Section N19: MWF 12:00-12:50 Penn 212 

Please note: This course format is available on the Web at the address in the corner of the page.  All essay topics, plus other important materials I'll give out in class over the course of the semester, will be posted to that address. 

Instructor:Dr. Stephen doCarmo
Office: Penn 131 
Hours: MWF 1:00-3:00 
Phone: 215-968-8267 
E-mail: docarmos@bucks.edu 

Required Texts
The New World Reader.  Edited by Gilbert H. Muller. 

Catalog Course Description 
English Composition I emphasizes the systematic study of writing effective expository prose and argumentation, stressing development and support of a clear thesis. Essays must demonstrate careful thinking, ability to synthesize sources, and must employ appropriate diction, sentence sense, and standard organizational strategies. Reading assignments will provide models of good writing and support for student compositions. 

Prerequisites 
Writing Placement Test Score of 6 or higher or a grade of C or better in COMP107: Introduction to Rhetorical Skills. 

Learning Goals (as stated by Bucks' Language and Literature Department)
English Composition I has two primary concerns: 

(1) improving writing skills in multi-paragraph compositions and 
(2) developing critical thinking skills through reading, discussion analysis, and application of substantive expository prose and argumentation essays. 

Methods
Classes will consist of small-group discussions, big-group (or whole-class) discussions, small- and big-group writing workshops, occasional film viewings, and one-on-one conferences with me, your instructor.

Course Requirements
There are four.  Here they are: 

1. You'll write four "at-home" essays, each pertaining to one of the four reading units from The New World Reader we’ll be covering.  These essays will need to be at least three pages long each and will need to demonstrate the qualities of good writing agreed upon by Bucks' Language and Literature Department: unity, coherence, good organization, varied sentence structure, proper punctuation, clarity and economy of usage, proper diction, and proper grammar.  We'll discuss these qualities in class before you start drafting your essays. 

I'll give you written instructions for each of these essays, but those instructions will be broad and interpretable enough to permit you to do your own thinking instead of just reciting back information and ideas familiar from class discussions.  And demonstrating your own insightful thinking is, as much as anything else, what you'll have to do to earn high grades on these essays.

I'll put written comments on each of your at-home essays and will give them A-F grades, with "plusses" and "minuses" possible.  Due dates for final and rough drafts are on the course schedule at the end of this format.

2. You'll write three in-class essays, each of them several paragraphs long and each pertaining to one of the final three reading units of the course.  Like the "at home" essays, these will need to demonstrate the qualities of good writing agreed upon by Bucks' Language and Literature Department and must be composed in response to written instructions I'll give you before the days on which you write them. 

I'll put written comments on each of your in-class essays and will give them A-F grades, with "plus" and "minus" grades possible.  The dates on which you'll write them are on the course schedule at the end of this format. 

Please note that you need to get a passing grade ("C" or better) on at least one of these in-class essays to pass the course. 

3.  You'll need to take about ten unannounced reading quizzes on the assigned readings.  They'll be short (five questions each), they'll be given at the very start of class meetings, and they'll focus on key ideas and information from the readings.  I won't be out to get you by seeing if you memorized minutiae from the readings' footnotes.  I'll just be checking to see that you've read carefully enough to get the readings' major claims and ideas.  So read reasonably carefully before each class, with the TV and phone turned off, and you’ll do fine on these. 

I'll grade each of your quizzes on a 1-5 scale.  Get all five questions right and you'll get a "5," or an A, basically.  A "4" is a B, a "3" is a C, a "2" is a D, and a "1" is an F. 

At the end of the semester, I'll drop your lowest quiz grade before averaging the others.

4.  You'll need to participate in class.  If you come to class regularly, on time, and prepared; participate in whatever in-class activities I devise; and are respectful to me and your classmates, your reading-quiz grade will be your participation grade.  If you don't do the aforementioned things, though, I reserve the right to adjust your reading-quiz grade to reflect the overall quality of your class participation as I see it. 

Grade Distribution
Each of the "at home" essays is worth 15% of your final grade. 
Each of the in-class essays is worth 10%. 
Your reading quizzes (the average of which I may adjust to reflect the quality of your class participation) are collectively worth 10%. 

Attendance
You get five free skips, "excused" or "unexcused" doesn't matter.  After that, your final grade for the course falls a half letter grade per absence (from a C+ to a C, for instance, or from a C to a D+, since there are no "minus" final grades at Bucks). 

