Schedule

Items marked due on the schedule are due in at the beginning of class that day.

Week 1

M Jan 24 Introductions, syllabus, writing

Week 2

M Jan 31 Due: Reading Journal

Read: 109-114, 225-235 (“The Birthmark”), 241-245 (“Desiree’s Baby”), and link on
blackboard to Character Analysis blog.
Discuss: Essay 1 Character Analysis, Readings, Character

Week 3

M Feb 7 Due: Reading Journal

Read: 32-40, 252-266 (“A Jury of her Peers”), 267-277 (“The Rocking-Horse Winner”),
287-293 (“A Rose for Emily”), and find, read, and bring to class a short story of your
choice not in our textbook.
Discuss: Readings, Character, Composing Arguments

Week 4

M Feb 14 Due: Essay 1 Character Analysis for workshop

Read: 134-136, 137-142 (“The Lottery”), 171-172, 172-181 (“Hunter’s in the Snow”),
298-305 (“The Chrysanthemums”), and 315-320 (“I Stand Here Ironing”)
Discuss: Essay 2 Analysis of Setting, setting and atmosphere, symbolism, and imagery

Week 5

M Feb 21 Presidents Day No Class

Week 6

M Feb 28 Due: Essay 1 Character Analysis and Reading Journal

Read: 158-160, 161-166 (“Everyday Use”), 115-116, and 116-128 (“The Things They
Carried”)
Discuss: Point of View and Story Structure, Workshops, Midterm Portfolio
Week 7

M Mar 7 Due: Essay 2 Analysis of Setting for workshop and reading journal
Read: 48-66
Discuss: Midterm Portfolio

Week 8

M Mar 14 Spring Break No Class

Week 9

M Mar 21 Due: Midterm Portfolio

Read: 188-189, 189-201 (“Good Country People”)
Discuss: Essay 3 compare/contrast, persona, tone, and theme

Week 1

M Mar 28 Due: Reading Journal

Read: 501-511, 564-566 (Shakespeare), 583-586 (Dickinson),593-598 (Frost), 608-610
(E.E. Cummings), 637 (Plath), 644 (Heaney), 647 (Giovanni)
Discuss: Poetics

Week 11

M Apr 4 Due: Essay 3 Compare/Contrast for workshop and reading journal

Read: 525-533 (Hughes) and 541-545 (Critical Commentary on Hughes)
Discuss: Collaborative Project, poetics

Week 12

M Apr 11 Due: Essay 3 and Reading Journal

Read: 715-721 and 771-816 (Fences)
Discuss: Drama, Collaborative Project, Essay 4 research project, gathering sources

Week 13

M Apr 18 Patriots Day No Class

Week 14
M Apr 25 Due: Collaborative Presentations
Read: 71-87
Discuss: Researching, Evaluating Sources, integrating sources

Week 15

M May 2 Due: Reading Journal and Essay 4 for Workshop

Read: Purdue Owl link on Blackboard
Discuss: Documentation

Week 16

M May 9 In class conferences and Workday. Drafts of all papers for final portfolio due.

Final Exam: M May 16 Due: Final Portfolio. Final writing exam administered.
Reading Journals

Each week, as marked on the syllabus, you will write a one page double spaced response to one of the
readings for the week. Your job is to write about your thoughts on one of the readings you have done for
the week. I will be looking for good analysis on your part. What did you find most interesting? What
were you surprised by? What did you agree with? Disagree with? What did you notice about how the
argument was constructed? Was it convincing? Well developed? Supported? You can write about any of
these things as well as any other ideas or thoughts you may have.
The Portfolio

Overview

Portfolios work in different ways in different classes. Sometimes they are used to simply collect the work
a student has done over a period of time. Sometimes they are used to mark progress via revision. And
sometimes they are used as a way to assess student work-not simply just writing but also progress and
effort in class.

The Portfolios you will turn in for this class will do all of these things. As you develop these portfolios
each of you will engage in three activities: collection, selection, and reflection. This will give you the
opportunity to review your work, revise your writing, and think about what you have learned throughout
the semester. You will showcase your progress throughout the semester through revision of your previous
work. Another way you will show the knowledge you have developed about your writing is in a reflective
Introduction for your portfolio.

Finally, I will use the portfolios as a way of assessing your effort, progress as a writer and as a student, and
the quality of your written work. I will assess the portfolios and include a letter to you when I return
them. The letter will detail your work in the class to that point. I will give you feedback on the quality of
your work to help you understand your strengths and weaknesses as a writer in a variety of rhetorical
situations. I will also include a letter grade to mark your progress.

