 N. 19th) hunger and illiteracy
• St. John’s Cathedral Meal Site (802 N. Jackson) hunger
• Interchange Food Pantry (1035 N. Waverly) hunger
• Meta House (2266 N. Prospect) illiteracy
• The Gathering (various locations for meal sites) hunger

Jan. 28/Tues: Assignment #11, online: a 300 400 word response to ONE of the first three preliminary questions about the themes of the course, and 100 word responses to EACH of the other questions (25EP). Print and bring all responses to class as “entry ticket #2”. Discussion of preliminary questions.

Jan. 30/Thurs: Assignment #2, online (25 EP). Before completing the assignment, read Loeb, 1 34, and Good Reasons, 1 4 and 1215. Xerox and bring to class YOUR annotations (not mine) as “entry ticket #3”.

Discussion of quiz and annotations of Loeb’s pp. 14 34*. How would you describe Loeb’s tone? Claims? Values? Assumptions? What can you tell about his use of reason, emotion, and his own character in order to help persuade the reader of his point of view?

You should attend your first orientation or volunteer session at your service learning site sometime this week. Think about what you’re seeing/experiencing, and take notes. If you are having trouble finding a workable site, please see me soon.

Feb. 4/Tues: Read Loeb, Chapters Two through Five (pp. 34 116), and Good Reasons, Chapter 4, pp. 73 95. Find and bring at least THREE examples of EACH of Loeb’s appeals to reason (logos), emotion (pathos), and character (ethos) this is your “entry ticket #4” to today’s class. In addition, take the online quiz (under “Course Information” on these Loeb chapters (25EP). Print it and bring it to class for “entry ticket #5.”

Feb. 6/Thur: In class writing on Chas. 1 5, Loeb.

Group work on draft of Essay #1, Rhetorical Analysis.

See Good Reasons, pp. 104 106.

Post a 250-word journal entry linking these two weeks’ readings and your first service experience in the Discussion Forum for Friday, Feb.7, 8 pm. Follow up with at least two responses to other students’ entries which don’t have many responses by Sunday the 9th, 8pm. Reply briefly to those who have responded to you (25 EP). Describe your first service experience (or another experience if you have not had your first experience yet). What did you do? What did you see? How did you feel? Then, relate your experience to one or more of the following statements by Loeb:

Can you relate your experience to Loeb’s statement that social involvement involves risk? He says, “At the very least, it requires us to make ourselves psychologically vulnerable. It impels us … to challenge internal fears, and to face criticism from those who will call our efforts fruitless, foolish, or a waste of scarce time. In return, social involvement converts us from detached spectators into active participants” (29).

“If we convince ourselves that nothing can change, we don’t have to risk acting on our dreams. But the more we accept this, the more we deny core parts of ourselves. We deny even the possibility that our choices can matter”(96).

“We never know how the impact of our actions may ripple out. We never know who may be touched. That’s one more reason why, although the fruits of our labors can’t always be seen, they matter immensely” (110).

Feb. 11/Tues: Draft of Essay #1 due (rhetorical analysis, 800 word minimum with word count attached) with reflective note stapled on top (what went well/what didn’t in this first draft? on what specifically would you like feedback?).

Read Loeb, Chapter 6. In class group summary of main points.

Good Reasons, Chapter 2.

Sometime before 9 am post in Thursday’s Discussion Forum a 150 word question or topic for class discussion arising from a specific passage from Loeb’s chapters 6 through 9. Quote the passage and give the page number first (15 EP).

Feb. 13/Thur: Discussion of Loeb, Chapters 7 9.

In Discussion Forum for Sunday, Feb. 16, 8 pm (20 EP), post a 250 word journal entry linking your week’s service learning experience to a specific quotation from Loeb, Chapters 6 9. Copy the quotation before you begin your journal entry. Respond to at least four postings of others by Wednesday, Feb. 19. Finally, respond briefly to all who have responded to you.

Feb 18/Tues: Sometime before 9 am., post in today’s Discussion Forum a 150 word topic for class discussion resulting from a specific passage from Loeb’s chapters 10 12. Quote the passage and give the page number first (20 EP).

In class: Discussion of Loeb’s chapters 10 12, based upon your postings.

Essay #1 returned. Criteria for passing 102 portfolio papers (see pages 13 14 of Student Guide). How to revise.

For Thursday, jot down one or more problems or things that are troubling you about your service experience so far, for discussion with each other and with members of the Institute for Service Learning. Bring this to class Thursday for “entry ticket #6.”

Feb 20/Thur: Discussion and brainstorming about common problems experienced at service sites.

By Friday, Feb 21, 8 pm, post a 260-word entry about what you’ve perceived at your service site to be the main cause(s) of hunger, homelessness, or illiteracy in the appropriate Discussion Forum. Follow up with at least two responses by Monday the 24th (20 EP).

