EN 111, Fall 2020
Professor: Bob Boon
Office: Cuples 425
Email: rboon@centralmethodist.edu
Office Hours: MWF 9-9:50 via Zoom. The English Dept. has decided to have a closed office space. Don’t just show up. https://centralmethodist.zoom.us/j/97762404092
COURSE INFORMATION
EN 111 D, Composition 2
Fall 2020
Thogmorton 203, MWF 3-3:50 pm
Final Exam Schedule:
CATALOG COURSE DESCRIPTION
EN111 focuses on the development of inquiry and research methods, writing as a process, and the conventions of academic prose. 3 hours
TEXTBOOK INFORMATION
The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World. Jeff Goodell. Back Bay Books; Reprint edition, 2018. ISBN-10: 9780316260206, ISBN-13: 978-0316260206
The Water Knife. Paolo Bacigalupi, Vintage, 2016. ISBN-10: 080417153X, ISBN-13: 978-0804171533
Zoom link: https://centralmethodist.zoom.us/j/99304069012
Panopto link: https://centralmethodist.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Sessions/List.aspx?folderID=88b8e20e-07b6-40d0-bf26-ac160109fa2e
COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES
EN111: In the course of EN111, students will...
• Continue practicing and applying the lessons from EN110 within the conventions of academic research and writing
• Articulate a purpose for research and their positions relative to the positions of others
• Find and evaluate research sources
• Summarize, contextualize, and synthesize information
• Document sources honestly and within appropriate conventions
• Create complex sentences that are stylistically and tonally varied
CMU MISSION STATEMENT
Central Methodist University prepares students to make a difference in the world by emphasizing academic and professional excellence, ethical leadership, and social responsibility.
CMU LEARNING OUTCOMES
Communication (articulate, multimodal, professional)
- Students are articulate, able to speak and write clearly and effectively.
- Students are multimodal, able to interpret and express ideas through multiple modes of communication.
- Students are professional, able to adapt to and interact with others in a confident, responsible, and engaged manner.
Curiosity (discover, analyze, create)
- Students can discover, explore, and seek solutions based on accumulated knowledge and current research.
- Students can analyze, evaluate, interpret, and summarize data.
- Students can create and innovate using critical thinking and collaborative skills.
Community (serve, respect, lead)
- Students will serve others and be ethical and informed citizens.
- Students will understand and respect diversity, including other’s viewpoints, positions, and beliefs
- Students will lead creatively and collaboratively to produce positive changes in the broader world.
STUDENTS REQUIRING SPECIAL ACCOMODATIONS
Central Methodist University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual preference, religion, sex, national origin, age, or federally defined disability/state defined handicap ("disability"). This includes but is not limited to recruitment and admission of students, educational programs, services, activities, financial aid, and scholarship programs. The University complies with all federal and state non-discrimination requirements. The Center for Learning & Teaching at Central Methodist University is committed to ensuring nondiscrimination and equal access to all programs, service, and activities for qualified students with a disability. It is the responsibility of any student who wishes to claim a disability and seek an accommodation to file official documentation confirming the disability and a completed Disability Services Student Information Form with the Center of Learning and Teaching prior to seeking any accommodation based on the disability.
GRIEVANCE POLICY
Central Methodist University has established a grievance policy and process designed to provide students and others with a process to resolve potential issues. This policy and process is established to provide persons with an avenue to file a written concern and to establish a process to track and implement changes as a result of said concern. For more detailed information, consult the CLAS catalog at: http://www.centralmethodist.edu/academics/catalog/clas-catalog/policies/index.php.
If an issue cannot be solved through consultation with the faculty or division chair, students can report an incident/issue within 30 days of the event via the online web form https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?CentralMethodistUniv&layout_id=3
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND ACADEMIC CONDUCT
ACADEMIC CONDUCT: Any student found guilty of academic misconduct on any assignment, quiz or exam in this class will earn a zero for that assignment, quiz or exam. Furthermore, that student will come under the auspices of the Academic Conduct Policy of CMU. It is the student's responsibility to review and understand the CMU Academic Conduct Policy. Plagiarism falls under this code. I have no sense of humor nor forgiveness for any plagiarism. At best, plagiarized work will receive a zero and be formally reported to the Provost. Plagiarized work cannot be done over. Severe or repeated episodes of plagiarism will likely guarantee an F in the course and may result in the offender being dropped from the course.
