Expository Writing 100-01
BASIC WRITING
Fall 1996

instructor: Jan Cooper
office: King 139
phone: x8613
email: fcooper@oberlin.edu (I'm happy to receive messages anytime--I check my alpha account mail frequently everyday and often during the weekends)

textbook: Race Matters by Cornell West (Boston: Beacon Press, 1993)

other materials needed: folder in which to keep all materials collected for the course

class time & place: Tuesday, Thursday 10-10:50, King 123

major goals of course: learning to enjoy writing, using writing as a way to develop your thinking about a subject, learning more about communicating your thoughts to others, facility in using a computer to revise writing and communicate electronically with others

requirements:

    1. Arrive promptly and attend all classes for the full time allotted. More than 2 unexcused absences during the semester immediately put you in danger of no-entrying the course. If you are absent it is your responsibility to contact me immediately to find out what you missed and hand in any make up work.

    2. Participate in class discussions and workshopping sessions.

    3. Hand in all assignments on their scheduled days.

    4. Participate in weekly electronic discussions of class readings and other topics. Due every Saturday by noon.

    5. Save all notes, false starts, writings, hand-outs, etc. collected during the semester for an evaluation folder, due at midterm (October 17) and the end of reading period (December 16).

grading: All courses in the Expository Writing Program are graded Credit/No Entry. Because this course emphasizes revision, I also do not letter grade single pieces of writing. Instead you will receive written or oral responses to specific pieces of writing to help you determine how best to improve them. At midterm, however, I will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the writing in your folder with you in individual appointments. If at any time you have questions concerning the progress you're making, please make an appointment to discuss them with me.

A Cautionary Word about the Writing Requirement Unless you are taking it in sequence with Expository Writing 101 (English Composition), or 103 (English Composition: Special Topics), you should not assume that this course will fulfill one of your two Writing Certification requirements. The Expository Writing Program intends for this course to give students the writing instruction that will enable them to achieve certification in other Writing Intensive or Writing Certification courses. It is possible that you might demonstrate sufficient skill in academic writing to earn certification in this course, but passing 100 does not automatically entitle you to it. If you have any questions about this or any particularly strong reasons for wanting to earn certification through this course, please talk to me about them as soon as possible.

Fall 1996 Class Schedule


Tues., Sept. 3: in class writing ("Why are you taking this class? What do I need to know about you? What other classes are you taking this semester?") due

Thurs., Sept. 5: Paper 1 (What's Your Writing Process Right Now?) due

Sat., Sept. 7: first electronic discussion entry (Self-Introduction & Reaction to West's "Preface") due *

Tues., Sept. 10: Paper 2 (What Makes a Piece of Writing Good?) due; discuss Paper 2 drafts; discuss West's preface

Thurs., Sept. 12: Paper 3 (A Significant Writing Experience/Previous Writing Instruction) due; discuss Paper 3 drafts in small groups

Sat., Sept. 14: second electronic discussion entry (on West, chapter 1) due

Tues., Sept. 17: Paper 3 draft 2 due; discuss West, chapter 1

Thurs., Sept. 19: workshop 2 student papers; discuss Paper 4 (Race at Oberlin) assignment

Sat., Sept. 21: third electronic discussion entry (on West, chapter 2) due

Tues., Sept. 24: Paper 4 due; discuss West, chapter 2

Thurs., Sept. 26: workshop 3 student papers; discuss Paper 5 (Leadership at Oberlin) assignment

Sat., Sept. 28: fourth electronic discussion entry (on West, chapter 3) due

Tues., Oct. 1: Paper 5 due; discuss West, chapter 3

Thurs., Oct. 3: workshop 3 student papers

Sat., Oct. 5: no electronic discussion entry due this week (time to take a breather!) unless you have an issue you'd like to raise with the class

Tues., Oct. 8: revision of either Paper 4 or Paper 5 due; workshop 3 student papers

Thurs., Oct. 10: workshop 3 student papers

Sat., Oct. 12: electronic discussion entry on midterm class evaluation due

Tues., Oct. 15: revision of Paper 1 due; workshop 3 student papers

Thurs., Oct. 17: midterm class evaluation discussion

Sat., Oct. 18: final folders due at my office by noon

OCT. 22 AND 24: NO CLASS--AUTUMN RECESS

Tues., Oct. 29: in class interview writing

Thurs., Oct. 31: Paper 6 (revision of in class interview writing); discussion of quotation and documentation conventions, plagiarism

Sat., Nov. 2: electronic discussion entry (on West, chapter 4) due

Tues., Nov. 5: first draft of Paper 7 (Economic Class at Oberlin) due; discuss West, chapter 4

Thurs., Nov. 7: revision of Paper 6 due; worshop 3 student papers

Sat., Nov. 9: electronic discussion entry (on West, chapter 5) due

Tues., Nov. 12: second draft of Paper 7 due; discuss West, chapter 5

Thurs., Nov. 14: workshop 3 student papers

Sat., Nov. 16: electronic discussion entry (on West, chapters 6&7) due

Tues., Nov. 19: third draft of Paper 7 due; discuss West, chapters 6 & 7

Thurs., Nov. 21: workshop 3 student papers

Sat., Nov. 23: electronic discussion entry (on West, chapter 8) due

Tues., Nov. 26: first draft of Paper 8 (Crossing the Lines) due; discuss West, chapter 8 and Race Matters overall

Thurs., Nov. 28: Thanksgiving holiday--NO CLASS

Sat., Nov. 30: no electronic discussion entry due--we need another breather

Tues., Dec. 3: second draft of Paper 8 due; workshop 3 student papers

Thurs., Dec. 5: workshop 3 student papers

Sat., Dec. 7: electronic discussion entry on final class evaluation

Tues., Dec. 10: revision of Paper 2 due; workshop 3 student papers

Thurs., Dec. 12: final class discussion

SAT., DEC. 16: FINAL FOLDERS DUE AT MY OFFICE BY 4 PM

*All electronic discussion entries are due by noon on the date given, unless otherwise announced in class.

last updated 15 October 1996 by
Jan Cooper
Expository Writing Program

send comments to fcooper@oberlin.edu


http://www.oberlin.edu/~jcooper/ewp_basic.html