Arizona State University
English 102: First Year Composition
Hybrid Section
Summer 2001 
8 week session
MW&Online, ECG G324 6:00-8:50 pm.
CL#: 45320
Course Policies  
Instructor
Course Objectives
Course Philosophy
Required
Time Commitment
Public Nature
Grading
Disposition of Papers
Late Papers
Revision Policy
Plagiarism
Portfolio
Peer Reviews
Attendance & Participation
Finding Help

Print copy of Course Policies (Rich Text Format)


Instructor: Shelley Rodrigo Blanchard
Office: LL242
Office Hours: M & W 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. and by appointment
Phone: Office: 480/965-5204
            Home: 602/426-8783
E-mail address: shelley.rb@asu.edu
MY web address: http://www.public.asu.edu/~rrodrigo/
COURSE web address: http://www.public.asu.edu/~rrodrigo/courses/s01eng102/

Course Objectives: The mission of ASU's Writing Programs is to introduce students to the importance of writing in the work of the university and to develop their critical reading, thinking and writing skills so that they can successfully participate in that work. Writing is intellectual work, and the demands of writing within the university community include the need:
· to synthesize and analyze multiple points of view;
· to articulate and support one's own position regarding various issues; and
· to adjust writing to multiple audiences, purposes, and conventions.
Students in our courses are expected to engage the ideas encountered in academic and serious public discourse, to develop complex ideas and arguments through serious consideration of different perspectives, and to connect their life experiences with ideas and information they encounter in classes.

Course Philosophy: No one person produces a perfect written text on the first try. Not only does a good piece of writing require invention, drafting, revision, and editing; a good paper also requires repeated attempts of the fore said operations. In this class, you will explore various ways to invent and create interesting topics, words, sentences, paragraphs and papers. You will also write and rewrite drafts of the same paper assignment, giving and receiving constructive criticism from myself, your peers, your friends, your family and anyone else you invite into the dialogue. During this process, you will explore different writing situations and the various strategies needed to respond accordingly. Please note the repeated use of the word “you.” In this class, you will take responsibility for your own learning. As a responsible student you will: regularly attend class (face-to-face and online), enthusiastically participate in class discussions, actively give insightful comments on and about your own and your peers papers, and finally diligently dedicate appropriate time outside of the classroom to your reading, writing, thinking, and over-all learning. As a class, we will all further develop our Writing Toolboxes to use in our future academic, professional, personal, and civic lives.

Required Textbooks & Supplies:
1. The Writing Programs Guide (At ASU Writing Programs’ web site: http://www.asu.edu/english/writingprograms/teacherresources/wpguide/wpguide.htm)
2. Lunsford, Andrea A., and John J. Ruszkiewicz. everything’s an argument. 2nd edition.  Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's Press, 2001. (Online support site: http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/everythingsanargument/) I will refer to this text as ea throughout the syllabus.
3. 2 new 3 1/2" disks
4. An ASUrite account. Go to Information Technology (http://www.asu.edu/it/fyi/email/misc/flyer.html) for all you need to know about setting up an asurite account.
5. Subscription to and participation in this section's online discussion board (a WebBoard located at: http://english.asu.edu:8080/~rodrigo)

Time Commitment:  You should plan to spend approximately 30-35 hours a week working on this course (including face-to-face, online, and independent work times).  Composition classes require more time from students than many other classes do.

The Public Nature of Class Writing and Discussion:  Part of becoming a good writer is learning to appreciate the ideas and criticisms of others, and in this course our purpose is to come together as a community of writers.  Remember that you will often be expected to share your writing with others.  Avoid writing about things that you may not be prepared to subject to public scrutiny or that you feel so strongly about that you are unwilling to listen to perspectives other than your own.  This does not mean that you are not entitled to an opinion but that you adopt positions responsibly, contemplating the possible effects on others.  In particular, please do not write about any criminal activity you have knowledge of -- as a witness, as a victim, or as a perpetrator. This may seem like an odd thing to caution you about, but if you were to write about such activity, I may be legally required to report it to the authorities.

Grading: This course requires that you complete three [3] formal essays (as well as all pre-writing activities associated with those essays), homework and other informal writing tasks, and a final portfolio analysis. To pass this class ALL three [3] paper assignments must be completed and the final exam portfolio must be turned in. The breakdown of the assignment and their percentages follows:
 
Essay #1 10%
Essay #2 15%
Essay #3 15%
Portfolio 15%
Peer Reviews 15%
Attendance & Participation (Quizzes too!) 15%
Chapter Outline Assignment 5%
Discussion Group Assignment 10%

Grading Scale:  Grades on individual paper assignments are computed according to the following scale.
 
A = 4.0 B+ = 3.3 C+ = 2.3 D+ = 1.3 E = .3
A- = 3.7 B = 3.0 C = 2.0 D = 1.0 No Paper = 0
B- = 2.7 C- = 1.7 D- = .7

 (Note: There is a marked difference between failing a paper and not turning one in.)
Since there are no plus or minus final grades at ASU, the following scale will be used to determine the final grade.  A student will receive a final grade no lower than the grade determined by the following formula:
 
A  = 3.5-4.0 B = 2.5-3.49 C = 1.5-2.49 D = .5-1.49  E = .49 and below


Disposition of Papers:  In the past composition teachers at ASU have kept students’ papers for two semesters. Since the fall of 1995, however, teachers have not kept students’ papers on file. Instead, students should keep their own papers.  Among other things, any student who appeals a course grade will need to submit copies of all graded course papers with the appeal.

