COMP 1503: FA19

WHEN AND WHERE DO WE MEET? Section 03 (CRN 855) meets on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:00-9:52 in Brown225. Section 06 (CRN 862) meets on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in Brown 208.

WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING?We will regularly use two texts in this class: Understanding Rhetoric (2nd Edition) and The LittleSeagull Handbook (3rd Edition). There may be additional requirements for certain classactivities like workshops; likewise there may be additional readings. Always refer to the courseschedule for specifics. Both text are available through the Campus Store.

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?Write. A lot. We will also think, read, share, debate, celebrate, revise, and in general, work onbecoming more accomplished, skilled, and confident writers, readers, and arguers. This semester you will engage in a series of short writing assignments and discussions as wellas more complex writing projects and a series of reflections. This course is based upon thepractice of reading, writing, and researching as intertwined processes that will help studentsbecome stronger writers not only within COMP 1503, but within their own fields anddisciplines. Each project will engage in brainstorming, reading, questioning, researching,drafting, revising, and editing. Each project will consider academic and professional audiencesbeyond the classroom, and each project will emphasize elements of style and grammar that isexpected of college-level writing.

Professor Stephen FonashOffice: 308 SDC

Office Hours: M/W 3-4T/Th 11-12

fonashsm@alfredstate.edu607-587-4175

MAJOR PROJECTS

THE GRADING SCALE

WHAT HAPPENS IF AN ASSIGNMENT IS LATE?

THE PROJECT SUBMISSION CYCLE

Rhetorical AnalysisRevision and ReflectionProposalBibliographySynthesis ParagraphProgress ReportResearch PaperNetiquette emails

0 1 2 3 4

Letter Grade

A

B+

B

C+

C

D+

F

Alfred State College uses a 4.0 scale when assigningcourse credit. An A earns a 4.0, a B+ earns a 3.5, aB earns a 3.0 and so on (see figure 1).Consequently, projects in this class will be gradedon the 4.0 scale. Please note that work that meets the baseline,acceptable assignment requirements given in classis C-level work. D-level and F-level work does notmeet these basic requirements (assignment criteria,grading standards) or may be significantly flawed indelivery, mechanics, or style.

Figure One: ASC 4.0 Grade Scale

Netiquette emails5%

Mid-term Revision and Self-Analysis15%

Research Proposal10%

Annotated Bibliography10%

Synthesis Paragraph10%

Progress Report10%

Research Paper25%

Rhetorical Analysis15%

Know when workshop drafts and final drafts are due.Be certain to come to class prepared with complete drafts.

Submit your work on time and in the correct format.Double check to make certain the work was uploadedcorrectlyReceive feedback and evaluation.

Assignments that are submitted late may still earn credit. However, for each daythe assignment is late, it will be reduced by one letter grade. For example, if anassignment is submitted one day late, that work will not be eligible to earn morethan a B+; if an assignment is submitted two days late, that work will not beeligible to earn more than a B. Assignments may not earn credit after 7 days.

Work is due bythe beginning of

class. Worksubmitted morethan 5 minutes

after class beginswill be considered

late.

Work must besubmitted in a .doc

or .docx fileformat (Wordformat) unless

otherwise noted.

Work submitted inother file formatswill be considered

late.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MISS CLASS?You are allotted 3 absences in this course. These absences do not differentiatebetween absences for illness and absences for personal, non-academic reasons. After3 absences, your earned grade will be reduced by 1/2 grade. Thus, if you earned a"B+" through your writing over the course of the semester, your grade will nowbecomes a "B." These deductions will continue with each additional absence beyond 3up to and including the course grade being lowered to an "F." That said, you also have the opportunity to gain points in this course throughconsistently excellent attendance. Thus, if you have fewer than 3 absences by the endof the course your earned grade will be increased by 1/2 grade. Thus, if you earned a"B+" through your writing over the course of the semester, your grade now becomesan "A."

BUT WHAT IF...Q: ...I get sick?A: You are allowed 3 unexcused absences. These absences do notdistinguish between illnesses, personal decisions, etc. My best advice?Save your absences in case you need to use them -- like if you get sick.

Q: ...I have the opportunity to go on an academic field tripor if I participate in a ASC team or organization?

