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College of Arts and Sciences

Seton Hall University.     Department of English.

  English 1201

Course Assignments:

Exploratory Essay
    for students
    for instructors

Analytical Essay I
    for students
    for instructors

Analytical Essay II
    for students
    for instructors

Persuasive Essay
    for students
    for instructors

Research Essay
    for students
    for instructors

 

 
 
 
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English Department Syllabus
College English I, 2002 - 2003

 

 

 
  The department syllabus is designed to help instructors put together their own syllabi for ENGL 1201, College English I. It includes specific guidelines for teaching the course, entrance requirements, a model course, and suggested assignments. This year's general syllabus is now on-line and interactive and can be used as a template for making the class syllabus computerized. Since most Freshman English (1201 and basic skills) classes are mobile sections, faculty teaching these courses are expected to integrate technology appropriately into their lesson plans. To facilitate this process, the general syllabus has been created in Blackboard, a program accessible through the internet, so it can function as both a model and a guide for creating an on-line course and syllabus. It will also include sample "hot links" to other computer functions, such as certain internet sites or the OWL (on-line writing lab) at SHU or at another campus. Instructors may incorporate these into the syllabus using the template or use the suggested sites as examples and include other sites and links that are appropriate.

ENGL 1201-0160

ENGL 1201-0160 functions as an intensive version of ENGL 1201. The requirements are exactly the same except for the number of class meetings and Writing Center visits. The main difference lies almost entirely in the amount of time that students have to master the material. They meet 300 minutes per week instead of 150. Thus there is the opportunity for far more in-class work and discussion. Students can begin assignments in class so that they can raise questions then instead of at midnight. Essays can be discussed more thoroughly and there will be time for more intensive reading and writing instruction. Shorter, more informal writing assignments can help students come up with ideas for essays. Problems noticed in a morning session can be attacked in greater depth in the afternoon session. For all these strategies, the freshman writing website is a resource for the kinds of intensive work with reading and writing that can be planned in this course.

Entrance Requirements For College English I (ENGL 1201)
Students who have received a passing score on the Seton Hall University College English Placement Test or have successfully completed ENGL 0100 or 0150ESL are eligible for ENGL 1201. Instructors will be given a list of the students who have not passed these basic skills courses or who have placed into 1201-0160, the course for almost all students who have not passed the English Placement Test. If such a student appears in class, he or she must be sent immediately to the chairperson of the department, Dr. Martha Carpentier, Fahy 362, for reassignment. Direct any students who have not taken the Placement Test to Freshman Studies in Mooney Hall or to the Director of Basic Skills, Dr. Ed Jones, to take it. No one may be enrolled in an English class without department placement. This is each instructor's responsibility to oversee.

Introduction
ENGL 1201 College English I and ENGL 1201-0160 are Freshman Courses the writing and reading processes of expository and persuasive rhetoric/argument, in addition to an EXPLORATORY ESSAY (to be completed during the first week of the term and not formally graded). In addition to strong ideas and organization, these papers should also demonstrate the students' understanding of sound grammar, mechanics, and vocabulary. Prewriting and rewriting techniques stress as necessary to all papers the importance of gathering, organizing, clarifying, shaping, drafting, and revising material as necessary to all papers. ENGL 1201 requires students to write short, well-developed papers; ENGL 1202 requires them to write longer, research-based papers. The readings from the ENGL 1201 textbook are models the students will use in developing their own papers. College English I readings are primarily essays. College English II introduces the short story, poetry, and drama.

General Assignments
Writing assignments will emphasize sound principles of English. To this end, students will be taught how to use the steps of the writing process—prewriting, outlining, drafting, and revision-- to develop their ideas. To prepare students for college-level writing, they are required to use their reading as the basis for their writing assignments in ENGL 1201. Paper topics should be directly related to the essays students have read for class in The Presence of Others. When papers are due, you must collect all phases of the process: prewriting, outlines, drafts, and the final paper. Doing this will encourage students to work thoughtfully through each stage of the process and helps them avoid the temptation of plagiarism.

