In addition, a copy of the syllabus without the schedule is copied below. Because the schedule is set as a table, it is best to use the link above to find the schedule.
English 104: Art of Effective Writing
Instructor: Judy Arzt, Ph.D.
Course Times: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 1-1:50 PM
“Practice in exposition, argumentation, and the methods of research based on the study and discussion of creative, critical, and factual works” (description from College Catalog 2011-2012).
Course Objectives and Outcomes
Based on taking this course, students will be able to:
Use effective strategies to write narratives, reports, arguments, critical analyses, and proposals
Adapt successful writing techniques based on following examples found in texts written by professional writers and others
Develop flexible strategies for generating, revising, editing, proofreading, and critiquing their own and others’ writing styles
Use a thesis structure and effective argumentative strategies to organize papers
Successfully integrate references into their writing, using appropriate techniques and correct documentation styles (MLA and APA)
Use online college-level databases to locate appropriate sources to cite in their papers
Employ Web 2.0 tools applicable to writing college papers (e.g., blogs, discussion forums, note-taking and bibliographical citation tools)
Use a variety of technologies to address a range of audiences (e.g., Google docs for collaboration and peer critique, blogs of interest to others)
Demonstrate advanced control of surface level writing features (e.g., sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, and spelling)
Course Textbook
Ruszkiewicz, Johh. How to Write Anything: A Guide to Write Anything. Bedford/St. Martin’s: Boston, 2010. (Be sure the edition covers updated MLA and APA documentation styles)
Course Materials
Google and SJC email account and other accounts as determined (suggestions: Diigo or Delicious for annotated bookmarks; citation-making sites such as Citation Maker; electronic note taking systems such as Noodle Tools or Evernote; Google account for using Google docs to share document).
Course Policies and Related Information Attendance: Please attend all classes and arrive on time and leave at the scheduled time. Missing class, not attending a full class, and not submitting work on time will have a negative impact on a student’s course grade. More than two absences will require a conference with the instructor to determine appropriate course of action for any further absences. Generally, missing more than two classes will result in a lowered course grade.
Due Dates: Work is due on the assigned dates. Submission of assigned homework and essays beyond the due date must be discussed with the instructor; ordinarily extensions will not be granted. In fairness to peers, all students should have drafts prepared for scheduled peer reviews, which will be held in class as well as online. Daily homework must be completed on time to allow for productive class discussions and participation. Students who are lax about completion of assignments on time will meet with the instructor to discuss appropriate ways to improve engagement. As a rule of thumb, for essays, each day the work is submitted late, the grade is lowered one point (e.g., from B to B-). Statement of Disabilities
Saint Joseph College values our diverse community. An ADA Coordinator is available to facilitate academic success for all students who have special needs and require reasonable accommodations. It is the student’s responsibility to meet with the Coordinator and discuss appropriate information to release to the instructor.
Statement of Academic Integrity
The principle of academic integrity is inherent in the philosophy of Saint Joseph College and shall be upheld by all members of this community. Academic integrity is the responsibility a student assumes for honestly representing all academic work. This responsibility implies the student will in no way either misrepresent her work or unfairly advance her academic status and will neither encourage nor assist another student in so doing. The policy applies to copying another’s work, be it that of another student, a professional writer, or organization. To guard against infractions, students are reminded to document all work taken from others, including images as well as text; students need to employ one of the two documentation styles used in the course (MLA or APA). For additional information regarding the College’s Academic Integrity, please refer to the section in the Student Handbook on this topic and the College’s policies and procedures. Also, note that breaches in academic integrity can result in penalties as strict as failing the course.
Grading
15% Narrative Essay Project
15% Report Project
15% Argument Project
15% Evaluation Project
15% Casual Analysis Project
15% Proposal Project
10% Participation in Course Ning (blog, forum, and video): Requires at minimum one weekly contribution to earn grade of 80%; for a higher grade, more often contributions is expected. Sequence for use of the 3 parts of the Ning: Sept.: Blogs; October: Forums; November: Videos (Information about this course project will be provided throughout the course; stay posted)
Note that online blogging, discussions, and portfolio work will be factored into each project accordingly. In addition, each project requires submission of drafts and participation in peer reviews, and these also will be factored into the grade. That is, the grade for a project is based not solely on the final essay, but also the other component parts. This course emphasizes the writing process, writing as a social act (peer collaboration for feedback to drafts), and writing in an age where technology is prevalent and increasing. Thus, students are expected to demonstrate appropriate skills and strategies to arrive at the final product for each project.