WRITING 150H
Winter Semester
2014
The written word should be
clean as bone,
clear as light,
strong as stone.
Two words are not
as good as one.
✣
Instructor: Rebecca Walker Clarke
Office: 4058 JKB
Hours: Th 10:45 - 11:45 by appointment
E-mail: rebecca_clarke@byu.edu
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Writing 150H is an intensive university writing course; we will write a lot.
We’ll also rewrite a lot. Throughout the course you will create 25 – 35 pages of polished writing, and
70% of your grade will be based on your polished writing. Each of the major papers will be revised by
you and edited by an outside reader. Writing 150H will also introduce you to the Great Works, and
give you the opportunity to:
1. Use rhetoric responsibly to compose arguments in a variety of genres for specific audiences and
purposes.
2. Critically read different types of texts, particularly representative texts from the six Great Works
categories: literature, art, music/dance, theater, film, and science. Critical reading includes
a. analyzing how a text functions in a specific situation, community, or public;
b. analyzing the nuances of language (diction, figures of speech, tone, etc.);
c. identifying and evaluating the elements of an argument—claims, reasons,
assumptions, and ethical, emotional, and logical appeals.
3. Write coherent and unified texts (effective introductions, clear thesis, supporting details, transitions,
and strong conclusions) using a flexible and effective writing process, including prewriting,
drafting, revising, and editing.
4. Use style—diction, figurative language, tone, grammar, punctuation, spelling, mechanics—genre,
conventions, and document design correctly and for rhetorical effect.
5. Navigate the library to locate primary and secondary sources, evaluate the appropriateness and
credibility of those sources, and effectively incorporate and accurately document outside
sources in a research paper.
REQUIRED TEXTS and $$:
The Restored Gospel and Applied Christianity 2013, Center for Study of Christian Values [DOM]
Readings for Intensive Writers, 6th Edition, Susan Morris [RIW]
MLA Handbook, 7th Ed. [MLA]
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, any edition [Alice]
Copying/printing costs for presentations and peer editing, approx. $3.00
Portfolio materials, approx. $3.00
IF writing notebook, approx. $5.00 [IF]
PROJECTS, PAPERS, AND POINTS: * indicates polished writing
*Personal Narrative [4 – 6 pp.]
75
Peer Editing
*Art Response [2 - 3 pp.]
30
Paper to Writing Ctr.
5
*Mock Trial Brief [2 p. + worksheets]
50
Presentations (including 10 pts. eval.)
50
*Research Proposal [2 – 3 pp.]
20
EDT Post-test
10
*Research Essay [7 – 9 pp.]
140
IF Notebooks
100
*Analysis [5 – 6 pp.]
100
Course Evaluation
Library Homework
10
* Final [6 – 9 pp.]
3 @ 10
5
100
GRADES
GRADING SCALE:
A
100 – 94%
A-
93.9 – 90%
B+
89.9 – 87%
B
86.9 – 84%
B-
83.9 – 80%
C+
79.9 – 77%
C
76.9 – 74%
C-
73.9 – 70%
D+
69.9 – 67%
D
66.9 – 64%
D-
63.9 – 60%
E
59.9 – 0%
LEARNING SUITE: Your grade will be available to check online.
ATTENDANCE: We have the unique opportunity of having a small class; we’ll all miss you if you’re
absent. One of the very best things to come out of this class will be what you offer each other.
You’ll see from the course calendar that preparation and participation are crucial to your grade
and the progress of our learning community.
Our class (as with any) works best when you take responsibility for your learning. You are
accountable for what we cover in class regardless of your attendance, and you cannot make up
in-class assignments unless you have a University absence. If you need to miss class, please ask
a classmate to fill you in on the material. If you miss more than 20%, you will be asked to
withdraw.
EXTRA CREDIT, FIST FIGHTS, AND PLAGIARISM: These cheap ways to get ahead aren’t allowed;
plagiarism in particular is grounds for failing a paper, project, and/or the class.
