University at Buffalo

Spring 2005

English 201:  Advanced Writing 1

Sections E4  MWF 12-12:50 Bell 325

F3  MWF 1-1:50 O’Brian 109

 

Credit hours:  3           Prerequisite:  Appropriate test score

Instructor:  Ms. Jane Adam      Office:  644 Clemens      Mailbox:  3rd floor Clemens

Office hours:  M  W 2-2:50 pm      email: adam_jane@hotmail.com          

 

 Texts:  (available at University Bookstore)

Abcarian and Klotz,.Literature: The Human Experience, shorter 8th ed. REQUIRED

Hacker, A Writer’s Reference 5th ed.  RECOMMENDED

Also Required:

--Pocket folder

--Access to computer or word processor--all essays must be typed double spaced in 12 pt font

  (see p. 371 in A Writer’s Reference for format example)

 

Course Objectives:  English 201 gives you the opportunity to  develop your critical thinking, critical reading, and research skills.  Using discussion and analysis of selected literary texts as a starting point, you will learn what you need to write 5-10 page papers at the university level: you will work with the complex and substantial ideas these texts introduce, do sufficient research to discover a variety of sources that help you expand such ideas, and incorporate and document information from these sources in your own writing. You will review basic skills including organization, grammar, mechanics and usage as needed  and gain greater control over them. You will grow in your ability to analyze, evaluate and appreciate others’ writing.  You will have a chance to develop your own distinctive writing voice in a variety of writing assignments—to use your voice to contribute confidently to a larger conversation on what the editors of your text call “the great themes of humanity.”

                The class will work toward these objectives through reading and discussion, informal in-class writing, and invention, drafting, and revising of formal essays and a research paper--with input at every stage from instructor and peers.  To demonstrate your progress as a writer and to motivate yourself to think critically about your education, you will keep all your written work throughout the semester, and you will revise some of your essays for your final portfolio.

 

Coursework

                Essays (three total, length ranging 2-5 pages, topic choices TBA)—primarily, these will analyze assigned readings, but may also draw on class discussion, personal reflection, and researched information.  For each one, you will write a draft and at least one revision.

                Informal Writings, Discussion Cards, and Grammar Exercises--to be done in or out of class, individually , or in small groups as announced;  completeness will count toward final grade. You will also analyze and reflect on some of these in your  final portfolios.

                Group Activities will include discussions and presentations from assigned reading, plus draft workshops for formal essays.  Participation will count toward final grade.

                Assigned Reading—short stories, poems and essays from Literature: The Human Experience  will provide the subject matter  for most class discussion and writing assignments. This text also includes explanations and guidelines to apply to your own reading and writing process.  We will use A Writer’s Reference to review basics in class as needed; you must also use it independently to work on your individual grammar and punctuation problems and to find guidelines for MLA documentation.  Unannounced quizzes will be given as necessary.

                Research Paper (10 pages)—Topic choices will be related to our reading and class discussion—specifics to be announced.  You will use MLA documentation and follow a research process, with thesis statement, working bibliography, annotated bibliography, oral presentation (5 minutes), draft, and first revision due earlier in the semester; final revision due at the end.

 

 

 

Coursework cont.

Final Portfolio--includes further revisions of  your research paper and selected essays along with a letter of reflection on your development as a writer. You must keep all of your notes, drafts and revisions throughout the semester for possible inclusion in this portfolio.

Library Skills Workbook—You must complete the workbook on UB Learns by Mon. April 4—unless you can prove you have already completed it--in order to pass this course.  More details TBA. 

Extra Credit—(up to 5 points total) brief and very specific research assignments that will enhance class discussion. 

Conferences:  Each student will meet with the instructor at least twice: at midterm and before final portfolio is due.

 

Grades

                You will receive a letter  grade on your essays, research paper, and oral presentation.  You will have a chance to revise your essays and research paper for improved grades.         You must give an oral presentation and turn in all of the essays, the research paper with all its components, and a final portfolio--along with a minimum number of informal writings, discussion cards,  and in-class activities--in order to pass the course.  Your coursework will then be weighted as follows to determine your final grade:

 

                35%  --  Essays #1, #2 and #3 (two @10% each, one @15%)

                35%  --  Research Paper and components

                10%  --  Final Portfolio

10%  --  Group Activities, in-class (informal) writing activities, discussion cards, quizzes, etc. 

10%  --  Engagement (attitude, effort, class participation, cooperation)                

 

Final Portfolios are due Monday, May 2, 2005.  No late portfolios will be accepted.

 

Policies

Attendance--You are allowed four absences without penalty. For each additional absence up to eight, your final grade may be lowered.  However, if you are absent nine or more times, you will fail the course automatically.  Also, if you use more than four absences by March 7, you will be asked to resign from the course. Attendance will be taken in every class, but be sure to keep track of your own attendance also.  You are still responsible for all material covered and assignments due; fulfill this responsibility by contacting a classmate to find out what you have missed.

