Comp 100 Homepage

"I never know what I think about something until I read what I've written on it." ~ William Faulkner

Class Times:
5:00 - 6:15 P.M., Mon & Wed  
Classroom: 
Schumacher Room 110

Course Description: The focus of this course will be on how writers write: what they do and how they do it. Students should expect to explore and develop their own writing style and technique. They will learn what it means to write in an academic environment and to adapt their style accordingly. Students will practice exploring ideas, generating questions, conveying information, and adopting a persuasive stance in writing. They will get help in demonstrating logical reasoning, adequate factual support, clarity, organization, and appropriate language choices. Beyond these concerns, the course encourages students to develop a degree of creativity, grace and style which will make their writing interesting and readable.

Learning Objectives: Through a sequence of reading, writing, and workshop exercises, you will:

• become familiar with the composing process and learn to adjust it to accomplish various writing tasks
• develop analytical reading and critical thinking skills
• develop expository and argumentative writing skills
• show mastery of sentence structure and mechanics, avoiding serious grammatical errors by using revision and editing strategies 
• conduct research including critical reading, use of library resources, evaluation and synthesis of divergent views, and use MLA citation methods
• use collaborative learning in various contexts

General Comments: I wish I could say, as one might about cooking gourmet French cuisine or fly fishing, that writing is not for everyone. But the truth is that you can't do well in the world today without an ability to write, so whether you like it or not writing IS for you. I hope this class can expose you to writing as a somewhat enjoyable experience. I've tried to build in some exercises and experiments that will make it fun.

Writing is not easy, even for those who make it look easy. As Thomas Mann wrote, "A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people."  Expect to do a lot of writing and revising during the semester, both in class and outside of class.  I'm allotting quite a bit of class time to workshops in which you will be working with your essay drafts to make changes and to edit for grammar, punctuation and mechanics. You'll also find yourself helping your classmates revise their essays.

Basic Communication (BC2) - SUNY GE Learning Outcomes: Students will produce coherent texts within common college-level written forms; demonstrate the ability to revise and improve such texts; research a topic, develop an argument, and organize supporting details; develop proficiency in oral discourse; and evaluate an oral presentation according to established criteria.

Required Text and Recommended Web Sites:

• Ballenger, Bruce. The Curious Writer. 2005 edition. NOTE: You MUST purchase a new copy, which includes a password for you to access the MyCompLab web site.
• MyCompLab
• The Curious Writer companion web site
• www.dictionary.com
• www.thesaurus.com

MyCompLab

Your textbook includes an access code to use MyCompLab. This is a web site where you can submit assignments, complete grammar and writing exercises, read my comments on your writing, view your grades, and share commentary with your classmates.

General Requirements:

Attendance: You are expected to be in class. Attendance sheets will be passed every class - make sure you sign it. If you miss more than two classes (the equivalent of 3 class periods) your grade may be lowered. If you have a legitimate emergency, please contact me as soon as possible, and be prepared to provide some material evidence of the emergency. If you know you are going to miss a class, it is your responsibility to contact me before class (preferably via telephone).

Tardiness: If you arrive late it is up to you to make sure you sign the attendance sheet. It is up to you to see that I receive an assignment on time, even if you are unable to be in class. It is also up to you to find out what the assignment is for the next class if you do miss a class. Assignment and due dates will always be available on the class web site, so there is no excuse for not knowing that something is due.

Individual Conferences: Classes will be canceled at some points during the semester and I will be meeting with each of you individually to discuss your writing and assist you with essays that you are working on at the time. Although there are no grade points associated with these individual conferences, missing one will count as two regular class absences. It is during these private meetings that I can be of the most assistance to you personally, so they are extremely important.

Late Assignments: Late assignments will receive a lower grade than those received on time. See the specific policies on the Assignments page. All due dates are printed on the assignments and will be available on the class web site. I will try to remind you prior to the due date of each assignment when it needs to be handed in; however, if I occasionally forget, it remains your responsibility to be aware of the due date, and you will still be subject to loss of credit.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:
"All individuals who are diagnosed with a disability are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. As such, you may be entitled to certain accommodations within this class. If you are diagnosed with a disability, please make an appointment to meet with Student Disability Services (SDS), 209 Alumni Hall, ext. 2137." See the Americans with Disabilities Policy. I will make every effort to accommodate your needs: please be sure to communicate with me regarding any special needs you may have.

In-Class Behavior: Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. This includes beepers, cellular phones and personal conversations that distract the class. Anyone disrupting the class will be told to leave. Arriving late is also disruptive, so out of respect for others please be on time. Sharing one's work and ideas in class is never easy, but it is certainly worthwhile. I expect you to treat your classmates and their work with utmost, unflagging respect. Anything short of that will not be tolerated.

Plagiarism: "Plagiarism means using another's work without giving credit. You must put others' words in quotation marks and cite your source(s) and must give citations when using others' ideas, even if those ideas are paraphrased in your own words." Copyright 1999, 2000, 2001 The Regents of the University of California. At SUNY College at Oneonta plagiarizing can result in no credit for the assignment in which plagiarism occurred, a failing grade for the course, or, potentially, dismissal from the college. For a guide to plagiarism see Avoiding Plagiarism from UC Davis.

Help: Please do not hesitate to call me and we can arrange a meeting time and place outside of my office hours. I want you to do well in this course, and I'll do my best to help make that happen.

Learning Support Services: Students who feel themselves in need of some additional assistance with their writing beyond what I can provide,  are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the Learning Support Services at SUNY Oneonta.

Last update January 17, 2007.