ENGLISH 110-04 Fall 2001 T/Th 2:00-3:50 p.m.
Natasha Saje, Ph.D.
Foster Hall 405 Office Hours Mondays, 3-5:30 p.m.; Tuesdays 1:00-2:00 p.m. and Thursdays 4:00-5:30p.m. Other times also—stop by to see
if I’m here.
Telephone: Office: 832-2376
(voice mail) Home: 474-3579
Email: nsaje@westminstercollege.edu
Theme: Seeing Writing
"The way we see things
is affected by what we know or what we believe." John Berger
Objectives:
This is a course in writing,
which is usually connected to reading visual as well as verbal texts. Think of
it as a studio course, in which you will be practicing the art of writing, with
me looking over your shoulder at several times in the semester, assessing the
work you gather together in a portfolio. When I assess your writing I will be looking
at your progress from draft to draft, and from one paper to the next. Writing
and rewriting drafts of the "same" essay--trying to make it clearer
and more nuanced, and sometimes, discovering what you think only as you
write--is a great part of your success in this course. This should take about
four hours a week, in addition to the time you spend reading. I hope you will
value the group processes that can make writing easier and more fun.
You will be writing essays that highlight your relationship to the history and culture we read about in the assigned texts. These meetings between past and present, reading and writing, and self and other, represent the workplace (or laboratory) of what is often called a "liberal education." Doing research to supplement the readings will prepare you to do other college assignments.
Texts:
McQuade, Seeing Writing (St.
Martin’s, 2000)
The New St. Martin's
Handbook, 1999
You will also need a
dictionary.
Plus other materials, to be
distributed in class. Please also anticipate $5 or so in photocopying costs.
Read the syllabus before each
class to see what is expected of you. I may not reiterate assignments in class.
You will also be responsible for keeping up with any changes I may make in
response to the needs of our particular class--I will announce these changes in
class. If you have a documented disability, please see me (and the Start
Center) right away to discuss accommodations. Evidence of plagiarism or other
forms of academic dishonesty will result in failing grades or other forms of
disciplinary action.
Attendance:
A class is a community and
its success depends on everyone’s participation; thus, on-time class and
conference attendance and participation are required. If you are absent or
tardy more than three times, you will not be able to get an A, and if you miss
more than eight classes, you will automatically fail. If you are absent, you are responsible for finding out what you
missed from a classmate. If you are
ill, as a courtesy let me know before class that you will be absent.
Assignments:
Written work for the course
includes reading quizzes, exercises, in-class paragraphs, five short papers (3
pages, double spaced), and one longer paper (6-10 pages, also double spaced)
which must be an expansion of one of the short papers, including library
research. These should be typed using MLA guidelines (Chapter 42 Handbook).
Assignments are due at the beginning of the class period. They may contain
visual elements, but since this is a course in writing, the emphasis will be on
writing. If you are ill and cannot complete an assignment, you must speak with
me before it is due to arrange for an extension. For other matters, you may also call me at home, but please first
ask your question of someone else in the class. I will distribute a class
roster with phone numbers. Your grade
for attendance and participation includes your attending one or more of the
three poetry readings or a book festival event on campus this semester and
writing a one paragraph response to the experience.
Papers must be typed, double
spaced and headed as follows:
Essay #1
Jane Doe
English 110-04
Dr.
Sajé
12 September 2001
Title
Papers MUST have titles that
reveal substance; i.e. "Foucault's Panopticon at Westminster
College." Titles to your papers
should not be underlined and should not be in all capitals. Capitalize the
first word and all words except articles.
DO NOT USE A COVER SHEET.
Grades:
In the past, students have
appreciated getting comments without a letter grade for the first few papers
because it allows them to concentrate on learning without being focused on
grades. At midterm, I will write a summary paragraph of your work and assign
you a letter grade. You may of course come see me at any time for more feedback
or a more precise sense of how you stand in the course. The portfolio method I
use in grading means that revision counts. You may revise any of your papers at any time; please hand in
both versions and be sure to include all versions in your portfolio.
However, the revision must be real and not merely cosmetic (correcting the
punctuation, for example or correcting the other errors I circled). If the
revised paper is not substantially different from the first version, it is not
a real re-vision and will not change your grade.
Grades are calculated on the
following criteria:
1. Attendance and
participation (includes peer reviews and writing done in class, plus poetry
reading or book festival attendance) 25%
2. Five shorter essays 10%
each
3. Final research essay 15%
4. Reading and grammar
quizzes 10%
How much you improve
will also be taken into account when I determine your final grade. I use the
"portfolio" method, which means you should keep all written work in a
folder and submit it at midterm and on the last day of class. You should keep
copies of all essays and for the final research paper, submit all notes and
drafts with the paper. In lieu of a final exam, I'll keep these portfolios for
a year. If you want comments on your final essay, enclose two copies and a stamped,
self-addressed envelope.
