Sample Weekly Homework Assignments
For 603-101
Submitted by Ron Curtis
The following is a sample breakdown of the weekly reading and writing assignments given to
students in a 603-101 course. The assignments are structured to help students develop
comprehension of college-level writing standards and to eventually construct their own college level
analytical essays.
The first three weeks of the course are spent examining a small variety of persuasive and expository
essays and articles. Students complete a range of writing assignments designed to reinforce basic
college writing skills.
As of Week 4, the students are reading short fiction and drama and working on analytical reading
and writing assignments.
Students are permitted to revise some of the writing assignments once these have been returned in
order to improve the content, organization and writing problems identified in the assignment. Most
students, however, tend to focus on the sentence problems although some will work on improving
other areas as well.
Aside from the reading and writing assignments included below, during the course of the term
students are also completing in class-reading tests, sentence skills exercises and paragraph-editing
tests, and pair and group work analysis activities (some of which are collected and graded).
___________________________________
Homework for Week 2, Class 1
Context
During the first class of the term, students discuss a range of topics after completing ice-breaker
activities and prepare to write Short Assignment 1 for homework. One or two short texts are also
read and analyzed in class.
Students also complete writing samples to confirm that they have been corrected placed into this
level of 101 English, including a short response and analysis of “Warren Pryor” by Alden Nowlan.
Reading
“Women in Combat” (a student-written essay distributed in class).
Writing
a. In one or two paragraphs, respond to one of the above questions, except for question #1.
1. Do you think women should be fighting with men in combat situations? Why or
why not?
2. If Canada went to war with another country, would you join the military to fight?
3. Do you think the United States has been too aggressive in its war on terrorism?
4. Do you think that the war in Iraq has been covered in a fair and complete manner by
the mainstream media in the U.S. and Canada?
b. Be sure to TYPE and DOUBLE SPACE your paragraphs.
c.
Be sure to take a clear POSITION on the topic and to present at least three supporting
arguments to support your position.
d.
Include the correct header information on the top left hand corner of the first page of your
assignment:
a. Name:
b. Response Paragraph Assignment #1, 603-101
c. Date Submitted:
e.
You should type this assignment using a computer and word processor such as Word or
WordPerfect. Using a computer for writing assignments is important because you can use
the spell check and grammar check features and you can revise your assignment very quickly
and easily.
f.
Once you finish your assignment be sure to save your file on a disk. You will be allowed to
revise this assignment.
Homework for Week 2, Class 2
Reading
Read the article in the Write of Way course module called "Careers for the New Millennium,"
pages 1.1–1.5.
Writing
a.
b.
c.
Answer the questions on the “Careers for the New Millennium” reading found on page 1.6.
(Be sure to write your answers in complete sentences on a separate sheet of paper.)
Bring your answers to class with you to class.
Important: If you copy phrases or sentences from the text, integrate these phrases or
sentences into your own sentence and use quotation marks to indicate wording that comes
directly from the article. (See an example of how to do so on page 1.6).
Homework for Week 3, Class 1
Reading
“Chips Ahoy,” pages 1.14–1.17.
a.
b.
c.
Answer the questions on “Chips Ahoy” on page 1.18 by finding and highlighting the answers
to questions 1–7 in the text itself.
IMPORTANT: You DO NOT have to write out the answers on a separate paper for these
questions, so ignore the instructions at the top of page 1.18.
For question 8, page 1.18 decide whether the text is expository or persuasive and be
prepared to explain your decision. You do not have to write out your answer.
“The Anguish of the Jobless,” pages 1.9–1.10
Writing
a.
b.
c.
d.
Write a summary of the essay “The Anguish of the Jobless.”
Follow the format and organization of the sample summary of “Careers for the New
Millennium” found on page 1.8.
Be sure your summary is ONE well developed paragraph, double spaced, clear and
well organized.
See additional notes on how to write a summary below.
Guidelines for writing your summary:
 Type the summary on the computer.
 DOUBLE SPACE the assignment.
 Write your name, date, and Assignment: Summary of the text “....” at top of the page.
 The summary should be ONE well developed paragraph.
 The summary should begin by stating the author’s name, title of the text being
summarized, and a clear paraphrase of the thesis or focus of the text.
 The summary should then present the main points that are developed in the body of the
text.
 The main points should be presented in the same order as they appear in the text.
 The author’s name or appropriate pronoun should be used occasionally when
presenting the main points.
 The summary should conclude with a paraphrase of the main concluding idea of the
text.
 Some appropriate transition words should be used occasionally to add coherence to the
summary.
Homework for Week 3, Class 2
Context
Prior to completing the Censorship Assignment students read and analyze two texts on media
violence. During the reading and discussion activities students are asked to identify ideas and
information in these texts which could be used to support or oppose the assignment topic.
Reading
“Media Violence,” 1.19–1.22 (up to the end of point # 8).
a. Find any ideas and information in the “Media Violence” article which you think could
contribute to an essay on the topic of government censorship of scenes of extreme violence
in video games (for or against ). You should highlight or underline ideas in the text but
you do not have to write out your answers.
Homework to Be Completed for Week 4, Class 1
Revision of assignment on “Women and War” topics
a. You may revise this assignment to try to increase your grade.
b. Revision is optional.
c. Revision includes correcting any sentence level problems, clarifying any unclear wording or
vocabulary, and further developing your ideas and arguments.
d. You must return the original assignment with the revision in order for the revision to be
graded.
Homework to Be Completed for Week 4, Class 2
Reading
Read the short story “Charles” on pages 2.1–2.2 in Write of Way.
Important: The conclusion of the story is found at the top of page 2.2. You do not have to answer
the questions on page 2.3 for homework.
