Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Good work, scholars!

In case you check this blog again, I want to let all of you know what a delight it's been to work with you in ENGL 1010. I'm also delighted that half of you have already registered for one of the Comp 2 courses I'll be teaching next semester. I look forward to working with each one of you again, and I'm counting on you not only to continue your excellent work, but to set the pace for your classmates in ENGL 1020. I'm praying that you'll be blessed during the Christmas holiday.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Vocabulary for Tuesday, 10/27/09

deploy
dissuade
emaciated
inherent
intractable
jaundiced (not the medical meaning)
loath
nondescript
recurrent
reticence
rudimentary
stipple

In-class reading for Thursday, 10/22/09

"Life Coaches Are the Root of All Evil"

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

What to expect Thursday

In addition to going over your essays, you'll have a quiz over "The Perpetual Adolescent," "The Meaning of Sarah Palin," and the vocabulary words for each. We'll also be talking about fused sentences and comma splices.

Monday, October 5, 2009

No class Tuesday

I think I have flu and will not be in class Tuesday. I had thought about giving you an online assignment. But I need rest, and why don't you get some rest, too? I expect to be well and to see you again Thursday.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Vocabulary for Thursday, 10/1/09

For maximum benefit, please familiarize yourself with the meaning of these words before reading the web assignment for Thursday:

anomaly
benign
chanteuse
coarsen
credo
debacle
decorum
inexorable
perpetuity
paucity
pretension
juvenilia
tenet
niche
transcendent
Sturm und Drang

Reading of Thursday, 10/1/09

"The Perpetual Adolescent"

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Vocabulary words for Tuesday, 9/29/09

aesthetic
betoken
ludic
ostentatious
sesquipedalian
sordid
suffice
truculent

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Vocabulary words for Thursday, 9/17/09

aghast
banal
defenestrate
founder
flout
penultimate
repugnant

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Vocabulary words for 9/15/09

Be prepared Tuesday to define each of the following in your own words and to use each word in an illustrative sentence.

curt
diatribe
dilettante
posit
succinct
terse
tyro

Online reading assignment for 9/15/09

"Politics and the English Language"

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Commenting is now easier

Starting this afternoon it's easier to comment on this blog. If you've had trouble leaving a comment in the past, it should be easier now.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Problem with comments

For some reason I'm not able to respond to your comments on this weblog. If you're having the same trouble and have been trying to contact me, please let me know by sending an email to the address listed on your printed syllabus.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Contest announcement

As I mentioned briefly in class Thursday, "class motto" is probably not the best term for the little sentence we memorize in order to avoid common usage errors. In short, the sentence may be helpful, but "motto" is an inaccurate term. Here's the challenge: come up with a more descriptive term for "Accept it; you're all right a lot." Here's the reward: a blue star for the student who suggests the winning description. Please leave your suggestions in the comments section.

Assignments for Tuesday, September 8

1. Familiarize yourself with the Glossary of Usage in LBH (865-81). You won't be quizzed over this section, but it contains a lot of relevant information for avoiding common mistakes in writing.

2. Read chapter 1 in Patterns (pp. 1-13).

3. Read "A Loss for Words." Be ready to discuss the essay in class Tuesday.

4. Be prepared for a quiz on your readings.

Help with critical errors

Here are a few links for guidance on overcoming the critical errors we'll be discussing in class over the next few days:

Fused sentence or comma splice
,
Sentence fragment,
Dangling modifier,
Subject-verb agreement error.

I hope these are helpful. If you'd like more help with these, I'll be happy to work with you.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

About your instructor

I'm honored to be your teacher this semester. In case you're interested, you can find out more about me here:

Curriculum vitae
Essays
Short essays
Full list of publications
Shorter list of publications

Once again, I look forward to working with you this semester to help you improve your writing, reading, and thinking skills.

Class motto

Accept it; you're all right a lot.

Syllabus

As we discussed in class today, please note the changes in how your final grade will be determined.

ENGL 1010–ENGLISH COMPOSITION I
MOTLOW STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE – FALL 2009

Instructor: Milton Stanley, M.F.A.W., M.Div.
Office hours: TR 8:30-9:20, TR 1:00-1:50, and by appointment

Required Materials
* Patterns for College Writing: A Rhetorical Reader and Guide, Eleventh Edition
* The Little, Brown Handbook, Eleventh Edition
* College dictionary
* Composition folder
* Notebook for freewriting, written responses, and quizzes

Course Description
English 1010 is an introduction to college writing. This course is intended to equip you not only in the forms of writing, but in critical thinking and methods of organizing and presenting ideas. During the semester you will write six out-of-class essays and will be quizzed over assigned readings. You will also write a number of in-class essays. For a comprehensive list of course objectives, see the ENGL 1010 Weblog.

