English 121 Spring 2008 MSU

Where writers meet

Announcements

Schedule of Assignments for Essay Three (the final essay segment of the semester) is now posted; see the “Calendar” tab. 

For Essay Two

PEER LETTERS are due on Wednesday 2 April by midnight - email versions only.  Please email to the instructor and to the author simultaneously.  Paper copies must be included in your final draft folder which is due on Monday 7 April.

FINAL DRAFT NOTES 

  • Your final draft must have a narrowly-focused and arguable thesis which is then maintained throughout the paper.  Cut out any sections which do not demonstrate their relationship to the thesis.  You must be arguing something that is not immediately obvious, and the goal of the paper is to persuade the reader to agree with your thesis.
  • Final drafts must use at least three class texts.  I will accept – if you have discussed this with me – a selection from the text which the rest of the class did not read as one of your texts.  Outside sources may be used, but be careful to always thoroughly cite your sources in the text and in the works cited.
  • Keep in mind that standard paragraphing prescribes one idea per paragraph and that each paragraph should begin with an idea in your own words.  Quotes and examples belong in the middle of the paragraph followed by discussion.
  • Final drafts should be free of major grammar, spelling, word choice, and punctuation errors.  They should demonstrate an effort to excise wordiness and to maintain a formal academic tone.  Remember that occasional use of “I” if necessary and appropriate is acceptable but that use of the second person (“you”) and the third person (“we”) is not.
  • Titles should be creative and entice the reader.  Your introduction should also work to convince your reader of the relevance of your thesis to the reader.  The conclusion can also do more of this.
  • A works cited is required as are in-text parenthetical citations for all text usage, including specific reference and paraphrasing.
  • The final draft should be a minimum of 5 full pages, double-spaced, with one-inch margins, and 12 point Times New Roman Font.  Formatting expectations can be seen in the sample essay at the end of your textbook.
  • Your folder should contain all of your drafts for this essay, the proposal, the outline, the peer letters you wrote, and any other applicable class work which went into the development of this essay.  Folders are due in class on Monday 7 April, and late work will be penalized.
  • Remember that you can still earn extra credit by taking a draft of your essay to the writing center and placing the tutor’s marked copy with the blue sheet in your folder.

Also, rewrites of Essay 1 will be accepted through Friday 11 April for revised grades. 

For Monday 17 March:

Please read “Synthesizing Ideas” (710-712), skim Aquinas (210-214), paying attention to his argument structure.

Bring your two probing and insightful questions on the Machiavelli reading to class.  These should also be posted with a 10 minute free write on one of them by 11:59pm on this same day.  

Other calendar adjustments have been made as announced in class.  Please closely review the online calendar.

FINAL DRAFT SPECIFICATIONS

  • Due Friday 15 February IN CLASS in a folder with all previous drafts (marked-up copies are fine), proposal, and response papers.
  • Minimum length of 4 FULL pages, not counting the works cited.
  • MLA formatted works cited
  • Header with your last name and the page numbers
  • Heading with your name, class information, “Essay 1 Final Draft,” and date you turned it in
  • Title - this should really grab your reader’s attention
  • Introduction, Body, Conclusion – but avoid the classic high school 5 paragraph essay
  • Thesis or narrow focus of your argument. Must be arguing something.
  • Should carefully analyze (take apart), synthesize (put together), and apply ideas from the texts with your own ideas
  • Should not have substantial summary or comparison/contrast
  • Polished: free of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and word choice issues.
  • Style: Formal (no casual or slang language or phrasing; no contractions; no “you,” “we,” “us”). Limited use of “I” is acceptable.
  • Text use: must quote from and discuss at least three of the following class texts: Hsun Tzu, Rousseau, Douglass, Freire, Newman. All quotes should have appropriate introduction, integration, citation, and analysis.
  • Your paper should be narrowly focused and fully supported using examples, reasoning, and text use.

CLASS was CANCELLED Wed., Jan. 30th DUE TO INSTRUCTOR ILLNESS. PLEASE ADJUST THE CALENDAR ACCORDINGLY (for example, the proposal which was due Wed. is now due on Friday; please use this extra time to make sure that your work is the best it can possibly be).

We WILL have class on Friday, February 8th. The final draft of your essay is still due on Friday, February 15th.

Welcome to the class blog

Here you will find all the information you need to be successful in this College Writing class. You will also be required to submit regular posts. Please familiarize yourself with this site and be sure to email me so that I can make you an author on the site.