A: Great question! Alfred State regulation 503.2 states that:Participation in authorized college functions such as field trips; athletic events; choir,band, and drama tours; and other intercollegiate activities shall be an acceptable reasonfor class absence, provided that prior to the absence the student makes arrangementswith his/her instructors to make up work to be missed. Instructors need not extendmake-up privileges when a student's total absence exceeds 10 percent of the scheduledclass meetings.

Q: ...I have a religious holiday or observation?A: Alfred State regulation 503.3 states that:

Under existing state laws, individual students may be excused from class withoutpenalty because of religious beliefs provided that prior to the absence thestudent makes arrangements with his/her instructors to make up work to bemissed. Instructors need not extend make-up privileges when a student's totalabsence exceeds 10 percent of the scheduled class meetings.

Q: ...I have military obligations?A: Alfred State regulation 503.4 states that:

Individual students will be excused from class without penalty due to militaryorders. The student must make arrangements with his/her instructors to make upwork. If requested by the faculty member, military orders must be provided tothe faculty member as soon as they are received by the student. Instructorsneed not extend make-up privileges when a student's total absence exceeds 15percent of the scheduled class meetings.

Attendance willbe taken atthe beginningof each class.Being more

than 5 minuteslate counts asa tardy. Morethan 3 tardiescount as anabsence.

Please keepthis in mind.

Q: How often should I check my email? A: I recommend at least twice a day: once in the morning and once before you go to sleep. Alfred State usesemail (and Student Announce) as a way of getting important information to you as quickly as possible. Q: When should I expect an answer to my email? A: Good question -- and while I cannot speak for other instructors I typically respond within 24-48 hours.Remember that email is not "messaging"; rather, it is regarded as a formal means of communicating.Because of this (and factors such as teaching schedule, committee work, etc.), the response time can varyconsiderably. Please keep this in mind and send email with enough time for your professor to respond toyou.

Q: Do I need to proofread my email? A: Yes. Remember that an email has your name on it and so it is a chance for you to make a positive (ornegative) impression upon the reader. Always proofread and avoid abbreviations like "BTW." We will discuss"netiquette" in more detail during class.

EMAIL Q & A

Before you send an email ask yourself the following:

Is the email being sent in timely manner? For example, ifwork is due at 9:00 the next day and the email is sent at11:30 PM the night before, what is the likelihood that theteacher has had the time to read, consider, and respond tothe email? Remember to plan ahead.Can the answer be found in the syllabus or course materials?We spend a lot of time putting these things together to helpyou as much as we can. Please refer to them.Is this a topic appropriate for email or would it better bediscussed face-to-face during office hours?Is there a clear and specific subject line?

FORMATTING AND SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS

Assignment Format

Assignment Submission

This course requires you to use Microsoft Word for yourformal assignments. If you do not have Microsoft Word,know that Alfred State uses Microsoft Office 365 which canbe accessed by logging in through Alfred State webmail.After logging in, click the grid in the top left corner toaccess Microsoft products. Alfred State also makes the full version (standalone) ofMicrosoft Office suite, which includes Word, available tostudents for free. To acquire this free version of MicrosoftOffice, simply visit this site and follow the directionsprovided there. Unless otherwise specified, assignments should be typed instandard font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins. Please follow MLA paper format guidelines (see pages 119-169 in The Little Seagull Handbook). If an assignment isrequired to be electronically submitted, it must be in .docor .docx format (unless otherwise specified). Documentsuploaded in other formats will not be considered timelysubmissions and may be subjected to a “losing points.”

There is a sampleMLA paper on pages161-169 in LSH. This iswhat all of yourpapers should look likewhen you submit them-- whether the paperis "formal" or"informal" does notmatter.

Our formal, major assignments will be submitted through Blackboard and Turnitin. "How to" will be modeledin class before the first submission due date. Other assignments may be required to be submitted throughBlackboard; however, we may utilize other platforms as well...up to and including typing, printing, andturning in assignments.

REMINDER (FROM PAGE 2) WHAT HAPPENS IF AN ASSIGNMENT IS LATE?

Assignments that are submitted late may still earn credit. However, foreach day the assignment is late, it will be limited by one letter grade. Forexample, if an assignment is submitted one day late, that work will not beeligible to earn more than a B+; if an assignment is submitted two dayslate, that work will not be eligible to earn more than a B. Assignments maynot earn credit after 7 days.

