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instructor info

Mary McCall Office: Heav 443

E-mail: mccall0@purdue.edu Office Phone: 494-3784

English 106— Introductory Composition Office Hours: M/W/F 1:30-2:00 p.m. & by appt.

Time: 12:30 – 1:20 p.m. M-F English Office Phone: 494-3740

Spring 2011

class locations

Monday and Thursday Classes HEAV 105

Tuesday and Friday Conferences HEAV 223

Wednesday Computer Lab BRNG B275

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Welcome to English 106, the First-year Composition course at Purdue. We'll be working in three different spaces this semester—a traditional classroom, a conference room, and a computer classroom. And we’ll be engaging in challenging activities that will involve reading, writing, collaborative work, visual design, and rhetorical/creative uses of technology.

texts

required:

• Wysocki and Lynch, Compose Design Advocate

• Additional readings as needed (found on our class Blackboard site)

recommended:

• A good college dictionary

• A college writing handbook

everyday rhetoric

Take a moment to consider the writing we engage in every day: a text to a friend, an e-mail—even a post or a status comment on Facebook. Think about a review you might have written on Amazon, a comment you made regarding an interesting article you found online, a reply you posted responding to a statement someone made on a forum. What techniques did you use to either sway someone to read that book or highlight its flaws? How did you further contribute to that article—by using personal examples and experiences? What about that person’s statement that prompted you to reply—was it outlandish? Unsupported? Provoking?

These activities have become so commonplace for us that we often do not stop to consider the power behind the words we use. We must think about the impact of what we say has on others and our community; in addition, we must consider what we say says about us. I appreciate that you come from all different backgrounds, especially when it comes to what you decide to major at in Purdue. However, no matter what field we are passionate about, it is important to be articulate in what we say because for better or for worse, people will read our statements and construct opinions about them—and about us.

audience awareness

Rhetoric is commonly defined as persuasion, and the art of rhetoric is very ancient (over 2,500 years old). One of my goals is to help you become rhetorically aware––that is, to help you learn that writing involves countless choices, and that you need to think carefully about what you want to say, why you want to say it, who needs to "hear" it, and how you'll need to shape your text to be persuasive to others. Think again about the texts you send everyday and the importance of your audience: what you send to a friend would not necessarily be what you send to your parent(s). The language you would use in an e-mail to a peer or relative would not be the same in one to your employer or professor.

what can we accomplish in this class?

In essence, English 106 is designed to help you get critically and creatively involved in writing effectively. And yet, from the beginning, we will also want to expand what "writing" means to include different textual forms (different

than the standard college essay, that is), the incorporation of elements of visual design, and alternate media (posters, the Web, etc.—something other than standard paper). We'll also be reading a variety of texts from Compose Design Advocate—essays, posters, ads and everything in between—that challenge us to re-think how messages reach us, how we respond to them, and how we in turn create them.

In this way, English 106 will prepare you to think critically about the writing process and your own writing through the analysis of various topics. The goals of this class are to: 1) help develop and hone your writing skills, 2) use critical thinking, 3) construct well-thought out and supported arguments, 4) consider your audience (i.e. not just me) and what reaction your writing will produce. Through our readings, class discussions, and interactions with your fellow classmates, we will explore what it means to communicate effectively and how to find and provide strong evidence to support one’s claim. It is my hope that you will take these skills and techniques that you have learned throughout the semester beyond the class in your continued growth as a writer.

conferencing

Half of you are already scheduled to meet with me in Heavilon 223 on Tuesday, the other half in Heavilon 223 on Friday. During the first week, we will acclimate ourselves to the rooms and cover my conferencing guidelines. You’ll sign up to meet with me individually for ten minutes once every two weeks for the rest of the semester. This is your time to discuss with me a question or concern you have about your writing and/or reading for the class. For each conference, you will need to either:

• bring a passage from your writing you would like us to discuss and a half-page of writing, typed and single-spaced, in which you explain what you’re trying to do in that passage, how it fits into the rest of the piece of writing, and why you’re concerned about it, or

• bring a passage from your reading you would like us to discuss and a half-page of writing, typed and single-spaced, in which you explain your question about the passage and what you think is going on in the passage.

