Instructor:Sandra BeatyOffice:Hum 337Phone: 968-9025

e-mail:sbeaty@tarleton.eduWeb page : www.tarleton.edu/~sbeaty

Office Hours:MTWTHF 9-10 & MW 2-3, TTH 2:30-3:30and by appointment

TEXTBOOK:Robert Atwan, Our Times: Readings From Recent Periodicals,

5^th edition, Bedford Books

You will also need a 3 l/2 “ high density, double sided computer disk

COURSE DESCRIPTION:English lll3 introduces you to the diverse characteristics of academic writing.It is a beginning course in scholarly writing. The purpose of this class is to: help you improve your writing skills, help you understand and develop your own writing process, and help you to understand how/why scholars address controversial issues.

In other words, you will learn to write about ideas, in particular responding analytically and critically to written sources.This course helps you become familiar with academic audiences, situations, purposes, genres, and some primary conventions(style, arrangement, organization.)You work toward developing your own composing process and ways of inventing ideas, planning, and revising your texts.

Most of what we will do in this class is read and respond to articles as subjects of inquiry—we will discuss the articles, connect their ideas, and apply what we learn to other situations.From this class discussion, reading, and investigation, we will write papers dealing with those areas. 

Computer Laboratory

Part of this class will involve writing your papers on a computer.Certain days during the semester will be computer lab days.On those days, we will meet in the Library Computer Lab.There are two ideas behind having a lab for this class: (l) so I can help you with a writing project and (2) so I can evaluate your writing in progress.

COURSE SPECIFICATIONS:

l.Rough drafts - For major papers, you will be required to submit a rough draft as part oftheassignment.Computer generated lst drafts are acceptable, if you compose on the computer. 

If you fail to include a rough draft, I will not evaluate the assignment.

2.Rough Draft Reading(by class members) – Before each assignment is due, we will have “rough draft reading days” where you let other students give comments on your paper.This process is important for you because you gain valuable advice, plus it counts as part of the final grade.

3. Manuscript Form - You must submit a typed text for your out-of-class papers

(absolutely no hand-written major papers.)Clip or staple the essay and all the

drafts in the upper-left hand corner.Use MLA style (to be discussed.)

4.Late-paper policy - A major essay assignment is due on the day listed in the 

schedule unless you have made special arrangements with me BEFORE the due date.

I will be glad to work with you if you notify me beforehand of any conflicts in schedule.

Otherwise, the assignment will receive one letter grade deduction for each day it is late.

5.Make-up for in-class essays and assignments - Some essay assignments will be done in

class.If you must miss class for some legitimate reason, you may make up the writing,

but, you must contact me BEFORE the scheduled day of the writing.

6.Plagiarism - Do your own work and avoid having someone else “correct and review”

your assignments.An essay that has been plagiarized is an automatic failure. 

(See your TSU Student Handbook, “Academic Honesty Policy”)

7.Day-quizzes and written exercises - You will be given some unannounced reading

quizzes, as well as some short writing assignments to help you improve your

critical reading skills.

8.Participation - Your active involvement in this class is crucial for success in the languageacquisition process. Participation includes being ready to discuss the

assignment for the day,contributing to the class dialogue, exhibiting diligence

in working toward the assignment, and attending class.

9.Penalty Markers - Because this class centers on the composing process, I will require you to do parts of each writing assignment before the entire paper is due.For example, I might require a set of notes from the reading on Tuesday, a plan or outline on Thursday, and a partial draft on the next Tuesday, before the actual paper itself is due the next week.If you do not submit these parts of the assignment, I will mark a penalty down for you, which will count off the final grade for the paper.

GRADE SCHEME:Your final course grade will be based on the following:

participation in class, grades on daily

assignments/quizzes, and major writing assignments.

Writing #115%

Writing #2 15%

Writing #315%

Writing #420%

Writing #5 (FINAL EXAM)20%

Daily work, participation, 15%

attendance

Doing all six major assignments is a requirement for the class.That is, no one passes without having completed all writing assignments.Before each writing assignment is due, I will give you a more specific assignment sheet explaining the particulars of the task. Good Luck on beginning your first semester at college!Please let me know if I may help you at any time.

The following schedule will give you an idea of the class schedule for the semester.I will be supplementing this schedule with more details and assignments, and there will be probably be some changes as the semester progresses. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Monday, Aug. 27Introductionto class

Wed., Aug. 29Writing Overview

Friday, Aug. 31Continue discussion

Mon., Sept. 3Labor Day Holiday

Wed., Sept. 5Read “An Overview of the Class of 2000” pp. 8-13 & pp. 24-24, “In the News”

  Read handout “Party of One”

Friday, Sept. 7  Meet in computer lab

Mon., Sept. 10  Discussion organization of Writing #1

Mon., Sept. 17  Read “Bosom Biscuits” handout

Wed., Sept. 19  Writing #1 due

Mon.,Sept. 24Read handout "Bosom Biscuits" 

Wed.,Sept. 26 Read handout

Friday, Sept. 28Speaker: Darrell Samuelson "Generations" (Meet in IT 113)

Mon., Oct. 1  Discuss organization ofWriting #2

Wed.,Oct. 3  Continue discussion of organization

Mon., Oct. 8  Writing #2 due.Read handout "The Purpose of a College Education"

Read in text “”Why Schools Don’t Educate” pp.180-188 and 

Wed., Oct. 10  Read "The Feel-Good Trap" pp. 189-193

Friday, Oct. 12 Meet in computer lab 

Oct. 15-Dec. 3  Writing #3 due during week of Oct. 15 – exact date to be announced 

Topics to be announced for 2^nd part of semester

Note:These dates are tentative.We will probably have to adjust some of the dates depending on our progress in class.I will supplement the text with additional articles, speakers, and film.However, this schedule gives you some idea of the amount of reading and writing that will be required to succeed in this course.Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.I’ll be happy to talk with you.

*Students with Special instructional needs should contact Dr. Dwayne Snider, Disability Services, Adm. 237, phone 968-9103.Instructional accommodations cannot be made until student needs have been documented with Dr. Snider, and his office has notified faculty.

NOTE:These dates are tentative as are the assigned readings.We will probably have to adjust some of the dates depending on our progress in class. I will also supplement the text with additional articles.However, this schedule gives you some idea of the amount of reading and writing that will be required to succeed in this course. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns, I’ll be happy to talk with you.

**Students with Special Needs should contact Dr. L.Dwayne Snider, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Administration Building, Ex. 9l03