Instructors are required to collect a complete draft of each essay and return it with comments for the purpose of revision. Students will thus produce at least 10 extended pieces of writing during the semester.

All essay assignments should emphasize ideas as central to good writing. Students will be required to learn and use five patterns of organization throughout the semester (Definition, Process Analysis, Cause and Effect, Division and Classification, Comparison and Contrast), thereby acquiring a variety of techniques for developing their ideas and arguments. They will also be required to learn and use other writing concepts (Audience, Tone and Stance, Logical Fallacies, Logic and Metaphor, Bias in Language) incrementally throughout the semester.
.
The Presence of Others should be the focus of class discussions and journal assignments. Paper topics should also emanate from the readings. Have students read at least four of the text essays for each writing assignment. While The Presence of Others may occasionally be supplemented with other materials, the text should be the major source for assigned readings. N.B. This is not a literature course. Do not assign readings in fiction, poetry, or drama, even if they are included in the text.
The Bedford Handbook should be used to supplement The Presence of Others to guide the students toward sound writing and to strengthen individual skills. Part I in the Handbook, "Composing and Revising," should be studied along with prewriting skills in the first few weeks of the semester. From that point students should be instructed to use the Handbook as problems arise on an individual or group basis.

Diagnostic Essay
At the first class meeting, students must write an essay in class to be used for diagnostic purposes. The instructor should comment at length on these essays and return them as soon as possible. This gives the instructor and the students an opportunity to assess strengths and weaknesses and plan accordingly. Topics will be distributed in instructor's mailboxes prior to the first day of class.

First Writing Assignment
In order to provide a context for the teaching of the writing process, instructors are asked to have students produce a short essay prototype, practicing the techniques of the writing process: prewriting, outlining, drafting, revising, and (if the instructor chooses) peer review. This should not be a graded essay but rather one used primarily for diagnostic purposes; however, it should be returned with extensive instructor comments. Instructors can choose to indicate what grade the essay and preliminary "steps" would have received for sample purposes.

In-Class Essay
Because students receive tutoring and other outside assistance, it is sometimes difficult to determine exactly what progress they are making. Thus, each instructor is required to administer an in-class writing assignment at the mid-term in order to get a first-hand sample of students' writing. This can also be used as a follow-up diagnostic to assess continuing needs and problem areas. The in-class essay should be scheduled into the syllabus from the outset.

Conferencing
All instructors in 1201 and 1202 are required to hold individual conferences with each student at the time the first formal writing assignment is returned (this should be no later than the end of the third week of the semester in 1201). We strongly encourage a similar conference be scheduled at the mid-term to discuss students' progress in the course, in addition to frequent meetings with students outside of class throughout the semester

Attendance Policy
The English Department has approved an attendance policy for all composition classes. Instructors must support this policy. The most practical way to do this is to treat the class as a workshop in which students are responsible for at least one piece of writing for each class session; (this will put the emphasis on work missed rather on a lack of attendance). In-class writing assignments might take any of the following forms: journal entry, quiz, peer review, response to prompt either before or after in-class discussion/ activity, evaluation, written practice of a required rhetorical/research/ grammatical concept.

Please include the following statement on your course syllabus:
College English I is a writing workshop, which means that the work we do in class is an essential component of the course. This includes in-class writing assignments, quizzes, note-taking, peer review, and group work. Students with more than 6 absences, either excused or unexcused (FOUR ABSENCES FOR CLASSES THAT MEET TWICE A WEEK), will have failed to complete a substantial number of these writing assignments, and will therefore be unable to pass College English I. Linked 1201 sections will have a limit of EIGHT absences.

