ENGLISH COMPOSITION 101

Dr. Bruce R. Magee

English 101

Textbooks

Hairston, Maxine, et al. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers. 5th ed. New York: HarperCollins, 1993.
Nadell, Judith, et al., eds. The Macmillan Reader. 4th ed. New York: Macmillan, 1993.
A "good" dictionary
Homer. The Iliad.
Magee 101 Packet
Computer Lab Packet

Links for this Course

Nature and Purpose

English 101 is an introductory writing course; the course will cover all fundamental principles of writing, and will stress the three stages of the writing process (prewriting, writing, and rewriting).

Grammar exercises will supplement writing instruction to provide you a review of current usage.

We will use the essays in The Compact Reader and the Magee packet for two purposes: to generate topics for your writing and to study as models for structure and style in composition.

Departmental Writing Requirements

At least 5 essays, including a final. These will be 65% of the grade.
At least two essays should be written in class and should demonstrate a level of performance comparable to those written out of class.
One essay should be written in the argumentative mode.
Essays should be around 500 words.
At least one essay should be fully revised after the initial evaluation and preferably for a grade.
An essay final of 350-450 words should be given during the last week of classes. Topics should not be given in advance but should be assigned at the beginning of the examination period.
To pass the course, students must demonstrate a minimum level of writing competency on the final essay:

a. There must be a stated thesis sentence and stated topic sentences.
b. There must be clear evidence of organization, coherence, and unity.
c. There must be adequately developed content (350-450 words) with ample paragraphs for support.
d. There should be no more than 10 serious errors in grammar and punctuation.

sentence punctuation errors (run-together, comma splice)
verb errors (tense, agreement, shift)
pronoun errors (case, agreement, shift)
modifier errors (dangling, modifying forms, etc.)
fragments
spelling errors

e. Summary: A final so poorly organized and written that it is obvious the student does not understand the principles of composition should not pass, and the student should be required to repeat the course.

Reading Requirements

Readings from The Macmillan Reader will be assigned and discussed.

A minimum of 2 collateral readings should be assigned from the Engl. 101 reading list.

General Requirements

Five essays, including a final, will be assigned during the quarter. You should turn in your paper in class on time. A paper not submitted in class on the due date is late. SUBMIT YOUR ESSAYS ON TIME. YOU MUST SUBMIT ALL FIVE ESSAYS TO PASS THE COURSE. YOU MUST PASS THE FINAL TO PASS THE COURSE. COMPLETE ANY MAKE-UP WORK BEFORE FINALS WEEK.

Attendance Requirements

Class attendance is regarded as an obligation as well as a privilege, and all students are expected to attend regularly and punctually all classes in which they are enrolled.

I shall keep a permanent attendance record for this class. This record is subject to inspection by appropriate college or university officials.

Regular attendance will help you understand your assignments and complete them on schedule. I encourage you to attend unless you absolutely cannot avoid being absent.

GRADED ASSIGNMENTS

Essays

                                                                           

Description                         10%  

Narration                           15%   

Classification (In Class)           10%                                         

Proposal Essay                      15% 

Final (300-400 words)               15%                                             

                                                        65%                                                             

Reading                                      

                                                                                

                                                                                

Test on Marcus & Epictetus          10%                             

Iliad Test                          15%                                  

                                                        25%                                                                     

                                                                                

Attendance                                              10%                                            

                                                                                

Total                                                   100%

The grading scale is A: 90-100%, B: 80-89%, C: 70-79%, D: 60-69%, F: 0-59%.

Bring a 9" x 12" manilla folder to class for me to file your work in.

Conferences

Conferences are encouraged during the quarter. They will be used to discuss specific writing strengths and/or weaknesses.

Guidelines for a paper's form

1. OUT-OF-CLASS papers should be typed. Illegible handwritten papers will be returned ungraded; legible papers will be graded, but with a penalty assessed. I encourage you to learn to use a computerized word-processing program. It can save time, aid proofreading, and improve the appearance of an essay. This requires foresight since the computer lab closes at 4:30 and on weekends.

2. In-class papers MUST be written in ink.

3. Use one side of the paper only.

4. Use standard 8 1/2" by 11" white paper. Loose leaf or typewriter paper please--no frazzled edges ripped from notebooks.

5. All essays, whether hand-written or typed, must by DOUBLE SPACED.

6. Use margins of at least an inch on each side of the paper. Leave a 1.5" margin on the right-hand side.

7. Papers should be folded vertically with the following information on the outside cover: name, section, theme assignment, instructor's name, and date.

Transfer interrupted!

8. KEEP A PAPER COPY OF THE FINAL DRAFT IN YOUR OWN FILES. It's the cheapest insurance you can buy.

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