Texts: Rottenberg's Elements of Argument 7th Ed.

Other Materials:
A good dictionary; A folder in which all writing assignments can be placed, along with drafts. A very cheap folder, with a pocket, for journal entries

Writing: You will write 3 in-class pieces ( a paragraph, a midterm, and a final exam) and 4 out-of-class essays. The first 3 out-of-class essays will be short argument papers. They will count for 20% of the grade and may be revised as often as you like until April 4. Late papers will be marked down depending on the amount of lateness and they may not be revised. The last essay will be a major research paper called the "I-Search" paper that will count for 30% of the grade and will be divided into three parts. It may not be handed in late. You will also write a news journal. The Midterm, the journal, and participation will count for 10% each, and the final exam will count for 20%. Failure to complete any essay assignment will result in failing the course.

Writing Workshop Every writer needs the basics of grammar as a foundation for decent writing. I will explain topics, and I will answer questions if you have problems with the material. I would like to use samples from your papers anonymously. If that is not acceptable to you, please let me know.

DISCUSSION REQUIREMENT (Easy A) Not only does your attendance contribute to the community we make in this class, your contribution to class discussion shows me that you've read and thought about the assigned texts. I grade your participation according to the number of times you attend class during the semester, working on the basis that you can't participate if you don't attend. Here's how it will work:
0-4 absences = A; 5 absences= A-; 6 = B+; 7 = B; 8 = B- and so on.
Three tardies constitute one absence. There are 43 class sessions this semester, and you have four "freebies" (9% of the work). Your freebies are intended to cover emergencies such as the day(s) you were sick, the day the baby sitter didn't make it, or the day you were out of town playing basketball finals. After your four freebies, every absence counts against you in terms of your attendance and participation grade. There is no need to see me about absences, excused or not.

Reading The reading will provide reinforcement for the argument and research techniques that I discuss in class, models for different types of writing you will be asked to do, and ideas for class discussion that will be used in some of your essays. You aren't reading much, but the reading is important. The reading is due on the day on which it appears in the syllabus. If you come to class unprepared, you may be asked to leave.

Weekly Schedule

The syllabus is my attempt to prepare the entire course before we take it together. It may contain some errors, but common sense should help you to make sense of the assignment. Feel free to mention problems in class or email me for clarification. The syllabus serves as a contract between us that I will try very hard to adhere to, but in the event of a need for changes as the weeks unfold, I reserve the right to adjust the syllabus to our work together.

Students with Disabilities: Any student requiring accommodations or services due to a disability must contact Services for Students with disabilities (SSD) in room 181 of the Student Service Center. SSD can also arrange to provide course materials (including this syllabus) in alternative formats if necessary.

Ethics: Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, collusion, falsification, accessing unauthorized course or test information, using unauthorized resources, or breaching copyright law. The penalty for such dishonesty will be an E in this course, and it may result in charges issued, hearings held, and/or sanctions imposed.

Readings are due on the day assigned.

Day /Week		Argument book Assignment/Lesson
Mon	1/10	Introduction to course, I-Search, Trip to computer classroom for syllabi.	Stu expectations;
Weds	1/12	Signpost editorial and a letter to the editor. Read pp 25-31 Rottenberg	Agree/ disagree in 2 ¶ in class
Fri	1/14	Type responses to any two of the exercises on 54-56/ Discuss (small groups) typed paragraphs; submit at end	Typed paragraphs discussed
Weds	1/19	From Crito pp 635-639 The news journal. 2-300 word responses per week for 7 weeks.	Writing Process; Argument analysis
Fri	1/21	Ch 9 pp325-38; Essay 1 assigned; volunteers to hand in early;	Argument journal 1 due
Mon	1/24	Read Ch 1 pp 3-23
Weds	1/26	Meet in Library Rm 138. You will be responsible for completing the library exercises for a journal grade.	Thesis work and go over reading thesis from Crito
Fri	1/28	Ch 3 Claims of Fact/Value 57-77 . Annotate Kids in the Mall with respect to claims of fact and value. Library exercise due.	Book markup checked. Thesis; Grading Seminar
Mon	1/31	In class critique of 2-3 papers;	Argument journal 2 due
Weds	2/2	Ch 2 pp32-53; Annotate Kohn's essay	Sentence Structure; *Essay 1 due
Fri	2/4	Ch 3 Claims of Policy 77-92; Go Over sentences; assign essay 2 and provide sample papers.

Mon	2/7	Ch 3 Claims of Policy92-101; Annotate 95-97; Discussion question p. 98 (top) #4--typed answer	Argument journal 3 due
Weds	2/9	Ch 4 Definition111-124 and 138-140
Fri	2/11	In-class critique of 2-3 papers	Argument journal 4 due
Mon	2/14	Ch 10 pp346-57; Draft workshop
Weds	2/16	Ch 4 Definition 144-151; Annotate 147-1151
Fri	2/18	Comma splices and fused sentences; Assign essay 3.	*Essay 2 due
Weds	2/23	Ch 5 Support 152-169

Fri	2/25	The comma; People read journals	Argument journal 5 due
Mon	2/28	Ch 5 Support 169-181; Stress annotation & careful analysis of essay for Wednesday. Find claims and evidence on 177-180.	Paragraph unity and focus; Submit journal
Weds	3/2	Ch 5 Support 181-188 Draft Workshop
Fri	3/4	Subordination /coordination; conjunctions	*Essay 3 due

Mon	3/7	Ch 6 Warrants 194--211; Annotate 206-208	How to read/ annotate poetry
Weds	3/9	Ch 6 Warrants 211-233, Annotate 222-33
Fri	3/11	Read Pp 640--647 and 739-40; Annotate all	Debate prep; 5th week:
Mon	3/21	pp 648-64 Annotate all	Debate

Weds	3/23	Discussion questions 664-65; Midterm prep	Argument journal 6 due
Fri	3/25	Midterm (Essay 4) in Learning Center
Mon	3/28	Assign/explain I-Search; pp 666-671; Discuss avoiding sexist language	Question due /Last day for rewrites
Weds	3/30	Ch9 Writing 339-43; Ch 10: 357-7;
Fri	4/1	Practice bibliography ; Ch 10 Researching 378-399 OR 399-411	Argument journal 7 due
Mon	4/4	Practice process analysis; Read & Discuss pp 673-678	Biblio and Sources due (Essay 5)
Weds	4/6	Ch 8 Induction/ deduction 275-289
Fri	4/8	Grammar work; Read model I-Search
Mon	4/11	Draft workshop	Draft
Weds	4/13	Ch 8 289-291
Fri	4/15	Ch 8 291-301; Logical fallacies	Essay 6 due Process Analysis; Interviewing
Mon	4/18	More on fallacies 301-306; Grammar.	Thesis and outline due
Weds	4/20	Ch8 306-314 Annotate
Fri	4/22	(annotate); Pp 692-709; Mandatory draft workshop	I-Search Draft
Mon	4/25		I-Search Essay 7 due
Weds	4/27	Pp 680-690, Annotate	Prep for final
Fri	4/29	Final Exam prep
Mon	5/2	Sec. 15: Final Exam 9:30
Weds	5/4	Sec. 22: Final Exam 12:00