IN 150

The Hero in Us All

Fall 2006

In addition to the books you buy for this course, supplementary reading material will be delivered to you in a course packet and/or may be distributed throughout the semester. After the sixth week of class, your university account will be billed for the cost of these necessary materials.

All students are required to have in their possession a copy of each textbook for this class during the time the text is being covered on the syllabus. Students may not share textbooks with others in the same class. Purchasing textbooks is a required part of the learning process in higher education. To demonstrate that you are a close, critical reader of your texts, you should highlight important passages and write annotations within/beside the text in your books to assist in your learning processes.

In this IN150, we will explore the notion and sometimes misconceptions of the term “hero.” By reading, writing, discussing, and reflecting on the different definitions of a hero as well as looking at some of our own personal heroes, students will be challenged to uncover the heroic qualities within themselves. Our primary focus, though, will be on critical reading of these texts and effective academic writing. Because writing texts cannot be separated from reading and thinking about text, those challenges will draw not only on your writing skills, but also on your critical thinking and reading abilities. The best way to develop and hone these skills is to read, write, and think together as an academic writing community. Therefore, in this course, you will engage in reading, writing, and thinking critically about various kinds of texts. Peer evaluations and group work will be used extensively. First and foremost, though, this is a writing course so we will be doing a large amount of writing.

General Bulletin Course Descriptions: Critical Writing, Reading & Research I is designed to develop students as critical writers, readers, and researchers. Emphasis is placed on writing and reading as the path to critical thinking. Students are asked read and critique texts actively, deliberately, and carefully, to write polished, informed essays for personal, public, and/or specialized audiences, and to reflect on the uses of reading and writing in their public and personal lives to better understand themselves, their communities, and the world. Library research component is introduced and integrated into the course. Section offerings vary in approach.

The CWRR Program is in partnership with the University Seminar (IN140). Both courses are a part of the MPSL interdepartmental sequential elements required of all students completing four-year degrees at Millikin University. This Fall semester, your classmates in our section CWRRI are also enrolled in the same section of the IN140 University Seminar. We call this the IN140/150 cohort. The cohort will help you to make the transition from high school to college academics. Your IN140 professor and I will be communicating with one another about the course assignments, syllabi, readings, classroom activities, curricular events and other class matters. We will work together to make your first-year experience here at Millikin the best it can be. If you have any questions about the cohort feel free to approach myself or your IN140 instructor for help.

Requirements: Written papers: We will write three essays this semester. Each paper is worth 100 points. A portion of each paper also includes peer review and the process of writing the paper, thus drafts and plan sheets need to be turned in with each paper. Papers will be graded on focus, organization, development, style and awareness of audience, mechanics, and process. All papers are to be typed double-spaced and your name, class and section number placed in the upper left-hand corner. Please be aware that I generally do not accept late papers. Also, all papers must be completed to pass this class.

Here are some general principles. An assignment is late if it is not ready at the start of class: printed and with all of the necessary drafts included. If you do not attend class and then deliver a paper at the end of the session (or later in the day), that assignment is already late. If you have completed an assignment on time but cannot attend class because of an emergency, e-mail the paper to me as an MS Word attachment. If multiple drafts are due, bring those to the next class, or you will not receive credit for your work. Please do not leave your work with the Department Secretary or slide it under my office door, unless we make specific arrangements for that.

Some situations, however, are not emergencies. The mechanics of printing papers is a part of the writing process; allow time for possible printer, disk, or network muddles. Avoiding last-minute print-jobs significantly minimizes these troubles. Get to know your programs, your personal computer, and the limitations of the computer labs on campus.

Response papers: You will write a reading response to three selected readings. This is worth 25 points each for a total of 75 points. More about this later.

Pop quiz: Periodically I will give a quiz on the assigned reading. This is worth 25 points.

Class Attendance: Attendance is required. Interaction among members of the class is vital to the learning experience; if you aren’t here, it can’t happen. With the exception of rare and extreme circumstances, I do not distinguish among kinds of absences for attendance purposes. Contact or see me immediately if rare and extreme circumstances arise which will affect your class attendance.

You are expected to be present every day your class meets, but to accommodate accidents, illnesses, and emergencies, I allow 2 absences without penalty. Absences beyond this limit is considered excessive and result in grade reductions. Reductions will be taken on a percentage basis from the total number of points possible in the course. Students are expected to arrive in class on time in order to be counted present.

