INGL 3103 (033) English Intermediate Writing I, Fall 2011 Course Syllabus

University of Puerto Rico Mayagez Campus College of Arts and Sciences Department of English Instructor: Kimberly D. Long Office: CH- 008 Office Hours: 10:30-11:30 LWV Mailbox: CH 323 (Department) Tel. (787) 8324040 ext. 3064 E-Mail: kimberly.long@upr.edu

Disclaimer: This syllabus is subject to change and may be amended during the course of the semester in order to correct unintended error, and or comply with the established course objectives

GENERAL INFORMATION:
Alpha-numeric codification: INGL 3103 Course Title: Intermediate English I Course Schedule (LWV and Room 223): Number of credits: 3 Contact Period: 3 hours of lecture per week Non-Contact Period: 2 hours of outside assignments for each contact hour (6 hours in total)

OFFICIAL COURSE DESCRIPTION

English: Analysis of selected readings, such as essays, fiction, poetry or drama, and practice in writing compositions with attention given as needed to grammar and idiomatic expressions.

PRE/CO-REQUISITES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

Intermediate English I (INGL 3103) is the first course of a sequence designed for entering students at the Mayagez Campus of the University of Puerto Rico who have scored 570 or above on the College Board Entrance Examination, but who have not qualified for advanced placement in the Honors Program of the English Department by obtaining a score of 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Test. Those students who receive 3 on this test are enrolled in English 3103. Students who successfully pass INGL 3103 must pass INGL 3104 and six additional credit hours in the English department courses to satisfy University requirements. Students who were enrolled in Basic English (INGL 3101 or 3102) in previous semesters, CANNOT take this course. Please see me if you have any doubts about your placement in this course.

Course Objectives: After completing Ingl 3103, students should be capable of demonstrating the following skills and abilities in the area of writing: Recognizing in the texts they read several of the traditional modes of essay development such as narrative, argument, evaluation, causal analysis, and rhetorical analysis Effectively developing and organizing the content of their own essays based on one or more of these modes Application of the various stages of the writing process to his or her written work, including drafting, peer editing, and publishing Utilization of one or more prewriting techniques Narrowing a topic Stating an authors purpose and intended audience Writing an effective thesis statement and recognize such statements when they are present in the texts they encounter Providing relevant supporting details and evidence/justification for relevant statements in their essays Recognizing the organizational structure of essays assigned for reading Writing successful introductory, transitional and concluding paragraphs for their own essays Carrying out an elementary research project using the campus library and/or internet including the proper use of outside sources and the basic forms of documentation Demonstrating correct usage of MLA documentation with general formatting, in-text citations, and the Works Cited page Instructional Strategies: The following instructional strategies will be incorporated in the class in order to assure proper grasping and application of the rhetorical, linguistic, and content-based knowledge/strategies needed to interpret, evaluate, analyze, and critique literary texts via writing: Lectures and Conference In-Class and Online Discussions Reading and Writing Workshops Independent and Guided Research Debates and Presentations Group Work and Analysis Online Blog (Tumblr)

Minimum or Required Resources Available: Materials, equipment, and physical facilities needed to fulfill the course objectives.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REQUIRED COURSE TEXTS

Course Text: The INGL 3103 course has an assigned textbook. The use of laptops will not be permitted during class.
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Bibliography/Required Course Texts: Ruszciewicz, J. (2010). How to Write Anything. Boston: Bedford/St. Martens Recommended Material Students are recommended to purchase a good English/Spanish dictionary to use for any and all writing assignments. The student is expected to have easy access to a computer and printer since the course requires Internet research, data analysis, written assignments using word processor (Microsoft Word), and communication with your professor via e-mail. Keep in mind that some materials are only available via Internet and must be printed out before coming to class. For this class it is not required to buy a copy of an MLA manual but it is imperative that the student reviews this free online source to learn how to cite properly: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/. The material will be used for an MLA accuracy quiz. Therefore, students are expected to be familiar with the format.

Additional Recommended Resources (These books may be accessed in The Writing Center) Axelrod, R., and Cooper, C. (2009). Axelrod and Coopers Concise Guide to Writing. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martens. Hacker, D. (2007). A Writers Reference with Extra Help for ESL Writers. 6th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martens. Lunsford, A. (2009). The Everyday Writer. 4th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martens. McWhorter, K. (2009). Successful College Writing. 4th ed. Bedford/St. Martens. Raimes, Ann. Keys for Writers. 5th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2008.1 Rosen, L. (2009). The Academic Writers Handbook. 2nd ed. Boston: Pearson Longman. Course Time Frame and Thematic Outline: Outline I. Introduction to the Course: Syllabus, Writing Process II. Learning to Write, Critiquing, Writing and Assessing Writing III. Argumentative Essay IV. Rhetorical Essay V. Proposal Total hours: Grading System: Quantifiable (letters) Not Quantifiable Contact Hours 3 9 12 9 12 45 contact hours Three (3) semester credits

Evaluation Strategies : While a final, graded exam is compulsory for all students registered in INGL 3103, this course is based primarily on writing essays, not on exams or quizzes. The below chart lists the distinct tasks required by your instructor, the quantity of each, and the percent of the total grade these represent. Quantity Rhetorical Analysis Paper Proposal Argumentative Oral Reports Online Blog Entries Final Exam Participation Percent 15 10 15 15 15 20 10

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TOTAL:

100%

Expectations: Students should have some awareness of the general principles of composition (such as stating and developing a thesis, paragraph development, etc.). Points will be taken off for late papers, and any student who desires an extension for a legitimate reason should see me well before the paper is due. Essays: In terms of late essays/papers, five (-5) points will be deducted for every day of lateness that passes, including weekends. The instructor will only accept hard copies of essays and papers; essays or papers will NOT be accepted if sent via email. You will write two formal essays for this class. You will receive a rubric in advance of each of these essays that clarifies criteria for evaluation. Final Exam: Students will have two hours to develop a concise and precise discussion on a topic that will be given on the day of the final exam. Attendance to the final exam is compulsory and there are no negotiations that can be made to substitute or eliminate this exam.