Reading: I do expect each of you to read the course materials. I do consider consulting or copying from online summaries instead of reading the material itself to be a form of academic misconduct.
Group activities: I do expect each person in a group to participate reasonably and fairly. It is not acceptable to simply show up for a presentation without doing any of the preparation work. Do let me know if one or more group members is not contributing.
CLASS CONDUCT: In class, we need to be alert, civil and courteous to others. Partly this means being prepared for the day’s work; this also means staying reasonably focused on our activities. So, you shouldn’t be on Facebook or Snapchat or whatever other social media, not texting, not listening to music, not playing games, not watching sports during class. No earphones at any time. Don’t bring your phones out, especially not during group work. Use your iPads, but if you abuse the privilege, you may be asked to leave class and not return until we have a talk with your advisor.
Do be civil—we will discuss a number of controversial issues. You certainly don’t have to agree with everyone, or with me, but we do need to discuss issues, to argue productively, not insult or name-call. But you know these things.
WELLNESS AND SICKNESS POLICIES:
Wearing a face mask is about protecting others, our Central Methodist Community and the communities we work in. The primary purpose of wearing a face mask is to reduce the probability of virus spreading from the wearer (who may not know they are spreading the virus) into the environment and to others. The secondary purpose of the face covering is to reduce the likelihood that large droplets containing virus that are spread by others may enter the nose and mouth of the wearer. The use of a face mask does not replace the continued need to maintain physical distances from others, at least 6 feet, but instead augments physical distancing and helps us further reduce the likelihood of virus transmission. The complete CMU Face Mask Policy is available at: https://www.centralmethodist.edu/about/offices/human-resources/_docs/FaceCoveringPolicy.pdf
We do need to sanitize our class spaces as we leave. Please review the Safety Video, posted in the Announcements.
If you are ill, of course, do not come to class. Email me as soon as possible. · Being absent does not excuse you from turning in homework on myCMU on time. If there are extenuating circumstances, contact me within 24 hours of the missed deadline. It would be wise to complete and submit work as early as possible to avoid any emergency.
If you are in quarantine, accommodations will be determined in partnership with the Center for Learning and Teaching. These issues will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
As a responsible student, you should only miss classes if you are sick or displaying symptoms of COVID-19 or participating in a University Sanctioned Event. Missing class to finish homework or to take a friend to a doctor is not a wise choice.
Do be on time for class, whether we are meeting in person or via Zoom.
WRITING STUDIO: I will ask all of you to “attend” the Writing Studio at least 4 times this semester—twice before October 16, and twice by December 3. Because of COVID-19 risks, all Writing Center appointments will be online via the WCOnline interface this semester. To schedule an appointment, please go to either https://centralmethodist.mywconline.com/index or click on the “Academic Resources” icon on your iPad. Instructions for how to create an appointment are on the Login page. On the Appointment form, where it asks, “Would you like us to notify your instructor that you visited the Writing Center?” -- please make sure to click “Yes.” Be sure you sign up and check in to have me notified.. If you don’t accomplish this, you won’t get points for the visit. I need to get that official email from the Writing Center to give you points.
A couple more specifications—you do need to work on this course during the session. You need to not skip this class to do your Writing Studio. You can only attend the Writing Studio/Center for course points once during any given week.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: I tend to make frequent use of the Announcements in myCMU. You are responsible for information and course materials in the Announcements.
CLASS CANCELLATION: If there is a weather emergency, please check the CMU website for school cancellation. If I have a personal emergency or illness, I will attempt to post that in the course Announcements.
MAKE-UP AND LATE WORK: We have a fairly tight schedule, and so a caution—late work will put you at many disadvantages throughout the course, not only in terms of grades. Not being prepared is more than a little rude to the group and class members who depend on your active contribution. So, I do reserve the right to penalize or refuse entirely any late work throughout the semester. Any make-up work must be done within one week of the original due date. Email me to make arrangements.
