College Writing Workshop
David Scott Wilson-Okamura · English 10-01 · Autumn 1999 · Macalester College

Schedule of Readings and Assignments

Sept. 8

W

Introduction

10

F

Why write? Booth et al., Craft of Research 6-11. Strunk & White, Elements of Style xi-14.

13

M

Discuss More, Utopia.

15

W

Craft of Research 12-27. Elements of Style 15-38.

17

F

Draft of summary of Utopia due (500 words); bring three copies. Discuss summaries in small groups.

20

M

Final draft of Utopia summary due

22

W

"From Topics to Questions" (Craft of Research 29-47).

24

F

Elements of Style 39-65.

27

M

Discuss Machiavelli, Prince.

29

W

"From Questions to Problems" (Craft of Research 48-63).

Oct. 1

F

"Making Good Arguments: An Overview" (Craft of Research 88-93). Elements of Style 66-86.

4

M

First draft of argumentative essay due (1,250-2,000 words); bring three copies.

6

W

Discuss drafts in small groups.

8

F

"Claims and Evidence" (Craft of Research 94-110).

11

M

Second draft of argumentative essay due; bring three copies.

13

W

Discuss drafts in small groups.

15

F

"Qualifications" (Craft of Research 132-48).

18

M

Final draft of argumentative essay due.

20

W

 

22

F

Discuss 2 Henry IV.

25

M

Discuss essays on 2 Henry IV.

27

W

Booth et al., Craft of Research, 29-63. Discuss topics, questions, and problems.

29

F

Fall Midterm Break

Nov. 1

M

Research topics due.

3

W

"From Questions to Sources" (Craft of Research 64-72).

5

F

 

8

M

Working bibliographies due.

10

W

"Using Sources" (Craft of Research 73-84).

12

F

 

15

M

Annotated bibliographies due. Craft of Research 212-14 (on abstracts).

17

W

"Preparing to Draft, Drafting, and Revising" (Craft of Research 149-74).

19

F

One-paragraph abstracts due; bring three copies

22

M

 

24

W

 

26

F

Thanksgiving Friday

29

M

First draft of research essay due (2,500 words); bring three copies.

Dec. 1

W

Discuss drafts in small groups.

3

F

 

6

M

Second draft of research essay due; bring three copies.

8

W

Discuss drafts in small groups.

10

F

 

13

M

Last Class. Final draft of research essay due.

Description

What this course will not teach you: this course assumes that you already know how to put together a sentence. In other words, this is not a remedial course in English grammar. What this course will teach you is how to put sentences together in order to build a clear and persuasive argument. It will also teach you how to incorporate research into that argument. Methods for teaching these two skills vary, but in this course we will adopt a workshop format. This means that we will read a common set of texts (most of them examples of good writing), discuss them in class, write about them, and bring our writing to class for analysis, praise, and criticism.

Requirements

This course is offered on a S/D/NC basis. In order to receive a satisfactory (s) grade, you must participate in each of the following activities on a regular basis.

Reading. Although this is a writing workshop, readings provide subject matter for discussion as well as papers.

Discussion. This is a writing workshop, which means that the course is what happens in class. If you don't come to class, you can't pass the course. Please note that there are a number of days on the schedule which do not have an assignment or topic filled in yet. These days will be used to address specific problems and questions as they come up over the course of the semester.

Writing. Each of you will write two essays over the course of the semester. In addition to the final draft of each essay, you will hand in two rough drafts for peer analysis and critique. For the final essay, you will also submit for peer critique a preliminary list of topics and research questions, a working bibliography, an annotated bibliography, and a one-paragraph abstract.

Editing. In addition to writing essays, each of you will review and critique the writing of your classmates. Peer editing serves at least three purposes. First, it gives you (as a writer) a broader audience for your arguments and ideas. Second, it gives you (as a writer) a chance to try out ideas and arguments in a constructive environment. Finally, editing someone else's writing helps to sharpen your own sense of what makes an argument clear and persuasive.

Incompletes

"Students are expected to complete the work in each course on schedule. Under unusual circumstances, an instructor may allow a student an additional specified time period, not to extend beyond the first class day of the next semester, for completion of the course. In any such case, the instructor's submission of the 'I' grade must be accompanied by a course completion agreement form specifying the work yet to be completed. This form is signed by both the student and the instructor." That's what the Catalog says. Please note the words "unusual circumstances." Unfortunately, the Catalog doesn't specify what kinds of things constitute "unusual circumstances." The following, suggested by the Dean of Students, will have to serve, therefore, as a working definition for the purposes of this course: "unusual circumstances" means 'an unexpected catastrophe that occurs near the end of the semester'.

Important times, phone numbers, addresses

Office: Old Main 205 (phone 651.696.6643)

Email: wilson-okamura@virgil.org

Office hours: MWF 2:20-3:20 pm. Extra hours as needed and by appointment. If you'd like to schedule an appointment—and I encourage you to do so if these hours don't work for you—just grab me after class or give me a phone call and we'll set up a time. If you call my office and I'm not there, do try me at home, though not after 9:00 pm, please.

Email discussion group for this course: engl1001@macalester.edu. Use this address to send a message to the entire class. This is also a good place to raise questions or make points that didn't get covered in class discussion.

Course materials on the web: http://www.macalester.edu/~engl1001/