Instructor: R. Bouton                                             Phone: 549-3767                     Email: rbouton@selu.edu

Office: Tinsley Annex   8A                                     Office Hours: M 11-1
                                                                                                      T & Th 9-9:30, 11:45-2
                                                                                                      W  2-5  online
                                                                                                       By appointment
 

Webpage: www.selu.edu/Academics/Faculty/rbouton

Placement in Eng 090: ACT of 16 or below

Description:

DVEN 090 is designed to strengthen students writing skills so that they are adequately prepared for ENG 101 and future courses. DVEN 090 offers review and practice of grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, mechanics, parts of speech, and diction which all contribute to effective writing. Upon successful completion of the course, students will receive five credit hours, which do not count toward graduation.
 

Objectives:

-to learn essential grammar rules as they apply toward writing

-to view writing as a dialogue that is ever changing

-to contribute to the class by engaging with each other

-to take an active role in your success in this course

-to assist your peers through group work and critiquing

-to understand the basic elements of effective writing

-to recognize the importance of deadlines

-to successfully complete this course and move on to ENG 101

-to participate in workshop activities
 

Materials and Supplies:

Real Writing with Readings

Looseleaf

2 high density diskettes

A single subject notebook

Pens--blue or black

Liquid paper

Dictionary and thesaurus

Form B scantrons

A two pocket folder

A two pocket folder to be purchased at semester's end

An email address
 

Coursework:

*a working portfolio

*a final essay exam

*several grammar quizzes and possible reading quizzes

*daily reading assignments, exercises, and writings

*daily journal

*several in-class paragraphs and essays

*participation in classroom activities

*occasional outside writing using computer labs, UC203A, EEL (Rm 104 Tinsley), McClimans Lab, D. Vickers Writing Center, SGA Lab (Library), etc.
 

Writing:

Throughout the semester, you will write a combination of paragraphs and essays that will be word processed and reworked with the help of your own critique as well as mine and your classmates' help. The essays will form a storehouse from which you will choose, at the semester's end, two of your best papers for submission with your portfolio. Your final portfolio determines your ultimate success in the course and consists of two essays that you've had time to revise for several weeks, a final grammar average (passing score is 70% or higher), a final in-class essay, and an introductory narrative about your showcase pieces.

To reach this final point, you will spend most of the semester writing a combination of short pieces, journal entries, essays, paragraphs, etc. Some of these assignments will receive grades, others will be critiqued by classmates, and still others will be reviewed only by you. We will spend most of our time writing and some of our time on grammar--you all have ideas and messages; now you'll have the opportunity to get those thoughts on paper. All of the writing that you do will help you become a more effective writer and prepare for future courses.
 

Attendance:

Needless to say, your attendance directly affects your success in this class; if you miss class, you miss opportunities to strengthen your skills as a writer. The attendance policy of this class is firm. A student is allowed absences --both excused and unexcused--equal to the number of days the class meets per week. That means, if you are absent for two class periods, you fail the course. If you are tardy or walk out early consistently, these will be added up to equal absences. If you have excessive absenteeism, you will probably fail the course. You may have the opportunity to appeal this with the Attendance Committee.

If you are absent, it is your responsibility to find out what assignments were given and to turn them in the week of your return. Be sure to talk to your classmates to discover what you missed while absent. Absenteeism when essays are due is discouraged; it would be in your best interest to communicate with me if you think you might be gone the day we do an essay.

Grading:

Your success in this course is primarily determined by a passing portfolio; however, the completion of assignments and coursework, grammar quizzes, overall participation, and attendance also affect your final grade in this course. In order to pass this course and be prepared for ENG 101, your writing be well-thought out, clear, and effective by the end of the semester. Everything you do in class directly relates to improving your writing which will culminate in your final portfolio.

Portfolios are graded holistically, encompassing the final grammar average (70% or higher), two revised essays (and rough drafts), an introductory composition, and a final, timed essay exam. The portfolio will receive a P or U grade and will be assessed using the ENG 090 Student Writing "Criteria for Evaluating and Assigning Grades."

Academic Honesty:

Plagiarism, in addition to being unethical, is against school policy (see pp. 60-1 in university catalogue). When you use anyone's thoughts or words in your own writing, you must credit that person as the original source. Whether you borrow information from a book, magazine, brochure, or any other outside source, you must give the source credit or you will be guilty of plagiarism. If you are caught plagiarizing--unwittingly or knowingly--you will automatically fail this course.
 

Students with Disabilities:

If you have a disability, you must identify yourself by contacting the Office of Student Life, room 203 or the Student Union, phone 549-2247.
 
