Lane community college
College now; Siuslaw high school
Syllabus/course information sheet
September, 2013-June, 2014
Part 1: English composition: introduction to academic writing
“Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact
man…”
--Sir Francis Bacon
“Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.”
--William Butler Yeats
Course: WR 121
Class meets: Mr. Wartnik’s classroom;
According to the school
Schedule
Credits: 4
instructor: Neil Wartnik
office:
Mr. Wartnik’s
classroom
phone:
(541) 997-5476
Email:
nwartnik@siuslaw.k12.or.us
Office hours:
M-Th: 7:45-8:20
M-Fri: 3:10-3:45, or by
Appointment
Course description: writing 121, introduces students to the conventions of
academic writing. It emphasizes defining and developing a significant topic and
using principles of clear thinking to support an assertive or argumentative thesis.
Students will learn to consider subject matter, audience, purpose, and point-ofview in the planning of their papers, demonstrating that understanding through
how they organize, develop and word their essays. Students will also analyze and
evaluate other writers in compositions to sharpen their critical abilities as readers
and writers. Finally, the course provides instruction in source analysis,
documentation, and beginning research methods. It may be offered through
distance learning.
Prerequisite: appropriate scores on lanes writing placement test or passing grade
(c-or better) in WR 115.
Required texts: selected readings to be distributed by the instructor. The majority
will be taken from: Kennedy, and Dorothy M. Kennedy. The Bedford reader. 2nd
ed. New York: St. Martin’s press, inc., 1985.
Shrodes, Fireston, Shugrue, and Fontaine Maury Belford. The conscious reader. 6th
ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1995.
Course objectives: According to Lane’s course catalog. [This course is focused on
introducing] students to the conventions of academic writing. It emphasizes
defining and developing a significant topic and using principles of clear thinking to
support an assertive or argumentative thesis. Students will gain an understanding
of their subject matter, audience, purpose, and point-of-view, and demonstrate
that understanding through the organization and development of their essays.
Students will learn how to analyze and evaluate other writers’ works to sharpen
their critical abilities as readers and writers, the course also introduces students
to skills in source analysis, documentation, and beginning research methods.
All reading and writing assignments will work toward these ends. Students will be
challenged to develop critical reading skills which will facilitate their success in
future academic and professional work. Thus they will be exposed to a variety of
texts which will have greatly varied purposes, intended audiences, and subject
matters. Students will be expected to recognize these variances’ and explain the
implications in writing. In addition, students will be part of a writing community in
the class, assisting others with the advancement of their compositions and
allowing others to aid them in the development of their own.
The class will be organized around the following activities:
*prewriting consisting of invention, generation and organization of ideas
*workshop activities
*peer review consisting of revision, editing, and proofreading
*Analysis of readings which will include note taking, discussions, and composition
* Assessment of writing- your own as well as others’
*metacognition: Reflecting on and evaluating your learning journey
As writing 121 is a bridge to future academic writing, students will be trained to
enter the dialog of intelligent minds where significant ideas are studied, and
critically evaluated. Students will learn to form arguments where they support or
oppose the position of others, using sound logic and reliable support. They will be
introduced to the techniques for evaluating sources and will be required to
practice ethical use of source material, documenting within text as well as after.
They will be trained to blend source material into their writing and how to mark it
to insure it is distinguished from their own.
Course outcomes:
This course is foundational to success for most college students and is a precursor
to WR 122- Argument, style, and research. Therefore by the courses conclusion
students should be able to demonstrate:
A. The ability to internalize, reflects upon, and gives mature reactions to the
ideas of others.
B. To effectively interpret and assess a variety of texts, showing understanding
of authors’ purposes given audience and situation.
C. To find, evaluate and synthesize source material for use in essays:
*Primary and secondary
*types: Media-captured, electronic, live, and/or printed
D. to view the writing process with rhetorical maturity:
*To develop writings with a point of view, tone, voice, and ethos
appropriate to purpose and audience.
*To use development strategies- whether narration, anecdotal, cause/
effect, description, comparison/contrast, thematic, classification, process,
definition, etc, -- which showcase the meaning of their work:
E. To develop and organize essays:
*Using the writing process masterfully
*At least one argumentative composition
*Using elements of textual support: explanatory details, sensory and
narrative detail, dialogue, examples, illustrations, reasons, analogies, ect.
