GENERAL INFORMATION

COURSE:  FRESHMAN RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION II:Telecourse Enhanced Online

SEMESTER: Spring 2007

NUMBER: RHETORIC 102-080

CREDIT: 3 HOURS

INSTRUCTOR: Lee R. MCGINNIS

OFFICE: L-102 H

PLEASE READ ALL OF THE SYLLABUS BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO WORK!

E-MAIL: lmcginni@triton.edu

PHONE: (708) 456-0300, ext.3237 – Leave a voice mail message at any time. I will return your call as soon as possible.

REQUIRED TEXT: The Critical Edge: Thinking and Researching in A Virtual Society.

EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESOURCE CENTER (ETRC) :

Monday through THURSDAY- 8:00A.M. TO 10:00 P.M.

FRIDAY - 8:00A.M. TO 5:00

Saturday - 8:30A.M. – 5:00P.M.

Sunday - 8:30A.M. - 4:00 P.M.

(2 WEEKS before Final Exams-schedule will change-check with the ETRC Staff)

PLEASE READ THE COMPLETE SYLLABUS BEFORE YOU BEGIN ANY WORK. REFER TO YOUR SYLLABUS OFTEN TO STAY ON TASK WITH WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS.

I would prefer that you submit essays online through WebCT(Using a Microsoft Word attachment). You can receive training on webCT in (AT-142)

Note: This is a “work intensive” course; students should begin work immediately on assigned projects and complete them as quickly as possible. Materials may be submitted by email attachment using WebCT and( Microsoft Word), or by placing materials in Instructor Lee McGinnis' mailbox in L-102 in the English Dept. (Assignments must have a secretary's signature). Only use this option if you are having computer problems.

I encourage you to send me your assignments, essays, and research paper through WebCT email attachment using Microsoft Word.

OVERVIEW

ASSIGNMENTS

1..You will be expected to view two videotape lectures and summarize them in an outline and submit them to the instructor by the second week of class .The videotapes, "Instruction on the Persuasive Essay" and " Instruction on the Research Paper" are only available in AT-142, the Educational Technology Resource center.

Testing and Video Viewing Hours

Monday-Thursday: 8:00am- 10:00pm

Friday: 8:30am- 5:00pm

Saturday: 8:30am- 5:00pm

Sunday: 8:30am- 4:00pm

2.You will be expected to do the exercises in The Critical Edge: Thinking and Researching in A Virtual Society­ – Emily Thiroux (See attachment for due dates). Assignments require a minimum of one paragraph or more in each assignment. For example, each question on p.114 needs at least a paragraph. I check to view the number of words in your responses.

3. You will be required to write two persuasive essays (750 words each) on the following topics:

• Doctor Assisted Suicide ( see attachment for assignment and grading criteria)
• Home Schooling

Students are expected to research the topics in the library or on the Internet.

Paraphrase, summarize, or quote (only 1 quote per paper) Three articles, 1998 or later. See text pp. 182 –185

Use the MLA style to cite your sources and for the Works Cited page. (See attachments for format and due dates).

4. Research paper (See attachment and due dates)

5.Assignments submitted beyond the due date will be penalized one letter grade for each day it is late.

GRADING

Two argument essays( see grade breakdown attachment) 20%

The Critical Edge exercises  30 %

Mid-term argument essay 5%

Final argument essay 5%

Video tapes 10%

Research paper (see grade breakdown attachment) 30%

TOTAL - 100%

The Situation

You have been asked to address the state legislature about the issue of doctor

assisted suicide.  The question they are asking: should doctor assisted suicide be legal in

Illinois?

Process stages for the assignment

1. View video tape on writing an argument (see syllabus)

2. Read chapter 6 on writing an argument.

3. Freewrite your opinion about doctor assisted suicide.

4. You need to use three sources to support your argument on Doctor Assisted Suicide.  You may use sources from the list provided on the web site or syllabus, or find your own.  The list of sources include both pro and con.  Use the Modern Language Association (M.L.A.) format for citing the sources (see Chapter 8 and web link to M.L.A.). SOME OR ALL OF THESE SOURCES MAY NOT BE OPERABLE, SO YOU MAY HAVE TO FIND YOUR OWN SOURCES.

5. SUBMIT A ROUGH DRAFT BY WEEK 4. THE INSTRUCTOR WILL RETURN SUGGESTIONS FOR REVISION.

6. Submit final draft by WEEK 6.THE PAPER MUST BE A MINIMUM OF 750 WORDS.

7. I encourage you to submit drafts before the deadlines to allow me time to provide feedback for the final draft.

8. Grading criteria for essays is in the syllabus.

List of Sources

US Supreme Court; Assisted Suicide

Religious Tolerance

Ethics In Medicine - University of Washington

International Task Force

A Clear 'No' to Physician-Assisted Suicide

Citizen Link (SOME LINKS MAY BE OUTDATED. YOU ARE ALLOWED TO FIND YOUR OWN SOURCES).

