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ENG 101-036: English Composition

MWF 11:00 - 11:50, Room 2403
Cynthia Bateman
Contact Information:
Office: PH 2225
Email: cbatema@siue.edu Phone:
Office Hours: MW 1:00 – 2:00 and by appointment

Required Texts:
● Faigley, Lester. Writing: A Guide for College and Beyond. New York:
Longman, 2006.
● Helmers, Marguerite. The Elements of Visual Analysis. New York:
Longman, 2005.
● Muller, Gilbert H. The McGraw- Hill Reader: Issues Across the
Disciplines. Boston: McGraw- Hill, 2007.

Course Description and Goals: In this course you will learn how to use writing as a
means by which to engage the world around you. Through the development of close
reading and analysis skills, you will learn to tailor your writing to specific audiences,
develop your writing voice, and gain a basic understanding of recognizing and
constructing a thesis statement. We will be deconstructing readings from a variety of
sources this semester. From an analysis of complicated social issues and debates, you will
develop advanced critical thinking skills. Utilizing those critical thinking skills, you will
draft, revise, and edit your own essays as well as those of your peers.

Course goals are as follows:

● Students will gain an understanding of rhetorical strategies and processes
of analysis.
● Students will gain a meta-awareness of their own development as writers.
● Students will use writing as a way of thinking through topics and ideas.
● Students will understand and use writing strategies and processes to
analyze and write about issues that are important to specific audiences and
specific purposes.
● Students will analyze the conventions of and write effectively in the
university discourse community.
● Students will gain opportunities to collaborate effectively.

Course Work:
● Reading Records- For each assigned reading, you will write a one paragraph
response to the content of the reading and a one paragraph analysis of the writing
style, structure, tone, etc... of the reading. A separate handout will be provided
detailing the Reading Record requirements and guidelines for submission.
● In-Class Journaling- You are expected to bring a notebook to every class period.
This notebook will serve as your in-class journal. It should be a separate
notebook from one you use to take notes in. I will collect your journal at various
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times throughout the semester. These collections will be unannounced, so it is

vital that you have your journal with you every time our class meets.
● Quizzes- I reserve the right to conduct unannounced, in-class quizzes at any time.
These quizzes will focus on the assigned readings and your understanding of
those readings as well as your understanding of basic writing components such as
theme, style, audience, etc...
● Essay Assignments- There are four major essay assignments for this class. I will
provide you with separate handouts detailing the guidelines and requirements for
submission for each assignment. Each final essay will be the polished, revised
version of a rough draft that you and I will have reviewed together.
● Portfolio- You will turn in a portfolio of your writing two times during the
semester. The first portfolio will serve as your midterm assessment. English
faculty other than myself will review your final portfolio and decide whether it
deserves a grade of Pass or Fail. Your final portfolio must receive a Pass in order
for you to move on to English 102. We will discuss portfolios requirements in
detail in class. I also encourage you to visit the English First-Year Writing
Programs website for details about the portfolio
http://www.siue.edu/ENGLISH/TOW/FYW/assessment.html

Grading: I do not use a point system to assign grades. Grades will be assigned by the
following guidelines:
● A: Your work will receive an “A” if it exceeds expectations and requirements.
“A” work takes risks. It asks questions that engage the audience on a level far
above that of typical first year writing. I assure you, “A” work is possible.
● B: Your work will receive a “B” if it meets full requirements well, is complete, on
time, and is polished. A grade of “B” is the equivalent of going one step beyond
just what needs to be done.
● C: Your work will receive a “C” if it is average, meets full requirements
adequately, is complete, on time, and demonstrates competence. In short, a grade
of “C” is the equivalent of doing just what needs to be done in order to get by.
● D: Your work will receive a “D” if it is incomplete, does not meet expectations,
or needs serious work.
● F: Your work will receive a “F” if it is unacceptable, incomplete, late, or fails to
meet the standards established in this syllabus.

Participation: Participation in class discussions, group work, and conference

appointments is required. When explaining my grading policy I used the phrase, “your
work.” I understand “your work” to include written assignments, required readings, class
discussions, and attendance. Your final grade for this class is an evaluation of your
overall performance, not just your essay assignments.

Attendance and Tardiness: You are allowed to miss four class periods. If you miss more
than four class periods, you may fail this course. This class begins at 11:00. I will be on
time, and I expect you to be on time. Repeated tardiness will count as an absence. Late
work will not be accepted!
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Electronics Policy: The use of cell phones, ipods, ipads, laptop computers, etc... is
prohibited in class.

