Office:
HM 403, 5393
Class
Meets: MWF 9:00
Effective Writing is a college-level composition course with emphasis on writing clearly, effectively and interestingly for a variety of purposes and audiences. Individual conferences, writing workshops, journal writing and regular writing assignments encourage practice in each step of the writing process. A library unit will introduce you to the use of sources in informational writing.
While
the course will emphasize the components that produce good writing -- correct
punctuation, grammar, well-crafted paragraphs -- during the course we will
spend much time exploring the process of writing itself.
In particular, we will organize, write, and revise a variety of
critical essays using a variety of
rhetorical modes such as narration, description, comparison, cause and effect,
classification and persuasion.
In
addition to writing first, second and final drafts of essays, you will
participate in responding sessions with your classmates.
The responding sessions will allow you to improve your own skills at
identifying the strengths and weaknesses in an essay.
As a reader, you will ask basic questions about a piece of writing and
offer suggestions for improvement.
Grading:
Essays
80%
Participation 10%
WebCT
component 10%
Texts:
Keeney,
Kris. The Craft of Composition.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2000.
Madden,
David. A Pocketful of Essays: Vol. 1.
Fort Worth: Harcourt,
2001.
Essays
will be graded in terms of spelling, grammar and content (see Grading
Pyramid). All drafts and
final versions of papers are due no later than the beginning of the class hour
on the date due. Although I may
read and respond to papers if they are submitted after their due date, work
submitted after the deadline will not be accepted for a grade.
In essence, late papers will receive a zero. Final versions not
preceded by draft versions will not be accepted. (Exceptions may be made in
extremely special situations, such as an emergency or severe illness. I
reserve the right to decide what constitutes an emergency or severe illness.)
Participation/Attendance:
Participation means active involvement -- contributing upon request,
listening at all times, questioning and challenging whenever you do not
understand or when you disagree with the remarks of the instructor or
classmates. To participate, you must attend class regularly or your grade may
be affected. Arriving late to
class or departing early are not permitted.
Late arrivals are not admitted. Accumulation
of several unexcused absences will result in failure of the course.
Homework/In-class
writing: You will be doing a variety of
in-class writing activities, quizzes, and homework assignments using the
computer. Some of this work will
receive a letter grade while other work will receive a check for completion.
All work must be submitted on time to receive full credit.
Portfolio:
On Friday, December 7, you will submit all your Core 110 essays (final drafts
on top of second drafts and first drafts) in an organized manner.
Failure to collect and submit all your essays will affect your
grade. Portfolio Guidelines.
Office Hours: My office is 403 Hafey-Marian Hall, and my phone is 208-5900, ext. 5393. If you have any questions, comments, or just want to talk, please feel free to drop by. My official office hours are as follows, but you are welcome to stop by any time you see my door open.
M
11:00 - 11:50, 2:00 - 3:00
W
11:00 - 11:50
Th
11:00 - 1:00
Other days by appointment.
This
syllabus, other course documents and hand-outs, student papers and writing
information is available on our Core 110: Effective Writing website at http://www.kings.edu/effwriting.
We will also be using WebCT (http://webct.kings.edu:8080/)
to facilitate our weekly on-line journal writing.
On-line assignments will be posted on WebCT (not on effwriting)
on Wednesdays with assignments themselves due the following Mondays.
**On-line assignments disappear after the due date.**
Melody
Ferkel (maferkel@kings.edu, www.kings.edu/wct
or ext. 5814)
is
available for WebCT help.
You
are responsible for the content of each class period, whether present or
absent. All discussion, any
unassigned texts referred to in the course of discussion, become a part of the
content of the course. You are
expected to read the day's assignment on schedule and to turn in any homework
assignments on time.
Academic
dishonesty is not tolerated in this class.
Such dishonesty includes intentionally submitting any plagiarized
academic work, using another's ideas without acknowledging them, and
submitting a paper prepared by another person.
All
students who have a learning disability or a physical handicap should schedule
an appointment with me during the first week of class to discuss
accommodations for the classroom and/or assignments and examinations.
Course Schedule
This
schedule lists class reading assignments to be completed on the date listed.
This schedule may be altered at times to accommodate the needs of the
class.
M,
8-27 Course Introduction
W,
8-29 Read Keeney 1-10, 23-25,
and Madden 7-14
F,
8-31 Invention and Pacing
On-line diagnostic due by 12:00 noon,Tuesday,
September 4.
M,
9-3 Labor Day, No Class
W,
9-5 Read Keeney 10-15, 26-27,
Madden 21-25, 29-31
F, 9-7 Eavesdropping assignment (Keeney 12) due by 8:00 Monday, September 10.
M,
9-10
Introductions, Keeney 46-7, Madden 51-58.
W,
9-12 Read
Keeney 27-8, Responding Session.
Submit two typed copies of your second
draft.
F,
9-14 Conferences
M,
9-17 Narrative
Essay Due
W,
9-19 Profile Essay, Read Madden
46-50, 92-94, 107-113.
F, 9-21 Field Trip profile draft due by 8:00 Monday, September 24.
M,
9-24 Read Keeney 36-39, Madden 33, 45, 61, 81,103.
W,
9-26 Read Keeney 34-36. First
Draft of Profile Due
F, 9-28 Writing Strategy Experiment due by 8:00 Monday, October 1.
M,
10-1 Transitions. Read Keeney
47-49. Madden 65-67.
W,
10-3 Transition
work.
F,
10-5 Conferences.
** Submit
transition-revised draft before conference**
M,
10-8 Read Keeney 49-50.
W,
10-10 Profile Essay Due
*Please submit all drafts with the most current on top*
F, 10-12 No Class, Fall Break
M,
10-15 Read Keeney 51-63. Madden 71, 76-78, 34-38
Evaluation and
Interpretation.
W,
10-17 Thesis work. Review Keeney
35-37, 62.
F,
10-19 Analysis draft due no later than 3:00 today.
M,
10-22 Conferences
W,
10-24 Evaluation
F,
10-26
Read Keeney 63-64.
Submit two typed copies of your second draft.
M,
10-29 Read Keeney 69-72, Madden 115-127.
W,
10-31 Analysis Due
*Please submit all drafts with the most current on top
Library Work.
Read Keeney 80-86, 39-42.
F,
11-2 Role Profile Due by 8:00 Monday, November 5.
M,
11-5
Pros and Cons. Read Keeney
73-75.
W,
11-7 Outlining and planning the case. Read Keeney 77-80, 85-86.
F,
11-9 Meet in groups to work on strategy.
M,
11-12 Trial
W,
11-14 Trial
F,
11-16 Trial Choose a source you may use (see Keeney 82-83) and evaluate it
using Keeney 82-83 by 8:00 Monday, November 19.
M,
11-19 First Draft Argumentative Essay Due
T,
11-20 Trial wrap-up
F,
11-23 Thanksgiving Break
M,
11-26 Read Keeney 87-90
Responding Session
Submit two typed copies of your second
draft.
W,
11-28 Bring
Works Cited List to class.
Read Keeney 83-84.
F,
11-30 Submit documentation assignment by 8:00
Monday, December 3.
M,
12-3 Conferences
W,
12-5 Conferences
F,
12-7 Argumentative Essay Due
Portfolio Due
*Please submit all drafts with the most
current on top*
Submit final writing online by 5:00 Monday, December 10.