Fall 2008
Instructor: Jim Manis
NOTE: This page has been designed for ease of printing.
Office: Administration Building, Room 205
Office hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1:00 to 1:50 p.m. and by appointment.
Phone: 450-3189 (includes voice mail)
E-mail: JDM12@PSU.EDU
Web: http://www2.hn.psu.edu/faculty/jmanis
Text: Best of Freshman Writing Vol. 13 and Diana Hacker's A Writer's Reference, 6th ed. (or an equivalent approved by the instructor)
Suggested text: A good college dictionary
Prerequisites: If you were scheduled to take English 004, you must have successfully completed that course, prior to taking English 015.
Grades: Your final grade will be determined largely by the average of your written assignments; however, participation is critical. You will write and revise four essay assignments of various lengths. This will include producing a minimum of one rough draft through each stage of the writing assignment, an in-class draft to be graded by the instructor for each of the first three, shorter assignments, and a final edited rewritten, typed version of the paper receiving the lowest grade for each of the first three assignments. The minimum number of drafts to be produced for the course is 18, with a minimum of eleven to be graded by the instructor.
Purpose of the Course: This course serves as the introduction to college level writing. The student will learn techniques of discovery, the workshop method of critiquing writing, audience assessment and needs, and a variety of rhetorical approaches in delivering written work to an audience, emphasizing persuasion and argumentation. In addition the student will learn the use of secondary source material to include parenthetical, MLA style documentation.
Assignment #1: 500-650 words, in-class paper: 10.0%
Revision, typed, out-of-class paper with secondary library source: 10.0%
Edited, typed rewrite of paper receiving lowest grade: New grade will take the place of the lower grade.
Total: 20.0%
Assignment #2: 500-650 words, in-class paper: 10.0%
Revision, typed, out-of-class paper with secondary library source: 10.0%
Edited, typed rewrite of paper receiving lowest grade: New grade will take the place of the lower grade.
Total: 20.0%
Assignment #3: 500-650 words, in-class paper: 10.0%
Revision, typed, out-of-class paper with secondary library source: 10.0%
Edited, typed rewrite of paper receiving lowest grade: New grade will take the place of the lower grade.
Total: 20.0%
Assignment #4: Typed, Research paper, 1500 words, employing a minimum of three secondary sources: 30.0%
Participation: 10.0%
Total for course grade: 100.0%
All written assignments must be completed by their due dates, and all graded work must be submitted in either blue or black ink or typed as indicated by the individual assignments as they are made.
All assigned work must be completed and submitted for grading; the student may NOT arbitrarily choose to omit work.
Late papers are accepted only with special permission from the instructor. No late papers will be accepted after the final week of classes. No papers will be accepted during the final exam period without special/prior permission from the instructor.
All graded work must be accompanied by at least one rough draft; all revised work must be accompanied by the original graded work.
All graded work must be submitted on standard white, 8 1/2 by 11-inch paper, using proper margins all around and with the writer's name in the upper right hand corner of all pages and the page number of each page after the first page.
Documented papers will follow a slightly altered format for placement of name on the title/first page; see your handbook for proper format. Failure to comply with these rules can cause your paper to fail.
Attendance: Attendance is mandatory. I will allow you to miss the equivalent of three one-hour classes without requiring you to submit an excuse. Any absences in excess of this limitation will require you to submit a written excuse and then you will be required to perform additional work in order to make up the absence.
In addition to attending class, you will be expected to participate in workshops, including reading a paper of your own aloud, responding to such work as read by others, and volunteering comments when not specifically assigned to do so by me. You have an obligation to your fellow students to be in class and to participate in all class activities. Be aggressive toward the subject matter and helpful toward one another. You will not be penalized for an incorrect response; you WILL be penalized for failing to respond.
During the semester I will at times cancel class in order to hold conferences, for which you will have made an appointment in advance; you must attend these conferences. They are even more important than attending class.
Definition of Grades:
An "A" paper is an exceptional paper with very little if any reader interference from mechanics or a lack of development. All points are adequately illustrated or provided with sufficient examples. The language is fresh and provides unique insight. Point of view is controlled. The essay is appropriately restricted by its thesis and that thesis is completely developed.
