English 310.1 (10542) Winter 2011
MWF 10:55-12:15; MF CB 105; W WSL 14
M Woodman
Faculty Towers 201-A
mwoodman@csub.edu
Office Hours: MWF 9:20-10:45, W 1:00-2:00
Advanced Writing
What does it mean to be an advanced writer?
Advanced Writing as I define it in this English 310 course has the following criteria: insight, logic, organization,
style, and adherence to grammatical/mechanical norms.
In other words, a work of advanced writing should...
1. Be insightful (with an argument that moves beyond shallow or generic thinking);
2. Be logical (with a thesis, supporting arguments, evidence, and a lack of fallacies);
3. Be organized (with an overall plan to the essay and to individual paragraphs);
4. Have an effective style (with rhythm and precision through syntax and diction);
5. Be grammatically and mechanically correct (with an absence of errors).
In terms of this section of English 310, the heavy foundation of reading complex texts is designed to assist students
in meeting the first aspect of advanced writing. By reading and then synthesizing ideas from complex texts, 310
writers should be making more complex and insightful arguments. More specifically, I have emphasized the idea of
archetypes in order to provoke more complex and insightful thought regarding contexts many people dismiss as
being meaningless: popular music, popular film, and advertising. In other words, students in my Advanced Writing
course will be finding and arguing a meaning that others may not see, which is the definition of insight.
The lectures on the parts of the essay and the rhetorical modes should assist students in organizing their writing
more logically and effectively.
The lectures on syntax should assist students with style, and the grammar/mechanics lectures should assist students
with understanding grammar and mechanics.
Prerequisite: A grade of C or higher in English 110 or its equivalent beginning fall 2003 OR a grade of D- or
higher in English 110 or its equivalent prior to fall 2003.
Students must earn a grade of C or higher in this course to satisfy the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement
(GWAR). In addition, this course can fulfill the GWAR only if a student has completed 90 or more quarter units of
college work before taking it.
To be eligible for a C in English 310, students must earn a C or higher on at least one in-class writing assignment
and earn a C average in the class overall.
Academic Honesty Policy
This course is subject to the academic and disciplinary sanctions established by CSUB for plagiarism as outlined on
the university website: www.csub.edu
Course Description: This course is a comprehensive study of the techniques of effective expository writing. It
emphasizes development of prose style and requires frequent writing exercises, both in and out of class. This course
fulfills the GWAR and counts toward the Teacher Preparation programs in English, Liberal Studies, and Child
Development, but it does not count toward the major or minor.
Course Goals
At the end of ten weeks, students in English 310 should be able to do the following:
1. read and write literally, interpretively, and analytically or critically;
2. recognize a writer’s tone and how it informs a text’s statements; this includes analyzing diction and syntax;
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
consider rhetorical strategies and their connection to meaning;
identify assumptions in reading and writing;
analyze a potential audience and use an appropriate style and tone;
analyze and adapt writing techniques to purpose;
present appropriate details, examples, and definitions as support;
fully develop arguments and write cohesively using adequate transitions;
recognize faulty logic;
use a variety of sentence structures;
use varied levels of linguistic formality;
revise and edit their own writing using standard, edited American English.
Required Texts:
Ariadne’s Clue: A Guide to the Symbols of Mankind Anthony Stevens
(0691086613)
The Myth of the Eternal Return
Mircea Eliade
(0691123500)
The Hero and the Outlaw
Margaret Mark and Carol Pearson (0071364153)
Recommended Texts:
Quick Access
Unabridged dictionary
Reading Logs / Blog:
http://woodman310.blogspot.com/
Research has shown that the greatest correlative to effective writing is effective reading. As such, this course makes
use of four complex critical texts. To ensure you are both reading and understanding the text, each reading will
require that you respond to a quote from that section. I will post these quotes on the Advanced Writing Blog, and
you will 1). Explain what the quote means and 2). Describe how you have seen the idea within that quote at work in
our larger culture.
Attendance:
Attendance is essential for you to succeed in this class. If you happen to miss a day in which we complete an inclass assignment or part of a paper, these are points that cannot be made up. Likewise, absence will not be accepted
as an excuse for late papers.
Plagiarism Policy:
All work is to be your own. An essay that contains any phrases more than three words in length or any specific
information that comes from an outside source and is not properly cited constitutes plagiarism; the student will earn
no credit for the essay or course and may be expelled from the university.
Note: I will not accept any assignments through e-mail.
In-Class Essays
We will have three in-class essays. For you to earn credit for the GWAR, you must pass one of these with at least a
C. These essays will follow the same structure as the GWAR; you will have 90 minutes to respond to a short
prompt whereby you will briefly summarize the author’s stance and then argue whether or not and to what extent
that stance is valid. You will be evaluated for both content and mechanics. Your in-class essay grade will be based
on the best of the three essays.
