English 101 – Composition I

Spring Semester 2003 – Monday/Wednesday

Instructor: Debbie Benson

Office: Bldg. 120, Room 16 and Bldg. 110, Room 103

Phone: 331-5296

Email: dbenson@nwscc.edu

Required Textbooks: Writing with a Purpose 13^th ed.– Joseph F. Trimmer

Ethan Frome – Edith Wharton

The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald

Required Supplies: 2 diskettes – HD/DS (IBM formatted)

Attendance Policy: Because class attendance is considered essential to the accomplishment of course objectives, excessive absences are discouraged. At no time should a student miss more than 20% of total class meetings for a course. Failure to adhere to this policy may result in a failing grade regardless of the grades the student has earned thus far.

Method of Grading: The semester grade will be based on the following:

Essays = 70%

Grammar quizzes = 15%

Novel tests, responses, and book report = 10%

Homework, class participation, etc. = 5%

Plagiarism Policy: Any student who blatantly plagiarizes any written work in English 101 will automatically receive an F for the course.

Make-up Policy: It is each student’s responsibility to remain aware of class activities, even during an absence. Any student who is absent on the day a writing assignment or grammar quiz is due will have one week from the designated due date to make up the missed work. If the work is not made up during this time period, the grade for the missed work will become a 0. All make-up work must be done during my office hours, and essays will be hand written. There will be NO make-up work accepted after final exams have begun! If, for any reason, a grade of I (Incomplete) is assigned for this class, the student must complete the required work no later than midterm of the following semester.

There will be no make-ups for the novel essays or the novel tests. These are due on the date specified on the syllabus.

Americans with Disabilities Act ( ADA ): It is the policy of NWSCC to comply with this act. Any student covered under this act needing and deserving reasonable accommodations for this class should notify the instructor by the end of the second week of class.

Withdrawal Policy: A grade of W will be assigned as the final grade if a student withdraws before March 31, 2003 . A grade of WP or WF will be assigned if a student withdraws after this date. Withdrawal prior to March 31 will subject the student to repaying his/her Pell grant and/or student loan. It is the responsibility of the student to complete proper forms and submit them to admissions.

Classroom and Lab Policies: There will be no food or drinks allowed. All cell phones, pagers, etc. must be turned off or set to silent during class and lab times. Do not answer cell phones in the classroom or lab.

DATE TOPIC/ASSIGNMENTS

1/13 Course Introduction

Homework: Read pp. 5-9, 13-17, 26-30, 65-67

Students must bring 2 diskettes to class by 1/22

1/15 Discuss prewriting and thesis statements

Homework: Read pp. 166-189

1/20 King/Lee Holiday !

1/22 Discuss paragraphs, introductions, and conclusions

Homework: Read pp. 514-517

1/27 Discuss fragments, comma splices, and run-ons; discuss structure and example essays; Homework: Read pp. 80-84 and 517-522

1/29 Lab: Essay 1-Example

2/3 Response 1 due; Grammar quiz 1 (frag, cs. ro); Discuss revising; discuss agreement; Homework: Read pp. 106-111 and 413-424

2/5 Lab: Essay 1A

2/10 Discuss narrative/descriptive; Homework: Read pp. 544-560

2/12 Lab: Essay 2-Narrative/Descriptive

2/17 Response 2 due; Grammar quiz 2 (agreement); discuss punctuation Homework: Read pp. 112-115 and 561-571

2/19 Lab: Essay 2A

2/24 Discuss comparison/contrast; grammar quiz 3 (punctuation)

Homework: Read pp. 583-594

2/26 Lab: Essay 3-Compare/Contrast

3/3 Response 3 due; Of Mice and Men test

Homework: Read pp. 595-602

3/5 Lab: Essay 3A

Homework: Read pp. 313-337

3/10 Discuss writing on literature; discuss commonly

confused words

3/12 Lab: Essay 4 Of Mice and Men (Bring novel to lab.)

Homework: Read pp. 338-346, 358-359, 365-367, 373-374, 377-382

3/17 Discuss Fitzgerald and The Great Gatsby; Discuss library essay and

documentation ; Grammar quiz 4 (commonly confused words)

3/19 Lab: Essay 4A

March 24 – March 28 Spring Break! No Classes

3/31 Discuss library essay topics, works cited, and citations

4/2 Meet in Library to research topics; Homework: Read pp. 131-143

4/7 Response 1 due; assign book reports; discuss resumes and cover letters

4/9 Lab: Essay 5 (Bring copies of sources to lab.)

4/14 Response 2 due; discuss argumentative/persuasive and topics

4/16 Lab: Essay 5A; Essay 6 argumentative/persuasive

4/21 Response 3 due; The Great Gatsby test

4/23 Lab: Essay 6A

4/28 Outline Essay 7 (turn in outline); Revise one essay

4/30 Lab: Essay 7A Gatsby

5/5 Book Reports due

This syllabus is subject to change due to circumstances beyond the instructor’s control or at the instructor’s discretion.