An "excused" absence is one documented by either the Athletic Department or the Dean for Community Development, Dawn Williams. Instructors should not accept doctor's notes as proof of excused absences. Please advise freshmen with significant medical or family problems to speak with their mentor and/or someone in Dean Williams' office, x9076, to obtain assistance and official excuses for these absences.
Occasionally a student will have a legitimate reason for being absent more than six times (or four or eight, as listed above, depending on the number of class meetings)—usually medical, sometimes athletic. These excused absences should be documented by either the Athletic Department or the Dean for Community Development, Dawn Williams. If the absences do not extend much past the limit (6, 4, 8) and the student consistently takes responsibility for these absences, exceptions may be made to the absence policy. However, if you are considering passing anyone else who has more than 6 (or 4 or 8, depending on the number of meetings) absences, you must speak to the Director of Freshman English or, in the case of 1201-0160, the Director of Basic Skills.


Journals
Journals (or other kinds of informal writing) are regarded as basic to any writing course. Require students to use them to record academic responses to the readings and other assigned work. Some instructors assign a journal entry for each essay read, including commentary about the essay and reactions to the rhetorical pattern. Students can also use their journals to expand upon a point brought up in class or to develop potential topics for future papers. The journal should not be a personal diary but rather an extension of the course work. Specify the criteria for an acceptable journal assignment (purpose, length, format) on the syllabus. Periodically check the journals. This can be done by having students indicate several selections to be read in full and checking the rest for degree of completeness. Most instructors collect journals two or three times during the semester. Assess the journal and include it in the calculations for the final grade. Students can post their journals in Blackboard's discussion area. If having students submit the journal on disk, be sure to check for viruses using the anti-virus program on the lap top before opening any files. Some faculty use other forms of informal writing instead of the journal. Others use both. The key thing is to make sure that your students have plenty of opportunity to informal and ungraded (in the formal sense) work.

Quizzes
Some form of quizzing or in-class writing about reading assignments is strongly encouraged in ENGL 1201 for a variety of reasons:

  • to encourage students to attend class
  • to make sure students read the assignments and do so critically and analytically
  • to encourage to students to participate thoughtfully in class

Grammar
While some instructors like to set aside regular class time for grammar instruction/practice/review, others prefer a holistic approach, allowing such work to be determined by the types of errors students make in their papers. The approach depends on both the instructor and the needs of the particular class. In either case, it is important that students use the Handbook throughout the semester. They should be directed to specific pages and chapters for additional help with mechanical, grammatical, or other problems.

Research
Students are introduced to the basic elements and methods of research and the MLA style of documentation and formatting in ENGL 1201, which will prepare them for longer papers in ENGL 1202. This preparation should include, above all, critical analysis of texts and evidence the ability to link texts in a coherent and meaningful way. Research skills should also include the following:

  • library research
  • use of primary and secondary texts from a variety of sources
  • note-taking *
  • formal outlining (with stated thesis)
  • direct quotation, paraphrasing, summarizing, blocking a quotation
  • in-text citation formal
  • Works Cited format
  • Searching the internet and selected computer databases.

The English Department requires that students be taught the use of the MLA format for all papers. This includes such elements as the heading, title, margins, and pagination. This information is available in the Handbook.

*To date, the department policy has been to teach students the note card method of taking notes (see Handbook), using only exact quotations. However, since photocopy machines and computers are changing the way researchers work, we allow for the fact that some instructors will use a variation of the note card system. In any case, please be sure that your students are culling targeted references from their sources and not just using highlighted, disorganized photocopies.

The reasoning behind using note cards is as follows:

  • note cards encourage students to take notes more selectively and carefully than simply highlighting a photocopy
  • note cards can be organized for submission with the paper
  • the note card format encourages clear documentation .

However, students may also achieve the same results by taking notes on their lap tops. Some instructors allow a combination of note cards (some of which contain observations/ research questions, not just notes) and photocopies. Whichever technique is used, the aim should be as follows:

  • to teach students how to think about and collect information in a careful way
  • to teach students how to document that information
  • to teach students how to take notes that are cumulative and proceed from broad coverage to depth of coverage on a topic.

Because paraphrasing and summarizing are skills students are expected to master—and these can only be checked for accuracy if the original wording is available to the instructor—students should be asked to use only exact quotations when they take their notes, whatever the format.

