The following is a sample syllabus for a 15-week course.
English 101—Course Syllabus
Notes to Instructors:
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Individual instructors may select additional essays for discussion in class and for use as
models for writing assignments.
Individual instructors will determine the number of journal assignments required each
week.
All English 101 students will write seven (7) essays. Individual instructors will determine
which of the rhetorical patterns are developed. Only one of the seven may be a narrative
essay; however, the narrative pattern may be incorporated in other essay types. Essays
submitted for a grade must be at least 500 words in length.
Week 1: Introduction to the Course and Understanding the Reading-Writing Connection
Orientation to course and text.
Introductory lecture on journal keeping as a reading and writing tool.
Reading and class discussion: Chapter 1: “The Reading Process.”
Review “Questions for Close Reading” after Ellen Goodman’s essay.
In-class writing sample.
Begin Reading Journal; see “Suggested Topics for Reading Journal.”
Week 2: The Writing Process
Reading and class discussion: Chapter 2: “The Writing Process.”
Review the steps in the writing process.
Discuss the rhetorical situation: audience, purpose, content.
Practice invention strategies (brainstorming, mapping, etc.).
Preview the rhetorical modes (patterns): narration, description, cause/effect, comparison/contrast,
process, definition, division/classification.
Review and discuss concepts of thesis development and construction of well-developed,
cohesive paragraphs.
Review principles of outlining.
Read “The Storm This Time” by David Helvarg (in Chapter 3).
Discuss Helvarg’s essay in groups.
Reading Journal.
Week 3: Description
Reading and class discussion: Chapter 3: “Description.”
Review the elements of descriptive writing.
Discuss uses of descriptive writing; focus on the dominant impression.
Complete “Prewriting Activity #2” (include in Reading Journal in a separate section for Exercises).
Discuss strategies for describing an individual. Refer to “Sister Flowers” by Maya Angelou. Read
the follow-up questions after Angelou’s essay. Your instructor may assign these questions for
inclusion in the Exercise Section of your Reading Journal.
Discuss strategies for describing a place. Refer to “Once More to the Lake” by E. B. White. Read
the follow-up questions after White’s essay. Your instructor may assign these questions for
inclusion in the Exercise Section of your Reading Journal.
Reading Journal.
Week 4: Narration
Reading and class discussion: Chapter 4: “Narration.”
Review the elements of writing a narrative.
Discuss concept of audience and its relationship to the narrative.
Complete “Prewriting Activity #2” (include in Reading Journal in Exercise Section).
Read Audre Lorde’s “The Fourth of July.” Discuss the process of weaving exposition into
narrative.
Discuss the incorporation of description into narration. Refer to “Shooting an Elephant” by George
Orwell.
Reading Journal.
Week 5: Exemplification
Reading and class discussion: Chapter 5: “Exemplification.”
Discuss the uses of examples.
Examine types of examples.
Discuss organizational strategies for examples.
Discuss point of view and its relationship to writing effectively.
Review recommendations for maintaining cohesion in paragraphs.
Complete “Prewriting Activity #2” (include in Reading Journal in Exercise Section).
Read “The ‘Values’ Wasteland” by Charles Sykes. Discuss the effectiveness of statistics in essay
writing.
For a discussion of tone, read Beth Johnson’s “Bombs Bursting in Air.”
Reading Journal.
Week 6: Division and Classification
Reading and class discussion: Chapter 6: “Division and Classification.”
Discuss principles of and applications for division and classification.
Review student essay, “The Truth about College Teachers.”
Analyze division and classification strategies used.
Do Pre-Writing Activities exercises.
Read Stephanie Ericsson’s essay “The Ways We Lie.”
Read Ann McClintock’s essay “Propaganda Techniques in Today’s Advertising” for an
examination of language and its uses.
Discuss the notion of tone and its relationship to writing effectively.
Reading Journal
Week 7: Process Analysis
Reading and class discussion: Chapter 7: “Process Analysis.”
Discuss techniques for writing both process analysis and process instruction essays.
Review the notion of purpose and its relationship to writing process essays.