Here are the guidelines I use
for grading papers (Adapted from Adelstein and Pival, The Teaching
Commitment). Note that a paper must earn its grade: it starts with a
"0" and works its way up.
1. Organization (10 points)
A. Is
the paper about the assigned subject?
B.
Does it have a clear, logically developed plan unified around a central thesis?
C.
Is the subject adequately limited?
D.
Is the paper written from a consistent viewpoint?
E.
Does the paper have an effective introduction, conclusion and transitions?
F.
Are the paragraphs organized around a topic sentence?
2. Support of Generalizations (10 points)
A.
Are relevant examples, illustrations, facts, or other forms of evidence used?
B.
Would an intelligent reader accept the evidence used?
C.
Are abstract words defined or illustrated?
D.
Is the support of generalizations as complete as the time allotted for the
assignment will allow?
3. Mechanics/Usage (10 points)
A.
Is the paper free of spelling errors? Is it generally free of others?
1.
punctuation
2.
fragments/comma splices/run on sentences
3.
subject-verb agreement
4.
pronoun-antecedent agreement
5.
errors of case (him for he, etc.)
6.
dangling or misplaced modifiers
4. Content (50 points)
A.
Is the paper interesting? Do the ideas reveal some maturity of judgment, some
insight and critical perception?
B.
Has the writer analyzed the subject accurately and thoroughly?
C.
Have the writer's conclusions been developed from an objective, logical,
comprehensive examination of the subject?
D.
Has the writer gone beyond the obvious?
5. Language (10 points)
A.
Is it appropriate for the purpose, audience and subject?
B.
Are words used accurately and defined where ambiguous?
C.
Has the writer avoided clichés and unnecessary repetition?
D.
Is the language concrete and clear?
6. Style (10 points)
A.
Are unnecessary words eliminated?
B.
Is the tone appropriate to the audience, subject and purpose?
C.
Does the writer appear to be sincere, reasonable and unbiased?
D.
Are sentences varied in length and type? Is passive voice used only where
necessary? Is subordination used to signal intended relationships?
Standards for paper grades:
The A paper not only fulfills the assignment but does so in a
fresh and mature way. (It teaches me something!) Every paragraph has a clear
purpose. Evidence is detailed, and the organization gives the reader a sense of
the necessary flow of the argument. Prose is clear, apt and occasionally
memorable. It contains few errors.
The B paper fulfills the assignment and may show some interesting
thinking but has lapses in one of the crucial elements of good writing; it may
be detailed and well-organized in one section, but not so in another. Or
perhaps the argument is clear, but the prose is lackluster or contains several
kinds of errors.
Note: Papers that earn C, D,
and F grades tend to have underdeveloped paragraphs.
The C paper follows the assignment but does so either
conventionally or superficially. (I've heard it before.) Adequate evidence is
provided, but the reasoning is predictable and/or occasionally flawed. Sentence
structure is generally correct, but not very interesting: the writer fails to
use subordination, sentence variety, and modifiers to achieve emphasis.
The D paper either doesn’t follow the assignment or does so in a
flawed manner. Often D papers do not have well developed paragraphs or a clear
thesis.
The F paper could be off the assignment, could fall seriously
short of minimum length requirements, or could be plagiarized. The thesis is
unclear. Evidence is scarce. Organization is haphazard or arbitrary. The paper
may contain numerous errors of grammar, spelling, punctuation, diction or
syntax that hinder communication.
Peer Workshop/Draft Groups:
An important part of this
course. Meeting draft deadlines is the single most important factor for
success in this course.
Conferences:
A few times during the
session I'll see each of you in conference in my office with a paper and your
portfolio. You may, of course, make an appointment to see me any other time, or
simply come to office hours. If you can't read my handwritten comments on your
papers, please let me read them to you!
Assignments are due on the
day next to which they appear. When you are asked to read a selection from Seeing
Writing, be sure to read it twice, and read the questions afterward also.
The reading assignments are many pages long, but contain lots of pages of
images. Our discussion of the reading and images will span several days, until
the paper generated from that unit is due. So please bring to class the book(s)
and all material you need to write. Doing the reading should entail consulting
a dictionary for words you don't know.
SYLLABUS
Introductions.
Syllabus/course policies.
