UWC2101D: Selves and Cities

Required Texts

• Harvey, Gordon. Writing with Sources. Indianapolis/Cambridge: Hacket Publishing Company, 1998. I'll hand this book out in class, compliments of the programme.
• Booth, Wayne. The Craft of Research. Chicago: The U of Chicago P, 1995. This book is available at the NUS Co-op.
• Crane, Stephen. Maggie: Girl of the Streets. New York: Fawcett Gold Medal, 1960. This book is available at the NUS Co-op.
• Course Packet for USPWP11, available for loan and copying from the Scholars Programme Reading Room.
• Online readings as specified in the Course Schedule. You are responsible for making hardcopies of these readings and bringing them to class. Please number the paragraphs for reference during class discussions.

In addition there are a number of useful books on our topic available for your perusal in the Reading Room.

Course Requirements

• A 3 page essay (Unit 1).
• A 4-5 page essay (Unit 2).
• An 5-6 page essay (Unit 3).
• An oral presentation.
• Several short writing activities that build towards the three essays.
• Attendance at seminars twice a week.
• Participation in peer review exercises.
• Three individual (student-teacher) writing conferences (one for each unit).

Manuscript Form

Please follow these guidelines.

• Please use the MLA documentation style. For explanation and examples see Gordon Harvey's Writing with Sources, 37-39.
• All essays and writing activities should be double-spaced and printed in size 12 font.
• Use a 1-inch margin on all sides, with no justification on the right.
• For all papers and exercises, insert in a single-spaced block in the upper left-hand corner of your first page:

  Your name.
  The course code and title [USWP11: Selves and Cities].
  The title of the paper or exercise (indicate which draft it is).
  The date.

• Center your title two double spaces beneath this single-spaced block of information. (Please do not include a separate title page.) Begin your opening paragraph two double spaces beneath your title. Indent each new paragraph 5 spaces and do not put extra spaces between paragraphs. Number your pages and staple them together.
• Always turn in the first draft of your essay (the one with my comments on it) along with your final version.
• Hand in the final copy of your paper in class on the due date, and send me a soft copy as well.
• Staple your pages together. If you are submitting your work electronically, then please attach all three documents to the same email message.
• Proofread your work carefully after you've checked the spelling: the computer doesn't know that you meant to rather than too.
• Keep a back-up copy of your work.

Failure to adhere to these formatting conventions will result in a lowered grade.

Grading

Your final grade will be calculated from the grades you receive on your essays and oral presentation, with consideration given to your active participation in seminars, conferences, and your timely completion of writing assignments. The first essay is worth 25% of your overall grade, the second 30%, and the third 35%. Participation is worth 10%. I will not accept late work for grading.

In general, in your essays and oral-presentation you should strive to:

• find a genuine question to pursue;
• convey why this question is worth asking (motive);
• indicate in the first several paragraophs how you'll answer it (thesis);
• argue your case logically using precise evidence from your sources;
• define key terms and concepts;
• write effective sentences that clearly and concisely communicate your thoughts;
• include citations and a "works cited" page that follows MLA documentation style.

A    work possesses all of the above qualities and is a delight to read.
B    work demonstrates most of the above qualities. Still needs polish.
C    work demonstrates less than half of the above qualities.
D or F    work is seriously deficient.

Attendance

Prompt attendance at class meetings is mandatory. You are allowed two unexcused absences. A third absence will require you to offer an explanation to the Dean of the University Scholars Programme. Dismissal from the course or a failing grade may result. A few excused absences due to illness, family crisis and emergencies, or official university events will be permitted if documented to my satisfaction (for instance, a medical certificate, a letter from your parents, or a letter from the Dean of your faculty). If you know in advance that you will be absent for an extended period of time (with the appropriate documentation), please come and talk to me about the problem or situation you are facing.

Students with absences are not excused from the work assigned for a class session. It is your responsibility to contact me by email, by phone, or by appointment, to make up anything you have missed.

Deadlines

Because this module is a planned sequence of writing, and all the essays build on each other, you must write all three essays on schedule. Thus, all deadlines in the module are firm: I will not accept late work for grading. If you have a legitimate reason for missing a deadline, contact me before the due date of the assignment, providing the necessary documentation--from your doctor in the case of a medical emergency; your parents in the case of a family emergency; or the Dean of your Faculty in the case of other university commitments. Falling behind may warrant exclusion from the course if there is not a legitimate medical or family emergency.

Plagiarism