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Course Overview

"Reading, Writing, and Research" will engage you in the skills you will need to "survive" throughout your college career: the ability to read critically, to generate and assess valid arguments, and to conduct research using both print and online resources. This course will examine survival on another level too. As a course theme, we will discuss the basic necessities of life: food, clothing, and shelter. Though we will focus on these basic necessities, we want you come to know that reading and writing are not just "academic survival skills" but also ways of participating in the intellectual and social debates that shape our lives. Our semester will break down into roughly three parts: 

1) In the first part, "reading," you will continue to engage in the analytical reading and writing skills you began in English 101. However, whereas in English 101 you examined shorter texts, in English 102 you will engage with the complexities of longer, sustained texts, particularly two interrelated ones that pose different ways of looking at a subject. You will read Jean Hegland's Into the Forest, about two young women who must survive in northern California when the electricity goes out, and you will also read Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild, about a young man from Fairfax who drops out of school, leaves his money to charity, and strikes out for the Alaskan territory. The books offer divergent views on survival, reading, and gender approaches to wilderness. Thus, you will practice balancing multiple texts and multiple perspectives; you will negotiate conflicting (as well as intersecting) points of view.

2) In the second part ("research" also "food"),  we'll read a selection from the recent best-selling book by Eric Schlosser called Fast Food Nation and view the recent documentary, Supersize Me.  We'll also explore some of cultural and ethical choices that underlie our food preferences, and you will write a research paper on some aspect of "grub." We want you to realize that all human endeavors, from the food that you eat to the clothing you wear, are charged with unanswered questions. Students often have trouble deciding what to write about. We'll be asking you to find topics that are literally right under nose: from the food on your plate to the clothes on your back.    

3) In the third part of the course ("writing," also "shelter," but by now these divisions will seem artificial, reading, writing, and research go hand-in-hand, as do the basic necessities of life), you will choose one of the local issues you’ve discovered while reading your hometown newspaper (and analyzing its arguments), research the problem, and write a proposal to the community based on your findings. 

Classroom Procedures -- You learn about writing by doing writing, not being lectured about writing.  You will also learn best by preparing thoroughly for class periods, so that we may use class time for discussion and hands-on workshop and collaborative activities (and not covering things you should have already read).  Please come to class prepared to ask questions about both any specific matters that need explanation or comment and also about any broader issues and questions you want us to address.

Presence, Preparation, and Participation -- English courses are not lecture courses; they are reading and writing courses that require your consistent and active engagement. As such, they often have a de facto attendance policy, as this one does. You can't earn high marks in this process if you aren't present, prepared, and participating. Your instructor and your classmates expect you to attend regularly and prepare thoughtfully for each class session. Complete the assignments prior to our meeting and come to class ready to work, share, and listen. Writers seldom work completely in isolation all the time; therefore, it is important, at different stages of the writing and revising process, to share information, discuss strategies, and receive feedback. Throughout the semester, you will most likely work closely with your classmates reading and responding to each other's work. Everyone will benefit if we are all prepared to engage in this type of work. If you miss two weeks of class (6 days MWF, 4 days T,TH,), your grade will be affected and you should consider withdrawing from the course -- you will receive a 15 out of 30 possible "3 P points"). If you miss three weeks, you will have missed so much in terms of daily work and instruction that you will lose all points for your three Ps. Note: we do not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences. The six days is an "allowance," so consider that some of these days may be excusable emergencies and some may be days where you feel the need to stay at home and eat pizza in your pajamas (or whatever). However, if you must miss a class, we appreciate the courtesy of a call or email (what you missed is outlined on the schedule). Especially important is that you do not disappear for several class periods. Persons missing one class or none will receive extra credit.

Academic Honesty and Plagiarism — The University Affairs Council has asked all faculty to include the following statement in our course policies: 

Plagiarism, or the use of work by another person, or the use of someone else's words, ideas or arrangement of ideas without giving proper reference to the author, is a serious violation of the Honor Code. You must give credit to other people's ideas and words, even if you put the idea in your own words (even if you paraphrase it). You must also provide full and correct documentation of the exact location of any sources that helped you, including Web or electronic resources. Plagiarism will result in an "F" for the course and the institution of formal disciplinary procedures.

