ENGLISH 207: INTERMEDIATE WRITING (FALL 2008)

Instructor: Erin Dietel-McLaughlin      215 East Hall    edietel@bgnet.bgsu.edu

REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS

• Readings: There is no mandatory textbook for this course.  Instead, the readings from the course will be drawn from a variety of print and digital sources.  Most of these sources will be available for download from the Internet or BGSU’s E-Reserve. You are required to print and bring copies of the readings being discussed each class period.
• E-mail: You must have an active BGnet e-mail account that you check regularly.
• Digital Storage: You should purchase a flash drive for saving your work each class period and at least one rewritable CD for submitting an electronic version of your final writing portfolio.
• Print Storage: You should purchase a 3-ring binder, folio, album, or other appropriate apparatus for displaying the print version of your final writing portfolio. 

RECOMMENDED TEXTS

             It is highly recommended that you obtain a college-level dictionary and an up-to-date writer’s handbook, since these are important reference tools for any writer, in any writing environment.  These items may be purchased at reasonable prices from Amazon.com, SBX or the BGSU Bookstore and may also be checked out from the Jerome Library.

COURSE GOALS

             The main emphasis of this course will be to develop your mastery of the rhetorical principles of planning, executing, and revising prose, with a particular focus on analytical writing.  This course will ask you to read and analyze a variety of texts with an eye toward making logical connections to your own area(s) of interest, whether personal, academic, civic, professional, or all of the above. Additionally, my objectives in this course will be:

• To develop your process-oriented composition skills in both print and digital formats
•  To deepen your understanding of and appreciation for a variety of genres and modes of composition
• To encourage your critical thinking about the relationships between self and community, as well as how those relationships are mediated by new media technologies
• To expand your conceptions of what “counts” as writing, particularly analytical writing
• To encourage your participation in a discourse community that is of interest to you (in other words, to help you join the conversation)
• To assist you in developing a body of work that is relevant to your interests and aspirations.
  

DESCRIPTION OF GRADED ASSIGNMENTS

Weblog Project: This semester-long project will involve you in the analysis, conceptualization, construction, and maintenance of your own weblog.  This project should be tailored toward your own personal or professional interests as you consider the public conversations you would like to join.  The project underscores writing as being simultaneously a personal and social activity and will ask you to consider the extent to which new media technologies may encourage both self-reflection and social commentary.

Critical Autobiography: This assignment will ask you to craft a personal essay that analyzes the ways in which a particular experience or series of experiences contributed to your present interest, understanding, perception, or attitude on a topic of your choosing. The “critical” aspect of this assignment is crucial – this personal essay will not be a mere recounting of events, but will instead analyze how those experiences have shaped your identity and, by extension, your participation in various communities.

Writing toward the Workplace Project: This series of writing tasks will ask you to build on the self-analysis begun in the autobiography assignment.  Specifically, this project will ask you to use your personal values as a starting point for aligning yourself with the values and vision of a particular organization.  After crafting a personal mission statement, you will research an organization of your choosing and will ultimately compose a detailed letter of introduction to a specific individual within that organization. You are encouraged to mail or e-mail the final draft of your letter. 

Researched Argument: This assignment will ask you to choose a current controversy within a community to which you belong (or to which you wish to belong in the future) and develop a strong analytical stance within that controversy.  Options may include arguing a position on the controversy, speculating about the possible causes for a trend or phenomenon relevant to the community, or proposing a solution to a problem within the community.  You will conduct extensive research in support of your position and will present your argument in a format appropriate to your chosen audience and purpose. You will also be asked to present your findings to the class using an appropriate presentation method (such as Powerpoint).

Critical Parody: This assignment will ask you to craft a critical parody or other piece of humor for the purpose of critiquing a person, organization, trend, event, or other topic of your choosing.  This project will coincide with the 2008 Election, so topics related to the election or democracy are especially encouraged, though not required.  The purpose of the assignment is to deepen your understanding of how composition strategies such as parody can be used as powerful tools for dispatching social commentary and public argument.

Remix Project: Your final graded assignment will ask you to “remix” – or provide an alternate version – of one of the assignments you’ve done earlier in the term.  You may choose to create an alternate version of your autobiography, researched argument, or parody piece.  Options may include turning one of your more traditional, print-based projects into a photo essay or iMovie project. This assignment underscores the complex relationship between image, text, and message, while also reinforcing the rhetorical complexity of revising an existing message for a new format and/or audience.

ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING

Your grade in this course will be based on your performance in the following major areas:

I.        Attendance, Participation, and Daily Work (worth 20% of your grade) – 100 points

II.      Personalized Writing Portfolio (worth 80% of your grade) – 400 points. Your portfolio will be comprised of the following graded assignments:

a.       Weblog Project (60 points – semester-long project)

b.       Critical Autobiography (70 points)

c.       Writing Toward the Workplace Project (60 points)

d.       Researched Argument (70 points)

e.       Critical Parody (70 points)

f.        Multimedia Revision Project (70 points)

Total Possible Points: 500

450-500 points = A

400-449 points = B

350-399 points = C

300-349 points = D

Less than 300  = F

ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION POLICY

You will be allowed two “free” absences; after that, each absence will result in a 20-point deduction from your attendance/participation score. More than three absences will result in a conference with me to discuss your class standing; students with six or more absences will not pass the course. Similarly, failure to participate actively in class discussions/activities may result in a 10-point deduction per class period.  For this class, “active participation” involves coming to class with all materials, being prepared to discuss readings and/or homework, offering thoughtful contributions to class discussion and workshops, and fully utilizing studio time to work on course projects.

MISSING/LATE WORK POLICY

Each missing informal blog response (on the course blog) or other ungraded assignment will result in a 10-point deduction from your daily work points.  Each missing presentation (including Studio Review presentations) will result in a 20-point deduction.  Work is due on the designated due date, and late work will not be accepted, except in the event of a documented medical emergency.  If you anticipate problems meeting a draft deadline, then please discuss it with me ahead of time so that we can make alternate arrangements.

SUBMITTING YOUR FINAL PORTFOLIO

You should submit your final portfolios in a physical format and an electronic format (i.e., all files burned to a CD with your name clearly written on it).  For the physical version, you may present your materials in a standard 3-ring binder with dividers or in an approved alternate format (see me for approval).

ADVANCED DRAFTS AND STUDIO REVIEW

I will assign a preliminary grade to the draft you bring to Studio Review (our whole-class peer review sessions).  This draft should not be considered a “first” or “rough” draft, but should be the product of your careful drafting and revision.  If you need help in your early drafting process, then please visit me during my office hours or make an appointment and I will be happy to help you; you may also wish to form a small writing group with other members of the class.  The preliminary grade you receive on your advanced draft will be accompanied by my comments and suggestions for revision, should you choose to revise your project for a higher grade.  If you do choose to revise a project for a higher grade, you may turn in your revised final draft at any point during the semester.  You must also submit a “revision summary” form with your revised draft (we will discuss this in class).

CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE AND DECORUM

Differing opinions will likely emerge during class, and while you are not required to agree with me or your peers, you are expected to be respectful and courteous to me, your peers, and yourself during these discussions.  You should feel free to express your alternate perspectives at any time, but be sure to keep your focus on the ISSUE at hand and not on the PERSON you may be disagreeing with. Sexist, racist, homophobic, or otherwise discriminatory language will not be tolerated.  Additionally, as a courtesy to others in the room, please turn off all cell phones and electronic devices before class begins.

OFFICE HOURS AND CONFERENCES

My office hours for Fall 2008 are Tuesdays from 3-4 p.m., and by appointment.  I encourage you to visit me during my office hour and to make appointments with me to discuss your writing progress or any other concerns you may have about the course.  Please come to your conference with copies of your work and a clear sense of what you would like to cover during our meeting.  Be sure to make note of your conference time, as well - a missed conference will count as an absence.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY POLICY

Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated in any form.  In the event that you are caught violating the University’s Academic Honesty policy (see your BGSU Student Handbook under “Codes of Conduct,” or visit http://www.bgsu.edu/catalog/Acad_policies/ Acad_policies2.html), I will immediately recommend that you be withdrawn from the course and assigned a grade of “WF.”  Cheating is not worth the risk.  You are an intelligent person capable of submitting original material, and I expect nothing less.

DISABILITY STATEMENT

It is university policy to provide reasonable accommodations for students affected by documented disabilities.  If you need such an accommodation, then please talk to me after class and contact Disability Services at (419) 372-8495, 413 South Hall.