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English 100A: Elements of English Fall 2010: Abright@grandview - Edu
English 100A: Elements of English Fall 2010: Abright@grandview - Edu
Instructional Resources
Reading Critically, Writing Well 8th Edition by Axelrod, Cooper, and Warriner (available at the Bookstore)
Easy Writer (3rd OR 4th Edition) by Andrea A. Lunsford
Dictionary
Mini-stapler
Portfolio folders
Three-ring binder
Grand View email account
Please bring both books to each class meeting, unless otherwise noted.
Course Website: Our course has its own website through Grand View’s Moodle site. In order to logon to
our site, go to https://moodle.grandview.edu/login/index.php and log in to the site using your name from
your Grand View email address (e.g. “abright”) and your original email password. This site contains
copies of the syllabus, assignments, and additional resources.
Course Description
This course is designed to help students polish their basic writing skills. Students gain practice in the
writing process and in editing their prose to conform with the conventions of Standard American English.
The class prepares students for ENGL 101 and cannot be used to satisfy the graduation requirement for
proficiency in writing.
Instructional Objectives
Foundational Knowledge (Understanding and remembering: information and ideas)
Introduce students to the composing process (invention and pre-writing, drafting, revising) as well
as responding to texts with critical attention.
Introduce students to basic rhetorical concepts of audience, purpose, and context as a beginning
point for composing.
Introduce students to elements and principles of writing workshops, and peer response.
Application Goals (Skills/Thinking: critical, creative and practical thinking; managing projects)
Manage multiple kinds of projects (inquiry driven reflection, primary text research, rhetorical
analysis, and academic discourse).
Critical thinking, in which students analyze and evaluate the interplay between their own ideas and
experiences, the ideas and experiences of others, and existing scholarship in the field.
Creative thinking, in which students imagine and create projects which explore their interests in a
writing projects, which they choose and direct.
Gain extended practice in all levels of the composing process (invention, form, revision), as well
as engaging in multiple levels of peer feedback (written and workshop).
Students should be able to engage these complex conversations about literacy with both critical
attention and rhetorical compassion.
Portfolios: At the end of each unit you will turn in a portfolio. On the day the first draft is due, please
bring two copies of your first draft. Each completed portfolio will include: 1) a formal letter addressed to
me explaining the strengths of the paper, the areas of your paper in which you would improve if you had
more time, and your assessment of how this assignment met our instructional goals, 2) the peer review
sheets for your essay, 3) your first draft, and 4) your final paper.
Final Portfolio: For the final assignment in this course, students will select one of their completed
portfolios and take it through significant and extensive revision process. This process will begin with a
conference with me, in order to determine areas for revision, and will also include a trip to the library in
order to secure additional outside resources. The portfolio will also include a two page final reflection of
the course and the work you’ve completed within it. The Final Portfolio must include the revised draft, the
original portfolio, and the final reflection in order to receive full credit.
Journal: At the beginning of each class meeting, we will spend 5-7 minutes completing a daily freewrite in
a either a notebook or binder that will serve as your class journal. You may also be asked to complete in-
class assignments in your journal, so it is important to make sure you label your freewrite with the date.
Your journal is a safe place for you to thoughtfully consider the concepts we will be discussing in our
course. Typically, I will ask you to respond to the assigned readings in your freewrites. By reading your
journals on a regular basis, I will be able to monitor your understanding of the course and to develop
assignments and activities based on the needs of the class. I will not remind you to complete the
freewrite, nor I will I provide the prompts to freewrites for missed classes. It is your responsibility to
keep track of the freewrite prompts and to keep your journal up to date.
other students’ work, taking work directly from the Internet or any printed source and claiming it
as one’s own, and downloading/purchasing papers on-line. Students who cheat, could risk severe
penalties, which may include failure of the assignment, failure of the course, or expulsion from the
University. “As a member of the Grand View University community, and in accordance with the
mission of the University and its Lutheran identity, I agree to appreciate and respect the dignity
and worth of each individual. I will honor and promote a community of open interaction, personal
integrity, active and intellectual engagement, and academic honesty with students faculty and
staff.”
Accelerated Courses
Grand View offers courses in accelerated or alternative delivery formats. They cover the same
subject content and require the same or comparable assignments that are associated with a
traditional fourteen week course.