A "B" paper is a good paper. It strongly resembles the A paper, but usually falls short of freshness of language or development of thesis. It may have a few more errors in mechanics than the A paper.
A "C" paper is an average paper. This paper is representative of 50 percent of the writing freshman college students produce. Insight is average, language is typical, and the paper may have a few more errors in mechanics than we expect from a good or exceptional paper.
A "D" paper is a poor paper. Development is lacking. Errors in mechanics impair a clear understanding of ideas. No thesis may be evident.
An "F" paper is a failing paper. This paper may be totally lacking in development or have no recognizable thesis. Usually mechanical errors severely limit reader comprehension.
Important:
Any
typed/out-of-class
paper which has two or more serious sentence errors (fragments, comma
splices,
fused sentences) will receive a failing grade. Serious sentence errors
tell your reader that you are either incompetent or that you do not
care
what his opinion of you or your topic is. Thus more than one such
error,
which might accidentally occur, cannot be tolerated.
Typed, out-of-class papers which ignore the "helpful hints"
section
below may also receive failing grades.
I will be happy to assist you in correcting any such problems prior to your submitting a final draft of a paper.
Any essay which is written without paragraphs or in only one paragraph will automatically fail.
GRADING OF REWRITES: Each assignment requires you to write two papers; after you have done so, you will be required to rewrite the paper receiving the lowest grade. This rewrite must be typed, with corrections of minor editing errors (sentence errors and smaller) and in special cases major problems corrected, at the direction of the instructor. These re-written papers will earn the student an improved grade, which will take the place of the original grade on the revised paper. This process must be followed; failure to rewrite a paper will cause the original grade to drop to an F. The only exception will be for papers which receive a grade of A. The original paper must be submitted with the rewrite.
Some Helpful Hints
1. Be careful of using contractions. Make sure they are punctuated properly and that they do not interfere with your tone. (They sound conversational.) If you have doubts about whether to use one or not, then don't use it.
2. Avoid using the second person pronoun, "you," unless you are giving directions. Do not try to generalize by using it. Always aim for specificity.
3. Never write "alot." There ain't no such a word!!!!
4. Avoid using the phrase, "a lot." It is grossly over used and makes you sound careless, even infantile.
5. Avoid the words, "figured" and "hopefully." They are both over used colloquialisms that cause your reader to dismiss your work in much the same way as "a lot."
6. Do not overuse the
conditional verb tense,
"would."
You rarely ever need to use this word. When you are speaking of the
on-going
past (the usual reason for using it) simply tell us that you (or
whomever
you are describing) regularly did whatever it is you are saying he/she
did: "Bob walked to the bus stop each morning."
7. Avoid using the verb "to get"
in any of its
forms. The verb is highly overused, often colloquial, and generally
creates wordy sentences.
Statement of Academic Integrity
49-20 Academic Integrity
Definition and expectations: Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner. Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity at The Pennsylvania State University, and all members of the University community are expected to act in accordance with this principle. Consistent with this expectation, the University's Code of Conduct states that all students should act with personal integrity, respect other students' dignity, rights and property, and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their efforts.
Academic integrity includes a commitment not to engage in or tolerate acts of falsification, misrepresentation or deception. Such acts of dishonesty violate the fundamental ethical principles of the University community and compromise the worth of work completed by others.
To protect the rights and maintain the trust of honest students and support appropriate behavior, faculty and administrators should regularly communicate high standards of integrity and reinforce them by taking reasonable steps to anticipate and deter acts of dishonesty in all assignments (Senate Policy 44-40: Proctoring of Examinations). At the beginning of each course, it is the responsibility of the instructor to provide students with a statement clarifying the application of University and College academic integrity policies to that course.
Committee on Academic Integrity: Each College Dean (or Campus Executive Officer as determined by College policy) shall appoint a Committee on Academic Integrity made up of faculty, students, and academic administrators with faculty being the majority. This committee shall:
1. Promote expectations for academic integrity consistent with
the
definition
in this policy.
2. Ensure fairness and consistency in processes and outcomes. To ensure
University-wide consistency, College Committees will work with the
Office
of Judicial Affairs and the Office of the Provost of the University to
develop procedures for handling and sanctioning dishonesty infractions.
