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Lane Community CollegeCollege Now; Siuslaw High SchoolSyllabus/Course Information Sheet

September, 2014-June, 2015

WR 115: English Composition: Introduction to College Writing

“Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man…” --Sir Francis Bacon“Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” --William Butler Yeats

Course: WR 121 Instructor: Neil WartnikMeeting Place: Mr. Wartnik’s room Office: Mr. Wartnik’s class roomMeeting Time: 3rd Period Phone: 541-997-5476 (W)Credits: ½ H.S. + 4 College 541-997-6197 (H)CRN: TBA Office Hours: M,Tu,W,F: 8:00-8:25Email: [email protected] M-F: 3:10-3:45 or by appt.

Course Prerequisite: Appropropriate scores on Lane’s Writing Placement or a passing grade (C- or better) in WR 093 or WR 095 or equivalent.

Required Texts: Selected readings to be distributed by the instructor. The majority will be taken from:

Kennedy, and Dorothy M. Kennedy. The Bedford Reader, 2nd ed. New York: St. Martin’s press, inc., 1985.

Sebranek, Meyer and Dave Kemper. Writers INC. Burlington, Wisconsin: Write Source

Educational Publishing House, 1992.

Shrodes, Fireston, Shugrue, and Fontaine Maury Belford. The Conscious Reader, 6th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1995.

Course Description:

This course is designed to introduce students to the conventions of college writing. As Lane’s course catalog puts it, WR 115 emphasizes the writing process of pre-drafting, composing, revising, and editing to help students express ideas clearly in logical and meaningful essays. WR 115 also helps students develop analytical skills so that they can become better ciritical

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thinkers, readers, and writers. Assignments and class discussions affirm the relevance of writing skill to students’ academic, occupational, public, and/or personal lives. Because this course serves as an introduction to college writing, skills essential for success in WR 121 will be introduced in WR 115. The course also fulfills some programs’ writing requirements at Lane.

Course Objectives:

The primary objective of this course is to prepare you to read and write effectively in WR 115 and beyond. We will practice reading and writing as ways of thinking and learning about the world and our place in it. Therefore, the course will introduce and begin to familiarize students with academic language through the reading of a range of texts, including some academic essays and literary texts. We will also practice reading and writing in small group workshops and perhaps individual conferences. Writing 115 requires that you write in the context of reading and that you write and re-write often.

This class will be organized based on classroom activities, which will include invention/generating, in-class individual and group writing, workshop activities, peer workshop/critique, writing on and discussion of assigned readings, reflection on your writing processes, and revision. As a group we will practice beginning to understand and assess writing—your own as well as others’—rhetorically.

Because this course also serves to prepare students for success in WR 121, it will introduce you to some of the conventions of academic writing, including: how to construct an argument; how to select and deploy evidence; how to shape and articulate your own ideas in relation to your reading; and how to revise your writing for effective organization, purposeful development of ideas, and critical perspective or insight. Writing 115 will also introduce you to textual quotation, paraphrase, signal phrasing, citation formats, and how to differentiate between your own prose and someone else’s words or ideas.

Course Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the course, you should be able to demonstrate the ability to:

A. Engage in and value a respectful and free exchange of ideas.

B. Think, read, and write critically: Use reading and writing for college-level inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating; Balance openness to

the ideas of others with a healthy skepticism and questioning attitude; Objectively summarize source material; Identify the thesis/purpose, sub-points, and means of support; Recognize how other writers and speakers adapt language for audience, situation, and purpose.

C. Assess and meet different writing situations: Recognize and use academic writing strategies appropriate to specific audiences and purposes; Select appropriate methods for developing ideas in paragraphs and essays, such as analysis, facts, explanations, examples, descriptions, quotations, and/or narratives; Adopt appropriate voice, tone, and level of formality.

D. Develop essays through a flexible writing process that proceeds through discovering ideas, planning, drafting, revising, and editing: Base each essay on a clearly stated or understood controlling idea or thesis; Write a well-focused and logically organized essay, one having an introduction, discussion, and conclusion in which the relationship of ideas to one another is clear; Weave a relevant quotation from source material into an essay; Support sub-points with examples and specifics; Work effectively with other writers to evaluate and revise essays constructively; Identify strengths and address weaknesses of one’s own and others’ work.

E. Observe most of the conventions of Edited Standard Written English (ESWE) and make effective stylistic choices as a writer: Express ideas carefully and coherently so that errors and problems of style do not obscure or detract from the writer’s meaning; Demonstrate basic competence with the standards of grammar, usage, and mechanics that is compatible with success in WR 121; Use MLA quoting conventions.

Course Requirements

Rough Drafts:Complete rough drafts of your major essays are due on the assigned

dates. It will detract from class motivation and your own growth as a writer if you do not bring complete drafts on the days we are scheduled to workshop them. Workshops cannot be “made up,” and missed workshops will receive zeroes in the grade book.

