This section contains the syllabi for a Composition class ( a first year writing course) and a Personal Writing course ( an upper level course focusing on non-fiction memoir writing).

The conference questions which follow the Composition syllabus are distributed to students before their first conferences.  They are useful with any writing conference.
 
The quotations which follow the personal writing syllabus are distributed with that syllabus and discussed in class.  They are useful in any class where personal experience writing is used and to talk about what makes writing fiction or creative non-fiction.
 

Objectives:
When you have completed this course, you will know how to:
? find your own subject or to make an assignment your own.
? get ideas for a significant piece of writing and respond to an assignment in a manner appropriate to your own knowledge.
? collect information for your writing and to focus your topic.
? hear your own voice in writing and adapt it to different purposes and readers.
? read writing in progress and respond to what works and what needs work.
? revise your drafts to make them increasingly effective.
? write in different genres and forms.
? discover through the experience of your own drafts that writing is thinking, that you discover what you have to say by saying it.
?  work collaboratively on a piece of writing
? seek out different sources of information to use in writing.
? use sources in the library and integrate library research into a paper.

Evaluation:
    Weekly Papers                           25%
 Final Portfolio    40%
 Participation  and responses                 15%
 Conferences    10%
 Three Search paper                              10%

Weekly papers:
 At the beginning of the class period each Thursday,  the student should pass in approximately five pages of typed, double-spaced copy on the topic of the student's choice.  This may be one paper or several.  Pieces may be shorter if you hand in additional pages of draft material.  New attempts at the same subject may be counted as weekly papers.  I will not accept poetry or papers done for other classes as your weekly paper.  NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
 
 

Mid-term Portfolio:
 The mid-term portfolio is designed to give you an idea of how well you are progressing at midterm.  You will be expected to include IN A FOLDER three pieces of your choice, all of which may be included in the final portfolio as well.  You should also include a list of all pieces completed to date, an explanation of why you selected the pieces you did, a statement about yourself as a writer including a self-evaluation and what you hope to accomplish in the second half of the semester, and anything else which tells more about you as a writer.  This portfolio will receive a numerical grade, but this grade will not influence the final grade.  Failure to hand in a mid-term portfolio, however, will result in five points being deducted from the final grade. The portfolio will be discussed in an evaluation conference with the instructor.
 
Final Portfolio:
 In this portfolio, you should try to present yourself as a writer.  You should include IN A FOLDER at least five papers which you select as your best work.  You may include papers from your midterm portfolio, but if you revise, you must include the earlier draft.  You should also include an explanation of why you selected each paper, a list of all of the papers you have written, your evaluation of yourself as a writer and anything else which tells more about you as a writer.  You might include notes, early drafts, papers done in other contexts, personal statements... Please include anything which would help the reader to give a better evaluation of your writing and which would help to
present a portrait of who you are as a writer.

Responses to Readings and events:
 On the dates noted in the syllabus, you should bring  a written response to all assigned readings. You will be asked to write responses to the readings Shifts of Vision, the packet and Comp Journal. Writing does not occur in a vacuum.  You are expected to draw inspiration from your readings, your community and your culture.  In order to draw inspiration from the campus community, you will be required to attend and respond to at least two approved events.  Additional events may be attended for extra credit.
Instructions for responses follow:
 I would like you to center your responses around the following areas:  1) literally (What do you think is going on here?  How do you react to the content?)  2) emotionally (What personal associations do you make?  What did the reading or event make you think of?  How did the reading or event make you feel?)  3) intellectually (what ideas or questions does this raise for you?) and finally 4) as a writer (what did you notice about the way the piece was written or what inspiration can you draw for your own writing?  What worked well for you in the piece?  What would you change?  How would you revise this piece?)  The purpose of the response to the readings is to prepare to discuss them in class.  Please come prepared with comments, questions and passages you would like to discuss.  No responses will be accepted late.  You should have your responses ready before you come to class.
 
Final Reading:
 Instead of a final exam, you will be expected to read a selection of your writing in front of the large group.  Attendance at these sessions is mandatory.  There will be opportunities to read your work in class each week.  YOU ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE READ AT LEAST ONCE BEFORE THE FINAL READINGS.
 

Conferences:
 Each student will sign up for a 15 minute conference with the instructor each week.  You will share this time with one other student.  You should come to the door at the scheduled time and make sure I know you have arrived.  You should bring your draft to the conference and be prepared to open the conference by speaking about the draft.  See separate sheet of conference guidelines.  These conferences are your time.  Please take control of the conference and use the time in the way which will help you the most.

Participation:
 Part of each class period will be devoted to workshop time.  This is time for you to work on your writing, complete in-class activities and confer with fellow students.  The English Department reminds students that discussion/workshop classes require participation from every person in order to succeed.  Class attendance, therefore, is taken seriously by every member of the department.  Failure to attend class and to participate fully will adversely affect your grade. Participation also includes the willingness to become an active member of a writing community by sharing your work, commenting on others' work and contributing to class discussions.  I cannot emphasize enough how important this is.