The length of the passage is up to you, but keep in mind that we only have ten minutes. The purpose of the pre-conference writing is to get you to work through some specific ideas, issues, or insights beforehand so that we can get the most out of our conference time, and do so in a manner tailored to your specific needs. If you do not bring your passage and your half-page, or you’re late to your appointment time, I’ll count you absent. Writing for another class does not count as your half-page.

assignments and grades

You have four major projects to do throughout the semester. Each paper (rough drafts included) needs to be in MLA format. Several of these projects will include multiple parts, involve composing in various mediums, and require revisions. Short homework and writing assignments will be integral to the composition of the larger projects, and I will be making such assignments regularly. For example, a homework assignment might ask you to answer a question that emerged from our class discussion. To prepare for class, I may ask you to respond to a couple of our readings in specific ways, or practice some kind of analysis. In class, I may ask you to revise parts of your projects.

The grades break down like this:

Project 1 200 Points

Project 2 200 Points

Project 3 200 Points

Project 4 200 Points

Participation 100 Points

Short Assignments 100 Points

_____________________________________

Total 1,000 Points

The short assignment marks break down like this:

[pic]+ = Insightful, makes connections to other class discussions or readings

[pic] = Satisfactory, completes the assignment

[pic]- = Minimal response or not turned in

You are also responsible for keeping up with all the readings and for participating in class. If you miss class, keep in mind that you are responsible for making up the work.

attendance

This class requires you to participate in discussions and hands-on writing activities. For the course to be a success, everyone's participation is necessary. For that reason, attendance is required. As a student and teacher, though, I know that life happens (you oversleep, need a day to go back home, or get sick), and thus you will be allowed 4 free absences. These are no questions asked absences. Beyond your free days, there are no excused absences. After 5, your final grade will be lowered one full letter grade. After 7 absences, it will be lowered two full letter grades. Conference attendance is also mandatory; if you miss your conference, it will count as an absence.

The days we do peer critiques are days you are required to have a rough draft of your project. Rough drafts need to be the full page limit and in MLA format. Your rough draft counts for 50 points out of the 200 overall project points.

If you are consistently more than 10 minutes late to class and/or you consistently come unprepared for class (without required materials and/or not completing the reading assignment), it will result in a loss of one of your four free days. If you consistently disrupt class and therefore are asked to leave, it will result in a loss of one of your four free days.

plagiarism

This is the copying, deliberate or not, of another person’s work and/or ideas without the proper citation. This can result in failure of the project, the course, and other disciplinary action. We will discuss it further in class, but you also need to be aware of what it is and how to avoid it. When in doubt, you can always check with me.

late work

I will count off a letter grade for each day your work is late unless you make arrangements with me prior to the due date. Problems can arise, but the key to their successful resolution is communication. Keep me informed; avoid simply not showing up.

rewrites

You may only rewrite a paper if you received below a B. You must meet with me during my office hours before you turn in rewrites. The first two projects may be rewritten once each within the time period before the next project is due. The last paper obviously cannot be rewritten. The rewrite grade will be averaged with the first attempt. Keep in mind that a rewrite is a substantial reworking of the project, not just a correction of my markings. Turn in all rewrites with the original graded version.

disability

If you have a disability that requires special accommodations, please see me privately within the first week of class to make arrangements.

major campus emergency

In the event of a major campus emergency, course requirements, deadlines and grading percentages are subject to changes that may be necessitated by a revised semester calendar or other circumstances. Here are ways to get information about changes in this course: Blackboard Vista web page, my e-mail address (mccall0@purdue.edu), and my office phone (494-3784).

helpful websites

We will cover these and more in class, but here are a few to keep in mind through the semester as you are working on your projects:

• Purdue Writing Lab:

• Purdue OWL link on plagiarism with exercises:

• MLA Style Guide:

