Dr. M. Diane Krantz English 2010
453 Elizabeth Hall Spring 2009
EH 316 Office Phone 626-6543
Office Hours: M 11-11:50 am T 11:30-12:20pm; by appt. dkrantz@weber.edu

 

 

Course Description: English 2010 is designed to build on and expand the expressive/ experiential and expository writing skills developed in English 1010. Besides developing increased competence in selecting and narrowing a topic, formulating a thesis statement, and analyzing and developing the thesis statement, the course also covers argumentation/persuasion, and documented research. It emphasizes critical thinking and writing at higher levels of abstraction characteristic of college writing and sustaining a thesis through more substantial papers than those of English 1010.

Texts::
The Curious Writer Concise Edition 2nd Ed.  By Bruce Ballenger
The Pocket Wadsworth Handbook 4th Ed. Kirszner & Mandell

Other Materials:
A good dictionary; A folder in which all writing assignments are to be placed, along with drafts; A looseleaf or other notebook for taking notes and doing in-class writing.

Grammar Workshop Every writer needs the basics of grammar as a foundation for decent writing. I will explain topics, and I will answer questions if you have problems with the material. I would like to use samples from your papers anonymously. If that is not acceptable to you, please let me know.

Writing: Assignments will include three shorter argument essays, a longer research or "I-search" essay divided into 3 parts, and a final, in-class exam.
Format: Your essays will be submitted on standard 8 1/2-by-11 inch paper. Leave a margin of 1 1/2 inches on the left for my comments, and margins of 1 inch everywhere else. The essays will be given to me on their due dates. They should be as unwordy as you can make them. The earlier essays will be 2-5 pages in length. Since revision is a key concept in writing process, the three short essays, if submitted on time, may be revised for a better grade. The revision is due one week after the original paper is returned with a grade. The I-Search will be longer and no part will be revisable.
Style: Aim for the simplest, most direct, unadorned, and unaffected style possible. Think in terms of sentences averaging twenty words or so. Paragraphs should have a clear topic sentence, with every subsequent sentence growing naturally from your intentions regarding its development. Paragraphs ought to be relatively short (five to eight sentences) and structured with a clear plan. Style is an instrument to achieve clarity of expression. Your vocabulary should be jargon-free and designed to inform and not to impress.

Grade Weights:
Discussion/Attendance: 10 points
Essays 1-4 10 points each
Essay 5 15 points
Essay 6 25 points
Essay 7 (Final Exam) 10 points

DISCUSSION REQUIREMENT (Easy A) Not only does your attendance contribute to the community we make in this class, your contribution to class discussion shows me that you've read and thought about the assigned texts. I grade your participation according to the number of times you attend class during the semester, working on the basis that you can't participate if you don't attend. Here's how it will work:
0-2 absences = A; 3 absences= A-; 4 = B+; 5 = B; 6 = B- and so on. Three tardies constitute one absence. There are 43 class sessions this semester, and you have two "freebies" (~5% of the work). Your freebies are intended to cover emergencies such as the day(s) you were sick, the day the baby sitter didn't make it, or the day you were out of town playing basketball finals. After your two freebies, every absence counts against you in terms of your attendance and participation grade.

Reading The reading will provide reinforcement for the writing techniques that I discuss in class, models for different types of writing you will be asked to do, and ideas for class discussion that will be used in some of your essays. The readings will be challenging as might be expected of a Sophomore level class. The reading is due on the day on which it appears in the syllabus. Unless otherwise directed, you may assume the exercises listed will be done in class.

Weekly Schedule

The syllabus is my attempt to prepare the entire course before we take it together. Chapters and page numbers refer to the Ballenger text. Assignments in The Pocket Wadsworth will be signalled by the word "Pocket." The syllabus serves as a contract between us that I will try very hard to adhere to, but in the event of a need for changes as the weeks unfold, I reserve the right to adjust the syllabus to our work together. Readings are due on the day they appear on the syllabus.

Any student requiring accommodations or services due to a disability must contact Services for Students with disabilities (SSD) in room 181 of the Student Service Center. SSD can also arrange to provide course materials (including this syllabus) in alternative formats if necessary.