FORMAL WRITING
PAPERS: You will write five major papers as well as several supporting minor papers and informal
assignments. The order of the papers is purposeful. This is a survey course, so we’ll shift from
one genre to the next fairly quickly, and each assignment will build on the one before.
We’ll begin with an examination of self through personal essay. What has changed you? Here
I want you to be as transformational as possible, and explore what about your writing is
uniquely yours. Then we’ll move from an inward focus to an analysis of others’ approaches to
the world through an art response. Next we’ll head into argument, where we’ll learn that
everything really is an argument, and create a group mock brief. We then begin persuasive
research, where you’ll take what you’ve learned from your service learning experience, earlier
writing assignments, and outside sources and apply that to the larger academic community.
We’ll then move into the analysis paper, coming back to the principles we learned in the art
response, but going deeper this time. We’ll cap our semester with presentations, where you will
get the chance to share some of what you’ve learned in your research and service learning.
The format of all papers should follow the instructions in the MLA Handbook: typed,
double-spaced, in MLA format, stapled (no folders or paperclips), on standard paper (8½ x 11),
with standard margins (1 inch), and standard fonts. Your name, my name, the course number,
section, and date should be in the upper left-hand corner of the first page; on subsequent pages
put your last name and the page number in the upper right-hand corner.
Please clean up grammatical and technical errors before you hand in your drafts—I don’t expect
to spend time on those. Excellent resources for grammar and other writing issues are the
Writing Center in 4026 JKB, MLA Handbook, EDT drills, and online.
PEER EDITING is one of the most valuable elements of our class. I will assign you to small groups
for peer editing each of the major papers. You will have the opportunity to respond to others’
writing respectfully and honestly, and to have the same done to yours. You must be in class
both the day we trade papers and the day we workshop in order to earn credit for peer editing.
LATE WORK POLICY: Late work scatters you and me. Because I don’t love applying my powers of
discernment to figure out whether tragedies and/or celebrations merit an exception, I count late
as late whether your printer is out of ink, your sister leaves for her mission, or you get engaged,
and here’s how it goes:
Late papers will be accepted at a 10% drop for each calendar day they are late (ten minutes into
class is the first day late), and not accepted at all after five days. Because I schedule my grading
time ahead, I won’t provide substantive feedback on late work.
Make backup copies of your work and plan ahead because if your life is anything like mine,
computer and printer problems have a way of happening at the worst possible times. I’ve been
there and I will feel your pain, but I do not accept e-mailed work unless specified. Here’s the
mom in me: At conferences I need to work with hard copies.
SERVICE LEARNING
Service is such a crucial part of becoming educated that I have incorporated service into our
curriculum. For our class, choose a project to which you are willing to devote a minimum of
ten hours (I know you are busy: if you are assigned to do service for another course, the other
requirement can overlap mine). You will create a daily record of your service in your IF
Notebook, and write a persuasive research essay based on your service experience. You will
also present to the class some of what you learned while serving.
I recommend you collaborate with others (groups of two to four work best) in your service and
presentation. The points related to the service learning experience are a third of your total
grade (proposal, research paper, presentation). Begin your service learning as soon as you can.
The Center for Service and Learning [801-422-8686] in 2010 WSC is a clearinghouse for service
opportunities http://centerforservice.byu.edu. Using their resources works much better than
cold-calling rest homes and asking whether they want you to come and visit.
READING
In order to improve our critical thinking skills and our writing skills, we will be reading,
discussing, and writing about what other people have written. The readings you do
supplement, but do not fully cover what we discuss in class. Likewise, we will not have time to
discuss everything you read in class, but you will still be responsible for the content. Part of the
way you will engage with the readings is by using the prompt “Why does this matter?” in your
IF Notebook. Readings are due the day they are listed on the calendar, and you need to bring
only those books to class on that day.
INFORMAL WRITING: The Fun Stuff!
IF NOTEBOOKS: Acquire a notebook that you find endearing, charming, or fun. You are welcome to
personalize it so it is “yours.” The notebook must be of real paper—no laptops—and bring it
with you to every class period in case I ask you to write something interesting in it. There are
four purposes for the IF Notebooks.
