English 15

English 15--02PW
(6 Months)

English15.02PW

General information

Syllabus

Research Links

Discussion Board

About Me

World Campus Course Site
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World Campus Course Site
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General Information

Welcome to the open-enrollment version of English 15! This is a supplementary webpage, designed to complement the World Campus course site. It will provide you with a quick overview of the course and syllabus as well as with a discussion forum in which you can "chat" with other students.

Course Objectives:

The aim of the course is to help you write with a sense of audience and purpose--how to use argumentative strategies effectively and persuasively, accommodating the values and views of the group of people you are writing to, without changing your own view in the process. In addition to those rhetorical skills, you will, through the readings, also become aware of how other writers use similar techniques to accentuate their point of view.

Required Texts:

Do not buy any edition other than the ones specified below!

To go to useful companions sites to the textbooks, just click on the book cover images.

Lunsford, Andrea and John Ruskiewicz. Everything's an Argument. Bedford/St. Martin's. Boston, New York: 2001. 2nd edition.

Selzer, Jack. Conversations: Readings For Writing. Pearson Custom Publishing. Boston: 2004. Special Edition for The Pennsylvania State University.

PennStatements. A collection of essays written by English 015 students.
Course Study Guide. English 15.02PW Edition. (the study guide can also be downloaded from the World Campus log-in site).

How to Order Books:

All the textbooks are available through MBS Direct (the "bookstore" used by Penn State's World Campus). You can either use the materials order form sent to you by Penn State or go to the MBS Direct Web Site (opens a new window--to get back to the original web page, just close the new window). You can also call MBS at 1-800-325-3252.

Writing Requirements:

You will have to submit seven lessons for this course. Lesson 1 consists of a questionnaire and action plan. All other lessons will contain 2-5 exercises, a proposal for the final paper, a rough draft for the final paper, and the final paper itself.

How to Submit Lessons:

You can submit your lessons either through surface mail, or the World Campus Site (this link will open a new window--to get back to the original web page, just close the new window) or via email at: INDLRN10@lists.psu.edu

Whichever route you prefer, please remember to submit each lesson as one, single document.

The Six Major Papers:

Starting with lesson 2, each lesson's exercises and assignments will lead up to one final paper, each of which will allow you to hone your rhetorical skills and audience accommodation techniques.

Lesson 2: Ad Analysis (about 1-2 pages, depending on whether you single or double-space)
For this paper you will look at and explain how an advertisement for a product or service uses appeals to reach out to its intended target audience.
Lesson 3: Exploratory Research Essay (about 2-4 pages, depending on whether you single or double-space)
For this essay you will practice using research to get your point across as well as how to refute research that does not support your point.
Lesson 4: Argumentative Definition (about 2-4 pages, depending on whether you single or double-space)
In this paper you will practise defining a controversial term in order to get your point of view across.
Lesson 5: Revision (length depends on original paper as well as on your revision techniques)
In this essay you will have a chance to revise (rework) a previously submitted paper.
Lesson 6: Evaluation (about 2-4 pages, depending on whether you single or double-space)
For this paper you will practise evaluating a person, policy, attitude, product, and so on, trying to convince your audience to agree with your judgment.
Lesson 7: Proposing a Change (about 2-4 pages, depending on whether you single or double-space)
In your last essay you will propose a concrete measure to be taken in order to fix a problem, trying to persuade your readers to prefer your solution over all others.

For a more detailed explanation of the papers you have to write for this course, see my Study Guide (also accessible at the World Campus Site).

Class Discussions:

In an on-campus course setting, we would discuss texts and each other's drafts in class. Such discussions are naturally difficult to imitate in a distance learning format, especially since not all of us have access to computers.

But I have provided you with a discussion forum on this site anyway, to allow you to get to know at least some of the other students and give you a chance to ask questions, discuss ideas and texts, and in general just "test the waters" for any paper topic you might be interested in--asking the other students what they think about the topic is a quick and easy way to find out about audience reactions without having to do research!!!!

Plagiarism:

None of my World Campus students so far have consciously plagiarized their papers, but since the very concept of "plagiarism" has grown more complicated in the age of electronic sources, please make sure you check the section on plagiarism in the Study Guide (also accessible at the World Campus Site).

