Syllabus
Objectives
The primary goal of FS 101 is to help first-year college students develop their skills in written and oral communication. These skills, central to any good college education, will prove invaluable to students in all their future endeavors. FS 101 students who work conscientiously to enhance both their writing and speaking abilities will be amply rewarded for their efforts, both at Allegheny College (better grades) and beyond (more effective and fulfilling careers and lives).
A secondary objective of FS 101 is to help students identify their academic goals at Allegheny College. Throughout the semester, we will engage in a number of activities (both in-class and out) to explore your interests. The goal, always, is to help you discover your passions and set you on the path towards excellence at Allegheny.
With these objectives in mind, it is worth taking a fresh look at the official description of FS 101:
FS 101: Descriptive Communication and Inquiry. An introduction to language, both written and oral, as a tool for exploration, description, and summary. Topics vary from section to section and cover a broad range of interdisciplinary areas. The course requires a variety of types of written work and oral presentations. Students begin development of the academic planning portfolio as part of FS 101, and the course instructor serves as the student's academic adviser. Classes are conducted primarily as discussion, though class time may be devoted to peer revision, oral commentary, group activities, and/or individual conferences.
(Objectives mostly lifted from here. I agreed with these objectives, so I lifted them. Not covered by site-wide CC license.)
Contact
If you have questions, they should first go to the course mailing list, which is bcit09 at rockalypse dot org. There are two reasons for this: someone else probably has the same question.
I try and remain on top of email during normal business hours. If I happen to answer your messages in the evening or on the weekend, you should count yourself among the most fortunate of all Allegheny students. If it takes me a day or two to get back to you, this is normal, and should be considered prompt in most all situations.
If you have a pressing question, you may contact me via IM, SMS, or phone. You should always start with email, and then try IM. SMS is preferable to a phone call, which should be reserved for near emergencies or particularly timely requests.
Office Hours
See the calendar. If my office hours do not work for you, we can schedule an appointment at another time.
Please try and make use of those office hours whenever possible.
Evaluation
The goal in FS101 is for you to further develop your writing and speaking skills. I have done my best to develop assignments that will aid in that process.
Evaluating Writing
All writing assignments will be evaluated using a common rubric. Further, assignments may be revised. However, no revision may take place without a discussion and collaborative planning session regarding how you are going to pursue revision. In short: either I or a peer leader will have to chat with you about your work before you're allowed to submit a revision.
To revise a piece of work, you must declare (via email) a due date that is within a week of when you received your assignment. Within that time, you must meet and discuss your revision plan and execute it. Failure to submit a revision by that time will leave you with your existing grade as your final grade.
Evaluating Participation
Your participation will likewise be evaluated—being actively engaged with the course is the only way you will derive any benefit from it. (Mercy—listening to me prattle on certainly won't serve any useful purpose.) To that end, I will be tracking your engagement during class (think tiny, secret spy cameras all over the room) and be assigning a participation grade at three points during the semester. My criteria are available online.
Grades
Your grade will be calculated as follows
| 10% | Participation. I will give you two interim participation grades. |
|---|---|
| 50% | Essays. The majority of your grade will come from your writing assignments, of which there are 5. They will be worth 10% each. |
| 20% | Presentations. We will do two presentations throughout the semester. They are worth 10% each, or the same value as a writing assignment. This should give you some sense for what it takes to prepare to give a presentation well. |
| 10% | Responses. Throughout the semester, I will ask you for a number of short responses—some of them will be short forms, some will involve some writing. They take (some) time, and have value, therefore they are reflected here. |
| 10% | Attendance. I will strive to make class time participatory/collaborative. This means that being in class is not a passive act of consumption that you can capture in notes alone, and therefore I expect you to be there to take part. Each unexcused class may be worth up to 3% off your final grade (eg. 3 missed classes equates to a letter grade). |
Any changes will be agreed upon by discussion with the class.
