2013-2014 English W131: Elementary Composition
Mr. Tim DeBrosse
Arcanum High School
email: abhstdebross@mdeca.org
INDIANA
UNIVERSITY
Objectives:
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To recognize the differences in writing expectations between high school
writing and college writing and then to create effective college level
writing.
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To use effective analytical strategies to understand a variety of literary
genres.
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To use these analytical skills to formulate effective claims along with the
logical support of those claims.
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To use the claims and collective support to plan and then to write an
effective scholarly essay.
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To use effective strategies to write a literary summary, a critique paper, a
comparative critique paper, a comparative analysis paper, and a trend
analysis paper.

To demonstrate logical writing plans that reflect the proper application of
the rules of MLA for the purpose of avoiding all forms of plagiarism.
Introduction to Course (1 Week)
Readings:
“The Difference Between High School and College” (handout)
“The Transition to College Reading” (handout)
WRAC : “Avoiding Plagiarism,” pp. 45-47
“MLA Documentation Basics” pp. 780-782
WA:
“Using Sources Analytically, pp. 267-282, Chapter 13
“Counterproductive Habits of Mind” Chapter 2, pp. 42-49
A Toolkit of Analytical Methods II” Chapter 4, pp. 85-104
Unit 1: SUMMARY PAPER (Three Weeks)
Topic: Fairy Tales: A Closer Look at Cinderella Chapter 12, WRAC pp. 614+
Topic: Green Power, Chapter 8, WRAC pp. 279+
WA:
“Summary” pp. Chapter 7, pp. 152-155
“Plagiarism” Chapter 14, pp. 297+
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“Cinderella,” Charles Perrault” WRAC pp. 624
“Cinderella” The Other Versions WRAC pp.628-643
“The Rise of Perrault’s ‘Cinderella’” WRAC pp. 645+
“‘Cinderella’ A Story of Sibling Rivalry” WRAC pp. 651+
“Cinderella: Not So Morally Superior” WRAC pp. 658+
Handouts: How to Write a Thesis Statement
Cutting the Fat
Support material, including research articles, worksheets, and examples
distributed in class
 Practice Summary (25 pts.) ““The Princess Paradox” pp. 666+
 Final Summary (50 pts.) “Cinderella and Princess Culture” p. 670
Paper assignment: Write a summary that develops from a close reading of the text.
Make notes to elicit key ideas, concepts, and arguments made. The written summary
must be independent of the text’s exact words and report what the author said.
Do not evaluate or offer an opinion. The goal of your summary is to help the reader learn
the essential information and line of argument contained in article in a brief, objective,
and accurate re-writing. It is acceptable to use a quote that is indicative of the article’s
style and thinking. Your summary should be no more than 1/3 of the length of the
original. Turn in two copies of your final draft.
Due date: TBA
Unit Two: Critique Paper (3 Weeks)
Topic: Green Power, Chapter 8, WRAC pp. 279+
WRAC: Chapter 2 pp. 48+
WA:
“Notice and Focus” Chapter.2, pp. 23-50
“Five Analytic Moves’” Chapter 3, pp. 53-66
“The Method” Chapter 2, pp. 26-32
“Rhetorical Analysis” Chapter 3, pp. 79-82, Chapter 1, pp. 10-11
“Differentiating Analysis from Expressive Writing” Chapter 1, pp. 9-10
“Selecting an Interpretive Context” Chapter 6, pp. 133-150
“Introductions and Conclusions,” Chapter 16, pp. 349-371
“Making the Thesis Evolve” Chapter 11, pp. 227-254
Other materials (to be distributed in class):
“How to Summarize (without plagiarizing),” (handout)
Double-entry reading response (handout)
Descriptive Outline reading response (handout)
Says Does reading response (handout)
Completed applications of these processes will be collected periodically. (10
points possible)
Topic readings:
WRAC: “Summary, Paraphrase, and Quotation” Chapter 1, pp. 3-35
“Global Warming: Beyond the Tipping Point” pp. 283+
`
“Climate Change” pp.301+
“The Dangerous Delusions of Energy Independence” pp. 304+
“Balance Sheet and the Climate Crisis…” pp. 315
“Stop the Energy Insanity” pp. 322+
Assignment: Practice Critique Essay – Select one of the readings listed below and
write a critique that presents an author’s position or argument and your response to it.
The critique paper focuses on such things as logic, evidence, underlying assumptions,
and reasons given for the position advanced in the article. The paper must represent an
integrated summary of the source article with a clear claim of the author and a response
to that claim by you as the writer. Two typed copies are required upon submission (75
possible points). Approximate length of this paper is 500-750 words.
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Wind Power Puffary” pp. 354
“Environmentalists Against Solar Power” pp. 361
Assignment: Final Critique Essay – Write a critique of the essay, “Cinderella and
Princess Culture,” that presents an author’s position or argument and your response to
it. The critique paper focuses on such things as logic, evidence, underlying
assumptions, and reasons given for the position advanced in the article. The paper must
represent an integrated summary of the source article with a clear claim of the author
and your response to that claim. Two typed copies are required upon submission (100
possible points). Approximate length of this paper is 500-750 words.
.
Optional: You can bring in an Internet article related to the Cinderella myth;
if judged to be scholarly, you earn 10 points out of 10; limit one article per
student per unit. The optional Internet article is due one week before final
paper is due.