GRADING
100%-90% = A
89%-80% = B
79%-70% = C
69%-60% = D
59% or below = F
ASSIGNMENTS AND POINTS BREAKDOWN
DESCRIPTION OF MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS
Notice that all of these assignments involve several steps along the way. This will always include various brainstorming/invention activities, such as freewriting, so you will need to bring something to write with/on to every class. We will almost always work through stages of writing through group activities.
For this section of 111, we will focus on semester-long topic, the impact of humans on the earth—especially, global warming. We will read one non-fiction book, The Water Will Come, to learn basic information, and then go into one novel, Water Knife, that extrapolates one future we may (perhaps too soon!) reach.
Plagiarism exercise: Please go to this website, http://www.lib.usm.edu/plagiarism_tutorial/, which contains a plagiarism tutorial. Work through the exercises and take the test at the very end. Post that result in myCMU, in some form, screenshot, download, or even just your own statement that you completed the exercise.
What I Know and How I Know It: In this paper, each of you should sketch out your initial ideas about our main class topic, global warming and perhaps the Anthropocene. This is not a research activity. Instead, this essay will let you establish and share what you know and believe coming into this class. There is no one set form for this essay, but you should try to identify major ideas, where you learned these, when possible, and perhaps talk about what you feel are major controversies or interesting contentions. The purpose here is to sketch out how you know or why you don’t know much about this issue. 3 pages, typed, double-spaced.
Summary: This short exercise will help us practice the skill of summarizing, working from a designated text, to a short summary paragraph. ½ to 1 page, typed, double-spaced.
Rhetorical Analysis: For this exercise, we will examine a section of The Water Will Come in terms of rhetorical categories. 1-2 pages, typed, double-spaced.
Response papers: These are short, informal papers, meant to let you explore ideas from our readings and films (I’ll point out specific material to respond to for each one). These are explicitly not to be summaries or simple overviews. This is a space for you to try out new ideas, explore, consider, pull things together, have a viewpoint. 2 pages each, typed, double-spaced.
Water Knife online discussions: This semester, I’m going to move all the book discussions online. This way, I shouldn’t feel compelled to do dozens of reading quizzes, and you should feel rewarded for all your diligent reading. I’ll put specific instructions with each discussion, but in general, there will be a number of questions for you to work from. I’ll set this up with a minimum threshold, what’s enough to get a passing grade (which, by the way, is a D), and give you the opportunity to exceed that, by active contribution to the class discussion overall.
Film project/presentation: This is a group project. I’ll supply you with a list of film choices and ask each group to view and discussion its chosen film, in terms of what we learn about place and how people adapt to places from the film. Each group should then present an overview of the film and the group’s ideas about it to the class. If possible, show a very brief film clip to the class to illustrate key points. Do write, individually, a one-page paper to turn in to me, giving your key ideas, or disagreements with the group’s conclusions. This one page is due with the presentation. And, in this viral world, instead of doing class feedback on paper, which I prefer, it seems like we’ll need to do that online as well.
Group Project on The Water Will Come chapters: We will use Chapters 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 in The Water Will Come for this project. Each group should share and explain the key ideas in its given chapter, but also go further—help make the information lively and interesting. Do use various visuals, which might include short film clips. Aim for a 17-20 minute presentation.
Research activity: For this activity, you should explore some issue related to our main course material, growing out of The Water Will Come or perhaps Water Knife. Your task is to identify, research, and clearly explain such an issue, making clear why your audience needs to understand it. 3-4 pages, plus Works Cited, in current MLA form.
Reflection essay: This last essay should provide an evaluation of and reflection on what you have learned and considered throughout this course, in relation to our two main texts, including materials from films and discussions, and about the writing process Its purpose is for you to think back on what you have learned from your overall reading and writing experiences, to make sense of it. This is not a simple summary exercise, but rather more a personal meditation on your own learning. This essay is also part of the CMU English Department’s assessment process. 3 pages, typed.
Portfolio: This activity is the other part of the assessment process. Each of you should, all semester long, be collecting samples of your writing, in all its many aspects. So, you might decide to include some of your freewriting, various drafts, part of your blogs, some finished essays…rather up to you. We’ll talk more about this as we go—but start right away, making a habit of keeping your writing. Your responsibility! At the end of the semester, we’ll talk more about how and where to upload this material.