Informal Writings: Informal writings will include but are not limited to: Reader

Responses, Invention Exercises, Journal entries, Peer Responses, a variety of homework assignments (definitions, searches, reflections, etc), and all In-Class Writings (ICW). Often, I will provide you with a specific question or prompt as a starting point or entry into the writing. These informal writing activities allow you to explore the ideas you will be developing in your formal essays by providing a space for you to work through and record your evolving ideas, observations, and impressions. The plan is for this work to

provide you with some low-risk space for practicing a variety of rhetorical strategies. Informal writings are generally graded on a 10 point scale and cannot be “made up.” Missed informal writing assignments will receive a zero in the grade book.

Group Work:This term we will work to creat and sustain a community of co-

learners. Much class time will be spent working in small groups. You will share ideas and writing, discuss and debate different perspectives, and give and receive written and oral feedback on your writing. Group work allows a space where everyone can participate in and contribute to our ongoing conversation on writing and rhetoric.

Conferences:Each of you will be required to meet with me individually and/or in

groups at least two times this term to discuss your works in progress, your ideas, and the overall progression of your writing. Additional opportunities for conferencing will be provided as may become necessary throughout the term.

Pop Quizzes:Pop quizzes will be given on an as-needed basis.

Formal Writing Projects:In this course you will produce approximately 10 pages of revised

writing. All of our writing activities and discussions are designed to help you complete 3 major writing projects or essays over the course of the term. Writing multiple drafts of those essays will allow you to think, rethink, and develop a greater sense of rhetorical consciousness in your own work. We will work on assessing your own and each other’s writing throughout the term. Failure to turn in preliminary drafts will affect your grade. If you do not submit a preliminary draft of an essay, the “final” draft will not be accepted for evaluation. I also reserve the right to return, without credit, any draft that does not meet minimal requirements as outlined in your assignment handouts. The course is organized around the production of these essays, so it is NOT possible to pass the course unless you have written and revised all three.

Final Portfolios:The purpose of the final portfolio is to showcase some of your writing

for final evaluation. For the portfolio you will collect your coursework over the entire term. Between the middle and the end of the term, you will begin to select those pieces that you feel best represent you as a reader, writer, and thinker, and you will start to work on final revisions of those pieces for a course portfolio. In addition, you will compose a letter or introduction to the portfolio in which you critically reflect on the significance of your portfolio selections.

The body of your portfolio will contain the final drafts of your selected course material as well as a 2 to 3 page reflection explaining how your understanding and awareness as a writer has evolved over the term, as demonstrated by the work in your portfolio. (In other words, you will point to key places in your portfolio as proof or evidence to back up the claims you are making in your portfolio’s introduction). This work will constitute approximately 8-10 pages of polished writing. You will need to have completed all previous formal writing projects in a timely manner and in good faith to receive credit for the portfolio. The WR 115 portfolio will constitute 30% of your final course grade.

Course Policies

Assessment:In order to strengthen the writing programs at Lane Community

College, Writing faculty collect a range of sample student writing to be used strictly for program assessment and/or professional research related to the teaching of writing. Such documents may also be shared with writing instructors at other educational institutions for the purpose of professionalization and teacher training. Your L#, course CRN, and other personally identifying information are removed from all documents submitted for these purposes in order to ensure, within reasonable limits, that they remain anonymous.

Attendance: ATTENDANCE IS REQUIRED! Because the course is structured in

such a way that activities and assignments build upon activities conducted in previous classes, your presence is important to you and to fellow students. Excessive absences (more than 4 over the course of a term) will have a detrimental effect on your class participation grade as well as put you at a disadvantage when it comes to compiling the final portfolio. If you are aware of an upcoming event that will prevent you from attending class, let me know in advance so you can avoid falling behind. If you miss a class, you are responsible for finding out what you missed, including what was assigned or collected while you were absent.

Tardiness: Chronic tardiness will have the same result as excessive absences (see

above).

Course work: Major assignments are due on assigned dates (by the end of the day).

They must either be handed to the instructor or turned in to his box in the office. Process work, for instance drafts to be reviewed in class or reading notes, must be submitted in class the day due to receive credit.

Technology: We will follow the school policy. Laptops and other technology may

be used only with prior instructor permission.

Classroom Conduct: Any conduct which interferes with the progress of the class will be

addressed between the instructor and the student as necessary. This is a college course, and students will conduct themselves and treat others with respect. Repeat infractions may result in ejection from or failure of the course.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism (the undocumented use of someone else’s words or ideas,

professional or otherwise, in your writing) is illegal and if detected will result in disciplinary action including failure of the course and/or dismissal from the college.

