GENERAL INFORMATION

COURSE:  FRESHMAN RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION II:Enhanced Telecourse

SEMESTER: FALL 2006

NUMBER: RHETORIC 102-080

CREDIT: 3 HOURS

INSTRUCTOR: Lee R. McGinnis

OFFICE: L-102 H

PLEASE READ THE COMPLETE SYLLABUS BEFORE YOU BEGIN WORKING. IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS, CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. YOU WILL HAVE A PERSONAL ACCOUNT ON WebCT THROUGH TRITON COLLEGE. SEND YOUR QUESTIONS THROUGH WebCT E-MAIL. IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH WebCT, YOU CAN RECEIVE A TRAINING SESSION AT THE EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESOURCE CENTER ON TRITON'S CAMPUS. PURCHASING THE TEXTBOOK IS MANDATORY. All work must be typed or wordprocessed. Review the Tapes in the E.T.R.C. as soon as possible.

All assignments are due by Friday at 10:00 p.m.

E-MAIL: lmcginni@triton.edu This is my personal e-mail for Triton. Please do not send assignments to this e-mail address.

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- Emily Thiroux

E.T.R.C: SCHEDULE -

Monday through Thursday - 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Friday - 8:a.m. - 4 p.m.

Saturday - 9:00 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Sunday - 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Mid-term and Final Exam essays will be taken online. I will supply the topic at the appropriate time. Check your WebCT email account regularly. I will send you updates and adjustments as the Semester progresses.

NOTE: This is a “work intensive” course; students should begin work immediately on assigned projects and complete them as quickly as possible. Materials must be submitted by WebCT e-mail attachment (using Microsoft Word) or in Instructor Lee McGinnis' mailbox (Emergency use only) (submit to secretary for signature) in L-102 in the English Dept.

You must send me your assignments, essays, and research papers by e-mail attachment through WebCT ( using Microsoft Word Only). Please send your assignments in one attachment; type your name and the date on each assignment, and only submit one attachment for each assignment (example: Pages 2, 6-7, 13 and 24 should be submitted as one attachment).

OVERVIEW

ASSIGNMENTS

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

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.

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 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 they are late.

GRADING

Two argument essays( see grade breakdown attachment) 30%

The Critical Edge exercises  25 %

Video Tapes ( Summaries) 10%

Mid-term Exam argument essay 5%

Final Exam argument essay 5%

Research paper (see grade breakdown attachment) 25%

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. Briefly outline all that you know about the subject.

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 along with your own sources.  The list of sources include both pro and con positions.  Use the Modern Language Association (M.L.A.) format for citing the sources (see Chapter 8 and web link to M.L.A.).

5. SUBMIT A ROUGH DRAFT . THE INSTRUCTOR WILL HAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR REVISION.

6. Submit final draft. 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. If links are outdated, find your own.

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

WRITING ASSIGNMENT TWO

The Situation

You have been asked to address a group of parents considering the home schooling of 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 or find your own.  The list of sources include both pro and con. If links are outdated, find your own.  

Links to Sources
We Don't Need No (Public) Education

Home school Opposition: Who Are They? and What Do They Want?

Parent News January-February 2001.

WorldNetDaily: Revolution via home schooling

HSLDA

ECS Issue Site :Home Schooling

Use the Modern Language Association (M.L.A.) format for citing the sources (see Chapter 8 and web link to M.L.A.).

12. Submit rough draft .

13. Submit final draft .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.View 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 8 10/16-20

2.      Rough Draft Due                             Due Week 10 10/30-11/3

3.      Final Draft Due                               Due Week 11 12/1

You must write a research prospectus to address the following questions:

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 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 and have it pre-approved by the instructor by completing the research prospectus on the next page of the syllabus.

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

1.      Make an Outline and include your Thesis Statement

2.      Do library research about your topic 50% of 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.

• Quotations – use sparingly (at most, 20% of the sources)
• Summaries
• Paraphrases
• Use at least one long quote

5.      Write the First Draft with supporting sources

6.      Submit to the instructor for suggestions and revisions.

The instructor will return the paper.

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                                                      

40 Points                                            

2. Introduction

3.  Body – shows both sides of the issue

4.  Conclusion                                                       

20 Points                                            

5.   Source Cards (Please keep in case I have questions)

6.  Note Cards (Please keep in case I have questions)

7. Appropriate Use of Sources

20 Points                                            

8.  Works Cited Page

15 Points                                              

9. Editing

100%

THESE ASSIGNMENTS ARE TAKEN FROM THE BOOK: THE CRITICAL EDGE: THINKING AND RESEARCHING IN A VIRTUAL SOCIETY WRITTEN BY EMILY THIROUX

By December 8th, you should have all assignments completed except the final essay. You should communicate with me weekly in person, by telephone, or e-mail to discuss your progress on the research paper. 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.

I will submit your Research Papers to Mydropbox.com for plagiarism review.

Syllabus is subject to revision.