|
|
WR 122-17
English Composition
RR 209 Monday 6:00-9:50 p.m.
Mr. Crumrine (503) 935-3922 <paulc@clackamas.edu>
Office: RR 232 Hours: Monday 4:50-6:00 p.m.
Wednesday 4:50-6:00 p.m.
At school you are engaged not so much in acquiring knowledge as in making mental efforts under criticism. A certain amount of knowledge you can indeed with average faculties acquire so as to retain; nor need you regret the hours you spent on much that is forgotten, for the shadow of lost knowledge at least protects you from many illusions. But you go to a great school not so much for knowledge as for arts and habits; for the habit of attention, for the art of expression, for the art of assuming at a moment's notice a new intellectual position, for the art of entering quickly into another person's thoughts, for the habit of submitting to censure and refutation, for the art of indicating assent or dissent in graduated terms, for the habit of regarding minute points of accuracy, for the art of working out what is possible in a given time, for taste, for discrimination, for mental courage, and for mental soberness. Above all, you go to a great school for self-knowledge. (William Johnson Cory, Letters and Journals 1897)
Prerequisites
The student must have passed WR 121 with a C or better.
Required Textbook
Hirschberg, Stuart, and Terry Hirschberg. Arguing Across the Disciplines. New York: Pearson, 2007.
Course Description
This course develops students’ competencies in the fundamentals of English composition through the writing of persuasive and argumentative essays. The assignments and instruction emphasize style, logic, and the major principles of argumentation and persuasion in reading and writing. Students will write a variety of persuasive essays and learn how to research, analyze, and document sources. This course meets part of the AAOT/ASOT writing requirement.
Course Objectives
· Present examples of argumentation and persuasion.
· Introduce terminology and aspects of argumentative and persuasive texts.
· Foster and demonstrate a collegial environment for debate and dialogue.
· Teach and assess persuasive, academic essays.
· Teach research skills, including assessment of sources and documentation skills (using MLA style).
Handouts
Students will find all course handouts (including a copy of this syllabus) at the web address <http://yeoldebookcellar.freewebspace.com>.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
ü Read, accurately summarize, and respond to college-level texts, particularly argumentative essays.
ü Apply advanced critical thinking skills-such as recognizing and identifying bias-to text and other forms of media.
ü Exercise original thought in developing and presenting claims and arguments.
ü Develop academic, argument-driven topics and narrow them appropriately.
ü Use some advanced research techniques to locate sources.
ü Understand and use principles of argumentation and persuasion to support positions.
ü Recognize and avoid common logical fallacies.
ü Write fully-developed argument-driven essays that convincingly defend positions on academic topics.
ü Support an informed opinion with appropriate outside sources, cited correctly in MLA format.
ü Improve essays through extensive revision.
ü Write in a voice and style appropriate to the issue being argued.
ü Write with no grammatical, mechanical, or format errors.
Major Topic Outline
I. Recognition and Use of Principles of Argumentation and Persuasion
A. definition of terms
B. recognition and use of basic characteristics of argument:
1. Writer's expertise
2. Writer's purpose
3. Audience's bias
4. Methods of development and organization
5. Counter-arguments
II. Recognition and Use of Methods of Logic
A. Induction
B. Deduction
C. Analogy
III. Recognition and Identification of Fallacies
IV. Recognition and Use of Rhetorical Devices
A. Connotation/Denotation
B. Figurative Language
V. Introduction to Principles of Research and Documentation
Academic Honesty
Plagiarism involves using the words or ideas of another person and passing them off as the student’s own. Copying from any reference without documentation, turning in papers written by another person, or utilizing ideas from a source not credited are examples of plagiarism. Plagiarism can result in a failing grade and other disciplinary actions.
Cheating, plagiarism, and other acts of academic dishonesty are regarded as serious offenses. Instructors have the responsibility to report any such incident. Depending on the nature of the offense, serious penalties may be imposed, ranging from loss of points to expulsion from the class or college.
Assignments
Department guidelines state that this course must include a minimum of five essays and may also include a variety of tests, exercises, and creative presentations. Several essays must include outside sources used to support a thesis with citations written according to MLA format. Regular homework should include readings from the text and essay writing: outlining, drafting, revising, proofreading. All written assignments are due on the date assigned on the class calendar. Reading assignments must be completed before class time on the date listed.
Attendance
Students will discover that tardiness or absenteeism usually results in a significantly lower course grade. College policy stresses the necessity of student attendance at all class meetings. The instructor will take attendance through a medium of a dated sign-in sheet. Students who fail to sign the sheet will be considered absent.
Disability Services
Students with specific questions about disabilities should talk with a college counselor. Students with documented disabilities who require class or instructor accommodations should have their counselor notify the instructor during the first week of the term.
