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Course: Composition I
Course Number: ENG160-03—GEIII / Fall 2012
Course time and Location:
Days and Times: M/R: 12:15-1:30
W: 12:15-1:15
Location: LC110 (Computer Lab)
Instructor: Prof. Rigolino Email: rigolinr@newpaltz.edu (I am easiest to reach via email.)
Office Location: JFT 802a Office hours: M/: 11:00-12:00 T/F: 11:00-12:30
Phone extension: x2731 (Try email first.)
Required Texts (available at Campus Bookstore)
Jin, Ha. A Good Fall. New York: Vintage, 2010. Print (Paperback).. ISBN: 978-
0307473943.
Blakesley, David and Jeffrey L. Hoogeveen. Writing: A Manual for the Digital Age, Brief
Second Edition. Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2012. Print. ISBN 1-2853-3571-6.
(In our campus book store the handbook is packaged with New Voices, New
Visions.)
Course Description
Composition Program Handbook. 2012-2013. Web. Found on our class Blackboard site.
Mercury Reader NY: Pearson, 2012. Print. ISBN 1-2565-8037-6. (Custom edition; red
with apple on cover; can be purchased only at SUNY New Paltz bookstore.)
Course Description
Training in critical reading, the process of composing, academic forms of writing, and computer
literacy. Movement from expressive to expository writing. Papers assigned to develop particular
writing techniques. A first-semester English course.
Objectives
By semester’s end, students will demonstrate the ability to:
1. Write well in different rhetorical situations and modes, i.e., for different purposes, occasions,
and audiences.
2. Understand and reflect on key concepts about writing and rhetoric (style, exigence, voice,
invention, etc.).
3. Craft well-developed, well-organized, clear, and grammatical sentences, paragraphs, and
essays.
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4. Think and write as college students (reflecting, observing, explaining, comparing,
summarizing, synthesizing, analyzing, evaluating, and interpreting).
5. Approach writing as a process (planning, shaping, drafting, revising, and editing).
6. Critique one’s own writing and the writing of others through reflection on important
concepts and issues in composition studies.
7. Evaluate sources of information using criteria such as currency, authority, objectivity,
accuracy, specificity, and relevance.
8. Use information ethically and legally.
9. Develop oral presentation skills.
10. Develop computer and library information literacy skills.
Course Overview:
Composition I develops students’ abilities to write grammatical and coherent sentences and to
develop ideas fully an in an organized fashion. The course will develop students’ abilities to
produce distinctive pieces of writing based upon individual thinking and experience. It also will
stress and lead students through the composing process as they develop better understanding of
their own writing processes. (Composition Program Handbook 12).
NOTE: THERE ARE NO WITHDRAWALS OR INCOMPLETES FOR COMPOSITION I AND II. THIS IS A
COLLEGE POLICY.
Procedures
1. Students are expected to engage in all levels of the writing process: prewriting, drafting,
revising, editing, and proofreading. Students will receive ample time to work on their
writing and will receive feedback from both the instructor and their peers.
2. Essays 1-3 may be revised once after the initial grade has been recorded. In most cases,
editing and proofreading alone will not count as a revision. Revision is more substantial,
sometimes requiring the addition of text, deletion of text, and reorganization of text. If a
student chooses to revise an essay, the revision must be submitted by the deadline I
set, often within one or two weeks of the day it is returned to him or her. The original
grade will be averaged in with the second grade; however, there is no guarantee that the
revision will receive a higher grade.
3. Students receive a grade and feedback on each assignment before the next assignment is
due so that students can learn from the comments. Students are reminded that they can
come visit me during my office hours (and by appointment) to discuss their writing at any
time during the semester.
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Writing Requirements and Grade Distribution
Four essays (3-4 pages each) 75%
2 in-class essays; 10%
Journals; quizzes; oral reports; homework including Ha Jin Collection 15%
Required Final Portfolio (P/F)
Class Participation* & Library Assignment (P/F)
*Class attendance and participation is expected. Failures in these areas will
result in a deduction to your overall course grade of at least half a grade.

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT
Class attendance and participation are expected. For absences less than three and failure to
participate in class, I will deduct points from your class work grade (see last item in list above).
For absences in excess of three, please read below.
Attendance and Participation
For English Composition I SWW you are required to attend a writing
workshop one time a week. This is an important part of your English
Composition class requirement, and failure to attend will result in failing the
course. Also, you are required to meet with our in class tutor once a week
outside the classroom. If you are dismissed from tutoring because you do
not regularly attend and/or have more than two unexcused absences, you
will not be able to pass this course.
Absences from class, workshop and tutoring (including those excused) in
excess of three will result in an automatic failing grade.