Portfolios
Writing portfolios – usually containing examples of various kinds of writing as well as all of the writing and related draft work --can be used to evaluate student progress over the course of a semester. It also helps students keep their work organized, which is a very important lesson for every college student. This technique is optional.

Meta-writing
Meta-writing is a technique whereby students analyze and write about their own writing in order to identify problems they are having during the composing process. Try this early in the semester for the most effective results. It can be as directed or undirected as the instructor likes. This technique can be used as a regular part of the writing process or as a tool to help students evaluate their progress at various stages of the course.

Peer Review

Peer review should be a part of every writing class. Students can exchange papers in class, working in pairs or small groups. They can also work at home, using Blackboard, and commenting on each other’s drafts. The entire class might be assigned a particular student’s essay for a group workshop. There are many ways of incorporating peer review into your class. It is helpful to give students some guiding questions for peer review. It is also helpful to have them write (or type on Blackboard) their comments and to require that these comments be handed in. If you have any questions about how to use peer review in your classes, please contact the Director of Freshman English or the Director of Basic Skills.

Library Orientation
College English I instructors are required to arrange for two library sessions for their students. The first should be a basic introduction, held in the classroom, with the librarian coming to your class. The second should involve a specific assignment, with the students going to the library. It should go beyond the general library tour students are given in Freshman Orientation and familiarize them with the search and research procedures necessary for college papers. The assignment for the orientation should be directly related to a paper the students are or will be writing in ENGL 1201. Orientations can be scheduled by completing the application available on-line through the library's home page, which can be accessed through the University's home page at. The orientation should be scheduled prior to or during Unit 5 on the syllabus below. Please contact the librarian scheduled to do your class's orientation to discuss your plans for the orientation and send a copy of your students' library assignment at least one week before the session. Direct questions about your orientation to Dr. Anthony Lee, Walsh Library.

Exams
All instructors are required by the University to give a final exam. This must be administered during the scheduled exam period for the course; it may not be administered during a regular class session. The exam schedule can be found in the course catalog each semester. It is also made available around campus several weeks prior to exam week. All composition instructors are required to submit a copy of their final exam to Dr. Nancy Enright, the Director of Freshman English, at least one week prior to the date on which it will be administered. Most instructors do not give a mid-term examination in College English I. The required in-class essay can serve the same purpose and give an indication of students' progress in the course. See the section above for more on this requirement.

Grading
Since ENGL 1201 is a writing course, the majority of the final grade should be based on the five final papers the students produce. A typical breakdown might look as follows:

Final Papers: 50% [Some instructors prefer to weigh the later papers more heavily
due to their length and level of difficulty.]

Segments of papers (prewriting, outline, draft): 10%

Attendance (and participation (the latter includes participation in writing assignments in class): 15 %

Writing Center: 5% (or some other specific way of counting it)

Journal: 10%

Final exam: 10% (this is a formality and should not be an excessive percentage of the final grade)

Course Evaluations
There are three types of course evaluations administered by the English Department. The first is a University evaluation. Instructors will receive this at least one week before the end of the semester. Instructions for administering this evaluation will be included. Instructors are also required to have students complete the departmental evaluation form. This will also be available at least one week before the end of the semester from the Department secretary, Ms. Rebecca Warren. Instructors should leave copies of the evaluations from College English I classes in the Director's mailbox by the end of exam week. After they have been reviewed, they will be added to the instructor's departmental file. Finally, instructors are asked to administer a Writing Center evaluation to those students who availed themselves of this service. These will be reviewed by the Writing Center staff to improve services.

Observations
Graduate, adjunct, term-contract, and tenure-track instructors are observed at least once during the academic year by a full-time faculty member. Additional observations may be conducted on an as-needed basis. These observations are scheduled by the Director of Freshman English or, for instructors of 1201-0160, the Director of Basic Skills. TAs are observed once each semester by the Director. After the observation, instructors receive a written evaluation of their performance. It is strongly advised that instructors meet with the observing faculty member prior to the class to discuss the lesson plan, objectives, and strategies to be used. The instructor should also be provided with any materials necessary for making an informed evaluation. TAs are required to submit a written lesson plan at least three days prior to their observation.