F. To use the library and internet resources responsibly and effective:
*Databases
*Internet Search Engines
Quote, paraphrase and summarize information in a way that preserves a
source’s voice and distinguishes it from the students’ own.
G. To properly apply the principles of edited standard written English (ESWE),
whether the work follows the conventions of MLA or APA style.
*format
*Grammar
*Citations
Course requirements:
1. Rough Drafts: for major essays they are due on the assigned dates. It will
detract from class motivation and your own growth as a writer if you do not
bring complete drafts on the days we are scheduled peer review.
Workshops cannot be “made up,” and missed workshops will result in a
grade of zero (0) for the draft.
2. Informal writings: Informal writings will include readers responses,
Invention Exercises, Journaling, Peer responses, and in class writings. These
informal writing activities allow you to explore the ideas you will be
developing in your formal essays by providing a space for you to work
through and record your involving ideas, observations, and impressions. It
is a preparatory to the composition of well conceived papers. These
writings will be graded on a 10 point scale and cannot be made up.
3. Reading and note taking: the point of the readings is to expose you to
thinking of others who have considered the questions we will reflect on this
year. The note taking will allow you to reflect on their most significant ideas
and compare them to your own. Note taking assignments will give you the
opportunity to learn the arts of quotation, paraphrase, and summary.
Notes will be graded on a ten point scale and must be turned in the day
due. Otherwise the assignment may not be turned up.
4. Group work: writing peer group circles and reading discussion groups are
elemental to this course. You will be expected to participate actively on the
daily basis nervous, sharing ideas, considering those of others. This is
essential to the building of strong compositions and in-depth understanding
of rhetorically complex readings. Participation grades will be based on
preparedness, diligent listening and thoughtfulness of input.
5. Conferences: you will be required to meet with me individually and/or in
groups at least two times during the session to discuss your work in
progress, your ideas, and the overall progression of your writing. Additional
opportunities for conferencing will be provided as becomes necessary.
6. Pop quizzes: these are used as necessary to keep the class focused.
7. Formal writing projects: you will produce 16 to 20 pages of revised written
work this semester on topics related to the human condition. These
writings will require you to reflect on your life, on events and relations you
have witnessed, and on events and relations that you have learned second
hand. You will be required to reflect on what other people have to sayboth from in-class readings and source materials you locate as through
research. Every class activity will further your progress toward the semester
goal of completing 4 major writing assignments, each with a minimum of
two drafts and a final. Until two complete rough drafts have revised and
edited by peers and/or the instructor, the final draft will not be accepted.
Potential topics include:
“Responding to Disappointment”
“At my House”
“The Ideal Man/Woman/Person”
“Parent-Child Relations”
“What is Marriage?”
“Society”
“Finding Hope in the Labyrinth of Life”
“The Effects of Technological Advancement”
8. Assistance: in the event that you are struggling with a writing assignment, it
is your responsibility to seek assistance from me or a capable classmate.
Plagiarism has sunk many ships in the waters of WK 121. Do not add yours
to those nestled at the bottom of the “sea.”
9. Comprehensive final exam at the end of the course you will be required to
write a comprehensive final. This will be your opportunity to articulate
what you have learned through writing 121. It is expected that you will
grow as a writer as a result of your work in this class, and your
comprehensive will be a place for you to articulate this growth-both
through the content and style composition.
Course policies:
Grammar: though not a point of emphasis in this class, it is expected that
your work will be grammatically correct. If you realize you need intensive
help with spelling, punctuation, and/or other technical/ mechanical issues,
make an appointment with me early in the term. I can point to recourses
that will help.
Attendance: attendance is required! Due to organizational structure of
the course in which classroom activities and assignments will build upon
activities conducted in the previous class, your presence in class in class is
important to you-and to fellow students. Excessive absences (more than 4
over the course of a term) will have a detrimental effect on your class
participation grade as well as put you at a disadvantage when it comes to
preparing major essays and the writing of the Comprehensive Final.