Class Requirements
• Do all assigned readings in time for quizzes and class discussions.
• Always come to class ready to write.
• Participate in class discussions.
• Complete and turn in all writing assignments on time.
• Do all in-class assignments in dark ink on wide-ruled paper.
• Turn in both printed and electronic copies of out-of-class assignments (please talk to me if you do not have access to word processing and printing services).

Essays
To complete this course, you will write six out-of-class papers:
* Essay 1 Narration/description
* Essay 2 Example
* Essay 3 Process
* Essay 4 Cause & effect
* Essay 5 Comparison & contrast
* Essay 6 Classification
Several of your in-class papers may also receive a letter grade.

Grading
Grades in this course will be assigned according to the following scale:
* A = 90-100
* B = 80-89
* C = 70-79
* D = 60-69
* F = 0-59
Remember that, according to academic convention, a C is an average grade. The grade of B indicates above-average work, and an A is given only for outstanding performance. I want you to make the best grade you honestly can. I’m willing to work individually with you through the semester to help you improve your grade. I urge you also to take advantage of a wide range of services offered by Motlow State. Late-term begging, however, is a very bad idea.

Your final grade will be determined according to the following formula:
* Out-of-class essays, 60%
* Exams 10%
* Quizzes 15%
* In-class writing 10%
* Class participation 5%
In short, 40 percent of your final grade is determined by what you do in class. No matter what your other averages may be, however, you must have an average of D or better on your out-of-class essays to pass this course.

Essay Format
For all out-of-class papers, use a 12-point standard font. Double space your essays on plain white paper with one-inch margins. See The Little, Brown Handbook for manuscript guidelines. Please follow MLA format.

Major Error Policy
At the beginning of this course you will be reminded how to eliminate these major grammatical errors:
* Fused sentence (FS)
* Dangling modifier (DM)
* Comma splice (CS)
* Lack of subject-verb agreement (SVA)
* Sentence fragment (Frag)
After each error has been covered in this course, each instance of one of the errors in an essay will result in a one-half letter grade penalty.

Attendance Policy
You are expected to attend classes regularly, and attendance is sometimes critical for mastering the skills developed in this class. Please remember that quizzes and in-class writing assignments will be given almost every day and cannot be made up.

Classroom Deportment
Please keep in mind we’re all adults here. Texting, talking on the telphone, or web browsing during class is simply rude and shows disrespect for your teacher, your fellow students, and yourself.

Plagiarism
Plagiarism is copying someone else's work without giving proper credit to the author. It's cheating and can cause you to fail the course if you're caught. Even inadvertent plagiarism, such as failing to cite a source, is a serious academic offense. Make sure you avoid plagiarism with everything you write. If you're not sure what plagiarism is or how to avoid it, review your Little, Brown Handbook. Use other resources as well, such as the Writing Center and the Turnitin online service. I am available to help you in person or by e-mail, provided you come to me before turning in your paper.

Weblog
Assignments, helpful information, and special notices will be posted each day on the course weblog: http://mscc engl 1010.blogspot.com/. Be sure to check the site frequently for important information about the course. Please see me if regular Internet access is a problem for you.

Writing Centers and SmarThinking
You can get one-on-one help with your writing at one of the MSCC writing centers. The McMinnville Writing Center is located in MC 191. The center is open Mondays and Wednesdays noon-4:15 and Fridays 9-10 and 1-2. You also have the benefit of online tutorial help from the SmarThinking service at http://mscc.edu/smartthinking.html. Please take advantage of both.

Other Information
I accept late work only in unusual circumstances. In no circumstance will I give make-ups for daily quizzes or in-class writing assignments. Late work will be lowered at least one letter grade. I do not accept very late work (e.g., saving all your essays till the end of the semester).

In most cases, in-class essays will be graded pass/fail. For the in-class average, every passing essay will be averaged as a grade of 100 and every failing essay as a 50. A missed assignment is averaged as a 0. That said, the vicissitudes of life are sometimes outside our control, so I'll cut you some slack. I will drop your three lowest quiz grades and your three lowest in-class essay grades. You will also be given the option of rewriting one out-of-class paper. For rewrites, I will accept only papers that have already been graded and returned.

Please see me if you need special accommodations in keeping with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

You’ve paid money for this course, and I want you to get what you’ve paid for. Should the McMinnville campus be closed due to a Swine Flu or other pandemic, we will, if possible, soldier on using the course weblog and other online resources.

Disclaimer
This syllabus hits only the high points and cannot include everything you need to know during the semester. Stay tuned for more.

A Final Note
Don't let all these dos and don'ts get you down. If you've made it this far, you probably have what it takes to make it through this course. I want you to do as well as you can, and I'll do my best to help you. But remember that you're the one in charge of your education, so take the initiative in doing the work, asking questions, and seeking help when you need it.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Welcome

This weblog is for Motlow State Community College students in Milton Stanley's ENGL 1010 class, meeting in McMinnville. Once the semester begins, be sure to check back here daily for important course information. Please keep in touch. I look forward to working with you in the days ahead to help you enjoy a fruitful, rewarding, and enriching semester.