With each paper you turn in, you will be asked to write "Honor Code Upheld" (even those you turn in by WebCT) and sign (or type) your name. By doing so, you swear to the following statement.

On my honor and in accordance with the RU Honor Code, I hereby swear that I have adhered to the rules of academic honesty. If I have taken words, ideas or information from someone else, whether in direct quotation, summary or paraphrase, I have properly acknowledged the source in my Works Cited. All sections of my essay that do not include citations represent my own work in my own words. Furthermore, I have neither given nor received improper help on this paper. In signing this form, I recognize that academic dishonesty impugns my honor, is unfair to my students and professor, and injures the reputation of Radford University. If I have violated the Standards of Academic Integrity in any way, including plagiarism, I understand that my actions will lead to the institution of formal disciplinary procedures and an “F” for the course.

Students with Disabilities — If you are seeking classroom accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), you are required to register with the Disability Resource Office (DRO).  The DRO is located in the Center for Counseling and Student Development on the lower level of Tyler Hall, and can be reached at 831-6350. To receive academic accommodations, please obtain the DRO forms and then meet with your instructor.

Conferences and Office Hours — Check with your instructor about office hours. Please take advantage of these times. Those who converse with the instructor tend to come to a more complete understanding of the course material than those who do not.  If you are confused about anything in the class, please come talk to us. We will also respond promptly to email and phone messages. 

Late Work — Since the processes of reading, writing, and research involve several stages and require incubation time for ideas to develop, you must submit work on time for it to reach its full potential in this course. Papers must come in on time; for logs or annotations, some exceptions can be made. However, you will not receive credit for work that comes in late unless you contact us before the date the assignment is due.  At that time, we will discuss your situation and the possibility of an extension. If you are unable to attend class, you may send your work to class with someone else so that you can receive credit for the work and feedback from your peers.

Peer Review — Throughout the semester, class meetings will be devoted to reviewing and critiquing rough drafts of assignments, including logs. A paper that does not receive an in-class peer review will be penalized when submitted as a final draft. On the day of the scheduled peer reviews, you are required to bring two copies of your paper. Your participation in these groups is vital to your growth as a writer and the success of the course, so read your peers’ drafts thoroughly and provide the kinds of feedback you yourself would like to receive. The draft you produce for these groups should be written as if it were a final version.  

--we will have several readings from a coursepack
--you will also need email from RU and some money for photocopying
--you will need a diskette to save your work and to bring with you on days we are in the computer room

Your first and most important task is to keep up with the reading.  When you read, you are expected to: 

1. mark amd re-read passages that are confusing, obscure, or need further clarification, and 
2. mark passages that warrant further discussion.

Purpose: Writing a log on the readings should help to enrich your understanding and strengthen your powers of verbal expression. The best aspect of writing a response is that it supports your personal and intellectual growth. (It also verifies that you've done the reading, thought about it, and don't need quizzes to test that knowledge.) Your log is an initial contribution to class discussion. In discussion, you are expected to go beyond those points, listen to others, and develop fresh ideas. The log is not a substitute for talking and listening well.

Content of Entries:  You should work toward three things in the log: briefly summarize the plot or argument, analyze how it says it (use of evidence, style), and reflect on what is significant to you about what it says. If there are study questions, you should respond to them. In your response, show your knowledge of the reading, both in large concepts and specific details, and provide a point of view or question about the reading that contributes to class discussion. You are working to turn a mix of facts, ideas, and opinions into a crisp, coherent statement. These logs are a series of snapshots about what you are thinking and learning. 

Your entries need not be a polished final product. The prose should be informal but clear and correct (please spellcheck and proofread) and could be considered the level of discourse you might expect in a good letter or memo from a colleague at work. It should be writing however and not "chat" (as in a chat room), because this kind of writing/speech can be slangy, disconnected, and simplistic in vocabulary.

Criteria for assessment: Each log will be graded according to how successfully it: 1) exhibits a clear point of view about the reading that opens up discussion of key issues raised by the text; 2) uses evidence to support that point of view along with correct MLA form, both in the heading and in the summary, quotation, paraphrase; 3) demonstrates clear writing with discussion and development of the ideas. 5 pts each. 

Note:  in place of reading logs, you may be asked to write reflection essays or even rough drafts of papers. These, too, will be posted on WebCT.  If the criteria for these logs changes, you will be notified.