N. b., Paper format: all papers should be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point font. I prefer Times New Roman. Page lengths: when a paper assignment asks, for example, for 2 pages, that means two full pages; a partial second page will not get full credit. Do not upload or send me anything like a google link or a pdf text. Stick to Word.
GRADING
Assessment of Student Learning:
Your final grade in the class will be largely determined from these activities:
Plagiarism exercise 5
What I Know…
peer draft/process 10
final draft 50
Summary 10
Rhetorical Analysis 10
Responses 45 (3 x 15)
Water Knife discussions – usually 10 points each
Film Project 40
Group Project on Water Will Come 40
Research activity
peer draft/process 10
final draft 50
Reflection essay
peer draft/process 10
final draft 50
Portfolio 10
Writing Studio 20 (5 x 4 sessions)
In-class writing/activities/quizzes, as time permits. Points open-ended, and all subject to change, as needs and conditions shift.
COURSE SCHEDULE: This schedule is subject to change or modification, though hopefully we will stay close to this outline. Readings should be done prior to class. When we are reading a section of any of our textbooks, please bring your book to that class. Outside readings will be given as copies in class, or as web links. Notice that I haven’t included the grammar chapters on the schedule. We will address grammar, depending on general class needs.
Week 1 (August 19, 21)
W. Course introduction // assign What I Know
Explore more ideas for the first essay // The technique of freewriting
Week 2 (August 24-28)
Explore structure for the first essay // Plagiarism exercise due
Peer review of What I Know
Talk about Summary
Week 3 (August 31, September 2, 4)
What I Know… due
Water Will Come, Prologue and Chapter 1 // practice summary
Water Will Come, Chapter 2 // practice summary
Week 4 (September 7-11)
Summary due // Water Will Come, Chapter 3 // Assign first Response paper
Water Will Come, Chapter 4
Film: An Inconvenient Truth
Week 5 (September 14-18)
Continue An Inconvenient Truth
Finish An Inconvenient Truth
Talk about rhetorical analysis // Response 1 due
Week 6 (September 21-25)
Begin Water Knife, Chapters 1-2 [discussion posts due by midnight, Saturday, 9/19] // Set up Group presentations on Water Will Come // Water Will Come, Chapters 5-6
W and F, if the plague cooperates, I’ll be out of town. See paddlemo.org
Rhetorical analysis due
Week 7 (September 28-30, October 2)
Water Knife, Chapters 3-5 [discussion posts due by midnight, Saturday]// Assign Research activity // MLA
Water Will Come, Chapter 12 and Epilogue // Assign second Response paper
Group presentations on Water Will Come, chapters 7 and 8
Week 8 (October 12-16)
Water Knife, Chapters 6-9 [discussion posts due by midnight, Saturday]
Group presentations on Water Will Come, chapters 9 and 10
Group presentations on Water Will Come, chapter 11
Set up film projects / Film: Merchants of Doubt (96 min.)
Week 9 (October 19-23)
Water Knife, Chapters 10-14 [discussion posts due by midnight, Saturday]
Film: Merchants of Doubt
Film: Merchants of Doubt
Response 2 due
Week 10 (October 26-30)
Water Knife, Chapters 15-19 [discussion posts due by midnight, Saturday]
Research activity draft/peer review
Film project presentations
Week 11 (November 2-6)
Water Knife, Chapters 20-27 [discussion posts due by midnight, Saturday]
Film project presentations
Film project presentations
Week 12 (November 9-13)
Water Knife, Chapters 28-32 [discussion posts due by midnight, Saturday]
Assign Final Reflection Essay
Film: Elysium (109 min) // Research activity due
Continue Elysium
Week 13 (November 16-20)
Water Knife, Chapters 33-36 [discussion posts due by midnight, Saturday]
Finish Elysium
Brainstorm further on Reflection essay and writing structures
Thanksgiving Break
Week 14 (November 30, December 2-4)
Finish Water Knife, Chapters 37-end [discussion posts]
Response 3 due
Peer review of Reflection Essay
Thursday, December 3, last day for Writing Studio points!
M. December 7, Reflection Essay and Portfolio due