COMP 100-SS: Composition (CRN 228)
MWF 12:00-12:50, SCHU 307

Home -- Policy Statement -- Syllabus -- Assignments Sheet -- Key for Writers Online -- Civil Rights Links -- Research Links

Assignments Guidelines

The following is a list of all of the assignments comprising your final grade, with the percentage they are worth of your final grade in parentheses. For some of the major writing assignments, you will later receive a more descriptive explanation of the assignment. Please note that the underlined assignments must be saved after they have been graded and placed in the portfolio that you will submit at the end of the semester.

Participation and Miscellaneous (10%)

Throughout the semester, we will be having frequent discussions and in-class writings and other exercises, and you will be graded on your participation in them. In addition, your attendance at the library sessions and conferences (see syllabus for dates) will count toward your participation grade. If I feel that the class as a whole is unprepared for discussions, there is also the possibility of quizzes about the materials we’re covering. The quiz grades, if necessary, will count toward this portion of your final grade.

Presentation (10%)

For this assignment, you will choose one of the readings from the D’Angelo text that relates to your research project and lead a 20-30 minute discussion of the reading with the class. The presentations will take place on 6, 8, 13, and 15 November, once you’ve had a chance to research your topic in some detail. On 16 October, we will set the specific dates and readings for the presentations, so come to class prepared to commit to a reading (and have a couple readings in mind in case one of your classmates picks the same reading). Your presentation will be assessed on how prepared you are to discuss the reading and how well you generate discussion with your classmates.

Library Research Narrative (5%)

On 18 and 20 September, we will be meeting in Milne Library 108 for library instruction. Following the library instruction days, you will complete a 1-page narrative describing your research process based on what you have accomplished during the instruction. The Library Research Narrative is due on Monday, 25 September. We will discuss more specific details of this assignment as it approaches. Save the graded version of this assignment to place in your portfolio at the end of the semester.

Research Prospectus (10%)

Early in the semester, you will write a short (2-3 page) paper in which you present your general research topic or question (e.g. “Who was the most important figure of the Civil Rights Movement?” or “What is the importance of the NAACP in the Civil Rights Movement?” or “How is the Civil Rights Movement still active today?”) and ways in which you are thinking about narrowing it. This paper is an exploration of your thoughts on the topic. You can include additional questions you might want/need to answer as your research progresses, as well as how you expect to go about your research (e.g. what types of sources will be most useful for you). See the specific handout on the prospectus for more information. The draft of the prospectus is due 22 September; the final draft is due 4 October.

Annotated Bibliography (15%)

An annotated bibliography is a collection of sources about your topic that you summarize and analyze as you complete your research for class. For the purposes of this class, you will annotate at least 10 sources. Of the sources, 1 must be a non-print source (other than internet), and 1 must be an internet source (but you may not have more than 3 internet sources). The rest of the sources are up to you. Each annotation will be 1 ½ to 2 pages long, and each will start with the bibliographic citation (in MLA format). The actual annotation will have 4 parts: a brief summary of the source; an analysis of the source’s reliability; an analysis of the content of the source; and an explanation of the source’s relevance to your paper. You need to read each source before you write its annotation, so start reading your sources immediately. The summary should be no more than 1/3 of the annotation. Alphabetize the sources in the final draft. You will submit the rough draft of 2 annotations to me on 16 October, and we will discuss them during an individual conference. The complete 10 annotations are due 30 October by 5 in my office. Save the graded Annotated Bibliography to place in your portfolio at the end of the semester.

Research Paper Draft (5%)

On 27 November, you will submit a rough draft of your final research paper. The draft must be typed and a minimum of 3-5 pages long, though I encourage you strongly to make it as complete as you can (remember that your final paper will be 12-15 pages long). You will need to bring 4 copies of the draft to class: 1 for me to grade and 3 for your peer revision group members to read. Your draft will be graded based on whether it sets up your argument (even if you have yet to substantiate that argument). The grammar and mechanics policy established by the class at the start of the semester will not be applied to this draft. You will have a chance to discuss your draft with me one-on-one during conferences in the last week of the semester. Save the graded draft to place in your portfolio at the end of the semester.

Research Paper (submitted as part of the final portfolio) (40%)

At the end of the semester, you will write a research paper of 12-15 pages long (no more than 25). This research paper is not just a report of the information you've gathered, but an argumentative, analytical essay about a greatly narrowed version of your topic. Papers that do not contain a clearly expressed argument are unacceptable for this course. You should wait until the end of the semester to write the paper (though hopefully not the day before it's due). By the time you do write the paper, you should be more than ready to present your research since you will have been writing about it in your annotated bibliography. The research must contain a Works Cited page in order for it to be graded. Failure to include this page will result in an E for the portfolio. I will submit a more specific rubric for the grading of the research paper when we begin drafting it. The research paper is due Friday, 8 December by 5 in my office. You must submit it in a portfolio containing your graded Library Research Narrative, Annotated Bibliography, and Research Paper Draft.

Final Exam (5%)

The final exam for this class, Monday, 11 December from 2:00-4:30 in our classroom. This exam is a multiple choice grammar and mechanics exam, and you are required to attend. We will spend a significant amount of time covering issues of grammar and mechanics during the second half of the semester to prepare you for this exam.

Background from Backgrounds Archive