Due Date: TBA
Unit Three: * The Explanatory Synthesis Paper (3 Weeks)
Topic: WRAC: The Changing Landscape of Work in the Twenty-First Century
Chapter 7 WRAC pp. 205+
WA:
“Making Interpretations Plausible,” Chapter 6, pp.133-148
“Recognizing and Fixing Weak Theses,” Chapter 12, pp. 256
“Analyzing Arguments,” Chapter 9 pp. 191-206
WRAC: “Explanatory Synthesis,” Chapter 4 pp. 91+
Topic Readings:
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“No Long Term…” WRAC, pp.220+
“I Feel So Damn Lucky” WRAC pp. 230+
“The Untouchables” WRAC pp. 238+
“Into the Unknown” WRAC pp. 244+
“Are They Really Ready To Work?” WRAC pp. 250
Optional: You may bring in an Internet article related to the issue you
chose for this paper; if judged to be scholarly, you earn 10 points out of 10;
limit one article per student per unit. Optional Internet article due one week
before final paper is due.
Paper assignment: Select any two-three articles in this unit and write a 4-5 page
comparative critique using at least two of the source articles listed for the unit’s readings.
You must first reach an understanding of the topic. Next, you will determine the claims
(implicit and explicit) of the authors and establish what your position in relationship to
those claims.
This paper will identify important common position(s) addressed by both authors as well
as significant differences. Your dialogue with the source articles must go beyond merely
pointing out similarities or differences in order to analyze the texts in terms of the writers’
arguments, evidence, posture, logic, reasons, and underlying assumptions as well as
how and why each author establishes his/her position on the issue.
Importantly, the paper considers what is at stake in the source texts’ discussion of the
issue. Engage the authors in a conversation about the topic of their discussion. As an
option, you may draw on other sources during your analysis (either from the reading list
or an approved article). However, any use of another source must be only to enhance
your analysis of the two selected source articles which must be the basis of the analysis.
Due date: TBA
Two typed copies required upon submission
(150 possible points)
Unit Four: Comparative Analysis Paper (3 Weeks)
Topic: WRAC Obedience to Authority pp. 680+, Chapter 13
Activity: View Dateline video
WRAC : “Analysis” pp. 182
WA:
“Finding, Citing, and Integrating Sources,” Chapter 14, pp. 283+
Video: The Milgram Experiment,
Killing Us Softly PBS and other clips from selected Films
A Few Good Men
Topic readings:
“Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem” WRAC 683+
“The Perils of Obedience” WRAC pp. 688+
“Obedience” WRAC pp. 712+
“The Power of Situations” WRAC pp. 688+
“The Stanford Prison Experiment” WRAC p. 732+
“Opinion and Social Pressure” p. 726
Optional: an Internet article related to the obedience to authority issue; if
judged to be scholarly, you earn 10 points out of 10; limit one article per
student per unit. Optional Internet article due one week before final paper is
due.
Paper assignment: In this paper you will analyze a “test object” using the theoretical
lenses provided by at least three source text from the Obedience unit in WRAC. Your
focus this time is on better understanding the object of analysis – more specifically A
Few Good Men, about obedience and disobedience in the military. Your secondary
sources will help you discover more about the test object and locate your analysis of the
film in a larger cultural context. Length requirements are 4 to 5 typed pages.
Due date: TBA
Two typed copies required upon submission
(200 possible points)
Unit Five: Research-based Analysis (4 Weeks)
Field Trip: Indiana University-East Library workshop on finding sources: Date TBA
WA:
“Finding, Citing, and Integrating Sources,” Chapters 14, pp. 283-312.
The work for the research-based analysis paper includes two parts: a writing plan/review
of sources (50 points) and the research paper itself (250 pts.).
Writing Plan/Review of Sources
Assignment: The purpose of this assignment is twofold: (1) to further your
understanding of the issue you have identified in your Comparative Analysis, and (2) to
develop research skills with sources outside of WRAC. Your Inquiry Questions will
direct you as you locate, summarize, synthesize, and evaluate sources. In your review,
pay attention to the differences and similarities among sources and use those to help
you identify what is at stake in the larger conversation surrounding you issue.
NOTE: Specific instructions will be provided at the time of this assignment.
Researched-based Analysis
Building on the issue discussed in the previous paper, now attempt to further your
research in an effort to deepen your understanding, providing a larger context for the
analysis of the issue> Synthesize and apply the most useful sources from your
Comparative Analysis to support and extend your analysis. Your thesis should evolve
throughout your paper, as you put your sources to new use in complicating and
expanding your main claim.
NOTE: Specific instructions will be provided at the time of this assignment.
Student Academic Misconduct
The Indiana University Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct
describes types of misconduct for which students may be penalized, including cheating,
fabrication, plagiarism, and interference with other students’ work, as well as actions
which endanger the University and the University community and possession of
firearms. The Code also indicates the procedures to be followed in these cases. All
students are required to adhere to the responsibilities outlined in the Code.”
The definition and clarification related to cheating, plagiarism, etc. is found here:
http:/www.iu.edu/~code/code/responsibilities/adademic/index.shtml
Useful link to student-info about plagiarism:
http:/www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.pdf