Office Hours

Regular, in-person, office hours are from 3:00-4:00 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from 11:00-12:00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays in 308 Hunter Student Development Center (my office), or by appointment.Office hours are “drop in,” so please plan accordingly – there may be a student ahead of you (or behind you). Office hours are intended to help clarify any discussion points from a class session, refine a topic for a project,sharpen a component of a paper, or clarify and practice a writing strategy or component (for example). Office hours are not intended to edit papers, or to ask me to cover everything you missed in class (gettingnotes from one of your classmates is your responsibility). Similarly, if you have a question about readings,strategies, or projects, make certain to bring the materials with you. I cannot help you if you do not bring the book or the paper. If you desire additional feedback and collaboration beyond class or office hours, please consider ASC’swriting resources such as the Writing Center.

For a nice explanation of the role and purpose of office hours at colleges anduniversities please see pp. 181-87 in Understanding Rhetoric.

THE WRITING CENTER

I encourage you to make use of the writing assistance provided by the Writing Center, located in 102Student Development Center. You can visit the Writing Center during any stage of the writing process.Please review the Writing Center’s site for information on how to register for an appointment and what toexpect. When you visit the Writing Center be prepared to ask and answer questions about your writing. It is alsohelpful for you to bring a copy of your assignment and any work you've completed so far.

Academic Integrity Polocies

Academic integrity is a fundamental value of higher education and Alfred State College; therefore, I will nottolerate acts of cheating, plagiarism, falsification or attempts to cheat, plagiarize, or falsify. If I becomeaware of academic integrity violations, I will follow the procedures outlined in the college’s academicintegrity code. Penalties for violating the Academic Integrity code include grade penalties up to andincluding an F for the course. If you have any questions about my policy or what might constitute a violation in the class, please contact me.Review the Academic Integrity policies and procedures online at http://www.alfredstate.edu/academic-integrity-codehttp://www.alfredstate.edu/academic-integrity-code. Be aware that the writing you do for this course must be your work and, primarily, your words. It isacceptable to incorporate the words or ideas of others in support of your ideas, but when you do so, youshould be sure to cite the source appropriately. We will talk about citing and avoiding plagiarism duringthe course. Penalties for plagiarism are severe—if I become aware of any intentional attempt to plagiarize (e.g.knowingly submitting someone else’s work as your own, downloading a paper from the Internet, etc.), youmay be given an “F” for the assignment (and possibly the course) and a report may be filed in writing tothe Chair of the Academic Integrity Committee and the course’s department chair. Use of turnitin.com will be used in this class as a means of identifying, understanding, and correctingpotential and actual academic dishonesty like plagiarism.

Writing Center Hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Friday

9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The Alfred State College Student Code of Conduct and Principles of Community

I expect you to be open and honest with me and your classmates – but I also expectyou to treat each other, and each other’s writing and ideas, in a respectful, courteous,and collegial manner, even (and especially) when you consider yourself disagreeingwith the ideas of another. This is a skill that will serve you well for the rest of your life.Use the classroom as a place to hone it. Consider the Alfred State College Code of Conduct and Principles of Community assolid guidelines for classroom, academic, and community behavior.

Mobile DevicePolicyPlease silence or turn off mobile devices when you enter the classroom. We will regularlyuse computers or tablets, but mobile phones should be off unless otherwise indicated.Thank you.

Recording Devices

All extraneous devices (including, but not limited to, cell phones, tablets, desk tops,digital recorders, MP3 players, cameras) are not to be used during class instructionaltime unless the instructor authorizes their use for a class-related purpose. If permissionis extended, the device should only be used for the intended class-related exercise. Students may not (without permission) record or photograph classroom lectures ordiscussions without advance permission of the instructor. If permission is given by the professor, all students present in the class must be notifiedthat the recording may occur. Likewise, if the instructor elects to record the class, allstudents present in the class must be notified.

Accessibility

Alfred State College seeks to fully comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Studentsrequesting accommodation based on a covered disability must contact the Student Accessibility Office toverify the disability before any accommodations can occur. Their telephone number is 607-587-4506, andtheir email is ryanma@alfredstate.edu.

N.B. The syllabus and course calendar is subject to change. If changes occur, studentswill be notified in a timely manner.