Rowan University
English Composition II Section 8 & 9
Monday/Wednesday 12:30 – 1:45/2:00 – 3:15
Bozorth Hall 132
Instructor: William G. Lewis
Office Hours: Hawthorne 105, Mondays and Wednesdays, 4:00 – 6:00
E-mail: lewisw@rowan.edu (This is the best way to get in touch with me)
Phone: (856)630-0993
Website: http://williamglewis.pbworks.com/
Course Description:
This course focuses on argumentation, information literacy, and the effective use of sources in academic writing. We will hone our abilities to think critically, analyze the arguments of others, and to create and support our own positions using research. You will develop your own research agenda for this course around an issue that interests you, and you will develop multiple researched, argumentative essays that grow out of inquiry-based research.
Course Goals:
By the end of the semester, you will be able to:
Analyze written and visual arguments for their methods of persuasion, the quality of their logic, and their use of evidence.
Use specific terminology to identify and discuss elements of argumentation.
Develop an original and well-constructed argument using supporting evidence and outside research.
Use writing as a form of inquiry.
Understand the ethics and responsibilities of writing.
Find and evaluate sources appropriate for academic writing, through both Rowan’s library databases and the Web.
Document your use of sources through in-text citation and a bibliography.
Revise your writing effectively and understand how to utilize outside resources to improve writing (e.g., your instructor, your peers, the Writing Center).
Understand yourself in relation to academic and other writing communities
Required Texts:
Practical Argument, 2nd ed., Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell
Any handouts or readings put on Pbworks.com
Student Support Site for the First-Year Writing Program, Rowan University’s Department of Writing Arts: www.guidetofirstyearwriting.org .
Attendance:
You will be expected to attend class regularly and no more than six absences – both excused and unexcused – for any reason will be accepted, even under the most extreme of circumstances. If you miss a class, you will essentially lose out on that day’s contribution to your preparation, since it is never really possible to reproduce or recapture the dynamics and flow of information for a missed class meeting (even if you get notes from someone).
If you expect to be absent, please notify me before hand in an e-mail.
If you are absent due to illness or any other unexpected reason, contact me within 24 hours.
Absences do not exempt you from assignments due that day.
You will be allowed to make up work for excused absences only, providing you have any requested documentation.
Excused absences include:
- religious observances
- official University activities
- illness
- death of a family member or loved one
- inclement weather
You are also expected to come to class on time, and every three times you are late counts as one absence.
If you are absent from class more than six times, you will receive an F for your grade. After six absences, your continued presence in the course is at my discretion.
Communication:
Phone: If you do call me and reach my voicemail, please be sure to speak clearly and leave your name, course information, and phone number if you wish a return call.
E-Mail:
If you contact me via e-mail, always include your full name and class section (like this: William Lewis, ENG 101-01) in the subject line. Too often students forget to sign e-mail or have e-mail addresses without obvious identifiers. If you do not include your name and class in the subject line, I will not open the message.
Students who send me e-mail and do not receive a reply of any kind within 2 business days should assume it was never received. Please re-send any such e-mails. I do not mind receiving redundant messages if you are unsure whether your message was transmitted (though I may only reply to one). If your message doesn’t present itself as urgent, I may reply quickly and briefly and ask to get back to you before long.
Grading:
I grade on a point system, and the total number of possible points for the semester is 1,000. The total number of points you get will determine your grade:
A = 1,000 – 930
A- = 929 – 900
B+ = 899 – 870
B = 869 – 830
B- = 829 – 800
C+ = 799 – 770
C = 769 – 730
C- = 729 – 700
D+ = 699 – 670
D = 669 – 630
D- = 629 – 600
F = 599 or below
- 65% Final Portfolio (650 points)
- 15% Non-Essay Assignments (150 points)
- 10% Peer Review (100 points)
- 10% Class Contribution (100 points)
Final Portfolio:
The First-Year Writing Program values writing as process as much as product, and strongly emphasizes revision and self-reflection as part of this process. Therefore, you will present a collection of your formal work in the form of a portfolio at the end of the semester that demonstrates your engagement in the writing process. It will include:
- final, polished drafts of two of the three researched, argumentative essays you wrote during the semester
- at least one earlier draft for each of those two essays that includes instructor comments
- an annotated bibliography
- a visual rhetoric assignment
- a self-reflection statement
Your portfolio must contain all the requisite parts and be handed in on time. More information will be provided throughout the semester.
Important Reminder: Keep every version (hard copy and electronic) of your essays from the first rough draft to the final revision. To make sure your electronic files are safe, it is suggested that you copy them to your Rowan server space or save them in a free Dropbox account (see Dropbox.com).
Non-Essay Assignments:
Besides drafts of the major essays, there will be many smaller assignments that contribute toward your learning and will prepare you for the essays.
Peer Review:
Writing is a recursive process that benefits from the feedback of readers other than yourself. On days that essay drafts are due, we will hold peer review in class. You will bring in a hard copy of your own draft and exchange with a partner, evaluating each other’s work using guidelines provided in class. Only those who bring in a draft may participate.
