Prof. N. Black Fall 2005
Office Hours (3110 Boylan), T, Th, 2-3 and 5-6 p.m., or by appointment
Direct voice: 951-4275
E-mail: nblack@brooklyn.cuny.edu
Website: http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/black
Advanced Exposition (English 5.1)
Bulletin Description: Intensive study of and practice in essay writing for a variety of audiences and purposes.
Prerequisite: English 2. Students exempted from English 2 may waive the English 2 prerequisite for English 5.1.
Course Description: The goal of this course is effective essay writing appropriate to a variety of discriplines. By reading and analyzing examples of professional writing (such as the autobiographic essay, the op-ed page article, or the cultural critique), students are encouraged to think about the relationships among content, form, style, audience, and purpose in their writing. Conducted in a workshop format, the techniques of collaborative learning help participants work through and gain control over the processes of writing. Students write on topics of individual interest that are related to their fields of study. Included in the course requirements are: a writer's journal; a writing portfolio consisting of six three to five-page essays; six outlines; six peer critiques; six quizzes on copy-editing.
Required Texts: The Elements of Style by Strunk and White (4th ed.); packet of xeroxed essays from Far Better Copy Center; a notebook for your writer's journal.
Recommended Texts: Simon and Schuster Handbook by Lynn Q. Troyka (7th ed.) or another grammar and writing handbook of equivalent quality; The American Heritage Dictionary or another hardback dictionary of equivalent quality.
Due Dates of Weekly Assignments:
| Aug. 30 |
In class: introductions, attitudes, expectations, and audiences. At home: purchase books, begin writer's journal, and brainstorm topics for papers. |
| Sept. 1 |
In class: finding topics and audiences; the process of writing. At home: write 750-1000 word essay. |
Sept. 6
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In class: introduction to peer critiquing. At home: complete peer critique, exchange with partner, and revise essay. |
| Sept. 8 |
In class: revised essay #1 due; introduction to copy-editing. At home: read assigned essay; brainstorm topic for next essay.
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| Sept. 13 |
In class: discussion of essay #1, outlining, copy-editing (quiz #1), and assigned reading. At home: begin essay #2; read assigned essay and section from Elements of Style. |
| Sept.15 |
In class: discussion of writer's journals, assigned essay, and venues for publishing. At home: finish essay #2 (750-1000 words) and outline.
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| Sept. 20 |
In class: peer critiquing of essay #2. At home: complete peer critique, exchange with partner, and revise essay and outline. |
| Sept. 22 |
In class: revised essay #2 due; discussion of writing process, reading aloud of selected essays. At home: read assigned essay and section from Elements of Style.
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| Sept. 27 |
In class: discussion of assigned reading, writing longer essays, and topics for essay #3. At home: begin writing/researching essay #3 (2000 word essay). |
| Sept. 29 |
In class: copy-editing quiz (#2). At home: continue working on essay #3.
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| Oct. 4 |
No class. |
| Oct. 6 |
In class: begin peer critique of essay #3. At home: complete peer critique, exchange with partner, and revise essay and outline.
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| Oct. 11 |
No class. Conversion day to Monday. |
| Oct. 13 |
No class. |
| Oct. 18 |
In class: revised essay #3 due; discussion of writing process, outlining, peer critiques, and results of essay #3. At home: read assigned essay and section from Elements of Style.
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| Oct. 20 |
In class: copy-editing quiz (#3) and review topics for essay #4. At home: begin writing essay #4 and identify a specific audience and publisher.
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| Oct. 25 |
In class: more on copy-editing, topics, and publishers. At home: continue working on essay #4; read assigned essay and section from Elements of Style.
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| Oct. 27 |
In class: outline of assigned essay and more on copy-editing. At home: complete essay and outline of essay #4.
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| Nov. 1 |
In class: peer critiquing of essay #4. At home: complete peer critique, exchange with partner, and revise essay and outline.
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| Nov. 3 |
In class: essay #4 due; copy-editing quiz (#4). At home: assigned reading.
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| Nov. 8 |
In class: discussion of essay #4 and copy-editing. At home: begin essay #5. |
| Nov. 10 |
In class: discussion of assigned reading. At home: complete essay and outline of essay #5.
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Nov. 15
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In class: peer critiquing of essay #5. At home: complete peer critique, exchange with partner, and revise essay and outline.
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| Nov. 17 |
In class: essay #5 due; discussion of writing process; reading aloud of selected essays. At home: begin brainstorming for topic #6; assigned reading.
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| Nov. 22 |
In class: discussion of essay #5 with emphasis on organization and copy-editing; copy-editing quiz #5.
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| Nov. 24 |
No Class. Thanksgiving. |
| Dec. 1 |
In class: discussion of assigned reading. At home: draft essay #6. |
| Dec. 6 |
In class: peer critiquing of essay #6. At home: complete peer critique, exchange with partner, and revise essay and outline. |
| Dec. 8 |
In class: essay #6 due; discussion of writing process; copy-editing quiz #6. At home: revise earlier essays for portfolio submission. |
| Dec. 13 |
In class: summing up of various issues. At home: continue working on portfolio. |
| Dec. 15 |
In class: portfolios due. |
| Dec. 20 |
Return of portfolios during my office hours: 2-3 p.m. (3110 Boylan) |
Learning Objectives:
- The ability to draft and revise written material. Assessment: drafts and revisions for six essays; the writer's journal.
- The ability to organize according to a pattern that is appropriate to the subject matter. Assessment: outlines for each of the six essays.
- The ability to describe the pattern of organization in another student's paper. Assessment: six peer critiques.
- The ability to develop ideas by using supportive evidence appropriate to the subject matter and to help others learn to do the same. Assessment: analysis of paragraph coherence of one's own paper and a partner's paper.
- The ability to edit one's own work so that grammar and syntax are correct and style is effective. Assessment: six quizzes on copy-editing.
- The ability to write for a variety of purposes and audiences. Assessment: portfolio of six revised essays at the end of the semester.
Requirements:
Students are expected to attend class regularly, to arrive on time, and to hand in papers on the dates due. There is no final examination in this course.
The final grade will be calculated as follows:
6 essays 60%
6 outlines 10%
6 peer critiques 10%
6 copy-editing quizzes 20%
Although the writer's journal will not be graded, it will be submitted periodically for the teacher to read. Failure to maintain the journal may result in a lower grade for the course.
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