CRITICAL READING AND WRITING
Fifteen- or Sixteen-Week Semester
Week One
Reading Assignment: Ch. 1, Writing Processes. Ch. 2, Reading Processes. Ch. 21,
Strategies for Designing Your Document. Ch. 4, "What Is a Hunter?"
Writing Assignment: In-class diagnostic essay analyzing "What Is a Hunter?"
Classroom Activities: Self-assessment letter about student as writer and reader. Journal
entries focused on experiences in reading Chs. 1 and 2. Hands-on introduction to writing
center/computer lab.
Week Two
Reading Assignment: Ch. 4, Recalling an Experience. Ch. 16, Strategies for Generating
Ideas.
Writing Assignment: Ch. 4, Recalling an Experience.
Classroom Activities: Peer evaluation training workshop. Journal entries: Why have the
authors organized the chapter this way? What would you revise?
Week Three
Reading Assignment: Ch. 5, Observing a Scene. Ch. 17, Strategies for Planning.
Writing Assignment: Ch. 5, Observing a Scene.
Classroom Activities: Peer evaluation of Recalling an Experience essay. Journal entries:
Describe what you’re reading and writing for other courses. Analyze a chapter of a
textbook that presents problems for you.
Week Four
Reading Assignment: Ch. 6, Interviewing a Subject. Ch. 18, Strategies for Drafting.
Writing Assignment: Ch. 6, Interviewing a Subject.
Classroom Activities: Interviewing exercises (Ch. 9 in this manual). Peer evaluation of
Observing a Scene essay. Journal entries: Analyze kinds of conversation in your classes.
Interview a senior in your field about “survival strategies.”
Week Five
Reading Assignment: Ch. 3, Critical Thinking Processes. Ch. 22, Strategies for
Understanding Visual Representations.
Writing Assignment: Short essay analyzing a visual image.
Classroom Activities: Peer evaluation of Interviewing a Subject essay. Journal entries:
Analyze appeal used in a television commercial, a magazine ad, and a political speech.
Week Six
Reading Assignment: Ch. 7, Comparing and Contrasting. Ch. 19, Strategies for
Developing.
Writing Assignment: Ch. 7, Comparing and Contrasting.
Classroom Activities: Students conferences on reading strategies. Journal entries:
Compare and contrast course work and study problems in this and other courses.
Week Seven
Reading Assignment: Ch. 8, Explaining Causes and Effects. Ch. 20, Strategies for
Revising and Editing.
Writing Assignment: Ch. 8, Explaining Causes and Effects.
Classroom Activities: Peer evaluation of Comparing and Contrasting essay. Journal
entries: Analyze the causes of your successes and failures in your course work this
semester and in your overall academic goals.
Week Eight
Reading Assignment: Ch. 15, Writing for Assessment.
Writing Assignment: Midterm self-assessment of critical reading and writing.
Classroom Activities: In-class essay exam on readings from Ch. 8. Journal entries on
readings and on preparing for essay exams. Midterm evaluation conferences.
Week Nine
Reading Assignment: Ch. 9, Taking a Stand.
Writing Assignment: Ch. 9, Taking a Stand.
Classroom Activities: Peer evaluation of Cause and Effect essay. Journal entries on the
reading selections in Ch. 9.
Week Ten
Reading Assignment: Ch. 10, Proposing a Solution.
Writing Assignment: Ch. 10, Proposing a Solution.
Classroom Activities: Peer evaluation of Taking a Stand essay. Group exercises in
problem solving. Journal entries: Solutions for time management problems, class
participation problems, study problems.
Week Eleven
Reading Assignment: Ch. 11, Evaluating.
Writing Assignment: Ch. 11, Evaluating.
Classroom Activities: Peer evaluation of Proposing a Solution essay. Journal entries:
Evaluate favorite television show and movie. Timed in-class essay using evaluation.
Weeks Twelve and Thirteen
Reading Assignment: Ch. 12, Reading Critically.
Writing Assignment: Ch. 12, Reading Critically.
Classroom Activities: Exercises in nutshelling and quoting. Peer evaluation of exercises.
Conferences on reading skills and works-in-process. Journal entries based on suggestions
for “reading journals,” Ch. 12.
Week Fourteen and Fifteen
Reading Assignment: Ch. 13, Responding to Literature.
Writing Assignment: Ch. 13, Analyzing a Literary Work.
Classroom Activities: Peer evaluation of Analyzing a Literary Work essay. Prepare a
portfolio of your most representative writing as evidence of your abilities to think
critically; due week sixteen. Journal entries: Responses to readings in Ch. 13; reflections
on process of analyzing literature; reasons for portfolio choices.
Weeks Sixteen
Classroom Activities: In-class conferences about portfolio decisions. Journal entry: Selfassessment entry on the student as critical reader and writer. Portfolio due or Final exam.