Write in class: definition of
education
topic: constructing a
paragraph
lesson on ethos, logos,
pathos with print ads
Tuesday 4 September
Read Introduction xxix-lvi Seeing
Writing
Read “Ways of Seeing” in Seeing Writing (512-525) and “Show and Tell” in Seeing Writing (526-550)
Thursday 6 September
Read Chapter 1, Seeing
Writing “Observing the Ordinary” p.2-62
Especially Baker,
“Shoelaces” (31) and Dillard, “Seeing”
(38)
Read Handbook, 102-134
(constructing paragraphs)
Read Handbook, pp.32-49
(exploring, planning, drafting)
Naomi Shihab Nye reads in
Gore Auditorium, 7 p.m.
Tuesday 11 September
Choose one writing
assignment, p. 17 (#1 or #2) or p. 37 (#2). Draw upon Berger and McCloud to
construct your argument.
Thursday 13 September
Draft Workshop: Bring 4
copies. Be sure to bring the advertisement you are analyzing.
Second half of class: grammar review—bring handbook.
Tuesday 18 September
Paper #1 due.
Read Handbook, 102-134 (bring
to class, along with Seeing Writing).
Thursday 20 September
Read Chapter 7, Seeing Writing, “Reading
Icons” pp. 399-449 esp. Brubach (p.412-415); Rand (p.419-420); Betsky (p.
427-430); Brennan (p.438-440); Rehnquist (p.442-443).
Poet Peter Davison reads
in Jewett Auditorium, 7 p.m.
Saturday September 22 and
Sunday September 23
Great Salt Lake Book
Festival at Westminster each day; I’ll distribute a schedule.
Tuesday 25 September
Continue discussion of “icon”
chapter.
Choose one writing
assignment: p. 401 # 1 or #2; p. 416 #1
or #2; p. 421 #1
Thursday 27 September
Draft Workshop: Bring 4 copies.
Tuesday 2 October
Paper # 2 “Coming to Terms with Place” due.
Read Handbook, 70-101 (Bring
to class).
Thursday 4 October
Read “Figuring the Body” pp.
196-253 in Seeing Writing.
Especially Bordo, p 236
Tuesday 9 October
Choose one of the following
writing assignments:
p. 201 #2
p. 205 #2
P. 225 #1 or #2
p. 221 #2
P. 231 #2
p. 235 #2
p. 243 #1 or #2
p. 255 # 2
Thursday 11 October
Draft Workshop: bring 4
copies.
Poet Chana Bloch reads in
Nunemaker Place, 7 p.m.
Tuesday 16 October
Paper # 3 “Figuring the Body”
due.
Read Handbook pp.249-268
Thursday 18 October
Tuesday 24 October
Read “Engendering Difference” pp.258-320
Choose one writing
assignment:
p. 263 #1 or #2
p. 277 #1 or #2
p. 279 #1 or #2
p. 295 #1 or #2
p. 299 #1 or #2
p. 309 #1 or #2
p. 323 # 1
Thursday 26 October
Continue discussion of
readings.
Tuesday 31 October
Draft workshop: Bring copies:
Paper #4: “Engendering Difference”
Thursday 2 November
NO CLASS: CONFERENCES THIS
WEEK. BRING YOUR PAPER.
Paper #4 due in conference
Read Handbook pp.269-284.
Tuesday 6 November
Read “Constructing Race” pp. 326-393
Thursday 8 November
Choose one writing
assignment:
p. 331 #2
p. 337 #2
p. 378 #1 or #2
p. 380 #1
p. 395 # 1 or #2
Read Handbook pp. 435-443
Library Session: meet in
Library Classroom
Paper # 5 “Constructing Race”
due.
Thursday 15 November
Read Handbook pp. 444-515
Assign final paper: 6-10 page
essay, an expansion of one of your previous papers for the course. You must use
a minimum of five sources, including at least one “scholarly” source. You may
use visual texts in addition to the 5-10 pages (double spaced) of writing. Use MLA (parenthetical) citation form,
explained in the Handbook, pp.516-563.
Brainstorm final paper ideas:
bring your portfolios and Seeing Writing.
Tuesday 20 November
Read Seeing Writing
“Reading Icons” pp. 399-449
Bring Handbook.
Thanksgiving Holiday
Tuesday 27 November
Library Session: meet in
Library Classroom
Bring rough draft/outline of
your final paper (one copy).
Thursday 29 November
Read Seeing Writing
“The Ethics of Representation” pp.499-509
Poet Charles Simic reads
in the Jewett Center Auditorium, 7 p.m.
Tuesday 4 December
Thursday 6 December
last day of class: bring one
copy of final paper (hopefully revised since Tuesday) and handbook
Friday 14 December
Exam, 2:00-3:50 p.m.
Portfolios due: you will
write an overview of your work this semester