1. IF assignments will be given in class and need to be completed the day they are given (or
before the next class period in certain cases) in order to earn credit. You may also free write,
brainstorm, daydream, or write down your grocery and Top Ten lists in your notebook as well.
2. On the calendar you’ll see an [IF] sign next to certain readings. For those readings, please
write about two paragraphs in answer to the question, “How does this matter?” The
connections you make or to whom it matters are up to you.
3. Another purpose of the IF Notebook is to record your ideas and reactions after each time you
complete a day of service. In this debriefing be looking ahead to your research paper and ask
yourself questions such as, "Did a conversation take place today that I might be able to
incorporate in my paper?" "Have I observed any problem areas I believe can be improved?"
4. The final purpose for the notebook is to create an “Error Log.” This is where you’ll record
grammatical errors you learn about this semester. Where did you meet the error? How do
you fix it? Find at least four errors for full points at mid-semester and another four for the end.
We will conference on the grading of the notebooks at mid-term and semester's end. You will
yourself a grade each time and defend your point of view with a main point, examples, and
evidence that support your claim.
From time to time you’ll respond to an IF assignment on Digital Dialogue in Learning Suite.
THE FINAL
The final will be held in our classroom. You’ll complete a set of papers (usually 6 – 9 pages) over
reading days, and then we’ll discuss what you’ve written during the final exam period.
It is university policy that you must attend the final in order to pass the class. It will be on the
day and time it has been scheduled by the University. Do not purchase plane tickets home (or to
Italy or the Bahamas) before the final exam. Just don’t do it.
UNIVERSITY ISSUES
LIBRARY TESTS: Two library tests, which are essential to completing your research project, are
administered through the university. You’ll be given a score out of ten points based on your
performance.
PREVENTING SEXUAL HARASSMENT: Title IX covers discrimination in programs, admissions,
activities, and student-to-student sexual harassment. BYU’s policy against sexual harassment
extends not only to employees of the university but to students as well. If you encounter
unlawful sexual harassment or gender based discrimination, please talk to me, contact the Equal
Employment Office at 810-422-5895 (24 hours), or contact the Honor Code Office at
801-422-2847.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: BYU is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere
which accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. If you have any disability which may
impair your ability to complete this course successfully, please contact the Services for Students
with Disabilities (SSD) Office at 801-422-5895, and please let me know as well. Reasonable
academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented
disabilities, and services are coordinated with the student and instructor by the SSD Office. If
you feel you have been unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of disability, you should
contact the Equal Employment Office at 801-422-5895, D-282 ASB.
ENGLISH DIAGNOSTIC PRETEST AND POST-TEST
Assignment: Please take BYU’s English Diagnostic Test (EDT Pretest). This is a test on grammar and
usage. I will get your results automatically. The pretest is FYI for me, and the post-test will be graded
out of ten. This test will help me assess the needs of our class, as well as give the university an overview
of strengths and weaknesses in general.
DIRECTIONS:
Access the test through http://webclips.byu.edu (no www), then click on BYU Utah and then Register
Now. After you fill in your personal information, including name and password, click on Add a Class,
choose English Writing, then Classes, and then the section you attend.
Click on Begin Course and the Diagnostic Tests (on the top of the left hand column). Please take Form
A pretest, and the post-test at the end of the semester (Form B has no post-test).
*Just a tip: Pay attention to the “negatives,” i.e., there are prompts that read, “Which is punctuated
incorrectly,” etc.
Resources to Improve Your Post-test Score:
CLIPS practice software is available in the CLIPS lab (4026 JKB--be prepared to give the lab attendant
our section number and my name). 801-422-4306. http://english.byu.edu/writingcenter
You can access these same CLIPS lessons online. Another great grammar resource is John Trimble’s
Writing with Style.
Post-test: The post-test should be taken at the end of the semester and this time you will be graded on
your performance (ten points).