For TTH classes, the following policy will apply: you may miss 2 times without an automatic grade reduction; 3 absences = a final grade reduction of 7.5%; 4 absences = a final grade reduction of 15%; 5 absences = final grade reduction of 22.5%; 6 or more absences = failure of the course.

CWRR Artifact Collection

The CWRR Program collects writing from each CWRR section to help with assessing the program. Submitting this writing artifact is a requirement for this course. You will not receive a grade for the course if you do not submit all requested CWRR artifacts.

All students are expected to uphold professional standards for academic honesty and integrity in their research, writing and related performances. Academic honesty is the standard we expect from all students. Read the Student Handbook for further explanation (available on the Millikin University web site). Staley Library also hosts a web site on Preventing Plagiarism, which includes the complete university policy. It is located at: http://www.millikin.edu/staley/prevent_plagiarism.html. Visit and carefully read the Preventing Plagiarism web site.

If you submit work that is not your own, that is, plagiarized or copied from any source without proper citation, or if you are caught cheating on any assignment, you will fail the assignment and you may fail the course. In addition, the Registrar and the Office of Student Services will be notified so that they can take action according to university policy, which means that you may be dismissed from the academic program and university. If you have difficulty with any assignment in this course, please see me rather than consider academic dishonesty.

Academic Dishonesty will not be tolerated at Millikin University. The following apply specifically to academic misconduct in this course:

• Plagiarism: The appropriation, theft, purchase, or obtaining by any means another’s work, and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of that work as one’s own. Appropriation includes the quoting or paraphrasing of another’s work without giving credit.

• Fabrication/Falsification: Unauthorized alteration or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise. Falsification involves altering information for use in any academic exercise. Fabrication involves inventing or counterfeiting information for use in any academic exercise.

• Multiple Submissions: The submission by the same individual of substantial portions of the same work (including oral reports) for credit more than once in the same or another course without authorization.

• Complicity in academic misconduct: Helping another to commit an act of academic misconduct.

Turnitin.com may be useful to students in addressing any plagiarism concerns they may have. Millikin University students may learn more about how to properly cite sources and maintain the highest degree of academic integrity with the Turnitin online program. All Millikin University faculty may, at their discretion, use Turnitin.

As you can see, you can receive a total of 400 points. Grade will be assigned as followed:

Expectations for Classroom Behavior

Faculty members have the responsibility and the authority to maintain a productive educational environment in the classroom. It is the responsibility of the student to practice conduct conducive to learning by being prepared, prompt, attentive, and courteous in the classroom and by accepting policies set forth by the professor to maintain an academic decorum.

Acceptable classroom behavior is behavior that encourages critical inquiry and thought and promotes a shared community of learners. Focused attention on the tasks at hand and respect for fellow peers are expected. During classroom discussions and presentations, you need to listen carefully to others and be prepared to add relevant insight and responses.

Behavior that repeatedly interferes with my ability to teach class or the ability of other students to benefit from the instructional program include: constant idle chit-chat, idleness, irrelevant use of computers, routine late arrival or early departure, inappropriate interruptions (such as back-pack shuffling or cell phone use), use of threatening language and personal insults toward the professor or other students. This behavior is inappropriate and will be subject to appropriate disciplinary measures.

Also, cell phones are to be turned off. If cell phones ring in class, I will confiscate it till the end of class. (I have also been known to answer them.)

Writing Center

You can receive valuable help with your writing by visiting Millikin’s Writing Center. The Writing Center is a free, one-on-one service that helps you develop global strategies for improving writing, reading, and critical thinking processes in a friendly, relaxed, and supportive environment. The Writing Center helps with all aspects of writing, from brainstorming for ideas to overcoming writer’s block, to the final editing and proofreading strategies, as well as advice for drafting, expanding and organizing your writing. The Center also offers help with proper documentation style and plagiarism concerns. While you [may/are required] to visit the Writing Center for this course, do not limit yourself to those visits; the Writing Center is used by all students in need of help with writing assignments from any course. Remember to bring with you your assignment sheet and/or your draft for each of your writing projects. The Center is located on the second floor of the Library in Room 203. Although walk-ins are accepted, scheduled appointments have priority and are recommended. Call or email for an appointment at 424-6353 or wcenter@mail.millikin.edu.

Please address any special needs or special accommodations with me at the beginning of the semester or as soon as you become aware of your needs. If you are seeking classroom accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, you should submit your documentation to the Office of Academic Development at Millikin University, currently located in Shilling room 205.

Disclaimer: If necessary, the syllabus can change, so if you feel we are going too fast or too slow, tell me and we can change things.