Honors English 101 (College Writing) Fall 2007 Syllabus

10:30  Tuesday/Thursday Class

 

Professor: Dr. Pamela R.Thomas    Burris 109   Phone 8083 Home Phone 704-233-9447

Email: pthomas @ wingate.edu

 

Office Hours: MW 11-12:00, 2:15-4:30 MW (except  for 3:30 meetings);TuT 1:30-4:30; Other times by appointment.

 

This course meets the GER for 3 credit hours of freshman English and is especially designed for honors students.  As such it is a part of the University Honors Program in the College of Arts and Sciences.

 

Texts: Potok’s My Name Is Asher Lev, Sebold’s The Lovely Bones, Goldman’s Early Leaving,  

Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, Anderson’s Tea and Sympathy, Little Brown Compact Handbook 6^th Edition

 

Objectives: There are three primary goals in freshman English: (1) To improve expository writing skills; (2) To develop research skills and the ability to write extended essays based on research; (3) To develop skills in close reading through study of challenging literature. The purpose of Honors English 101 is to challenge students to take the skills of reading, writing, critical thinking, and research to a higher level than is required in non-honors composition courses.  More frequent and creative writing assignments will be used to accomplish this.  Themes, values, and concepts found in a play, two novels, occasional supplementary essays and news articles, and films form the basis for group discussion and individual writing.  Different interpretive strategies (reader response, psychoanalytic, cultural, feminist, etc.) are used to heighten students’ understanding and appreciation of literary works.  Later in the semester, there is use of peer evaluation so that the writer has a specific audience, and there is a great deal of emphasis on rewriting after faculty and peer evaluation.  Also, technology is emphasized through the students’ use of Microsoft word for word processing and through their use of the Internet as a research tool. Ultimately, the main goal of the course is to encourage the student to explore and critically analyze issues and ideas of the modern world, particularly in a global sense, and to communicate clearly and effectively and with individual stylistic flair his or her reactions to said issues and ideas.  To achieve these purposes there is a variety of analytical writing assignments using the process approach to writing, class and small group discussions, peer evaluation, and grammar review if and when it becomes necessary.  Students are required to take occasional reading/content quizzes and write several short reaction papers and a minimum of four essays, including a documented argumentative essay.  A final examination which covers grammar, composition, and a paper or questions on the required play, novels, and films is the final evaluation of the student’s mastery of the course.

Grading: a 10-point grading scale is used in the course.

Participation in class and small group discussion = 5%

Reading and grammar quizzes = 10 %

Essays on literature 14% (42% total)

            One documented argumentative paper = 18%

Final exam = 25%

 

All writing is marked according to specific guidelines of the English Department which are discussed in the Guide to English at Wingate University (see handout).

 

Absences: Students are expected to attend all classes.  Unavoidable absences should be discussed with the professor, and the student must be fully prepared for the class following the absence.  For all borderlines grades, unexcused absences will be the determining factor, but no one should miss more than three classes Tuesday/Thursday or Monday/Wednesday.

 

A note on the Wingate University Honor Code: It is my expectation that there will be absolutely no cheating, either on tests or regarding the preparation of papers, in this class.  Please review the Honor Code as it is defined in your Student Handbook.

 

One other note: Anyone with a learning disability just needs to let me know for necessary accommodations concerning tests, etc.

 

Note Three: Students are required to purchase all texts for this class and bring the appropriate texts to class.

 

 

 

English 101 Honors Schedule

 

 

Note: There will be review and testing of grammar skills as needed throughout the course.  Also, the handbook will be used periodically to teach and reinforce the process approach to writing.

 

Week                                                                          Assignment Due

 

                                                           

 

One

Aug. 27-31                               Introduction to class; get acquainted session; in-class writing;  Read to p. 50 in Potok and Asher Lev; diagnostic grammar/composition text

Two

Sept. 3-7                                  Continue reading Asher Lev to p. 200 ; in-class  response; watch thematic related film

 

Three

Sept. 10-14                                Complete viewing of film; to p. 300 in Asher Lev; review grammar; begin Essay #1

 

 

Four

Sept. 17-21                             Grammar test; finish reading Asher Lev; polish draft and turn in Essay # 1; read to p. 75 in The Lovely Bones; discussion

 

          Five

Sept. 24-28                              Read to p. 200 in Lovely Bones ; small group discussion; grammar review and test

          Six

Oct. 1-5                                   Continue reading Lovely Bones to p. 300; continue small group work; in-class wrting

 

Seven

Oct. 8-12                                   Finish Lovely Bones; read play Tea and Sympathy; prepare for in-lab essay

 

Eight

Oct. 15-19                               Essay # 2 prepared in computer lab; peer evaluation of essay; grammar review and test; read first 50 to75  pages of Kite Runner

 

Fall Break Oct. 13-16

Nine

Oct. 22-26                              Read to p. 150  in The Kite Runner; First library orientation Oct. 25

 

Ten

Oct. 29-Nov. 2                         Show film version of Kite Runner (if available); read to p. 250; small group discussions on novel

 

Eleven

Nov. 5-9                                  Continue Kite Runner; small group discussion of characters and issues in novel; prepare essay #3 on novel; second library orientation (tailored to your topics)

 

Twelve

Nov. 12-16                              Finish Kite Runner;  try to begin Early Leaving

                                               

 

Thirteen

Nov. 19-23                              Argumentative papers due on Tuesday, Nov. 20! Late ones won’t

be accepted; read to p 150 in Early Leaving

 

Thanksgiving Break Nov. 21-25

 

Fourteen

Nov. 26-30                              Watch related film at night in lieu of Tuesday’s class; get to                                            p. 250 at least in Early Leaving; in-class essay on Ordinary People