Course objectives

1. reading research-based writing;
2. conducting primary and secondary research yourself;
3. writing up your research for others.

Teaching and learning methods

• Active learning. Almost every class will be centered around one or more student activities. Typically, I will take 5-20 minutes to set up the class activities with a brief lecture or demonstration or structured discussion. Then, students will do the activities, sometimes solo and sometimes in groups. Typically, we will conclude by sharing with the rest of the class what we learned during the activities. In order to learn the most from active learning, students must take responsibility for their own learning:
  1. Students should come to class having read the readings for that class, having completed the assignments for that class, and having brought in the work required for that class.
  2. Students should carefully listen to my lecture or demonstration.
  3. Students should participate fully in the class activities or discussion in a way that optimizes their learning potential.
  4. Students should share what they've learned with their classmates.
  
  
• Process-oriented course projects. Each of our projects follows a process-oriented sequence of (1) planning, (2) drafting, (3) revising, and (4) editing. At key stages during each project, students receive feedback from the instructor, or from peers, or most importantly from themselves. In order to learn the most from process-oriented projects, students must take responsibility for their own learning:
  1. Students should complete each stage fully and punctually.
  2. Students should participate fully and attentively in giving feedback to their peers and in receiving feedback from their peers and/or the instructor.
  3. Students should carefully analyze the feedback they receive and judiciously apply it to subsequent stages of their projects.
  4. Students should be proactive in learning to learn on their own (and not rely on their peers or the instructor for all their learning): to critically analyze their own work for its strengths and weaknesses, to recognize how they can do better, and to be resourceful in applying solutions to their problems.

Required texts and resources

• Ballenger, Bruce, and Michelle Payne. The Curious Reader: Exploring Personal and Academic Inquiry. 2nd ed. New York: Longman, 2006.
  ISBN: 0-321-36522-4.
  (Get this immediately. Your first quiz is Tuesday, Jan. 29. You must get the 2nd edition, not the 1st.)
• Hacker, Diana. A Writer's Reference. 6th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2007. ISBN: 0-312-45025-7.
  (Get this by our Feb. 14 class. Every LIU writing student is required to purchase this text. A previous edition is okay.)
• Tannen, Deborah. You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation.
  (Get this by our March 27 class. Any edition is okay.)
• paper and pencil or pen (bring to every class).
• regular access to e-mail, the Web, and word processing.
• technology to listen to, pause, and replay MP3 audio files, such as Windows Media Player, Real Audio, QuickTime for Mac users.

Attendance policies

• Lateness: A student arriving late not only misses some in-class activities but can also disrupt other students who are participating in their activities. Hence, in this course, arriving late (or leaving early, or stepping out of class for a significant interval during the middle of class) is as bad as, if not worst than, being absent entirely. Missing a portion of a class will be considered the same as missing the whole class: it's a complete absence.
• Catching up with course work: When missing part or all of a class, students are still responsible for ensuring that work due at the beginning or during such a class is submitted on time. Students who miss part or all of a class should take responsibility for catching up on missed class work by consulting their classmates. Students are responsible for getting to know their classmates and exchanging contact information with them.
• Excused absence: An absence from part or all of a class will be excused only when both of the following conditions are satisfied:
  1. The student informs me of the absence in a well-composed written message (preferably by e-mail) before the class begins, except in cases of emergencies or unpredictable accidents, in which case the student should inform me as soon as is feasible.
  2. The student provides proof that a legitimate event or condition, such as an illness, prevents him/her from attending class. Normally, proof requires evidence from a credible source beyond the student himself/herself, such as a doctor writing and signing a note indicating the dates of the student's illness.
• Un-excused absence: An un-excused absence from part or all of a class will result in a "no-no," which can lower the course grade (see "No-nos" below).

Technology policy

• before class, shutting off cell phones and other audible devices;
• during class, refraining from listening to music or radio, talking on a cell phone, text messaging, using cell phone features or PDAs or other technologies in ways unrelated to our learning;
• during class, using laptops or other technological devices only for the class's current task.

E-mail policy

• providing me with their e-mail address early in the course.
• checking their e-mail on a frequent and consistent basis in order to stay current with course communications. Students have the responsibility to recognize that certain communications may be time-critical. "I didn't check my e-mail," error in forwarding mail, or e-mail returned with "Mailbox Full" or "User Unknown" are not acceptable excuses for missing course communications sent via e-mail.
• reading their course e-mail promptly and keeping their course e-mail readily accessible by saving or printing it;
• maintaining their e-mail account throughout the semester. If a student changes e-mail address, the student is responsible for notifying me promptly of their new e-mail address.

Course work

Academic integrity and plagiarism

Evaluation criteria

• fulfills the criteria set out in the assignment specifications;
• accomplishes its multiple purposes;
• responds to its audience's needs and orientations;
• uses the opportunities and adapts to the constraints of its academic, social, and cultural environments;
• abides by the usage conventions and uses the expressive range of the English language.

Grades

Letter grades are based on the following general levels of student performance:

"A"	excellent performance in all areas of the assignment criteria, especially the research and writing: well-developed ideas, an insightfully point of view, and mature critical thinking; clearly focused, well-structured argumentation; an appropriate tone, clear and articulate use of the language, and error-free command of English usage conventions
"B"	overall significantly above-average performance in the assignment criteria, especially the research and writing, but typically with average or borderline performance in one major area or a few minor areas
"C"	overall average competence expected for a course at this academic level, typically with some above-average and some below-average research and writing performance
"D"	overall borderline work, the bare minimum expected for a course at this academic level
"F"	inadequate work, not meeting expectations for a course at this academic level

Final course letter grades: Final course letter grades include only the following: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, and F.

Deadlines and late penalties

No-Nos

• being absent from class
• arriving late to class
• leaving class early
• stepping out in the middle of class
• each part or whole 24-hour period a formal essay is late

D or F

• A strong Portfolio will result in a course grade of D.
• A mediocur Portfolio will result in a course grade of F.
• A late or incomplete Portfolio will result in a course grade of F.