Dr. Mary E. Martin                                                          E-mail: martinme@winthrop.edu

Bancroft 208               Website:http://faculty.winthrop.edu/martinme

Office Phone: 323-4554   

Office Hours:  M 11-12:30; TR 2:00-3:30, and by appointment

Class Meeting:  MW 9:30-10:45 PM, Owens 101                                                       

Critical Reading, Thinking and Writing

CRTW 201-015, 3 credit hours

spring 2012

Texts:

1. Nosich, Gerald. Learning to Think Things Through. 4th ed.

2. Harris, Muriel, ed. Prentice Hall Reference Guide to Grammar and Usage. 3rd ^custom   ed.

3. Mate, Gabor, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, North Atlantic Books.

*You will also need two folders with pockets, any color but not plastic or vinyl.

Course Goals/

Outcomes

!               To learn that the complex process of critical thinking is a part of all we do and that the process relies on such skills as observing, speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

!               To use writing, reading, speaking, and critical thinking to foster general cognitive development and  intellectual growth in an academic environment.

!               To recognize critical thinking and problem solving strategies in different academic disciplines.

!               To evaluate arguments, evidence, and the contexts in which they appear.

!               To prepare for writing by carefully analyzing evidence.

!               To plan, organize, and develop essays based on introspection, general observation, deliberation, research, and the critical reading of mature prose texts drawn from varied disciplines.

!               To learn to revise effectively by completely rethinking, restructuring, and rewriting essays.

!               To recognize individual writing voices and learn how those voices can be adapted to fit different audiences and rhetorical situations.

!               To improve oral communication skills through classroom discussions and small group activities.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Knowledge: By the end of the semester, students will be able to

!               identify and define the elements of reasoning

!               identify and define the standards of reasoning

!               identify and define the character traits of a critical thinker

         identify and define filters, barriers, and impediments to critical thinking

Skills: By the end of the semester, students will be able to

!               apply the elements of reasoning to analyze their own thinking and the thinking of others

!               apply the standards of reasoning to analyze their own thinking and the thinking of others

!               use critical reading strategies to analyze a variety of texts

!               plan, draft, and revise critical writing in a variety of rhetorical contexts and disciplines

Attitudes:  By the end of the semester, students will be able to

!               integrate critical thinking character traits into their academic and personal lives

         recognize and appreciate the differences between critical and noncritical thinking in both themselves and others.

TOUCHSTONE/GNED GOALS:  This course meets the following Touchstone goals:

See a complete listing of course goals for the Department of English at http://www.winthrop.edu/cas/english/default.aspx?id=20751  

Course Requirements:

Final Exam schedule:

MW 9:30 class--3:00 PM,TUESDAY, May 1.

     Winthrop University policy requires that all classes meet during their final examination period.  Winthrop University policy specifies that personal conflicts such as travel plans and work schedules do not warrant a change in the examination time.     

      Remember, In order to receive credit for this class, you must--

1. Complete all assignments.

2. Bring your books to class and engage critical reading strategies in order to understand what you are reading.

3.  Not miss more than four classes.

Grading Standards:

A description of letter grades for writing assignments can be found at 

http://www.winthrop.edu/english/rubric.htm.

 Grades will be based on the following scale:  94-100=A, 91-93= A-, 88-90=B+, 80-87=B, 81-83=B-, 78-80=C+, 74-77=C, 71-73=C-, 68-70=D+, 64-67=D, 61-63=D-, 0-60=F.

Plagiarism Policy:

Please review the English Department’s policy on the Correct Use of Borrowed Information at http://www.winthrop.edu/cas/english/default.aspx?id=21084  You are responsible for reviewing the Code of Student Conduct in your Student Handbook and the description of plagiarism in The Prentice-Hall Reference Guide to Grammar and Usage and handling source materials correctly. The University Judicial Policy on Plagiarism is explained at http://www.winthrop.edu/studentaffairs/Judicial/judcode.htm under section V, “Academic Misconduct.”

The offense of plagiarism will result in failure of the class.

Attendance Policy

and Class Behavior Guidelines

Students are expected to attend class.  An absence for any reason will count as a class missed.  Students who arrive to class late must check with me at the end of the class.  Three absences will lower the student’s final grade by 10%.  More than four absences will result in failure of the course.

Please turn off cell phones and keep them off your desk.  Anyone observed using his/her cell phone will receive an absence for the day. Anyone caught sleeping in class will receive an absence for the day.

Be prepared to stay in class for the entirety of the class.  If you have an emergency and must leave, inform me before you leave.

Student Code of Conduct statement:  As noted in the Student Conduct Code: "Responsibility for good conduct rests with students as adult individuals."  The policy on student academic misconduct is outlined in "The Student Conduct Code Academic Misconduct Policy" online at http://www2.winthrop.edu/studentaffairs/handbook/StudentHandbook.pdf.

Other Guidelines

Paper Preparation:   all out of class papers, unless otherwise directed, should follow MLA style demonstrated in the Prentice Hall Guide.  Papers must be evenly double-spaced with a one inch margin on all sides. Refer to page 449 in the current Prentice Hall for a template of the first page; no extra cover sheet is necessary.

Due Dates:  Hard copies of all assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date unless due dates fall on a Friday; then you have until 5:00 PM on Friday to drop the paper by my office.  late papers will be penalized one letter for every class day late.  Please see me ahead of any due dates if your are having trouble completing the assignments.

I expect to see visible signs you are completing assigned work, such as annotations in your book, note-taking in class, reading notes, etc.  Failure to complete assigned work will significantly lower your class participation grade.  Employing these visible signs can improve your success in the class.

Turnitin.com Policy:  We will be using www.turnitin.com this semester for all out of class papers;  I will provide more information on that closer to the dates of those assignments.  Papers not submitted to turnitin will not receive a grade.

Syllabus Change Policy:   The policy posted on my class web page is the most up-to-date one and will be the one to resolve any questions or issues.  The calendar may change as the course progresses, so please check the current assignments frequently on my website.

Technology Requirements

I conduct much of class business with students using e-mail.  If you do not have  an e-mail account, go to  15 Tillman immediately  to set it up.  All class

e-mail will be sent to your campus e-mail address, so make sure you set it to forward to any off-campus account you use (e.g. Comporium, AOL, Yahoo!, etc.) You must have a working Winthrop POBox e-mail address by September 7, 2011.        

Disabilities