Food and Bathroom Passes:No Messes! No Disruption! (Discreetly ask permission)

General grading policies:-All assignments are required course work and will factor into your final grade.-Your participation during class discussion and writing workshops will affect your course grade.-You must complete all formal essays to receive college credit.-Essays will be evaluated using rubrics that incorporate course outcomes.-To receive dual college credit you must meet prescribed benchmarks on the Accuplacer (Reading and Sentence Skills) test.

Grade distributionRough drafts: Formative

Assessment……………………………………………….. (30%)Formative Assessments: peer review: readings, discussions, and

assignments…………………………………………… (10%)

Final Drafts: summative Assessment………………………………………………... (60%)

Grade definitions:

“A” work demonstrations distinguished thinking throughout. The writing is articulate and insightful, revealing an advanced conception of the assignment.

“A” work is superior, not very good or above average. “A” work meets all basic requirements of any given assignment, and far exceeds expectations on every level.

“B” work is above average. It meets all the basic requirements and exceeds expectations by showing insight and excellence on several levels

“C” work is satisfactory and competently written; it meets all the basic requirements of any given assignment.

“D” work does not fully meet the basic requirements of a given assignment. It demonstrates difficulty with the development of ideas, organization, content, or coherence and/ or shows a general lack of understanding of the assignment.

“F” work does not meet assignment requirements on most levels. It shows an inability or unwillingness to complete basic tasks or to follow assignment instructions. Plagiarized work also falls into this category.

Parent(s):

If you would like to examine the WR 115/121/122 scope and sequence, you will find the document on my page of the school web site: www.siuslaw.k12.or.us , Neil Wartnik.

If you or your child have any questions or need assistance, I am available 7:45-8:20 most mornings and 3:10-4:00 most afternoons. During wrestling season I leave for practice by 3:30 most days, but can stay later if necessary. I truly enjoy getting to know the people I serve and doing all I can to make their experience positive. To contact me, you may call 541-997-3448 or email me at [email protected], and I will get back to you as promptly as possible.

Please print your full name(s) and your e-mail address.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Full Name(s):________________________________________________________

E-Mail Address:_______________________________________________________

Question/Comment:

We the undersigned fully understand the expectations of this course as outlined above. It is important to have an environment conducive to the educational process, and the expectations above are designed to help accomplish these educational goals.

X____________________________________________Date_______

Student signature

X____________________________________________Date_______

Parent(s) signature


http://www.siuslaw.k12.or.us/

Lane Community CollegeCollege Now; Siuslaw High SchoolSyllabus/Course Information Sheet

September, 2014-June, 2015

WR 121: English Composition: Introduction to Academic Writing and

Argument

“Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man…” --Sir Francis Bacon“Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” --William Butler Yeats

Course: WR 121 Instructor: Neil WartnikMeeting Place: Mr. Wartnik’s room Office: Mr. Wartnik’s class roomMeeting Time: 3rd Period Phone: 541-997-5476 (W)Credits: ½ H.S. + 4 College 541-997-6197 (H)CRN: TBA Office Hours: M,Tu,W,F: 8:00-8:25Email: [email protected] M-F: 3:10-3:45 or by appt.

Course description: Writing 121, introduces students to the conventions of academic writing. It emphasizes defining and developing a significant topic and using principles of clear thinking to support an assertive or argumentative thesis. Students will learn to consider subject matter, audience, purpose, and point-of-view in the planning of their papers, demonstrating proficiency through how they organize, develop and word their essays. Students will also analyze and evaluate other writers in compositions to sharpen their critical abilities as readers and writers. Finally, the course provides instruction in source analysis, documentation, and beginning research methods. It may be offered through distance learning.

Prerequisite: appropriate scores on Lane’s Writing Placement Test or passing grade (c-or better) in WR 115.


Required texts: selected readings to be distributed by the instructor. The majority will be taken from:

Kennedy, and Dorothy M. Kennedy. The Bedford Reader, 2nd ed. New York: St. Martin’s press, inc., 1985.

Shrodes, Fireston, Shugrue, and Fontaine Maury Belford. The Conscious Reader, 6th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1995.

Course objectives: According to Lane’s course catalog. [This course is focused on introducing] students to the conventions of academic writing. It emphasizes defining and developing a significant topic and using principles of clear thinking to support an assertive or argumentative thesis. Students will gain an understanding of their subject matter, audience, purpose, and point-of-view, and demonstrate that understanding through the organization and development of their essays. Students will learn how to analyze and evaluate other writers’ works to sharpen their critical abilities as readers and writers. The course also introduces students to skills in source analysis, documentation, and beginning research methods.

All reading and writing assignments will work toward these ends. Students will be challenged to develop critical reading skills which will facilitate their success in future academic and professional work. Thus they will be exposed to a variety of texts which will have greatly varied purposes, intended audiences, and subject matters. Students will learn to recognize these differences and explain them and their implications in writing. In addition, students will be part of a writing community, giving and receiving help throughout the writing process.