 

Late or Missed Assignments—If you turn in a graded assignment up to one week (3 class periods) late, your grade will be lowered 1/3 letter grade (for example B+ =B).  After the first week, you will lose one full letter grade for each class period the assignment is late (B=C).   If you do not bring a draft on peer review workshop days, you will be counted absent.  Emailed papers will not be accepted.

 

Classroom Behavior—Inappropriate behavior, including tardiness, talking out of turn, playing with phones or other devices, and doing work from other classes, will not be tolerated  (see Engagement, above).

               

Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of someone else’s words, ideas, or information.  One plagiarized essay will earn you an F for that assignment.  A second plagiarized essay will earn you an F for the course.  Learning to use sources properly and effectively is a major component of this course; if you are not yet sure exactly what constitutes plagiarism, you will soon learn!

 

Incompletes--Only those students who have fulfilled the attendance requirements for this course and completed all but one of the written assignments are eligible for an Incomplete grade.

 

 

 

 

English 201    Adam    Spring 2005

 

 

Schedule

 

 

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A DISCUSSION CARD

is an index card or half sheet of paper on which you have written a critical-thinking question or comment* inspired by at least one of the assigned readings (or perhaps by a comparison of two or more of them) for that day.

*Your question should be able to be answered differently from different perspectives, should be one that the class can explore, discuss, or debate fruitfully.  You do not (should not) have to know the answer(s) to your question.  It should not be a question that could be answered definitively by facts or research. Resist copying the questions that appear in the book at the and of some selections (though these are good examples). You can also make a comment or observation about something in or related to the reading or theme that puzzles or provokes you—and could provoke class discussion.

The cards will be collected at the beginning of class and we will use them to facilitate class discussion.

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LHP=Literature: The Human Experience                     WR= A Writer’s Reference

 

 

1/19     Introduction

1/21     Introduction cont.   Letter of introduction due:  write a 2-page typed double-spaced letter introducing yourself as a person, student, and writer.  Include a quick description of your last English course and your strengths and weaknesses as a writer.   

 

 

1/24     In-class activity: responding to literature

1/26     In LHP read Conformity and Rebellion 288-291, Dickinson 378, Levertov 393, Piercy 395, Kowit 400, Giovanni 403.  Discuss in-class writing sample.

1/28     In-class writing sample.  Discuss updated schedule.

 

1/31     Read Tan 366-374, poems on handout.  Begin Discussion Essay #1.

2/2       Read LeGuin 335-340, Ellison 341-350.   Discussion Card for reading Due.

2/4       Continue discussion essay #1—topic choice workshop.

            Read/skim  Introduction, Reading Fiction & Poetry 3-17, Some Common Writing        

            Assignments 47-61.

 

2/7       Draft of Essay #1 due for Peer Review.

2/9       Essay #1 due.

2/11      Read poems by Frost 822, Sarton 824-25, Hayden 826, Peacock 837-38.

             Theme #2:  Love & Hate.  Discussion Card Due.

 

2/14     Begin Discussion Essay #2.  Read in your handbook about the following topics

            (pages given for Writer’s Reference):  Searching a Database 300-302; Avoiding

            Plagiarism 331-334; Sample MLA paper 368-377.

2/16     Read poems Millay 822, Bishop 824, Pope 836. Discussion card due.

2/18     Read poems Soto 841-42, Olds 835, Clifton 833-34.  Essay by Fromm 951-954.

            Discussion card due.

 

2/21     Read story by Carver 773-782. Shaw 768-772, Chopin 750-754. 

Discussion card due.

2/23     Discussion Essay #2 cont.  Topic choice & organization workshop.

2/25     Discussion/workshop Essay #2 cont.  Review plagiarism, MLA style.

 

2/28     Draft of essay #2 due for Peer Review.

3/2       Essay #2 due.

¾         conferences

 

3/7       conferences

3/9       conferences

3/11     Discuss research topics, Essay #3 ( #1 or #2 revised, expanded with research).

 

3/14-3/18         Spring Break

 

3/21     Discuss research process.  Reading TBA.  Peer review Essay #3.

3/23     Library orientation (tentative).

3/25     Essay #3 due.  Reading TBA.

 

3/28     Research topic proposal due.

3/30     Discuss oral presentation.

4/1       Working bibliography due.

 

4/4       Oral presentations

4/6       Oral presentations

4/8       Oral presentations

 

4/11     Draft of Research paper due for peer review.  Annotated bibliography due.

4/13     TBA

4/15     TBA

 

4/18     Research paper revision 1 due.

4/20     revision workshop

4/22     revision/conferences

 

4/25     revision/conferences

4/27     revision/conferences

4/29     editing workshop

 

5/2       Final portfolio due.