Please turn off cell phones by the start of class. A ringing or answered cell phone will be considered rude and inconsiderate and will cause you to be asked to leave the room.

Ethics: Failure to maintain academic ethics/academic honesty, including the avoidance of cheating, plagiarism, collusion, and falsification, will result in an E in this course, and may result in charges issued, hearings held, and/or sanctions imposed.

Week 1

M. Course Introduction and syllabus; Inquiry: questions on a water bottle; Assignment: take multiple pictures of one subject from different angles, under different lighting conditions, whatever you can imagine. Describe and/or email decriptions or pictures to yourself and to me. Groups assigned.

W. Read Chapter 1. Using the online syllabus; Ex. 1.1 and 1.2; find the "surprise" in your or your classmates' descriptions or pictures by quick or "free" writing and brainstorming.

F. Chapter 1: reread the rhetorical triangle, pg. 8-10; do exercise 1.3 pp. 18-20 Step One, before class. In-class: Step Two p. 20 small and large group discussions.

Week 2

M. Dialectical Thinking: Exercise 1.4; Writing Process
W. Read Chapter 2; In class: exercise 2.1, 2.2; Thesis statement: Pocket 7-9; 24.
F. Chapter 2; Exercise 2.3; 2.4; critical reading help

Week 3
W. Chapter 2; Exercise 2.5
F. Chapter 3; Exercise 3.1 and 3.2

Week 4
M.Chapter 3; Exercise 3.3
W.Chapter 3; Exercise 3.4
F. Chapter 9 pp. 308-317; 322-329; assignment: Write a review (see p. 138): draft due Weds, Week 5; final Fri, Week 5.

Week 5
M. Chapter 5; questions on chapter; importance of specifics p. 126; Exercise 5.1, Step One.
W. Chapter 5; Draft Workshop; Use one of the models on p. 153
F. Chapter 5; Paper due; Exercise p. 159; Paragraph focus: Pocket 19-24; Revision

Week 6
M. Chapter 11, pp. 415-20; Assignment: Write a proposal, see p. 178.
W. Chapter 6; questions on chapter; importance of specifics p. 163; Research Proposal p. 184.
F. Chapter 6 Proposal draft workshop; see p. 193

Week 7
W. Chapter 6; Assign Research/I-Search paper; Proposal due; write p. 199; If time, Pocket pp. 22-24.
F. Library research short course. Meet in Stewart Library, Lower level, Rm 31. This is mandatory and will provide hands-on experience in using materials needed for the I-Search paper and possibly for the argument paper due in two weeks.

Week 8
M. Complete Chapter 11, pp. 420-51.
W. Complete Chapter 9; Assign argument essay
F. First Lesson on Wordiness

Week 9
M. Chapter 7; Claim of Fact, Value, Policy Change; Pocket, pp. 24-5.
W. Chapter 7: Toulmin Model pp 235-6; Two sides to every argument: what makes something arguable? pp 206-07
F. ÊChapter 7 Argument draft workshop

Week 10
M. ÊChapter 7 Moving from Sketch (freewrite) to draft pp 229-241; Inquiring into Sample essays
W. Chapter 10 Summarizing and Paraphrasing; Argument final due
F. ÊChapter 10 Avoiding plagiarism: 350-352 Ex. 10.1; Format361-4

Week 11
M. Chapter 10 Works Cited Page 364 ff or 393 ff
W. Sentences, CS & FS: Pocket 32-4; Fragments, Pocket 34-7; punctuation help
F. I-Search Question due; Creating a bibliography: Pocket MLA pp. 186-233 OR APA pp. 236-63.

Week 12
M. Pronoun Ref. Pocket 55-56.
W. Sentence Var. Pocket: 62-5.
F. Bibliography due; Conciseness Pocket: 65-70.

Week 13
M. Sentence revision: Pocket 70-72.
W. Process Analysis draft workshop
F. Process Analysis due; Commas: Pocket 86-93; How to Create an Outline: Ballenger 147-49.

Week 14
M. Thesis and Outline due
W. Questions on returned theses and outlines
F. Remaining grammar work

Week 15
M. Catch-up
W. Draft Workshop
F. Paper due and discuss final

Final Exam 4/30 from 10-11 AM