1. Think Critically. Technically, I'm not here to teach you how to write—you already know how to do that or you wouldn't be in college. Instead, I'm here to teach you a particular kind of writing. Chances are that in high school you learned one kind of writing, perhaps a kind that valued intelligent and accurate summary or that stressed the formal control of a five-paragraph essay. One of the most important things to remember in this class is that you are learning a new kind of writing, one that focuses on critical thinking. After all, as you move on in your college career and out into the world, you won't be expected to write 5-6 page papers, but you will be expected (no matter the course, no matter the career) to be able to think critically.

2. Write Proficiently. You are expected to write clean prose—perhaps not beautiful prose and certainly not literary prose, but prose that is relatively free from error. Your papers should not have typographical errors, which only suggests carelessness. This is not my anal-rententivity; this is training for the professional world. You should also learn to recognize and avoid common grammatical errors (such as the misuse of the apostrophe) and, finally, you should be able to locate and correct your "patterns of error"—those errors you are prone to make again and again.

3. Learn collaboratively. This is not like most classes you will have at FAU. Our format is never based on lectures, nor are you expected to regurgitate facts from the readings. Rather, the class is founded on the idea that collaborative learning is inherently valuable. This, too, is a skill you will need in the professional world. We will often work in small groups, we will always explore the readings through discussion, and we will employ peer revision of our work.

• Ways of Reading, seventh edition
• Course readings distributed to the class
• The Concise Wadsworth Handbook package
• A folder to hold all of your work

In conference with me at the end of the semester, you will decide which of your first three papers should be worth 25%, which 20%, and which 10%.

Please Note:

• Students without a complete portfolio of writing cannot pass this class.
• The grading scale will be:

  • 100-94: A

    90-93: A-

    87-89: B+

    84-86: B

    80-83: B-

    77-79: C+

    74-76: C

• You must get a C or better to pass this class. Thus, for Gordon Rule purposes, any grade below a 73 is failing.

• Institutional
  • Gordon Rule: This is a "Gordon Rule" class, which means that you must write 6,000 words and achieve a grade of "C" (not C-minus) or better to receive credit. A student with a grade below C will not be permitted to proceed to ENC 1102. The formal papers and in-class writing will exceed 6,000 words.
  • Pagers or cellular phones should be turned off or not brought into the classroom. Radios, iPods, portable gaming systems, and other electronic media devices should not be used in the classroom. Disruptive behavior, as defined in the Student Handbook, will not be tolerated, and, if persisted in after admonition by the teacher, will be grounds for removal from the class. Disruptive behavior includes chronic lateness, leaving and re-entering the room while class is in session, and eating in class.
  • Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A): Students who require special arrangements to properly execute course work must register at the Office for Students with Disabilities at SU 133 (561-297-3880) and identify themselves to the instructor immediately after the first class meeting.
    
    
• Programmatic
  • More than two absences, excused or unexcused, will result in an F unless you successfully apply for a grade of W.
  • Students must abide by the University policy on plagiarism. Students who plagiarize work will fail this course and have a notation of academic irregularity placed on their transcripts.
    
    
• Personal
  • Rough and final drafts must be typed.
  • All work must be handed in both electronically and in print. Electronic copies can be sent via email or uploaded to our Blackboard site; printed copies may only be turned in during class.
  • One half a letter grade on the final paper will be deducted for late rough drafts, one full letter grade for late final drafts. Grades are deducted per class that work is late.

Plagiarism is a form of theft. It means presenting the work of someone else as though it were your own, that is, without properly acknowledging the source. Sources include published material and the unpublished work of other students. If you do not acknowledge the source, you show an intention to deceive.

Plagiarism is an extremely serious matter. If your instructor suspects that you have plagiarized all or part of any of your work, she or he has the right to submit that work to Turnitin, a plagiarism detection service.