Plagiarism: Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. If you use someone else’s words
or thoughts without crediting them, you are guilty of plagiarism. Evidence of plagiarism
will result in a failing grade for this course and a report filed with the Provost. Please
visit the following site for a thorough explanation of SIUE’s policy regarding plagiarism:
http://www.siue.edu/lovejoylibrary/services/instruction/plagiarism.shtml.

Additional Resources:
● Disability Support Services- If you need special assistance in this class due to a
physical or learning disability, please contact Disability Support Services at (618)
650-3782, Rendlemen Hall Rm 1218.
● SIUE Writing Center- The Writing Center offers help in developing, organizing,
proofreading, and clarifying your papers. Their services are free to university
students so take advantage of them! The Writing Center is located in Rm 1254 of
the Student Success Center. Please call (618) 650-2045 to make an appointment.
● OWL- The Purdue Online Writing Lab (or OWL) is a great resource for a variety
of writing issues such as MLA and APA format and guides to avoiding
plagiarism. Please visit OWL at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/

Daily Schedule: ***I reserve the right to alter this schedule throughout the semester.
Changes to the daily schedule will be announced in class only.***
● Week 1
1. Mon, 8/23- Class introduction
2. Wed, 8/25- Virginia Woolf The Death of the Moth, diagnostic due
3. Fri, 8/27- Assign Essay #1
● Week 2
4. Mon, 8/30- Alice Walker Am I Blue, RR due
5. Wed, 9/1
6. Fri, 9/3- RD Essay #1 DUE
● Week 3
7. Mon, 9/6- no class
8. Wed, 9/8- Renes Descartes About The Things We May Doubt, RR due
9. Fri, 9/10
● Week 4
10. Mon, 9/13- Jessica Mitford Embalming In The USA, RR due, Assign
Essay #2
11. Wed, 9/15
12. Fri, 9/17- FD Essay #1 DUE
● Week 5
13. Mon, 9/20- Thomas Nagel Death, RR due
14. Wed, 9/22- Pick conference times
15. Fri, 9/24
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● Week 6
16. Mon, 9/27- Peter Singer Justifying Infanticide, RR due
17. Wed, 9/29
18. Fri, 10/01- RD Essay #2 DUE
● Week 7
19. Mon, 10/04- Carl Sagan Can We Know The Universe? Reflections on a
Grain of Salt, RR due
20. Wed, 10/06
21. Fri, 10/08 Discuss Midterm Portfolios
● Week 8
22. Mon, 10/11-, Plato Excerpt from The Symposium, RR due, Assign Essay
#3
23. Wed, 10/13
24. Fri, 10/15- FD Essay #2 Due
● Week 9
25. Mon, 10/18- Nietzsche On Truth and Lies in a Non-Moral Sense, RR due
26. Wed, 10/20- Pick conference times
27. Fri, 10/22- Midterm Portfolio DUE
● Week 10
28. Mon, 10/25- Jonathan Swift A Modest Proposal, RR due
29. Wed, 10/27
30. Fri, 10/29- RD Essay #3 DUE
● Week 11
31. Mon, 11/01- Visual Analysis Unit
32. Wed, 11/03
33. Fri, 11/05- Silent viewing of Wall-e
● Week 12
34. Mon, 11/08- Wall-e, Assign Essay #4
35. Wed, 11/10- Wall-e
36. Fri, 11/12- FD Essay Assign #3 Due
● Week 13
37. Mon, 11/15- William F. Buckley, Jr. Why Don’t We Complain, RR due,
pick conference times
38. Wed, 11/17
39. Fri, 11/19- Discuss Self-Reflection essays
● Week 14 Happy Thanksgiving- NO CLASS
● Week 15
40. RD Essay #4 and the rough draft of your self-relective essay are due
during your conference. DO NOT COME TO CONFERENCE
WITHOUT YOUR ROUGH DRAFTS!!! This is also the time to bring in
your portfolios if you’d like to review them with me prior to turning them
in. Basically, this is your time to show me anything you want me to look
at (within reason, of course).
41. Wed, 12/01- conferences cont’d
42. Fri, 12/03- conferences cont’d
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● Week 16
43. Mon, 12/06- Peer reviews
44. Wed, 12/08- Peer reviews
45. Fri, 12/10- FD Essay 4 AND your Final Portfolio DUE

Key: RR= Reading Record

RD= Rough Draft
FD= Final Draft