Have fun in our class!!!!!!!

Welcome to the open-enrollment version of English 15! This is a supplementary webpage, designed to complement the World Campus course site. It will provide you with a quick overview of the course and syllabus as well as with a discussion forum in which you can "chat" with other students.

Course Objectives:

The aim of the course is to help you write with a sense of audience and purpose--how to use argumentative strategies effectively and persuasively, accommodating the values and views of the group of people you are writing to, without changing your own view in the process. In addition to those rhetorical skills, you will, through the readings, also become aware of how other writers use similar techniques to accentuate their point of view.

Required Texts:

Do not buy any edition other than the ones specified below!

To go to useful companions sites to the textbooks, just click on the book cover images.

Lunsford, Andrea and John Ruskiewicz. Everything's an Argument. Bedford/St. Martin's. Boston, New York: 2001. 2nd edition.
Selzer, Jack. Conversations: Readings For Writing. Pearson Custom Publishing. Boston: 2004. Special Edition for The Pennsylvania State University.
PennStatements. A collection of essays written by English 015 students.
Course Study Guide. English 15.02PW Edition. (the study guide can also be downloaded from the World Campus log-in site).

How to Order Books:

All the textbooks are available through MBS Direct (the "bookstore" used by Penn State's World Campus). You can either use the materials order form sent to you by Penn State or go to the MBS Direct Web Site (opens a new window--to get back to the original web page, just close the new window). You can also call MBS at 1-800-325-3252.

Writing Requirements:

You will have to submit seven lessons for this course. Lesson 1 consists of a questionnaire and action plan. All other lessons will contain 2-5 exercises, a proposal for the final paper, a rough draft for the final paper, and the final paper itself.

How to Submit Lessons:

You can submit your lessons either through surface mail, or the World Campus Site (this link will open a new window--to get back to the original web page, just close the new window) or via email at: INDLRN10@lists.psu.edu

Whichever route you prefer, please remember to submit each lesson as one, single document.

The Six Major Papers:

Starting with lesson 2, each lesson's exercises and assignments will lead up to one final paper, each of which will allow you to hone your rhetorical skills and audience accommodation techniques.

Lesson 2: Ad Analysis (about 1-2 pages, depending on whether you single or double-space)
For this paper you will look at and explain how an advertisement for a product or service uses appeals to reach out to its intended target audience.
Lesson 3: Exploratory Research Essay (about 2-4 pages, depending on whether you single or double-space)
For this essay you will practice using research to get your point across as well as how to refute research that does not support your point.
Lesson 4: Argumentative Definition (about 2-4 pages, depending on whether you single or double-space)
In this paper you will practise defining a controversial term in order to get your point of view across.
Lesson 5: Revision (length depends on original paper as well as on your revision techniques)
In this essay you will have a chance to revise (rework) a previously submitted paper.
Lesson 6: Evaluation (about 2-4 pages, depending on whether you single or double-space)
For this paper you will practise evaluating a person, policy, attitude, product, and so on, trying to convince your audience to agree with your judgment.
Lesson 7: Proposing a Change (about 2-4 pages, depending on whether you single or double-space)
In your last essay you will propose a concrete measure to be taken in order to fix a problem, trying to persuade your readers to prefer your solution over all others.

For a more detailed explanation of the papers you have to write for this course, see my Study Guide (also accessible at the World Campus Site).

Class Discussions:

In an on-campus course setting, we would discuss texts and each other's drafts in class. Such discussions are naturally difficult to imitate in a distance learning format, especially since not all of us have access to computers.

But I have provided you with a discussion forum on this site anyway, to allow you to get to know at least some of the other students and give you a chance to ask questions, discuss ideas and texts, and in general just "test the waters" for any paper topic you might be interested in--asking the other students what they think about the topic is a quick and easy way to find out about audience reactions without having to do research!!!!

Plagiarism:

None of my World Campus students so far have consciously plagiarized their papers, but since the very concept of "plagiarism" has grown more complicated in the age of electronic sources, please make sure you check the section on plagiarism in the Study Guide (also accessible at the World Campus Site).