Late Papers:  Late papers will loose one full letter grade for every 24-hour period they are late (including weekends). **NOTE: I give incompletes ONLY in case of extreme medical emergencies with proper documentation.

Revision Policy: Since this is a summer course, there will be no revisions accepted. Please feel free to meet with me (face-to-face, online, or by phone) to discuss your papers before the final due dates.

Plagiarism:  To plagiarize is to present as your own any work that is not exclusively your own. Plagiarism of all or a portion of any assignment will be strictly penalized.  See the The Writing Programs Guide:
· http://www.asu.edu/english/writingprograms/teacherresources/wpguide/questions.htm#10,
· http://www.asu.edu/english/writingprograms/teacherresources/wpguide/questions.htm#12,
· http://www.asu.edu/english/writingprograms/teacherresources/wpguide/questions.htm#13;
various documents at Student Judicial Affairs (http://www.asu.edu/studentlife/judicial/index.html)
· Student Code of Conduct, and
· Student Academic Integrity Policy (http://www.asu.edu/studentlife/judicial/integrity.html);
and ea (pp. 326-333) for more information on plagiarism.  If you have any questions about how to acknowledge someone else’s words or ideas, see me.  Remember too that all writing for this class must be written for this class.

Portfolio:  Keep all your writing for this course, including in-class and out-of-class working notes, drafts, revisions, final drafts, reader response answers, and journal entries.  At the end of the semester, you will review your portfolio to analyze and evaluate your progress.

Peer Reviews: Peer review workshops are important for two reasons. First, you will receive feedback on your work. Second, you can see how other students solved the “problem” presented by the essay assignment. PLEASE NOTE: Failing to post a substantial draft to workshop/peer review cheats both you and your classmates. If you do NOT post a paper when one is due for workshopping/peer reviewing, you will be counted absent for that day and will receive a ZERO for class participation and that specific peer review grade.

Attendance and Participation:  Because so much of your learning will take place in class, you must attend on a regular basis to receive credit for this course.  If you miss more than three [3] class meetings, you cannot pass this course.  An absence is an absence—whether you are sick or sunbathing, so budget the number of times you decide to sleep in because you might need to miss class if you become ill.  Note:  "Attendance" means being present, on time, and prepared for the entire face-to-face class period. “Attendance” also means timely and complete online participation.
· IF YOU MISS MORE THAN THREE [3] CLASSES, YOU WILL FAIL THIS CLASS. The policy on attendance is a Writing Programs policy and is non-negotiable. Knowing how many absences/lates you have at any given point in the semester and finding out what occurred in class if you are absent is your responsibility.
· To accommodate students who participate in university-sanctioned activities, the Composition Program offers sections of this course at various times of the day and week.  We have asked advisors across campus to help students enroll in appropriate sections. If you think that this course may conflict with a university-sanctioned activity in which you are involved--athletics or the debate team or whatever--please see me after class today.  While transferring to another section may be the only viable option, let's discuss the possibilities.
· Withdrawals: I want to underscore the published deadlines for dropping courses.  The deadline for unrestricted withdrawal from any course you have enrolled in for this 8-week summer session is June 5, 2001.  The deadline for restricted withdrawal--meaning that the teacher of the course you wish to drop must indicate that you currently have a passing grade in that course--is July 13, 2001.
· While I am optimistic that you will not elect to drop English 102 or another course on your schedule, it is important that you pay attention to these deadlines.  The better informed you are about the options available to you as a student at ASU, the more likely you are to succeed academically.

Where to Find Help: Although you will receive help with your writing during workshops, and, of course, you can visit me during my office hours (or by making an appointment), other places to seek help exist.
The Writing Center (in LLB302, and other locations, – 965-4272) is a FREE service for students needing assistance with organizing and developing their writing. (http://www.asu.edu/duas/wcenter/)
The Learning Resource Center (SSV A-361, 965-6254) provides tutoring in over 110 courses. They also provide basic computer instruction. (http://www.asu.edu/vpsa/lrc/)
Student Success Center (ED403, 965-3097) is a multiple-service unit housing a Writing Center satellite, a resource library, and much more (http://www.asu.edu/duas/uni100/).
For those of you who are freshmen, Freshman Year Experience (SSV A-361) is a program that helps coordinate student-support services, tutoring, advising and computer resources,  for all freshman students (http://www.asu.edu/vpsa/fye/).
Disability Resources:  ASU complies with all federal and state laws and regulations regarding discrimination, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). If you have a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for equal access to education at ASU, please call Disability Resources for Students (DRS) at 965-1234 and visit the website (http://www.asu.edu/drs/).

All the above syllabi policies and procedures are a supplement to The Writing Programs Guide.
 
Course Policies
Course Schedule
Assignments
Discussion Board
Resources
ENG102 Index Page