jeanne.hamming
english.dept.
centenary.college
jhamming@centenary.edu
313.JAC
318.869.5082
v.card

fye.101N: first year experience
mwf |11-11:50am|113 JAC
(convocations: th 11:10-12)
office.hours: mwf 12-1
(or by appointment)

schedule (click here to view)

course.description

This course introduces students to the liberal arts and to the processes of inquiry by which scholarly, professional, and public communities formulate knowledge and forge solutions to complex problems. Drawing on research, guest speakers, and cultural events from diverse academic disciplines and from contemporary public discourse, students and faculty examine ideas and analyze the arguments and evidence that are used to make and defend conclusions. We build on this examination to engage collaboratively in research projects that enable students to learn the research, analysis, writing and speaking skills essential to their academic and professional lives.

course.goals

This course promises to:

• model a multidisciplinary process of inquiry from the development of a research question, through the processes of discovery and construction of arguments, both written and oral.

• enhance students' ability to read critically.

• develop students' analytical and communication skills.

learning.objectives

In this course students are invited to:

• Document research and evidence in accord with MLA, APA, or Chicago Style.

• Generate focused research questions from a broader topic.

• Identify key claims, assumptions, and support.

• Evaluate evidence.

• Critique an argument.

• Construct and support arguments.

• Convey arguments, written and oral, coherently.

attendance

PLEASE NOTE: YOU CANNOT WITHDRAW FROM OR CHANGE SECTIONS OF FYE. Missing any classes will adversely affect your performance in the course and may adversely affect your participation grade, regardless of the reasons for your absence. You are responsible for keeping up with the reading and assignments even if you miss class.

In accordance with the FYE program's general policy on attendance, you will not pass the course if you miss more than nine class meetings throughout the semester. Students will not be penalized for officially-sanctioned absences (including absences for athletics, musical performances, or other school events), provided that 1) they make *prior* arrangements to complete all in-class and out-of-class work, 2) they participate fully in the class overall, and 3) they do not miss any other classes except in the case of an emergency. These absences DO COUNT toward the allotted nine absences as stated above.

grade.breakdown

Reading Responses to Fast Food Nation (2; 5% each)
Analysis/Critique of Fast Food Nation (10%)
Research Question(s) (5%)
Research Proposal and Annotated Bibliography (6-8pp: 15%)
Final research presentation (10 minutes; 15%)
Documented research paper (6-8 pp; 25%)
Final Exam (10%)
Preparation/Participation (includes attendance, discussion, convocations, and reading: 10%)

papers

Papers are due in class on the dates indicated in the schedule. Late papers will receive substantial penalties and may receive no comments. All writing assignments must be completed in order to pass this course. Every essay you submit should include a title and a list of works cited in MLA form. Several copies of the MLA Handbook are on reserve in the library. Also, MLA format guides can be found in abundance on the internet.

Keep one electronic and one paper copy of all written assignments, originals and revisions. You may be asked to re-submit material at any time during the semester. All assignments must be completed to pass the class.

in-class.presentations

On several occasions throughout the semester you will be asked, either by yourself or in collaboration with others, to present material from your out-of-class reading and/or research. While particular criteria for presentation assignments will be provided in class, keep in mind that for all presentations you will be evaluated on your preparedness and organization, content, and professionalism.

events

Throughout the semester you will be required to attend FYE and other campus-sponsored events. Please plan ahead for these dates.

conference

At the end of the semester, students in FYE will participate in an end-of-the-semester conference. As more information on this event becomes available, I will pass it on to you. You must participate in all aspects of the FYE conference. Your FULL participation in the conference is required in order for you to pass FYE.

revision

You will have ample time and opportunity to rethink and rewrite essays, and in some cases immediate revisions will be required. Revision is not merely correcting grammatical or mechanical errors. Rather, it is a comprehensive "re-seeing" of the writing project. In other words, it is the opportunity to think again about how best to accomplish your rhetorical goals.

"get out of jail free" card

To promote an atmosphere of personal responsibility and fairness, each student will receive one "get out of jail free" card at the beginning of the semester. In other words, the goal here is to encourage students to be conscientious about completing assignments, done right the first time, by their due dates.You may use your card one time (I will keep a record of who uses his/her card and when) to:

• "buy" a 24-hour extension on an out-of-class assignment

• "buy" an opportunity to revise an essay for a better grade

You may not use your card to get out of an exam or assignment, to excuse an absence, or to retake a quiz or exam. You may not trade or sell your card to any other student.

texts

Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation.
St Martin's Handbook.
Occasional readings from periodicals, from handouts, or from pdfs.

schedule (click here to view)