Accommodation
Grand View University prohibits unlawful discrimination and encourages full participation by all
students within the university community. When a student requires any instructional or other
accommodation to optimize participation and/or performance in this course, it is the responsibility
of the student to contact both the instructor and the Director of Academic Enrichment and
Disability Coordinator and apply for any requested accommodation. The director is Dr. Kristine
Owens and she can be reached at (515)263-2971.
Class Attendance
The Federal Government requires that students receiving financial aid attend classes. Students,
who are identified by the instructor as not attending classes, will be reported to the Registrar’s
Office. Students who fail to return to classes may lose all or a portion of their financial aid.
Classroom Conduct
Students should conduct themselves as responsible members of the University community
respecting the rights of others. Any student behavior interfering with the professor’s ability to
teach and/or the student’s ability to learn constitutes a violation of the Code of Student Conduct
found in the Grand View Catalog. The professor may ask the student to leave the classroom and
that student will be subject to disciplinary sanctions.
University E-Mail Account
It is essential that all students check their Grand View University e-mail account or set their
account to forward to a preferred e-mail address. Students may set-up an e-mail auto forward
from the myView website. Click on the “Manage and Update Personal Information” link and then
select “set myView Mail Forwarding Address” under the “Links for You” section.
Appeal of Final Course Grade or Other Academic Disciplinary Action
Students who wish to appeal a final course grade or other academic disciplinary action of an
instructor must complete at least section I.A. of the Academic Appeal on-line within fourteen
calendar days after the published due date for the final grade submission of the academic term in
which the issue of disagreement occurred. Visit site below to complete first part of form
https://secure/grandview/edu/gradeapprealform.html. This form must be submitted electronically
to the Office of the Provost. Nursing students appealing a grade in a nursing course must follow
the Nursing Division procedures.
Classroom Polices
Attendance and Lateness: This class may differ from your other first-year courses. It is largely
based on in-class work and cooperative participation. In order to regularly engage in critical
thinking processes and to understand the multi-stage aspects of the writing process, attendance in
this class is mandatory. More than two unexcused absences may significantly affect your
participation grade and can reduce your grade by 10%. In-class work for missed days may not be
made up. It is your responsibility to find out what was missed. More than four unexcused
absences may result in a failure of the course. In addition, please make sure that you arrive to
class on time. Arriving to class more than 15 minutes late may result in an absence for that
day. Please notify me in advance if any circumstances will keep you from meeting your
attendance or other requirements.
Participation: A significant percentage of your grade is based on your participation in class. This
means that you must not only come to class, but you must come to class prepared, having
completed the reading or writing assignment for that day. You will often be called upon to
share your interpretations of topics covered in the course, either through writing assignments or
classroom discussion. Therefore, it is vital that you come to class prepared. Active participation
also includes creating a safe space in the classroom, where students listen respectfully to others’
opinions. This includes actively responding to your classmates’ work in peer reviews.
Conferences: The best way to give you immediate feedback on your writing is through one-on-
one conferencing. All students are required to have at least two conferences with me during the
semester so we can monitor your progress in the course and help you map out your future in the
class. An appointment is recommended any time you wish to see me during office hours.
Email: Email is my preferred method of communication. I will regularly communicate
information about our class (including updates on the schedule and assignments) to your Grand
View email.
Cell phones: Please turn off cell phones before entering the classroom as a courtesy to your fellow
students. Note: This policy includes the use of text messaging. Any student using cell phones in
class will be asked to leave the class and marked absent for the day.
Late papers: All papers will be collected on the due date at the beginning of class on the day they
are due. The syllabus clearly outlines due dates of all drafts and portfolios, please ask if you have
any questions. Late papers will not be accepted.
Resources: If you are a student with a documented disability and would like to discuss special
accommodations please contact me during office hours or by email. If you think you might have a
learning disability, it is your responsibility to contact the Director of Academic Enrichment and
Disability Coordinator and apply for any requested accommodation. The director is Dr. Kristine
Owens and she can be reached at 263-2971. Additional support can be found at the Career Center
at 263-2955, and at the Counseling Center at 263-2986. More importantly, academic support can
be found at the Tutoring Center (for all concerns outside of writing) and the Writing Center. The
Tutoring Center is located on the second floor of the library. The Writing Center is located at 205
Rasmussen. I strongly recommend making appointments at the Writing Center to review
drafts of EVERY essay you turn in during this course.