3. Review and settle all contested cases in which academic sanctions
are applied. If necessary, further disciplinary action will be taken by
Judicial Affairs.
4. Record all cases of academic dishonesty within a college and report
them to Judicial Affairs.
G-9: ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Introduction:
Recognizing the intrinsic nature of academic integrity as a linchpin of the Penn State community, the University Faculty Senate adopted a new Academic Integrity policy, Spring 2000. The shared conviction represented in the procedures that follow is that academic integrity is best taught and reinforced by faculty as an element of the teaching and learning process. Only in the limited instances in which faculty believe that disciplinary, as well as academic, sanctions are called for should the process move from the realm of faculty and students to the Office of Judicial Affairs.
The associate dean or campus director of academic affairs maintains and makes available to students and faculty the academic integrity procedures adopted by the college's Academic Integrity Committee.
College Committees maintain guidelines on ranges of appropriate sanctions for given types of infractions. Academic sanctions range from a warning to removal from the academic program.
Procedures:
A. When Academic Dishonesty is Suspected
1. The faculty member informs the student of the allegations
while
taking
into account the need to respect each student's privacy and the goal of
maintaining an environment that supports teaching and learn
2. The faculty member next conveys to the student the grade or grade
and disciplinary action to be taken and asks the student to sign the
college's
academic integrity form.
3. The faculty member may provide a cooling-off period after
confronting
a student with the allegation that she or he violated academic
integrity.
4. The faculty member may opt also to pursue a disciplinary action
in conjunction with the College Academic Integrity Committee and
Judicial
Affairs. Normally, however, it is preferable to settle issues between
faculty
and student, which means relying on the awarding of grades and
course-related
activities to support the learning process, rather than requesting
additional
disciplinary sanctions.
5. Throughout the academic integrity process, grading authority remains
the responsibility of the instructor.
6. Once a student has been informed that academic dishonesty is
suspected,
a drop or withdrawal from the course will be reversed.
B. If the Student Accepts Responsibility for the Violation and the Proposed Academic Sanction
1. The faculty member has the student sign the college's
academic
integrity
form. This closes the academic sanction element of the case. The form
is
forwarded, through the appropriate associate dean, to the Office of
Judicial
Affairs for record keeping.
2. When the student has a history of two or more previous academic
integrity violations, or the faculty member recommends an Office of
Judicial
Affairs consideration of disciplinary sanctions, the student is
informed
at this time and it is indicated on the form that the disciplinary
issues
remain open.
3. The signed admission of responsibility is forwarded to the associate
dean for administrative review of:
a) An instructor recommendation that a disciplinary sanction be applied
by the Office of Judicial Affairs. The associate dean forwards the case
to the College Academic Integrity Committee for review (without formal
fact finding) of the faculty disciplinary sanction recommendation. When
the College Academic Integrity Committee feels it is appropriate, the
request
for a disciplinary sanction is forwarded to the Office Judicial Affairs
for review.
b) The existence of past academic integrity violations. When a record
of such violations exists (the dean checks with the Office of Judicial
Affairs, which is the only body that maintains such university-wide
records),
the case will be forwarded to the Office of Judicial Affairs, which may
levy a disciplinary sanction based on the cumulative record of repeat
offenses.
C. If the Student Does Not Admit Responsibility for an Academic Integrity Violation
1. The instructor forwards the case to the College Academic
Integrity
Committee.
a) When the instructor has not recommended disciplinary sanctions,
and the student does not have a record of two or more previous academic
integrity violations, the College Academic Integrity Committee conducts
fact finding in accordance with due process procedures. If the
Committee
finds that the student violated standards of academic integrity, the
Office
of Judicial Affairs is notified for record-keeping purposes. The
College
Committee notifies the faculty member to carry out academic sanction,
as
approved.
b) If after administrative review, which does not include formal
hearings
or the questioning of witnesses, the committee finds (1) a record of
two
or more previous violations of academic integrity, and (2) the
instructor
and the committee are in agreement that a disciplinary sanction may be
warranted, then the case is forwarded to the Office of Judicial
Affairs,
which conducts formal fact finding and seeks relevant input from the
instructor
and College Academic Integrity Committee.
c) Office of Judicial Affairs will notify the faculty member to (1)
carry out the proposed academic sanction if the Judicial Affairs
finding
warrants, or (2) grade the student based on a finding that no violation
of academic integrity has occurred.