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Portfolios
Students will be required to submit portfolios of their work in order to receive passing
grades in the course. Keep all of your work. Do not throw anything you write away.
You will need to assess all of your work for possible inclusion in the portfolio. To be
eligible to submit portfolios, students must demonstrate competency in grammar and usage
through an editing exercise and must be passing the course with a D or better.
Composition I: Portfolio Checklist
 Assessment sheet (student, instructor, and reader’s name; oral component met).
 Table of contents.
 A self-assessment of your writing regarding this semester; this may be formatted as a
letter to the reader of the portfolio (also called: cover or reflective letter).
 Diagnostic essay (not graded; clean copy).
 Two essays written and revised outside of class with all drafts; attach an unmarked clean
copy on top of the drafts. This must include one argument or analysis essay with
MLA documentation and a Works Cited page.
 Midterm exam or second-timed writing (not graded; clean copy).
 Common final exam (not graded; clean copy).
Portfolios will be graded as passing if they are deemed a level 4 on the placement and
proficiency scale. Portfolios that do not contain the required work will not be graded.
Students who do not fulfill the portfolio requirement will receive a grade of R (Repeat) for
the course, which does not affect the student’s Grade Point Average or financial aid. The
student must repeat the course and successfully complete all assignments before a grade will
be determined.
Statement on Academic Integrity
“Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of honesty in their academic work.
Cheating, forgery, and plagiarism are serious offences, and students found guilty of any form of
academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary action” (Faculty Handbook 33).
Plagiarism is the unacknowledged (intentionally or unintentionally) use of summary, paraphrase,
direct quotation, language, statistics, or ideas from other sources, including Internet sources.
You must cite according to the Modern Language Association (MLA) format found in Writing:
A Manual for the Digital Age, Brief Second Edition. If you plagiarize all or part of a writing
assignment, you will be reported to the Department of English Chair and/or the Academic Dean.
Statement on Americans with Disabilities Act
“Students with disabilities are entitled to the right to accommodation under Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Ace and ADA of 1990. ADA students are responsible for self-identifying to the
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Disability Resource Center, who will inform me of your needs of accommodation related to the
structure of the course” (Faculty Handbook 30).
Schedule of Assignments
Please note: This schedule is tentative and will change based on the needs of the class.
MR = Mercury Reader
WDA = Writing for a Digital Age
Date Assignment is DUE
WEEK 1 M 8/27 Diagnostic Essay
W 8/29 Writing Workshop: Various Class
Activities: Introduction to course
R 8/30 Essay 1 Assigned / Oral Report
Groups Assigned
WEEK 2 M 9/3 NO CLASS
W 9/5 Writing Workshop: Various Class Descriptive Paragraph
Activities: Work on Essay #1 with Photograph Due
Proposal and on Journal #1
R 9/6 Discuss Journals and Essay Essay 1 Proposal Due/
Proposals Journal 1 Due “Theme for
English B.” / “My Name”/
in Mercury Reader
WEEK 3 M 9/10 Peer Critiques of Essay #1 Rough Draft of Essay #1
Due
W 9/12 Writing Workshop: Various Class Ha Jin Collection:
Activities: Peer Critiques of Essay Entry #1
Drafts (Continued Work)/ Review
Chapters 1-4 and 6 & 7 in WDA
R 9/13 Revision Strategies/ Review Chapters Reading “Shitty First
1-4 and 6 & 7 in WDA Drafts”(MR); Due with
Response
WEEK 4 M 9/17 NO CLASS
W 9/19 New Voices, New Visions Reception
R 9/20 Trip to Museum Final Copy of Essay #1
WEEK 5 M 9/24 Introduction to Essay #2
Introduction to Journal #2:
Malcolm X (Overview of Oral
Reports)
W 9/26 NO CLASS Ha Jin Collection:
Entry #2
R 9/27 Journal #2 Discuss and Journal #2 Due/
Oral Report Group #2 “Homemade Education” in
MR
F 9/28 HA JIN TALK EXTRA CREDIT EVERYONE PLAN TO
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ATTEND
WEEK 6 M 10/1 Review Chapter 16 in WDA
W 10/3 Writing Workshop: Various Class
Activities: Work on Proposal for
Essay #2 and on Journal #3
R 10/4 Oral Report Group #1 Journal #3 Due / “College
Pressures” MR/ Oral
Report Group #1
Also, Essay #2 Proposal
Due
WEEK 7 M 10/8 NO CLASS
T 10/9 MONDAY CLASSES MEET
W 10/10 Writing Workshop: Various Class Ha Jin Collection: Entry
Activities: Work on Journal #4 and #3
on Essay #2
R 10/11 Journal #4 Due / “School v.