Collaborative Paper:
 You will receive detailed written instructions before beginning this project.  Briefly, you will be required to work with two other people on a paper.  The group will decide on the subject of the paper  and how to write it.   Each group will meet with me in conference.  More details will be provided
later. This paper will be written entirely in class.

Three-Search Paper
 You will receive detailed written instructions before beginning this project.  Briefly, you will be required to write a paper on the topic of your choice integrating a personal concern with an interview and/or observation and library sources.  You should begin to think now about possible topics.

Note:
 THERE WILL BE NO LATE PAPERS.  Attendance at class and in conference is required.  Absences will significantly affect your grade.  You should bring your drafts and COPIES OF ALL PAPERS COMPLETED TO DATE to all class meetings.  I would encourage you to use the Reading/Writing Center in Ellen Reed House to receive additional response to your work.
 

Tentative Class Schedule
T 2/1 Introduction to the writing process
 What makes writing a positive or negative experience
 
R  2/3 Rawlins- Chapter 1
Freewriting- focused freewrites
 Ice Breaker - creating a character.
 
 

T    2/8 A Sense of Story- pacing
 Time Exercises
 Rawlins- Chapter 3
 Graves- “Abuela’s Hair” SV 124
 Manson- "Sharing Christmas with Omi" CJR 40
 Hodges “219” CJR 32
 
R    2/10   Paper #1 due
 Finding Topics, Daybooks
 
T     2/15   Writing From Artifacts
      Rawlins- Chapter 14
      LaVallee “In That Blue Bag” CJR 16
    Dalton- “Who Doesn’t Want to be a Bond Girl?” SV

R  2/17  Paper #2 due
 The Writing Process- /brainstorming // details
 Place Descriptions

T  2/22     Voices
 “The Burden” CJ
 “Halfway Home From Hell” (CJR 22)
 Baldwin “Mommy” CJR 27
 Creating Characters, writing back and forth

R  2/24    Paper #3 due
 Topic interviews
 List of potential topics
 Writing about emotional moments
 
T  2/29  Exton- “Letter to My Daughter” CJR 5
Mueller- "Blues" CJR 34
 Andre “Drums” CJR 46
 Specific Details
 Vague Language Exercise

R  3/2 Paper #4 due
 Focus- Family Story Activity
 written response
 Write about focus (Your Paper)

T  3/7  “Unite the Living” SV 70
 “Pest Control” SV107
 “One Lousy Day” SV 32
 Rawlins- Chapter 10 Peer Feedback
 Treating sensitive issues, audience awareness
 Revision exercise

R  3/9  Paper #5 due
 Writing in response to art
 Socially conscious art and writing
 
T  3/14  Graziano- Portrait of a PSC Student
 Blanchette- Just Cause
 Keagan- "Dangerous Parties"
 Interview  write up
 Peer conferences
 Bring three copies of a paper to revise for the portfolio
 Qualities of Good Writing

R  3/16 Rawlins- Chapter 8
  Researching periodicals-- library
 MID-TERM PORTFOLIO DUE

T  3/28  Mapping Outlining – Rawlins- Chapter 6
 Know Exceptions (handout)
 Closure? (handout)
 Cheap Cherubs- CJ 18
 Talking about controversial issues- Triangulating
 What do you want to know about?
 Issues Brainstorm

R   3/30 Rawlins- Chapter 8
Paper #6 due
 Endings, Leads and Titles
 Beginning With a Given First Line
 
T  4/4 Haunting- SV 19
 How Nana Got Her Groove Back- SV 116
Bring in opening lines from stories you like (2)
 Portfolio Interviewing Activity

R  4/6 Rawlins- Chapter 4
Audience Exercise
 Overcoming Writer's Block
 Paper #7 due

T  4/11  Emotionally Charged Topics
  The Last, Good Man- SV 42
 Winged Justice SV 79
 
R 4/13  Rawlins- Chapter 7  Order- Abstract your draft
 Summary before and after writing.
 Paper #8 due

T 4/18   Rawlins- Chapter 18
 Monton- “The Dance” CJ 21
 Whitney- “College” CJR 49
 Barrett- “One Night Last Summer”  CJ 4
 Finding the research question exercise.

R  4/20 Paper #9 due
 Mock interviews
 Library skills

 T   4/25 Rawlins- Chapter 19
"Voice of the Endangered American Black Male" Smith
 Using Statistics/ integrating facts
 
R  4/27 Press Conferences about your research topic
 Draft of Paper #10 (Three Search Paper) due

T  5/2"Do What You Gotta Do" Hebert
 "Anorexia Nervosa" Lennox
 “The Cultural Conflict Over Toilet Training”- Exton
 Citations
 editing tips- exercises

R  5/4  "A Student's Guide to Procrastination"- Kracke, Marino, Miller
 Collaborative exercises
 Begin  Collaborative work
 Bring in Papers to edit for Portfolio
  Paper #10 (Three Search Paper) due

T   5/9  Collaborative Work
   Final Portfolio Due

R   5/11    Collaborative Work
        Collaborative Paper (#11) due
  Final Readings

T   5/16   Final Readings

[The remarks about class requirements/expectations of the students are nearly identical to
the previous syllabus]

TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE (items in italics refer to things the student should
prepare before class.  Regular type items are in-class activities which the instructor will
prepare.)

