English 201: Advanced Composition

 

Instructor: Dean Karpowicz                                        Phone: 595-2672

Office: Comm Arts 251                                                 Email: dean.karpowicz@uwp.edu

 

Course Description. This course will be broken into three components with a thematic link between those components. We will study the personal essay, writing from research and research methods, and writing about literature. We will often use workshop format and class discussion to generate debate, understand the writing process and generate ideas for personal writing projects; however, the main focus of the course and the largest factor in grading will be writing assignments. Minimal instruction in grammar will be available and given as needed, and style usage will be examined (MLA, APA, etc.).

 

Required Texts.

Zinsser, William. On Writing Well

Twain, Mark. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

 

Course Work. Students will write six papers of varying length and be responsible for at least one oral presentation. I move at the pace of the class and do not devise a rigid syllabus, so we may revise the course as we go. Options for revision will be given on papers and will be discussed at the time the paper is returned. Students who do not bring completed (a paragraph is not complete) drafts to response groups will be penalized one letter grade off their final draft and will not be eligible for revision. No journal will be required for the course as we will do adequate in-class writing and use assigned material to generate ideas.

 

Grading Breakdown.

Autobiographical essay.             10%

Travel Essay                             10%

Analysis/Rebuttal                      5%

Informative                               5%

Research                                  20%

Book Review                            5%

Oral Presentation                      10%

Critical Paper                            20%

Participation/Peer editing           10%

Homework                                5%

 

Class Policies and Procedures.

·          Attendance

1. Regular attendance is expected and required

2. More than one absence will affect a student’s final course grade

3. If a student misses more than three weeks of class, he or she should not expect to pass the course

4. Absences for campus sports or university organizations require written requests in advance from the couch or organization head.

5. Medical or family emergencies: please contact me via voice mail or email.

·          Late Work and Make-up Work

1.        Late papers will be penalized one letter grade for each day they are late.

2.        In-class assignments cannot be made up.

3.        Please contact me if you are having a problem with assigned work.

·          Conferences

1. Students who fail to show up for their conference are absent for the week.

 

Schedule

Week 1

Introduction to the course. Class policies and procedures. Handout. Free writing on banned books. Discussion.

HW: Read Zinsser, Part 1. Personal response.

Week 2

            Discuss Responses. Principles. In-class activity.

            HW: Read Zinsser, Part 2 and Ch. 14.

Week 3

Discuss reading. Grammar review. Writing about ourselves. Peer editing overview.

            HW: Write theme 1; Zinsser, chap 13, 20.

Week 4

            Response groups. Description. The gift. Tone in writing.

            HW: Finish theme 1. Begin theme 2. Selected Readings.

Week 5

Final Draft of theme 1(personal essay) due. The Lie, the details (in-class activity).

            HW; Write theme 2. Selected readings.

Week 6

            Response groups. Handout. Anatomy of an argument. The analysis and rebuttal.

            HW: Choose censorship article and respond. Selected Reading Huckleberry Finn.

 

Week 7

Theme 2 (description) due. Peer groups on analysis. Library.  Research and style.

HW: Complete analysis. Continue directed research and outline informative paper.  Continue reading Huckleberry Finn.

Week 8

Theme 3 (analysis/rebuttal) due.  Response groups on informative and research. Film: Born to Trouble.

            HW: Complete informative paper. Outline research paper.

Week 9

            No Class. Conferences (tentative)—Bring all material for research project.

            HW: Complete Research paper.

Week 10

Final draft of research paper due. Intro to writing about literature. Twain bio.

HW:  Complete Huck Finn.

Week 11

Approaches to Huck Finn and Literature. Literary schools and criticism. (Choose topic for presentation) Backgrounds for Huck Finn.

HW: Read Zinsser, chap 18. “Writing About the Arts” Write rough draft of review.

Week 12

Response groups on reviews. Further Discussion of Huck Finn. Choose final paper topics.

            HW: complete review.

Thanksgiving Break. Final draft of review due in my office by 4:30 on Wednesday.

            HW: Complete research on schools. Find sources for final paper.

Week 14

Oral Presentations on schools of criticism. Discussion. Sources for final theme due with general outline.

            HW: Continue research and writing on Huck Finn. Finish rough draft.

Week 15

            Rough draft, sources due. Response groups. Final questions/discussion.

            HW: Finish final theme.

 

 

Writing References

Grammar Guides