Course Syllabus

Dept: Languages and Literature

Course Title: College Writing II

Course Number: GLL 122

Credit Hours: 4

Class Meets:  W 6-9:20pm, Stillwell Campus

Instructor:  Mr. O’Reilly

Email: billoreilly@live.com

Course Description:

Writing and rewriting critical and expository essays enables students to increase their ability to analyze texts and to convey the results of their analysis in speech and writing.

Course Objectives:     

To empower students to plan, write, rewrite and edit essays of five or more paragraphs and communicate ideas with precision, clarity and coherence. Students should be prepared to analyze text in detail and to write well-researched discursive essays.

Literacy Objectives:

Utilize/recognize these:

                        Prewriting                                             Revision

                        Editing                                                  Organization

                        Audience                                              Plagiarism

                        Purpose                                                Introduction to plagiarism

                        Voice                                                   Standard Written English

                        Drafting                                                            Topic Selection

                        Strategies for paragraph development

Course Content (Suggested Modules):

Reaction Papers

Character Analysis

Language, Metaphor and Symbol

Theoretical Questions

Class Schedule—Class Focus

1       First Meeting: introductions and expectations; assessment essays

2      Content: Media Stories: oral presentations, work in pairs; main idea, supportive details. Literary Discussion: symbolism

3        Journaling on weekly goals/outcomes; first literary discussion       “A Conversation with My Father” by Grace Paley  content, form, expression: what is the author saying and how is she saying it? Assign persuasive essay on controversial topic.

 4      Writing Workshop on assigned essay: peer editing; writer’s chair.

5         Journaling;Discussions of  Media stories—New York Times, Newsday or USA Today;  assign sociological essay on  “A Time of Great Change” based on journalistic coverage and personal observation

6        Literary Discussion and Characterization Analysis: “Sonny’s Blues”; assign Mid Term Topic

7       Midterm Essay: 5-Paragraph Essay on assigned  topic

8        Read/analyze “Araby”: the power of “I” in narrative; assign a short story written in first person.

9       Writer’s Chair, writing workshop based on assigned original short stories

 10       Journaling; discussion of media stories for content and cultural commentary

11    “The Lesson”  analysis, focus: transformation; assigned essay; students select their own essay and prepare for next class

12        Journaling; students present their selected stories in small groups; assign oral presentations for next two sessions

13       Student oral presentations-controversial topics

14       Student oral presentations

15       Review of Sample Essays Modeled on Final Exam; peer edit  portfolios.

16       Final Exam---4 Essay Portfolio Due

Assessments:

Attendance: Students are expected to attend class regularly and communicate responsibly about any anticipated absences. Being late three times is the equivalent of being absent once.

 Essay Writing: Students will complete a minimum of ten written assignments;  five will be three-paragraph essays; and five essays will be five paragraphs long. Students will rewrite and submit work as well. Final portfolios will contain at least four essays.

Participation: Students are expected to demonstrate learning in class by offering their verbal responses to questions posed, as well as working collaboratively with their fellow students.

Readings:

A Conversation with My Father      Paley

Sonny’s Blues                                  Baldwin

The Lesson                                       Bambara

Araby                                                Joyce

Final Grading:

Essays---50%

Midterm-20%

Other class tests and quizzes-20%

Participation-10%

Course Texts:

Writing:  A College Handbook—(5^th Edition)

J. Heffernan and J. Lincoln

2000

W.W. Norton & Company

ISBN 039397426X

40 Short Stories: A Portable Anthology

Beverly Lawn

2000

Bedford/St. Martin’s Press

ISBN 0312259123

Merriam-Webster Pocket Dictionary

1995

Merriam-Webster Incorporated

ISBN 0877795002