The class will be organized around the following activities:*Prewriting consisting of invention, generation and organization of ideas *Writing Workshop activities: peer review consisting of revision, editing, and proofreading*Analysis of readings which will include note taking, discussions, and composition*Assessment of writing—your own as well as others’*Metacognition: Reflecting on and evaluating your learning journey. As writing 121 is a bridge to future academic writing, students will be trained to enter the dialog of intelligent minds where significant ideas are studied, and critically evaluated. Students will learn to form arguments where they support or oppose the positions of others, using sound logic and reliable support. They will be introduced to techniques for evaluating sources and will be required to practice ethical use of source material, documenting within text as well as after. They will be trained to blend source material

into their writing and how to mark it to insure it is distinguished from their own.

Course outcomes:This course is foundational to success for most college students and is a precursor to WR 122--Argument, style, and research. Therefore by the course’s conclusion students should demonstrate the ability to:* Understand, evaluate, and give mature reactions to the ideas of others.* Interpret and assess a variety of texts, showing understanding of authors’ purposes given audience and situation.* Find, evaluate and synthesize source material for use in essays:

~Primary and Secondary~Types: Media-captured, electronic, live, and/or printed

* Apply the writing process with rhetorical maturity: ~developing writings with a point of view, tone, voice, and ethos appropriate to

purpose and audience. ~using development strategies for writings that vary in type, organization, and

tone~to develop and organize essays:

* Compose at least one argumentative essay, using elements of textual support: ~explanatory details, sensory and narrative detail, dialogue, examples,

illustrations, reasons, analogies, etc. * Use the library and internet resources responsibly and effectively: ~Databases ~Internet Search Engines ~Quote, paraphrase and summarize information in a way that preserves a

source’s meaning and voice and distinguishes it from the students’ own.* Apply the principles of edited standard written English (ESWE),

whether the work follows the conventions of MLA or APA style. ~format ~Grammar ~Citations Course requirements:*Rough Drafts: are due on the assigned dates. It will hinder class motivation and your own growth if you are not prepared for peer review. Workshops cannot be “made up,” and students who do not participate in a workshop will receive a zero (0) for the activity.

*Informal writings: will include responses to in-class readings, open-ended in-class writings, exercises, and journal writing. These informal writing activities allow you to explore, work through, and record your evolving ideas, observations, and impressions. They are preparatory to the composition of well conceived papers.

*Reading and note taking: the point of class readings is to expose you to thinking and composition of thinkers who have wrestled with the questions we will ponder this year. Note taking and paragraph responses will allow you to reflect on significant ideas and compare them to your own. They will also help you learn how to incorporate quotation, paraphrase, and summary of text in your exposition.

*Group work: peer review and reading groups are elemental to this course. You are expected to participate on a daily basis, articulating ideas, asking questions and considering those of others. This is essential to the composition of compelling essays and in-depth understanding of rhetorically complex readings. Participation grades will be based on your preparation and quality of involvement.

*Conferences: you will be required to meet with me at least two times during the session to discuss work in progress, course content, and your progress as a writer. You may set up additional meetings as desired.

*Pop quizzes & essays on demand: these will be used to keep the class focused and give me feedback on your progress.

*Formal writing projects: you will produce 16 to 20 pages of revised written work this semester. These writings will require you to reflect on life, what you have experienced and what you have observed. You will be required to reflect on what other people have to say--both from in-class readings and source materials you obtain through research. Every class activity will further your progress toward the composition of major essays, each with a minimum of two drafts and a final. Potential topics include:

“Disappointment” “At my House” “The Ideal Man/Woman/Person” “What Is a Family?” or “What Is Marriage?”

“Science and Technology” “Society”, “Punishment”, “Bondage”, “War” “These Things Give Me Hope” “The Effects of Technological Advancement”

“Comprehensive Essay”

~Assistance: if/when you are struggling with a writing assignment, visit during office hours. Do not take short cuts (Plagiarism is no solution.) and do not allow writer’s block to eat you up. Together, we can solve almost any problem.

*Comprehensive final exam at the end of the course you will be required to write a comprehensive final. This will be your opportunity to articulate what you have learned in this class. I expect you to grow as a writer this year, and the comprehensive will test your ability to reveal this growth-both through content and style.

Course policies:

Grammar: though not a point of emphasis in this class your work should be grammatically correct. If you realize you need intensive help with spelling, punctuation, and/or other technical/mechanical issues, make an appointment with me early in the term. I can point to resources that will help.

Attendance: attendance is required! Because the course is structured in such a way that activities and assignments build upon activities conducted in previous classes, your presence is important to you and to fellow students. Excessive absences (more than 4 over the course of a term) will directly affect your grade. If you are aware of an upcoming event that will prevent you from attending class, let me know in advance so you can avoid falling behind. If you miss a class, you are responsible for finding out what you missed, including what was assigned while you were absent.

Tardiness: chronic tardiness will have the same result as excessive absences (see above).

