College Writing I/Spring 2012
Nenana.wikispaces.com/collegewriting
Instructor:
Ms. Horan
907.687.8561 choran@nenanalynx.org
Course Overview The goal of College Writing I is to develop critical reading skills and to engage in writing as a process. More specifically, we will focus on summary, analysis, and synthesis; on evaluating our writing; and on editing and revising. To achieve these goals we will read and discuss essays written by established writers and classmates, engage in formal and informal writing, and follow the writing process.
Required Materials
 Textbook: Cooley, Thomas. (Ed.) The Norton Sampler: Short Essays for Composition. 7th Edition. New
York: Norton, 2010.
 Writing Handbook: OWL @ Purdue: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/
 Yellow Folder (to keep class materials in)
 Black Folder (to turn in Writing Process assignments)
 Notebook (for notes)
Grading Here is how your grade will be calculated. For the sake of fairness, there will be no exceptions.
Reading Responses (RR): 20%
Writing Process (WP): 10%
Final drafts of three essays: 60% (20% each)
Midterm exam: 5%
Final exam: 5%
Attendance and Participation: If you have 10 or fewer absences during the semester, borderline grades will be rounded up. Absences may be excused or unexcused. Two tardies count as an absence. Being more than 10 minutes late for class also counts as an absence. Failure to participate in class may also be counted as an absence (of mind).
Grading Scale:
A 91-100 B 81-90 C 71-80 D 61-70 F 0-60
The purpose of Reading Responses (RR) is to encourage students to actively engage with the readings. For this reason, RR are due at the beginning of class. You may turn in a hard copy at the start of class, or you may turn it in by email. You may not turn in RR late.
RR must be 300-500 words long (about 1-1.5 double-spaced pages). Each RR assignment is listed in the syllabus. The following chart shows how RRs are graded.
3 points = Excellent analysis. Insightful and original. Must have quotes or paraphrase the text.
2 points = Good analysis.
1 point = Does not actively engage the text. Could be a summary instead of analysis. May be too short.

0 points = Unacceptable. Not turned in. Too short.
The Writing Process (WP) grade encourages students to treat writing not as a product but as a process. As a result, students will turn in several drafts of each essay in addition to a number of other relevant assignments. You will need a folder to turn in you WP assignments.
A total of 102 points are possible. The following chart shows the possible WP points:
—Pre-Writing (4 points. x 3 essays) = 12 points
—1st Draft (8 points x 3 essays) = 24 points
—2nd Draft (4 points x 3 essays) = 12 points
—List of Revisions (3 points x 3 essays) = 9 points
—Self-Assessment (4 points. x 3 essays) = 12 points
—Revision Plan (3 points x 3 essays) = 9 points
—Conference (3 points x 8 essays) = 24 points
—Total 102 points
The 3 essays are the most important assignments in this class. Each essay will be read once by classmates and twice by the instructor. You will meet with the instructor, at which time you will receive written comments, to discuss your essay before it is turned in for a grade. You will receive a grade only on the final draft.
The Final Exam is a writing exam. You will demonstrate the writing skills and processes that you developed over the term.
This class involves much in-class writing, discussion, and workshopping. As a result, good attendance is necessary. Your attendance will determine your grade in borderline situations. If you have 10 or fewer absences during the semester, borderline grades will be rounded up. Absences may be excused or unexcused. Two tardies count as an absence. Being more than 10 minutes late for class also counts as an absence. Failure to participate in class may also be counted as an absence (of mind). Certain class periods, such as draft days and conference days, are vital to your success in this class.
Missing these classes or arriving unprepared may impede your success in this class and will hurt your WP grade.
Be prepared for each class and take an active role in class discussion. Always bring the book, your notebook and folder, a writing implement, and your opinion. If you forget a pen or pencil, they are available for 25 cents each.
Double space all essays. Use only Times New Roman 12-point font. Staple your essay and be sure that margins are no larger than one inch. Number all pages in the upper right corner starting with page 2. All essays must have a title. All essays must have the following information in the header on page 1:
Your name
Date
Word Count
Essays that are not properly formatted or that do not fulfill the required page length will lose points.
Essays, Writing Process (WP), and Reading Responses (RR) are due at the beginning of class on the due date.
Late essays will be accepted, but the grade will be reduced by 5% per class period. Late WPs will also be accepted with a reduced grade.
RR will not be accepted late . RR are due at the beginning of class or by email at class time if you are absent. If you are late for class, leave RR on the instructor’s desk as you enter the classroom. If you know you will be absent on the due date, turn in the essay beforehand. If you have difficulty meeting a deadline, discuss it with the instructor before the deadline and you may be able to negotiate a special arrangement.

