This course teaches fundamental writing and research skills with an emphasis on expository writing. Students analyze, discuss, and practice writing that explores, explains, and argues. The course includes a significant research component. Course satisfies Communications elective and General Studies core elective course.  (3-0)

Instructor's Ideas about the Course

      I teach ENL 111 because I want to, not because I have to. My objective is to help students learn to express their own ideas more clearly in writing. Although I often appear serious, I enjoy life and enjoy helping those students who are making an effort with any problems they may have in the course. Please feel free to come to me for help. Click here for more.

Required Texts and Materials

Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. "They Say/I Say": The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing.
Additional instructional materials are available on the web.
You will need a thin, spiral-bound, 8.5" x 11" notebook for taking notes, in and out of class; a large 3-ring notebook (or two smaller ones); one or more two-pocket folders; one 9 x 12 plain brown envelope; a stapler, a three-hole paper punch, paper clips, pens, pencils, and lots of paper; and access to the Internet (provided by the college).

      Attendance is required. (You are paying more than $16 for each class-hour of instruction, and I want you to get full value for your money. Even if you do not think you need it for yourself, your classmates will often need your reaction to their work and to what is happening in class.) Each absence in excess of the equivalent of one week of class will result in a three point/hour reduction in the final grade for the course. Note that this is the course policy. "Policy" is what I adhere to when I do not have very good reasons for doing something else. I have had students who missed several weeks of class because of serious accidents, illness, or military service, and they have lost no credit because of it. Keep me informed.
     If two or more local school systems are closed because of weather, I do not take attendance. Do not risk your safety, or that of your children, just to come to my class. You can make up any work missed under these circumstances.

Small Group Work

     Some of the time in class will be spent working in small groups. There are many different ways in which small groups can be set up, but my primary method is to begin by collecting and sorting the homework into three groups -- 1) those who have done it, 2) those who have done some of it, and 3) those who have not done it. Small groups are then established within each of the three piles. Sometimes, in place of using homework, I use a short quiz that simply indicates that students have, or have not, prepared for class. Students who have prepared for class deserve to work with others who have prepared for class.

Grades

A. Calculation: A = 90 to 100; B = 80 to 89; C = 70 to 79; D = 60 to 69; F= below 60.

B. Distribution:

Major Paper # 1	Fallacies	10 %
Major Paper # 2	A Proposal for a Controversial Topic	15 %
Major Paper # 3	Summaries and Comparative Analysis	10 %
Major Paper # 4	Explaining a Controversial Issue	15 %
Major Paper # 5	An Argumentative Essay	10 %
	Library / Research Assignments	10 %
	In-class writing	5 %
	Quiz / Homework Assignments	5 %
	Final Exam	10 %
	Syntax Assignments, Quizzes & Tests	10 %

     Late homework assignments will not be accepted unless you have notified me before the assignment was due. Missed class work cannot be made up unless you have notified me in advance that you will have to miss the class. Late major papers will be penalized ten points per day of the week, Monday through Friday.

C. Plagiarism Plagiarism includes using sentences, phrases, paragraphs or whole essays from any other person's work without formally documenting it. It also includes handing in a paper for this course that you wrote for another course without first receiving my written permission to do so. There are, obviously, different degrees of plagiarism. You are, for example, responsible for every word and every punctuation mark in your essay. If you cannot explain what a word in your paper means, or if you cannot explain why you used a sophisticated form of punctuation, you can be considered guilty of plagiarism and receive an F on that paper. On the other hand, if you hand in a paper that includes work that is clearly not your own work, you will automatically fail the course. If you have any questions about what you are doing, please ask me, and save us both grief.

Note: Penn College is committed to preserving academic integrity as defined in College policies. Penn College and its faculty members reserve the right to use electronic means to detect and help prevent the inappropriate use of intellectual property. Students agree that by taking this course all assignments are subject to submission for review of textual similarity to Turnitin.com. Assignments submitted to Turnitin.com will also be included as source documents in Turnitin.com's restricted access database solely for the purpose of identifying sources of material. The faculty member may require students to submit their assignments electronically to Turnitin.com or the faculty member may submit questionable text on behalf of a student. The terms that apply to Penn College's use of the Turnitin.com service are described on the Turnitin.com website.
     Students are not compelled to submit assignments to Turnitin.com. If a student objects to the use of the service, he or she must inform the faculty member in writing. The student may transfer out of the course, or, if the faculty member agrees, the student may use an acceptable alternate method for verifying the originality and integrity of assignments (e.g. the submission of all rough work and an annotated bibliography of all sources consulted). A student's use of an acceptable alternate to Turnitin.com will not adversely affect the student's grade.

If you have a disability or special need that you think I should know about (one that might affect your getting work in on time or one that requires additional testing time), it is your responsibility to inform me of these requirements. All information will be kept strictly confidential.

As a favor to me, I ask that you not wear hats in class unless you have a religious reason for doing so (in which case, I ask that you so inform me). Click here for more on this policy.

Sections 5, 13, 35

1. Define a topic or issue to write about.

a. receive initial supervision but with early independence from instructor
b. select a limited topic; topics will be of increasing complexity.

a. Receive initial supervision but early independence from the instructor
b. Emphasize objectivity
c. apply modes of discourse such as exposition, description, narration, argumentation
d. use rhetorical support strategies such as example, anecdote, comparison-contrast, definition, etc.
e. use specific examples and illustrations from personal experience and outside sources

a. define purpose
b. identify audience
c. recognize and use varied tones
d. recognize and form abstractions
e. use varied strategies for introductions and conclusions
f. apply prewriting strategies

4.  Revise and proofread writing

a. receive minimal assistance
b. focus on stylistic elements such as voice, tone, diction, and syntax
c. incorporate feedback into the revision process
d. judge own writing enough to revise it
e. use transitions
f. follow conventions of written Standard American English

Student Activities  While instructors are encouraged to invest their personal style, interpretation and expertise in their respective course approaches, the department has agreed that the following minimum guidelines will be observed.

1.  Students will apply the process approach to composition
2.  Students will read and analyze material
3.  Students will write 5-7 formal essays (at least 500 words each) at least four of which will be out-of-class assignments.
4.  At least one formal essay will focus on persuasion/argument.
5. Instruction will cover basic principles of research (should use source material in several assignments throughout the semester)
6. At least 60% of the students’ final grade will be based on   essays (see number 3 above).