Course work: major assignments are due on assigned dates (by the end of the day). They must either be handed to the instructor or turned in to his box in the office. Process work, for instance drafts that will be revised in class on a given day or reading notes that will be analyzed in class, must be finished and brought to class that day to receive credit.

Technology: we will follow the school policy. Laptops and other technology may be used only with prior instructor permission.

Classroom conduct: any conduct which interferes with the progress of the class will be addressed between the instructor and the student when necessary. This is a college-level course, and it is expected each student will conduct themselves and treat others with respect. Repeat offenses may result in ejection from or failure of the course.

Plagiarism: plagiarism (the undocumented use of someone else’s words or ideas, professional or otherwise, in your writing) is illegal and if detected will result in disciplinary action including failure of the course and/or dismissal from the college.

General grading policies: All assignments are required course work and will factor into your final

grade. Your participation during class discussion and writing workshops will

affect your course grade. You must complete all formal essays to receive college credit. Essays will be evaluated using rubrics that incorporate course outcomes. To receive dual college credit you must meet prescribed benchmarks on

the Accuplacer Reading and Sentence Skills tests.

Grade distributionRough drafts: Formative Assessment……………………………………………….. (30%)Formative Assessments: peer review: readings, discussions, and

assignments…………………………………………… (10%)Final Drafts: summative Assessment………………………………………………... (60%)

Grade definitions:“A” work demonstrations distinguished thinking throughout. The writing is articulate and insightful, revealing an advanced conception of the assignment.“A” work is superior, not very good or above average. “A” work meets all basic requirements of any given assignment, and far exceeds expectations on every level.“B” work is above average. It meets all the basic requirements and exceeds expectations by showing insight and excellence on several levels“C” work is satisfactory and competently written; it meets all the basic requirements of any given assignment.“D” work does not fully meet the basic requirements of a given assignment. It demonstrates difficulty with the development of ideas, organization, content, or coherence and/ or shows a general lack of understanding of the assignment.“F” work does not meet assignment requirements on most levels. It shows an inability or unwillingness to complete basic tasks or to follow assignment instructions. Plagiarized work also falls into this category.

Parent(s):

If you would like to examine the WR 115/121 scope and sequence, you will find the document on my page of the school web site: www.siuslaw.k12.or.us , Neil Wartnik.

If you or your child have any questions or need assistance, I am available 7:45-8:20 most mornings and 3:10-4:00 most afternoons. During wrestling season I leave for practice by 3:30 most days, but can stay later if necessary. I truly enjoy getting to know the people I serve and doing all I can to make their experience positive. To contact me, you may call 541-997-3448 or email me at [email protected], and I will get back to you as promptly as possible.

Please print your full name(s) and your e-mail address.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Full Name(s):________________________________________________________

E-Mail Address:_______________________________________________________

Question/Comment:

We the undersigned fully understand the expectations of this course as outlined above. It is important to have an environment conducive to the educational process, and the expectations above are designed to help accomplish these educational goals.

X____________________________________________Date_______

Student signature

X____________________________________________Date_______

Parent(s) signature


http://www.siuslaw.k12.or.us/

WR 121 Course OutlineRevised October, 2011

Weeks 1 & 2:

Reading #1: “Think You’re Smart?”

INTRODUCTION: THREE AREAS OF FOCUS:(1) Writing: clarity, organization, and support(2) Close-Reading: Bloom’s Taxonomy(3) Speaking with skills to communicate thoughts

*Writing is a skill. Improvement is expected from theme to theme. Grading will be on an “increased scale”.

Essay 1: “My Experience with Learning and Growth” (Diagnostic)

Week 3 & 4:*6-sentence paragraph.

Reading #2: “How to Say Nothing in 500 Words”

Essay 2: “At My House”

Writing pointers: 1) Don’t use ‘you, your’ in themes2) Don’t quote dictionaries.

*Describe a house or home you had, have, or would like to have. Go beyond a mere physical description; capture the atmosphere, the vibe.

Purpose: Evaluation of individual writing level.

Three-part theme construction:Introduction: Hook the audiencePrepare the audiencePreview the essayMapping Sentence: state the thesis and three topics of Body:

Develop the thesis one topic at a time (TRIAC)Conclusion: Restate the thesis Summarize the body of your essayArticulate the significance; explain the importance of your analysisClose with a poignant uniting thought (Leave a gift)

Initial Points of emphasis1) Outlining the theme2) Transitions and unifying agents which unite the paper3) Not all errors will be marked; points to work on will be noted. Progression is the goal.4) Recognizing obstacles to progress: weekend activities, friends, family, other homework, ect. Don’t be naïve. Be proactive.5) Selection and narrowing of a topic (review three-part thesis sentences and theme). The technique for this paper is to choose a concrete concept that typifies the writer at the three parts of life, and then to provide specific details/ incidents that support and illustrate those concepts.

