2011_fall_101_policies

Richard Wright	Gertrude Stein	English 101: Americans in Paris: The Quest for The Good Life Centenary College of Louisiana Fall 2011 Jefferson Hendricks	Benjamin Franklin	Anita Loos
Americans in Paris: Bibliography	Americans in Paris: Filmography	Americans in Paris: Webliography	Course Policies and Information	Course Texts and Calendar

Contact Information -- Policies -- Procedures

Office: 307 Jackson Hall
Office hours: 2:00 - 4:00 Mondays; 9:45-11:00 Tu/Th and by appt.
Email: jhendric@centenary.edu

Course Description and Objectives:

As the only required writing course at Centenary College, "English 101: Rhetoric and Culture" serves as an introduction both to college-level writing and to disciplined intellectual inquiry. Readings from a wide range of texts will help students practice analyzing texts and producing sophisticated arguments about those texts. Students will also attend and write critically about a series of out-of-class cultural events. English 101 should, ideally, be taken in the student's first year, and certainly no later than the fall of their second year.

During this semester we will be focusing on the topic of "Americans in Paris: The Quest for the Good Life." Looking closely at this topic as we read through a wide range of American writers, artists, and intellectuals from the 18th century to the present we will explore a diverse series of questions that revolve around issues of cultural difference, the nature of freedom and democracy, the role of food, drink, and conversation in civilized society, and the place of art and the intellect in modern society. Through the study and practice of the principles of rhetoric as we think through these questions (and many others) and talk and write about them, you will become a better reader, thinker, writer, and communicator.

Apply yourself conscientiously to the work of the course and by the end of the semester you should be better 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 documents; discover and develop arguments of your own; present those arguments in convincing written form; and demonstrate control of basic grammar, mechanics, and usage.

During this course you will also practice 1) using the computer and internet technology (word processing, email, and web research) for writing, research, and critical thinking, 2) finding and evaluating web and library sources, 3) citing sources, paraphrasing, and using quotations, and 4) understanding and avoiding plagiarism as defined by the Centenary Honor Code.

Grading:

Essays 1-3 30% (10% each)
Blog-journal 10%
Reviews 1-3 15% (5% each)
Work Ethic/Quizzes 10%
Mid-term exam 10%
Final Exam 25%

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 and active participation. Therefore, you need to be in class every meeting prepared to talk intelligently and passionately. Absences and arriving late to class will hurt your final grade. English Department policy states that anyone missing more than six (6) classes automatically fails the course. Up until your seventh (7th) absence you may make up for absences by writing a 250-300 word review to be posted on your blog on an approved out-of-class cultural event (be sure to indicate the review is is make-up). You may also obtain extra credit by writing 250-300 word reviews of approved out-of-class cultural events (above and beyond your weekly blog requirements; make sure you indicate these are for extra credit).

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.