Metro State, Spring 2004, section 5
Dr. Cynthia Kuhn

ENG 2500 provides a conceptual framework for analyzing writing situations, offers models and opportunity for practice, and welcomes you into a community of writers. Following the premise that ideas can be developed in a number of textual forms, we will discuss and practice strategies for creating thoughtful work in a variety of genres. We will be immersed in the craft of writing throughout the semester—prewriting, drafting, workshopping, revising, and editing—working toward a polished multigenre research portfolio. As a result of this course, your ability to analyze a rhetorical situation and to express your ideas creatively and effectively in writing for that context should improve.  Course objectives include the following items.

• To analyze a writing situation in terms of its context, including rhetorical concepts of purpose, audience, and language; technical or artistic concepts such as viewpoint, style, and technique; practical concepts such as ethics, function, readability, and accessibility; and broad social or political concepts which may include considerations of race, class, gender, or community.
• To write effectively in creative and expository forms using that knowledge of context.
• To practice self- or small-group editing, with the purpose of directing revisions.
• To appreciate that good writing transcends classification as either "creative" or "expository."
• To explore the universe of textuality, understanding that texts arise from specific contexts and that the same idea can manifest itself in a variety of textual forms.
• To gain power and pleasure from working with a variety of texts (narrative, dramatic, poetic, meditative, informative, persuasive, etc.)
• To assemble a polished final portfolio.

Recommended Texts: a good dictionary, thesaurus, and style manual.

Assignments:

Prospectus  =    40 Draft Folder Submissions  =  60 Participation/Short Assignments = 200 Presentation    =   100 Workshops =   100 Multigenre Research Portfolio =  500           Total possible points = 1000

900-1000 = A   800-899 = B   700-799 = C    600-699 = D        0-599 = F (adjusted per absence policy)

Attendance: You are a vital member of our community, and regular attendance is essential and expected.  There are no “excused” absences.  The policy is as follows: you are allowed one week of absences with no penalty—additional absences, late arrivals, or early departures will affect your final grade adversely (-25 points each instance at my discretion).  Three weeks of absences will result in failure of the course.  Metro has a policy of accommodating students who need to miss class for a religious holiday observance, provided such students notify their instructors in writing within the first two weeks of the semester.  Any student eligible for reasonable accommodation of special learning needs should speak with me during the first week of class. 

Assignments: Assignments are due in class, at the beginning of class, on the due date to receive full credit.  I will accept your work—with the exception of the final portfolio—one class period late (this will result in a reduction of ten points) but not after that.  Please do not email or fax assignments.  I will expect you to have completed the assigned readings and to be prepared to talk about them in class—I’m looking for active, thoughtful, constructive participation.  Please bring your textbook to class.

Academic Responsibilities: All work must be your own, generated this semester for this course.  Plagiarism involves using all or part of a source (words or ideas) without correctly citing the source (this would include representing another person's work as your own or using a source in any way without correct documentation). You are responsible for asking me if you are not sure how to document something.  Academically dishonest or plagiarized work will receive an "F" and may be grounds for further disciplinary action (see the Metro State Student Handbook for more information).

Important Dates: The No-Credit (NC) deadlines are February 16 (no faculty signature required) and March 26 (faculty signature required).  Final exam week is May 10-15.  Grades will be available on the web on May 21.

Draft Submissions: Choose one piece and turn in your current draft along with all previous drafts (at least two, so this MUST be your third—at least—revision) of this particular piece, including workshop comments.  In addition, please include a typed paragraph (or two) that describe(s) your goals for this piece and give(s) a brief history of your process to date (the history might include your reflections on development so far, responses to your workshop experience, etc.).  Drafts in progress will be evaluated on quality, recognition of process, adherence to deadlines, and good-faith participation (see WP 141-146).  I will award grades for them according to the following scale (transferring the letter grades to points).
 

Suitable draft in on time  A
Almost suitable draft in on time A-/B
Late, but suitable  B
Late, but not quite suitable C-D
Poorly developed  C-D
No draft   F

Participation:  We will read, write, and discuss a wide variety of materials this semester.  Your participation score will be based on the following activities: coming to class prepared (having completed the readings/assignments), participating constructively in discussion and other activities, and cooperating well with the other people in our class community. 

Multigenre Research Portfolio and Prospectus: I will give you separate handouts describing these projects.

Presentation: In a brief presentation (5-7 minutes), introduce a selection of your finished collection.  Begin with a short discussion of your writing goals and processes.