Syllabus
English 280, College Composition II
Spring Semester 2004
Sections: 03 (8 a.m. TTH)
09 (9:30 a.m. TTH)
23 (12:30 p.m. TTH)
Instructor: Rick Clemons
Office: 222 Simpkins
Phone: 298-1113
Office hours: MWF, from 10 a.m. till 11:45 a.m., and TTH, from 1:45 p.m. till 2:15 p.m. Please call or email for an appointment at other times.
E-mail address: RD-Clemons@wiu.edu
Home page URL: http://www.wiu.edu/users/mfrdc1/index.html
Blackboard page: http://blackboard.cait.org/
Course objectives: For a complete list of the various objectives for this course, see the English Department's handout. Briefly, by the end of the course students will have learned the basics of writing for upper-level college courses, including learning basic research strategies. Developing strong skills in analytical reading and critical thinking are also objectives in this course; therefore, reading complex materials and discussing controversial issues will be important components of the course.
Course materials: Required books and supplemental materials for this course are
I also recommend that you purchase The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, or another reputable desk dictionary.
Papers: Four major papers are required for this course; if you do not complete all four papers, you will not pass the course. Papers must be turned in with accompanying materials including notes, drafts, copies of sources, and anything else the instructor requires. When a paper is due, it must be turned in with all the required material in one of your pocket folders. See the handout “Guidelines for Papers” for style information.
Attendance, tardiness, tests, and assignments: Your participation in classroom discussions, classroom presentations, and classroom writing is an integral part of English 280. Of course, you must be present in order to participate in those activities, and if you are not present, you may hurt your grade in any number of ways. That being said, all students are allowed three absences, no excuse required. After three absences, three percent will be deducted from your final grade for each additional day absent. Perfect attendance will add three percent to your final grade.
Being tardy to class can hurt your effort also because three tardy days will count as one absence. In addition, being tardy could cause you to miss an in-class activity or a quiz, both of which would negatively affect your grade. Please get to class on time; being prompt will make the class more efficient and effective. If you have a special situation that causes you problems with arriving on time, please see me.
Assignments due on a day you are absent must be turned in that day, so be sure to arrange delivery of assignments if you are unable to attend class. If you miss a quiz or a test, you must arrange to come in and make up the quiz or test before the next time our class meets.
All assignments must be typed and printed out on a laser printer, unless otherwise noted.
Late papers and makeups: Normally I do not accept late papers, unless arrangements are made prior to the due date. The exception to this rule is papers turned in within twenty-four hours of the due date; those papers will have ten percent deducted from the point total. Homework and in-class work may not be made up. Missed quizzes or tests may be made up only if taken before the next time the class meets. Please contact me to schedule a makeup for a quiz or test.
Grading: I grade on a straight ten percent scale; in other words, ninety percent or more of the total points available earns an “A” and so on. The four papers are worth eighty percent (800 points) of the final grade; the remaining twenty percent (200 points) of the grade comes from quizzes, homework assignments, in-class work, and participation.
Students with a disability: Please contact me in order to make any necessary arrangements.
This syllabus is subject to change with notice.
Schedule |
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| Tuesday, Jan. 13 |
“Introduction for Students” in A Rhetoric of Argument (xxv – xxvii) |
| Thursday, Jan. 15 |
“An Introduction to the Study of Argument” in A Rhetoric of Argument (3 - 15) |
| Tuesday, Jan. 20 |
“MLA” in A Pocket Style Manual (113 – 127) |
| Thursday, Jan. 22 |
“Building the Case: Logos” in A Rhetoric of Argument (19 – 41) |
| Tuesday, Jan. 27 |
“MLA” in A Pocket Style Manual (127 – 154) |
| Thursday, Jan. 29 |
First paper due |
| Tuesday, Feb. 3 |
Begin reading Turow’s Ultimate Punishment |
| Thursday, Feb. 5 |
“Establishing Credibility and Appealing to Emotion: Ethos and Pathos” in A Rhetoric of Argument (45 – 71) |
| Tuesday, Feb. 10 |
“Generating the Argument: Questions and Claims” in A Rhetoric of Argument (81 – 97) |
| Thursday, Feb. 12 |
LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY No classes |
| Tuesday, Feb. 17 |
“Expressing Appeals: Language and Voice” in A Rhetoric of Argument (104 – 124) |
| Thursday, Feb. 19 |
Read through Chapter 10 in Ultimate Punishment |
| Tuesday, Feb. 24 |
“Definition: What Is It?” in A Rhetoric of Argument (135 – 163) |
| Thursday, Feb. 26 |
Finish reading Turow’s Ultimate Punishment |
| Tuesday, Mar. 2 |
“Finding Sources to Support Your Claim” in A Rhetoric of Argument (327 – 371) |
| Thursday, Mar. 4 |
Second paper due |
| March 8–12 |
SPRING BREAK No classes |
| Tuesday, Mar. 16 |
“Evaluation: Is It Good or Bad?” in A Rhetoric of Argument (231 – 259) |
| Thursday, Mar. 18 |
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| Tuesday, Mar. 23 |
“Using Sources to Support Your Claim” in A Rhetoric of Argument (372 – 385) |
| Thursday, Mar. 25 |
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| Tuesday, Mar. 30 |
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| Thursday, Apr. 1 |
Third paper due |
| Tuesday, Apr. 6 |
“Causal Argument: How Did It Get That Way?” in A Rhetoric of Argument (182 – 216) |
| Thursday, Apr. 8 |
“Proposal: What Should We Do about It?” in A Rhetoric of Argument (289 – 313) |
| Tuesday, Apr. 13 |
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| Thursday, Apr. 15 |
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| Tuesday, Apr. 20 |
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| Thursday, Apr. 22 |
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| Tuesday, Apr. 27 |
Fourth paper due |
| Thursday, Apr. 29 |
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| May 3–7 |
Final Exams: Sec. 03—Tuesday, 8 a.m.; Sec. 09—Thursday, 8 a.m.; and Sec. 23—Tuesday, 1 p.m. |
Note: The schedule is incomplete and may be changed at any time during the semester. Check our Blackboard site for updated information.