A final note: Please feel free to contact me at any time during the semester if you have questions about the
course, the campus, etc. I am a resource for you, so please just ask me if you have a question or come see
me in my office hours.
Monday Brainstorm: story, Read: Benioff, pages 52-57 and Brandt, pages 58-62
9/13/10 people, places, and Check: Your Grandview email
significance in your
draft; discuss reading
Wednesda Work on drafts; Write: Your first draft
y “Reviewing what makes Check: Your Grandview email
9/15/10 autobiography
effective”
Friday DUE: First draft of Write: Your first draft, bring TWO copies
9/17/10 paper; peer review Check: Your Grandview email
Monday Discuss readings Read: Lee, pages 190-195 and Haines, pages 196-201
10/25/10 Check: Your Grandview email
Monday DUE: First draft of Write: First draft of paper, bring TWO copies
11/1/10 paper; peer review Check: Your Grandview email
Wednesda Self revision Compile: Portfolio 3
y Check: Your Grandview email
11/3/10
Friday DUE: Portfolio 3; Compile: Portfolio 3
11/5/10 discuss assignment Check: Your Grandview email
11/17/10
Friday DUE: First draft; peer Write: First draft, bring TWO copies AND email me a copy
11/19/10 review Check: Your Grandview email
Monday DUE: Portfolio 4; Write: Revision of 1 of your Final Drafts of Portfolios 1-4
11/29/10 discuss assignment Check: Your Grandview email
Wednesda Library Orientation Write: Revision of 1 of your Final Drafts of Portfolios 1-4
y MEET AT LIBRARY Check: Your Grandview email
12/1/10
Friday Work on revisions Write: Revision of 1 of your Final Drafts of Portfolios 1-4
12/3/10 Check: Your Grandview email
Monday Peer review Write: Revision of 1 of your Final Drafts of Portfolios 1-4
12/6/10 Check: Your Grandview email
The most effective way I know to improve your writing is to do freewriting exercises regularly.
At least three times a week. They are sometimes called "automatic writing," "babbling," or
“jabbering" exercises. The idea is simply to write for ten minutes (later on, perhaps fifteen or
twenty). Don't stop for anything. Go quickly without rushing. Never stop to look back, to cross
something out, to wonder how to spell something, to wonder what word or thought to use, or to
think about what you are doing. If you can't think of a word or a spelling, just use a squiggle or
else write "I can't think what to say, I can't think what to say" as many times as you want; or
repeat the last word you wrote over and over again; or anything else. The only requirement is
that you never stop.
What happens to a freewriting exercise is important. It must be a piece of writing which, even if
someone else reads it, doesn't send any ripples back to you. It is like writing something and
putting it in a bottle in the sea. Freewritings help you by providing no feedback at all. When I
assign one, I invite the writer to let me read it, but also tell him to keep it if he prefers.
Here is an example of a fairly coherent exercise (sometimes they are very incoherent, which is
fine):
I think I'll write what's on my mind, but the only thing on my mind right now is what to
write for ten minutes. I've never done this before and I'm not prepared in any way--the sky
is cloudy today, how's that? now I'm afraid I won't be able to think of what to write when I
get to the end of the sentence--well, here I am at the end of the sentence--here I am again,
again, again, again, at least I'm still writing--Now I ask is there some reason to be happy
that I'm still writing--ah yes! Here comes the question again--What am I getting out of this?
What point is there in it? It's almost obscene to always ask it but I seem to question
everything that way and I was gonna say something else pertaining to that but I got so busy
writing down the first part that I forgot what I was leading into. This is kind of fun oh don't
stop writing--cars and trucks speeding by somewhere out the window, pens clittering
across peoples' papers. The sky is still cloudy--is it symbolic that I should be mentioning
it? Huh? I dunno. Maybe I should try colors, blue, red, dirty words--wait a minute--no
can't do that, orange, yellow, arm tired, green pink violet magenta lavender red brown
black green--now I can't think of any more colors--just about done--relief? maybe.
Freewriting may seem crazy but actually it makes simple sense. Think of the difference between
speaking and writing. Writing has the advantage of permitting more editing. But that's its
downfall too. Almost everyone interposes a massive and complicated series of editings between
the time the words start to be born into consciousness and when they finally come of the end of
the pencil or typewriter onto the page. This is partly because schooling makes us obsessed with
the "mistakes" we make in writing. Many people constantly think about spelling and grammar as
they try to write. I am always thinking about the awkwardness, wordiness, and general
mushiness of my natural verbal product as I try to write down words.
