Confidence and Skill in Writing Essays - College Algebra | ENGL 180, Papers of English Language

Download Confidence and Skill in Writing Essays - College Algebra | ENGL 180 and more Papers English Language in PDF only on Docsity! Spring 2007 College English ENGL 180-04 Dr. Lisa Williams Office: B-139, email: liwillia@ramapo.edu Office Hours: M, Th, 1:45-2:15, and Wed. 11-1, and by appointment Required Texts Ways of Reading, Edited by David Bartholomae and Anthony Petrosky The Open Handbook by Ann Raimes The Dew Breaker by Edwidge Danticat What This Course is About The purpose of this course is to build your confidence and skill in writing essays. In this class, you will have the opportunity to experiment with writing, as you come to understand more fully your own writing process. You will want to consider what makes a great piece of writing. How can you use language to express your deepest ideas and longings? This course will also give you the necessary background to succeed in the college writing and reading assignments you will complete throughout your career at Ramapo. The over-arching theme of all the readings we will be doing this semester is American identity and experience. We will, of course, want to define what that means as we proceed throughout the semester. Moreover, by slowly and methodically reading the difficult assigned texts, you will find that your ability to write and think critically will vastly improve. You will write a variety of essays in and out of class as well as a research paper. The main focus, however, of this class is the research paper. In order to pass this class, you will need to master argumentative writing—that is you must know how to present an argument and then back it up with complex evidence. You must also master MLA documentation and citation in your papers. Course Requirements Attendance and Punctuality: A passing grade will not be submitted for any student who exceeds six (6) absences. Arriving to class more than ten minutes late and leaving before the end without prior approval will be considered half an absence. Having more than two absences in this class will also significantly affect your final grade. Collaborative Learning: You must come to each class fully prepared and ready to discuss the assigned readings. You will have the opportunity to come up with a reading of each essay by working together in groups with others in the class. In addition, many of your writing assignments will be critiqued by your peers. This will enable each one of you to develop your sense of what constitutes good writing. Papers: All papers must be word processed or typed. As long as your papers are handed in on time, you will have the opportunity to rewrite them. Experiential Learning As part of Ramapo’s new curriculum, all Ramapo courses include an obligation on the part of the student to engage in 5 hours of related academic activity outside of class. Every semester, Ramapo College hosts a variety of cultural events. Students must attend at least two of these events, write a one-page summary of each event and report to the class. To earn credit, students must first seek my approval of the event in question and then share the paper within one week of the event. Students who visit the writing center may apply this time toward the five-hour obligation. Policy on Plagiarism Plagiarism will not be tolerated. If you have any questions about MLA citation, you must ask them. If there is any question about the authenticity of your work, the paper will be forwarded to the Office of Academic Affairs for further investigation. Any student found guilty of plagiarism may receive an F for the course. Schedule The following schedule is tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the class. January 18 Introductions. In-Class Writing. Jan. 22 Read “In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens” by Alice Walker. Write down your initial impressions of this essay. Select three passages that you will be prepared to discuss when you come to class. Jan. 25 Further discussion of Walker. Read “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker. Think about Walker’s writing style as you concentrate on a few paragraphs and closely examine how she uses language. How does the short story mirror the concerns of her essay? Jan. 29 Introduction to MLA documentation. Bring in Raimes’s book. Lab to work on Paper Feb. 1 Completed Paper Due Meet in Lab for Student Conferences. Collaborative Peer Review. Bring in three copies of your paper. Feb. 5 Student Conferences in Lab. Read “Our Time” by John Edgar Wideman. In the lab, answer questions 1, 2, and 3, Questions for a Second Reading. Feb. 8 Further Discussion of Wideman. Choose three paragraphs from the essay that you are prepared to discuss with the class. Respond to these paragraphs in your journal.