Course Syllabus

Western Michigan University

English 3600 Academic English

Fall  2013

Instructor: Kristin Hartridge

Class: M/W 3:00-5:15 pm

Class Website: english3600@blogspot.com

Office: Moore Hall, 2065

Office phone: 269.207.1835                           

Office hours: 5:30-6:30 Monday and Wednesday.  Tuesday by appointment.

E-mail: Kristin.hartridge@wmich.edu

One of the gifts of being a writer is that it gives you an excuse to do things, to go places and explore.  Another is that writing motivates you to look closely at life, at life as it lurches by and tramps around.

- Anne Lamott

Course Description

This course aims to help college-bound international students to use language appropriately for study in a higher education setting. Through continued, directed practice and frequent feedback, students develop competence in analysis, organization, and presentation of information in writing.  Students use critical and rhetorical thinking to write different genres of academic writing.

Course Rationale

This course is for undergraduate and graduates who are non-native speakers of English and who have sufficient language proficiency to be admitted to the University, but who need to improve their reading and writing skills in order to perform successfully in their academic world.  The course promotes further development in the ability to read academic prose and to write in the genres needed for academic success, including the research paper.  Attention will be paid to critical reading and editing for grammatical correctness in writing.

Course Textbook and Materials

Langan, John.  College Writing Skills with Readings.  9^th ed. New York: McGaw Hill, 2014.

Dollahite, Nancy and Julie Haun.  Sourcework: Academic Writing from Sources.  2^nd ed. Boston, MA: Heinle, 2012.

* Additional readings will be assigned throughout the term.  They will be posted on our class website –please print them out and bring them to class. 

I strongly suggest you invest in:

-A good dictionary, such as any edition of Webster’s Collegiate, American Heritage, or The Random House Dictionary of the English Language.  If you do not purchase a dictionary, do get in the habit of using an Internet based dictionary. 

-A flash drive or regular use of a backup system (google docs, Dropbox, etc). Regularly back up your work.  Computer meltdowns are unfortunate, but are not an excuse for late work. 

-As you begin researching your different issues you will accumulate research.  Make sure you bring copies of the research to class.  I suggest printed copies so that you can easily annotate them.

Work of the Course

To successfully complete English 3600, students must achieve a C (75%) or better and demonstrate the ability to do the following:

1.     Apply problem-solving strategies, including analysis of situation and audience, to plan and write essays, research reports, or answers to essay exams, all of which accurately reflect the assignment given;

2.     Write unified, complete, and coherent messages that reflect purpose and point of view;

3.     Edit and proofread your written work to ensure correct grammar, spelling, word choice, and sentence clarity;

4.     Gather data and information using secondary research tools, including the library and the internet;

5.   Select credible and reliable data and information using analytical critical reading

      skills and to use your findings in support of an argument or point of view;

5.     Use summaries, paraphrases, and direct quotations of information found in secondary sources and cite these sources appropriately.

Graded Assignments

Written assignments                                                        30%

In-class activities, discussions and homework             20%

Final Project                                                                       20%

Final Project Presentation                                               15%

Participation (including attendance)                             15%

Evaluation Criteria and Grading Standards for Written Work

English 3600 grading practices are designed to encourage and recognize excellence in written communication.  Your written work will be evaluated on the following criteria:

1.     Originality of expression  The paper reflects an appropriate analysis of assignment or writing situation as well as a clear purpose.  Your perspectives as a writer is clearly expressed and the appropriate message format/type is used

2.     Content and Development  The paper is accurate, contains quality     information, reflects analysis appropriate for the paper’s intended audience, and develops the writer’s perspective or purpose

3.     Organization  The paper is organized clearly, effectively, and logically for the audience and exhibit correct use of three part structure and appropriate use of paragraphs

4.     Style  Sentence structure and word choice.  The paper is clear, concise, and coherent.  The tone is appropriate for the audience.

5.     Editing and appearance  The paper is grammatically correct and free from usage, spelling, and typographical errors.  It is formatted appropriately and professionally.

Class Policies and Instructor’s Expectations

Attendance and Participation

Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class.

Absences will lower your participation grade.

Late Assignments

Turn in assignments on or before the due date.  Late assignments will only be accepted if you have spoken with me before hand and I have agreed you may turn the assignment in late.  In-class work will not be eligible for make up.

Vocabulary Lists 

Each class you will be expected to bring a new word to share with the class.  This could be something you hear in conversation or class.  It could be a word from one of our readings, your own research or from readings or work in another class.  You are expected to bring a word to class that includes a dictionary meaning, other possible uses and the sentence that you heard the word in context.  We will discuss them daily and compile a class word dictionary.  This will count towards your participation grade. 

Peer Response and Workshops

Contrary to common belief, writing is not a solitary process.  Rather, writing accomplishes the most as a collaborative process where we work together to analyze ideas and construct understanding, and emphasize writing as an interaction between writer and audience.  Through workshop, you will understand the importance of writing as a process, as well as the importance of revision.  Each workshop will give you the opportunity to develop and refine your written communication skills as you prepare to employ them both here at the university and out in the wider world.

The Friday before most workshops you will post a copy of the rough draft to me. Most of the peer work will be done in the classroom.

More details for this process can be found on our website, and will be discussed in-depth in class. 

Students with Disabilities

Any student with a documented disability (physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact me and/or Disable Student Resources and Services within the first week of class.

Academic Integrity

You, no doubt, will have plenty of exciting things to talk about.  At times you might want, or need, to bring in outside sources that can help support your ideas.   When doing so, make sure you give credit where it is due.  It goes with out saying (but I am saying it anyways) that you need to write all of your own papers, unless you are writing in group collaboration.  I value your own creativity and originality.  If you plagiarize anything in this class you will fail and be formally sanctioned. That is not fun for anyone, so if you have a question on citing sources or plagiarism, please do not hesitate to ask me.   If in doubt, always provide citations and acknowledgements when using anyone else’s work, regardless of the medium.  As mentioned in the above section, we will have plenty of time to become familiar with MLA formatting.

Also, do not turn in a paper or assignment that you wrote for another class. 

Technology Usage

It will be tempting to text, play Words with Friends and update your Facebook status.  Resist this temptation and stay off of your numerous electronic devices while we are in our class unless there is a specific purpose (identified by me). It is disrespectful to the entire class, but more importantly limits your own productivity.

Email

Proper email etiquette is a major component to understanding specific genres.  We will discuss what is acceptable on the first day of class.  Consider this your warning that I will immediately delete emails that break convention.