Essays:
Throughout the term, you will be expected to complete several essays throughout the semester; most of these will be done outside of class.
All work written and submitted should utilize standard rules of grammar, sentence organization, paragraph organization, and diction.
Essays must be completed in MLA or APA format, typed in 12 pt. Times New Roman font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins, and carefully proofread.
You will receive a handout with the paper assignment at least 2 weeks before it is due for any essay written outside of class.
All essays will be submitted to my e-mail and graded there. Submit essays by the day they are due before class starts.
If you do not adhere to these guidelines, your grade for the assignment will be reduced.
Lateness:
Late papers will lose a letter grade for each day they are late. If a paper is more than three days late, it is a 0. If you work on an essay in class the day it is due, it is considered late. There are no exceptions to this rule.
Ethical and Responsible Writing:
One of the goals for this course is to increase your awareness of the ethical ramifications of writing and your ability to write ethically and responsibly. Ways to avoid unintentional plagiarism is a major component of this course. However, it is ultimately your responsibility to submit ethical writing. If you have any question about the use of sources and citations in your work, you should contact me prior to turning in the assignment.
Plagiarism, whether the intentional act of passing off someone else's work as your own or the unintentional act where sources for material are not acknowledged due to a lack of familiarity with citation forms, is a serious violation of the principles of academic honesty. Acts of plagiarism include parts of as well as the whole of assignment. Students who submit plagiarized work will be subject to process and penalties of Rowan’s academic integrity policy.
This detailed policy, which outlines the varying levels of infractions and possible sanctions, can be found at
http://www.rowan.edu/provost/policies/AcademicIntegrity.htm
Class Contribution:
What does your presence add to our classroom community? Are you ready and willing to challenge yourself? Do you answer questions to the best of your ability? Do show original and productive thought rather than mindlessly please me or make you look smart? How do you do in group work? Are you punctual and prepared to engage the course? These are some of the factors I will consider for this grade.
I will be using a deck of playing cards to choose students at random to answer questions and to organize random groups. Each student is assigned a card from the deck and can be chosen at random to answer a question at any time. Responses like “I don’t know” are not acceptable. I invite you to think aloud, muse, guess, and experiment with ideas. Take the opportunity to expand on the ideas of the class.
Students Reusing Assignments:
The Department of Writing Arts does not allow students to turn in the same writing assignment for more than one class. Students must receive express permission from both instructors when submitting writing or a substantial part of a written text previously submitted to another class. Not doing so is considered academic dishonesty and, following the policies laid out by Rowan, may result in an F for that assignment and possibly an F for the semester.
Classroom Behavior:
The University Classroom Behavior Policy and Procedures can be found at
http://www.rowan.edu/provost/policies/AcademicPoliciesandProceduresAlphabeticalList.html
Rowan Success Network:
The Rowan Success Network powered by Starfish® is designed to make it easier for you to connect with the resources you need to be successful at Rowan. Throughout the term, you may receive email from the Rowan Success Network team (Starfish®) regarding your course grades or academic performance. Please pay attention to these emails and consider taking the recommended actions. Utilize the scheduling tools to make appointments at your convenience and keep an eye on your reminders and flags to track your progress and get help when needed. Additional information about RSN may be found at http://www.rowan.edu/provost/academic_affairs/atp/success/.
Accommodation Policy:
Not all students learn the same way. The federal government, through the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, tries to ensure that all students have a fair chance at being successful. If you have a documented disability that may have an impact upon your work in this class, please contact me.
Additionally, students must provide documentation of disability to the Academic Success Center in order to receive official University services and accommodations. The Academic Success Center can be reached at 856.256.4234. The center is located on the 3rd floor of Savitz Hall. The staff is available to answer questions regarding accommodations or assist you in your pursuit of accommodations. We look forward to working with you to meet your learning goals.
Rowan Writing Center:
The Rowan Writing Center is a free resource for undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty and staff. Whether you need help with invention strategies, organizing ideas, or revising drafts, the center and its tutors provide a comfortable environment for students to improve and succeed. A trained peer consultant will work with you individually or in small group consultations on anything you're writing, in or out of class. We offer appointments, drop-ins, and online tutoring sessions.
The Writing Center is located on the 1st floor of the library. To make an appointment, students must go to www.rowan.mywconline.com and register for a free account. Once this account has been created, you will have access to a complete list of tutors and their available hours. Simply click on an open time slot and fill out the form that requests the type of session you prefer.
Suggestions for getting the most out of your 30-minute session:
Bring the writing assignment your instructor gave you.
Have a clean, hard copy of your draft.
If possible, make your appointment well before the due date to allow yourself time to revise.
Come prepared with some awareness of what specific concerns you have about your work.
Ask questions and, if the responses are not clear to you, ask more.
For questions, please call 856-256-4376 or email writingcenter@rowan.edu. Visit our website at:
http://www.rowan.edu/colleges/ccca/departments/writingArts/writinglab.html.
