Course: English Composition Instructor: Dr. Julie Barak

To develop a writing habit. 2) To practice several skills and techniques that are helpful in various stages of the writing process: pre-writing, drafting, revising, and editing. 3) To develop the ability to respond analytically and critically to the writing of others -- both peers and professionals. 4) To learn to accept and to respond in writing and through re-writing to others' comments about your work. 5) To practice the following critical thinking strategies: a) Identifying and differentiating questions, problems and arguments, b) Evaluating the appropriateness of various methods of reasoning and verification, c) Identifying and assessing stated and unstated assumptions, d) Critically comparing different points of view, e) Formulating questions and problems, f) Constructing and developing cogent arguments, g) Discussing alternative points of view, h) Evaluating the quality of evidence and reasoning.

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Course Methods/Description:

The course is designed as a writing/reading workshop. We will spend our days in class writing, reading our writing out loud, and discussing that writing. We will also read and discuss the work of several published writers. In order to be a successful member of this class, you must be prepared to write daily in and out of class, to read your work out loud to small groups of your classmates and to the class as a whole, to comment thoughtfully on the writing of others, and to accept and respond to others' comments about your own work. Participation in all of these activities is required from all members of the course. If you opt not to participate in the writing, sharing, or responding, you will fail the class.

Writing is a craft we can learn. It is also a means of exploring ourselves, our relationships with others and with our world. Writing is a mind-expanding, exciting, risky business. Let's all take up the challenge of living a writer's life this semester. It will be worth the effort!

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Texts and other Expenses:

Axelrod, Rise B. and Charles R. Cooper. Reading Critically/Writing Well. 6^th edition.

Lundsford, Andrea A. Easy Writer. 2^nd edition.

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Requirments:

Papers: Seven essays as assigned: 1)observation, 2) reflection, 3) explaining concepts, 4) evaluation, 5) speculating about cause and effect, 6) proposal for solving a problem, and 7) position. The first 3 papers are short (2-3 pages). Papers 4 & 5 are a little longer (4-5 pages). The final two essays – 6 & 7 – are more developed (6-7 pages). Each essay must be accompanied by a letter reflecting on what you have learned about the particular mode of writing that was the focus of the assignment. (Essays 1-3 worth 4% each, 4-5 worth 6% each, 6-7 each worth 12% of your final grade.)

Fourteen Journals:

Seven journal entries reflecting on the assigned reading. These journals should comment on the writer’s method of development, use of sources, style of presentation, and effectiveness of argument. They might also discuss how your writing compares to the writer(s) under surveillance. One single-spaced page. Click here for reading journal assignments. Click here for sample reading journal.

Seven journal entries reflecting on the discussions of the readings. These journals should reflect upon the points other students raised about the readings, the ways our discussion evolved and developed, the ways your thoughts about the type of writing under investigation are developing. One single-spaced page. Click here for sample discussion journal. (Each journal entry is worth 3% of your final grade.)

Issue Presentations: Twice during the semester you will be assigned a topic for research and debate. You and your partner must begin your discussion of the assigned topic with a presentation of/reading of arguments about the issue from different sources/points of view. Follow this up with a statement of your own opinion, backed up by your reasons for holding that opinion. Find a way to challenge the class to respond to and engage with your issue. Finally, open the floor for discussion. Your grade will be based on whether or not you present at least two views or sides of the issue, on whether or not you support your own opinion with references to independent evidence, and, at least partially, on how successfully you provoke discussion of the issue you are assigned. (Each presentation is worth 5% of your final grade.)

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Attendance and Participation:

I will make every effort to attend each class and to be well prepared; I expect you to do the same. In order to share your responses and to help us construct a shared meaning of the texts we’ll read and write, you have to be here and participate in the discussions. Because life can get complicated, everybody gets three free absences. After three absences, your attendance/participation grade is lowered by one letter grade for each absence. (Possible letter grades for this category are A, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, etc.) Let’s say that your final grade for the semester is a B. If you’ve missed 6 classes, that grade will be lowered by 3 letter grades to a C.

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Timeliness:

Late essays and journals will be accepted, but they will be penalized. Every day (that means every day of the week, not every class meeting day) your essay or journal is late, your grade for the assignment will drop one whole letter grade. Do your work ahead of time. Print your essay or response out the night BEFORE it's due. Don't wait until the last minute to dash something off. Be sure you back up all the work you do on your computer so that you have a copy on your hard drive and a copy on disk. I will not accept excuses of ANY sort for late work – computer, printer, and disk problems included. If you don't bring work to the workshops (thesis statements and drafts), I will count you as absent for that day. See above attendance policy to determine the effect this will have on your final grade.

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See catalogue for College policies on Academic Honesty (page 34) and Disability Provisions (page 26).

Schedule/Due Dates

Date				Activity	Assignment Due
Week 1		Aug. 18		Introductions Goals
20				Writing about Writing and Discussion Model Issue Presentation
22				Read Chapter 3	Journal Due
Week 2	25			Meta-Discussion – Chapter 3	Journal Due
27				Thesis Workshop	Thesis Due
29				Draft Workshop	Draft Due
Week 3	Sep. 01			Labor Day – No class
03				Grammar Workshop
05				Issue Presentations	Paper #1 Due
Week 4	08			Read Chapter 4	Journal Due
10				Meta-Discussion – Chapter 4	Journal Due
12				Thesis Workshop	Thesis Due
Week 5	15			Draft Workshop	Draft Due
17				Grammar Day
19				Issue Presentations	Paper #2 Due
Week 6	22			Read Chapter 5	Journal Due
24				Meta-Discussion – Chapter 5	Journal Due
26				Thesis Workshop	Thesis Due
Week 7	29			Draft Workshop	Draft Due
Oct. 01				Issue Presentations	Paper #3 Due
03				Read Chapter 6	Journal Due
Week 8	06			Meta-Discussion – Chapter 6	Journal Due
08				Thesis Workshop	Thesis Due
10				Draft Workshop	Draft Due
Week 9	13			Fall Break – No Class
15				Issue Presentations	Paper #4 Due
17				Read Chapter 7	Journal Due
Week 10			20	Meta-Discussion – Chapter 7	Journal Due
22				Thesis Workshop	Thesis Due
24				Draft Workshop	Draft Due
Week 11			27	Issue Presentations	Paper #5 Due
29				Read Chapter 8	Journal Due
31				Meta-Discussion – Chapter 8	Journal Due
Week 12			Nov. 03	Thesis Workshop	Thesis Due
05				Conferences
07				Conferences
Week 13			10	Draft Workshop	Draft Due
12				Issue Presentations	Paper #6 Due
14				Read Chapter 9	Journal Due
Week 14			17	Meta-Discussion – Chapter 9	Journal Due
19				Thesis Workshop	Thesis Due
21				Conferences
Week 15			24	Conferences
26				Thanksgiving – No Class
28				Thanksgiving – No Class
Week 16			Dec. 01	Draft Workshop	Draft Due
03				Conferences – Optional
05				Conferences – Optional
Week 18			08	Exam Time – 10:00	Paper #7 Due

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Course: English Composition Instructor: Dr. Julie Barak

Assignment Due