Service Learning Theme: Mentoring/After-School Programs
Fall ·98 Wednesday, Friday 3:30-4:45 p.m.
Debbie Danowski
Office hours: Monday: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Tuesday: 2:00 – 4:30 p.m., Wednesday: 3:00 – 3:30 p.m., Thursday: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Course Description:
According to the catalog, this course provides "a systematic and practical introduction to the techniques of effective writing. (It) stresses the rudiments of traditional rhetoric and provides supervised practice in reading and writing of essays in various modes. (An) English Placement/Proficiency Test and Exit Exam (are) required." This class has a service-learning theme. Students will be required to complete 10 days of service at John Winthrop School during class time.

Required Texts:
Atwan, Robert. Our Times: Readings from Recent Periodicals. Fifth Edition. Boston: Bedford Books, 1998.

Axelrod, Rise, and Charles Cooper. The St. Martin·s Guide to Writing. Fifth Edition. New York: St. Martin·s Press, 1997.

Harnack, Andrew, and Eugene Kleppinger. Online! a reference guide to using internet sources. 1998 Edition. New York: St. Martin·s Press, 1998.

Lunsford, Andrea, and Robert Connors. The Everyday Writer: A Brief Reference. New York: St. Martin·s Press, 1997.

Requirements:
Attendance: Students must attend class as there will be many in-class writing assignments. Anyone missing more than 3 classes will receive one full letter grade lower for the semester. You must attend your service-learning classes as people are depending on you. If you are ill, you should call them as soon as possible.

Papers: Four thematic papers, at least one of which must be revised, are required for this course. Papers are 4 – 6 pages long, double-spaced with 1 inch margins in 10 or 12 point font.

Paper #1 – "An Event or Person." A descriptive essay about a remembered event or person associated with your educational experience. (See pages 42-43, and 88-89 of The St. Martin·s Guide to Writing for ideas.)
Due: September 23, 3:30 p.m. sharp
Revision: October 7, 3:30 p.m. sharp

Paper #2 – "A Narrative." A short story about an experience you had at service learning using the elements of description and narration. (See pages 134-136 of The St. Martin·s Guide to Writing.)
Due: October 28, 3:30 p.m. sharp
Revision: November 4, 3:30 p.m. sharp

Paper #3 – "Explaining a Concept." An essay presenting readers with information on one aspect of service learning. (See pages 182-183 of The St. Martin·s Guide to Writing for ideas.)
Due: November 18, 3:30 p.m. sharp
Revision: December 4, 3:30 p.m. sharp

Paper #4 – "Arguing a Position." A paper, supported by research, which presents a certain position on a controversial topic related to your service learning. (See pages 225-226 of The St. Martin·s Guide to Writing for ideas.)
Due: December 9, 3:30 p.m. sharp

Readings: The following chapters in The St. Martin·s Guide to Writing must be read on the specified dates. In-class writing assignments may be based on the previous reading, therefore, it is imperative to remain current.

September 11 Introduction, Chapter 1
September 16 Chapter 2
September 18 Chapter 3
September 23 Chapter 15
September 30 Chapter 4
October 2 Chapter 14
October 14 Chapter 5
October 16 Chapter 9
October 21 Chapter 16
October 28 Chapter 17
November 11 Chapter 6
November 13 Chapter 18
November 18 Chapter 19
November 20 Chapter 21
December 2 Chapter 22
The other text, Online!, must be read by October 9.
The following chapters in Our Times must be read by the specified dates.
September 18 Chapter 9
September 23 Chapter 1
October 7 Chapter 3
October 21 Chapter 10
November 4 Chapter 11
November 11 Chapter 13


Library Class: Each student must attend a library orientation class. This will be help at a day and time to be announced.

Journals: Each student is required to keep a journal. Two entries per week for a total of 20 must be completed by December 9. Entries should highlight your service-learning experiences and must be at least one typed page. Journals may be collected at anytime, so please bring them to each class. Additionally, one entry during the semester must be e-mailed to me. This must be done by October Each student must pass EN 11 with a "C" or better.
Each student must pass the departmental exit exam, tentatively scheduled for December 15.
Each student must adhere to the Faculty of Communication Studies· policy on plagiarism. (Included at the end of the syllabus.)
All papers must be turned in on time. Those that are not will be penalized one full letter grade for each late class period. If the paper is not handed in before the due date of the next paper, it will not be accepted. There are no extensions for the final paper. If it is not handed in on time it will be counted as a failing grade.
Students wishing to withdraw without penalty must do so on or before October 9.

Final grades will be determined as follows:
Paper #1 = 10%
Paper #2 = 10%
Paper #3 = 10%
Paper #4 = 20%
Classwork/Service Learning = 30%
Journal = 20%

Service-Learning Days:
On Service-Learning Days, students may either meet outside in front by the University Police Office at 3:15 p.m. or at 3:30 at John Winthrop School, 85 Eckart Street (off Park Avenue). Do not be late. If you miss the van, you must walk. Each student must sign in using his/her own handwriting.
Service Learning Days are as follows:
September 18, September 25
October 2, October 16, October 23, October 30
November 6, November 13, November 20
December 4

The University Learning Center:
Free individual and group instruction is available at the University Learning Center. It is located downstairs in the library.

Computers:
As per University requirements, all students must be computer literate. All student writing must be done on computers. Students will be required to use the internet for research on the final paper and must maintain disk copies of all work.

Schedule Adjustments:
There will be no class on the following days: November 25, November 27

Plagiarism:
You may have heard the word ’plagiarism· used in relation to lawsuits in the publishing and recording industries. You may also have had classroom discussions about academic plagiarism. Plagiarism is the act of using another person·s ideas or expressions in your writing without acknowledging the source. The word comes from the Latin word plagiarius ("kidnapper"), and Alexander Lindey defines it as "the false assumption of authorship: the wrongful act of taking the product of another person·s mind, and presenting it as one·s own" (Plagiarism and Originality [New York: Harper, 1952] 2). In short, to plagiarize is to give the impression that you have written or thought something that you have in fact borrowed from someone else.
Plagiarism in student writing is often unintentional, as when an elementary school pupil, assigned to do a report on a certain topic, goes home and copies down, word for word, everything on the subject in an encyclopedia. Unfortunately, some students continue to use such "research methods" in high school and even in college without realizing that these practices constitute plagiarism. You may certainly use other persons· words and thoughts in your research paper, but you must acknowledge the authors.
Plagiarism often carries severe penalties, ranging from failure in a course to expulsion from school.
The most blatant form of plagiarism is to repeat as your own someone else·s sentences, more or less verbatim…
Other forms of plagiarism include repeating someone else·s particularly apt phrase without appropriate acknowledgment, paraphrasing another person·s argument as your own, and presenting another·s line of thinking as though it were your own. (From Joseph Gibaldi and Walter S. Achtert, MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers [1977; New York: MLS, 1988] 21-23.)