Mobile Computing
Seton Hall University has made a commitment to a mobile computing initiative. As a result, incoming freshmen are equipped with laptop computers and instructors are expected to incorporate elements of information technology (IT) into their courses. This can mean e-mail, chat rooms, supplementing regular office hours with an on-line hour, and requiring web searches. The CTC offers training and support for Blackboard, the program adapted for all English courses.

Use of technology in class requires vigilance. You must be aware at all times of what your students are doing. This means walking around the room, having students close laptops when they are not specifically in use, and giving students specific assignments and deadlines. Students should not be checking e-mail, instant-messaging, participating in a chat room, or surfing the net while the rest of the class is otherwise engaged. SoftwareSecure, a software program available to SHU faculty and students, can help minimize these distractions and can be installed on your laptop if you plan to use the technology extensively in the classroom. Please see Dr. Kelly Shea, who is familiar with SoftwareSecure, for further information on this tool.

The Writing Center
Staffed with English faculty, peer tutors, graduate students, and professional adjuncts, the Writing Center is an important resource for all writers on campus. The Writing Center is. It is located in Fahy 251, on the second floor, across from the Language Lab and next to the Fahy Public Lab. Undergraduate, graduate, and faculty tutors are available, at no cost, to help students in prewriting, writing, and revising their papers on an individual and small-group basis. Although drop-ins can be accommodated, students are encouraged to make appointments to guarantee that tutors will be available.

Students in ENGL 1201 and ENGL 1202 are required to attend four tutoring sessions during the semester, preferably one per month. Students in ENGL 1201-0160 are required to attend six tutoring session in addition to their weekly in-class tutoring sessions. However, instructors may also reduce (to no fewer than three) or increase (to no more than 10) the number of sessions a student attends based on writing submitted for the course. This decision should not be made before the first formal writing assignment is submitted and graded. English 1201 and 1202 students will make their own appointments directly with the Writing Center. For students in linked classes, the tutor visits and the Writing Center sessions will be scheduled during the first two weeks of classes, but 1201/0160/0180 instructors will need to build this regular, once-per-week tutor visit into their syllabi. Obviously, this will be the time to schedule workshops of drafts, peer critique, group work on readings, or other in-class activities that would benefit from more than one person walking around assisting students.

After each Writing Center visit, instructors will receive a brief report on each session from the tutor. Some students are required to attend tutoring on a weekly or twice-weekly basis as a condition of their passing from basic skills courses into ENGL 1201. Instructors will receive a list of these students from the Director of Basic Skills, Dr. Ed Jones. Notify students that they must fulfill this requirement or their final grade for College English I will be lowered. Instructors must include the Writing Center requirement in their grading formula (at least 5% or something equivalent).

The SHU OWL (On-line Writing Lab) is also available to assist students, faculty, and staff. However, this may not be used as a substitute for the required sessions for ENGL 1201 or ENGL 1202 students. They must attend the Writing Center in person to fulfill the course requirement. The OWL is located at http://academic.shu.edu/owl/ , which is found on the Writing Center home page, http://artsci.shu.edu/english/wc/. The Writing Center is open Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and, on an as-needed basis, Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Call ext. 7501 or 2183 for more information and to make an appointment.

Poetry-in-The-Round
Seton Hall is fortunate to sponsor Poetry-in-the-Round, currently directed by Dr. Jeff Gray of the English Department. In the past, readings have been given by the late James Merrill, Geoffrey Hilll, Thylias Moss, Joyce Carol Oates, Gwendolyn Brooks, Adrienne Rich, and many others. Students should be strongly encouraged to attend one of these readings since Poetry-in-the-Round offers cultural experiences that can enhance their studies. In 1201 students might be required to write an essay about their experience at a poetry reading for extra credit. Such an assignment may not substitute for the regular, required papers in the course. Each year's schedule of poets and authors is posted in the fall. Upcoming events will also be posted.