Assignments Due


Complete the Assignment on Censorship and video games and bring it to class for Week 4,
class 2. (The complete instructions for the censorship assignment that were distributed in
class and are copied below. Follow these instructions carefully.)
Complete the outline part of the assignment using the outline form for planning an essay
distributed in class.
Bonus Assignment
Sample Bonus Assignment: Attend the play Dutchman on Wednesday, February 9, at universal break
(12 noon) in the Auditorium. After you see the play write a ONE PAGE, typed, double spaced
response to the play in which you present a brief summary of the main conflict in the play and your
personal reaction to the play. The response page is due on Tuesday, Feb. 15. Dutchman is being
presented by the Black Theatre Workshop as part of the Black History Month activities at Vanier.
Homework for Week 5, Class 1
Reading
“The Other Family,” pages 2.14–2.18.
You do not have to answer the questions on 2.19 for homework. We will complete these questions
in class.
Writing
 Revision of the summary of “The Anguish of the Jobless” is due. You may revise to
increase your grade up to a maximum increase of 20% over the original grade. Be sure to
pass in your original summary with your revision or your revision will not be graded.

Be sure to upload your original or final copy of your summary to Turnitin.Com. See
the instructions under Documents on LEA. Your grade on this assignment will be penalized
if it is not uploaded to Turnitin.com.
Bonus Assignment
If you attended the play Dutchman on Wednesday, February 9, then write a ONE PAGE, typed,
double spaced response to the play in which you present a brief summary of the main conflict in the
play and your personal reaction to the play. The response is due on Tuesday, Feb. 15.
Homework for Week 5, Class 2
Reading
The short story “Four Directions”
This story is read and analyzed in class.
Writing
After the completion of in-class analysis and discussion of the story, instructions for an analysis of
the reading are distributed.
Homework for Week 6, Class 1
Reading
“Elements of Literature” pages 2.7–2.10
Assignments Due
 Revision of Censorship Assignment: You may revise and improve your introduction
paragraph and your main body paragraph to improve your grade.
 If you were missing any parts of your original assignment, your outline, introduction, body
paragraph, or works cited bibliography, then you may complete the missing parts and submit
the missing parts with your revision.
 Important: You must return the original censorship assignment with the revision or your
revision will not be graded.
 Also, remember to upload either your summary assignment or, if you did not do the
summary, your censorship assignment to Turnitin.com by _____. If this is not done by
__________, penalty marks will be deducted from your assignment.
Homework for Week 6, Class 2
“Four Directions” analysis assignment is due
Reading
Read the short story “Raymond’s Run,” pages 2.26–2.31.
Homework for Week 7, Class 1
Reading
“A Rose for Emily,” pages 2.33–2.36
Homework for Week 7, Class 2:
Reading
“Trifles,” pages 3.1–3.7
Homework for Week 8, Class 1
Reading
Read “The Five-Forty-Eight” by John Cheever, pages 2.38 –2.43
Note: Instructions for the in-class 750-word essay are distributed and discussed in Week 8, Class 1.
If time permits students start preparing the outline for the essay in class.
Homework for Week 8, Class 2
Students complete their outline for 750-word in-class essay. This can be starting in class and
completed at home. Students can have their outlines reviewed and feedback given prior to writing
the in class essay.
Students are told ahead of time that a penalty is applied to their essay if they do not bring in an
outline to be reviewed. The outline is initialed and passed in with the final copy of the in class essay.
Students are also instructed to begin reading the short novel, which must be completed for Week 10,
Class 1.
Homework for Week 9, Class 1 and 2
Note: The in-class essay is written during these two classes. Students are told they must complete
the draft of the essay in Class 1, which is collected and returned to the students in Class 2 wherein
they complete the final copy.
Homework for Weeks 10 to 12
Context
During weeks 10 to 12 students read and analyze the short novel Split and write a second 750-word
essay on the novel. Students also have the option of revising and improving the in-class essay
completed in Week 9.
Note: See instructions on teaching Lori Weber’s Split for details on the homework and class
activities related to the short novel and second analytical essay.
Reading
The novel Split must be completely read for this class.
Writing
Revision of in-class essay: (Optional) Due:___________
Students are told that if they received a grade of less than 70%, then they must revise and correct the
whole essay. If they received a grade of 70% or more then you must revise one main body
paragraph.
They are also informed that revising an essay or paragraph involves improving all aspects of the
text:
 Content and analysis of the text
 Organization and coherence in the essay or paragraph
 Correct written English.
The revision may be typed or hand written but it must be double spaced and correctly formatted.
Homework for Weeks 13 to 15
Context
It is important that the take-home essay is due prior to the last 10 teaching days of the semester to
avoid problems due to the policy regarding tests administered during the last two weeks of the
semester. This also helps ensure that the take-home essay can be corrected and returned to students
prior to the end of the semester.
In class, students work on some practice editing tests and one or two practice paragraph answers to
questions on the stories and play in preparation for the final exam. Practice editing text paragraphs
have been completed by students as part of their sentence skills work since early in the semester.
Readings
The texts usually analyzed during this section of the course are “Los Vendidos” by Louis Valdez,
“Through the Tunnel” by Doris Lessing, and “Borders” by Thomas King. A small selection of
poetry may also be examined depending on the time constraints.
Writing
Take-home essay on the novel (due Week 14, Class 1)
In-class Work
During the final classes students read a few more texts but the major focus of homework is
completing the final essay. We also watch one more film toward the end of the semester, stranger than
Fiction. Hitchcock’s Psycho has been viewed in class in the week following the in-class essay in
connection to Robin Wood’s analysis of the film. Both films are used to reinforce of basic
components of narrative analysis.