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Course Syllabus English Composition One Spring Semester 2008
Instructor: Regina R. Flynn
By Judith Nadell, Linda McMeniman and John Langan, The Brief Penguin Handbook
Course Description: The course has been designed to help you learn, think, write, reason and research. I give students the opportunity to study and apply strategies for writing clear, skilled, persuasive prose. Effective writing demonstrates organization, effective language, sound sentence structure, critical reasoning, supportive evidence as well as correct grammar and the mechanics of punctuation and spelling. In both your written work and in class discussions, you will be asked to look at a work from more than one perspective.
Course Objectives and Goals: My primary objective is for you to become a better writer. The authors we will be reading in our anthology are open, energetic individuals who are interested in ideas, places and people. Let us all try to emulate their enterprise and vitality. By enlarging our horizons we will not only become more interesting human begins, we will become better learners, listeners, readers and writers.
This class is a place in which to explore and examine your ideas in relation to those of the authors in your text. I require and expect your writing to consist of your ideas and not those gleaned from someone or somewhere else.
Course Structure: I break up each week with discussion, in-class peer editing, collaborative writing and writing workouts. The workouts are a series of exercises that will help you build your writing skills and enable you to critique one another’s work, thereby becoming a better editor of your own prose. When reviewing someone else’s work, be respectful and truthful. The most important thing to say about any writing is what was effective; almost as important is to let the writer know where the writing lost affable, smart readers. The primary question that we will ask is, "what works well?" The secondary question will be, "how can it work better?"
Specifically we will:
- read and attempt through discussion and writing to understand an author’s purpose – both literal and suggested, - analyze different types of essays, looking at the authors as writers and begin to interpret meanings and biases, - understand and develop the steps in the writing process (i.e., choosing a subject, brainstorming, idea development, free writing, drafting, editing, peer review, - learn to appreciate language and the enormous power it possesses, - think in terms of metaphors, symbols and images, - use our imagination - become detailed and specific with whatever you are writing, utilizing bright fresh prose, eliminating vague, unclear language, - write a series of essays and weekly communiqués, - attempt to be an active reader – involved in what the author of a particular piece is trying to say.
My expectations of you:
- Come to class. - Read and complete the assignments. Nothing is worse than sitting in on a class where everyone else knows what is going on but you. Read all assignments before class and think about the readings in advance of class. - Make good use of class time. Classes will be devoted to lessons, writing and conferencing. Students will be writing in class every time we meet. - Come to class with the necessary tools for class. These will include your writing folder, drafts of works in progress, pens, paper, textbook and any other materials necessary for a productive class. - Hand in your assignments when they are due. All writing assignments are to by typed on 8 ½” by 11” paper, double-spaced. Essays should be a minimum of 500 to 750 words in length, generally 2 to 3 pages long, typed in 12-point type, double-spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides. (This syllabus uses 12-point type.) Do not use a cover page. Staple the top left-hand corner of the manuscript and please -- no folders or plastic covers. - You need to use a computer and save all work to disk. Any missing work is your responsibility. - Try. - Be honest. - Be on time. - If you have a problem, tell me. - You must have your own copy of the textbook. No sharing of texts is allowed. - You must have an email address and access to a computer.
Writing Assignments
Essays: You will write four essays. The essays will be a result of the readings we do in class. They are to be 500-750 words in length and free of error. If you want to go over them with me during my office hours please feel free to do so. The due dates for these writing assignments will be distributed with this syllabus. Other assignments that are specific to certain chapters will be given in class.
Communiqués: Each Wednesday you will hand in a communiqué. It will be typed, double-spaced and can be about anything. Recount to me what you did over the weekend, how college is going for you, tell me a movie you recommend, a reaction to a book you read, how a news story affected you, your favorite restaurant, the dumb thing your bother said on the phone, your favorite place to walk near campus. Two of the communiqués will deal with college productions you attend. Communiqués are not necessarily scholarly pieces. Imagine you are writing me a letter and adopt a casual tone.
Give yourself credit – remember no one else can write what you can write. No one else has had your visions, or can interpret events the way you can. A communiqué does not have to be filled with brilliant prose. It is simply a way to get you to write and not worry about a grade. Imagine yourself having a conversation with a friend.
Attendance: Given the nature of this course it is essential that you come to class. Unlike some lecture courses, what goes on this classroom isn’t a repeat of what you read in the textbook. Also, because we do a good deal of group work, multiple absences will leave you out in the cold. Any more than three absences will affect your final grade, as will repeat late arrivals. You are responsible for all missed classes and work. Because this is a participatory class you are expected to contribute to the class every day.
Here are the names of people you can call in case you are out of school:
Name Phone Email
Name Phone Email
You may also always call me at home in Salem at 978.745.6788 or email me at the following: regina.flynn@salemstate.edu .
Office Hours: My office is in the Meier Hall Room 229 and I will be happy to meet with you at any time. My office hours are Mondays from 12:30 to 2:30, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00 to 4:00. You need to meet with me at lease twice during the course of the semester.
Portfolio: All work is to be kept in a folder devoted exclusively to this class. This will include, all essay drafts, final essays, communiqués, and writing workouts. This work will be reviewed periodically during the course of the semester during conferences with me and presented in final form at the end of the course.
Dishonesty and Plagiarism: You can be expelled from the college for using work that is not your own.
Grading Procedures: What you know at the end of the semester is more important than what you know at the beginning of this course. Therefore essays will be given a “temporary” grade, such as “TB-“or “TC+” – it is up to the student to decide whether they want to revise a particular piece. All grades become final at the end of the semester. Assigned essays will count for 60% of your final grade, communiqués, 20% and class participation 20%.
College Performances: I require that you attend at least two college performances. It can be a play a music recital, or a reading by a visiting writer. College is a fantastic time to encounter new and different experiences. We’re fortunate here at Salem State to be able to advantage our students with a wide range of events and presentations. In a Tuesday communiqué, please let me know of something you attended and your reaction.
Class Publication: At the end of the semester we will publish a book that will be a collection of the various essays you have written for class. Each student will select his or her favorite or best essay for inclusion in the book. I will have met with you on these essays and we’ll go over them line by line as many times as you wish, until you are happy with the final outcome. It is important and gratifying to see your work in a finished state.
Course Philosophy: It is my job and my heart’s desire to see you walk down the aisle at graduation. I will do everything in my power to get you there, not only in this particular composition course, but also at any other time during your career at Salem State College. Nothing means more to me than seeing my students go out into the world secure, articulate and well educated. Let us all work together toward this end. Assignments: Since all assignments are listed please come to class prepared. In the event of inclement weather or class cancellation we will combine the class missed with the current assignment.
A couple of quick questions to ask yourself before handing in an assignment:
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