Office Hours
All instructors at the university are required to keep at least one office hour for each course they teach. These should be scheduled at reasonable times, and must be listed on the syllabus.
During the first week of each semester, the Department secretary will ask each instructor to fill out a form so hours can be posted for student reference.

Syllabus Approval
All ENGL 1201 instructors must give the Director of Freshman English a copy of their syllabus and have it approved before the semester begins. All ENGL 1201-0160 instructors must give the Director of Basic Skills a copy of their syllabus and have it approved before the semester begins. The syllabus should indicate all major assignments and their due dates, readings, and other requirements of the course. A weekly guideline (or possibly daily) should indicate clearly to students what they are to expect in the course. Grading standards and percentages should be clearly indicated. TAs should do so by the specified date; all other instructors should do so at least one week prior to the start of the semester. Although changes to accommodate individual classes are expected, the University requires that each faculty member distribute a syllabus during the first week of classes. In addition, copies of the English Department's policy on plagiarism and cheating must be distributed with the syllabus and discussed in class. These are available through the department secretary.


Note: During the course of the semester, teaching assistants must also provide Dr. Nancy Enright, Director of Freshman English, with a copy of all hand-outs – whether assignments, tests, quizzes, or informational hand-outs – before distributing them in class. This requirement also applies to electronic handouts, which should be e-mailed or printed out. Materials, in whatever form, must be submitted at least three days prior to their intended distribution date in order to provide adequate time for review.

Syllabus Template for College English I

The premise for the course outlined below is that argument is central to good writing. The various modes should be the emphasis of writing assignments rather than subjects in and of themselves. Throughout the semester, the following concepts—each of which is discussed in the Reader and Handbook-- should be addressed on a regular basis:

idea as central to good writing
·     thinking critically and analytically about writing, whether one's own or others'
·    audience and tone
·    types of argument--appeal to intelligence/ reason (logos), appeal to the emotions(pathos), and appeal to ethics (ethos)--and their uses.
·     logical development of ideas
·    avoiding biased language

Please check the University's syllabus guidelines at the end of this document for specific information to be included in your final syllabus.

College English I – General Syllabus

Week I: Introduction; diagnostic essay (see page 2 of this document); syllabus review; discuss Writing Center requirement (see page 8 of this document).

Week II: Reading and Thinking Critically – Chapter I, The Presence of Others
From Reading to Writing – Chapter II, The Presence of Others
Handbook: "The Writing Process," "Grammar Basics"
Goal: Students will produce a short essay prototype, practicing the techniques of the writing process: prewriting, outlining, drafting, revising, and (if the instructor chooses) peer review. This should be not be a graded essay but rather one used primarily for diagnostic purposes; however, it should be returned with extensive instructor comments. Instructors might choose to indicate what grade the essay and preliminary "steps" would have received for sample purposes. Instructors should also introduce the rhetorical modes in a general way and explain that a different mode will be the focus of writing and discussion for each unit, along with a research and stylistic concept.

Weeks III: Exploratory Essay (Ungraded)
Goal: Students will consider an issue based on their reading, as well as their own
experiences. The purpose of this assignment is to encourage students to think about an issue, to integrate their own experiences with their reading, and to develop an idea about that issue. To do this they must evidence the ability to think critically about texts, to link ideas found in outside sources together and with their own ideas, and to incorporate material from one of the unit essays to support and/or connect with their ideas .

Requirements for Exploratory Essay:
Read at least two essays in the unit
Paper: 2-3 pages, with 12 pt. font (at least 500 words)

Rhetorical concept/ Developmental strategy: (to be determined by instructor – see list below)
Stylistic concept: (to be determined by instructor – see list below)
Research concepts: Incorporation of quotations; in-text citations and Works Cited (MLA format)Grammar concepts: (to be determined by instructor)
All 1201 students should have attended first Writing Center session.

