Spring 2007 Course Syllabus English 131 30 Writing Experience Tue Thur 9 30 a m 11 21a m Computer Classroom BW 107 Tue Classroom BW 101 Thur INSTRUCTOR OFFICE OFFICE HOURS PHONE EMAIL Dannielle Cattell TBA Tue Thu 11 30a m Noon or by appointment 517 796 8582 ENG Dept cattelldannielm jccmi edu COURSE TEXT The St Martin s Guide to Writing Seventh Edition by Rise B Axelrod Charles R Cooper Available at the campus bookstore COURSE MATERIALS A flash jump thumb drive to back up and transport your digital files a notebook to keep a journal of daily assignments and two pocket folders one for your daily assignments and graded work and one for your portfolio ONLINE CLASS and EMAIL INFO Click the Online Classes link on the JCC homepage for online class site Students should regularly check student email account access from the JCC homepage for messages COURSE DESCRIPTION The primary business of this class is to improve your writing skills and to find and develop your writing voice Writing is thought on paper or screen a complex intellectual exercise requiring you to stretch your thinking to think critically and make valid and accurate choices distinctions and decisions Like all skills effective writing requires practice and effort In this class we will practice and write narrative descriptive informative analytical and persuasive styles to help develop various writing skills Although writing is more than grammar and punctuation mastering these conventions is crucial to clear communication and we will work on them as needed What do we learn from writing and how does it influence our lives Writing helps change the world and enlighten the human condition e g the words of Abraham Lincoln Thomas Jefferson or Martin Luther King In our communities state and country writing influences political decisions Writing is fundamental to popular culture books comics movies plays the Internet advertising lyrics and recordings Writing skills are essential in the workplace New technology and a fastpaced fast changing environment demand competent writing skills The ability to write well is a basic consideration for hiring and promotion in most businesses and careers Many Americans jobs are dependent on writing and clear communication College level skills are the key to secure employment Writing is essential to academics Most classes require written assignments essays and tests to demonstrate the learner understands the course concepts and material Writing is learning Writing helps learners understand and remember concepts It allows us to express our own ideas and communicate those ideas to others Through writing we convey who we are what we stand for how we think what we believe and what we know We do this through creative writing essay writing personal business writing civic and political writing speech writing and writing in our workplaces Language forms who you are and how you function in and view the world By writing and sharing your writing you may discover and or reveal things about yourself to others This process can be intimidating and sometimes frightening It can also be rewarding and sometimes exciting Risk taking is part of the process of improving your writing and of learning Each class period we discuss a topic analyze a reading assignment or talk about strategies and methods used in written communication We also explore ways to stimulate ideas edit respond to peer writing and eliminate common grammatical errors Although there are firm deadlines the atmosphere of this class is loosely structured and informal a workshop style class allowing you to progress at your own individual pace This also allows me to observe you in the writing process and offer suggestions or help you with specific problems ASSOCIATE DEGREE OUTCOMES ADOs and COURSE OBJECTIVES The Board of Trustees has determined that all JCC graduates should develop or enhance certain essential skills while enrolled in the college Several of these ADOs are addressed in this class and aligned with specific course objectives below ADOs 2 Course Objectives In this course students will Complete a variety of writings Develop increased confidence in writing skills Practice and adopt new writing strategies Work through the writing process to produce finished papers Communicate clearly concisely and intelligibly including written and oral skills and comprehend and use information including in written and oral forms ADO 1 Participate in group and peer editing workshops Work productively with others ADO 5 Use research methodology including Internet searches to collect information for expository writing Use computers and other technologies appropriate to the program of study ADO 7 Learn to use the MLA documentation system for internal and external source citation Explore one or more of the following social systems human behavior technology visual arts our multi cultural society or an historical perspective Think critically and solve problems ADO 4 Applies to all objectives YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES Your primary task is to improve your writing skills This means that you must practice experiment discover and create your various voices learn to understand how you write the process determine your strengths and weaknesses as a writer and learn how to overcome the problem areas You are expected to attend every class prepare for class read the text and other assigned readings hand in daily work and drafts on time share your writing with others respond to your classmates writing actively participate in group class and electronic discussions work with me individually and most importantly write and revise both in and out of class MY RESPONSIBILITIES I will do everything I can to assist you in your task I ll read and respond to as much of your writing rewriting editing and as many of your ideas that I possibly can I will introduce concepts that may help you become a better writer lead class discussions form peer groups share readings and writings help you individually and encourage you 3 GRADING Your final grade will be out of a possible 1 000 points as follows Essays 400 points There will be four essays assigned throughout the semester Each essay will be worth a total of 100 points The breakdown is as such Prewrite 20 points Peer review 10 points Rough draft 20 points Total 50 points Final draft 50 points Workshops The 16 GPAW Hours 100 points 16 15 14 13 100 95 90 85 and so on Participation 200 points This will include all daily assignments and attendance Portfolio
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