Classroom Behavior
Instructors have the responsibility to set and maintain standards of classroom behavior appropriate to the discipline and method of teaching. Students may not engage in any activity that the instructor deems disruptive or counterproductive to the goals of the class. Instructors have the right to remove offending students from class. Repetition of the offense may result in expulsion from the course.
Always show courtesy to your teacher and your fellow students.
§ Do not talk while the teacher or other students are talking (this includes whispering).
§ Do not insult the teacher or your fellow students.
§ Do not do homework or study for other courses in the classroom.
§ Beepers, pagers, and cellular phones should be turned off in the classroom.
Class Participation
Students must avoid being overly talkative or highly argumentative. Students should never hold side conversations; talking with another student once class has started is counterproductive and anti-academic, not to mention insufferable, obnoxious, and rude. Students are free to discuss their grades privately with the instructor, but students must never discuss their grades in the presence of another student.
Potentially Controversial or Offensive Course Content
This course is designed to challenge the student’s assumptions. Those with strong religious, political, or social beliefs may be exposed to contrary ideas or find the subject matter provocative or controversial. Since no alternative assignments exist, students offended by existential or experiential questions, reasoning, or secular thought should withdraw from this course.
The instructor will acknowledge each e-mail message he receives; if a student fails to receive an acknowledgement, the student should assume that the instructor did not receive the message.
Ø Notification of grades via email violates FERPA.
Papers
Papers must be typed double-spaced on 81/2 x 11 inch, white paper. All papers must be argumentative. The second and third papers must include valid sources written in correct MLA format.
Essays
Essays written in class must be handwritten neatly on lined 81/2 x 11 inch, white notebook paper with the perforations removed.
Presentations
Each student must state, support, and defend the topic of one of his or her papers in an oral presentation before the class. Students are free to choose topics from the list (see the handout) or to create their own, but the instructor must approve all claims.
Grading
The instructor will base the course grade upon an accumulation of points from the papers, quizzes, and the presentation. Late papers will result in a loss of points: papers more than one week overdue will receive a failing grade. Since this course involves a substantial writing requirement, neglecting to turn in a paper will result in a failing course grade. Extra credit assignments do not exist.
Papers 50 points
In-class essays 20 points
Presentation 20 points
Participation 10 points
A = 90—100
B = 80—89
C = 70—79
D = 60—69
Criteria for Grading
A indicates excellent or outstanding performance. The concepts are fully grasped, the subject matter has been mastered, and the student has demonstrated the ability to apply both concepts and subject matter with originality.
B indicates that the student has met all the objectives in the course and has shown an above average grasp not only of the subject matter but of the concepts as well.
C indicates that the student has met the requirements and objectives of the course satisfactorily and has grasped its subject matter and concepts at an acceptable level of competency.
D indicates that the student has met the minimum number of the objectives to satisfy requirements for the course but his/her grasp of the subject matter and concepts was below average.
F indicates that the student has not met a sufficient number of the objectives to pass at a minimal level and should either repeat the course or be counseled into some other program or course.
College Closure Due to Inclement Weather or Emergency
In the event of hazardous weather or other emergencies, college administrators will collaborate to determine college closures. The Public Affairs Department will notify Flash News Network, thereby notifying all local media outlets.
When the college announces that it is closed due to adverse weather conditions, then all campus locations are closed. In the event that there is a non-weather related emergency closure, (e.g. loss of electricity) only the affected college campus site will close.
The public may log onto the Clackamas Community College website at <www.clackamas.edu> to catch up-to-date school closure information or <www.pdxinfo.net> for a list of all school and college closures. A recorded phone message will announce closure information on the college’s main number 503-657-6958, ext. 5950.
ü Daytime closures are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
ü Late openings are 10 a.m. The college’s internal procedures call for this decision to be made by 5 a.m.
ü Evening closures are classes beginning at 4 p.m. or later.
ü If the college will close for the evening, classes beginning at 4 p.m. or later will be canceled and the campus is considered closed at 5 p.m. The college’s internal procedures call for this decision to be made by 3 p.m.
Calendar
January
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
2
3
4
5
Introduction
to the course
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Arguing 1-33
In-class essay
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
MLK Holiday
College Closed
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Arguing 34-71
“A Modest Proposal” (Handout)
Paper Due
27
28
29
30
31
February
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
2
Arguing 72-114
“The Blue Cross”
(Handout)
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Arguing 299-332
Paper Due
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Arguing 152-185
“Civil Disobedience” (Handout)
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Arguing 115-151
“The Murders in the Rue Morgue” (Handout)
Paper Due
24
25
26
27
28
March
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
2
Arguing 186-222
In-class essay
3
4
5
y
6
7
8
9
Presentations
10
11
12
13
14
15
Final Exam Week—No regular classes
16
Final
Presentations
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31