Weeks IV and V: Analytical Essay I
Goal: Students will examine a visual text, interpret its meaning, and develop an argument in which their ideas about the image are developed by serious examination of ideas about images in one or more of the essays they have read. The purpose of this assignment is to further develop students' analytical skills by considering different types of texts in conjunction.

Requirements for Analytical Essay I:
Read at least four essays or 20 pages in the unit
Paper: 2-3 pages (500-750 words)
Rhetorical concept/ Developmental strategy: (to be determined by instructor – see list below)
Stylistic concept: (to be determined by instructor – see list below)
Research concept: Note taking; further practice in all previous techniques
Grammar concepts: (to be determined by instructor)

Weeks VI, VII, and VIII: Analytical Essay II
Goal: Students will closely analyze a text, consider the relationship between what is said (the argument being made/ the thesis) and how it is said (rhetorical strategy, tone and stance, audience, language), evaluate the value of the ideas, and develop an argument about the relationship of content to form based on this judgment. The purpose of this assignment is for students to further develop their reading and analytical skills and to construct an argument based on their observations.
1201 students should have attended second Writing Center session; 1201/0160/0180 students should have attended second and third Writing Center sessions.

Requirements for Analytical Essay II:
Read at least four essays or 20 pages in the unit
Paper: 2-3 pages (500-750 words)
Rhetorical concept/ Developmental strategy: (to be determined by instructor – see list below)
Stylistic concept: (to be determined by instructor – see list below)
Research concept: Paraphrasing and summarizing; further practice in all previous techniques
Grammar concepts: (to be determined by instructor)

Weeks IX, X, and XI: Persuasive Essay
Goal: Students will write a paper taking a position on an issue, with the focus on developing a persuasive argument. They must use at least two of the text essays to support their position. The purpose of this assignment is to develop students' ability to construct a convincing argument and use textual material in support of that argument.

Part of this process should include the consideration of a perspective (or perspectives) different from the student’s own.

1201 students should have attended third Writing Center session. 1201/0160/0180 students should have attended fourth and/or fifth Writing Center sessions.
Requirements for Persuasive Essay:
Read at least four essays or 20 pages in the unit
Paper: 3-5 pages (750-1250 words)
Rhetorical concept/ Developmental strategy: (to be determined by instructor – see list below)
Stylistic concept: (to be determined by instructor – see list below)
Research concept: Analyzing and evaluating web sites; further practice in all previous techniques
Grammar concepts: (to be determined by instructor)

Weeks XII, XIII, and XIV: Research Essay
Goal: Students will develop a researched argument paper, going beyond the text essays and finding at least two or three outside sources of different types to connect with their position. They will be required to acknowledge and evaluate differing opinions in their essay. The purpose of this assignment is to prepare students for the type of research writing they will be expected to do in their classes, using outside sources and the full range of research writing techniques.

Requirements for Research Essay:
Read at least four essays or 20 pages in the unit
Paper: 3-5 pages (750-1250 words)
Rhetorical concept/ Developmental strategy: (to be determined by instructor – see list below)
Stylistic concept: (to be determined by instructor – see list below)
Research concept: Research techniques; further practice in all previous techniques
Grammar concepts: (to be determined by instructor)
1201 students should have attended final Writing Center session. 1201/0160/0180 students should have attended fifth and/or final Writing Center sessions.

Modes of arrangement (one per unit/ paper):
Definition (Handbook 86-87)
Cause and Effect (Handbook 84, 508, 510)
Comparison and Contrast (Handbook 82-83)
Process Analysis (Sequencing) (Handbook 81-82)
Division and Classification (Handbook 85-86)

Stylistic concepts to be developed cumulatively throughout the semester (one introduced per unit/ paper):
Purpose and audience (Handbook 4- 5, 10-14, 53-57, 220-221, 493)
Tone and stance (Handbook 53, 56-57)
Logic, metaphor, and analogy (Handbook 509, 512, 237-238, 83, 508)

Logical fallacies (Handbook 506-515)
Bias in language (Handbook 552-553).

