SYLLABUS

 Summer Writing Intensive

*This syllabus is a contract. Your continued attendance in this course implies that you have read and will abide by all the guidelines listed below. I will abide by them as well--that is my promise to you.

Kate Durbin
Summer 2014 / Room: HV104

MTWThF 1:00-3:00
E-mail: katedurbinteacher@gmail.com

Class Blog: www.SASISUMMER.blogspot.com 

Required Texts: 

 From Self to Sources: Essays and Beyond by Lee Brandon
A Writer’s Reference by Hacker (Strongly recommended)
The Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

*Make sure you have the copies of the books that are in the Whittier College bookstore. You do not have time to order them online. Every student must have a book or will receive a severe grade penalty. If you have any trouble obtaining your book talk to me immediately!

Course Description:

This is a 19-day writing-focused course designed to help prepare international students enrolling as regular WC students to meet the expectations instructors will have for their writing, as well as to help current students refresh their writing skills. Students will review a variety of common academic genres, and assignments will emphasize writing with and documenting sources. A peer mentor will help support students' mastery of the basic conventions of written English. Because the class meets for such a short time, the workload will be intense, and students are expected to keep up.

Grading:

All work will be given a point value based on this scale:

A=10    A-=9    B=8    C=7    D=6    F=5    Unsubmitted=0 

The course grade will be determined on the following percentages:

Homework/Class Assignments/Participation                                            30%

Portfolio                                                                                                     60%

Grammar Final                                                                                           10%

Essays/Portfolio/Written Work:

We will study multiple styles of essay development. You will write five papers to be revised outside of class, and three in class under time limits. We will also spend portions of each class period workshopping your papers in class, preparing them for their final, Portfolio versions. These workshops emphasize the process-based nature of writing. Don’t be afraid to ask your peer mentor and me lots of questions, and please remember your writing is always a work-in-process. Improvements can always be made, and a good attitude goes a long way!

All papers must be typed, stapled, and carefully proofread. Papers should always have a title. If you have grammatical or stylistic questions consult reference guides such as A Writer’s Reference or the OWL @ Purdue website. If you are using a computer lab, always be sure to give yourself extra time, and to save your material frequently.

All papers will be submitted via hard copy, at the beginning of class on the day they are due. Be on time. For every half hour your paper is late, your grade is lowered one whole letter score. Do not turn in late papers and don’t be late to class on the day papers are due. While your final drafts of your papers are not due until your portfolio is due, incomplete papers turned in on the class dates that your original drafts are due will receive severe grade penalties.

You must submit your essays with post-workshop revisions for credit on the last day of class, and the averaged grades of these essays yields the portfolio grade. Essays not submitted will be assigned a grade of “zero” (0). No late portfolios will be accepted.

Plagiarism—claiming ownership of ideas and language that are not your own—is simply unacceptable. Plagiarized papers will result in a failing grade for the course, and a report will be submitted to the office of Student Life.

Participation and Attendance:

There will be moments when I will lecture. Aside from these times, class should operate like a seminar. This means that it is imperative that you read the material--on time--and are prepared to discuss this material in class. Your involvement and enthusiasm will make our classroom an engaging and fascinating place to be. Participation also counts for 30 percent of your overall class score.

Always come to class on time. More than two tardies will lower your grade, and more than one absence will also lower your grade. Never be absent on a day when we are taking an in-class writing exam.

More than three absences may result in your removal from the course. 

Class Policies:

No laptops or iPads are allowed unless I approve of them for note taking (ask me first). I don’t want to see your phones out—if I do, I will take them away, no exceptions. If it seems you are not paying attention or you are talking while I am talking, you may be asked to leave the classroom and take an absence for the day. If you show up without having done your work, you may also receive an absence for the day.

Class is lengthy, so we will take breaks. If you have to leave the classroom during a time when we are in session, you must ask first, and there should be no reason to be gone more than a few minutes (to use the restroom, for example). Feel free to bring drinks and food to class as long as you are careful with it. 

Abiding by these policies will allow us a pleasant, productive class session. Anyone who repeatedly abuses these policies is treating his or her peers with disrespect, and will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.

Communication (Blog & Email):

I will communicate with you regularly via this class blog, so check it for updates there several times a day (or sign up for alerts via blogger). I will also post any updates to the Course Schedule there. You don’t need to print the syllabus out, but you may want to.

I will be checking my email regularly, and that is the best way to get in touch with me. However, I will stop responding to emails around 8:00 pm at night, so if you have paper-related questions get them in to me before that.

I do not check the Whittier email address so please contact me via katedurbinteacher@gmail.com if you have any questions. Please do not send me facebook messages related to class concerns. Thank you.


Students with Disabilities:
Students desiring accommodations on the basis of physical, learning or psychological disability for this class should contact Disability Services. Disability Services is located in the Library building, first floor, room G003 and can be reached by calling extension 4825.