Extra Credit Announced

1. Take a draft of the first essay to the Writing Center for assistance. Call 994-5315 for an appointment. This is a free service. You must attach the blue slip they give you to your draft. Due no later than final draft (February 15).

2. Attend a non-class lecture (on or off campus) and write a 2 page response/review. Please see me if you are unsure about the acceptability of your chosen lecture. Any of the lectures sponsored by the MSU Leadership Institute are acceptable (for example: Ishmael Beah, Shirin Ebadi, Jane Goodall). I must have your write-up by the last day of classes (May 2). Feel free to post these to the class site also.

Instructions for contributing to class website (AKA posting)

1) Once I have your email address, I will send you an invitation to join wordpress.com. Please watch your inbox for this message.

2) Copy and paste the URL from the email invitation into your web browser. Hit enter.

3) It should take you to a page which says, “Get your own WordPress.com account in seconds.” You also have the option here to create your own blog. That may be something you want to do for yourself, but it is not part of this class.

4) You will need to type in a username (please use at least your first name and last initial in your username), a password of your choosing, and your email address. (WordPress.com does not collect personal information, nor does it send you spam. I have had an account for several months with no problems.)

5) Now, you have a WordPress account and can login at wordpress.com where Writing121 will be listed as one of your blogs.

6) When you are logged in, there should be a blue menu bar at the top of the screen.

7) Select Write Post.

8) Now give your post an interesting title.

9) Mark the appropriate category (on the right side), in this case, “Posting 1 – Hsun Tzu.” Subsequent posting assignments will have their own categories.

10) When you are finished, click on Publish. Your words should now be visible to the world.

 

 

Answers to some of your questions about the class – in no particular order

 

  • Essays will be graded on the whole package. I will, however, weight focus, thesis, ideas, support, and organization more heavily than I will style, grammar, and mechanics.
  • You cannot make up participation points; thus, missing class results in lost participation credit.
  • I do offer extra credit. Information on these assignments will be given at the appropriate times.
  • Groups will often be of your own choosing, but I may assign groups from time to time. Also, there will likely be a project later in the semester which will require you to work with the same group for several weeks.
  • For your folder, the placement of the name on the outside is not important, so long as it is there.
  • Coffee is allowed. I would hope that bathroom breaks could be limited to between classes.
  • Look through your textbook to discover the kinds of texts we will be reading. And, no, we will not read the whole book. Of course you may if it pleases you.
  • Shorter papers will often be exercises in different writing methods or will be open to your exploration of a topic. Essays will (by the final draft) need to be thesis & support essays or position papers, where you make an argument and support that argument with the appropriate evidence.
  • There will be three major essays (minimum of three drafts per essay), approximately 6 response papers, 10-15 posts, 4 peer letters & assorted small homework assignments. All of this is subject to change. All papers, short or long, are to be typed. I do not accept handwritten work unless it is an in-class assignment.
  • Final drafts of your essays should be no less than four full pages double-spaced.
  • There are no exams in this class.
  • Shorter assignments are not graded on style or grammar, but are graded based on your thoughtful engagement with the texts and ideas at hand.
  • Expect to speak in front of class, but I do not require formal speeches.
  • We will work, in a fashion, on assignments in class, but you do need to allow sufficient out-of-class time to write your essays. Use the in-class work to develop ideas, brainstorm, etc.
  • I do not care if you email me from your myportal address or an outside email address. In either case, please always sign your first name (and for some, last initial) at the end of the email.
  • I will try to announce assignments in multiple-week blocks so that you can budget your time appropriately. Some shorter assignments may still be announced in class.
  • In class writing is not graded but may be collected and then count towards your participation points.
  • There are no group essays in this class. All written work is individual.
  • We will have both freewrites and discussion in class.
  • The major essays must be formally written. You will find this is the case for most classes. Overly casual style or presentation of major essays will have an adverse effect on your grade.
  • Although I may give specific assignments, I will generally allow you to deviate from them. If you find yourself deviating significantly, please come talk to me to make sure that your work still fulfills the assignment. To get the most freedom in your writing, please come talk to me.

 

 

My contact information:

Ariana Paliobagis

Wilson Hall 2-169 (office)

Wilson Hall 2-176 (mailbox)

406-994-7322 (office)

arianajp@aol.com