The Internet has made it easy for students to copy, steal, and purchase essays; it has also made it easy for instructors to spot plagiarism. Avoid severe repercussions by doing your own work and not plagiarizing. Remember, cutting and pasting even short passages from the Internet without properly citing them is plagiarism. Clear cases of plagiarism or cheating will result in an F for the assignment and possibly an F for the course .
The schedule is subject to change. Additional reading assignments may be announced in class.
Week 1
T 1/17 Reading: “Narrative” (pp. 84-92) ; Nuñez “Climbing the Golden Arches” (pp. 365-8)
W 1/18 RR due: For Discussion
R 1/19 Work Time
#2 (pg. 368)
Week 2
F 1/20 TechTools: Evaluating Sources and Recognizing Bias
M 1/23 WP: Essay #1: Pre-Writing due
T 1/24 Reading: “Description” (pp.41-50); Barry “Chronicle of an American Execution” (pp. 66-9); “Calvin and
Hobbes” (pg. 51)
W 1/25 RR due: For Discussion
R 1/26 Work Time
#3 (pg. 69)
F 1/27 TechTools: Acrobat Reader
Week 3
M 1/30 WP: Essay #1: 1st Draft DUE (2 copies, at least 2 complete pages long)
T 1/31 Reading: Li “Orange Crush” (110-13)
W 2/1 RR due: For Discussion #5 (pg. 113)
Week 4
M 2/6 WP: Essay #1: 2nd Draft DUE (3-5 pages, Revision Plan, List of Revisions, 1st Draft, Self-Assessment)
T 2/7
W 2/8
Reading: Beller “The Ashen Guy: Lower Broadway, September 11, 2001” (pp. 93-5)
RR due: For Discussion #1 or #5 (pp. 95-6)
R 2/9 Teacher conferences, work time
F 2/10 TechTools: Databases, Finding Articles
Week 5
M 2/13 Work Time
T 2/14 Reading: “Example” (pp. 129-37); Downes “Losing Private Dwyer” (pp 154-157)
W 2/15 RR due: For Discussion # 3 (pg. 157)
R 2/16 Work Time
F 2/17 TechTools: Prezi
Week 6
M 2/20 Essay #1: Final draft due
T 2/21 Reading: “Classification” (pp. 165-71); Ephron “Six Stages of E-Mail” (181-3)
W 2/22 RR due: For Discussion #1 (pg. 183)
R 2/23 Work Time
F 2/24 TechTools: Blogs
Week 7
M 2/27 WP: Essay #2: Pre-Writing due
T 2/28
W 2/29
R 3/1
F 3/2
Reading: Asimov “What Do You Call a Platypus?” (196-202)
RR due: For Discussion
Work Time
#3 (pg. 202)
TechTools: Google sites
Week 8
M 3/5 WP: Essay #2: 1st Draft DUE (2 copies, at least 2 complete pages long)
T 3/6 Reading: Tan “Mother Tongue” (pp. 173-9)
W 3/7 RR due: For Discussion #1 (pg. 179)
Week 9
R 3/8 Work Time
M 3/19 WP: Essay #2: 2nd Draft DUE (3-5 pages, Revision Plan, List of Revisions, 1st Draft, Self-Assessment)
T 3/20 Reading: “Definition” (pp. 300-7); Barry “Guys vs. Men” (pp. 309-15)

W 3/21 RR due: For Writing #2 (pg. 316)
R 3/22 Teacher conferences; Work Time
F 3/23 TechTools: Facebook
Week 10
M 3/26 Work Time
T 3/27 Reading: “Comparison and Contrast” (pp. 246-53); Jacoby “Watching Oprah from Behind the
Veil” (255-7)
W 3/28 RR due: For Discussion
R 3/29 Work Time
F 3/30 TechTools: iMovie
#3 (pg. 257)
Week 11
M 4/2 Essay #2: Final draft due
T 4/3
F 4/6
W 4/4
R 4/5
Reading: Tannen “Gender in the Classroom” (pp. 282-8)
RR due: For Discussion
Work Time
TechTools: YouTube
#2 (pg. 288)
Week 12
M 4/9 WP: Essay #3: Pre-Writing
T 4/10 Reading: Catton “Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts” (259-65)
W 4/11 RR due: For Discussion
R 4/12 Work Time
F 4/13 TechTools: Audacity
#1 (pg. 265)
Week 14
M 4/16 WP: Essay #3: 1st Draft DUE (2 copies, at least 2 complete pages long, bibliography page)
T 4/17 Reading: Barrientos “Se Habla Español” (pp. 317-20)
W 4/18 RR due: For Discussion #3 (pg. 320)
R 4/19 Work Time
F 4/20 TechTools: Podcasts
Week 15
M 4/23 WP: Essay #3: 2nd Draft DUE (3-5 pages, Revision Plan, List of Revisions, 1st Draft, Self-Assessment)
T 4/24 Reading: Rodriguez “None of This Is Fair” (103-8)
W 4/25 RR due: For Discussion #6 (pg. 108)
R 4/26 Teacher conferences; Work time
F 4/27 TechTools: Google Reader, RSS
Week 16
M 4/30 Work Time
T 5/1 Reading: Lederer “English Is a Crazy Language” (159-62)
W 5/2
R 5/3
F 5/4
RR due: For Discussion
Work Time
TechTools: Excel
#2 (pg. 162)
Week 17
M 5/7 Essay #3: Final draft due
T 5/8
W 5/9
Reading:
RR due:
Your Choice
Your Choice
R 5/10 Work Time: Make-up Work
F 5/11 TechTools: PuzzleMaker, Wordle
Week 18
M 5/14 Review
T 5/15 Review
W 5/16 Take Final Exam
R 5/17 Go over final exam
F 5/18 Party!