9. Course Policies Attendance: Attendance of the course is compulsory and will be verified at the beginning of each class. Students are expected to come to class all the time and to always be on time. The student is responsible for all materialcovered on the day s/he is absent. You must provide the appropriate documentation for an absence to be considered excused and the professor will reserve the right to accept an excuse or not. Excused absences and tardiness count as of an unexcused absence, so make a point of being in class and on-time. You are allowed three unexcused absences without any repercussions whatsoever. After your third unexcused absence (or tardiness equivalent to three unexcused absences), 10% per absence will be deducted from your final grade.
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Refer to below chart for consequences of absences/tardiness. Absences (or Equivalent) 1-3 4 5 6 7 or more Percentage Subtracted from Final Grade No Penalty -10.00% -20.00% -30.00% -50.00% Highest Possible Grade 100% (A+) 90% (A-) 80% (B-) 70% (C-) 50% (F)

Class Participation (On-Going): Class discussion is an essential part of this course. As such, students are expected to participate in class and contribute to class discussions. Students are expected to read all assigned material before the start of class and to be prepared to respond to questions presented by the professor and/or their peers. Students are expected to communicate in English with the professor and classmates. Academic Honesty: As per Cert. 45, 2005-06, it is the institutional policy of the Mayagez Campus to observe the highest standards of intellectual and scientific integrity and to pursue the prosecution of all violations. Violations include plagiarism (using the work, processes, ideas, and results of others without proper credit). Moreover, Article 14(A) (2) of the UPR General Regulations for Students identifies cheating as a punishable conduct. As such, a professor may present a formal complaint to the Campus Disciplinary Board if she or he believes a student has committed plagiarism. If the professor pursues this line of action, Article 15 of the UPR General Regulations for Students stipulates that the repercussions may be the following: A written warning which will be included in the students official record Probation for a determined period of time Suspension for a determined period of time Administrative permanent withdrawal from the UPR system Other sanctions provided by special regulation

Plagiarism, or the intentional use of another persons work without giving appropriate credit, is a serious academic offense that wont be taken lightly in this course. In addition, keep in mind that there are other forms of academic dishonesty that will not be tolerated either, such as: a) Cheating on a quiz, test, or exam; b) Writing an essay in Spanish and translating it using programs such as Babelfish, Altavista, Google Translate, among others; c) Downloading an essay from the internet; d) Paying/soliciting another person to write your paper; and e) Turning in an assignment that was used for credit in another course. If it is determined that a student committed any of the academic offenses mentioned above, he or she will receive a grade of zero (0%) on that particular work. Homework: There will be a diversity of assignments. Reading assignments must be done before the class in which they will be discussed. Be prepared to discuss readings the day the material is covered. Homework must be handed in at the beginning of the class on the day that it is due. Homework assignments will not be
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accepted late. Quizzes: These may be unannounced or announced. While a final, graded exam is compulsory for all students registered in INGL 3103, this course is based primarily on writing essays, not on exams or quizzes. However, quizzes may be given if it is determined that students are unprepared for the class discussion; such quizzes will be taken into consideration for your final grade. Email: You must include in the subject line of any email you send to me: course and section number and last name. If these items are not in the subject line I cannot guarantee that I will read your email. Disruptive Behavior: Disruptive behavior is defined as any behavior that impedes the progress of the lecture or the learning of other students. If students are disruptive they will be warned verbally. If the disruptive behavior persists, points will be deducted from the students final grade and will be asked to meet with the director of their department. Disruptive behavior includes, but is not limited to, answering or making phone calls, chatting with classmates unnecessarily, doing work for other courses, abruptly leaving the classroom, or otherwise impeding the learning process of others. Online Blog (Tumblr): The blog will be used for the sole purpose of the class. Students are required to create a blog for the course and add (follow) their fellow classmates. The purpose of creating the blog is to encourage students to share their ideas with their classmates, as well as reflect on the assigned homework provided by the professor. Additional Information According to Law 51: Students will identify themselves with the Institution and the instructor of the course for purposes of assessment (exams) accommodations. For more information please call the Student with Disabilities Office which is part of the Dean of Students office (Chemistry Building, room 019) at (787)265-3862 or (787)8324040 extensions 3250 or 3258. NB: The Dean of Students notifies the professor of accommodations that must be made for a student via a formal letter; however students disabilities are NOT disclosed to the professor. The Arts and Sciences Writing Center Students should take responsibility for obtaining help as needed with academic papers. If you have trouble when it comes to writing academic papers, or if you simply want another opinion regarding the rhetorical and argumentative value of your paper, you are advised to visit the Arts and Sciences Writing Center which is located in the Admissions Building, Room 7, and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. The Writing Center supports all reading and writing needs including the reading of texts, vocabulary development, pre-writing, drafting, content development, organization, and the preparation of final drafts. Here, you will find a welcoming environment in which trained student tutors will assist you. Be sure to take advantage of this free service. This syllabus & course outline is subject to change. Readings, Assignments, and Activities may be added as the semester progresses.

By signing the following document, I affirm that I have thoroughly read the course syllabus designed by Instructor Kimberly D. Long for the Intermediate Writing I course offered during the fall semester of 2011. In addition, I affirm that I fully understood the evaluation methods that will be implemented in this course, and that I understand the penalties that will apply for absences, plagiarism, late work, disruptive behavior, among others. Lastly, by signing this document, I am pledging to follow the guidelines, rules, and stipulations found within this course syllabus.

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