If you are aware of an upcoming event that will prevent you from attending
class, it is better to let me know in advance and get a list of any
assignments you will need to complete during your absence. If you miss a
class, you are responsible for finding out what you missed, include anything
assigned to you when you were absent.
Tardiness: chronic tardiness will have the same result as excessive absences
(see above).
Course work: Major assignments are due on assigned dates (by the end of
the day). They must either be handed to the instructor or turned in to his
box in the office. Process work, for instance drafts that will be revised in
class on a given day or reading notes that will be analyzed in class, must be
finished and brought to class that day to receive credit. As a general rule,
late work will not be accepted, and will receive a zero (0). In-class work
missed because of absences that are not excessive will not be sufficient to
detrimentally affect your grade. Expected absences should be reported to
me in advance, and you will be given the opportunity to turn in work early
or in a form that meets the spirit of the assignment, as deemed appropriate
by the instructor.
Technology: we will follow the school policy. However, laptop use for taking
notes or participation in class activities is permissible. Speak with me before
bringing such devises to class.
Classroom conduct: ant conduct which interferes with the progress of the
class will be addressed between the instructor and the student on the first
occasion. This is a college-level course, and it is expected each student will
come prepared to add meaning fully to the work. Repeat problems could
result in ejection from or failure of the course.
Plagiarism: plagiarism 9the undocumented use of someone else’s words or
ideas, professional or otherwise, in your writing) is illegal and could result in
disciplinary repercussions including failure of the course and/or dismissal
from the college.
General grading policies:
 All assignments are required course work, must be completed, and will
factor into your final course grade.
 You must complete all formal essays assignments to pass the course
 Assignments must meet required guidelines as noted on individual
assignment handout sheets
Grade distribution
Rough drafts: Formative Assessment……………………………………………… (10%)
Formative Assessments: peer review: readings, discussions, and
assignments…………………………………………… (10%)
Final Drafts: summative Assessment………………………………………………. (80%)
Grade definitions:
“A” work demonstrations distinguished thinking throughout. The writing is
articulate and insightful, revealing an advanced conception of the assignment.
“A” work is superior, not very good or above average. “A” work meets all basic
requirements of any given assignment, and far exceeds expectations on every
level.
“B” work is above average. It meets all the basic requirements and exceeds
expectations by showing insight and excellence on several levels
“C” work is satisfactory and competently written; it meets all the basic
requirements of any given assignment.
“D” work does not fully meet the basic requirements of a given assignment. It
demonstrates difficulty with the development of ideas, organization, content, or
coherence and/ or shows a general lack of understanding of the assignment.
“F” work does not meet assignment requirements on most levels. It shows an
inability or unwillingness to complete basic tasks or to follow assignment
instructions. Plagiarized work also falls into this category.
WR 121 Course Outline
Revised October, 2011
Week 2-1:
Reading #1: “Think You’re Smart?”
INTRODUCTION: THREE AREAS OF FOCUS:
(1)
(2)
(3)
Writing: clarity, organization, and support
Reading and understanding- time spent & adequate vocabulary
Speaking with skills to communicate thoughts
*Writing is a skill. Improvement is expected from theme to theme. Grading
will be on “increased scale”.
Essay 1: “My Experience with Disappointment” (Diagnostic)
Week 3:
*** Somewhere early put in 6 sentences paragraph.
Reading #2: “How to Say Nothing in 500 Words”
Writing pointers: 1) don’t use ‘you, your’ in themes; and 2) don’t quote
dictionaries.
Essay 1: Thematic: “at my house”
Describe a house or home you had, have, or would like to have. Go beyond
a mere physical description.
Purpose: Evaluation of individual writing level.
Three-part theme construction:
Introduction: state thesis and preview main body, identifying the three
sections of development.
Body: Develop thesis, one section at a time
Conclusion: Restate thesis and summarize main body.
Points of emphasis and things to consider
1) Out lining the theme
2) Transition and unifying agents fuse the compositions together
3) Not all errors marked, but points to work on are noted. When these are
met, then new ones are given.
4) Obstacles to working: weekend activities, friends, family, other homework,
ect.
