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ENGLISH 101.

D08
COMPOSITION I
CREDIT HOURS, 3
FALL 2010
MONDAY/WEDNESDAY/FRIDAY, 10.00-10.50PM
BEADLE HALL, ROOM 330

Dr. Stacey Berry | Beadle Hall 111 | 605.256.5269 | stacey.berry@dsu.edu | https://d2l.sdbor.edu/


Office Hours MWF, 08.00-09.00A
TR, 01.00-2.30P
and by appointment

Course Description
from Dakota State University: 2009-2010 Undergraduate Catalog, 221.
ENGL 101 COMPOSITION I. Practice in the skills, research, and documentation needed for
effective academic writing. Analysis of a variety of academic and non-academic texts, rhetorical
structures, critical thinking, and audience will be included. A library research component will be
included. Some coursework incorporates multimedia assignments.

Course Goals

The primary goal of this course is to learn and to practice effective techniques for organizing, developing
and writing academic essays that reflect a collegiate level of writing. The purpose of this course is to
help you write clearly and thoughtfully. We will engage in basic reading and writing skills required for
success in college, with emphasis on fluency in personal, descriptive, argumentative and research
analysis prose.

This section of 101, specifically, considers the popular origin story narrative, Batman Begins—that is, we
will use the film as text to investigate ideas that are meaningful to our individual lives and our collective
culture(s).

Many cultural theorists discuss cultural products--such as literature, film, and video games--as
"equipment for living." They see these cultural narratives as representations or myths that speak back to
the society that produced them. The narratives produced by a culture help the inhabitants deal with the
world. This term, we will begin to ask such questions as: If art represents something of the society it
comes out of, then what are our current cultural narratives saying back to us?, and What kinds of myths
are we producing? As we investigate this notion of equipment for living through our assigned course
readings and discussions, we will also develop our writing skills through discussions and weekly
assignments. All course activities are designed to equip us with the strong writing and analytical skills
required in other university courses and beyond.

Prerequisites and Technology Skills

This course presumes a familiarity with basic computing technologies and digital environments.

Required Textbooks

Harris, Muriel. Prentice Hall Reference Guide: Custom Edition for Dakota State University.
Additional readings, videos, and handouts on D2L and may be added as necessary.
ENGLISH 101.D08 2

Course Delivery and Instructional Methods

This course requires heavy reading, writing, interaction with media, and class participation in both the
traditional and online classroom. This course presumes that you learn to read and to write better by
reading and writing regularly, not by listening to lectures about writing. Consequently, this will be a
student-centered workshop course where we will write daily. We will spend significant time not only in
individual writing, but also in small groups working collaboratively, sharing and responding to each
other’s writing. By the end of the term, you will have produced four (4) essays (the equivalent of 25
typed, double-spaced pages) in addition to a series of shorter writing assignments leading (directly or
indirectly) to the finished formal pieces.

Grading

Assignment 1 10%
Assignment 2 10%
Assignment 3 15%
Assignment 4 25%
Final Portfolio 10% [70% for polished writing]

D2L – Course Shell 15%


Presentation 05%
Attendance and Participation 10% [30% for process]

This system of grading rewards you for timely serious effort on daily assignments and in workshops. It
gives extra weight to your highest level of achievement near the end of the semester.

More specific grading criteria for assignments and class participation are available via the course shell.

Classroom Policies

Attendance
A student who misses more than 20% of this class will not receive credit. This means that
missing six (6) or more class sessions will result in an automatic failure of the course.

Habitual tardiness will affect your final grade. I make no distinction between excused and
unexcused absences—you are either here or you are not. If you experience some kind of
catastrophic event, please let me know as soon as possible.

Participation
Earning high marks for attendance and participation means not only that you turn up, but that
you are prepared. You must actively participate in discussion and in group work.

Make-up Policy
In general, I do not accept late work for credit. Nor do I allow you to make-up work that you
missed if you were absent from class.

If I need to cancel class, I will try to post a message on D2L and send an email. Missing classes is rare for
me, but if after 15 minutes I have not arrived, and there are no other signs or messages, please assume
that class is cancelled.
ENGLISH 101.D08 3

Assignment Guidelines

Paper Specifications

All formal writing assignments must be typed in Times New Roman 12-point font and double spaced
with one-inch margins. Headings and documentation must conform to MLA style. All individual
assignments will be outlined during class, and the information will be posted to our course shell. Late
papers will not be accepted.

KEEP EVERYTHING THAT YOU WRITE FOR THIS COURSE; DO NOT THROW ANYTHING AWAY.
At the end of the term you will submit a final portfolio of all of your writing, along with a short reflective
essay on the contents and the process in general.

