Composition

Course Description

ENG 1030 focuses on expository and persuasive writing for academic purposes. It emphasizes writing as a reflective and social process, writing across the curriculum, critical thinking, and the development of a personal intellectual perspective and style. It is a General Education requirement.

As a course in argumentation, ENG 1030 is designed to enhance your understanding of academic and public writing and give you practice in producing it. You will learn how to
• identify, evaluate, construct, and organize appropriate and effective arguments in written academic discourse;
• write using different rhetorical modes, strategies, and patterns across the curriculum;
• practice writing as a social and reflective process;
• develop a personal intellectual perspective and style of writing;
• read and think critically;
• learn to use reading, writing, and critical thinking to understand better your own culture and others' better; and
• conduct library research and document sources.

Writing and reading assignments, class discussions, compositional coaching, written commentary, conferences, email correspondence, peer collaboration and review, interactive and other software, audio-visual presentations, lectures, web-site visits, tutorials, publishing, library and internet research, internet chat-room discussions, and competitions.

Course Requirements

A portfolio of course work, a paper file, and an electronic file (plus back-up)
Portfolio review
Participation in appropriate academic support
Keeping copies of all submitted papers and originals of all graded papers
Attendance
Completion of all course requirements
Completion of projects such as:

• Response to literature
• Argumentative essay(s)
• Short report
• Spontaneous response(s) to prompt(s)
• Oral presentation(s)
• Departmental essay exams

Grading

• 60% Writing Projects
• 10% Oral presentation(s)
• 10% Spontaneous response(s) to prompt(s)
• 15% Homework and classwork
• 05% Participation

Writing assignments will be evaluated in relation to the following criteria:

Responsive to the prompt/topic with clarity of purpose

Quality thesis statement, focus, and sense of audience

Effective organization and sequence of ideas

Clear and effective presentation of concepts

Appropriate selection and use of rhetorical mode(s)

Logical development and integration of ideas of others

Quality development and appropriate details

Quality support, justification, and documentation

Effective sentence construction (tense, S/V ag, pronoun usage/ag modifier usage, word choice and variation of structure)

Correct mechanics (spelling, capitalization, and punctuation)

Attendance and participation

You are expected to be punctual, to attend all classes, and to participate in all in-class activities, including editing, revising, and discussion sessions. While in the computer classroom, computers must be used only for class-related activities.

Late Assignments and Drafts

Late assignments will be accepted, but they will be lowered one grade for each class day they are late. If you cannot attend class when an assignment is due, arrange to have someone turn it in during scheduled class time. There is no makeup of in-class work.

Scholastic Honesty

Copying from a book or other material without giving credit to the author, copying other students' work, doing other students' assignments for them, or pretending in any way that someone else's work is yours is a serious unethical act. It will result in failure in the assignment and possible failure in the course. Extensive or repeated academic dishonesty can result in dismissal from the university. For complete guidelines on academic honesty, see the Kean University Policy on Academic Honesty.

We will be covering the use of sources in class. In general, I will ask you to provide me with photocopies or printouts of all sources you use. I will explain the procedures for presenting this material later in the course. If you have any questions about the use you are making of sources for your assignments, see me before you turn in the assignment.

Questions and Complaints

Bring any questions you have about grades or policies to me. With respect to grades, you must keep copies both of all papers that you turn in and also the graded originals once they are returned.

If you have a disability, let me know, so I can help arrange for appropriate assistance.

Summer I Session, 2003