Department of English, California State University at Stanislaus

“Writing is the most disciplined form of thinking; writing is the fundamental tool of the intellectual life.”
--Don Murray, The Craft of Revision

We hope our students will be active, involved participants who are interested in the world and in contemporary issues. Please come prepared to:

•        ask questions;
•        discuss readings;
•        debate (respectfully) with your teacher and peers;
•        learn your way around our library; and
•        meet with your writing instructor during office hours at least once during the semester.

General Educational Goals

The University’s goals for all general education courses, including English 1001/1002 and English 2000, are at http://rhet.csustan.edu/LDComp/General%20Education%20Goals.pdf

First-Year Composition Competencies

The competencies the English department undertakes to teach in English 1001/1002 are at http://rhet.csustan.edu/LDComp/Competencies%20Student%20Version.pdf

I have argued that learning to write really means more than just learning specific content, organizational or grammatical rules, rhetorical concepts, or writing processes---it means coming to attach to the self a set of writers’ roles, negotiating an understanding of the self as someone who uses writing for personally and socially important purposes.        --Robert E. Brooke, Writing and Sense of Self

Attendance

You should attend every class meeting, on time and fully prepared.  You should remain in class for the duration of the class period.  Attendance policies are determined by individual instructors and are stated in the course syllabus.  Students are responsible for all material and assignments missed because of absence or lateness.  *Note: many instructors have a “no late work accepted” policy.

Contacting Your Instructor

You may contact your instructor by e-mail, by leaving a message in your instructor’s mailbox, or by leaving a message in his or her voicemail.  Check your e-mail regularly for messages from your instructor or from the English Department. Please do not call your instructor at home unless s/he has expressly given the class permission to do so.

Grades

Your instructor sets the requirements and grading criteria for specific assignments.  You may choose the CREDIT/NO CREDIT grading option.

*Letter grades are not assigned in Intensive Learning Experience (ILE), ESL 1001, ESL 1005, or Writer’s Workshop (WW).

A = Achievement that is exceptional and unique

B = Achievement that is significantly above the level necessary to meet the requirements

C = Assignment meets the basic requirements in every respect

D = Assignment meets only some of the requirements and is worthy of credit

F = Assignment does not substantially meet the basic requirements

At the end of the term, if you want your instructor to notify you of your final grade or return your final paper or other assignments to you, you should give your instructor a self-addressed envelope stamped with sufficient postage. Students may access their term grades at <http://www.csustan.edu/Admin_Services/Student> or through the Student Telephone Access Network (STAN) at (209) 664-7826.  Instructions for use of the STAN system are included in the Schedule of Classes.

Progress Reports in Developmental Writing Courses

Non-Native Speakers

ESL 1000 and 1005 use smaller classes taught by instructors who are very knowledgeable about the writing difficulties that non-native speakers face.  There are also trained tutors available in the Writing Center who specialize in assisting non-native speakers.

One-Year Mandatory Remediation

First-time entering freshman who are placed in remedial courses must advance to a First-Year Composition Class (English 1001/1002) by the end of their first academic year of enrollment.  Students who do not meet this requirement may no longer be enrolled in the University.  For further questions please contact the office of First-Year Programs.

Portfolio Placement Readings

Advancement from ILE 1, ILE 2, ESL 1001, ESL 1005, and WW depends upon a student’s writing portfolio developed in the course and evaluated by two outside readers who are also writing instructors. Placement information will be sent directly to the students.

Computers

Instructors may require that you use a word processor or computer for some or all of your assignments. If you do not have access to the necessary equipment, you can use the University’s public computer labs. For lab information and a current schedule please go to: http://www.csustan.edu/oit/aits/LabsMain.htm

Incompletes

Grades of I (Incomplete) are not given except in the most extraordinary circumstances (for example, a medical emergency) and only if little of the course remains to be finished. A student must document the emergency and the student and teacher must make a written agreement concerning the conditions of the incomplete and keep it on file.

Scholastic Dishonesty

The English Department does not tolerate academic dishonesty in any form, including copying another student’s work, writing a paper for another student, submitting material written by someone else, or submitting the same paper for different classes without getting permission from the instructors, or inventing data for a paper.

The Writing Center

Please use the Writing Center, located in the Library Building , Rm. 112.  The center is staffed with professionals, trained graduate teaching assistants who teach composition courses, and undergraduate peer tutors who will help you get started on a paper process.  The peer tutors provide commentary on drafts and answer your questions about grammar and documentation. Tutors will not rewrite any part of your paper, and they will not edit or proofread for you. The Writing Center is not an editing or proofreading service; it is a place to learn. It’s best to make an appointment, but you may also drop in to see if a tutor is available. For appointments, call 667-3465.

Looking Ahead: The WPST

WPST stands for "Writing Proficiency Screening Test."  The English department recommends that you take this test in the second semester of your sophomore year or as soon as you have completed First-Year Composition and Critical Inquiry.  The WPST determines your readiness for Writing Proficiency (WP) courses that satisfy the University's Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement. You must pass the WPST before you can enroll in any Writing Proficiency (WP) course, in or out of your major, and before you graduate from the University.

What Does the WPST Consist Of?

The WPST is a test of your writing abilities. You will have an hour and a half to write one essay to demonstrate whether you can focus on and develop a topic in an organized essay. The writing prompt is always on a topic that requires no specialized information beyond common sense experience of life, and you must say something substantial about the subject. Merely generating correct sentences and giving back the question---or restating the question---is not enough. You must develop and sustain a main idea throughout the essay. A modest performance will get you through because the WPST is a screening test rather than a final competence indicator.

Support in passing the WPST: (1) Approximately two weeks before each test, there is a WPST Preparation Meeting where you can ask questions about the test, review sample essays, and discuss and practice general timed-test writing techniques. (2) The WPST Preparation Meeting for Spring Semester 2004 is on Wednesday, April 28 from 5:15 P.M. to 6:30 P.M. Free tutoring is available at the Writing Center , L-110.  (3) Once you receive your score, you can make an appointment to review your test with the WPST Coordinator.  Test reviews are held during the first week of the semester. Walk-in test reviews are available on days that school is in session during the coordinator’s office hours. Make an appointment by calling the WPST office.