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Inter American University of Puerto Rico
Bayamón Campus
Languages Department
Course Syllabus
I.
Course Title
: English I: Reading and the Writing Process
Course Code
Credits
Category
:
:
:
:
GEEN 2311
3 credits
Communication Skills
Required Course
Prof. María del Pilar Vázquez
E-mail: mpilar@bc.inter.edu
II.
Office:
Office Hours:
E-152
MWF:
TR :
Course Description
Reading and analysis for the purpose of essay writing.
organizational skills and revising in the writing process.
Requirement:
III.
Emphasis on
Score of 550 or more on CEEB English
Course Objectives
A.
General Objectives
By the end of the course, the student will:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Express ideas and opinions logically and critically.
Analyze and evaluate selected readings to develop social and
cultural awareness in order to write essays.
Write sentences and paragraphs using the grammatical norms,
standard conventions of writing and the correct sentence
structure of standard English.
Write essays that are coherent, focused, comprehensible and
with a minimum of grammatical, mechanical and word usage
errors.
Develop an appreciation of the value of English as a means of
communication for personal, academic, and professional
purposes.
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B.
Performance Objectives
By the end of the course, the student will:
1.
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5.
6.
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8.
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9.
Read selections for comprehension of general content, main
ideas and supporting details.
Analyze and evaluate the structure and development of selected
readings.
Distinguish fact from opinion and make inferences based on
context.
Improve reading and writing skills through oral and written
responses to readings.
Use various techniques such as brainstorming, free writing,
clustering, selecting and limiting a subject, in order to write a
topic sentence or thesis statement that will be used in
developing a paragraph or essay.
Write unified and coherent essays of various types:
descriptive
narrative
expository
comparative
argumentative/persuasive
Use
appropriate
grammatical
structures,
vocabulary,
punctuation, capitalization and spelling.
Revise, edit, and rewrite to identify and correct possible errors
such as:
subject/verb agreement
verb tenses
pronoun agreement
comparatives/superlatives
conjunctions
fragments and run-ons
punctuation
spelling
format
Compose an acceptable final copy of the assigned type of essay.
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IV.
Course Content
A.
Introduction - WEEKS 1-3
1.
Purpose and Audience
2.
Prewriting Techniques
3.
Sentence Structure
4.
Basic Sentence Types
B.
Paragraph Construction (Week 4-6)
1.
Topic Sentence
2.
Supporting Details
3.
Relevant/Irrelevant Sentences
4.
Conclusion
C.
Methods of Paragraph Development - Week 7-10
1.
Narrating
2.
Describing
3.
Illustrating
4.
Explaining a Process *
5.
Defining a Term *
6.
Classifying*
7.
Comparing and Contrasting
8.
Arguing
(* paragraph samples discussed and analyzed only)
Essay Format (Week 10-15)
1.
Introduction
2.
Thesis Statement
3.
Body Conclusion
D.
E.
Revising, Editing and Proofreading (Week 13-15)
Evaluation
V.
A.
Assignments
Essays
Partial exams
Final exam
Quizzes
Journal/Portfolio
Others
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B.
VI.
Assessment Activities
Peer Assessment Activities
Journal Assessment
Personal Writing Conferences
Others
Materials
A.
Textbook
Arlov, Pamela (2000). Wordsmith: A Guide to Paragraphs and Short
Essays. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
B.
C.
D.
Additional Resources
1.
English dictionary ( Suggested dictionary-The NewBury House
Dictionary)
2.
English thesaurus
3.
Internet resources
4.
Electronic Journals and Portfolios
5.
Others
Other Materials
1. Pocket Portfolio/Folder
2. Writing Paper
3. Blue or black pen
4. Diskette
Reference Bibliography:
Allen, Roberta. (1997). The Process of Writing: Composing through Critical
Thinking. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Anstending, Linda. (1996). Writing through Literature. New Jersey: Prentice
Hall.
Bartholomae, David. (1999). Ways of Reading: An Anthology for Writers. (5th
ed.). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin.
Behrens, Laurence. (2000). Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. (7th
ed.). Boston, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Elbow, Peter. (1998). Writing with Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing
Process. (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.
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Krisher, Trudy. (1995). Writing for a Reader. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Kennedy, X. J. (1999). The Bedford Guide for College Writers: With Reader. (5th
ed.). Boston: Bedford Book of St. Martin’s Press.
Langan, John. (2000). College Writers Skills. (5th ed.). Boston: McGraw Hill.
Meyer, Michael. (1995). Thinking and Writing about Literature. Boston: Bedford
Books of St. Martin’s Press.
Murray, Donald Morison. (1999). Write to Learn. (6th ed.). Fortworth: Harcourt
Brace College.
Robson, Andrew. (1997). Thinking Globally: Writing and Reading Across
Curriculum. New York: McGraw Hill.
Roinking, James A. (1999). Strategies for Successful Writing: A Rhetoric and
Reader. (2nd ed.) New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Rottenberg, Annette. (2000). Elements of Arguments: A Text and Reader. (6th ed.).
Boston: Bedford St. Martin’s Press.
Rottenberg, Annette. (2000). The Structure of Arguments. (3rd ed.) Boston: St.
Martin’s Press.
Seal, Bernard. (1997). Academic Encounters: Reading, Study Skills, and Writing:
ContentFocus, Human Behavior. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Spatt, Brenda. (1999). Writing from Sources. (5th ed.). New York: St. Martin’s
Press.
Writing Clear Paragraphs. (1995). Robert Donald, editor. (5th ed.). New York:
Prentice Hall.
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D.
Web-Sites:
1.
Grammar NOW! A Grammar, Composition, Editing, Proofreading
Resource
Grammar and composition questions answered immediately.
Proofreading and editing service also offered.
http://www.grammarnow.com/
2.
Online College Prep Writing Workshop
OnlineCollegePrep.com offers online college prep writing and math
courses to students needing help to prepare for college-level courses.
Please click here to visit the site.
http://www.hhpublishing.com/WritingPrepPage.html
3.
English Tutors and Teachers On-Line
English teachers and tutors on-line solve writing problems fast.
http://www.englishtutors.com/
4.
Paradigm Online Writing Assistant
Discovering What to Write. This online guide offers help in
discovering, organizing, revising, and editing your writing—of special
interest to English composition students and instructors.
http://www.idbsu.edu/english/cguilfor/paradigm/
5.
Advanced Composition for Non-Native Speakers of English
Provides instructions for ESL and EFL students learning to write in
English for a US academic audience, also contains many student’s
essays and web sites.
http://eslefldot.com/
6.
The Online English Grammar
http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/index.cfm
7.
Grammar Bytes!
Grammar Bytes offers English grammar explanations, handouts for
students and teachers, and interactive grammar exercises.
http://www.chompchomp.com/
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8.
Guide to Grammar and Writing
http://webstercommnet.edu/grammar/index.htm
9.
Welcome to the Longman English Pages
This site contains original resources for users, both students and
instructors, and interested browsers for all our English texts in the
fields of composition.
http://home.universalclass.com/arts/englishcomposition
10.
Purdue
Universityhttp://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_plan3.html