TEXTBOOKS
Ways of Reading: An Anthology for Writers  by David Bartholomae and Anthony
  Petrosky.
Dictionary (Strongly recommended)
Email account

COURSE OBJECTIVES
The main goal of this course is to assist you in developing writing skills that will serve you well in college and in the world beyond.  In planning the class, I assume that writing is a powerful means of discovery and expression which implies, of course, that it is much more than a mere academic exercise.  While we will certainly discuss and practice the conventions of academic writing, we will also consider other purposes and theories of language and writing.

Our textbook, titled Ways of Reading, assumes that strong readers become stronger writers; therefore, this will also be a course in which you will become a more conscientious and careful reader.  You should not assume that you will be able to read most assigned selections quickly, nor should you expect to understand them adequately until you’ve read them two or three (or more) times.  The editors of this book and I believe, however, that the effort you put into reading and understanding these essays will reward you with the increased ability to create meaning through reading and writing.  In short, you will gain considerable practice in skills that you will be expected to apply to tasks in many other college classes.

Specifically, we will focus on and seek to develop your skills in the following areas:

A. The composing process—and an increased awareness of your individual process.
B. Writing as a means to discovering what you think.
C. Writing as a means of social criticism.
D. Writing for academic and non-academic situations.
E. Careful reading and re-reading.
F. Analysis of readings for their arguments.
G. Analysis of readings for their rhetorical features.
H. Writing considerations: audience, purpose, rhetorical strategies, and stylistic choices.
I. Analysis of connections between visual communication arts and language arts.
J. Research skills.
K. Practice in alternative rhetorics—especially rhetorics linking visual arts and language arts.
L. Development of visual literacy.
M. Evaluation skills—to develop your ability to evaluate your own and your peers’ writing.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed as a writing workshop.  Class time will be used to compose and evaluate texts, discuss and practice writing skills, and respond to assigned readings.  Since participation is essential, the success of this class depends as much on you as it does on me.  My task is that of a facilitator; I will do my best to provide direction, guidance and assistance.  You need to be prepared to contribute your ideas, questions, imagination and energy.  Please be prompt and prepared for class.  Try to attend every class since poor attendance will negatively affect your grade and the quality of this course.  If you have problems during the semester that begin to affect your work and attendance, please speak with me in order to decide if you can successfully complete the class.  Be aware that even excused absences will negatively affect your grade unless you keep up with the work.

MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING
Writing/Pedagogy Essay  (3-4 pages)   10%
Reading/Understanding Images Essay (4-5 pages) 10%
Close Reading/Alternative Writing Essay (5 pages)  20%
Research Project  (7-8 pages)    20%
Personal Critical Essay and
  Reflective Essay (5-6 pages)    20%
Final Portfolio  (Reflective Essay, Personal Critical
  Essay, and one other)         5%
Homework      15%

Note: late homework will not be accepted and late essays will be graded down.  If you are absent, contact a classmate or me to find out what is due for the next class—being absent is not an excuse for being unprepared when you return.

PRESENTATION OF PAPERS, HOMEWORK, AND PORTFOLIOS
All homework must be typed; work that is not typed will be returned to you unmarked and unrecorded.  Papers must be formatted according to MLA style rules which we will review in class.

GRADING POLICY
We will discuss the specific grading criteria for each of the above major assignments.  If you ever have questions about a grade that I have given you, please bring the paper and speak with me about it.

PLAGIARISM
Although often unintentional, plagiarism is a serious academic offense. The following actions constitute plagiarism:
· Quoting part of a sentence without citing the source properly.
· Quoting a whole sentence without citing the source properly.
· Quoting several sentences, a whole paragraph or more without citing the source properly.
· Turning in a paper that you did not write as if it were your own work.
· Summarizing someone’s idea or argument without citing the source properly.
Plagiarism will result in an automatic F for the assignment and a serious grade reduction for the course.  Please do not plagiarize.  If you have problems with an assignment for whatever reason, please come and speak with me rather than succumb to the temptation to plagiarize.  Please.  (See The Key for further information on plagiarism.)

Additionally, every paper that you submit must be written specifically for this class (and not for additional classes) unless you have my permission as well as the permission of the other professor(s).  Again, failure to comply with this request will result in an automatic F for the assignment.

CELLULAR TELEPHONES, PAGERS, AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES
PLEASE, keep them turned off during all class sessions and conferences.
 
 

CLASS CALENDAR
LY 207
Tuesdays and Thursdays 1:30 to 2:50pm

Week 1 Aug. 26 Introduction to course and classmates.
  Aug. 28 Discuss “Introduction: Ways of Reading” (1-18).

Week 2 Sept. 2  No class—follow your Monday schedule.
  Sept. 4  Discuss Freire (258); work on Responses.

Week 3 Sept. 9  Discuss Pratt (604).
  Sept. 11 Work on essay topics.

Week 4 Sept. 16 First Draft of Writing/Pedagogy Essay due; peer review.
  Sept. 18 Conferences; discuss revision of Writing/Pedagogy Essay.

Week 5 Sept. 23 Discuss MLA format; discuss Berger.
  Sept. 25 Revision of First Essay due; begin discussion of Bordo.

Week 6 Sept. 30 Discuss Bordo.
  Oct. 2  Discuss Berger and Bordo; discuss essay topics.

Week 7 Oct. 7  First Draft of Reading/Understanding Images Essay
     due; peer review; discuss revision.
  Oct. 9  Discuss Wideman.

Week 8 Oct. 14  Revision of Reading/Understanding Images Essay due;
     discuss Baldwin.
  Oct. 16  Discuss Griffin.

Week 9 Oct. 21  Discuss Wideman, Baldwin, and Griffin; discuss essay
     topics; conferences about essay ideas.
  Oct. 23  Discuss Limerick; discuss Research Project.

Week 10 Oct. 28  First draft of Close Reading/Alternative Writings Essay
     due; peer review; discuss revision.
  Oct. 30  Discuss Limerick; introduce Research Project.

Week 11 Nov. 4  Discuss Geertz; work on Research Project.
  Nov. 6  Re-discuss Limerick, Geertz, and Wideman; work on
     research topics.

Week 12 Nov. 11 Final Draft of Reading/Alternative Writings Essay
     due; library orientation.
  Nov. 13 Introduction to Personal Critical Essay; work on research
     paper; discuss Said.

Week 13 Nov. 18 Research work; synthesis of ideas.
  Nov. 20 Conferences—the last two essays.

Week 14 Nov. 25 First draft of Research Project due; peer review; work on
     Personal Critical Essay.
  Nov. 27 No class—Thanksgiving Day Holiday.

Week 15 Dec. 2  First draft of Personal Critical Essay due; peer review;
     work on essay revisions.
  Dec. 4  Work on Final Portfolio; work on revision.

Week 16 Dec. ?  Final Portfolio due; readings from “Autobiographical
     Exploration” Essays.