Please note: your final papers are due at raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com by Wednesday of next week.
Please mark FINAL on your final papers. You need to turn in only 3 revised papers with the writing rubric attached at the end of the paper. Please analyze your paper according to the rubric.
Our Voices: sites where you can buy the book for our class (click the link below)
book
I am having trouble scanning the book because the pages are too large for my scanner. There is a copy of the book in the library. They can make photocopies for you there if you need them. I can still send you the pages that I scanned, but some of them are not perfect. I suggest photocopying the assigned readings in the library.
9/19/11 Your papers should be sent to raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com. I need your Osage Naming ritual papers. Please send them to me as soon as possible. Your first draft should be 3-4 pages, and you should have quotes from the essay that we read in class. If you need a PDF file of the essay on Osage Naming rituals, email me at raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com.
Also, please comment on all posts on my blog for our class. We will be doing this activity in class.
Today, we read and discussed your next assignment on black queer identity.
8/24/11
We discussed the Osage naming rituals, the assignment, and the syllabus.
We discussed the article on Osage naming rituals.
For your papers, you can follow the following outline.
I. Discuss the importance of names in our society. Compare and contrast the use of names in our society with the practice of naming in Osage society.
II. Discuss your name and its significance. How did you receive your name? Ask your parents or your relatives about your name.
III. Discuss the practice by which the Osages receive their name through ritual. Use a quote from the article in this paragraph and analyze it. Compare the way the Osages receive their names with the way that you received your name.
IV. Discuss a nickname that you go by. Address the story behind your nickname if there is one. Discuss the earned name among the Osages and refer to a quote from the essay about it
V. Discuss the relationship between names and reputation. Have we lost our connection to the sacred/spiritual aspect of names in our contemporary life? Can we regain that perspective? How do the Osages treat their clan names? Make a reference to the text
VI. Conclusion: Write a conclusion in which you describe what we can learn from researching our names and the practice of naming in Osage culture.
Today, we wrote a brief descriptive paper about where we were from and what our personalities are like. We also discussed the first assignment, the syllabus, and the grading policy. Students will have to collect their in class assignments in a notebook that will be graded periodically.
Saint Paul’s College: Department of Humanities & Behavioral Sciences
Composition I
Course Information:
English 161
Instructor:
Dr. Comprone
Class Time: Office: RH 136
MWF 2-:2:50 p.m.
Classroom: Office Hours:
Russell Hall Reading Lab MWF 10-12 p.m. RH 136
T R 8-9:30 a.m. Russell Hall Rm. 136
Office Phone: Credit Hours:
contact by email only 3
Email: raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com
Website: www.comprone.info
Pre-requisite: Students must have completed English 161 with a grade of C or better.
Required Texts: Diana Hacker. A Writer’s Reference. Bedford/St. Martin’s. (any edition).
Our Voices: Essays in Culture, Ethnicity, and Communication. 5th Ed. Ed. Alberto Gonzalez, M. Houston, V. Chen. Oxford UP.
ISBN: 978-0-973721-5
Selection of Texts: TBA
Course Description: This students will write analytical essays that deomnstrate abstract and logical thinking. Students will also be required to write one research paper from peer reviewed sources. Students must receive a minimum course grade of “C” and complete all written assignments in order to receive credit for the course. Successful completion of English 161 is a prerequisite for English 162. Students must also pass the exit examination in order to receive a passing grade.
Course Rationale: The purpose of this course is to develop each student’s proficiency in the English language.
Competencies, including Endorsement Competencies for Teacher Education Candidates
Students who successfully complete ENGL 161 will:
• Demonstrate the conventions of academic discourse, including knowledge of grammar, usage, and mechanics
• Use a variety of patterns of development, such as narrative, descriptive, expository, persuasive, and informational rhetorical strategies
• Use available technology for document design, word processing, research, and communication
• Understand the elements of the writing situation, including topic, audience, and purpose
Course Goals, Objectives, and Corresponding Program Outcomes: The goals of this course are the following:
1 To help students develop as writers and critical thinkers
2 To develop a passion for self-expression in students
3 To provide students with all of the grammatical skills necessary to write successfully in an academic and professional context
4 To develop in students a passion for reading critically
5 Students develop an electronic writing portfolio, which means that all assignments are revised and turned in to me at raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com.
6 Students should engage in in class discussions and should be active learners in the classroom
Expectations for Student Behavior as Related to Course Objectives and Their Corresponding Program Outcomes:
Please arrange for meeting with me during my office hours. Students must behave appropriately by: 1) avoiding talking when the professor is speaking, 2) being punctual (students will lose points for tardiness and excessive absences), 3) always bringing their textbooks to class, 4) actively participating in class, 5) not plagiarizing, 6) avoiding the use of foul language and abusive behavior, and 8) being polite to other students, 9) send all revisions of your assignments with an email to raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com (you must CLEARLY label your assignment and the attachment when you send it to my email. In the text of your email, put your name, the course you are taking, and the assignment that you are attaching). If you send an assignment to the wrong email, you are responsible for the missing assignment, 10) one of your five assignments will be required to turn in to me to be used as a writing sample in the college's electronic portfolio, 11) it is recommended that you seek out tutoring with CASS (the tutoring center in Russell Hall across from the Department of Humanities & Behavioral Sciences).
Class Format, Process, and Methods of Instruction:
We will incorporate the QEP writing rubric format designed for writing intensive courses:
Saint Paul’s College General Education Program
Core Program Course Rubric (CPRC)
Writing Rubric
5 (Skilled); 4 (Proficient); 3 (Average); 2 (Marginally Acceptable); 1 (Unacceptable)
Focus and Thesis (1-5)
Questions: Does the essay respond to the prompt in a focused way? Does the essay maintain a single focus throughout?