Weeks 5 & 6:Essay 3: “The View from 80” (p.147, the Bedford Reader, 2nd Ed.)

-Read the essay, not the preliminary comments, and write five reactions’ to it.

Essay 4: “Dear Scottie” (p. 147)Theme #3: “Who I Was, Who I am, and Who I Will Be” using an analogy to create

unity.

Analogies: Create focus when communicating ‘bulk’ material. They are used to make obscure (a fuzzy or blurry) topics relatable. For instance, some people may never have seen or used Carmex. They would have trouble understanding its distinctive traits. They would not know whether sharing Carmex is more like sharing white-out or a can of pop?

Analogies can be used to create a human connection to get on the same level--in much the same way as a shared experience.

*Analogies answer the Why questions:[Carmex: I wonder why she carries it. It’s such a little jar. Is the yellow deliberate? Does it work? The portable little jar sits on the desk holding a cure to lips’ ills. Does someone share Carmex, or does it have the understood quality of being a personal item, like a toothbrush?]

*Analogies help us communicate with someone not on the same level, either lower or higher:

--“it’s kind of like killing a mocking bird, isn’t it?”

Here Scout Finch is using an analogy to make sure her understanding is correct.

[Have students construct analogies of their own—after the instructor has given a couple examples.]

a. I feel like. . .b. My life is like. . . c. School is like. . .

1. Others?

Weeks 6 & 7:Essay 5: “Portrait of My Father”Essay 6: “If the River Was Whiskey” (p. 213)Theme #4: Research Essay: “The Ideal Man/Woman/Person”

Weeks 8-10:Essay 7: “Artificial Intelligence” (p.213)Essay 8: “Creationism Is Not Science”Essay 9: “Self Defense”In-class: Description of the thumb/nose…Theme 5: What is marriage? What is a family? What is the point of life?

Weeks 11-13:Essay 10: “A Small Place” (p.1133)

[After discussing, compare with Florence. Make a list of complaints that natives of Antigua seemed to have and a list Florence residents have. Compare the lists.Essay 11: “They Also Wait” (p. 132 of The Bedford reader)Essay 12: “The Company Man” (p.115)Essay 13: “Miss USA” (p. 425) [Students should realize that she was interviewed and this may not be word for word, but edited by the interviewer for clarity.]Impromptu Essay:Potential Topics: Success, Justice, or Freedom,

Points of Emphasis:1. Narrowing the topic2. Developing the thesis with strong illustrations and analysis3. Unity of thesis from Introduction to Conclusion.

Objective: Limiting a topic.

Week 14 -17:Essay 14: “My Lack of Gumption” (p. 54, by Russell Baker)Essay 15: “Goodbye kids, Mother’s Leaving Home” (p.205) By Thomas J. Cottle

Essay 16: “Uncivil-Anger- The cultural Rules of Anger” (p.1097)Essay 17: “Of cruelty and Clemency” (p.783, by Niccolo Machiavelli)Theme 6: Loneliness, Power, Society, or Anger (Reference three of the five readings:

Terkel, Baker, Cottle, Tavris, Machiavelli)

Review: transitions, unifying agents, analogies, choosing and narrowing a topic, use of examples, and elimination of padding. Understandability: Make abstract ideas attainable

Have a younger person read the paper and comment on its understandability.

Double-space rough drafts to provide room for revision notes.

Re: “Society” as a topic. When you communicate with people from a different strata of society, avoid bias. When readers perceive gross bias, their minds’ close.

Theme 7: “These Things Give me Hope” Note: Hope is an ‘energy’ that we get from something, not simply a want or a wish.

Week 18-20:Reading: “The Tale of Beren and Luthien”

Lane Community College WR 122—Argument, Style and Research“Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.” --Francis Bacon

“Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire.”--William Butler Yeats

Course: WR 122 Instructor: Neil WartnikMeeting Place: Mr. Wartnik’s room Office: Mr. Wartnik’s class roomMeeting Time: 3rd Period Phone: 541-997-5476 (W)Credits: ½ h.s. + 4 college 541-997-6197 (H)CRN: TBA Office Hours: M,Tu,W,F: 8:00-8:25Email: [email protected] M-F: 3:10-3:45 or by appt.

WR 122: English Composition: Style, Argument, and ResearchWhile continuing the concerns of WR 121, WR 122 focuses on persuasion and argument supported by external research. This includes the processes of finding and evaluating sources, citing, documenting, and integrating source material into the student’s own text, using argument as a means of inquiry as well as persuasion. Both subjects—argument and research—are presented in the context of critical reading and the writing of academic source materials.


Prerequisite: Appropriated scores on Lane’s Writing Placement Test or a passing grade (C- or better) in WR 121.