 

WEEK 1 Diagnostic essay

8/24 Course intro./syllabus

Discuss journals

Prewriting-Brainstorming/Freewriting

Basic sentences 255-266

Portfolio items: Pract. 5 p. 86, Pract. 4 p. 261, Pract. 6 p. 263

Paragraphs 1-59

"How I See Myself as a Writer"
 

WEEK 2 Narrative form 75-94

8/31 Basic sentence patterns (cont.)

Portfolio item: Pract. 2 p. 294, Pract. 5 p. 298, Pract. 6 p. 300,

Pract. 2 p. 310, Pract. 5 p. 313, Pract. 7 p. 319

Verbs 291-323

Topic and thesis sentences

Pre-write narrative paragraph-Paper #1

Paper #1- Narrative paragraph

Peer critique
 

WEEK 3 Revise Narrative paragraph

9/7 Sentence variety 373-382

Labor Day holiday

Portfolio items: "write a paragraph" p. 505

Descriptive form 95-106

Read "Eat! Eat!" 502-505

Pre-write Descriptive paragraph-Paper #2

Discuss introduction and thesis 191-200

Discuss "Eat! Eat!"

Paper #2-Descriptive paragraph
 

WEEK 4 Peer critique Descriptive paragraph

9/14 Revise Descriptive paragraph

Comparison/Contrast form 226-227

Read "Macho" 538-542

Portfolio item: write 5 sentences with vocab. words pp. 539-540,

write paragraph about #3 p. 541, Pract. 3 & 4 pp. 272-3

Fragments 267-278

Pre-write Comparison/Contrast Essay-Paper #3

Paper #3-Exemplification paragraph

Essay writing 179-191

WEEK 5 Peer critique Paper #3

9/21 Revise Paper #3

Narrative Essay

Portfolio items: Pract. 2 p. 282, Pract. 3 p. 283, Pract 4 p. 284,

"write a paragraph" p. 497

Run-ons 279-290

Fragment quiz

Revising essays 200-209

Read "Dare" 493-497

Begin Paper #4--Narrative Essay

Discuss "Dare"

Editing and Proofreading
 

WEEK 6 Complete Paper #4-Narrative Essay

9/28 Run-on quiz

Essay development

Revision/Editing

Reading-handout

Portfolio items: write response paragraph to reading, Pract. 1 p. 328, Pract. 2 p. 330, Pract. 5 p. 335, Pract. 6 p. 336

Titles

Discuss and begin Persuasive essay
 

WEEK 7 Draft Paper #5-Persuasive essay-group work

10/5 Pronouns 327-340

Read "Affirmative Action" 562-565

Portfolio items: write a paragraph about #5 p. 565, Pract. 1 p. 352,

Pract. 2 p. 353

Transitions

Complete Paper #5
 

WEEK 8 Begin Paper #6-Cause/Effect

10/12 Pronoun quiz

Modifiers 350-356

Portfolio items: write an extensive critique of a classmate's paper,

answer #1,4,5 pp. 554-5

Read "The Education of Bernice" 551-555

CONFERENCES

Complete Paper #6

WEEK 9 Peer critique Paper #6

10/19 Revise Paper #6

Modifier quiz

Portfolio item: Pract. 2 p. 400, Pract. 4 p. 402

Pract. 1-6 pp. 434-443

Word Choice 397-406

CONFERENCES

Commas 433-445
 

WEEK 10 Outline

10/26 Discuss and pre-write Paper #7 -Persuasive Essay

Word Choice quiz

Portfolio items: Pract 1 & 2 pp. 448-450

Punctuation 446-467

Group work Paper #7

Review Revising/Editing

WEEK 11 Comlete Paper #7

11/2 Punctuation (cont.)

Discuss Paper #8

Portfolio item: write extensive critique of a classmate's paper

Revise Papers #5 & 6

Punctuation quiz

Writing Workshop
 

WEEK 12 Peer critique Paper #7

11/9 Complete Paper #8

Portfolio items: Pract. 1 p. 416

Confused words 407-18

Review confused words

Writing Workshop
 
 

WEEK 13 Revise Papers #7 & #8

11/16 Confused words quiz

Sentence combining

Discuss Portfolios

Review sentence combining

Begin portfolio essay introduction

Writing Workshop
 

WEEK 14 Revise papers

11/23 Thursday--Thanksgiving holiday

Writing workshop

WEEK 15 Complete Essay #9 - Portfolio Introduction

11/30 Prepare portfolios

Final essay suggestions

Revise essays

Writing workshop