SYLLABUS FOR ENGLISH 100
Basic Writing
Fall 2007, MWF 8-8:50 a.m.; MWF 9 - 9:50 a.m.; PA 204

Instructor: Todd M. Bunnell
Phone: 329-7392
Office/Hours: 210 Painter, M 10 a.m. - Noon; WF 11:30 a.m. -Noon; TR 9:30-11 a.m.
E-mail address/website: tbunnell@muw.edu <www2.muw.edu/~tbunnell>

TEXTS AND MATERIALS:
*Refining Composition Skills, Fifth Edition
*Little, Brown Handbook
*Pocket Folder

COURSE CONTENT:
EN 100 is a self-paced, individualized course designed to offer basic skills in grammar and beginning composition skills starting with the principles of paragraph writing and progressing to essay development. The class will be comprised of lectures and classroom discussions that will vary and depend on individual and group needs. Much of the class will be individualized instruction outside of the classroom along with private tutorial sessions.

GOALS:
To develop stronger grammatical and mechanical skills
To help students limit topics and to create limited, coherent paragraphs and essays
To acquaint students with paragraph and essay development techniques
To help students organize and structure thoughts in writing
To help students develop clear and correct standard English writing skills

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Each student must complete any assigned grammatical work and grammatical quiz as well as three assigned paragraphs and two essays. Students are expected to work on rough drafts and see me during tutorial sessions before handing in the completed drafts.

METHOD OF EVALUATION:
In order to pass EN 100, the student must demonstrate writing proficiency and knowledge of grammar on one of the five exit exams given throughout the semester. The student must earn at least a grade of C (74) on both the grammatical section and the diagnostic writing section in order to be passed out of the class. Before the student has earned a passing grade on one of the tests, the student must still complete the assignments and attend class. Once the student has earned at least a grade of C for the class, that student will be considered "passed" and will be finished with the course. Students must continue to enroll in this course until a satisfactory grade of C or above is earned.

NOTE: There are no D or F grades in EN 100. If the student's writing is below a "C" standard after all five exit exams are given, a grade of "NC" (No Credit) will be given for the course. This will not affect the student's QPA.

GRADING SCALE:
100-95 A 94-92 A- 91-89 B+ 88-86 B 85-83 B- 82-80 C+
79-77 C 76-74 C- 73-71 D+ 70-68 D 67-65 D- 64-0 F

ATTENDANCE:
Attendance is very important. Each student will be allowed to miss seven (7) classes. Tutorial sessions count as one class each. On the eighth absence, the student will automatically receive a grade of NC for the course and will be required to repeat the course. You are responsible for being aware of your own absences. I will not notify you of the number of absences you have, but you are welcome to check with me. Note: There is no difference between an excused absence and an unexcused absence. Also, please come to class on time and prepared. Excessive tardies (3) will add up to an absence.

PROCEDURES AND POLICIES:
1. Each paper turned in for final evaluation must be typed and double-spaced.
2. No title page is needed. The front page should have, in the top left-hand corner:

Student's name
Bunnell
EN 100
Date

3. Any paragraph or essay submitted must have a TITLE. Do not underline, bold, or put titles within quotation marks or in all caps. Also, try to be creative with your titles.
4. Always submit each composition in your collective class pocket folder.
5. Please turn off all cell phones before entering the classroom. If there is a special circumstance, notify me in advance.
6. On tutorial days, students do not have to come to class but should be prepared to meet with me in my office for five minutes at a scheduled meeting time. Each student should come in with a complete rough draft and should be ready to discuss his/her paper. The rough draft does not have to be typed.

PLAGIARISM:
Plagiarism is using someone else's ideas or writing as your own without giving credit to that individual or source. A plagiarized composition will receive a zero, and under extreme cases, you may even receive a grade of NC for the course. Documentation must be used when quoting an outside source. When in doubt, ask me!

DISABILITIES:
It is the responsibility of students who have professionally diagnosed disabilities to notify the instructor so that necessary and appropriate modifications can be made to meet any special learning needs.

IMPORTANT DATES:
September 19 -- Last day to drop a course without receiving a grade of WP/WF
October 17 -- Last day a course may be dropped
November 9 -- Last day to withdraw from the university

WEEK 1 (August 15-17) -- Introduction to course. Prewriting Exercises.

WEEK 2 (August 20-24) -- Prewriting Exercises. Exit Exam #1.

WEEK 3 (August 27-31) -- Bring LBH: Grammar. Comma Splices, Run-Ons, Fragments, Subject/Verb Disagreements.

WEEK 4 (September 5-7) -- Grammar continued. Grammar Quiz.

WEEK 5 (September 10-14) -- Bring RCS: Introduction to the Paragraph. Topic Sentences. Development of the Paragraph. The Expository Paragraph.

WEEK 6 (September 17-21) -- The Expository Paragraph Continued. Paragraph #1 Tutorial.

WEEK 7 (September 24-28) -- Paragraph #1 Due. Exit Exam #2.

WEEK 8 (October 1-5) -- Paragraph #2 Tutorial.

WEEK 9 (October 10-12) -- Paragraph #2 Due. Paragraph #3 Tutorial.

WEEK 10 (October 15-19) -- Paragraph #3 Due. Exit Exam #3.

WEEK 11 (October 22-26) -- Introduction to the Essay. Thesis Statements. Introduce Example Essay.

WEEK 12 (October 29-November 2) -- Example Essay #4 Tutorial.

WEEK 13 (November 5-9) -- Example Essay #4 Due. Introduce Argumentative Essay.

WEEK 14 (November 12-16) -- Exit Exam #4.

WEEK 15 (November 19) -- Argumentative Essay continued. Argumentative Tutorial #5.

WEEK 16 (November 26-30) -- Argumentative Tutorial #5 continued. Argumentative Essay #5 Due. Review.