Schedule of Events and Sample Syllabus 1
Suggested Schedule of Events Using The Norton Field Guide to
Writing —Non Portfolio Version
Week 1
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Go over syllabus and policies
Introduce course and expectations
Assign in-class writing or journal assignment in regard to students’
understanding of syllabus; alternate option: assign a journal assignment wherein
the students write their own goals for the course
Chapter One
Week 2
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Introduce first assignment profile/literacy narrative
Use a heuristic technique to generate ideas for first assignment
Continue discussing the rhetorical situation and how a profile or literacy
narrative fits into this
Discuss writing as a process
Assign journal entries based on readings and/or outside topics
Chapters 22, 23, 6, 16, or 34 depending on assignment
Week 3
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Model peer review with class
1st draft due of profile or literacy narrative; peer review
Assign journal or in-class writing which evaluates the first draft of paper
Chapter 25 – Before beginning peer review, go over process, and expectations;
Use any other relevant chapters from the strategies section or from the handbook
Week 4
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2nd draft due of profile or literacy narrative; peer review;
Library Tutorials and/or overview of library and its resources; use tutorials for
participation grade
Assign journal or in-class writing about library and resources
Chapter 26
Week 5
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Final draft of profile or literacy narrative due;
Introduce new assignment
Brainstorming for commentary topics, possible discovery draft about topic for
commentary
Discuss how to argue a position and how this relates to commentary: Chapter 9
Discuss evaluation and how to evaluate a societal issues: Chapter 12
Chapters 30-33
Week 6
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Draft 1 Commentary, peer review
Have students respond to a song like “The Sound of Silence” or “The Revolution
Will Not Be Televised” – these songs are very good as examples of social
commentary
Go over Citation format
Chapters 40, 41
Schedule of Events and Sample Syllabus 2
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Sign up for midterm conference
Week 7
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Commentary draft #2; peer review (in weeks 6 and 7, I would recommend giving
supplementary commentary readings as examples and for discussion);
suggested outside readings: “Remember When Public Spaces Didn’t Carry Brand
Names?” – Eric Liu; “Throwing Away the Key” – Salim Muwakkil
logical fallacies discussion and in-class exercise; pg 325-328, Chapter 24.
Week 8
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Midterm conferences to discuss progress thus far; Midterm self-reflection due
No Class
Week 9
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Commentary Due;
Introduce research project and multigenre concept
Use blue research section in Norton as needed
Discuss how to productively pick a topic; expectations for research
brainstorm topics for research project
Week 10
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Discuss different genres
Discovery draft
Draft One Due; peer review or some other activity for reflection on first draft
Ch. 42 – Paraphrasing and Summary practice activity
Week 11 – Week 14
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drafts 2-4 (or 2-3 depending on how many you want to read).
Utilize peer reviews
Use in-class writings for genre practice – assign different prompts for genre
exploration
library time, applicable readings from handbook, and textbook;
consider an editing workshop(s) and other activities to help with argument
development, logical flow, etc.
Use these weeks to catch up on readings and other writing practice if necessary
Use class time for mini-conferences (2-5 mins. each) where specific questions
about research paper can be answered
If necessary, schedule actual conferences to discuss research papers
Assign journals or in-class writings to assess research progress and/or questions
Assign final self reflection and guidelines for final revisions of papers if giving
that option
Week 15
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Refer to any readings from handbook necessary
Final research paper due, final self-reflection about the semester due
Week 16
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Finals week: hand back final research paper and any other graded materials; exit
conferences