D2L – Course Shell

You will routinely be required to respond to assigned readings or to perform other activities in the
course shell. These activities will be incredibly important to us as a class, as the ideas will often provide
the material for our discussions. As members of the same class community, we are responsible to one
another for the quality of our journal contributions. You are encouraged to use these responses to
investigate and ask questions of our texts both as a writer and a reader. The individual topics and
requirements will be provided during class meetings and/or via the course shell. These responses need
not be included with the final portfolio.

Presentation

You will be required to give a short 10-15 minute presentation about the topic of your final paper
(Assignment 4). These presentations will begin during week 13.

Workshop

On peer review workshop days you are expected to bring copies of the draft you are working on for each
of your group members. Electronic collaboration is encouraged.
ENGLISH 101.D08 4

Course Schedule

The “Class Discussion” column tells you what we will do in class that day. The “Homework” column tells
you how to prepare for the next class period in terms of reading and writing and which text you will
need in the next class session.

Week 1
Class Discussion Homework

MO Aug 30 Introduction to English 101, course Review texts, course policies & syllabus;
shell, and one another Access D2L and post an Introduction;
Begin thinking about yourself as a writer. What
do you want to write about? Why?
WE Sep 1 Film screening: Batman Begins

FR Sep 3 Film screening: Batman Begins

Week 2
Class Discussion Homework

MO Sep 6 NO CLASSES, LABOR DAY

WE Sep 8 Film screening: Batman Begins Prentice Section 1 (1-4);


Purpose-Audience PDF via D2L;
*Last Day to Drop / 100% refund, Sep How/what do cultural narratives help us to
9th think about ourselves?
FR Sep 10 Discuss: the film and main themes Denby, “Aiming Low”
(http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/06/
Review: Purpose and Audience 13/050613crci_cinema);
Find and post a review of BB to D2L and read at
*Last Day to Apply for Fall 2010 least one review posted by your classmates;
Graduation How do movie reviewers analyze?
ENGLISH 101.D08 5

Week 3
Class Discussion Homework

MO Sep 13 *Movie Review Monday* Prentice Section 2 (4-12);


How do we create essays?
Discuss: reviews and strategies of
analysis

Review: Assignment One


WE Sep 15 Discuss: How do we create essays? Research: What is the difference between
writing to inform and writing to evaluate?
FR Sep 17 Continue discussing how and why we Prentice Section 3 (20-27);
write Think about the concept fear. Then write a
paragraph on that theme to DESCRIBE the
Activity: Writing to inform and to feeling.
evaluate

Week 4
Class Discussion Homework
MO Sep 20 Discuss: Descriptive writing

How do we write to describe?


WE Sep 22 Discuss: BB as exploration of how a self Assignment One DUE in class Sep 24
is made – the origin story
FR Sep 24 Assignment One DUE Continue to work on personal history time-line
as necessary for brainstorming for Assignment
Activity: How can we write to explore? Two;
Brainstorming using the personal
timeline Write a movie review that also explores a
significant experience (post to D2L and review
Review: Assignment Two at least one other post)
ENGLISH 101.D08 6

Week 5
Class Discussion Homework
MO Sep 27 *Movie Review Tuesday* Chabon, “Reflections: Secret Skin”
(http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/0
Discuss: Movie Reviews and how we 3/10/080310fa_fact_chabon)
write to explore (what do we include
for ourselves vs. for others)
WE Sep 29 Discuss: Chabon Continue Chabon
How is this essay a “reflection”?
FR Oct 1 Continue Chabon Bring drafts of Assignment Two for workshops
Discuss: Structure

Activity: Reverse outline

Review: Peer Review Workshops

Week 6
Class Discussion Homework
MO Oct 4 Peer Review Workshop Review patterns of organization Prentice
Assignment Two Section 3 (20-27);
Choose a paragraph style and write a paragraph
on the theme of heroes and/or villains using BB
as your base text. (post to D2L and review at
least one other post)
WE Oct 6 Discuss: Heroes and Villains
What styles did we try and why?
FR Oct 8 Discuss: Why use which styles, when? HOLIDAY
Assignment Two DUE (OCT 13)

Week 7
Class Discussion Homework
MO Oct 11 NO CLASSES, NATIVE AMERICAN DAY Burke, “Literature as Equipment for Living”
WE Oct 13 Assignment Two DUE Prepare an analysis paragraph of Nolan’s
Batman where you explore why this version is
Discuss Burke & “sociological so popular (post to D2L and read at least one
criticism”; other post)
How is Batman equipment for living?
FR Oct 15 Discuss: analyses Choose one concept: heroism or villainy;
Write a definition of the concept of your
What do you need to know and say in choosing and bring to class with you prepared
order to do this task convincingly? to discuss. Use examples to back up your points.