WRITING ASSIGNMENT TWO

The Situation

You have been asked to address a group of parents considering home schooling their children. The question they are asking: should they home school their children or send them to public or private schools?

Process stages for the assignment

9.  Reread chapter 6 on writing an argument.

10.  Freewrite your opinion about home schooling.

11. You need to use three sources to support your argument on home schooling.  You may use sources from the list provided on the web site or syllabus.  The list of sources include both pro and con. 

Links to Sources
Parent News January-February 2001.

WorldNetDaily: Revolution via home schooling

HSLDA

ECS Issue Site :Home Schooling

We Don't Need No (Public) Education

Homeschool Opposition: Who Are They? and What Do They Want?

Use the Modern Language Association (M.L.A.) format for citing the sources (see Chapter 8 and web link to M.L.A.). If you are not confident in your use of MLA, come in for help. Your grade on the researched essays will weigh heavily on your use of giving credit by using MLA internal citations and the development of the Works Cited Page.

12. Submit rough draft by WEEK 7.

13. Submit final draft by WEEK 10 .The essay must be a minimum of 750 words.

14. I encourage you to submit drafts before the deadlines to allow me time to provide feedback for the final draft.

15.Click on grading criteria.

                                                RESEARCH PAPER DEADLINES

I encourage you to keep in touch with me periodically throughout the research paper process.

1.      Research Paper Prospectus             Due WEEK 11  

2.      Rough Draft Due                            Due WEEK 12

3.      Final Draft Due                              Due WEEK 14

You must write a research prospectus to address the following questions, and it must be submitted according to the schedule. If this is not submitted, the research paper will not be accepted.:

a. What research question do you intend to address?

b. Why is it an interesting question for you? Why is it significant?

c. List five questions about your topic you will answer in your paper.

d. Freewrite about your topic for a minimum of one typewritten page.

e. Write 200 word summaries of two articles which will be used as sources in your paper. Your summary should be comprehensive and balanced with clear sentence structure and good transition.

The articles must be 1997 or later.

f. Read pp. 158 – 159 and write rough informal outline for your research paper.

g. After you have submitted a., b., c., d., c., d., e., f., I will give final approval for your research paper topic. You will receive a written approval from the instructor.

RESEARCH PAPER

            Minimum of eight typewritten papers  (2000 words) not including the works cited page

The research paper must be written on a local or national issue. You must have a discussion with instructor about your topic (through email or by phone), and have it pre-approved by the instructor by completing the research prospectus.

In order to ensure a quality research paper you will need to adhere to the following process:

1.      Make an Outline

2.      Do library research about your topic 50% of sources must be library sources.(Must be 1998 or later)

• Internet sources may only be 50% of the total sources in the paper

3.      Compile source cards for Works Cited page

You must use ten sources in your paper, so you would list ten sources on your Works Cited page. Do not list sources you did not use in the research paper.

4.      Take notes and record them on Note Cards. Keep these cards in case I have questions about your paper.

• Quotations – use sparingly (at most, 20% of the sources)
• Summaries
• Paraphrases

5.      Write the First Draft with supporting sources

6.      Submit to the instructor for suggestions and revisions.

The instructor will return the paper to you promptly.

7.      Revise your paper based on the suggestions from the instructor.

8.      Prepare the final draft with 12" font and 1 inch at top and bottom of the page. Be sure to have a title page (examples in chapter 11).

9.      Save all sources until you receive a final grade. I may want to review your sources.

GRADING CRITERIA FOR ESSAYS AND RESEARCH PAPER.

5 Points                                              

1.  Clear Thesis                                                      

60 Points                                            

2. Introduction

3.  Body – shows both sides of the issue

4.  Conclusion                                                                                            

5 . Appropriate Use of Sources

20 Points                                            

6.  Works Cited Page

15 Points                                              

9. Editing

100%

Please develop and submit all pages on Thoughts, Reviews, and practices.

By Week 13, you should have all assignments completed except the research paper. You should communicate with me weekly in person, by telephone, or e-mail to discuss your progress on the research paper and any other areas of concern. You must be able to use WebCT, have access to MicroSoft Word, and know MLA(internal citations, and Works Cited Page). Pay careful attention to the calendar because some assignments must take place before others can be accomplished. We will have verbal conferences to discuss your progress on papers, and book assignments. If I have not contacted you, it is your responsibility to either call me or come in for consultation.

You must stay on task if you are going to be successful in this course. Please label all work according to the syllabus, and place your name and date on all of your work.

I am going to submit your papers to MyDropBox.com to check for plagiarism, so please do your own work, and give credit to any information that you use that is not generally known.