Week 4:
Essay 3: “the view from 80” (p.147, the Bedford Reader, 2nd Ed.)
-Read the essay, not the preliminary comments, and write five reactions’ to
it.
Essay 4: “dearest Scottie” (p. 147)
Theme 2: Ideal Man/ Woman, or Ideal person
-consider what qualities that men/woman should have equally.
-Provide specific, substantial support.
Week 5:
Theme 3: “who was, who I am, and who will be”
Consider: Topic selection, narrowing Review three-part thesis sentences and
theme. The technique for this paper is to choose one or two terms that typify the
writer at the three parts of life, and then to provide specific details/ incidents that
support and illustrate those terms.
Analogies: They create focus hen communicating ‘bulk’ material. They are useful
when communicating a fuzzy or blurry topic which a person couldn’t otherwise
understand- as in abstract term or concept: like sharing Carmex. Is it more like
sharing white-out or a can of pop? They can be used to create a human
connection to get on the same level-in much the same way as a shared
experience.
Examples:
1. [Carmex: I wonder why she carries it, and it’s such a little jar and is yellow
deliberate, and does it work? The portable little jar sits on the desk holding
a cure to lips ill. Does someone share Carmex, or does it have the
understood quality of being a personal item, like a toothbrush?]
2. [communicating to someone not on the same level, either lower or higher]:
--“it’s kind of like killing a mocking bird, isn’t it?”
Here scout finch is using an analogy to make sure her understanding is correct.
Have students construct analogies of their own- written after instructor
gives example. [Negative space in art-{} - varied technique in art as in shifting
Techniques to handle life’s situations-i.e two sophomore girls as enemies/learned
as kids—is there a more effective technique now that they’re more capable? Class
coming online like they are computers in the computer room.
1. I feel like.
2. My life is like… school is like…
3. Others?
Essay 6: “If the River Was Whiskey” (p. 213)
Week 6:
Essay 7: “Artificial Intelligence” (p.213)
In-class: Description of the thumb/ nose…
Week 7:
Essay 9”” A Small Place”(p.1133)
[After discussing essay, compare with Florence. Make a list of complaints that
natives had and list Florence residents have and compare them.
Essay 10:” They Also Wait” (p. 132 of The Bedford reader)
Week 9:
Essay 11: “The Company Man” (p.115)
Essay 12: “The Beginning of Consciousness” (p.17)
Theme 5: Impromptu
Topics: Procrastination, Rebellion, Slavery, Adulthood, or Ambition, Health,
Power, Seasons, school.
Week 10: (short week)
Theme 6: “music, Society, Sleep, Anger”
Review: transitions, unifying agents, analogies topic selection, use of
examples to avoid padding. Not too easy, not to difficult. Make improvement in
degree of challenge each time.
Word choice
 Have a younger person read it for clarity
 Triple space rough drafts when handwriting to facilitate revision.
Re: “Society” as a topic. When dealing with strata of society not one’s own,
avoid bias. Evidence of bias makes one entirely suspect and focuses
attention away from the subject of the paper.
Essay 13: “Miss USA” (p. 425)
[Students should realize that she was interviewed and this may not be
word for word but may be edited by the interviewer.]
Essay 14: “Uncivil-Anger- The cultural Rules of Anger” (p.1097)
Week 11:
Essay 15: “My Lack of Gumption” (p. 54, by Russell Baker)
Essay 16: “Goodbye kids, Mother’s Leaving Home” (p.205)
By Thomas J. Cottle
Week 12:
Theme 7: “What is Marriage?” or “What Is a Family?”
Transitions
Definition
Note: consider what others do or don’t consider families and how you
would answer them.
Don’t write a generic them on this topic*.
The theme is not just: “What Is My Family?”
- This topic mat takes some research.
Essay 16: “of cruelty and Clemency, and whether is better to be loved or feared”
(p.783, by Niccolo Machiavelli)
Week 13:
“The Tale of Beren and Luthien”
Week 14 and 15:
Theme 8: “These Things Give me Hope” (3-5 Page Research Essay)
*Minimum 3 sources.
End writing on ‘high note’
Note: Hope is an ‘energy’ that we get from something, not a want or
wish that we hope for.