Well, first off and of most importance—keep up with the reading and
writing. Since each discussion and
assignment will grow from the preceding one, it is important that you attend class regularly and come prepared to
share your ideas.
Papers: You will
be writing four papers—one 2-3
page personal essay, two 5-6 page critical papers on class texts, and one 8-10
page research paper. In addition,
you will write a number of short in-class and take home assignments. I will provide more information on the
requirements for each of these papers as the due dates approach. If you are
unable to attend class the day a paper is due, please make sure someone brings
your paper to class or puts it in my mailbox.
All writing in the course will be revised at least twice,
and my comments as well as your peers' comments will provide reader response
that leads to revision. Since I am
concerned with the process you move through to reach your final version, I am
asking you to attach to your completed work all preliminary notes, drafts, diagrams,
and outlines leading to your final copy.
You should date all such material.
In addition to your essays, each of you will be responsible
for peer reviews of other students’
papers. Much of the class time will be spent working in groups, giving and
getting feedback from your peers. I
will be looking at these peer reviews for enthusiastic, honest, and
constructive criticism. We will be
discussing helpful ways in which to do this in class.
Attendance:
Because of our workshop format, attendance is extremely important. Three absences from class can be
tolerated--no effect on your grade and no questions asked. More than three
absences will affect your final grade. (In extraordinary cases of proven
emergency, this provision will be modified).
Whether or not you are absent, you are still responsible for the work
covered and essays are still due on the date requested. Chronic lateness will also affect your
grade.
Conferences: Three or
four times during the semester. classes will be cancelled and each of you will
meet with me for a conference. These
conferences will provide individual time for each of you to discuss your
writing. A missed conference is
considered an absence.
Evalution: In assessing your writing I look
for the following qualities: (1) Competence:
how thoroughly you introduced your topic, and developed and supported your
ideas; (2) Creativity: how much you
exerted yourself in being inventive, in taking a risk and trying something new
or difficult, in approaching the assignment as more than just an assignment, in
making what you write interesting to your readers; (3) Clarity: how clearly you were able to get your ideas across to your
readers by focusing your topic and using effective organization, sentences, and
words: (4) Correctness: how well you
followed grammatical and mechanical conventions (punctuation, syntax,
spelling), and how clearly you
documented your footnotes and bibliography; (5) Care: how well you incorporated suggestions and comments from your
colleagues and instructor, and to what
extent you presented a neat, readable paper.
Don't let this overwhelm you. I guarantee that it is not as much as it sounds. The writings will be fun, thought-provoking,
and even entertaining. And, in addition
to our class’s community of writers and readers, you have two other great
sources for help: check out the Writer's
Block, and also look up Marlboro's writing page on the web at www.marlboro.edu/~jsheehy/writing.