Course Description and Goals

As the first semester of Centenary's First-Year Experience, English 101 serves concurrently as an introduction to college-level writing and to disciplined intellectual inquiry. Readings from crucial thinkers in the Western tradition give students practice analyzing and producing sophisticated arguments. Students also attend and write critically about a series of coordinated cultural events, including lectures, concerts, debates, theatrical performances, art exhibits, and films. English 101 is the first course in Centenary's First-Year Experience.  

During this semester you will be introduced to a variety of genres from the ancient world to the contemporary -- including drama, poetry, fiction, and various types of non-fiction prose -- which will particularly address issues such as the nature of knowledge and the function of knowledge in creating a self.   Through the study of the principles of rhetoric, including audience, decorum, persuasion and , narrative, and various figures of speech -- you will become a better reader, thinker, and writer.  Apply yourself conscientiously to the work of the course, and by the end of the semester you should be able to

• analyze a text and to recognize how its rhetorical techniques convey a stance toward the subject matter; 
• draw connections among our various texts and between them and other cultural elements; 
• discover and develop arguments of your own; 
• present those arguments in convincing written form; and 
• demonstrate mastery of basic grammar, mechanics, and usage.
  

Grading

• Essays 1-4                   40%  
• Reviews/journal           10%
• Work Ethic/Quizzes     20%
• Mid-term exam            10%
• Final Exam                  20%

  

Essays

    All written work should follow the MLA style sheet. In citing World Wide Web resources, refer to MLA guidelines for print and online sources.  See my Resources for Writers page for online documentation sites.   All requirements, written or presented, must be on time.  Late papers are marked down one letter grade for every day late.  All essays must be submitted to pass the course.

    Your signature on all work indicates understanding of and compliance with the Honor Code.   Suspected violations of the Honor Code will be referred to the Honor Court; conviction of a violation will result in at least a grade of F for the course.

 
 

Work Ethic:  Class Attendance, Participation, and Attitude

    This class emphasizes discussion. Therefore, you need to be in class every time prepared to talk intelligently and passionately. Absences and arriving late to class will hurt your work ethic grade.  English Department policy states that anyone missing more than six (6) classes automatically fails the course.  Up until your seventh (7th) absense you may make up for absences by writing a 250-300 word essay on an approved out-of-class cultural event.  You may also obtain extra credit by writing 250-300 word reviews of approved out-of-class cultural events (above and beyond your FYE requirements).

    To prevent distractions, food, drink (except water), cell phones, etc. are not allowed in class.

    The work we do in class is important and everything presented in class should be considered a possible subject for quizzes and exams.
 
 

Exams and Quizzes

    Quizzes will be given periodically to check your close reading skills.  This quizzes will be short answer questions on the texts being read at that time.  Exams will be comprised of short answer and essay questions.  Everything we talk about in class is "fair game" for exams and all exams are cumulative, though the emphasis on the final tends to be on the most recent material studied in class.