Review the concept of audience and its relationship to writing process essays.
Discuss process and its place in a larger piece of discourse.
Review the principles of transition. Make a list of transition words and include it in your journal.
Discuss the student essay “Becoming a Videoholic,” by Robert Barry.
Analyze the process strategies used.
Read Paul Roberts’ “How To Say Nothing In 500 Words.” Compare Roberts’ tone with that of
Mary Sherry’s in “In Praise of the ‘F’ Word” (in Chapter 11).
Work collaboratively on Prewriting and Revising Activities.
Reading Journal
Week 8: Comparison/Contrast
Reading and class discussion: Chapter 8: “Comparison/Contrast.”
Discuss the comparison/contrast pattern and its connection to purpose.
Discuss the concept of bases for comparison/contrast.
Practice constructing thesis statements for comparison/contrast essays.
Discuss and practice two methods for developing comparison/contrast essay: point-by-point and
one-side-at-a-time (block) methods.
Review transitions and their function in the comparison/contrast essay.
Discuss the student essay “The Virtues of Growing Older” by Carol Siskin.
Read Joseph Suina’s “And Then I Went To School.”
Read “The Ugly Truth about Beauty” by Dave Barry.
Reading Journal.
Week 9: Cause-Effect
Reading and class discussion: Chapter 9: “Cause-Effect.”
Discuss audience and purpose and their relationship to cause-effect.
Discuss causal relationships and logical fallacies.
Discuss strategies available for cause-effect.
Examine the student essay “Americans and Food” by Carl Novack.
Look critically at audience, purpose, strategies, and transition devices.
Read Jacques D’Amboise’s “Showing What Is Possible.”
Read Alice Walker’s “Beauty: When the Other Dancer Is the Self.”
Reading Journal
Week 10: Definition
Reading and class discussion: Chapter 10: “Definition.”
Discuss audience and purpose and their relationship to definition.
Discuss ways of formulating an effective definition.
In groups, work on defining abstract terms like honesty, loyalty, faith, hate, and the like, using an
extended definition. Read the group definitions aloud.
Read Alexandra Robbins and Abby Wilner’s “What is the Quarterlife Crisis?”
Read William Raspberry’s “The Handicap of Definition.”
Reading Journal
Weeks 11-12: Argumentation-Persuasion
Reading and class discussion: Chapter 11: “Argumentation-Persuasion.”
Discuss the rhetorical concepts of logos, pathos, and ethos.
Discuss and practice developing an argumentative assertion for use as a thesis statement.
Review principles of supporting evidence.
Review the principles of audience analysis and discuss the importance of audience in writing
argumentative essays.
Discuss the importance of identifying both the positive and the negative sides to an argument
(Rogerian principles).
Discuss the principles of goodwill in argumentation (Rogerian principles).
Discuss principles of refutation.
Discuss and practice inductive reasoning.
Discuss and practice deductive reasoning and using syllogistic logic in argumentation.
Examine Toulmin strategies for developing argument.
Discuss and practice identifying logical fallacies.
Analyze Mark Simmons’s “Compulsory National Service.”
Your instructor may ask you to read additional essays for discussion.
Reading Journal.
Read and discuss Jonathan Alter’s “Time to Think about Torture” and Henry Porter’s “Now The
Talk is about Bringing Back Torture” (Week 11).
Read and discuss Roger Wilkins’ “Racism Has Its Privileges” and Shelby Steele’s “Affirmative
Action: The Price of Preference” OR Star Parker’s “Se Habla Entitlement” and Roberto
Rodriguez’ “The Border on Our Backs” (Week 12).
Week 13: Combining the Patterns
Reading and class discussion: Chapter 12: “Combining the Patterns.”
Discuss ways to incorporate a variety of rhetorical patterns in a single essay.
Read and Discuss Martin Luther King’s essays, “Where Do We Go From Here” and “The World
House.”
Your instructor may ask you to read additional essays for discussion.
Weeks 14-15: Final Exam
Prepare for your final exam as instructed by your professor.