English 101

 

 

Instructor: Dean Karpowicz

Office:    Comm Arts 251

Hours:    T/TH 11-12, 5-6pm; Wed 1-2pm or by appt.

Phone: 595-2672

Email: dean.karpowicz@uwp.edu

 

Course Description:  English 101 is designed to prepare students for the kind of writing that they will do throughout their college careers. In this course we will learn to recognize the elements of a good argumentative paper, develop skills to write critically, and research a given topic.

 

Course Work: Each student will write five original themes that will vary in length according to each assignment. I don’t normally put word minimums on my assignments; you should write a complete paper with enough evidence to make your point. I will, however, provide approximate lengths for each assignment. Each student will also write a rough draft for each assignment. Failure to bring a rough draft to class will result in the loss of a full letter grade on the final draft. Revisions of your papers are an option. I don’t care whether you write your drafts by hand or type them, but make them readable. I would prefer that the final drafts be typed, and they must be double-spaced to leave room for my comments.

 

Texts:     Current Issues and Enduring Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking and Argument, with Readings. Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau.

                I would also suggest a Dictionary and Thesaurus.

 

Attendance: Regular attendance is both expected and required. You are allowed no more that three absences, excused or otherwise, without your final grade being affected. If you miss more than three weeks of class, you should not expect to pass the course.

 

Late Work and Make-up Work: Late themes will be dropped one letter grade for each day they are late. I f you have to miss class on the day a theme is due, try to contact me. If you have a legitimate excuse, I’ll understand. Missed quizzes cannot be made up.

 

Plagiarism: Any student found guilty of plagiarism will receive a zero for the theme, and plagiarism can result in a zero for the course.

 

Grading Breakdown:

Theme 1                 10%

Theme 2                 10%

Theme 3                 20%

Theme 4                 20%

Theme 5                 25%

Hw/Part                  15%

 

***If you receive lower than a C on any assignment, it would be beneficial to see me before revising and before writing the next theme.

 

Course Outline

Week 1

Wed       Introduction to course. Diagnostic Writing.

                HW: Read B&B Ch. 1 and list main points or arguments

Week 2

Mon       Grammar. Basic Structure. Techniques of reading. Handout Exercise. Finding the thesis and summarizing.

                HW: Read B&B Ch 2. Selected Essays. Summarize assigned reading. Find Thesis.

Wed       Paraphrasing and Parenthetical Citation. Overview of Works Cited.

                HW: Read B&B Ch. 3 selections.

Week 3

Mon       Logic and Argument. Induction handout. Exercises.

                HW: Read B&B Ch. 4. Editorial.

Wed       Assumptions and Testimony. Assign Theme 1. Examine readings. In class assignment.

                HW: Selected Readings.

Week 4

Mon       Semantics. Handout and discuss readings.

                HW: Finish Rough draft for theme 1.

Wed       Rough Draft Theme 1. Response groups

                HW: Finish Theme 1. Read Ch. 8 selections.

Week 5

Mon       Final draft Theme 1 Due. Discuss rebuttal. Intro to Fallacies.

                HW: Selected Reading.

Wed       Fallacies/Statistics. Ad Exercise. Assign Theme 2.

                HW: Rough Draft Theme 2.

Week 6

Mon       Rough draft Theme 2 Due. Response groups.

                HW: Selected Readings.

Wed.      Persuasive Writing Overview. Pros/cons of semantics. Argument from emotion.

                HW: Finish Theme 2.

Week 7

Mon       Final Draft Theme 2 Due. Developing an Argument. Assign Theme 3.

                HW: Selected Readings.

Wed       Intro to Argumentative Structure. Discuss readings.

            HW: Read B&B Ch. 6.

Week 8

Mon       Structure Cont.

                HW: Write rough draft for Theme 3

Wed       Rough Draft Theme 3 due. Response groups.

            HW: Selected Readings.

 

SPRING BREAK

 

Week 9

Mon       Documentation. Review Parenthetical Citation.

                HW: Selected Readings

Wed       Final Draft Theme 3 Due. Intro to Library Methods. Choose Topic Theme 4.

                HW: Library Problems. Selections for Theme 4.

Week 10

Mon       Researching Sources. Discuss reading.

                HW: begin to find sources for theme 4

Wed       Library Meeting (tentative)

                HW: Write Rough Draft Theme 4.

Week 11

Conferences. Bring all sources and rough draft to scheduled conference. Failure to make scheduled conference counts as 2 absences.

Week 12

Mon       Final Draft Theme 4 Due. Extended introduction.

                HW: Decide on Topic and develop thesis for theme 5.

Wed       Submit Topic and Thesis for Theme 5 for approval. The Outline.

                HW: Outline and at least two sources for Theme 5.

Week 13

Mon       Sources and Outline for theme 5. Considering Audience.

                HW: Selected Readings. Write informative summary.

Wed       The Persuasive Tone. Informative summary due. In-class responses

                HW: Write Rough Draft for theme 5.

Week 14

Mon       Rough Draft For Theme 5 Due. Response Groups.

                HW: Take Home critique

Wed       Methods of Application.

                HW: Further Sources for theme 5 and finish draft.

Week 15

Mon       Second Response (Time permitting)

                HW: Finish Theme 5

Wed       Final Draft Theme 5 due with all revisions

 

 

Writing References

Grammar Guides