Since I don't distinguish between excused and unexcused absences, you shouldn't burn all your skips thinking it'll be okay to miss more classes later should you get sick or have an emergency!  Your five skips are for sickness and emergency. So budget them wisely. 

Also, please don’t vanish from class for extended periods of time (more than two classes in a row) without getting in touch with me! 

Lastly, be sure to come to class on time.  Not only might you miss reading quizzes given at the start of the hour if you're late, but I'll count three late arrivals as an absence. 

Rewrites 
You may rewrite two of your four "at-home" essays to improve their grades by up to one full letter grade.  If you do a rewrite, you'll need to 

a. turn it in within seven days of getting back the original essay, 
b. include the original essay, with my comments on it, and 
c. make significant improvements!  Simply re-arranging a few words or fixing some punctuation won't earn you a higher grade.

You may also revise one of your three in-class essays if you like, but let me know you intend to do so before you do it.  That way we can set you up with another hour-long session in which to do the revision. 

Please note that while essays turned in late can be re-written, the penalty for lateness never goes away (see the next item).

Late Work 
You may submit “at home” essays late at a penalty of one half-letter grade per weekday. 

In-class essays can’t be turned in late.  If there’s any reason, then, why you won’t be able to attend class on a day for which an in-class essay is scheduled, be sure to get in touch with me before that class period, so we can make other arrangements.

You can't make up missed reading quizzes, either, since it wouldn't be fair to people who had to take them on time.  If you can’t be in class on a day you suspect a quiz will be given, call me in my office sometime before class that day (215-968-8267), and I’ll give you the quiz over the phone.  Please note, though, that taking the quiz that way doesn’t erase the absence.

Skipping Assignments 
Sorry, but you can't. All writing assignments (the four at-home essays and the three in-class ones) must be submitted to me -- otherwise you can't receive a passing grade for the course. 

Back-up Copies 
You must -- must! -- save copies for yourself of every essay you turn in to me.  That way, in the highly unlikely event I lose one of your essays, you can re-submit it to me the moment we realize it's missing.  (In other words, "You lost my only copy" isn't a valid excuse for missing an assignment!) 

Cell Phones
Cell phones should be switched off before class!  Not even silent texting is okay.  If there's some emergency that's going to require you to use your phone during class time, please let me know about it before class begins. 

Tutoring 
If you need help with a writing assignment for this course, please work either with me or someone in the Tutoring Center (Library 121). 

If you'd like to listen to the advice of a friend, family member, or classmate who's read a rough draft of yours, that's fine -- great, even.  But nobody besides me or a Bucks tutor should help you actually compose an essay for this course.  Please talk to me if you're confused about what constitutes too much help from others. 

Special Needs 
If you have a documented learning problem that requires you to have extra time on quizzes and/or in-class essays, please talk to me about it at the start of the semester, so we can make arrangements for whatever you need. 

Plagiarism 
This is from the College Catalog: 

The expectation at Bucks County Community College is that the principles of truth and honesty will be rigorously followed in all academic endeavors.  This assumes that all the work will be done by the person who purports to do the work without unauthorized aids.  In addition, when making use of language, information and some ideas not his or her own, whether quoting them directly or paraphrasing them in his or her own words, the student must attribute the source of the material in some standard form, such as naming the source in the text or offering a footnote.

I've been teaching writing in college for fifteen years now.  And I've met very few students who weren't able to pass a comp course simply by doing their own work.  You don't need to cheat to get through English 110 -- but you may need help.  I expect to give lots of it, and so do the people in the Tutoring Center.  So come put us to work. 

Core Curriculum Goals & Objectives 
COLLEGE LEVEL WRITING I 

Goals
Upon completion of College Writing Level I, students will: 
1. use the knowledge and skills they have developed to be critical thinkers and curious learners who dare to think, ask questions, and support what they say; 
2. apply successfully College Level Writing I skills/concepts to college writing in various disciplines, on the job, and in daily activities; 
3. apply proper strategies, concepts, guidelines, grammar, and English language fundamentals to produce well-organized, well-written academic prose. 

