Overview:

The English faculty has developed English 110 to enable students to organize their thoughts and ideas in the form of written arguments for a variety of audiences.  The course will introduce a vocabulary and writing process designed to help students improve their reading, writing, and thinking skills as part of Monmouth College's Communication Across the Curriculum program.  Over the course of the term, students in all sections will write an in-class diagnostic essay, four regular essays, a research paper, and a final assessment essay as well as numerous informal pieces. 

Objectives:

• Use the steps in the writing process to compose well-reasoned, informed arguments.

• Identify and use developmental and organizational strategies for effective thesis-focused writing. 

• Practice effective critical and close reading strategies in nonfiction essays. 

• Write college-level essays characterized by appropriate word choice and diction, standard usage, spelling, and mechanics.

• take responsibility for improving your writing by setting personal goals for each assignment

Materials:   

• Faigley, Lester and Jack Selzer. Good Reasons With Contemporary Arguments. Third Edition. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007. ISBN 0321364961

• Hacker, Diana. The Bedford Handbook. Seventh Edition. Boston: Bedford, 2006. (Green COVER)

• A college level dictionary (American Heritage is a good one)

• A two-pocket folder in which to submit writing portfolios

• $7-10 to photocopy your drafts for peer review

Attendance Policy

Your participation in this course is essential, and as a result, so is attendance.  You are expected to attend every class meeting and each required conference.  After the third unexcused absence, you will automatically fail the class.  Excused absences include significant illnesses, official college events, and funerals. You must provide documentation (doctor's note, obituary, e-mail from coach for athletic contest, etc.) in order for an absence to be excused--an e-mail from you is not sufficient.  If you plan to be absent, tell me beforehand, so you can submit work ahead of time.  I do not accept late work.  Peer review absences result in severe penalties for essay grades (see assignments). When I cancel class to hold student conferences, a missed conference equals one absence. If you are late for a quiz, you may not make it up. I will deal with circumstances I deem extraordinary on a one-to-one basis.