College English I - Sample Syllabus

Week I: Introduction; validation essay; syllabus review

Week II: Reading and Thinking Critically – Chapter I, The Presence of OthersFrom Reading to Writing – Chapter II, The Presence of Others
Practice prewriting, drafting, and revising techniques on prototype essay

Weeks III: Exploratory Essay: "Identities: The One in Many/ The Many in
One"

Requirements for Exploratory Essay:
Read at least two essays in the unit
Paper: 2-3 pages long (500-750 words)
Rhetorical concept/ Developmental strategy: Process Analysis (Sequencing)
Stylistic concept: Purpose and audience
Research concepts: Incorporation of quotations; in-text citations and Works Cited (MLA format)
Grammar concepts: "Punctuation"

Weeks IV and V: Critical/Analytical Essay I: "Images: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall"

Requirements for Analytical Essay I: Read at least four essays or 20 pages in the unit
Paper: 2-3 pages long (500-750 words)
Rhetorical concept/ Developmental strategy: Division and Classification
Stylistic concept: Bias in language
Research concept: Note taking; further practice in all previous techniques
Grammar concepts: "Word Choice," "Clear Sentences"
Supplemental Reading Suggestions:

Weeks VI, VII, and VIII: Critical/Analytical Essay II: "The Idea of the University"

Required Concepts for Analytical Essay II:
Read at least four essays or 20 pages in the unit
Paper: 2-3 pages long (500-750 words)
Rhetorical concept/ Developmental strategy: Definition
Stylistic concept: Logic, metaphor and analogy
Research concept: Paraphrasing and summarizing; further practice in all previous techniques
Grammar concepts: "Grammatical Sentences"

Weeks IX, X, and XI: Persuasive Essay: "Science and Technology: O Brave New
World"
        
Requirements for Persuasive Essay:
Read at least four essays or 20 pages in the unit
Paper: 3-5 pages long (750-1250 words)
Rhetorical concept: Cause and Effect
Stylistic concept: Tone and stance
Research concept: Analyzing and evaluating web sites; further practice in all previous techniques
Grammar concepts: "Critical Thinking"
Weeks XII, XIII, and XIV: Research Essay: "Moralities: Most Sacred Values"
        
Requirements for Research Essay:
Read at least four essays or 20 pages in the unit
Paper: 3-5 pages long (750-1250 words)
Rhetorical concept/ Developmental strategy: Comparison and Contrast
Stylistic concept: Logical fallacies
Research concept: Research techniques; further practice in all previous techniques
Grammar concepts: "Mechanics"

Other concepts to be developed cumulatively throughout the semester (one introduced per unit/ paper)
Purpose and audience
Tone and stance
Logic, metaphor, and analogy
Logical fallacies
Bias in language

Sample Lesson Plan for College English I

"Identities: The One in Many/ The Many in One"
Steps in developing a sense of identity: how this comes about/ changes

Readings:
"Ain't I a Woman?" – Sojourner Truth
"No Name Woman" – Maxine Hong Kingston
"Call It Blindness" – Georgina Kleege
"How it Feels to Be Colored Me" – Zora Neale Hurston

·     Students will use double-entry journal technique throughout the semester to encourage critical and analytical reading/ thinking.

·    Students will use the double-entry journal technique to develop their own topic based on the question of identity formation.

Day 1:
Have students create a list of words/ phrases they would use to describe themselves. Have them share these; put their responses on the board (or use Blackboard discussion board to share them). Lead students in an analysis of their lists, paying special attention to whether the lists privilege issues of race, class, gender, and so on.

Days 2 and 3:
Discuss the first two essays, focusing on several things:

1.     the ways each one describes a process of coming to identity
2.    the specific focus of each essay3.     stylistic concept for the unit
Use students' notes from double-journal entry technique to start discussion.

Day 4:
Teach research technique for the unit-use group assignment to foster collaboration; discuss third essay (see above) and connect to paper

Day 5:
Discuss final essay (see above) and connect to paper.

Day 6:
Peer Review

   
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