Time Schedule:
Nancy A Fox
ENGL 131
Seattle Campus
Study and practice of good writing: topics derived from a variety of personal, academic, and public subjects. Cannot be taken if student has already received a grade of 2.0 or higher in either ENGL 111, ENGL 121, or ENGL 131.
Class description
You'll be challenged by ideas in argument form, which you will analyze rhetorically. This means you'll pay close attention to audience, purpose, and strategy. You'll learn how to recognize the elements of context that situate an argument, and show the connection of that argument to similar texts, both visual and written. You'll learn how to tell the difference between academic texts and the writing genres that arise from other situations, i.e., the lives you lead as citizens, colleagues, friends, members of families, members of communities, future professionals.
Our continuous process of draft and revision, which culminates in your final portfolio, will teach you how to add your own distinctive voice to the conversation, or discourse, of the university, and write academic papers – as well as your own argument – with clarity, confidence, creativity, and informed critical thought.
I choose a specific theme each term -- such as "Dream America" or "To Change the World" or "Outsiders" -- and I'll let you know about this on the first day of class.
Student learning goals
1. To demonstrate an awareness of the strategies that writers use in different writing contexts.
2. To demonstrate an understanding of the course texts as necessary for the purpose at hand.
3. To produce complex, analytic, persuasive arguments that matter in academic contexts.
4. To develop flexible strategies for revising, editing, and proofreading writing.
General method of instruction
We'll focus our group inquiry on the course readings & films. You'll be asked to present your short creative texts and visual projects either to the class or the group (depending on your vote). Two conferences with me about the major papers are required.
Recommended preparation
Just bring writing material and your good self. I'll let you know directly about the text we're using, which depends on the theme we explore.
Class assignments and grading
Our projects include short texts, both verbal and visual (1-3 pages each), keyed to each reading or film, and two major papers (5-7 pages each.
Your assignments receive participation grades only (30% of your final grade). The final course project is the portfolio, which consists of texts you select from your work as well as a final reflection. This project is worth 70% of your grade.