Review: Assignment Three


ENGLISH 101.D08 7

Week 8
Class Discussion Homework
MO Oct 18 Discuss: How do we write to persuade? Begin work on Assignment Three

Share heroism/villainy definitions and Review Cinematical’s feature,“Their Best Role”


debate: what makes a hero and what (http://www.cinematical.com/category/their-
makes a villain best-role/)

Choose an actor and create your own “Their


Best Role” using evidence to support your
points (post to D2L and read at least one other
post)
WE Oct 20 Discuss: What is the “Heroic Journey”
What makes an arguable thesis? And (http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/smc/journ
the importance of evidence ey/ref/summary.html);
Example analysis
(http://www.mythichero.com/call_to_adventur
e.htm)
FR Oct 22 Discuss: What does it mean to analyze Scientific American’s “Dark Knight Shift”
for by/for process (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm
?id=dark-knight-shift-why-bat)
What does analyzing for process help
us to see or expose?

*Last day of first-half of semester

Week 9
Class Discussion Homework
MO Oct 25 Discuss: Compare and contrast these Prentice Section 4 (28-39)
two different styles of ‘process’
analysis

How do analyses create arguments?

WE Oct 27 Discuss: Writing to Argue Peer Review Workshop: Assignment Three


FR Oct 29 Peer Review Workshop: Assignment Assignment Three DUE
Three
ENGLISH 101.D08 8

Week 10
Class Discussion Homework
MO Nov 1 Assignment Three DUE

Introduction to Research

Review: Assignment Four


WE Nov 3 *Last day to withdraw from the
University and be eligible for a refund
FR Nov 5

Week 11
Class Discussion Homework
MO Nov 8
WE Nov 10
FR Nov 12

Week 12
Class Discussion Homework
MO Nov 15
*Last day to withdraw from a full
semester course or school and receive
a grade of “W”
WE Nov 17
FR Nov 19

Week 13
Class Discussion Homework
MO Nov 22 Researched paper presentations
WE Nov 24 HOLIDAY
Researched paper presentations
FR Nov 26
NO CLASSES, THANKSGIVING

Week 14
Class Discussion Homework
MO Nov 29 Researched paper presentations
WE Dec 1 Researched paper presentations
FR Dec 3 Researched paper presentations

Week 15
Class Discussion Homework
MO Dec 6 Workshop
WE Dec 8 Workshop
FR Dec 10 Final portfolios DUE
ENGLISH 101.D08 9

ADA Statement

If you have a documented disability and/or anticipate needing accommodations (e.g., non-standard note
taking, test modifications) in this course, please arrange to meet with the instructor. Also, please contact
Dakota State University’s ADA coordinator, Keith Bundy, in the Student Development office located in
the Trojan Center Underground or at 256-5121, as soon as possible. The DSU website containing
additional information, along with the form to request accommodations is
http://www.departments.dsu.edu/disability_services/. You will need to provide documentation of your
disability. The ADA coordinator must confirm the need for accommodations before officially authorizing
them.

Academic Honesty Statement

Cheating and other forms of academic dishonesty run contrary to the purpose of higher education and
will not be tolerated in this course. All forms of academic dishonesty will result in a failing grade in the
course and may lead to expulsion from the University. Please be advised that when the instructor
suspects plagiarism, the Internet and other standard means of plagiarism detection will be used to
resolve the instructor’s concerns. DSU’s policy on academic integrity (DSU Policy 03-22-00) is available
online [http://www.dsu.edu/hr/policies/03-22-00.aspx].

Freedom in Learning Statement

Students are responsible for learning the content of any course of study in which they are enrolled.
Under Board of Regents and University policy, student academic performance shall be evaluated solely
on an academic basis and students should be free to take reasoned exception to the data or views
offered in any course of study. It has always been the policy of Dakota State University to allow students
to appeal the decisions of faculty, administrative, and staff members and the decisions of institutional
committees. Students who believe that an academic evaluation is unrelated to academic standards but
is related instead to judgment of their personal opinion or conduct should contact the dean of the
college which offers the class to initiate a review of the evaluation.

Use of Tablet PC in the Classroom

The Tablet PC platform has been adopted across the DSU campus for all students and faculty, and tablet
usage has been integrated into all DSU classes to enhance the learning environment. Tablet usage for
course-related activities, note taking, and research is allowed and encouraged by DSU instructors.
However, inappropriate and distracting use will not be tolerated in the classroom. Instructors set policy
for individual classes and are responsible for informing students of class-specific expectations relative to
Tablet PC usage. Failure to follow the instructor’s guidelines will hinder academic performance and may
lead to disciplinary actions. Continued abuse may lead to increased tablet restrictions for the entire
class.

Because tablet technology is an integral part of this course, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure
that his/her Tablet PC is operational prior to the beginning of each class period.

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