Feb 25/Tues: Essay # 2 assigned: primary and/or secondary research for a claim about the causes of/solutions to homelessness, hunger, or illiteracy. Draft of essay will be posted in Blackboard along with at least one picture taken at your service site or found on the web.

Read Good Reasons, Chapter 13, “Effective Research,” on how to conduct primary as well as secondary research.

Permission to photograph forms.

Discussion of extra credit Power Point project (up to 30 EP).

Feb 27/Thur: Library talk on research techniques. Meet in Library, east wing, E159.

Skim Hult, pages 69 122 and 123 156, as well as the library handouts, before you begin your search. Note particularly those parts of Hult’s chapter on research and documentation that you are unfamiliar with and focus on those.

Post in Discussion Forum by Friday, Feb 28, 8 pm. Read everyone’s posting and respond to at least two people who have not received many responses by Monday the 3rd, 8pm. Return again by Wednesday the 5thth 8 pm, to respond to those who have responded to you (20EP). In this forum, in at least 250 words, describe an incident or situation in your service experience so far that caused a dilemma for you because you did not know how to act or what to say. If you are not doing service, instead of an initial posting, respond thoughtfully to at least four people

• Why was it such a confusing event?
• How did you, or others around the event, feel about it?
• What did you do, or what was the first thing that you considered doing?
• What might you have done, instead of what you did do? What difference, if any, might this have made?
• How does a recent course reading relate to this issue, perhaps suggesting a course of action that might be advisable?

March 4/Tues: Library Work Day. Sign in at my table in the Reserve Reading Room (first floor, east wing). Those interested in learning how to transform your essay into a Power Point presentation for up to 30 points extra credit (due Nov. 5) let me know.

March 6/Thur: Library Work Day. Sign in at our table in the Reserve Reading Room.

March 11/Tues: Bring four copies of your draft so far as “entry ticket #7” to class. Group workshops of drafts. Midterm Assessments.

March 13/Thur: Meet in MIT B 9. Bring paper draft of Essay #2 with at least one embedded graphic (850 word minimum with word count attached) and reflective note added to top or bottom. In addition, bring a disk with this essay on it to post in the class web site (30EP).

Read seven of your classmates’ drafts, and post your responses to at least three other drafts of essay #2 that haven’t had at least three responses by Tuesday, March 25, 8 pm (20EP). In your comments, indicate what you think works well in the draft (be specific), and how well the draft meets the essay requirements (re read the assignment). Finally, what suggestion(s) might you have for revision?

March 25/Tues: Discussion of Good Reasons, Chapter 3 (“Thinking More about Your Audience”).

March 27/Thur: Begin writing for Essay #3 position or mediating essay.

April 1/Tues: Class workshops of draft. Bring four copies: your “entry ticket #9” to class. PowerPoint extra credit projects due.

April 3/Thur: Draft of Essay #3 due with reflective note and word count.

Sign up for sharing one revision with the class over the next few weeks. On the day for which you signed up, you must bring enough copies for all your classmates and instructors.

Also sign up for required conference with instructor or CA to choose final portfolio essays on either Friday the 4th, Monday the 7th or Tuesday the 8th

Read Good Reasons chapters, 14 and 15.

April 8/Tues: Revision Workshop

April 10/Thur: Revision Workshop

April 15/Tues: Class workshop on revision.

April 17/Thur: Class workshop on revision.

All first drafts of required length must be in by noon, Wed., April 23, or you will not be allowed to hand in a final portfolio. This means you will have to repeat the course.

April 22/Tues: Continue revision workshops.

April 24/Thur: Continue revision workshops.

April 29/Tues: Revision workshop. The Reflective Analysis essay.

Post your 500 word entry about the whole semester’s service-learning experiences in the Discussion Forum for Wed, April 30, 8 pm.

Follow up with at least three responses by Friday the 2nd, 8pm, and again by Monday the 6th (20EP). Specifically, describe what happened in your overall service experience, including what you accomplished, some of the events that puzzled or confused you, interactions you had, decisions you made, and plans you developed.

Briefly analyze how specific readings relate to your service experience. Apply the reading and your service experience to you and your personal life, including your goals, values, attitudes, beliefs, and philosophy. Finally, comment upon any personal gains you feel you have made through your service so far this semester, along with any specific examples. Has your service benefited you in any way? If you continue, what will be your reasons? If not, why not?

May 1/Thur: Bring draft of reflective analysis essay (500 700 words) to workshop. This is your “entry ticket #10” to class. Workshop if needed.

Monday, May 5: All Service Learning Time Sheets, signed by your supervisor, must be turned in to me by 4 pm, or you will not be allowed to turn in your portfolio on Wednesday. Exceptions must be cleared with me.

May 7/Tues: Class evaluations. PORTFOLIOS DUE IN CLASS.