Welcome to English 104!
According to the course catalog, this class will provide “An introduction to the critical writing and analytical reading required for college assignments. Composing summaries, analyses, arguments, and research papers. Emphasis on organization, sentence construction, and logic. Training in peer revision and editing techniques, as well as in research methods.” This section in particular will focus on developing analyses, and writing, editing, and revising analytical papers, as well as revising for style and correctness. You should think of this class as more of a skill-building class than a class where you listen and absorb knowledge. We’ll do a lot of writing and revising, and we’ll examine written and visual texts (essays, articles, ads, paintings, places, etc.).

Required texts 

Rosenwasser, David, and Jill Stephen. Writing Analytically. 3^rd ed. Boston: Thomson, Heinle, 2002.

Hacker, Diana. A Writer’s Reference. 4^th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, 1999.

(Additional readings will be handed out in class or made available online.) 

Recommended Text 

You'll need a good college dictionary for this course. If you don't have one yet, you need to get one. I recommend either the American Heritage Dictionary or Webster's 10^th Collegiate Dictionary. The paperback edition of the American Heritage Dictionary is available in the bookstore; let me know if you can't find a copy. 

Course Schedule (contains only first several weeks; schedule for subsequent weeks will be handed out later)

WA = Writing Analytically, J = journal due that day (see journal assignment sheet for more information)

Shaded days indicate no normal class meeting (though you may need to come to a conference that day)                            

 Due dates for other major assignments later this semester: 

 Final Grade Breakdown:

 Papers - 62% (paper 1 - 12%, paper 2 - 15%, paper 3 - 20%, paper 4 - 15%)

In-class essays, participation, and other in-class assignments - 12%

Error logs – 8%

Preparation for conferences, peer work – 8%

Journal, portfolio, and other assignments – 10%

 Your participation grade is based on the following:

·         how well-prepared you are for class

·         how actively you participate in class discussions, and

·         your attendance

 Papers 

All papers are graded on content, style, mechanics, and organization. A papers (which are excellent papers) exceed all standards for college writing proficiency at Goucher (see writing proficiency criteria) – they are very well written, show evidence of thoughtful analysis, are interesting/thought-provoking, and have only minor problems in at most a one or two areas. B papers are reasonably well written and though-out and could be revised to meet the standards of an excellent paper, but have several minor problem areas. C papers are average – they are coherent and have a locatable thesis and offer a reasonable analysis, but they have a number of minor problems or one major problem. Papers that receive a C- or lower do not meet a number of the standards for writing proficiency, and have more major problems in more areas. Please understand that this may not be the grading system you were used to in high school: for me, an average paper is a C, a good paper is a B, and an excellent paper is an A.

 More on the papers

 We’ll write four out of class (as opposed to in-class) essays during the semester:

 ·         a short (3-4 page) analysis paper (possible subjects include works of art, advertisements, and places)

·         an analysis of language/communication patterns (4-5 pages) (for instance, comparing Eminem to other rappers, examining how writing in IM differs from other kinds of writing, figuring out who uses “um” and “like” and when they use them, etc.)

·         a mini-research paper (5-7 pages) analyzing some aspect of some current medium (possible media include  - television programs,  films, newspapers, etc.) Sample topics: father/son relationships in Road to Perdition, teen language in Dawson’s Creek, body images in clothing ads in women’s magazines (1920’s to present), coverage of peace protests in Iraqi and American papers, the Peter Pan syndrome in independent films, the portrayal of Arabs in Disney’s Aladdin, etc.

·         a short analysis of a text (poem, song, opinion piece, etc.)

 Reading critically, thinking analytically, and writing clearly can hard work. You may not have had to write papers like these before, and you may find it difficult to do so. Please understand that I know this is hard work, and I’m here to help you learn and polish these skills. Please feel free to drop by my office if you’re feeling frustrated. I’m happy to go over a draft or a reading with you, discuss an assignment you’ve gotten back, or just chat about whatever is bothering you. If I'm not around, send me email. I check email quite often when I'm near a computer. If you let work pile up because you feel overwhelmed, it will be hard to get back on track, so please come talk to me sooner rather than later if you’re having any trouble.