• You will be able to write an effective expository, analytic and argumentative essay
• receive a grade of 7 to 10 on my scale
• You will be able to write an effective (receives a grade of 7 to 10) APA style10 page research paper 
• You will be able to consistently write effective in-class essays 
• TOEFL style = receive a grade 4 on the iBT TOEFL independent or integrated scale  
• Midterm & final = receive a grade of  8 on my scale
• You will be able to write English complex sentences free of fragments and run-on sentences.

Writing Assignments

Informal
Learning Log/short assignments -- (10%)

Formal
2 essays (12.5% each --> 25%)
2 TOEFL style in-class essays (5% each -->10%)
Midterm analytic essay (5%)
Final in-class argumentative essay (5%)
1 Research Paper (35%)

Quizzes (10%)


Writing Assignments:
You will post all your assignments for this class on the Blackboard section of the class website.Assignments you must post there include: Learning Log/Short Writing Assignments, Essays, and your Research Paper.


1. You will write Learning Logs and  short writing assignments.  These are single draft assignments. Short assignments are graded work (see explanation below), but Learning Logs are non-graded work (see explanation below).
   
   
2. You will write 6 essays .  
• 2 out-of-class essays  (1= expository; 1= analytic)  Final drafts of these essays must be word processed (double-spaced, font size 10 to 12, one inch margins, no extra space between paragraphs).  Previous drafts of essays as well as peer reviews must be turned in.
• 2 in-class TOEFL style essays (1 = independent; 1 = integrated) 
• 2 in-class written essay exams (1 = midterm; 1 = final). You may either word process or hand-write the mid-term and final essays, but if you choose to handwrite the essays, you need to bring a Blue Book in which to write them.
• Essays are graded work (see explanation below).

3. You will write one research paper. It will be approximately 10 pages long and will cite at least four sources according to the APA style sheet. You will write multiple drafts of the paper. You will receive a detailed assignment later in the semester. This is graded work (see explanation below). All drafts and research assignments should be posted on the class website
   

Throughout the semester, the instructor will conduct grammar lectures and in-class practice.  The material covered in these lectures/exercises will be reviewed as the instructor deems necessary in the form of announced and unannounced quizzes.

Grading Policies Work in this class is of two types in terms of grades: graded work and nongraded work.

Graded Work
You will receive grades on a 5 to 10 scale for graded assignments (10 is the highest possible mark; you are guaranteed 5 points even if your paper is not a passing assignment -- you will receive 0 points if you do not turn in an assignment).  Some graded assignments are essays, some are short writings, some are group and peer work, and some are quizzes. Writing assignments are graded in terms of content (clear presentation of ideas, well developed supporting material, and logical organization as required within the American academic writing style). See the High Advanced Writing Essay Scoring Scale for details about what your instructor looks for when grading an essay. However, "technical" aspects of writing such as grammar, punctuation, and spelling are important too. Therefore, if you make consistent technical errors in an assignment, you will be asked to turn in a correction sheet. If you are asked to write a correction sheet, you must write one within two weeks of an assignment being returned to you. If you fail to turn in a correction sheet, the content grade you received will be erased from my grade book and you will receive a zero grade (far worse than an F which is worth 5 points!)...so do your correction sheets!
• Students who are not happy with the content grade they receive on a written assignment are welcome to rewrite it. If you decide to rewrite an assignment to improve your content grade, you must fulfill two requirements:
• first, you must complete the rewrite within two weeks of receiving the graded assignment from the instructor;
• second, you must write a cover sheet for your rewrite.
• The cover sheet will have:
• your name,
• the name of the rewritten assignment,
• the date the original was returned to you, and
• the date that you are turning the rewrite into the instructor.
• In addition, you must include (at least) a paragraph that explains the weakness of the assignment you have chosen to re-write and
• (at least) a paragraph that explains how the rewrite eliminates this (these) weakness(es

Non Graded Work
Non-graded assignments are recorded as completed or not.  If an assignment is completed you will receive a  +  ,  x  ,  or   -  mark.  If you do not complete an nongraded assignment you will receive a zero.

Participation, Attendance and other Class Policies
While ELI policy states that you are allowed a maximum of four absences in this class, try not to miss any. In a writing class such as this, it is important to keep up with the assignments, so a missed class is not only a missed opportunity for you to learn but also a missed opportunity to get some work done.  Therefore, you are responsible for making up any work you miss because of an absence.
If you miss information given out during a class, look at the class website (http://mason.gmu.edu/~llmiller/Syllabi/AW/start.html) or ask a classmate for notes and/or if you can photocopy handouts (DO NOT ask you instructor for such information).

If you miss a quiz, YOU must contact the instructor and take the quiz or test BEFORE THE NEXT CLASS MEETING.  Failure to do so will result in a zero on the quiz or test.

If you miss a peer review session, you can not make it up in class; you must find another student who is willing to help you outside of class time.

You may turn in assignments late ONLY AFTER making arrangements with the instructor.  If you try to turn in work past a stated due date without having made arrangements to do so BEFORE HAND, the instructor reserves the right to neither accept nor grade the assignment.

• Class times are listed at the top of the page.  Students more than ten minutes late will receive half an absence.
  
• Turn off (or put into silent mode) all cell phones and other electronic devices before class begins.
  
• If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please see me and contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS) at 703-993-2474. All academic accom­modations must be arranged through ODS.


Page URL: http://mason.gmu.edu/~llmiller/Syllabi/AW/syllabus.html
Last updated: January 2010