But it's not just "mistakes" or "bad writing" we edit as we write. We also edit unacceptable
thoughts and feelings, as we do in speaking. In writing there is more time to do it so the editing is
heavier: when speaking, there's someone right there waiting for a reply and he'll get bored or
think we're crazy if we don't come out with something. Most of the time in speaking, we settle
for the catch-as-catch-can way in which the words tumble out. In writing, however, there's a
chance to try to get them right. But the opportunity to get them right is a terrible burden: you can
work for two hours trying to get a paragraph "right" and discover it's not right at all. And then
give up. Editing, in itself, is not the problem.
Editing is usually necessary if we want to end up with something satisfactory. The problem is
that editing goes on at the same time as producing. . . .
The main thing about freewriting is that it is nonediting. It is an exercise in bringing together the
process of producing words and putting them down on the page. Practiced regularly, it undoes
the ingrained habit of editing at the same time you are trying to produce. It will make writing less
blocked because words will come more easily. . . .
Next time you write, notice how often you stop yourself from writing down something you were
going to write down. Or else cross it out after it's been written. "Naturally," you say, "it wasn't
any good." But think for a moment about the occasions when you spoke well. Seldom was it
because you first got the beginning right. Usually it was a matter of a halting or even a garbled
beginning, but you kept going and your speech finally became coherent and even powerful.
There is a lesson here for writing: trying to get the beginning just right is a formula for failure--
and probably a secret tactic to make yourself give up writing. Make some words, whatever they
are, and then grab hold of that line and reel in as hard as you can. Afterwards you can throw
away lousy beginnings and make new ones. This is the quickest way to get into good writing.
The habit of compulsive, premature editing doesn't just make writing hard. It also makes writing
dead. Your voice is damped out by all the interruptions, changes, and hesitations between the
consciousness and the page. In your natural way of producing words there is a sound, a texture, a
rhythm--a voice--which is the main source of power in your writing. I don't know how it works,
but this voice is the force that will make a reader listen to you. Maybe you don't like your voice;
maybe people have made fun of it. But it's the only voice you've got. It's your only source of
power. You better get back into it, no matter what you think of it. If you keep writing in it, it
may change into something you like better. But if you abandon it, you'll likely never have a
voice and never be heard.
Taken from Writing Without Teachers. New York: Oxford UP, 1973, 1-7.
Regularly responding to the assigned readings is part of the goals and the long-term learning of
this class. You will regularly be asked to respond thoughtfully to specific readings from RCWW.
Essentially, I see this task as your reflective consider of the readings. These responses will be
included in your journals should be at least a page.
Include:
You may include comments on what is of particular interest to you, how the article has (or has
not) enhanced your understanding of the topic you’ve read, what the author discusses and
whether you agree or disagree, what you found troubling, confusing or enlightening. The focus
of your response is not as important as showing how you engaged with the reading.
Format:
Each response will be (legibly) hand-written in your journal and should be at least a page in
length. Please include an appropriate heading and includes the title of the article(s) and the
author(s) in a prominent location (note: please use MLA formatting for the publishing
information).
Jessie Munoz
September 4, 2010
English 100
Bright
Context
In order to become more familiar with the assigned readings as well as the act of presenting, we
will be sharing in-class, individual or group reading presentations on readings from the RCWW
text. This activity will begin to prepare you for leading classroom discussions, which you will be
asked to do many times in your undergraduate (and graduate) career.
Task
As an individual or in groups of two, please sign up to present on a collection of assigned
readings (see below). On the day the readings are assigned to the class, you or your group will
lead the class discussion. Your assignment is to become an “expert reader” of this text and
present it to the rest of the class. If you sign up in groups of two, you may be responsible for
more than one reading presentation.
Purpose
The goal of this assignment is to gain familiarity with presenting in front of the class, as well as
to continue highlighting the distinction between summary and analysis. Additionally, reading
presentations are a great way to generate ideas for your essays.
Presentation dates (please sign up with instructor for your group’s date):
Date Readings Student(s)
9/8/10 Shah
9/10/10 Rodriquez
9/29/10 Edge
10/1/10 Hamilton
10/4/10 Orienstien
10/20/10 Safina
10/22/10 Doloff and Miranda
11/10/10 Tannen
11/12/10 Bailey
11/15/10 Heath and Heath