| Goals | Methods | Texts |
| Requirements | Policies and Procedures | Assignment Schedule |
Course Goals: To examine, discuss, and practice composing various styles and modes of writing in order to develop the confidence, independence, and skills necessary to tackle virtually any writing task assigned in any college class. Smaller pieces of our task might include, but are not limited to, reading, thinking and writing critically about literature and other types of texts; discovering the steps in the research process and applying those steps in our own writing; summarizing, paraphrasing, quoting and citing source material without plagiarizing; eliminating distracting mechanical errors.
Course Methods: Two things are important about the course in terms of methods. First of all, the course is designed as a writing workshop. That means that we’ll spend most of our class time writing, reading, and talking about writing and/or reading. We’ll write about others’ writing, write about our own writing process, write about various subjects, read our own writing out loud in large and small groups, read others’ writing, and discuss everything! Second, I’ve chosen a topic to help us begin our reading/writing/conversing. That topic is the people, politics, history and culture of contemporary Japan. I hope that as you learn about Japan, you’ll make comparisons to the U.S. and branch off into reading and research that builds bridges between the two. Or, maybe, what you read about Japan will prompt you to ask some questions about U.S. customs, beliefs, policies, and habits that will shape a research project for you.
Required Texts:
Enchi, Fumiko. The Waiting Years.
Shakespeare, William. King Lear.
Fujimura Fanselow, Kumiko and Atsuko Kameda. Japanese Women: New
Feminist Perspectives on the Past, Present, and Future.
Other Expenses:
Occasional copies of your own writing for large and small group discussion.
1. Three Papers: One essay on King Lear (10%), one on The Waiting Years (15%), and one extended research paper that has its source in a chapter of Japanese Women (25%). More details about and explanation of these assignments will follow.
2. Writing Process Journal: This journal reflects on your writing process. In it, you might consider answering questions like the following: How does what I read affect what I write? What are the best circumstances for writing for me? Why am I struggling with a certain essay at this point? What are possibilities for moving beyond these struggles? What kind of revision is necessary in this piece of writing? What should I do next in this piece of writing? How do I feel about the feedback I’ve received about this essay? What do I want to accomplish with this text? Who is my reader and what do I want them to think or feel when they’ve concluded the piece? Where can I gather more details to support my thesis? How do I feel about other classmates’ writing? What would I do with that writing if it were mine? What did I learn about writing from an in-class exercise? As we go through the semester I’ll make more suggestions for the journals. Basically, though, this is the place to record your thoughts about your writing. Spend 15-20 minutes a day jotting down your thoughts, ideas, struggles, plans. (20%).
3. Literature Discussion Leadership: Twice during the semester you will be assigned to write a brief (2-3 page) response to one of the readings (one on the literature, one on the essays in Japanese Women). You will raise what you consider to be the most significant questions/issues/concerns addressed in the piece of writing and then lead the class in a discussion of the piece of writing based around that issue. (5% each)
4. Workshop Discussion Leadership: Twice during the semester you'll be asked to share your journal and your essay-in-progress with the class. The focus of these workshops should be on process. What have you done? How has your thinking developed? Why have you changed your focus? What has your research taught you that you didn't already know? How did your text change under revision? How do you address editing issues? Bring in visuals -- charts, graphs, overheads, photos, sources, outlines, posters, dioramas, and metaphorical comparisons, whatever you need to help us understand your process. (5% each)
5. Attendance and Participation: In a workshop setting, your contributions to discussion are very important. If you’re not here, you can’t share what you know and we all miss out. So, show up and speak up. You lose points for turning in late work, for not attending class, for not sharing your ideas and writing, for "corrosive" behaviors – those behaviors that eat away productive, cooperative learning. You gain points for showing up, sharing your work and your responses to others’ work, asking thoughtful questions and making useful suggestions. (10% of your final grade.)
Academic Misconduct. Please read the section on cheating and plagiarism in the student handbook. The consequences for cheating and plagiarism are severe, including failure for the assignment, possible failure of the course, disciplinary referral to the dean, and possible expulsion from the college. If you have questions about these violations of academic honesty, please come and see me.
Disabilities. If you have any condition, such as a physical
or mental disability, which will make it difficult for you to carry out
the work for the course, please talk to me and we will work with the support
services here at Mesa State to provide you with the necessary assistance.
| Date | Reading Assignment | Writing or Responses Due | |
| Week 1 | Tues. Jan. 15 | Sign-up for Issues Papers on Literature | Introductions |
| Week 1 | Thur. Jan. 17 | Read Introduction (lxiii-lxxvi) and Act I (3-22) | |
| Week 2 | Tues. Jan. 22 | King Lear, Act I (23-39) and Johnson (178-189) | Discussion Leaders: |
| Thur. Jan. 24 | King Lear, Act II and Bradley (190-207) | Discussion Leaders: | |
| Week 3 | Tues. Jan. 29 | King Lear, Act III and Granville-Barker (208-224) | Discussion Leaders: |
| Thur. Jan. 31 | King Lear, Act IV and Mack (225-234) | Discussion Leaders: | |
| Week 4 | Tues. Feb. 05 | King Lear Act V and Bamber and Brown (235-248) | Discussion Leaders: |
| Thur. Feb. 07 | Sign-ups for Issues Papers on Japanese Women | Workshops | |
| Week 5 | Tues. Feb. 12 | Workshops | |
| Thur. Feb. 14 | Workshops | ||
| Week 6 | Tues. Feb. 19 | Winter Break | |
| Thur. Feb. 21 | Waiting Years 1-40 | Discussion Leaders: | |
| Week 7 | Tues. Feb. 26 | Waiting Years 41-80 | Discussion Leaders:
Essay on King Lear due. |
| Thur. Feb. 28 | Waiting Years 81-120 | Discussion Leaders: | |
| Week 8 | Tues. Mar. 5 | Waiting Years 121-160 | Discussion Leaders: |
| Thur. Mar. 7 | Waiting Years 161-end | Discussion Leaders: | |
| Week 9 | Tues. Mar. 12 | Workshops | |
| Thur. Mar. 14 | Workshops | ||
| Week 10 | Tues. Mar. 19 | Spring Break | |
| Thur. Mar. 21 | Spring Break | ||
| Week 11 | Tues. Mar. 26 | Reports on Japanese Women
Essay on The Waiting Years Due |
|
| Thur. Mar. 28 | Reports on Japanese Women | ||
| Week 12 | Tues. Apr. 2 | Reports on Japanese Women | |
| Thur. Apr. 4 | Reports on Japanese Women | ||
| Week 13 | Tues. Apr. 9 | Conferences
Thesis and Annotated Bibliography Due |
|
| Thur. Apr. 11 | Conferences
Thesis and Annotated Bibliography Due |
||
| Week 14 | Tues. Apr. 16 | Workshops | |
| Thur. Apr. 18 | Workshops | ||
| Week 15 | Tues. Apr. 23 | Conferences -- Draft Due | |
| Thur. Apr. 25 | Conferences -- Draft Due | ||
| Week 16 | Tues. Apr. 30 | Workshops | |
| Thur. May 2 | Workshops | ||
| Fri. May 3 | Research Paper due | ||
| Week 17 | Tues. May 8 | ||
| Thur. May 10 |