SYLLABUS

ENGLISH 102

Summer 2008

Section 1: Monday-Wednesday 9:00-11:45 a.m. (room C164)

Instructor: Greg Ahrenhoerster

Home Phone: (414) 961-3297

Office Phone: (262) 521-5479

Electronic Mail: gahrenho@uwc.edu

OFFICE: W131 (office hours:8:30-9:00 and 11:45-12:15 MW and by appointment)

Course Webpage: <http://waukesha.uwc.edu/eng/gahrenho/102syllabus.htm>

HANDOUTS

Response Paper 1

Grading sheet for response papers

Grading rubric

Response Paper 2

Avoiding Plopped Quotes

Response Paper 3

Research Project

Noodletools tips

PREREQUISITES: Completion of English 101 or exemption through sufficiently high placement test score.

REQUIRED TEXTS: A Writer’s Resource. Second Edition. Elaine Maimon, Janice Peritz, and Kathleen Blake Yancy.

Perspectives on Contemporary Issues. Fifth Edition. Katherine Anne Ackley

COURSE OBJECTIVES:  The main course objective is to prepare you for all future college writing assignments.  We will focus on the following objectives:

The achievement of the following skills:

            1.  The ability to develop ideas and to write effective expository and

argumentative prose.

2.  The ability to use secondary print and electronic materials as sources for student essays.

            3.  The ability to use techniques of research and documentation.

            4.  The ability to read and interpret critically professional and student writing.

REQUIREMENTS: 

--three response papers (you will be allowed to revise one of them)

--research project (consisting of a proposal and two papers)

--various in-class assignments

--participation in class discussions and activities, including peer review.

The out-of-class papers must be computer generated, double-spaced, with one-inch margins.  You are all welcome and encouraged to use the computers in the Study Center or Computer Center. 

NOTE: You will be required to have at least one other person read a draft of all essays.

In-class assignments should be as neatly written as possible on lined paper or computer generated.

GRADING: (3) Response papers (300 pts)

            Meeting draft due dates and reading other students’ drafts (50 points)

          (10) In-Class Writings/Assignments (100 pts)

Research Project (400 pts)

Attendance and participation (50 points)

As you can see, there are 900 possible points available; I will assign final grades based on the following scale: 

        93-100% = A   80-82% = B-   67-69% = D+

        90-92% = A-   77-79% = C+   63-66% = D

        87-89% = B+   73-76% = C    60-62% = D-

        83-86% = B    70-72% = C-   below 60% = F

IMPORTANT NOTE: You must get a “C” or better in this course in order for it to count towards your UW degree.

REVISION:  You will be allowed to revise one of the response papers after I have graded it and returned it to you. However, you must have an individual conference with me about the paper before revising it.  This will be explained more thoroughly later in the semester.

ATTENDANCE:  It is the policy of the UW-Waukesha English department that, except in extraordinary circumstances, students who miss the equivalent of more than three weeks of any composition class cannot pass the class.  Thus, any student with more than three unexcused absences (excused absences are defined by federal law) will receive an automatic “F.”  Please contact me as soon as possible if you anticipate missing classes or being unable to complete an assignment on time.

Also, please make every effort to be on time for class, as it is very distracting to other students if you arrive late.

Please note that in-class assignments and writing group work cannot be made up, and papers will be deducted five (5) points if they are one class late and ten (10) points if they are two or more classes late. 

NOTE: You are each allowed to use one “Free Late Paper” coupon, included at the end of this syllabus. 

ACADEMIC HONESTY:  The Board of regents, administrators, faculty, academic staff, and students of the University of Wisconsin system believe that academic honesty and integrity are fundamental to the mission of higher education and of the University of Wisconsin System.  The University has a responsibility to promote academic honesty and integrity and to develop procedures to deal effectively with instances of academic dishonesty.  Students are responsible for the honest completion and representation of their work, for the appropriate citation of sources, and for respect for others’ academic endeavors.  Students who violate these standards must be confronted and must accept the consequences of their actions.

What this means for you is that you MUST write your own essays and your MUST document all outside sources that you use.

HELP:  Please see me or e-mail me if you have any questions about an assignment or need help. 

There will be a writing tutor available in the Study Center (W100) from 8:00-2:00 on MTWTh this summer.  Writing help is also available through the UW-Waukesha Online Writing Lab; instructions are located at http://waukesha.uwc.edu/academics/owl/.

If you have a disability that will in any way affect your work in this class, please let me know so that I can work with you. Also, Judy Becker in Student services would like to talk to you to make sure that if you need special parking, or any other services, she can arrange them for you.

CALENDAR:  This schedule is subject to change and is provided primarily to give you an idea of the subjects we will be covering and let you know when major assignments are due so you can plan your life accordingly.  In the first half of the course, there will scheduled readings from Perspectives On Contemporary Issues; I will expect that you will have the essay read before class on the day on which it appears.  Classroom discussions and writing assignments will frequently involve these essays so DO YOUR READING.

FREE!

ONE LATE PAPER AT NO PENALTY!

This coupon entitles bearer to turn in his/her paper up to one class late without penalty.  Bearer must be enrolled in Prof. Ahrenhoerster’s English 102 course.  Each student can only use one coupon per semester. 

Coupon is non-transferable.

Coupon May Not Be Used On Parts 2 or 3 of the Research Project

Student’s Name____________________________________ Date________________