Goal: Identifiable thesis representing adequate understanding of the assigned topic. Thesis or focus is developed throughout essay.
Evidence (1-5)
Questions: Does the writer support assertions with evidence or examples? Is evidence cited according to required guidelines (such as MLA)? Are quotations integrated into the student’s own writing? Goal: Accurate evidence that is well documented, relevant, well integrated, and/or appropriate.
Organization (1-5)
Questions: Does the student divide paragraphs by idea? Does the student develop paragraphs beyond two sentences? Does the student distinguish between an introductory paragraph, a body paragraph, and a conclusion? Goal: Effective paragraphing with few overall organizational problems. Introduction and conclusion are effectively related to the whole.
Style and Mechanics (1-5)
Question: Is the essay written according to the conventions of Standard Written English? Some sentence-level errors are normal, but not multiple errors of multiple kinds. Goal: Effective and varied sentences; minimal errors in sentence construction; only occasional punctuation, spelling and/or capitalization errors.
No grade changes are allowed after grades are turned in. Students with more than 5 absences will have 5% deducted from their final grade. Students must request incomplete grades before the end of the semester. Students must turn their papers in by email only to raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com.
In this class, we will discuss selected passages from the texts assigned in class:
Essays and tests: 90% (all writing assignments and grammatical assignments will be equally weighted)
Attendance and Participation: 10%
Total: 100%
Course Outline and Assignment Due Dates:
Due dates TBA
List of Assigned Readings and Assignments:
In Class Assignments: Keep your in class assignments in folder/notebook. Your notebooks will be graded periodically. We will have various in class writing assignments throughout the semester.
"Osage Naming Ritual as a form of Cultural Identity," p. 26-34
Assignment: Describe the story behind your own name. To what extent does your name shape who you are as a person? Is there a story associated with your name? What do you think the importance of naming is in our culture? Include references to the assigned reading. Write 3-4 pages. Follow MLA format. This assignment will include one visit to the library in which you learn how to use the library's resources in your research. Use at least one of these sources in your paper.
Guided Editing Assignment:
Exchange papers with another student. Examine how the student incorporated quotes from the reading into his or her essay. Discuss MLA format.
"Black Queer Identity, Imaginative Rationality,and the Language of Home,"
p. 65-70
Assignment: Describe your views on heterosexuality and homosexuality. How has society changed its attitudes towards sexuality as time has evolved? Refer to the essay in your discussion of sexuality. Write 3-4 pages.
Follow MLA format.
Guided Editing Assignment:
Exchange papers. Examine the paragraphing in the paper you read. Do the paragraphs flow together? Can you identify topic sentences for each paragraph? Are the paragraphs organized? Write one paragraph describing your philosophy concerning effective paragraphing.
"Sister-Friends: Reflections on Black Women's Communication in Intra- and Intercultural Friendships," p. 85
Assignment: Discuss the importance of bonding in our society. Do you belong to a particular group where you share similar interests? What role does bonding play in our connected society? Make references to the social bonding and communication that occurs in the assigned reading.
Guided Editing Assignment:
Exchange papers and examine the introductory paragraphs. Do you find the introduction informative? Is there a clear thesis statement? Is the introduction interesting and to the point?
"Hispanic Heritage Month: Not for Members Only," p. 141-149
Assignment: What role does your ethnic heritage play in your life? Do you think Americans should educate themselves about the different cultures that make up American society? Do celebrations of cultural heritage often become too focused on the needs of a particular ethnic group? Do we have a responsibility to learn about other cultures than our own? Make reference to the assigned essay and write 3-4 pages. Write according to MLA format.
Guided Editing Assignment:
Exchange papers. Look for sentence fragments, run-ons, and comma splices. Look for awkward and ineffective constructions. Make a list of all of the errors that you find. What patterns do you see in the student's work that you are editing? Be specific.
"Home as Respite for the Working Class Academic," p. 240
Assignment: What are your attitudes towards academics and how do you think American society treats academia? How do you think your experience at college will impact your life? Does what you learn at the academy relate to everyday life? Make references to the assigned reading, using MLA format. Write 3-4 pages.
Guided Editing Workshop:
Exchange papers. Examine your conclusions in your papers. Work on rewriting your conclusion.
Grammar/Editing Test: This test has two components, an editing component in which you edit a paragraph of unnamed student writing, and a grammatical terms component in which you are tested on your understanding of basic grammatical terms (a multiple choice section).
For the grammar tests, students will be responsible for the following terms: noun, demonstrative pronoun, reflexive pronoun, personal pronoun, reciprocal pronoun, indefinite pronoun, possessive pronoun, independent clause, dependent/subordinate clause, compound sentence, simple sentence, complex sentence, compound-complex sentence, prepositional phrase, subordinating conjunction, coordinating conjunction, adjective, adverb, preposition, correlative conjunction, linking verb, transitive verb, intransitive verb, direct object, indirect object, object complement, relative pronoun, interrogative pronoun, conjunctive adverb, predicate, subject, gerund phrase, infinitive phrase, absolute phrase, adjective/relative clause, participial phrase, appositive phrase, adverb clause, noun clause, declarative sentence, imperative sentence, interrogative sentence, exclamatory sentence
Recommended Internet Sites: www.comprone.info for updates on assignments, syllabi, poetry club submissions (extra credit)
| 
