Core
110: Effective Writing Fall 2000 Ms. J. Yonkoski 3 credits Class
Meets: Monday, Wednesday,
and Friday for 50 minutes King's
826-5900 ext. 5487
(HM405) home
675-9041 (please
not before 9:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m.) e-mail
JenniferYonkoski@cs.com jnyonkos@kings.edu
The Student Writer: Editor and Critic, 5th
edition, Clouse
The Craft of Revision, 3rd edition, Murray *** additional readings
will be photocopied and handed out (keep them in a folder or binder until
the end of the semester) *** A course in college level composition
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 introduces
the student to the use of sources in informational writing. Crucial to any education is the ability
to discover ideas and learn how to express those ideas clearly and effectively.
This course recognizes the student's own role in shaping his/her
own education. Although there will be a few brief lectures during the semester,
the bulk of our time will be spent on writing exercises and peer editing.
This is your class; I expect you to lend your voice to discussions.
We will read the finished works of published authors as well as
the work of students as a springboard to discuss the process of writing.
Critical to this process is revision.
No first draft should ever be considered a final product.
This class will stress writing and rewriting. 1.
Use idea-generating strategies such as brainstorming, freewriting,
and clustering to discover subjects for writing. 2.
Narrow a general topic into a specific topic. 3.
Translate a specific topic into a thesis statement. 4.
Outline or plan a unified, coherent, and rhetorically effective
development of the thesis. 5.
Support that thesis by using specific evidence and concrete detail. 6.
Recognize and use such methods of development as definition, comparison/contrast,
cause/effect, process analysis, and argumentation. 7.
Use the strategies of drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading
to produce clear, effective, and interesting writing. 8.
Be able to use the major facilities, services, and research tools
of the college library. 9.
Use word processing software as an aid in the writing process. 1.
IN-CLASS WRITING ASSIGNMENTS The bulk of the learning in this class
happens though in-class exercises and conversations with your peers.
Therefore, it is vital that you attend class and participate in
group activities. (Failure
to bring a draft of an essay to class on a peer-editing day will be counted
as an unexcused absence for that day).
The attendance policy is as follows:
4 absences - your final letter grade
will be dropped one full letter grade
5 absences - final letter grade dropped two full letters
6 or more absences - automatic failure for the term Late arrivals are rude and distracting.
Three late arrivals will be considered equal to one absence. In the event that you must miss a class,
excused or otherwise, I expect you to be prepared for our next class meeting.
Absence is not an acceptable reason for not being prepared.
I suggest that you find a reliable classmate to share notes and
assignments with you or contact me at least one full day before our next
class meeting. Your final grade will be computed as
follows:
essays 1,2, and 3 (15% each)
45%
essay 4
20%
collaborative essay
10%
process essay
5%
journal
10%
class participation
5%
grammar worksheets
5%
4.0
A
97-100
n/a
A-
94-96
3.5
B+
90-93
3.0
B
86-89
n/a
B-
83-85
2.5
C+
80-82
2.0
C
76-79
n/a
C-
73-75
1.5
D
69-72
0.0
F
0-68 Essays: All assigned essays are due in class
on the assigned due date. No
late essays will be accepted. Printers
break down and disks get erased.
Plan ahead. Don't
wait until an hour before class to print your essay.
If an extension is needed, arrangements must be made prior to the
essay due date. Extensions
are granted only for serious reasons.
Late essays will automatically be dropped one letter grade for
each day the essay is late. All papers and drafts of papers for workshops
should be word-processed and double-spaced.
The margins should be set at one inch all around (you must set
your computer to do this; it automatically sets up a 1.25 inch margin).
Font may not exceed twelve point.
Each essay should have a carefully chosen title, must be page numbered
(your name 2, for example), and must be stapled in the top left corner
once before coming into class. Remember to keep a copy of your essay until the semester is
over in case the essay is lost, stolen, or destroyed. When you hand in your final essay, staple or paperclip all
previous drafts beneath the final clean copy. Before the final due date of each essay,
we will meet in peer-editing groups to discuss first drafts. You must come to class with TWO copies of your COMPLETE first
draft. I will collect one
copy and you will read one copy to the members of your peer-editing group.
I will read and return the draft before the essay due date.
The returned draft will not be graded, but I will offer suggestions
for revision. I will not
correct the paper and by no means will this initial review serve as a
complete review of your paper. I
will not touch on everything that is wrong with your paper.
It is your job to go over the essay carefully before handing in
a final draft. Each student must compile his or her
writing at the end of the semester into a final portfolio. Save all your work throughout the semester (teacher-read drafts
as well as teacher-graded final copies) and keep it organized.
Your work in compiling this portfolio will be factored into your
participation grade. Office
Hours: My office is in Hafey-Marian Hall, room
405. My office hours will
be posted. Should these times
present a scheduling conflict, we can work out an alternate time. Due
Dates:
essay 1
narration
Friday, Sept. 15
essay 2
comparison/contrast
Wednesday, Oct. 11
essay 3
illustration
(collaborative)
Monday, Nov. 6
essay 4
cause
and effect
Friday, Oct. 27
essay 5
persuasion/argumentation
Monday, Nov. 27
essay 6
process paper
Friday, Dec. 8 Schedule:
(This is subject to change at my discretion).
assignment: read intro in Clouse text, journal "I come from..."
assignment: read Clouse 158-179
assignment: draft narration essay, read ch 1 Murray, ch 1 Clouse ___________________________________________________________
assignment: draft/revise narration essay
assignment: read ch 2 Murray ___________________________________________________________
assignment: revise narration, read Lamott handout
assignment: read ch 3 Murray assignment:
read handout "On Food and Happiness" and Clouse 185-204 ___________________________________________________________
assignment: pick a topic to research and read Clouse ch. 14
assignment: complete works cited sheet #1, read internet handout
assignment: complete works cited sheet #2, read Clouse 235-255
___________________________________________________________
assignment: review ch. 14 Clouse, brainstorm for a paper topic
assignment: read chs 4 and 5 Murray __________________________________________________________
assignment: read ch 6 Murray
assignment: read ch 7 Murray, read ch. 3 Clouse
assignment: read Clouse 261-281
assignment: read Fulwiler handout ____________________________________________________________
assignment: prepare for conference
assignment: draft cause and effect paper
assignment: read ch 8 Murray, review Fulwiler handout ____________________________________________________________
assignment: review Clouse ch. 3, read ch. 15 Clouse
assignment: read handout, bring clean copy of collaborative essay,
revise cause and effect
assignment: read Clouse 332-358 ____________________________________________________________
assignment: read Clouse 358-364
assignment: read chs. 16 and 17 Clouse
assignment: revise collaborative essay, read ch. 21 Clouse ____________________________________________________________
assignment: review ch. 21 Clouse
assignment: draft argumentation essay
assignment: revise persuasion/argumentation essay _____________________________________________________________
assignment: complete second full revision persuasive essay
assignment: read and respond to student essays
assignment: read and respond to student essays _____________________________________________________________
assignment: read and respond to student essays
assignment: pick at least 5 journal entries to share with the class ____________________________________________________________
assignment: read ch 10 Murray, handouts
assignment: prepare for reading, revise essay ____________________________________________________________ Wed, Dec 6 - readings (10 minutes each) Fri, Dec 8 - final process paper and
portfolio due, readings (10 minutes each) |