• Purdue Library Resources:

tentative schedule (may be adjusted as necessary)

Week 1 Jan.10-14

class Class introductions

Sample writing prompt and discussion

Introduction to Compose Design Advocate (CDA), 1-22

Writing Lab Tour

computer Literacy narratives

conference Introductions to conferences

Week 2 Jan.17-21

Monday, Jan. 17—Martin Luther King Jr. Day—No Class

class CDA, 320-26—Rhetorical Analysis

Thurs, Jan. 20: Project 1 Assignment

computer CDA, Ch. 9—Visual Modes of Communication

In-class work on color (276-77), pictures and captions (303-04)

conference Invention for Project 1

Week 3 Jan.24-28

class CDA, Ch.10—Analyzing Posters

Project 1 rubric

computer In-class work on war posters (in book) and posters/ads

conference Drafting and analysis for Project 1

Week 4 Jan.31-Feb.4

class Monday, Jan. 31: Project 1 Draft Due

Peer review

Analysis of sample student papers

computer CDA, Ch.1 and Ch.2

conference Revising Project 1

Week 5 Feb.7-11

class CDA, Ch.13—Analyzing Editorial and Op-ed pieces

In-class writing lessons and group work on editorials

computer Look at online editorials and blogs and examine for style, ethos, and argumentative strategies

conference Revising Project 1

Week 6 Feb.14-18

class CDA, Ch.6—Researching, 143-60, 173-74

Monday, Feb. 14: Project 1 Final Due

Project 2 Assignment with Design Plan

Thursday, Feb. 17: Project 2 Design Plan Due

computer Research strategies for the web (search engines/evaluating web sites)

In-class work on picking, narrowing, and researching a topic

Project 2 rubric

conference Invention for Project 2

Week 7 Feb.21-25

class CDA, Ch.7—About Written Modes of Communication

Monday, Feb. 21: Project 2 Draft Due

Peer review

Thank You for Smoking Part 1

computer In-class work on argumentative strategies and style

GASCAP/Rhetorical Fallacies

conference Drafting and revising for Project 2

Week 8 Feb.28-March 4

class CDA, 61-76—Composing, Purpose, Audience, Context

Thank You for Smoking Part 2

Thursday, March 3: Project 2 Final Due

Project 3 Assignment with Design Plan

computer In-class work on essay form and academic writing protocols

conference Drafting and revising for Project 2

Week 9 March 7-11

class CDA, Ch.14—Analyzing Essays

Review: Evaluating sources

Monday, March 7: Project 3 Design Plan Due

computer Incorporating graphics into formal writing

Discuss—protocols of formal writing and argumentation

conference Invention for Project 3

Week 10 March 14-18

Spring Vacation—No Class

Week 11 March 21-25

class Peer review

Project 3 rubric

computer Thursday, March 24: Project 3 Draft Due

Peer review

conference Revising Project 3

Week 12 March 28-April 1

class In-class work with advertisements

CDA, Ch.4—A More Complex Production

CDA, Chs. 9-10—review

computer Photoshop tutorial

Monday, March 28: Project 4 Assignment with Design Plan

conference Drafting and revising for Project 3

Week 13 April 4-8

April 6-8—No Classes/Conference (I will be in Atlanta for a conference)

class In-class work on advertising analysis

Sign up for presentations

Project 4 rubric

Monday, April 4: Project 4 Design Plan Due

conference Drafting and revising for Project 3

Week 14 April 11-15

class Work with online ads

Thursday, April 14: Project 3 Final due

computer In-class work with advertisements

conference Invention and discussion of design plans for Project 4

Week 15 April 18-April 22

class Work on style and ad copy

computer In-class work on Project 4

Thursday, April 21: Presentations begin

conference Drafting and revising for Project 4

Week 16 April 25-29

class Student Presentations and Audience Feedback

computer Student Presentations and Audience Feedback

conference Drafting and revising for Project 4

Final projects due Wednesday by 11:59pm of finals week, with accompanying self-reflexive essay

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