Eng105 - Stephen Spender

ENGL 105

Fall 2015

Instructor:    Dr. Trevor Carolan

Office: D-201

Office hours:    Mon & Wed  1:00 - 2:20 pm; 4 – 5:20 pm; after class, or by appt.                            

Office tel.   #4198

e-mail:  trevor.carolan@ufv.ca

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course is designed to engage students in the crafting of strong university prose composition.  Studies include a review of English grammar and the principles of composition, including the writing process, syntax, and critical reading and thinking as core competencies in active learning.   The course proceeds toward the construction of an 1800 word research term paper incorporating MLA citation. You will initially present a detailed outline of this paper for approval, and attend a special library seminar prior to presenting a tutorial presentation based on the research paper.  Our studies will be supported by the study of non-fiction prose models and you are expected to be familiar with these assigned readings and to participate in classroom discussions on them.  You are encouraged to ask questions.  Please do not hesitate to the instructor regarding any difficulties you may be encountering with the course.      

GRADING:                  

* Paper #1: Critique (summary/comparison-contrast)    15%  

* Quiz     5%

* Paper #2:  Persuasive Essay        20%                  

* In-class tutorial presentation      10%

* Formal Outline for Research Paper   5%                

* Paper #3:   Research    25%

* Final exam                   20%  

Note:  Regular, punctual classroom attendance is required for a final grade and students are expected to have prepared their response to readings.  Assignments are late if not submitted on due date and grade deductions apply.   Papers that fail to meet university standard presentation values will be returned unread.  Plagiarized work will result in a grade of zero.  Serious plagiarism will result in referral to senior administration.  

TEXTS: 

* The Little Brown Compact Handbook, 5th Canadian Edition,  Aaron & McArthur          

* Custom Courseware Package, available in bookstore

* A good portable dictionary (Oxford English) and thesaurus are recommended.

UFV  Grading Scale:

A+          95-100                 B+     80-84                  C+          65-69              P   50-59

A            90-94                   B        75-79                  C            60-64            NC   0-49

A-           85-89                   B-      70-74                   C-          55-59

Manuscript Presentation Policy:

Essays must be typed and observe standard university style, mechanics and citation.  Use 1” margins all around on 8.5” x 11” sheets and double-space only.   Word count is approx. 300 wds. per page.  Include a title page listing your name, course number, and instructor’s name.    Number each page.  Before submission, proof for any last-minute errors and staple in the upper left-hand corner.  If on return of your paper you receive editorial comments, please recognize that they address only the paper itself.  They will be designed to help further your progress and bring your final grade along accordingly. Note: sloppy work will be returned unread.

NOTE:  All assignments must be delivered in hard-copy.  Email is not acceptable.

          * Re.  MLA Citation – essay citation/references should be plentiful and exact,

             not simply names of web-sites or URLs. Lazy work will be returned unread.

          * Wikipedia is not a credible scholarly reference source.

Collegial Expectations and Classroom Etiquette in Eng. 120:

Courtesy never goes out style.  If you arrive late, enter quietly.  Classroom discussions are expected to be collegial; it is possible to disagree without being disagreeable.  

     Note:  Laptop-computer use is not permitted in this class.

1. Please control texting addiction in class. Cell-phones must be turned off.
2. As a matter of courtesy, kindly remove ball-caps, hats, etc. in class.
3. Do not ask the instructor to go over material from a missed class.  Make arrangements with a class buddy.
4. Don’t be yakky in class.  It’s disrespectful to others.  A quiet catch-up inquiry is probably okay.  Persistent goofing is not.
5. Stay for the entire class.  Walking out is disrespectful to others.  Inform the instructor before class starts if you are required to leave early.
6. Do not cut the instructor off before the end of class.  Allow the instructor to conclude in an orderly manner or to answer any last questions.  
7. Hot drinks are fine. Do not bring hot food or food with strong odours to class.  
8. Public Health Common-sense: if you’ve got a heavy, wet cold or hacking cough,

1. ask yourself if you really ought to be in our classroom, and if so, bring plenty of cough-drops/hot drink; plenty of Kleenex tissue.  

Eng 105 – Course Syllabus  (Kinetic)

Week 1.     Introduction:  The Writing Process. Reading:  Chap. 1, Little Brown Handbook.  

Discussion “audience and purpose”. Group exercise:  defining audience and readership.

Week 2.     Discussion, “The Writing Process.”   Textbook, Chap. 1.  Rdg. “Aye Aye, Skipper” by Vanessa Harris (coursepack).

Week 3.     Little-Brown text discussion:   “What Makes Good Writing?”    Introductory discussion:  two reviews of Stephen Spender—“Confessions of a Public Son” by R.Z. Sheppard and “No Absence of Malice”, R. Eder. (cpk).    First paper assigned.