Rhet 101 - G1

MW 3 - 4:15 PM ~ English Bldg 320

Fall 2000

 

Instructor:	Kathie Gossett
Office Hours:	Mondays 2 - 3PM
Email:	kgossett@uiuc.edu
Office Phone:	333-1335
Course Web Site:	http://www.uiuc.rhiannonctr.com

"The desire to write grows with writing." -- Erasmus

Course Description

Welcome to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the world of academic writing. The reading and writing that you will be required to do here at UIUC is probably different than a lot of the reading and writing you have done before. Rhetoric 101 is designed to help you figure out what it means to read critically and write academically and to prepare you to be successful in all your future classes.

Required Texts

There are 2 required texts for this class:

Perspectives on Contemporary Issues by Katherine Anne Ackley

Simon & Schuster Handbook for Writers by Lynn Quitman Troyka

Grading

Your grade will be based on the following criteria:

• Three Essays
• Five Writing Assignments
• Quizzes
• Summary Notebook
• Various class assignments including: vocabulary, grammar, and in-class writing
• Class Participation/Attendance

Essays

Three essays are required for this class. We will be writing an exploratory, a compare and contrast, and an argument. You will be assigned a general topic for each essay, but you are free to choose your own focus within the topic.

Essay #1 (Exploratory) must be 2 - 3 pages long and you will be required to turn in two drafts. Essays #2 (Compare and Contrast) and #3 (Argument) must be 3 - 5 pages and you will be required to turn in four drafts of each paper. The requirements for each draft of each paper will be handed out separately.

All drafts of each essay are required in order to get full credit. Your essays are due during the first five minutes of class. If you are late, then your paper is late. If you turn a draft in late, 5 points will be deducted from your overall grade. If your final draft is late, an additional 10 points will be deducted from the overall grade. Each draft must be typed and stapled; if it is not, it will be returned to you and counted late. Take pride in your work.

Writing Assignments

There will be five formal writing assignments (in addition to your papers) during the semester. These writing assignments are designed to focus on specific writing skills that will help you with your larger papers. Specific requirements for these assignments will be handed out as they are assigned. All writing assignments must be typed. Writing assignments will also be due during the first five minutes of class.

Quizzes

The quizzes will be designed to make sure that you are doing the reading and paying attention in class. Some quizzes will be announced, but the majority will be "pop" quizzes. Quizzes will be given during the first 15 minutes of class, so if you are late, you miss it. You cannot make-up quizzes.

Summary Notebook

You will be required to keep a summary notebook. The specific requirements for this notebook will be explained in class. I will review your notebook with you at each of your tutorial sessions.

Vocabulary/Grammar/In-class Writing

Each week you will receive a list of vocabulary words and a vocabulary worksheet. We will be working through the vocabulary worksheets together in class. If you miss a vocabulary worksheet, you will need to make arrangements with me to make it up. Vocabulary words will show up on the quizzes, so be prepared.

You are also responsible for completing all grammar assignments in the Simon and Schuster book. We will be reviewing and correcting the work in class. As with vocabulary, grammar will show up on the quizzes, so be prepared.

Since this is a writing class, we will be doing a lot of in-class writing. Be sure and come prepared each class period with plenty of paper and pens/pencils. I will periodically collect in-class writing.

Class Participation

Participation means coming to class prepared, ready to comment on the current topic, and ready to participate in any class activities. If you come unprepared, you may be asked to leave the class and return when you are prepared. If you are asked to leave the class, this will count as an absence.

You are allowed four absences. On your fifth absence, your grade will be dropped half a letter grade in addition to the participation or in-class work points that you will miss each time you are absent. Also, students who come to class thirty or more minutes late will receive a half absence.

Tutorials/Rhet 100

As part of this class, you are required to attend a weekly 50 minute one-on-one tutorial with me. You will sign up for a regular appointment during the second class period. You need to come to the tutorial prepared to discuss your current work or questions that you have with the work we are doing in class. It is your responsibility to bring all your writing to each tutorial. DO NOT MISS A TUTORIAL. If you need to reschedule, you must let me know prior to your appointment.

Listserv/Email

I have set up a listserv for this class. You will need to send an email to me as soon as possible so that I may add you to the list. After you are added, you will receive an email welcoming you to the list. This email will include instructions regarding how to read and post messages to the list.

The listserv is set up to be an online discussion for the class. We will be using it to further class discussions, or simply to communicate with each other. You may use the list to bounce ideas off of each other, comment on each others papers or on class topics, or work with each other to complete your writing assignments. I will occasionally use the list to inform you of class discussions we will be having or send you all resources you will need to complete your papers. Remember, part of your grade is dependent on your participation on the listserv, so be sure to check your email or the list web page often. "Flamming" is not acceptable on this listserv, and if you do flame, you will receive 0 points.

Plagiarism

Part of learning about academic writing is learning when it is appropriate to quote, paraphrase, and summarize another writer's words or ideas in your writing. We will spend several class sessions throughout this semester working on these skills. However, a word of caution: Intentionally copying the work of another author and passing it off as your own is plagiarism. Using papers that you, your roommate, or anyone else has written for another class is also plagiarism. Since the penalties for plagiarism can be severe, up to and including dismissal from the university, I encourage you to work with me if you have any questions about using another author's words or ideas in any of your written work.

Major Due Dates

Week One: No major assignments are due.
Week Two: No major assignments are due.
Week Three:
	9/4	Writing Assignment 1 - Summary of one article is due
Week Four:
	9/11	First draft of Paper 1 is due
Week Five:
	9/18	Final draft of Paper 1 is due
Week Six:
	9/25	Writing Assignment 2 - Summary and Analysis of one article is due
Week Seven:
	10/2	First draft of Paper 2 is due
Week Eight:
	10/9	Second draft of Paper 2 is due
	10/11	Writing Assignment 3 - Synthesis of two articles is due
Week Nine:
	10/16	Third draft of Paper 2 is due
Week Ten:
	10/23	Writing Assignment 4 - Synthesis of two articles with correct citations is due
Week Eleven:
	10/30	Final draft of Paper 2 is due
Week Twelve:
	11/6	First draft of Paper 3 is due
Week Thirteen:
	11/13	Second draft of Paper 3 is due
Week Fourteen: Thanksgiving
Week Fifteen:
	11/27	Third draft of Paper 3 is due
	11/29	Writing Assignment 5 - Synthesis of three articles with rebuttal is due
Week Sixteen:
	12/4	Final draft of Paper 3 is due

In addition to the major assignments listed above, you can expect to have some reading assigned for each class period. You will be given the reading assignments in class and they will be posted to the class schedule on the course web page. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed and to come prepared to the next class meeting.

** All dates are based on my best plans for the course and are subject to change.

Questions? Suggestions? Send e-mail.

This page was modified on August 22, 2000.