Time Schedule:
Roderick B Overaa
ENGL 111
Seattle Campus
Study and practice of good writing; topics derived from reading and discussing stories, poems, essays, and plays.
Class description
Welcome to English 111. This course is designed to serve as an introduction to academic writing (the kind of writing you will be expected to do throughout your college career) with an emphasis on writing about literature. Academic writing differs from the type of writing most of you have done in high school in that it is based upon the process of "academic inquiry" (wherein writers make use of and enter into a "dialog" with other texts, and put forth complex, persuasive arguments on topics that matter in academic contexts). This course seeks to familiarize you with the particular demands and methodologies of academic writing, and give you an opportunity to employ the writing skills that will help you become a successful college student and writer.
To this end, you will learn to closely read and analyze complex texts, so that you may develop the ability to refer to and/or cite texts that support the claims you make in your own writing. We will examine some of the rhetorical strategies writers use to write about literature so that you may be conscious of these conventions and techniques when writing your own papers. You will also learn how to implement successful strategies for proofreading, editing, and revising written work.
This course will focus on the formal characteristics of the contemporary short story (i.e., literary fiction, not genre fiction). We will be reading a number of short stories and some supplementary materials in an effort to understand and come to terms with the fundamental elements of a good short story.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Seminar days will generally consist of short lectures/demonstrations by the instructor and class discussions about the course readings. We will work to develop research skills and improve writing skills. We will also periodically conduct peer reviews of classmates' work.
This course is a Computer Integrated Course (CIC), so for one day a week we will meet in a computer lab. We will use the classroom technology only insofar as it supplements achieving the goals of the course. No special computer skills are necessary beyond a familiarity with Windows and mouse operation, although we will be learning to use a couple of special software programs in class. A smart drive or other portable data storage unit (such as a 3.5-inch disk) is recommended.
Recommended preparation
Get the textbooks and course reader as early as possible and start reading. Check out the course website and familiarlize yourself with the various links.
Class assignments and grading
The quarter will be divided into two sequences, each of which will culminate in your writing a 5-7 page paper. There will also be a number of shorter writing assignments, each structured to help you learn how to use the various reading and writing techniques you will need to successfully complete the two longer papers.
Final portfolio of writing = 70%. Participation = 30%
