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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "EN 110"
COURSE NAME: "Advanced Composition"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Summer Session II 2020
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Carolina De Luca
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: Remote Learning
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: Placement via JCU English Composition Placement Exam or completion of either EN 103 or EN 105 with a grade of C or above
OFFICE HOURS: Tuesday on Microsoft Meets

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course prepares students to read, think, and write critically. Students will develop their ability to read critically and analyze primary and secondary sources, hone their composition skills through in and out of class essays, and will complete the course by writing and revising a fully-documented and well-reasoned research paper, complemented by an annotated bibliography and literature review. EN110 focuses on the argumentative form, encouraging students to position their work within current critical discourses. The course develops the following skills: source selection and interrogation, identification and contextualization of themes, thesis development and defense, digital literacies, use of library resources, and careful citation in MLA style. Students must receive a grade of C or above in this course to fulfill the University’s English Composition requirement and to be eligible to take courses in English literature.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
The course examines a range of fundamental writing strategies, starting organization and logic, critical reading of sources, summarizing, paraphrasing and proper quoting; it continues with the writing of a topic proposal for the research paper, selection and citation of sources, an annotated bibliography and research methodology. Use of library resources will also be covered.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students will learn to write a well-organized and error-free argumentative essays and a longer MLA-style argumentative research paper.  By the end of the course, students will have a bigger appreciation for writing, and will learn to perceive themselves as writers. Students will also learn to read literature in a way that will develop the critical skills necessary for academic writing/thinking across the disciplines and will understand that -more often than not- to read and think well is to write well.
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing, 3rd Edition Gerald Graff and Cathy BirkensteinW. W: Norton978-1469028613     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Mid-Session Argumentative PaperThe purpose of the long argument paper is to warm up the student to write the final research paper. The average length of this paper is 4-6 double-spaced typed pages.20%
Final PresentationThe final exam is an oral presentation of your research paper: it will focus on its process, artifacts and discoveries. 10 minutes max. 10%
Research PaperAll students are required to write a fully documented short research paper (1500-1700 words). It must be an explicit argument and must follow MLA format.30%
Homework and Other Writing AssignmentsAll assignments are written assignments. Homework consists in exercises from our class textbook, TSIS (They Say, I Say). The other assignments are shorter writing assignments such as summaries, rhetorical analyses, opinion pieces, etc. 30%
Attendance and Participation Attendance and Participation include: Attendance at mandatory Tuesday class; keeping in touch with peers and instructor; participation on written Moodle forums; timeliness with assignments. 10%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
A Outstanding. A/A-: This is outstanding writing which reflects a perceptive and thoughtful response to the assignment. It is well organized with excellent development of ideas and reflects the writer's command of appropriate rhetorical strategies. The prose is vigorous and fresh, and the writer is clearly in control of the standard conventions of English prose. There are no errors in the mechanics of writi
B Very Good. B/B+/B-: This is very good writing that fulfills the assignment and shows evidence of clear thought and good planning. It is well organized with good supporting details. The writing is fluent, and there are only minor errors in the mechanics of writing which do not detract from the overall essay.
C Average. C/C+/C-: This is satisfactory writing that fulfills the assignment and is adequately developed. The writing is clear and coherent with relatively few errors in usage and mechanics, but the writer fails to demonstrate any particular strength that would mark this writing above average.
D Below Average. D/D+/D-: This is below-average writing which fulfills the assignment but exhibits major problems in writing. It may have difficulty with the presentation of ideas (e.g., lack of clear thesis, weak organization, poor development of ideas, or incoherence), or it may reflect poor control of the conventions of standard English prose (e.g., poor use of idiom, inappropriate diction, poor spelling) or be marred by enough errors in the mechanics of writing to seriously distract the reader
F Unsatisfactory. F: This is writing that relates to the topic but fails to fulfill the assignment either because of poor organization and lack of clarity or because the writing reflects a lack of control over the basic conventions of standard English usage. There may be sentence boundary problems, poor use of idiom, inappropriate diction (words used incorrectly), agreement errors, or verb tense problems.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:

     Because the course is based on a series of workshops and in-class activities, attendance and class contribution are essential. Four or more absences will affect the final grade for the class, and when a student exceeds 5 absences, for whatever reason, he or she may fail the course. Late arrivals are disruptive and show a lack of respect for the instructor and for other students; therefore, two late entrances count as one absence. When a student is absent, he or she is held responsible for all of the work covered during the lesson, and papers or homework due on the day of absence should be turned in via email or another student. Late papers will be marked a half grade off (from A to A-, for example) for every day late. Assignments are considered on time only if submitted at (or before) the beginning of class on the due date. Scheduled in-class essays may not be made up unless arrangements are made with the professor before the day of absence. The use of computers, cell phones, is not permitted during class. Eating is discouraged while drinking (coffee/tea etc.) is absolutely fine.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

 


Class Schedule

 

Week One July 6-12

Paraphrasing and Summarizing

Reader response

Textbook: TSIS “Introduction” & Part 1 “THEY SAY” pp. 1-54 (3 chapters)

·      Read: “Don’t Blame the Eater” by David Zinczenko

·      Homework: ex. 2 p.15, ex. 1 p. 40. Ex. 1, p. 50.

QUIZ on TSIS  Part 1

Additional reading and assignment: Jonathan Franzen

Summary: Nancy Andreasen


Week Two July 13-19

Argument and Counterargument

Opinion Piece

TSIS Part 2 “I SAY” pp. 55-104 (4 chapters)

·      Homework: ex. 1, p. 67. Ex. 1, p. 75, ex. 2 p.77, ex. 1 p. 90, ex.1 p.100.

QUIZ on TSIS Part 2

Additional reading assignment with questions: Joan Didion

Rhetorical analysis: James Baldwin

Research paper topic and brainstorming due

Individual sessions with instructor


Week Three July 20-26

Introducing your own voice.

TSIS Part 3 “TYING IT ALL TOGETHER” pp. 105-162 (4 chapters)

·      Homework: ex. 1 p. 119; ex. 1;  ex. 1 p. 128;  ex. 2 p. 138.

·      Read pages 139-143 with particular attention, and then study the rhetorical moves made by student Antonia Peacocke in the Sample Student Paper on pp.145-159

You should use this essay as a model for your argument paper due by the end of this week.

Mid-session Argumentative essay due (Topic: Cancel Culture)


Week Four July 27-August 2

TSIS Part 4 “IN SPECIFIC ACADEMIC CONTEXTS” pp. 163-238 (6 chapters)

·      (No homework)

Library Session

MLA and Research Methodology

Annotated Bibliography                                             

Individual sessions with instructor


Week Five August 3-August 9

Use templates at end of TSIS for your argumentative research paper

Presentation of Final Paper

Final Research Paper Due