W 2/3 Introduction to the writing process
            What makes writing a positive or negative experience

F 2/5  Freewriting - focused freewrites
            Ice Breaker - creating a character

M 2/8 A Sense of Story - pacing
            Time Exercises
           Through Time (CJ)
           Day of Disaster (CJ)
           Off the Deep End (packet)

W 2/10 Handling Problems of Time and Pace
             Time Exercises
           White's Rapid (LL)
            Dear Bob (LL)
            Sharing Christmas with Omi (packet)

F 2/12  Paper #1 due
            Finding Topics, Using Daybooks

M 2/15 Writing from Artifacts
           In That Blue Bag (CJ)
           Easter Sunday:  33 Years Later (packet)

W 2/17  Conferencing with Other Writers
              Using Conference Questions
            Draft in progress

F 2/19  Paper #2 due
            The Writing Process - Brainstorming / Details
            Place Description Exercises

M 2/22 Voices
             Creating Characters / Writing Back and Forth
           First Kiss (CJ)
           Heather (packet)
           Through the Years (packet)

W 2/24 Voices / Emotional Moments
             Writing About Emotional Moments
            Roses (LL)
            The Spectrum (LL)

F 2/26  (no class, Winter Carnival)

M 3/1   Paper #3 due
            Topic Interviews
            List of Potential Topics

W 3/3  Specific Details
            Vague Language Exercise
           Letter to My Daughter (CJ)
           Blues (packet)
           The Silence of His Music (packet)
           Strike (LL)

F 3/5   Paper #4 due
           Focus - Family Story Activity
           Write About Focus (your paper)

M 3/8  Treating Sensitive Issues / Audience Awareness
            Revision Exercise
           Art Hour (packet)
           19 Minutes (packet)
           Inside Corduroy (LL)

W 3/10 Show, Not Tell
           Who Lives in a Yellow Submarine (LL)
           Blue Stockings (LL)

F 3/12  Paper #5 due
            Character Sketch Interviewing

M 3/15 Issues Brainstorm
            (What do you want to know about?)
           Interview write-up
           Portrait of a PSC Student (packet)
           Just Cause (packet)

W 3/17 Qualities of Good Writing
            Dangerous Parties (packet)
            Bring three copies of a paper to revise for the portfolio
             Peer Conferences

F 3/19  Paper #6 due
            MIDTERM PORTFOLIO DUE
            Researching Periodicals - library

M 3/29 Endings, Leads and Titles
            Beginning With a Given First Line

W 3/31 Controversial Issues - Triangulating
            The Life Choice (packet)
            The Truth Telling (packet)

F 4/2    Paper #7 due
            First Line Exercise

M 4/5   Audience Exercise
           Bring in first lines from stories you like (2)
           Chink (packet)
           At Home We Are All Brown (packet)
           Throwing Stones (LL)

W 4/7  Overcoming Writer's Block
            Collecting Exercise

F 4/9   Paper #8 due
           Guided Imagery - Shifts of Vision

M 4/12 Emotionally Charge Topics
           The Gunfire from the Hills (packet)
           The War No One Talked About (packet)

W 4/14 Revision Exercise - Opening Up Your Story

F 4/16  Paper #9 due
            Three Search Papers
            Finding Research Questions

M 4/19 Using Statistics / Integrating Facts
           Voices of the Endangered American Black Male (packet)

W 4/21 Integrating Facts
           Do What You Gotta Do (packet)
           Anorexia Nervosa (packet)
           The Cultural Conflict Over Toilet Training (packet)

F 4/23 Paper #10 due
            Mock Interviews
            Library Skills

M 4/26 Press Conferences About Research Topics

W 4/28 Peer Response - Three Search Papers
           Bring draft or partial draft to class

F 4/30 Draft of Paper #11 (Three Search Paper) due
           Citations
           Editing Tips / Exercises

M 5/3  Collaborative Writing / Exercises
            Begin Collaborative Work
           A Student's Guide to Procrastination (packet)

W 5/5  Collaborative Writing Work
           Bring in papers to edit for portfolio

F 5/7    Paper #11 (Three Search Paper) due
            Collaborative Work
            Portfolio Work

M 5/10 Questions for Self-Evaluation
             Portfolio Work

W 5/12 Collaborative Work
             Final Portfolio Due

F  5/14 (last regular class)
           Paper #12 (collaborative) due
            Final Readings

W 5/19 (final exam, 11:00 - 1:30)