EXPOSITORY WRITING/ENGLISH 101-01/02

English Composition

Fall 1996

instructor: Jan Cooper

office: King 139

phone: 775-8613

e-mail: fcooper@oberlin.edu (I'm happy to receive messages anytime--I check my apha account email frequently)

texts: The Writer's Community by David J. Kooster and Patricia L. Bloom--available from the Coop Bookstore

other materials needed: a folder in which to keep all materials collected in this course

course description:

Like any Expository Writing class, this is a course about writing--how to generate it without tearing out your hair, how to revise it without developing ulcers, how to find the guts to hand it to a reader. Beyond those practical concerns, however, it's also a class about language and learning to be more conscious of how you use it in an academic setting.

Our textbook, The Writer's Community, will take you through a sequence of assignments that ask you to examine your writing experiences, comparing them to values and standards held by various academic discourse communities. In our three weekly class meetings you will discuss shorter writer assignments, workshop your papers, and discuss readings from the book.

In addition to our three weekly class meetings, we'll have weekly electronic discussions of the readings and whatever topics arise in classroom discussions. I will also arrange to talk to you individually about your writing several times during the semester (usually about once every two or three weeks). If at any other time you feel confused or concerned about what you're doing in this course, make an appointment to talk to me about it.

other requirements:

1. Attendance at all scheduled classes, small group sessions, and individual appointments is vitally important. If you are unavoidably prevented from coming, please call or e-mail me to find out what you have missed and what is needed for the next meeting. Missing more than two class meetings or appointments during the semester (one per module) for unexcused reasons will be grounds for NE-ing this course.
2. Participation in the electronic discussion group is mandatory. You will be required to post your entry by noon on Saturdays. You are required to read everyone's entries by class time on Mondays
3. SAVE ALL THE WRITING YOU DO FOR THIS CLASS--all notes, false starts, rough drafts, outlines, short responses, and final drafts. Save all photocopies and class members' comments too. At the middle and end of the term I will ask you to collect all these materials together in a folder for evaluation. I strongly advise you to get a folder and start your collection right now.

A Cautionary Word about the Writing Requirement

Unless you are taking it in sequence with Expository Writing 100 (Basic Writing) 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 101 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.

EXWR101-01/02 Schedule--Fall 1996

Wed., Sept. 4: Day 1 Writing

Fri., Sept. 6: read pages 1-21*, Exercises 1.1 and 1.4 are due**

Sat., Sept. 7: electronic discussion entry on Exercise 1.2 or 1.3 due by noon

Mon., Sept. 9: discussion of electronic discussion entries, discuss Exercise 1.6 in small groups

Wed., Sept. 11: Exercise 1.6 due, discuss the results of 1.6 in class

Fri., Sept. 13: Paper 1 due (choose from topics 1-3 under Writing Assignments on pages 24-26), small group workshopping of Paper 1, sign up for individual appointments

Sat., Sept. 14: electronic discussion entry on readings by Rose and Klass (pages 26-36) due by noon

Mon., Sept. 16: discussion of Rose and Klass readings, workshop 2 papers (see Box 6.2 on pages 237-238 for workshopping guidelines)

Wed., Sept. 18: read pages 37-49, Exercise 2.1 due

Fri., Sept. 20: revision of Paper 1 due, discuss Exercise 2.2

Sat., Sept. 21: no electronic discussion entries due

Mon., Sept. 23: YOM KIPPUR--FREE DAY--no class meeting

Wed., Sept. 25: workshop 4 papers

Fri., Sept. 27: Exercise 2.2 due, group discussion of Exercise 2.2 , workshop 2 papers

Sat., Sept. 28: electronic discussion entries on "Voices from Three Discourse Communities: Readings" (pages 49-69) due by noon--use Exercises 2.4, 2.5, and 2.6 as the basis for this entry

Mon., Sept. 30: discuss readings in "Voices from Three Discourse Communities" and electronic discussion on them

Wed., Oct. 2: Exercises 2.8 or 2.9 (choose one) due, workshop 2 papers

Fri., Oct. 4: first draft of Paper 2 due (choose from Writing Assignments topics 1-3 on pages 70-72), sign up for individual appointments

Sat., Oct. 5: read pages 73-85, electronic discussion entries on Exercises 3.1 and 3.2 due by noon

Mon., Oct. 7: read pages 87-92, Exercises 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7 are due

Wed., Oct. 9: read pages 92-96, Exercise 3.10 is due

Fri., Oct. 11: read pages 96-105, discussion of student papers, revision of Paper 2 is due

Sat., Oct. 12: electronic discussion entries on midterm class evaluation due by noon

Mon., Oct. 14: workshop 4 papers

Wed., Oct. 16: workshop 4 papers

Fri., Oct. 18: midterm folders due in King 139 by noon

no class Oct. 21-25--autumn recess

Mon., Oct. 28: discussion of Chapter 5, sign up for midterm grade appointments

Wed., Oct. 30: no class meeting--times for individual midterm appointments

Fri., Nov. 1: first draft of Paper 3 due, discuss documentation in class

Sun., Nov. 3: electronic discussion entries on Kauffman and Thelen (pages 157-182) due by noon

Mon., Nov. 4: discuss electronic discussion entries on Kauffman and Thelen

Wed., Nov. 6: workshop 3 papers

Fri., Nov. 8: second draft of Paper 3 due, workshop 3 papers; sign up for individual appointments

Suns., Nov. 10: electronic discussion entries on Stoll, Lanham, and Around the Square handouts due by noon

Mon., Nov. 11: discuss Stoll, Lanham, and Around the Square readings

Wed., Nov. 13: workshop 3 papers

Fri., Nov. 15: first draft of Paper 4 due; workshop 3 papers

Sat., Nov. 16: electronic discussion entries on West, Le Guin, and Hoagland (pages 195-234) due by noon

Mon., Nov. 18: discuss electronic entries on West, Le Guin, and Hoagland and WC's discussion of methods of development in each or the three authors

Wed., Nov. 20: Workshop 3 papers

Fri., Nov. 22: no class meeting

Sat., Nov. 23: no electronic discussion entries due

Mon., Nov. 25: second draft of Paper 4 due; discussion of style based on Chapter 7 in WC

Wed., Nov. 27: workshop 3 papers

Fri., Nov. 29: Thanksgiving Holiday--FREE DAY--no class meeting

Sat., Nov., 30: no electronic discussion entries due

Mon., Dec. 2: first draft of Paper 5 due, further discussion of style

Wed., Dec. 4: workshop 3 papers

Fri., Dec. 6: workshop 3 papers

Sat., Dec. 7: electronic entries on final class evaluation due by noon

Mon., Dec. 9: second draft of Paper 5 due, workshopping in pairs

Wed., Dec. 11: discuss electronic entries on final class evaluation

Fri., Dec. 13: to be announced

Mon., Dec. 16: final folders due in King 139 by 4 pm

* All page numbers refer to The Writer's Community, our textbook.

**All assignments are due at the beginning of class. Missing a class or being tardy to complete an assignment is unacceptable.