D. The "XF" Grade
1. An "XF" grade is a formal University disciplinary sanction.
2. "XF" sanctions are only awarded with the concurrence of the
instructor,
the College of Academic Integrity Committee, and Judicial Affairs.
Reliance
on the "XF" should be a rare occurrence and reserved for the most
serious
breaches of academic integrity.
3. In any instance in which the instructor believes an "XF" sanction
warranted, and whether or not the student has admitted responsibility,
the case is forwarded to the College Academic Integrity Committee for
review
and then to the Office of Judicial Affairs for appropriate fact finding
and judgment.
4. The College Academic Integrity Committee must include with any
recommendation
of an "XF" grade to Judicial Affairs, conditions under which it would
approve
the removal by Judicial Affairs of the "XF" sanction from the
transcript
(with an academic F remaining). Such conditions must reflect both the
circumstances
of the individual case and consultation among the instructor, the
college
academic integrity committee, and the Office of Judicial Affairs.
E. Schreyer Honors College Students
1. The college with authority for courses, including those
designated
Honors courses, in which an alleged violation of academic integrity
occurs
maintains responsibility for issuing academic sanctions and referring
cases
to the Office of Judicial Affairs.
2. When a college finds that a Schreyer Honors College student has
violated academic integrity, then the Schreyer Honors College will be
notified
and may invoke its own sanctions.
3. The Schreyer Honors College maintains authority over alleged
breaches
of academic integrity for its students in all cases in which the
violation
concerns Schreyer Honors College work, such as thesis research, but in
which the student is not enrolled in a course.
F. Record Keeping:
1. The appropriate assistant or associate dean is responsible
for
convening
Committees of Academic Integrity and seeing that students and faculty
have
ready access to such bodies. They also are responsible for seeing that
all cases handled on the college level, in which a student is found
responsible
for dishonesty, are reported to Judicial Affairs.
2. Judicial Affairs alone is responsible for central record keeping
of all academic dishonesty cases.
3. A Committee on Academic Integrity or dean may request information
from Judicial Affairs on whether students found responsible for
academic
dishonesty have previously been sanctioned for other acts of academic
dishonesty.
This information may not be used as a basis for judging a student's
guilt,
but it may be used as a basis for imposing sanctions or deciding
whether
disciplinary action is warranted.
Policy: click to access Senate Policy 49-20, Academic Integrity
Approved: ACUI (1-5-78)
Revised: ACUI (5-19-83)
Revised: ACUI (3-29-84)
Revised: ACUE (7-26-96)
Revised: ACUE (11-2-00)
Revised: ACUE (7-5-01)
The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. Please consult a Penn State academic adviser for more detailed information. Penn State is an affirmative action, equal opportunity university.
Agenda: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
Note: Not all dates are shown below. Class will be held daily. Do NOT assume that class has been canceled because a date is not provided below.
Aug 25 & 27 Introduction to course; the college essay, a review, discuss essays in Best of Freshman Writing.
Aug 29 Begin assignment #1
Sep 3 Workshop rough draft of assignment #1;
Sep 5 Finish assignment #1 in class
Sep 8 Hand back assignment #1; begin assignment #2
Sep 10 Workshop
Sep 12 Finish assignment #2 in class
Sep 15 Hand back assign. #2; begin assignment #3
Sep 17 Workshop
Sep 19 Finish assignment #3 in class
Sep 22 Hand back assignment #3; discussion of research/argumentative paper
Sep 24 Rough Draft of Revision #1 due; due date for final draft will be made at this time
Oct 1 Rough Draft of Revision #2 due; due date for final draft will be made at this time
Oct 8 Rough Draft of Revision #3 due; due
date for final
draft
will be made at this time
Nov 21 Final
drafts
of
research papers due
Dec 5 ALL rewrites due
Dec 12
Last day of
classes
NOTE: Additional due dates will be made during class.
This page created and maintained by Jim Manis; last updated August 25, 2008.