Additional Resources:
ñ First-Year Writing Program Website: http://www.rowan.edu/colleges/ccca/departments/writingArts/firstyearwriting.html
ñ Tutoring Center: http://www.rowan.edu/studentaffairs/asc/tutoring/
ñ Disability Resources: http://www.rowan.edu/studentaffairs/asc/disabilityresources/
ñ
Course Outline
Note: The course outline is tentative and subject to change with notification.
You must have readings done by the date they appear on the outline.
Week 1: 9/2
Wednesday: Course Introduction
Week 2: 9/7, 9/9
Monday: LABOR DAY
Wednesday: Information Literacy: How do we know it’s worthwhile?
Part 2: Thinking and Reading Critically
Week 3: 9/14, 9/16
Monday: Research Proposal Due
Chapter 8: Finding and Evaluating Sources
Wednesday: Evaluating Print Sources
Audience
Zotero Set Up
Week 4: 9/21, 9/23
Monday: Part 1: Understanding Argument
Evaluating Web Sources
Purpose
Wednesday: Discuss Background Paper
Chapter 4: Writing a Rhetorical Analysis
Week 5: 9/28, 9/30
Monday: Chapter 5: Recognizing Logic and Fallacies
Wednesday: Rough Draft of Background Paper Due
Peer Editing and Research
Week 6: 10/5, 10/7
Monday: Background Paper Due
Fallacies and identifying them
Wednesday: Discuss Rebuttal Paper
Rebuttals
Week 7: 10/12, 10/14
Monday: Paper Conferences
Wednesday: Paper Conferences
Week 8: 10/19, 10/21
Monday: Rough Draft of Rebuttal Paper Due
Peer Editing
Wednesday: Chapter 22: Should Every American go to College?
Week 10: 10/26, 10/28
Monday: Rebuttal Paper Due
Discuss Proposal Essay
Chapter 15: Proposal Argument
Wednesday: Chapter 12: Definition Argument
Week 11: 11/2, 11/4
Monday: Rough Draft of Proposal Paper Due
Peer Editing
Wednesday: Chapter 13: Casual Argument (439-477)
Amethyst Initiative, "Statement" (456-457)
Radley Blako, " Amethyst Initiative's Debate on Drinking a Welcome Alternative to Fanaticism" (458-459)
Bradley R. Gitz, "Save Us from Youth" (461-462)
Robert Voas, "There's No Benefit to Lowering the Drinking Age" (463-464)
Jay Evensen, "Lowering Drinking Age to Eighteen? Look at Costs" (465-466)
Joyce Alcantara, "Keep Drinking Age at Twenty-One: Teens Aren't Mature Enough to Handle Consequences" (468-469)
Andrew Herman, "Raise the Drinking Age to Twenty-Five" (470-471)
Caryn Sullivan, "How Best to Balance the Benefits and Responsibilities of Adulthood?" (473-475)
Federal Trade Commission, "How School Seniors' Alcohol Use Declines" (476)
Mothers Against Drunk Driving, "17,000 Killed in Senseless Act" (477)
Week 12: 11/9, 11/11
Monday: Proposal Paper Due
Discuss Final Essay
Chapter 14: Evaluation Argument (483-513)
Ryan Burkey, "In Tough Economic Times, Internships Provide More Than Money" (496-497)
Ross Perlin, "Unpaid Interns, Complicit Colleges" (499-501)
Anya Kamenetz, "Take This Internship and Shove It" (502-504)
John Stossel, "Unpaid Interns Are Exploited?" (505-506)
Jennifer Wheary, "Only One Option for Young Job Seekers" (508-509)
Danielle Connor, "The Real Intern Scandal: Working without Pay Privileges the Privileged" (510-511)
The Onion, "Fill This, Intern" (513)
Wednesday: Chapter 17: Ethical Argument (589-626)
Brett A. Sokolow, "How Not to Respond to Virginia Tech - II" (611-614)
Jesus M. Villahermosa Jr., "Guns Don't Belong in the Hands of Administrators, Professors, or Students" (615-617)
Timothy Wheeler, "There's a Reason They Choose Schools" (618-620)
Isothermal Community College, "Warning Signs: How You Can Help Prevent Campus Violence" (621-624)
Amy Dion, "Gone but Not Forgotten" (625)
Week 13: 11/16, 11/18
Monday: Rough Draft of Final Paper Due
Discuss Final Essay
Wednesday: Chapter 3: Decoding Visual Arguments (75-87)
Week 14: 11/23, 11/25
Monday: Final Paper Due
Discuss Final Portfolio
Discuss Visual Argument
Discuss Annotated Bibliography
Wednesday: Final Essay Conferences
Week 15: 11/30, 12/2
Monday: Final Essay Conferences
Wednesday: Johnathan Swift, “A Modest Proposal”
Week 16: 12/7, 12/9
Monday: Visual Argument Due
Peer Editing
Wednesday: Final Revisions of Portfolio Items: Evaluation Sheet
Peer Editing
Portfolios Due 12/11
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