Senior Writing Seminar
Instructor, Harumi LaDuke
2014-2015
This is a reading and writing intensive course designed for students who wish to become better
writers and readers. You will encounter a variety of writing styles and forms (fiction, poetry,
creative nonfiction, humor, personal essay, plays, film and music reviews, and blogging) in the
process of becoming a better writer and critic. As we study each genre, you will write your own
creative piece using that form, workshop your writing with your peers, and develop skills to
constructively critique the work of others. Through careful reading, writing, and critique, you will
learn how your choices in rhythm, image, and form can produce your own distinctive voice on the
page.
Writing Journal: Just like any sport, musical instrument, or other discipline, writing must be
practiced regularly. The more you practice, the more quickly you will be able to dive into “writing
mode” and avoid so-called writer’s block. Please bring your journal to every class, as we often do
in-class brainstorms and writing sessions. I will let you know when you are expected to do at-home
brainstorm sessions (usually in preparation for a writing assignment). I may periodically collect
your journal.
Workshops and Feedback: Writing workshops are the cornerstone of this class and essential for
the writing process. You will give and receive peer feedback on creative and analytic writing
assignments. In general, students who put more effort into peer feedback see a corresponding rise
in the quality of their own writing, so I recommend that you take the peer edit process seriously. I
will assess the quality of your peer feedback.
Portfolio: The parameters for the portfolio will likely change
with each quint, depending on what we are doing, but in general, please keep all of your returned
work at home in a designated box for easy accessibility. You will always revise work each quint, and
I might ask you to revise pieces from previous quints; in either case, I will let you know what is due
well beforehand.
Attendance and Participation: Consider this category as an opportunity to significantly boost (or
drag down) your final grade. My suggestion: make an effort to contribute a rich comment or
question in class every day. You may not get the chance to speak up every time you raise your
hand, but I will make note of your effort. On the other hand, if you tend to distract others, arrive late
to class or lecture, or do not contribute at all, your choices will be significantly reflected in your
final grade. It should go without saying that unexcused absences or frequent lateness will
negatively affect your grade. Attendance, timeliness, and participation comprise one-third of
your grade.
Absences: In the case of an absence, please check the Swift page to see what you missed and then
check in with me with a proposal for what you think is realistic for you to make up.
Discussion Moderator: Each quint, you will lead one analytic discussion of a reading assignment
and one workshop of a student piece. To successfully lead each type of discussion, you must come
to class prepared to:
Comment on what you observed about the author’s technique, writing style, choices,
etc. (“The second person point of view was unusual in that it…” or “I noticed that the
line breaks in this poem added urgency…”)
Ask the class questions about the reading (“What did you think about___?” “Did anyone
else find that…?”)
Manage the discussion time so that the entire piece can be discussed and not, for
example, just focused on the opening pages. As the moderator, you will call on
classmates and try your best to give each student a chance to speak up.
Assigned Work: Homework is due in class.
 Staple all multi-page work before class and before you turn it in. Feel free to stop by the
Humanities office or arrive to class early to use the stapler.
 Print work before you arrive to class.
 Late work often affects the overall grade as much or more than exam scores, so I
recommend that you to take daily work seriously. Late work includes the following:
o Work turned in after class instead of during class (except for absences)
o Work without your name on it
o Work that is missing a required element (e.g. a works cited list)
o Work printed during the class period (unless I have specified that that is fine)
 Due dates, especially for long-term assignments, are non-negotiable unless you speak to me
well in advance. If you need an extension, talk to me about it as soon as you suspect that you
may need an extension.
 Technology is not a reasonable excuse for turning in an assignment late. If you have a tech
issue with a home or school printer, email your document to me so that I can see that you
completed your work on time. You are still responsible for printing out the work and
turning it in as soon as possible in order to receive full credit. If something more serious
happens, such as a wiped out hard drive or an unrecoverable file, contact me immediately
and then continue to work on paper so that I can see that you tried your best to complete
the assignment and are not using technology as an excuse to turn in work late.