Objectives 
Upon completion of College Writing Level I, students will be able to: 
1. identify and prepare well-written academic and/or business communications organized appropriately for the situation and the audience (2,3); 
2. demonstrate critical thinking skills such as synthesis, analysis, or argument, when writing or when analyzing all forms of written communication (1); 
3. locate, articulate, and develop a central idea for any written communication (2,3); 
4. tailor academic and/[or] professional prose for a culturally diverse audience (2); 
5. eliminate stereotyping and gender bias from all written communication (3); 
6. revise documents by editing for content, organization, style, readability, mechanics, and format (3); 
7. articulate requirements for academic integrity and apply appropriate methods for citing and documentation (3). 

CRITICAL THINKING AND READING 

Goals
Upon completion of College Writing Level I, students will: 
1. identify the explicit and implied features of a communication, especially in arguments that put forth a conclusion (Analysis skills); 
2. integrate and/or combine knowledge from multiple sources to create new knowledge (Synthesis); 
3. assess the credibility of a communication and the strength of claims and arguments (Evaluation Skills); 
4. reason from what they know to form new knowledge, draw conclusions, solve problems, explain, decide, and/or predict (Inductive and/or Deductive Reasoning Skills); 
5. communicate and justify clearly the results of their reasoning. (Presenting Arguments Skills). 

Objectives 
Upon completion of College Writing Level I, students will be able to: 
1. identify the ideas presented and assess the interests, attitudes, or views contained in those ideas (1); 
2. identify the main conclusion of an argument (1); 
3. determine if the conclusion is supported with reasons and identify those that are stated or implied (1); 
4. demonstrate deductive and/or inductive reasoning (2); 
5. determine if an argument makes sense (3); 
6. determine if an argument rests on false, biased, or doubtful assumptions (3); 
7. list alternatives and consider their pros and cons, including their plausibility and practicality, when making decisions or solving problems (4); 
8. present an argument succinctly in such a way as to convey the crucial point of an issue (5); 
9. cite relevant evidence and experiences to support position(s) (5). 

COOPERATIVE EFFORTS: GROUP PROCESSES 

Goals 
Upon completion of College Writing Level I, students will: 
1. value cooperative work as a way to accomplish task goals;
2. be open to possibilities. 
Objectives 
Upon completion of College Writing Level I, students will be able to: 
1. identify and practice elements of effective group process (1); 
2. practice effective small group communication skills (2). 
 

Course Schedule 
All readings listed below are from The New World Reader, which you should bring to class every day! 

Wed. Aug. 29: Introduction to the course. We'll go over the course format, and I'll collect a writing sample from you.
Fri. Aug. 31: We’ll begin Reading Unit 1, “New American Mosaic: Are We Becoming a Universal Nation?” by discussing the introduction to the unit (29-31) and Andrew Lam's "All Things Asian Are Becoming Us" (31-35).

Mon. Sept. 3: Discussion of Ishmael Reed's "America: The Multinational Society" (42-47).
Wed. Sept. 5: Discussion of Joseph Contreras's "Two Americas?" (47-52). 
Fri. Sept. 7: Discussion Bharati Mukherjee's "American Dreamer" (52-59). 

Mon. Sept. 10: Discussion of Arthur Schlesinger Jr.'s "The Cult of Ethnicity" (59-63).
Wed. Sept. 12: Discussion of Moises Naim's "Arabs in Foreign Lands" (63-67).
Fri. Sept. 14: We'll spend this day's class doing fact-finding for your first "at home" essay.  I'll also give out written instructions for that essay on this date.

Mon. Sept. 17: Warm-up exercises for the first “at home” essay.  Be sure to bring your New World Reader to class!
Wed. Sept. 19: Class replaced by one-on-one draft-developing conferences with me.  I’ll have passed around a sign-up sheet before this date. 
Fri. Sept. 21:Draft of "at home" essay 1 due.  Small- and big-group workshopping on drafts. 

Mon. Sept. 24:Final draft of "at home" essay 1 due, with all drafts, freewrites, critiques, etc.  We'll also begin Reading Unit 2: “The Clash of Civilizations: Is Conflict Unavoidable?” by discussing the introduction to the unit (315-17) and K. Oanh Ha's "American Dream Boat" (317-22).
Wed. Sept. 26: Discussion of Margaret Atwood's "When Afghanistan Was at Peace" (322-26).
Fri. Sept. 28: Discussion of Karen Armstrong's "Fundamentalism Is Here to Stay" (329-35). 

Mon. Oct. 1: Discussion of Samuel P. Huntington's "The West and the Rest: Intercivilizational Issues" (335-340).  I’ll also give you instructions for your first in-class essay on this day.
Wed. Oct. 3: Discussion of Amartya Sen's "A World Not So Neatly Divided" (345-49).  We’ll also spend some time prepping for Friday’s in-class essay.
Fri. Oct. 5: In-class essay 1 due.  (You’ll write it in class on this day.)

