JCU Logo
JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "EN 110-4"
COURSE NAME: "Advanced Composition"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2024
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Conor Deane
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: TTH 10:00 AM 11:15 AM
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:
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 is intended to infuse confidence by showing that effective essay writing is an eminently learnable skill. The course will not only consider the general architecture of an academic paper, but will also focus on endowing students with practical skills such as, in particular, a richer vocabulary, stylistic competence and knowledge of the principles of organization. Students are expected to learn and adopt useful constructions and phrases that they will be expected to use and re-use in all their writing until they become second nature. The emphasis is very much on the consolidation of good writing and the elimination of bad habits. By the end of the course, students should know precisely what they need to do to continue improving their writing skills for the rest of their academic career. 
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
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.
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Graded Quiz 1 5
Graded Quiz 2 5
Graded Quiz 3 5
Midterm essay 15
Final Essay 25
Assignment 1 5
Assignment 2 5
Assignment 3 5
Assignment 4 5
Attendance, participation, effort (includes assessment through quizzes) 15
Final Exam 10

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
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.
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

Week 1: The Roots and principles of English

 

·         Introduction to course

·         The roots of English, Anglo-Saxon v. Latin, French. How vocabulary affects tone and style

·         Summarizing and tone analysis

·         The "non-drop" subject in English

·         The supreme importance of knowing your grammatical subject.

 

Week 2: Comprehension and synthesis

·         Dealing with quotations in your text: stock phrases

·         Summary writing and AI

·         Choosing your verbs of reporting

·         Placeholder  and existential expletive (It is/There are)

·         Pronouns, their use and abuse

 

Week 3: Patterns of Development - Compare-Contrast

 

·         Academic vocabulary

·         Sentence flow and consistency

·         The pointless passive

·         Thesis development

·         Logos, ethos, pathos and narrowing the argument

·         First short essay

 

Week 4: Grammar, style  and syntax issues

 

·         Fixing your syntax.  Parallelism

·         Understanding style -  The conflicting demands of parallelism and parsimony; repetition and elegant variation

·         Testing your grammar

·         Testing your academic vocabulary

 

Week 5: Patterns of Development  - Process analysis

·         The concept of research

·         Zotero

·         Identifying legitimate sources

·         Annotation

·         Choosing your verbs of change of state

 

Week 6: Patterns of Development - Division-Classification

 

Engagement with Models & Templates

Revisiting the Thesis

Brainstorming & Outlining

Film/Essay to be used as catalysts or basis for second essay.

Week 7: Patterns of Development - Cause - Effect

 

The first paragraph - How  to get into an essay

Progression of paragraphs  and topic sentences

The conclusion - Five ways to get out of an essay

Week 8:Patterns of Development - The  Definition essay

 

 

Enlarging the scope of your essay

How to be interesting

Ken Wilber's Four Quadrants

Picturing your audience and writing like a grown-up

 Logical fallacies, faulty reasoning

Second short essay

Week 9: Patterns of Development - The  Persuasive essay

 

Checklist of  typical errors

Indirect questions

Deciding on voice

Week 10:  Literature Reviews and annotated bibliographies

 

 

The purpose of a literature  review

The annotated bibliography - AI and essay organization

Review of principles of summarizing

Capacities and failings of AI

More logical fallacies, incomplete thoughts and thesis  statements

Third short essay

Week 11: Handling quotations  and grammar/syntax review

·         Check your prepositions

·         Paraphrasing

·         Quotation rules

·         How to include or lead into a direct quotation

·         How to lead out from a direct quotation

Week 12: The Rewriting Process

·         Reworking a Piece

·         Revising

·         Sounding authoritative

·         Toulmin claims and  unwarranted assumptions

·         Rogerian politeness

 

Week 13: Preparing for the final essay

·         Zotero bibliography building

·         The impossibility of AI

·         Submission of first 2 pages, outline and conclusion

 

Week 14:  Sentences and paragraphs

·         Writing a great sentence

·         Embracing metaphor, shunning cliché

·         The ideal paragraph

 

Week 15:  Working together on final essay- Final Exam

 

·         Final Paper Due

·         Preparing  for Final Exam

 

Assignment

Weight

Essay 1

10%

Essay 2

10%

Essay 3 (Midterm)

15%

Essay 4 (Final)

25%

Blue book (in-class) test

5%

Take-home test 1

5%

Take-home test 2

5%

Final exam (Blue book)

10%

Attendance, participation, effort

15%