Education” / “What Is
Intelligence, Anyway?”/
MR/ Oral Report Group
#2
WEEK 8 M 10/15 Peer Critiques of Essay #2 Rough Draft of Essay #2
Due
W 10/17 Writing Workshop: Various Class
Activities: Final Editing of Essay #2
R 10/18 Intro to Fresh Perspectives/ Final Copy of Essay #2
Midterm/ Essay #3 Due
WEEK 9 M 10/22 Library Session
W 10/24 Writing Workshop: Various Class
Activities: Work on Essay #3
Proposal / Fresh Perspectives / (Ha
Jin) / Journal #5
R 10/25 Oral Report Group #3 and Essay #3 Proposal Due
Discussion of Journal #5/ WDA Journal #5 Due / “The
Chapters 8-11 Case Against College” /
MR / Oral Report Group
#3
WEEK 10 M 10/29 Midterm: PT I
W 10/31 Writing Workshop: Various Class
Activities: Midterm: PT 2
R 11/01 WDA Chapters 17-21 Fresh Perspectives
Submission is Due
WEEK 11 M 11/05 Black Solidarity Day
W 11/07 Writing Workshop: Various Class
Activities: WDA Chapters 8-11
R 11/08 Oral Report Group #4/ WDA Journal #6 Due/ “Public
Chapters 17-21 and Private Language” /
“Spanglish”/ (MR)
Oral Report Group #4
WEEK 12 M 11/12 Peer Critique of Essay #3 Rough Draft of Essay #3
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Due
W 11/14 Writing Workshop: Various Class
Activities: Final Editing of Essay #3/
WDA Chapters 17-21
R 11/15 Introduction to Essay #4 Project Final Copy of Essay #3
Due
WEEK 13 M 11/19 Sample Project Review
Rubric Discussed
Freewrite on Project Assignments
W 11/21 NO CLASS
R 11/22 NO CLASS
WEEK 14 M 11/26 Project Assignments Shared Essay #4 Project Proposal
Outlines is Due
W 11/28 Writing Workshop: Various Class
Activities: Final Portfolio Workshop
and Workshop for Final
Presentations for Essay #4 Project
R 11/29 Oral Report Group #5 Journal #7 Due/ “Serving
in Florida” / Oral Report
Group #5
WEEK 15 M 12/03 In-Class Essay Exam II Today
W 12/05 Writing Workshop: Various Class
Activities: Final Portfolio Workshop
and Workshop for Final
Presentations for Essay #4 Project
R 12/06 Presentations
WEEK 16 M 12/10 Presentations
W 12/12 LAST CLASS Final Portfolios Due/ Essay
#4 Project Due
F 12/14 Common Exam Day (8:30 AM)
List of Journal Readings and Writing Assignments: From The Mercury Reader
Note: You will read other selections from MR in addition to these.
JOURNAL #1 Assignment: Write 350+ words, total, in response to
the following questions in the textbook. Your total
“Theme for English B” by Langston word count is 350+ words.
Hughes and “My Name” by Sandra
Cisneros Questions on Rhetorical Strategy and Style: p. 72.
Question 2 (“Rewrite this poem...”)
AND
Writing Assignments: p. 75 / Topic 2 (Write an
essay...)
JOURNAL #2 Assignment: Write 350+ words, total, in response to
the following questions:
“Homemade Education” by Malcolm X
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Questions on Meaning: p. 58 #1 and #2
AND
Questions on Rhetorical Strategy and Style: p. 58 #2
JOURNAL #3 Assignment: Write 350+ words, total, in response to
the following questions:
“College Pressures” by William Zinsser
Writing Assignments: Questions 1 and 2 on pp. 24
and 25
JOURNAL #4 Assignment: Write 350+ words, total, in response to
the following questions:
“School vs. Education” by Russell Baker
and “What Is Intelligence, Anyway?” by Writing Assignment Questions on p. 137 (Choose
Isaac Asimov either question 1 or 2)
AND
Writing Assignment Question #1 on p. 3
JOURNAL #5 Assignment: Write 350+ words, total, in response to
the following questions:
“The Case Against College”
Questions on Meaning: #1 on p. 142
By Caroline Bird
AND
Writing Assignments: Choose either question #1 or
#2 on p. 142
JOURNAL #6 Assignment: Write 350+ words, total, in response to
the following questions:
“Public and Private Language” by
Richard Rodriquez and “Spanglish” by Questions on Meaning: #1 and #2 on p. 47
Janice Castro and Dan Cook
AND
Writing Assignments: #3 on p. 79
JOURNAL #7 Assignment: Write 350+ words, total, in response to
the following questions:
“Serving in Florida” by Barbara
Ehrenreich Questions on Meaning: #1 on p.107
AND
Writing Assignments: #2 on p. 108
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