Mon. Oct. 8: Discussion of Pippa Norris and Ronald Ingerhart's “It's the Women, Stupid” (340-45).
Wed. Oct. 10: We'll spend this day's class doing fact-finding for your second "at home" essay.  I'll also give out written instructions for that essay on this date.
Fri. Oct. 12: Warm-up exercises for the second “at home” essay.  Be sure to bring your New World Reader to class!

Mon. Oct. 15: Class replaced by one-on-one draft-developing conferences with me.  I’ll have passed around a sign-up sheet before this date.
Wed. Oct. 17:Draft of “at home” essay 2 due. Small- and big-group workshopping on drafts. 
Fri. Oct. 19: We'll begin Reading Unit 3: “Global Aid: Can We Reduce Disease and Poverty?” by discussing the introduction to the unit (402-04) and Jeffrey Sachs's "What I Did on My Summer Vacation" (404-413). 

Mon. Oct. 22: Final draft of "at-home" essay 2 due, along with all drafts, outlines, peer critiques, etc.  We’ll also discuss Namrita Talwar's "Cities Without Slums" (413-17).
Wed. Oct. 24: Discussion of Anuradha Mittal's "Technology Won't Feed the World's Hungry" (421-24).  I'll also bring you instructions for your second in-class essay on this day. 
Fri. Oct. 26: Discussion of Kenneth Rogoff's "A Development Nightmare" (424-27).  We’ll also spend some time getting ready for Monday’s in-class essay.

Mon. Oct. 29: In-class essay 2 due.  (You'll write it in class on this day.) 
Wed. Oct. 31: Discussion of Vivienne Walt and Amanda Bower's “Follow the Money” (427-33). 
Fri. Nov. 2: We'll spend this day's class doing fact-finding for your third "at home" essay.  I'll also give out written instructions for that essay on this date.

Mon. Nov. 5: Warm-up exercises for the third "at home" essay.  Be sure to bring your New World Reader to class!
Wed. Nov. 7: Class replaced by one-on-one draft-developing conferences with me.  I'll have passed around a sign-up sheet before this date. 
Fri. Nov. 9:Draft of "at-home" essay 3 due.  Small- and big-group workshopping on drafts. 

Mon. Nov. 12: Final draft of "at home" essay 3 due, along with all drafts, outlines, peer critiques, etc.  We'll also begin Reading Unit 4: "America and the World: How do Others Perceive Us?” by discussing the introduction to the unit (67-69) and Fouad Ajami's "Stranger in the Arab-Muslim World" (70-77). 
Wed. Nov. 14: Discussion of Alkman Granitsas' "Americans Are Tuning Out the World" (77-81). 
Fri. Nov. 16: Discussion of Roger Cohen's "An Obsession the World Doesn't Share" (81-86).  I'll also give you written instructions for your third in-class essay on this day.

Mon. Nov. 19: Discussion of Dominic Hilton's "Fashionable Anti-Americanism" (86-94).  We'll also do some warm-up exercises for next Monday's in-class essay.

Mon. Nov. 26: In-class essay 3 due.  (You'll write it in class on this day.)
Wed. Nov. 28: Discussion of Paul Johnson's "America's New Empire for Liberty" (95-101). 
Fri. Nov. 31: Discussion of Anne Applebaum's "In Search of Pro-Americanism" (101-109). 

Mon. Dec. 3: Discussion of Sasha Abramsky's "Waking Up from the American Dream" (109-119).  I'll also bring you written instructions for your fourth "at home" essay on this day.
Wed. Dec. 5: In-class viewing of a film relating to our "America and the World" unit. 
Fri. Dec. 7: We'll spend this day's class doing fact-finding for your fourth "at home" essay. 

Mon. Dec. 10: Warm-up exercises for the fourth “at home” essay.  Be sure to bring your New World Reader to class! 
Wed. Dec. 12: Class replaced by one-on-one draft-developing conferences with me.  I'll bring a sign-up sheet to class before this date. 
Fri. Dec. 14:Draft of "at-home" essay 4 due.  Small-group workshopping on your drafts.

Mon. Dec. 17:Final draft of “at home” essay 4 due, along with all drafts, outlines, peer critiques, etc.