English Composition II

On Civil Rights: A Cybercourse

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Keith Dorwick

Spring Semester, 1996

Catalog Description:

161 English Composition II.
3 Hours. Continuation of English 160, with instruction in the writing of papers reporting academic research. Sections are titled according to topics. Prerequisite: Engl 160 or the equivalent.

Texts:

Campbell, Dave and Mary. The Student's Guide to Doing Research on the Internet. Reading, MA: Addison-Welsey Publishing Company, 1995.

Cervone, Thea, et. al. Guide to Resources for UIC Students. 2nd ed. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing Company, 1994.

Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 4th ed. New York: MLA, 1995.

Some Helpful WWW pages:

Netscape page for New Webspinners

A Beginner's Guide to html

Computers: Internet: Beginner's Guides

Computers: World-Wide-Web: Beginner's Guides

[Logo: Writing for the World]Writing for the World: This collection of student papers includes work from all over the world including Australia and Japan.

Software:

html Assistant, freeware version of html Assistant.

Microsoft Internet Assistant, free add-on for Microsoft Word.

Assignments

Linear Paper:

4-6 typed double-spaced pages

Web(s):

At least 60 1 to 2 paragraph nodes, each with at least 11 links; students may design a number of webs, so long as there are at least 60 nodes

Grading Scale for the Web(s):

Quality/relevance of the links -- 30% of the grade
Content of the web -- 50%
Aesthetics of site -- 20%

Instructor's Note:

First, if you want to know more about me, you should look at my web site. If you don't know how to go to a web site, you will by the end of the first session.

Second, this course is going to be unlike most courses you've taken here at UIC. There are three major differences:

     
  1. An important part of the work of this course will be to design it. As a class, we will choose the topic for the course, collect readings on that subject from the Internet, work through them together, write about them, and, finally, write research papers that will expand on our topic. Together, we will design our course requirements and assignments, grading and evaluation policies, and other administrative matters. However, I will require that you write at least two essays, one a traditional (linear) text, and one for the World Wide Web (in hypertext and published for all users of the Internet to read).

    2.  

     
     
     

    [Image: Air Keyboard!]

  2. Most of the course will take place in cyberspace. Thus, students taking this class will have to learn a set of skills that -- though not part of the traditional research paper course -- will be very useful for you in future classes and in the rest of your careers. If you do not already know how, you will learn to e-mail, to transfer files, to write HyperText Markup Language (html), to work with e-mail lists, to post your own pages to the World Wide Web (WWW), and more. No one needs any computer experience whatsoever, and I will serve (among other roles) as your resource for computer questions during the semester.

    3.  

     
     
     
     
     

  3. The use of class time will also be different from most courses at UIC. Cyberspace classes need not necessarily meet face to face. Instead, they can meet in a virtual or on-line classroom. The primary meeting space for this class will be our private e-mail list for class members only, Engl161, here at UIC. (There may be some "lurkers," people reading the list but not participating, but only with the class's permission. In every case of this type, you will know who the lurkers are, and why they are looking in.)

    4.  

     
     
     

    Students may read and reply to messages on Engl161 at any time and on their own schedule; our class meeting times will be reserved for computer access, for office hours and consultations with the instructor, and for any face to face meetings needed by students to do the work of the class. This will be a good opportunity for people who need to work on their computer skills. I would anticipate that class work could be completed during class hours.

    Once we get the course running, your presence during face-to-face class sessions will not be required. However, you must attend all sessions until you have demonstrated sufficient computer skills to work on your own. Except as noted below, I will be present during our class time.

Virtual Office Hours:

I maintain a 24-hour virtual office at kdorwick@uic.edu. Instead of trying to call me at work or at home, you should e-mail me. You will be pleasantly surprised at how fast I respond to on-line questions and concerns. You can also always find me in class.

Attendance:

There are two attendance policies for the course -- except as noted below, students may choose the policy that best suits their needs:

In-Class Attendance:

Full attendance at all scheduled class sessions in Scailab. Students with four or more absences will have their grades lowered.

On-Line Attendance:

To be determined by the class, but face to face (physical) attendance during the scheduled class times will not be necessary.
Note:
Students can NOT opt for the on-line attendance policy until they have demonstrated their ability to complete the necessary computer skills to complete the course on their own:
 
 

The instructor will be available to help all students become computer literate. No computer experience is necessary for this course.

These tasks are required for the work of the course for all students, not just for students who wish to take this course on-line.

Notes:

Note 1:

html is the language that is used by the World Wide Web (WWW), the fastest growing section of the Internet. The WWW allows you to retrieve graphics, texts, film and audio clips, programs, etc., and html will be an increasingly important (read, lucrative) skill in the years to come.

Note 2:

Necessary Computer Skills

Note 3:

I will be out of town from February 13-18, 1996 and March 26-31, 1996 to attend two professional conferences. I may not have access to e-mail on those dates (though I hope to), and I hope to have Scailab open for you during regular class times.

Note 4:

Students never, ever believe me on this one. I promise to return e-mail within 12 hours. Usually, it's much faster. And I'm very patient during e-mail. As for phone calls, I hate returning phone calls, so it can be days before I get around to returning your phone call, assuming I got the message in the first place!

Glossary:

See http://odwin.ucsd.edu/glossary/others.html

Back to my Home Page?

Last Modified: February 26, 1996