Norma McDuffie

Bancroft 214

Email:  mcduffien@winthrop.edu

Office Phone:  323-4631

Web:  faculty.winthrop.edu/mcduffien/

Office Hours:  MWF 11:00 – 12:00 or by appointment

CRTW 201-002  MWF 10:00-10:50  Owens Hall 207

CRTW 201-017  MWF 12:00-12:50  Owens Hall 207

Critical Reading, Thinking and Writing

Spring 2008

Texts

Nosich, Gerald. Learning to Think Things Through 2^nd ed. Prentice Hall.

Harris, Muriel, ed. Prentice Hall Reference Guide to Grammar and Usage.   6^th ed. Prentice Hall.

Schlosser, Eric.  Fast Food Nation:  The Dark Side of the All-American Meal.  Harper Perennial. 

Course Goals

1. 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, listening, reading, and writing.

2. To use writing, reading, speaking, and critical thinking to foster intellectual growth in an academic environment.

3. To recognize critical thinking and problem solving strategies in different academic disciplines and for different audiences.

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

5. To prepare for writing by carefully analyzing evidence.

6. 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.

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

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

9. To improve oral communications skills through class discussions and small group activities.

See a complete listing of course goals for the Department of English at http://www.winthrop.edu/english/goals/index.htm. Goals for teacher certification majors are listed at http://www.winthrop.edu/english/goals.htm#englished.

Assignment

% of Grade

Paper 1

20

Papers 2 – In class writing assignment

15

Paper 3

15

Paper 4 - Researched Argument

20

Class Participation and Pop Quizzes

10

Group Projects

10

Final Exam

10

Grading Standards

A description of letter grades for writing assignments can be found at http://www.winthrop.edu/english/rubric.htm.

Plagiarism Policy

Please review the English Department’s policy on Using Borrowed Information at http://www.winthrop.edu/english/plagiarism.htm. 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. If you turn in plagiarized work, I reserve the right to assign you a failing grade for the course. The University Policy on Plagiarism is explained at http://www.winthrop.edu/studentaffairs/Judicial/judcode.htm under section V, "Academic Misconduct."

Documentation

All work in this class that uses outside sources must be documented correctly in the MLA documentation style or other style approved by your instructor.

Turnitin.com Policy

We will be using www.turnitin.com this semester; I will provide more information on that closer to the dates of those assignments. Papers not submitted to www.turnitin.com will not be graded.

Attendance Policy

Students who are tardy to class must see me after class or the tardy will count as an absence. Two tardies count as one absence. Students are responsible for any material discussed during their absence.  

Late Paper/Assignment Policies

Because I do not accept work late and because all assignments must be turned in to pass this course, failure to turn in any single assignment at the beginning of class on the date it is due will result in failure of this course.

Storage of Graded Papers

At the end of the semester, students' original graded papers must be filed in the department's storage room. The department keeps all students' papers from the course. If you want copies of your essays, make them before the end of the semester.

Accommodations

If you have a disability and need classroom accommodations, please contact Ms. Gena Smith, Coordinator, Services for Students with Disabilities, at 323-3290, as soon as possible. Once you have your professor notification letter, please notify me so that I am aware of your accommodations well before the first accommodated assignment is due.

I am available to help you outside of class meetings. My office hours are MWF 11:00 – 12:00 or you may schedule an appointment. The Writing Center is located in Bancroft 242. Students are encouraged to use the Writing Center throughout the semester.

Technology Requirements

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.