Documented Essays:
Papers must be typed, double-spaced, in 12 point Times New Roman font with one-inch margins. All papers must
be turned in on the date they are due. Papers will have 10 points deducted for each day late. I will not accept papers
more than one week late. All papers will require that parts of them be done in class. If you are absent on a day that
such a part is completed, your paper will have those points deducted from its total. Each long essay requires a
presentation to the class; if you do not present, 10 points will be deducted from the paper’s score. Each essay must
use at least three scholarly sources; the required texts count as scholarly sources, but you are free to use additional
sources as well. Finally, all papers must be submitted to turnitin.com.
Essay #1 Literary Analysis (three pages, two sources)
Option One: Choose a song, and analyze how different symbols and archetypes contribute in the lyrics to
that song’s theme.
Option Two: Choose one symbol or archetype, and analyze how that symbol or archetype contributes to a
theme throughout two or more songs by the same artist.
Note: this essay must use Ariadne’s Clue as a source.
Essay #2 Film Analysis (four pages, three sources)
Eliade’s Myth of the Eternal Return analyzes a number of archetypal patterns: Symbolism of the Center;
Transcendent Reality; Regeneration of Time through Abolition of Past Time, Restoration of Primordial
Chaos, and Repetition of the Cosmogonic Act.
 Choose a film that uses one or more of these archetypal patterns. [note: do not use Sunshine]
 Which of these archetypes does the film employ? How do these archetypes function within the
film? How does the film modify the traditional structures of these archetypes?
 How do these archetypes contribute to 1) the film’s theme and 2) the audience’s understanding
and entertainment? (The answer to this question will be your thesis statement.)
Note: this essay must use Ariadne’s Clue and The Myth of the Eternal Return as sources.
Essay #3 CSUB Proposal: four pages, four sources.
For this essay, you will use an archetype (or combination of archetypes) to design an advertisement for
CSUB. You can choose a department (such as Psychology), an office (such as Financial Aid), a club or
organization (such as the International Students Club), a team (such as Women’s Water Polo), or an
activity (such as CSUB’s participation in Earth Day). How could this department benefit from a change in
advertising strategy? Which archetypes would be most effective for this department? Why? What would
be the best way of employing these archetypes?
1. Your essay’s audience will be the client (such as the Office of Financial Aid).
2. Your essay will offer a theoretical basis for an advertisement that uses one or more specific archetypes.
3. Your essay will describe, analyze, and advocate for a specific advertisement that you create.
Note: this essay must use four sources. One of those sources must be The Hero and the Outlaw. The other
three sources could include the texts from our class, the existing webpage from your client, interviews with
your client, or traditional sources you find via Ebscohost or other search databases.
Grading
Resumé and Cover Letter
Misc. Work & Reading Logs
Midterm Exam
Literary Analysis
Film Analysis
Advertising Proposal
In-Class Essays
10
10
10
10
15
25
20
Calendar:
1.5
1.7
Introduction to Course;
Powerpoint: Archetypes Overview; Ariadne’s Clue (3-35)
1.10
1.12
1.14
Writing Skill: Rhetorical Modes; Discuss In-Class Essays
In-Class Essay #1
Powerpoint: Archetypes Overview; Ariadne’s Clue (36-60)
1.17
1.19
1.21
Holiday: Martin Luther King Jr.
Ariadne’s Clue (61-89); Writing Skill: Using Quotes; Writing Exercise (Art Analysis)
Writing Skill: Syntax; Writing Exercise (Art Analysis)
1.24
1.26
1.28
Writing Skill: Grammar & Mechanics Review
Writing Skill: Frames & Introductions; Work on Literary Analysis
Writing Skill: Diction; Rough Draft of Literary Analysis Due
1.31
2.2
2.4
Literary Analysis Due; Review for Midterm Exam
Midterm Exam
“Archetypes and Repetition” (The Myth of the Eternal Return 2-48)
2.7
2.9
2.11
“The Regeneration of Time” (The Myth of the Eternal Return 49-92)
In-Class Essay #2
Film and Analysis:
2.14
2.16
2.18
Film and Analysis: Sunshine
Film and Analysis: Sunshine
Discussion of Film Analysis Essay
2.21
2.23
2.25
Rough Draft of Film Analysis Due
Work on Film Analysis
Film Analysis Due
2.28
3.2
3.4
The Hero and the Outlaw (1-48); Critique of Campus Poster
The Hero and the Outlaw (49-262); Critique of Campus Webpage
The Hero and the Outlaw (263-375); Writing Skill: Tone
3.7
3.9
3.11
Resume and Cover Letter Lecture/Workshop
In-Class Essay #3
Work on Advertising Proposal
3.14
Resume and Cover Letter Due; Work on Advertising Proposal
Final: Friday, March 18th at 11:00, Advertising Proposals and Presentations Due