Course ObjectivesThis course is focused on teaching students how to effectively craft position papers (papers which justify an opinion). This skill is invaluable to those who will proceed to advanced academic coursework. Students will learn the terminology of argument: claim, support, warrant and related terms—both for the sake of analyzing the writings and speeches of others and the formation of their own. They will also develop a strong understanding of sufficiency of support, concession & rebuttal, and logical fallacies. This will enable them to evaluate the value of source materials which will enhance their ability to conduct research competently. Students will be trained to locate credible primary and secondary sources on the internet and databases as well as how to document these materials. Continuing the work of WR 121, students will be required to practice ethical use of source material, documenting within text as well as after. They will build on their ability to blend source material into their writing and mark cited text appropriately. With these skills, they will be able to write position papers that are balanced, perceptive, and coherent.

Class will be organized around the following activities:

*Prewriting consisting of invention, generation and organization of ideas*Workshop activities*Peer Review Sessions for revision, editing, and proofreading of student essays*Analysis of readings which will include note taking, discussions, and written reflections*Research*Assessment of writing—your own as well as others’*Metacognition

Course Outcome/Learning TargetsA. Engage in and value a respectful and free exchange of ideas.

B. Demonstrate critical thinking and reading skills:*Practice active reading of challenging colle-level texts;*Evaluate sources for adequacy, sound reasoning, and validity;*Distinguish between observation, fact, inference, etc.; understand

invalid evidence, bias, fallacies, and unfair emotional appeals; distinguish between objective and subjective approaches.

C. Make appropriate and effective rhetorical choices during all stages of the writing process: invention, drafting, revising, and editing:

*Write argumentative essays that present a clear thesis or claim that is arguable, unified, and sufficiently narrow;*Address issues of purpose and audience, including audiences beyond

the classroom;*Choose appropriate language (voice, tone, style, etc.) to persuade an informed and educated reader or to assert a position taken by a

writer.D. Exercise appropriate methods of development and support:

*Support conclusions with evidence by using appropriate outside sources;

*Select appropriate methods for developing ideas in paragraphs and essays, such as the use of analysis, facts, explanations, examples, descriptions, quotations, and synthesis of source material.

E. Demonstrate Successful use of the research process:*Use a library, online databases and the internet to locate information

and evidence;

*Integrate ideas and source material, being careful to differentiate between the source materials and the students’ ideas and carefully

credit sources and ideas;*Select and apply appropriate documentation style, using a handbook

or other documentation resources.

F. Effectively and correctly use accepted conventions and formatting:*Demonstrate the ability to use Edited Standard Written English

(ESWE) to address an academic audience;*Type and format final drafts with appropriate headings, titles,

spacing, margins, demonstrating an understanding of an appropriate documentation style;*Use the handbook or other resources for formatting, style, grammar,

and citation.

Required Text:Rottenberg, Annette, and Donna Winchell. Elements of Argument, 9th ed.,

Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2009 or 2010.Course Requirements

1. Rough Drafts of major essays are due at the beginning of class on workshop day. Workshops cannot be made up, and students who do not participate will receive zeroes.

2. Informal Writings: Informal writings include Reader Response Activities, Prewriting Exercises, Journaling, Peer Responses, and In-Class Writings. These informal writing activities will allow you to explore ideas you might develop into formal essays by providing a space for you to work through and record evolving ideas, observations, and impressions. They are preparatory to the composition of well-conceived papers. These writings will be graded on a 10 point scale.

3. Reading and Note taking: The point of text readings is to expose you to the thoughts and thought processes of effective arguers. Note taking will allow you to identify and reflect on significant ideas and techniques. These assignments will be graded on a ten point scale.

4. Group Work: Writing peer group circles and reading discussion groups are elemental to this course. You will be expected to participate actively on a daily basis, exchanging and discussing ideas with others. This is essential to the building of strong compositions and in-depth understanding of rhetorically complex readings. Grades will be based on preparedness and participation (Volunteering inputting and listening respectfully to the input of others.

5. Conferences: You will be required to meet with the instructor individually and/or in groups at least twice during the course to discuss topic selection, prewriting, works in progress, and the overall progression of your writing. You may always set up an appointment.

6. Pop Quizzes: These are used as necessary to keep the class focused.

7. Formal Writing Projects: You will produce 16-20 pages of revised written work this semester. These writings will require you to reflect on your own experience as well as what you have observed personally or from a distance. They will also require you to reflect on what others have to say—both from readings studied in the text and source material you will locate through research. Every class activity will further your progress toward the semester goal of completing 4 major writing assignments (one definition essay, one claim of fact, one claim of value, and one claim of policy), each one with at least two drafts in addition to the final. The longest composition will be a minimum of 1500 words. Unless two completed rough drafts have been reviewed by a minimum of two peers and/or the instructor, the Final Draft is not Final. ()Assistance: in the event that you are struggling with a writing assignment, visit during office hours. Do not take short cuts;

plagiarism is no solution. Together, we can solve any problem you have in this class.