Note: I can offer you two pieces of advice about portfolios: 1. Take the Introduction seriously. If you
don’t, I will know. You can’t scam a scammer. I was a student in your position not so long ago. I know the
tricks. It will only frustrate me if you waste my time with fluff that you don’t mean. So take the cover
letter analysis of your portfolio, and work this semester, seriously. Be honest and useful in it. 2. I value
revision. I value students that have taken the time to attempt to grow as a person and a writer. If you
have attempted good revisions, then you will be rewarded for it. If you say you’ve attempted revision but
haven’t, you’ll be penalized. I could not be anymore straightforward here about what I will look for when
assessing your portfolios.

Midterm Portfolio

The mid-term portfolio is your first chance at revision and first opportunity to showcase your
development as a writer thus far. It is worth 15% of your final grade.

What to include:
1. 2 journal entries. You may choose any two entries here. Try and select entries that
showcase your careful reading and analysis skills. THESE DO NOT NEED TO BE REVISED.
JUST INCLUDE THEM.
2. 2 in-class writings. You may choose any two writings here. Try and select two that show
your understanding and development of your writing and reading skills. THESE DO NOT
NEED TO BE REVISED. JUST INCLUDE THEM.
3. Your revised Essay 1 Character Analysis. In addition to your revised paper, include the
workshop draft and the second draft with my comments on it.
4. Your completed Essay 2 Analysis of Setting. In addition to your revised paper include
the workshop draft.
5. Introduction. Your introduction is your chance to speak to me directly about the work in
your portfolio. How you write it is up to you, just be sure to include the following:
 Why did you choose the journal entries you included?
 Why did you choose the in-class writings you included?
 What revision did you do in your two papers?
 How did those revisions improve or not improve these essays?
 How has your writing improved or not improved so far this semester?
 What do you want to say about yourself as a reader/writer so far this semester?
See schedule for due date.
Final Portfolio

Your final portfolio is your last opportunity to demonstrate to me everything you have learned throughout
the semester. This portfolio should reflect development in your writing skills and critical thinking skills.
In addition, it should be well polished. This is the time to worry about typos and editing and small details.
This should be the best writing I have seen from you.

What to include:
1. 2 journal entries. You may choose any two entries here. Try and select entries that
showcase your careful reading and analysis skills. THESE DO NOT NEED TO BE
REVISED. JUST INCLUDE THEM.
2. in-class writings. You may choose any two writings here. Try and select two that show
your understanding and development of your writing and reading skills. THESE DO
NOT NEED TO BE REVISED. JUST INCLUDE THEM.
3. Your revised Essay 3 Compare/Contrast. In addition, include your workshop draft
and draft with my comments on it.
5. Your completed Essay 4 Research Paper. Be sure to include the workshop draft
and conference draft.
6. Final Portfolio Introduction. This is your final chance to discuss the work you have
done this semester with me. How you write it is up to you, just be sure to include the
following:
 Why are these your best journal entries?
 Why are these you best in class writings?
 What revision did you do in your formal writing? How has it improved or not
improved your writing?
 What have you learned about your reading and writing skills this semester?
 What do you still need to work on in future writing assignments?

See schedule for due date.

Collaborative Project

Being comfortable standing in front of a group of people and speaking to them is difficult for many. So,
we’re going to have the opportunity to let you practice your presentation skills in front of a friendly
audience! For this project you will have the opportunity to explore and utilize knowledge you have
developed this semester in the area of the poetry. In addition, you will be able to practice your teamwork
skills as this is a project to be done in pairs.

For this presentation you and a partner of your choice will select a poem of your own selection to develop
a presentation about. The poem can be from any time period and any poet, famous or not. It does have to
be a published poem though. You and a partner will then develop a 10 minute presentation where you will
present first read the poem to the class and then discuss some aspect of the your choosing. You may wish
to focus on imagery, symbolism, the narrator, your own interpretation, etc. The focus of your presentation
is up to you. However, remember that you only have 10 minutes, including reading the peom, so plan
accordingly.

My advice is two-fold: First, I would not select a poem that is lengthy as you have a limited amount of
time. Second, be sure to focus you presentation and don’t try to accomplish to much.

Presentation Format
You will have ten minutes to present. Both of you must talk. Use your time wisely because you will be
stopped at ten minutes. You can format the presentation however you wish. You may want to create a
handout, a PowerPoint, etc.

You will be evaluated by your classmates as well as by me. You will assessed on the following areas:
1 Content (what is being said and how well you teach your classmates about an aspect of
the poem)
2 Delivery (your presentation skills)
3 Evidence of Preparation
5 Use of time

As with written argument, oral argument should have an introduction, conclusion, thesis, and use
examples to illustrate points.
Final Exam

During the final exam period you will each write an in class essay in the time allotted. I will give you a
choice of prompts to choose from that will require you to respond in a well developed essay using the
knowledge you gained throughout the semester.

Your final exam is worth 10% of your grade.

Please note: the final exam is mandatory. Failure to attend will result in an absence and a 0
on your final exam. In addition, your final grade will be docked half a letter grade.