9. Comprehensive Final Exam: At the end of the course you will be required to write a comprehensive final. This will be your opportunity to articulate what you have learned through your studies in WR 122 and how you have been affected as a thinker and writer.Course Policies:Grammar: Though not a point of emphasis in this class, it is expected that your compositions will be grammatically correct. If you know need intensive help with spelling, punctuation, and/or other conventions of Standard Written English, make an appointment with me early in the term. I can point you to helpful resources.

Attendance: Attendance is required! Due to the organizational structure of the course in which classroom activities and assignments build upon previous classes and impact future learning, your daily attendance is vitally important. More than 5 absences during the course may result in a lower grade, or potentially loss of credit.

When aware that an upcoming event will prevent you from attending class, check with the instructor in advance to get assignments. When you miss class, you are responsible for obtaining and completing missed assignments.

Tardiness: The school policy will be enforced. Excessive tardies will affect your grade.

Course Work: Major assignments are due on assigned dates (by the end of the day). They must either be handed to the instructor in the classroom or placed in his school mailbox. Process work, for instance drafts that will be revised in class on a given day or reading notes that will be analyzed in class, must be finished and brought to class that day to receive full credit. In some cases late work will not be accepted, and will receive a zero (Some assignments may receive reduced or no credit if submitted after the due date. Also, students who are chronically late with work will lose credit). Whenever you are struggling with an assignment, stop by during office hours. Together we can solve almost any problem.

Technology: We will follow the school policy. At times I allow students to take notes on their laptops. If you have a valid need, I am willing to make an accommodation. Communicate your concerns.

Classroom Conduct:

This is a college course. No behavior that interferes with the progress of the course will be tolerated. Come prepared each day to add meaningfully. Listen politely to the ideas of others—even if you hold a very different opinion. Respond to differing points of view respectfully. What you say (or don’t say) and how you say it are important. Remember, people are precious, and they should not be denigrated even when their ideas seem don’t make sense. Class is a place to grow as readers, writers, thinkers, and people.

Plagiarism: The undocumented use of someone else’s words or ideas, professional or otherwise, in composition is illegal and could result in loss of credit (for assignments or the course). As some of you do not understand the concept, it will be addressed in this class.

General grading policies: All assignments are required course work and will factor into your final

grade. Your participation during class discussion and writing workshops will

affect your course grade. You must complete all formal essays to receive college credit. Essays will be evaluated using rubrics that incorporate course outcomes. To receive dual college credit you must meet prescribed benchmarks on

the Accuplacer Reading and Sentence Skills tests.

Grade Distribution:Formative Assessment & Literary Analysis……………………………………….. (20%)Formative Assignments: peer review: readings, discussions, and

assignments…………………………………………… (20%)Final Drafts: summative Assessment………………………………………………... (60%)Grade definitions:“A” work demonstrates distinguished thinking throughout. The writing is articulate and insightful, revealing an advanced conception of the assignment.“A” work is superior, not very good or above average. “A” work meets all basic requirements of any given assignment, and far exceeds expectations on every level.“B” work is above average. It meets all the basic requirements and exceeds expectations by showing insight and excellence on several levels“C” work is satisfactory and competently written; it meets all the basic requirements of any given assignment.“D” work does not fully meet the basic requirements of a given assignment. It demonstrates difficulty with the development of ideas, organization,

content, or coherence and/ or shows a general lack of understanding of the assignment.“F” work does not meet assignment requirements on most levels. It shows an inability or unwillingness to complete basic tasks or to follow assignment instructions. Plagiarized work also falls into this category.

WR 122 Course TimelineRevised October, 2014

Essay Progression:

1. “Beren & Luthien” Position Essay (Due Week 21)2. “What Is Marriage?”/”What is Family?” Definition Essay (Weeks 25, 26)3. Claim of Fact Essay (Due April 30)4. Claim of Value Essay (Due May 17)5. Claim of Policy Essay (Due June 3)

Course Content Progression: From Elements of Argument

Week 21: Understanding Argument + Understanding the Structure of Argument (1)

Week 22: Reading and Listening Critically (31)

Week 23: Reading Visual Texts Critically (61)

Week 24: Writing about Argument (80)

Week 25: Defining Key Terms (122)

Week 26: Planning and Researching an Argumentative Paper (431)

Week 27: Writing an Argumentative Paper (474)

Week 28: Defending Claims (157)

Week 29: Providing Support (211)

Week 30: Analyzing Warrants (272)

Week 29: Avoiding Flawed Logic (322)

Week 30: Choosing Fair and Precise Language (367)

Week 32: Presenting an Argument Orally (514)

Weeks 33-36: Multiple Viewpoints (Select one of the topics: 533-798):~Claim of Policy

· Web viewSyllabus/Course Information Sheet . September, 2014-June, 2015. WR 121 ......

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